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He cupped her side again, his thumb pressing against her wound enough to make her cry out. “There is no damn Agent Brice. Stop fucking with me.”
“Enough,” 710 snarled.
“Stop, Jordan,” Trey Roberts commanded.
“There is,” she blurted, leaning closer to Jordan, angry and in pain. “He’s visited me many times and I’m tired of this bullshit. Find him. Just call his cell. I know the number by heart. I was too afraid to write it down in case my apartment was searched again.”
“Again?”
“They do that to employees. They search our homes, our cars and even check our phone records to see who we contact. I’m pretty sure they even bug our homes and phone lines so they can hear every word we say. I found a few in my apartment once, at least I think they were bugs. I didn’t dare touch them. I was always very careful or I’d never have survived this long. They would have killed me if they even suspected I worked with the NSO.”
Trey Roberts stepped into the light. “She looks so sincere and outraged.” He turned his head, stared at 710. “She’s either telling the truth or she’s the best liar I’ve ever seen. I’ve met CIA operatives with less talent for staying in character when they are deep undercover.”
“This is so stupid,” she protested. “Just find Agent Terry Brice already.”
Trey took a few steps closer and sighed. “There is no Terry Brice. Jordan is having a hard time believing your story because it doesn’t make sense. The SWAT team didn’t hit that building. We did. The NSO doesn’t need a judge to get a search warrant. We think New Species are being held somewhere, even suspect they might be there, and we can gather at least four teams within an hour to tear any place apart.”
Her mind blanked for a second, trying to make sense of what he said. It didn’t.
“We have three helicopters at our disposal at all times and can get them in the air within an hour with our teams fully prepared to converge on a location. We’ve done it and I have to admit I’m always a little impressed with our quick response time. We don’t have to follow the letter of the law. New Species are exempt from that red tape when it comes to recovering other ones.” He held up a hand and fisted it, straightening one finger.
“Your first mistake was saying you contacted the tip line. If you had, we’d have torn Drackwood apart a brick at a time to search every inch of it for New Species.” Another finger went up. “Your second mistake was saying the name of this supposed agent because I train with each and every member of the task force who are involved with Species. There is no such person. You can’t even claim he’s from another agency because we’re it when it comes to the NSO. Shit doesn’t go down without our approval and knowledge. It’s a presidential order for any outside agency to report to my boss immediately and pass all information that involves New Species directly to him. No such call was made to Tim or number one would have happened. We’d have ripped Drackwood apart just the way we did Cornas. We got the tip about it and were there within four hours.”
Jeanie believed him. She ignored the throbbing pain in her side that Jordan had caused, staring up at Trey Roberts in a daze. “I don’t understand. He had a badge and knew all the information I gave the NSO. He had the number for the disposable cell I bought. No one had that except where I left it in the message.”
“Jesus Christ,” Jordan snorted. “She’s going to play this game to the end. Let’s just call Fuller for a pick-up before I lose my temper. I’ve never decked a woman in my life but I’m tempted to make her the first.”
“I’m trying to help you, believe it or not,” Trey whispered. “We’re under orders not to hurt you but we don’t run Fuller. Make a deal with us or they’ll interrogate you. New Species don’t hurt women but we’re not that squeamish. You’re just going to be a number in prison.”
“I’m telling you the truth. I swear.” Desperation set in. “I get that it doesn’t make sense if what you’ve said is true but that’s how it happened. He said he was an agent, had a badge, and I thought I was working for the NSO. I wanted to get those New Species freed.”
“I can break her,” Jordon swore. “Give me five minutes alone with her.”
“No way in hell,” Trey answered. “I won’t allow that to happen. You were already too rough with her. It’s one thing to make threats to create fear but another to rough her up. You’d know everyone in here agrees with that if you’d take a second to glance around at the dirty looks you’re getting.”
“I’ll call Fuller for a pick-up then,” Jordan warned before turning his angry stare on Jeanie. “Bye, sweetheart. These are the last friendly faces you’ll see. I suggest you look long and hard out any window inside that van since it’s also the last time you’ll see anything without bars blocking the view.”
“That’s not accurate.” 710 drew her attention. “Dean Polanitis is there so you will be able to see him again every day. I am certain he will be happy to see you since you both will have a lot of catching up to do.”
That information was an emotional blow to Jeanie. Even hearing Dean Polanitis’ name made her break out in a cold sweat of terror. They were taking her to where he was being held. She’d have to see him again. All the nightmares, the sleepless nights and constant anxiety of the possibility that he might escape one day slammed home hard.
Dean Polanitis would kill her, no matter what it took. He had to know she was the reason he’d been arrested and Drackwood taken down. Flashbacks of the horrible things done to her caused a full-blown panic attack to strike. She was right back in that horrible lab room, restrained to a gurney, seeing his cruel smile as he watched her being injected with drugs. The pain she’d suffered seemed to amuse him and Dr. Brask. He’d be at that prison too.
Jeanie couldn’t stop herself from freaking out, recognizing the signs when she began to pant. She struggled with the task member holding her wrists behind her back, not caring if he broke her arms. She just needed to get away, to find a dark corner and curl into a ball.
“No! No!” she got out, throwing her head back.
Chapter Four
True turned away, angry that he’d been so completely fooled by Jeanie Shiver in the past. It was a poor excuse that he’d been a prisoner at the time, the lowest point of his life. The connection he’d felt toward her had been a lie, a ploy on her part.
It was cold consolation that the coconspirators would be kept so close yet so far away. Polanitis had been evil and Shiver was as guilty as the male. It seemed fitting that she’d suffer the same fate. True just wanted out of the basement, away from her and the past.
He had taken three steps when she cried out and her screams began. He spun, saw her thrown out of the chair. Chris had done it, his hands going to his bloody nose as he cursed. Trey and Jordan reacted by attempting to grab her but she rolled, clawing her way to her feet. She lurched on unsteady feet right into Jericho. He tensed when the male tried to hold her still by gripping her hips.
She screamed again and her hands fisted, frantically beating on the male’s chest. True stalked closer, knowing the male could restrain her. Her knee lifted and the primate snarled, caught off guard. True winced, understanding she’d scored a direct hit when the male released her and fell back to grab the front of his pants. He could have struck her on his way down but he knew the male purposely resisted hitting a female. She was small enough to kill with one blow.
Chris recovered first, blood all over his lower face and hands as he rushed up behind her, his intention clear—to tackle Shiver. Rage twisted the human’s face and True snarled, sure the male would cause her great harm.
“Don’t!” He rushed forward, moving faster than the human. He hooked an arm around her ribs and barely swung her out of the way when the task force member ignored his order. The other male brushed against his side from the near collision, on his way to hitting the floor as True whisked her beyond his grasp.
True lifted Jeanie into his arms as she screamed again. Her legs kicked wildly and her fists flail
ed the air. He glanced around, searching for somewhere to take her that she couldn’t be hurt if he put her down. There was nowhere. She bucked in his arms and it was difficult to keep hold of her.
He just dropped to the floor, her ass on his lap where he sat. A snarl tore past his lips as he adjusted his grip on her and managed to pin her arms over her breasts by hugging her against his chest, one hand pressing them down over her ribs to keep them contained between their bodies. His other hand fisted in her wet hair near the base of her neck as he leaned forward, glaring at her when he managed to keep her from tossing her head.
“Enough!” he roared. “Stop.” He winced when one of her flailing feet hit the concrete but he protected her head from the same fate.
She stilled in his arms as her struggles ceased. The way she looked at him with pure terror was something he’d hoped to never see. He inhaled, almost choking on the scent of her fear. It had to be a very strong emotion for him to smell it, which assured him of the sincerity of her response. A human couldn’t fake those kinds of extreme physical reactions that could be picked up by Species senses. The rapid rise and fall of her chest reminded him of the danger of her having a heart attack. Had the drug she’d been given caused some type of damage? She panted, seemingly unable to catch her breath.
He cleared his throat, softened his tone. “Easy. Breathe in and out. Slow it down.”
She stared into his eyes as if he were a lifeline but responded by licking her lips, obviously attempting to do as he instructed.
“Get the damn medic!” Trey yelled. “Now!”
“I’ll be fine,” Jericho growled low, sitting up, but kept one hand over the front of his groin in a protective gesture. “It hurts like hell but give me a minute.”
“It’s not for you. The female is in distress.” Flame kept his distance. “I can smell her.”
“The bitch is nuts,” Chris muttered, pushing himself off the floor to a sitting position. He shot a glare at True. “I think she broke my nose when she threw her head back into my face and I probably just busted my lip when I kissed the floor. I would have had her if True hadn’t interfered.”
“You hit the floor hard,” Flame pointed out. “That looked painful.”
“Fuck you.” The human stayed on the floor and checked out his palms. “Great. They are bleeding too.”
“How can you tell? They were already covered in blood.”
“Shut up, Flame.”
“Both of you shut it,” Trey demanded, staring at True. “Is she okay? So much for thinking she shouldn’t be in handcuffs or that she’d avoid a physical altercation with us.” He spun around to glare at Jordan. “I told you to reel it back, goddamn it. She’s not ex-military or some thug. Women snap under too much pressure. I hope you’re proud of yourself.”
True dipped his head, staring into Shiver’s eyes. She still peered up at him, her pupils dilated. He eased his hold. Her breathing seeming to slow to a more normal rate.
“Please,” Shiver whispered, now limp in his arms. “Don’t let him near me.”
He frowned, shooting a glare at Chris. The male could have hurt her if he’d succeeded with the tackle. She was no match for his heavier body and slamming her into the concrete floor could have caused a lot of damage.
“He won’t touch you.”
“I can’t take it.”
He frowned, wondering if she was having flashbacks to when she’d been arrested. He silently swore that Chris would be pulled off any duties that involved females until he had better training. She never should have been treated with such disregard. The near-death experience had left her traumatized.
“You won’t be harmed. Just keep breathing slow and steady.”
The elevator opened and Midnight rushed forward. She took in the scene with a grim expression and approached him quickly with a syringe. He adjusted his arms to lift Shiver a little more toward him to give the nurse free access to the back of the female. Midnight crouched.
“This will keep her really mellow,” Midnight promised, using an alcohol swab to rub a spot on Shiver’s thigh and gently inserted the needle. “It’s fast acting. It won’t knock her out but she won’t cause more trouble. Do you want to carry her or should I have Paul bring a wheelchair? She won’t be able to walk in a few seconds. It’s going to make her a bit drowsy and a lot loopy. No more escape plans will be forming in her brain.”
“I’ll carry her.” True wasn’t about to hand her over to any of the other males.
The female nodded and tugged on the gowns that encased Shiver, tucking some of the fabric between his forearm and her thighs. Midnight leaned in. “You don’t want to keep her exposed. She’s bare under the gown.”
He gnashed his teeth in anger. No one else had mentioned that. The dimness of the room where he now sat would account for the humans not seeing her exposed body too clearly but the Species males were another matter. Jericho seemed oblivious as he recovered from having his nuts smashed but Flame had no excuse. He glared at the male.
Flame raised his arms. “I saw nothing. My hearing is great but my eyes totally were blind to the fact that she mostly shaves it all off.”
“Congratulations,” Midnight muttered, turning to the redheaded male. “You sound so human.”
“Thanks.”
“That wasn’t a compliment.” She glanced back at True. “Follow me. We’ll get her settled back into bed.” She straightened.
“She’s being transferred to Fuller.” Trey came closer. “Doc Harris gave the green light that she was to be released to them after we were done here. Their new doc will keep a close eye on her for the next few weeks. It will take them about an hour to send a van. Talk to her and see if you can get real answers. She couldn’t even handle Jordan being an asshole. I don’t want to think about her going there.”
Movement in his arms caused True to look down. Shiver wiggled one of her hands free from between their bodies and clutched at his shirt. He tensed, expecting her to claw at him, put up another fight. She didn’t. Her eyes widened as she stared up at him.
“Please don’t let him kill me.” Her words slurred a little.
“He won’t.” True was definitely going to have a talk with Tim Oberto about Chris.
“Nobody here will,” Trey swore too. “We just planned to scare some answers out of you but Jordan took it too far. I swear we would have stepped in if he’d tried to hit you.”
Tears filled her eyes and True hated to see them. She looked so fragile and weak at that moment. He resisted the urge to adjust his hold to brush them away as the wet drops slid from the corners of her eyes. One landed on his bare upper arm where he still kept hold of her head, now keeping it from slumping rather than from thrashing around.
“I did it for you. I saved you.” Shiver’s words were still slurred. “I…hurt for you.”
“I may have given her too much,” Midnight assessed. “Dr. Harris left to speak with Justice so I just grabbed one of the sedatives from the cabinet. I only injected her with half but it may have been too strong.”
“Is she in danger of overdose?” Instant concern for her safety plagued True.
“No. She may pass out though or be extremely dopey.”
He nodded sharply. “Okay.”
“It isn’t.” Shiver released his shirt and lifted her hand higher, her fingers brushing his jawline. “Never going to be okay again.”
“We’ll put her in bed until the van arrives. They can take her, gurney and all.” Midnight spun around, striding toward the elevator.
True lifted his chin out of Shiver’s reach. Her fingertips stroking him did odd things to his body and he refused to allow her to get to him. Flame approached and reached down, gripping his upper arm. Jericho recovered enough to move to his other side, mimicking the action. Both males helped pull him to his feet so he didn’t have to release the female. He gave one quick nod of thanks before following Midnight.
“I wake up screaming.”
True halted, looking down at
her. Her tears slid down her face when she blinked up at him. A tightness constricted his chest. He hated to see her so desolate.
“He hurt me so much but it was for you. That’s how I survived.”
“You’re fine now.” He wanted to reassure her.
“I’m not. Stupid panic attacks.” Her hand lifted and she placed it on his neck. “Thought I was past them. Haven’t had one in months.”
She suffers panic attacks? He frowned, watching her face.
“Please don’t let him get near me.”
“Chris won’t be allowed near you.”
“Polanitis,” she muttered, closing her eyes. “He’ll kill me if he gets the chance.”
Every muscle in his body stiffened. “What?”
Her eyes opened, shimmering with new tears. “He’ll be so angry. Don’t let him near me. I’m dead.”
Anger rose and it burned. “Your close friend will be happy to see you.”
Her gaze widened and her lips parted. “What?”
“Your friend will be happy to see you,” he repeated.
She shivered in his arms and turned her head, burying her face against his chest. “You smell good.”
His dick twitched and he ground his teeth together, walking again toward the elevator. Midnight waited, keeping the doors open. She wrinkled her nose when she pushed the button for the floor above them, punching in the code to activate the lift.
“She needs another shower. I take it you scared her. Did you get the information you needed? The stench of her fear is strong.”
“She doesn’t smell bad.”
Midnight shrugged. “It does to me. It’s sickly sweet.”
He inhaled, hating the way his lower half was still engaged. The semi hard-on wasn’t welcome, nor was the desire to run his nose along Shiver’s throat. He wanted to cover her with his body until she felt protected and the scent faded from her skin. The urge to lick her to get a taste irritated him. It was the animal instincts, he recognized, but it didn’t sit well with the rational part of him.