Two unmarked police cars sped down the alley between the buildings, passing right below them. They jumped halfway down and hit the ground with jarring force. Two more squad cars streaked past as they ducked into the cover of a dumpster. After a moment, they trotted across the street to the pickup.
York was reaching for the passenger door when Rhane grabbed him. He took a hold of the injured arm, twisting the big man around to force him backward in one smooth arc of motion. York’s shoulder slammed against the truck and there was a muffled pop as the joint repositioned properly, ball into socket. Grimacing, he hoarsely swore his thanks and climbed into the cab.
Rhane drove out of the lot at normal speed, even coming to a complete stop before entering the highway. When they had traveled some distance away from the police, he switched on the headlights. The vision, real or not, left a sense of urgency pulsing through his blood.
York kept an eye on their six. There wasn’t a tail. Facing forward, he raised his right arm to test the shoulder. He winced. The pain was there but not as bad as before. “Are you going to tell me what just happened?” He’d been trying not to think of how Rhane had completely lost it down in the basement.
There was no easy way to say it. So, Rhane let the hammer drop. “I don’t know what the American team in Great Khingan were looking for. But they found Gabriel. They’ve released that monster.”
“Worst case scenario,” York muttered.
Chapter 35
The ringing telephone awoke Kali from a troubled sleep. Instead of being pursued by a beast and the horseman, in this dream, she had been the huntress. She was surrounded by grey light, stalking someone or something in a thick forest. The driving hunger she felt lingered even as she sat up and groggily checked the bedside clock. It was four a.m.
Kali pounded her head back into the pillow with a groan. A call at such an ungodly hour could only mean someone was dead or dying. Lisa would be better qualified to handle it. Seven rings later, her adoptive mom hadn’t answered and the machine hadn’t taken over. It wasn’t going to stop.
She was wide awake now. All hopes of returning to sleep were dashed. Dragging her body from the bed, she stumbled out into the hall and down the stairs. On the twentieth ring, she snatched the phone from its cradle and considering pitching the entire thing through the kitchen window. Barely winning the struggle against the slew of swear words that came to mind, she held the receiver and waited.
The voice on the other end was too faint to recognize. “Kali, is that you?”
Not trusting herself to respond in a manner that would respect Lisa’s house rules, Kali said nothing. She glanced at the microwave clock. Four zero eight. Whoever it was had about three seconds to give her a compelling reason to not hang up.
“Hello?” The voice got stronger. “This is Wesley. I need to speak with Kalista.” He sounded very tense.
Instant worry broke through her sleep-deprived crankiness. Wes had been on edge a lot lately. It was especially odd for someone so usually laid back and unaffected by the crap around him. She briefly fought a yawn before surrendering to it.
“Kali, say something. Don’t just hold the phone.”
“Wes, what is this?” She let another pointed yawn escape. “It’s four in the morning. I am asleep. I have school in a few hours.”
“It’s good to hear your voice. I was worried.”
“I’m sorry for scaring everyone. But couldn’t you have waited till, I dunno, eight o’clock to call? Getting me out of bed like this is cruel and unusual punishment.”
“Kalista, this isn’t a joke,” he said sharply.
“OK. What’s going on with you?” There was a long pause. For a moment she wondered if he was still on the line.
He finally answered. “Someone broke into Mack Ventures last night. They were after The Siren’s Heart.”
Oh wow.
She hadn’t been expecting that. “Was it stolen?”
“No.” Wes sighed. “The structure containing it was destroyed. But the statue was left behind.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. The basement is the most highly secured area in the building. Someone went through a whole lot of trouble to not steal something. And what does this have to do with me? I brought the file back. You don’t think I had anything to do with this, do you?”
“Of course not.”
“Then I’m going back to bed. Goodbye.”
“Kali, don’t hang up!”
“What?”
“I called because Mr. Richards is worried. He’s moved the meeting with the buyer up. It’s going to take place this Saturday instead of next week.”
“That’s in two days.”
“I know. Your plane is scheduled to leave in three hours. Get a bag packed. I’ll be there by five.”
“Are you insane? My parents aren’t going to let me go anywhere after the stunt I just pulled. I haven’t received official word yet, but I’m pretty sure I’m grounded until graduation.”
“Get a bag packed, and be ready when I get there. I’ll deal with your parents.” The phone emitted a hard click as the connection ended abruptly.
As she went upstairs, Kali wondered how much confidence to put in Wes’s assurance that he could convince Lisa to let her go on this trip. She grabbed the purple and black paisley printed duffel from the top shelf of her closet. Tossing the bag on the bed, she began throwing clothes inside.
For the next forty-five minutes, she zipped around like a confused lunatic. The original trip would have been an extended weekend, but with the earlier date Kali didn’t know how long to pack for. She had no idea of what sort of climate to expect either. The location of the meeting had yet to be disclosed.
A chorus of chirping sounded from outside her bedroom window. Kali looked up. Stew and Pat, not usually awake until dawn, were perched on the window seal. She went over to the window and slid the pane glass upward. “Hello, fellas.”
The finches chirped.
“I’ll be going on a trip soon. You two may have to fend for yourselves for a bit.” She gathered a double heaping of wild bird seed and dumped it into a pile outside the window. “That should hold you for a few days, as long as you don’t tell the whole neighborhood.”
The birds chattered exuberantly. Landing on top of the buffet, they began feasting eagerly. Kali chuckled. “Better slow down.” Much calmer, she was smiling as she left the window to finish the task of packing.
Three minutes before five, two hard knocks landed on the front door. Kali hurried downstairs. As always, Wes was right on time.
He came inside and planted a tender kiss on her forehead. The gesture was probably meant to make up for being so cross earlier. “Good morning.”
She accepted the unspoken apology, greeting him with a warm hello.
“Where are they?” he asked, referring to her parents.
“Greg is in D.C taking a big time corporation to trial. His plane flew out late last night, technically this morning. And Lisa is in bed.”
Wes started up the stairs. “Which bedroom is hers?”
“Whoa. Second door on the left. And that is totally your funeral.”
Less than ten minutes later, both Wes and Lisa stood in the kitchen. The latter was trying unsuccessfully to hide a worried expression. She hugged Kali tightly. “I love you. Please be safe.”
What did you say to her?
She mouthed to Wes over Lisa’s shoulder. Of course, he didn’t answer. But he did glance at his watch.
“Wesley has promised to take good care of you.” Lisa patted Kali’s hair. “You’re going to end up with that Davidson Founder Internship, aren’t you?”
Kali smiled. “I hope so.” She made a mental note to drag the details of this unbelievable negotiation out of Wes later.
Lisa continued to fuss. Meanwhile, Wes quietly gathered the luggage and loaded it into the back of his SUV. Then it was time to go. Lisa recited a last minute checklist of everything commonly forgotten from suitcases. Kali nodded, only halfway paying attention. Lisa’s concession still had her dumbfounded. When Wes pulled on his seat belt and started the engine, Kali interrupted her. “I think I’ve got everything. Thank you, Lisa.”
“Of course.” She gathered Kali in her arms.
“Are you sure about this?”
Lisa nodded tearfully. “Yes. You have to go.” She managed a smile. “You grew up so fast. It seems like only yesterday when you were a little girl asking me to cut the crusts from your sandwiches.”
“You guys did a great job. Now stop talking like you’re never going to see me again. Wes is wearing his impatient look.”
“Okay, honey. Be careful.”
“I will.”
“Don’t befriend any more strange men.”
Kali laughed. “I won’t.” Receiving a final hug and motherly kiss, she got into the SUV. Wes pulled away from the place she’d called home for most of her life, taking her to a destination that was unknown.
#
At the airport garage, Wes circled several levels in search of decent parking but ended up jamming the SUV between two vehicles in a tiny space meant for compact cars. As he grabbed her duffle and carry-on from the back, Kali noticed something curious.
“Where’s your stuff?”
“This way,” he responded curtly. With movements matching his abrupt tone, he began walking toward the glass paneled doors. There was nothing to do except follow.
He led her directly to the terminal. The flight had been delayed and wouldn’t be boarding for another half hour. She spotted Mack and Shannon seated nearby. The blonde noticed Kali and waved. Mack’s expression hit the charts somewhere between a smile and a grimace. Kali nodded hello. There was too much on her mind to be concerned with interpreting his mood. Without a word, he stood up and walked several paces away. Wes followed.
She resituated her luggage, surreptitiously eyeing Shannon’s outfit. She wore more clothing than usual. But her jeans were skin tight, and the Lycra and cotton blend tank top left little to the imagination. Kali put two chairs between herself and Shannon. But the intern moved to the seat right next to her anyway.
“This is weird, huh?”
“If you mean getting dragged out of bed at four a.m. to catch a plane for a meeting because someone broke into the office to steal a prized artifact only to
not
steal it, then yes.”
Shannon tossed her hair. “Oh yeah, that was weird too. But I was referring to you, me, and the boss going as a threesome. Wes is Mack’s right hand man. On important deals like this he’s always been there.”
Kali’s suspicions had been correct. Wes wasn’t going. He had lied to her and to Lisa. She fought hard not to show the betrayal she was feeling. There was no need to give Shannon more ammo. The girl had plenty enough to take aim with. “Yeah, it’s weird alright.”
“It’s whatever. I’m excited to be going to Mongolia! The mountains there are beautiful.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’ve seen pictures in National Geographic.”
Kali shook her head. “I meant, how do you know we’re going to Mongolia?”
Shannon’s voice changed to drip with false sympathy. “Don’t feel bad because no one told you. I only found out earlier this week. The location was supposed to be top secret and all but…” Her eyes slid suggestively toward where Mack and Wes were still talking. “A man will tell you anything if you ask in the right way.”
Kali felt an involuntary spasm ripple across her face. She bent to fumble with her bag in an attempt to hide it. But Shannon had noticed and was insulted.
“You’re not half as pretty when you’re jealous.”
Tired of the intern’s self-righteous attitude and testy from being awoken three hours before her alarm went off, Kali snapped. “I am not jealous of the pathetic relationship you have going on with our boss. You’re a smart girl, Shannon. This naked parade you’re so intent on being a mascot in is covering for a deficiency you don’t have. Try using your brain more often and people will see you for the right reasons.”
Shannon folded her arms and stuck her lip out in a full on pout. Then she slid away from Kali.
Kali scolded herself mentally for the outburst. Sure, what she said was true. No doubt about that. But over the next few days, she and Shannon would be spending a lot of time together. They hadn’t boarded the plane and already she had managed to offend the intern. Kali took a deep breath and touched Shannon’s arm. “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.”
Shannon responded with a sniff and stuck her nose higher into the air.
Kali committed herself to make things better. “Maybe I am upset because you know more about this deal than me. I think I work just as hard for this company.”
Relaxing her shoulders a bit, Shannon relinquished a stiff nod.
Okay, apology accepted?
A moment later, the guys returned. Wes looked nowhere near as anxious as he had before. Even Mack’s voice had taken on a surprisingly pleasant tone. “Get your things, ladies. The plane is ready to start boarding.”
Then men shook hands. Mack left several last minute instructions for the office. Wes hugged her goodbye and then he was walking away. Wanting to ask why he had lied and what was really going on and why all the secrecy, Kali bit her lip. Maybe Wes had lied because she had lied.