“The serum.” He said hesitantly.
“Yes.”
“Can you tell me why?”
“I will, but it will require more explanation than we have time for at the moment.” Kael stood and pulled Elias to his feet. “Those who intend to kill you will know where you live, so it is best we leave here. Grab whatever you need, and I will take you somewhere safe.” Elias nodded and quickly filled a duffel bag with a change of clothes, a stack of files, and some electronics. He was ready in less than a few minutes.
“Okay.” He said and stepped up next to Kael, who was checking the area to make sure the Council assassins were not nearby. Once he was satisfied, he held Elias close to his side, quickly rushed him to the SUV, and got him seated. He pulled out of the drive and onto the street, keeping an eye out for a possible attack. Kael was surprised they hadn’t engaged again, but he knew they would soon; the Council would not stop with just one team of assassins.
The Crimson Coven maintained several safe houses in and around Norfolk. He took Elias to a nondescript little bungalow in a somewhat rural area. It was secure and easy to defend. It would suffice for now until he decided how this was going to play out. He parked the SUV in the garage and escorted Elias inside.
“Stay here until I check the house.” He told him and left Elias in the kitchen. After ensuring the inside was clear,he headed outside to check the surrounding property. “Make yourself at home and stay inside.” He told him, and Elias nodded.
He was almost too compliant, and it worried Kael. They would talk as soon as he was sure they were secure. He had a lot to explain to him, and he hoped Elias was of a mind to be able to understand. His experiments and research told him of the paranormal, but had he actually thought about the being that provided the plasma? Did he know of vampires and shifters, or had he concocted an easier explanation for himself?
Elias was making coffee when Kael came inside. It was an activity that seemed to calm him. “Stay away from the doors and windows.” He said, and Elias handed him a cup of coffee. “You should get some sleep.” He suggested, but Elias shook his head and sipped on his coffee. He clutched the mug like it was a lifeline.
“I can’t sleep, my mind is too full to fall asleep.” Kael understood, but he worried about Elias and wanted him strong and rested for whatever may lie ahead for them. “I’ll be okay, I’m used to not sleeping, especially since I started working for Orion Mercier.” He smiled ruefully and took another sip from his mug.
“Did Mercier tell you where he got the blood?”
“No, I just assumed he’d gotten it from the hospital where the injured man had been taken. He has a lot of connections and means to get what he wants.” Kael had sent all that information to Cullen. It was imperative that they search out every facet, every player, every detail of Elias’ work. Even a whisper of interest in the blood serum needed to be silenced. Kael reached out and placed his hand on Elias’s shoulder.
“I know you’re scared, and you don’t know me, and I’m sure you’re not comprehending what is happening to you.” Hesaw Elias look at him squarely. The confusion was fading, and impatience had taken its place.
Elias was aware that he had only a small portion of the facts surrounding his situation, and he was eager to work it out and understand his position. Mercier was a liar, and that was a fact. The injured man was more than just a man. Kael could sense all of these thoughts racing through Elias’ mind.
“Let’s sit and talk.” Kael moved his hand from Elias’ shoulder down to grasp his hand. Elias did not resist, which pleased him.
“Tell me the truth, Kael,” Elias said with conviction and squeezed his hand. “I might die before this day is over, and I would appreciate knowing the whole truth of what I’ve been dealing with.”
“I will tell you the truth.”
CHAPTER FOUR
“The Center is quarantined.” Jensen, Orion Mercier’s assistant, reported. Orion stood in the study of his residence, located in a gated community, protected by three layers of fencing and guards. No one was getting close to him in his compound.
“What about Dr. Vance? Where is he?” Orion sat near his fireplace, drinking a bourbon and sorting through the incident at the lab.
“We haven’t located him yet. We believe he is alive in that his body was not found in the Center laboratory or anywhere else within the Center. The video feed was disrupted. Whatever took place was violent and bloody. Three of your guards were killed. We don’t know the identity of those who infiltrated the Center.” Jensen stepped back when Orion aggressively threw his glass into the fireplace and let out a string of vulgarities. “Find him and bring him here. I’ve put too much money into his experiments and broken too many laws to just let him go. Bring Dr. Vance to me and bring me fresh plasma samples. He can complete his work here, and when he’s done, I will kill him myself.”
“Yes, Mr. Mercier.” Jensen nodded obediently and quickly left the room.
Orion placed a call to the head of security at the Mercier Center. Blackstock answered on the first ring. “Give me an update, and you had better have some answers for me.” He shouted into the phone.
“They moved in and out of the building like ghosts, sir.” He said. “They wiped the servers clean and destroyed the labs. They didn’t pick and choose; they simply destroyed everything, including all the cloud storage. A lot has been lost.”
“What about Dr. Vance’s lab is anything salvageable?”
“No, sir. The lab is a total loss, but they did not gain entrance to the bunker; it remains secured.”
“Any sign of Dr. Vance?”
“Not here at the center, but I have people checking his home and his friends and family.” He paused and then told him something actually useful. “A guard in the garage said he saw Dr. Vance leaving with a tall man in dark clothing. He looked like he was going with him willingly.”
“Any surveillance to give us an idea of who he is?”
“We sent the video we salvaged from the garage to the tech people; hopefully, they can provide us with something of use.”
