Chapter Twenty-Three
Rafe
I’d known Clint and Colt a long time. They’re damn good beings and two of the best friends I have. So, it wasn’t as if I thought that they would bail once they found out Colby was running the mission, but it was still a relief when they both just nodded their acknowledgment and didn’t question my decision.
“Anyway,” I plucked one floorplan out of the pile and slid the rest together with photographs to the side. Pulling a red pen out of my pocket, I clicked it open and circled a section of the grid. “After reviewing the footage that Seb and Alrick have sent back to us from the wireless cameras that they managed to hide, we’re pretty sure that this is actually an air vent tunnel coming out of the subterranean basement.” I jabbed the point of the red pen at three other spots on the paper. “There appear to be additional vent tunnels here, here, and here.”
“According to their recon, it seems like the twins that Colt encountered on his trip aren’t actually being held as prisoners. They seem to be willing employees, so we need to be sure we count them as hostiles.”
I noticed Sky nodded, so I counted that as a win.
“It also seems that everyone in the place is pretty much totally addicted to drinking coffee,” I paused and received another affirmative nod from Sky, “so the coffee pot is gonna be our target. That should allow us to incapacitate as many threats as possible. The drug is long-acting and relatively safe, so all we need to do is get somebody inside to lace the coffee.”
“I’ll bite,” Colt snickered. “How is that medieval?”
I rolled my eyes. “If you’d paid attention in history class, you’d know that one of the most effective ways of storming a castle was to wait for everyone to get drunk and pass out. We’re just not giving them a choice.”
“I can do it,” Sky spoke up suddenly. “I know that place inside and out.”
Colt’s jaw dropped and he stared at the Omega. “You can’t be serious!”
Clint’s brow furrowed. “I have to agree with Colt,” Clint said softly. “Sky, everyone there thinks you’re dead. If anyone sees you, the jig will be up.”
“Actually,” I interjected. “There’s more information that I need to share.”
When the three of them turned to look at me, I reached back into my coat pocket and pulled out an envelope. Passing it to Clint, I waited for him to open it and read the paper inside.
“Are you shitting me?” Clint snarled and passed the paper to Colt, who read it and shoved it back in the envelope.
Sky looked from Clint to Colt and back. “Um, am I allowed to know what it says?”
“It says,” Clint began grimly, “that the intruder that you took out the other night wasn’t a random occurrence. According to his confession, Cal hired him to find and retrieve you. We don’t know how, but they know that you survived, and somehow, they found out who you’re with.”
Sky gasped. “That means you’re all in danger!”
At that, both Clint and Colt burst into laughter and even I had to force back a chuckle.
Sky looked around like we were all crazy. “Why is that funny?”
Colt managed to stop laughing but couldn’t quite clear the grin off his face. Reaching for Sky’s hand, he intertwined their fingers and waited for the Omega to meet his eyes. “Baby, you’re in the middle of the biggest werewolf pack in the United States. The last thing we’re scared of is a handful of pissant criminals.”
When Sky’s eyes narrowed, Clint broke in. “The only reason that we’re trying to get inside peacefully is to ensure that no information is destroyed and that the prisoners aren’t injured,” he explained. “Don’t think for a minute that your presence here is in any way endangering us. We take care of our own.”
“Anyway,” I continued. “Clint, if possible, it would really be helpful if we could use the box truck in case we need to bring the victims back here.”
“You don’t think that they’re gonna want to go back to where they come from?”
“No way to know right now,” I said. “Until we rescue them, we don't even know where they come from or if they have somewhere to go back to. This way will be prepared if we do need to transport them instead of having to drive back for the truck and then return.”
Clint nodded. “Colt? You up for driving it?”
Colt nodded his agreement, as expected, I brought the conversation back to Sky.
“How often would a new Omega be brought in and given free access to the building?”
“Pretty much never,” Sky said slowly. “There might be a way, though.” His amber eyes flashed as he turned to meet Colt’s gaze. “There is another Omega there that I look a lot like.” Sky’s voice took on a pleading note and he wrapped his free hand around their two joined hands. “It wouldn’t take much for me to pass for him and then no one would even look twice at me!”
Clint raised a brow and I bit back a grin, it didn’t escape either of us that Colt’s approval was going to make or break Sky’s involvement – he couldn’t have cared less about Clint’s input or mine.
Colt stared into the Omega’s eyes for a long minute and finally nodded. “If you’re sure, Sky,” he said, his voice gentler than I’d ever heard it before. “As long as you’re careful.”
Sky’s face split in a wide smile and he swooped over to wrap his arms around Colt’s neck, forgetting that their fingers were still connected and nearly falling over Colt’s legs. The Alpha caught him easily and pulled him close, his next words were meant for Sky and Sky alone. “I told you I’m not giving you up.”
