Trevor bit back a growl. That confirmed something he’d been worried about ever since the mission to Tajikistan back in March. The entire purpose of it had been to wipe out the last remnants of the hybrid research program, but two members of the raid—Moore and another dirty agent—had obviously taken samples from the facility before destroying the place.
“Starting from square one worked to our advantage, because we now have a successful formulation,” the man said.
“You’re telling me the serum finally works?” Thorn said. “You’ve created completely functional—and stable—hybrids that possess the same abilities as the naturally existing shifters?”
“That’s exactly what we’ve done,” the doctor said, pride evident in his smug voice. “In fact, it’s possible we’ve made a few improvements over the original, as I think this video clip from our research facility on the farm will demonstrate.”
Trevor glanced at Tanner and Evan to see them standing there with the same shocked expressions on their faces. He was damn stunned himself.
“He’s exaggerating, right?” Tanner asked. “There’s no way he could create hybrids that good.”
Trevor could understand Tanner’s reluctance to believe what he was hearing. Every hybrid variant created up to this point, in Washington State, Costa Rica, Tajikistan, or Maine, had all been stricken with some level of aggression, rage, or control issues. Unfortunately, that included Tanner and Sage. If Thorn’s people had overcome that, this was a complete game changer. It meant Thorn no longer had to pretend to be interested in keeping natural shifters around. He could wipe out every one of them on the planet if he wanted to.
On the computer screen, a video replaced the slide presentation. At first, all they could see was what appeared to be an obstacle course, but as the doctor continued to narrate, four large men dressed in military camo appeared on the screen. As the camera followed their progress through the course, it was obvious they weren’t normal humans—or normal shifters.
They snarled as they moved, exposing more razor-sharp teeth longer than any shifter possessed. They looked like frigging sharks. They ran fast, too, making jumps and leaps that few but the most agile shifter could pull off. And when they extended their perfectly matching long, curved claws so they could scale a vertical wooden wall thirty feet high, Trevor knew Thorn’s doctors hadn’t exaggerated.
They’d made hybrids that somehow combined the strength and power of a bear shifter like Declan with the agility and claws of a feline shifter like Ivy, all in a fully controlled package.
Trevor waited for one of the men to say where this testing was being done, but other than a couple more references to a “farm,” no one said anything useful.
“And the test subjects are all taken from among my most elite paramilitary units?” Thorn asked. “They’re loyal to me?”
“Yes, Mr. Thorn,” the doctor said quickly. “The minute we had the new formula worked out, we started our recruitment effort with volunteers who’d spent at least ten years working on your various black-ops teams. Additionally, our psychology assessment process placed the highest emphasis on those who demonstrated loyalty specifically to you. These men represent exactly what you’re looking for. They’re highly trained, fast, strong, dangerous, fearless, and completely loyal to one person and one person only—you.”
That seemed to please the hell out of Thorn. He continued to pepper the doctors with questions regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the hybrids and when there’d be enough of them to proceed to phase two of the project. The doctor seemed to think these new super soldiers had no weaknesses and suggested that phase two could be ready as soon as Thorn gave the word.
“You have it,” Thorn said. “Accelerate the timeline, and proceed the moment you think the team is ready.”
“What the hell does phase two mean?” Evan whispered.
“No idea,” Trevor said. “But I’m guessing this is the move we’ve all been waiting for.”
After the meeting was over, Evan transferred a copy of the briefing onto a flash drive and handed it to Trevor.
“Get back to the complex, and start scouring the video for anything we might have missed—where the farm is, who these doctors are, who these new hybrids are, and what the hell phase two of Thorn’s plan is,” Trevor told him. “Everything and anything you can find.”
Evan nodded. “Will do.”
“What are you going to do?” Tanner asked after the analyst left.
“Get this information to Adam,” Trevor said.
Tanner nodded. “You want me to come with you?”
“No. We can’t risk someone seeing us together. Besides, I have something more important I need you to do.”
“What’s that?”
“Take another run at Dick’s office,” Trevor said. “Now that we know what we’re looking for, maybe you can find something that will tell us where the hell Thorn is cranking out these hybrids and what he plans on doing with them.”
Tanner groaned. “Why don’t I go talk to Adam while you sneak into Dick’s office? I’m a former Army Ranger. I’m no good at all this snooping and spy work.”
Trevor shook his head. “No way. To get into his office, I’d have to sneak past that guard dog secretary of his. She hates my guts. You, on the other hand, she seems to like. Which confuses the hell out of me. I always figured she didn’t like me because I’m a shifter, but that prejudice doesn’t seem to apply to you.”
“She probably doesn’t like you because you’re always such a smart-ass around her,” Tanner muttered. “Besides, it’s Saturday. Phyllis won’t even be there.”
“Phyllis is always there,” Trevor said. “The woman probably has a hideaway bed under her desk.”
