“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.”
Tanner frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ve been snooping around Dick’s home and office for weeks with nothing to show for it. Hell, considering the fact that he wasn’t invited to this meeting, it’s possible he may not even know what Thorn is doing.”
Trevor found that hard to believe. Dick and Thorn had been working hand-in-hand since the inception of the DCO. The idea that he wouldn’t know about something this big seemed impossible. Then again, if there was one person on the planet better at manipulation than Dick, it was Thorn.
“Dick knows something,” Trevor insisted. “Root through his office looking for reference to a farm. If Evan can come up with the names of those doctors we listened to or a facial recognition ID on those hybrids, look for them, too. Based on what we just heard, Thorn’s plan is going down in less than a week. If we’re going to stop him, we need to have intel now.”
Tanner let out a breath. “I’ll try, but I’m not promising anything. I suck when it comes to searching through computer files.”
“Then figure out another way to get the information we need,” Trevor said. “Before it’s too late to do anything with it.”
Chapter 11
Jaxson had gotten Alina and Sage back on the complex without being noticed, then Zarina distracted the guards while Alina slipped the girl back into her room. After that, all three of them had moved heaven and earth to get in contact with Derek’s Special Forces team down at Fort Campbell. Luckily, the sergeant and his team had just come back from a field exercise, so he’d been able to talk to Sage on the phone.
Sitting on the edge of the bed while Sage lay on her side, her pillow tucked under her head, a wistful smile on her face, Alina had to admit the effect Derek had on her was nothing short of amazing. Sage was as relaxed as if she’d taken a Xanax. Alina had never seen anything like it.
“How did you and Derek meet?” Alina asked softly.
“He saved my life in Tajikistan,” Sage said. “I didn’t know that’s where I was, of course. Actually, I was barely aware of anything. I only knew I was filled with terrible pain and rage every minute of the day. I’d been like that for so long, I wanted it all to be over with. When the building where I was kept prisoner caught on fire, I thought my prayers were going to be answered and that I would finally get some peace. Then Derek was there, risking his life to save mine, even though I didn’t want him to. I even tried to kill him, but he wouldn’t give up. He got me out and brought me here.”
Alina wanted to ask what had happened to her over there but didn’t think that’d be a good idea. Sage had been experimented on and turned into a monster. That wasn’t exactly something a person would want to talk about.
“How many times has he come to visit you since then?” she asked instead, figuring that was a safer subject.
“Twice.” Sage rolled halfway onto her back, her smile disappearing as she gazed up at Alina. “I know it’s hard for him, because he’s always working and rarely home, but he calls as much as he can. That’s almost as nice as him being here.”
Alina’s lips curved. “You like Derek a lot, don’t you?”
Sage nodded, a smile lighting up her face again. “He has the most amazing, gentle voice, and when he looks at me, I can almost believe he doesn’t see a monster. Sometimes, it seems like Derek is the only person who can save me. I ran off because I wanted to be with him.”
Alina was no expert on relationships, but investing so much of yourself in a man you’ve only met a couple of times didn’t seem healthy to her. Then again, Alina wasn’t a hybrid, so she had no idea what the girl was going through. Who the hell was she to judge?
“Do you know where Fort Campbell is?” she asked.
