I pulled up the records to just check… then sighed, because I found five more people that were purchased. I told them, “There are two males and three females counting Destiny. If you have to set the place on fire… I guess you have to. If you canextract them… do so. If you need backup, you send out an alert immediately.” Virgil nodded while Crush cracked his knuckles.
Mason and Hendrick stumbled into the room. Mason rubbed his face grumbling, “Dear god, Mel. Will you just sleep?” I said, “I mean… I do… I did… I’m sleeping more now… that’s a thing. Xander keeps taking me to bed…sometimes I just wait for him to fall asleep. Overall… I’m sleeping more. It’s quite the record.”
Hendrick groaned, “It’s not the record you think it is. What are we doing here?” I answered, “I found Destiny and Demi.” Hendrick asked, “How?” I winced, “Well, because I’m the white wolf… I have this plane I can go to… and I pulled them there to ask where they were.”
Virgil chuckled, “That’s wicked cool.” Hendrick said, “Those aren’t the words I’d use. Let’s not tell everyone you’re the white wolf by that. Lest your mate give explosive headaches. Since I know you, I’m guessing you’re sending Virgil and Crush after Destiny. Where is Demi?”
I replied, “Alabama.” Hendrick groaned, “Don’t tell me she’s in Bankhead National Forest.” I winced, “She is.” Hendrick said, “Mel, we can’t get in there and you know it.” I snorted, “We can and will get in there.” Mason argued, “It’s not wise to try.”
That was true, it wasn’t… but we were going. Kingsley called my cell. Before I could say anything, she realized the call connected. Kingsley asked, “What is this purple code on my watch?” I questioned, “Do you remember Nate?”
Kingsley responded, “Sure. The partial Fairy dude who is super obsessed with finding his sisters.” I said, “I found them. Virgil and Crush are going to get Destiny, but Demi is more complicated. She’s in a pretty secure Ring facility we’ve known about but haven’t been able to get inside.”
Kingsley sighed, “Bankhead? Please be anywhere but Bankhead.” I said, “Sadly… that’s where she is.” Kingsleysnorted, “Of course she is. So, we need two groups.” I agreed, “Yes. The distraction and the rescue.”
Kingsley laughed, “Well, count me in. I have nothing to do. Plus, it’s morning. The Vampire I work for is not up yet and I personally want to be the distraction.” Mason groaned, “You two.” Hendrick asked, “Why do you want to be the distraction Kingsley?” Mason snorted, “You know why.”
Kingsley laughed, “Because when I retell the story to Hastein, the sex will be worth it.” Hendrick groaned, “Come on! You girls are like our daughters. We don’t need to hear about you having sex.” Kingsley snickered and added, “Angelique probably isn't going to answer. Gabe took her to his island for adult time. Is that better Hendrick?”
Hendrick groaned, “No! There will be no adult or sexy time talk. None of that.” Crush said, “Adult time is the best.” He kissed Virgil’s neck. Hendrick asked, “Do you think you’re not included in the group we consider our own? Blame your mate. That young man was determined to get under my skin, and he has. No sexy time talk!” Virgil snickered.
The rest of the group arrived, and we mapped out a plan. I could feel Xander’s curiosity growing. Mason and Hendrick were going to cover us as snipers. Paige was going to back us up with her spells. Me, Addison, Valentina, Avery, and Dax were going inside. Caine was begrudgingly staying in Nashville to be visible.
I stood announcing, “I need to go find Nate.” Mason said, “He will want to come.” I said, “He can’t, and he knows it.” Mason shrugged, “That won't matter to him.” I opened the window to my office and jumped out.
I knew where Nate was staying with Paisley. I heard laughing when I knocked on the door. Nate opened it, clearly surprised to find me. Well… we were friends… and we talked. Freya said, “You look like you have news which he knows because he’s metyou.” Maybe I didn’t have news… that was an option. It just wasn’t true.
Nate greeted, “Mel.” I nodded and went inside. I announced, “We’re bringing them home.” Nate’s eyes narrowed, “You found them then.” I nodded, “Destiny will be home sooner. Virgil and Crush are bringing her home.”
Nate shouted, “They separated them?!” I nodded, “Demi… is more complicated, but we will bring her home too.” Nate was determined, “I’m coming.” I sighed, “You can’t, Nate. They have your picture as a Hunter deserter or mole. Destiny is hopefully going to be… an in and out kind of thing. You need to be here for her. Your sister needs to see you.”
Nate ran a hand through his hair asking, “Why is Dem going to be more complicated?” I never understood that nickname. Like it was so hard to say the I in Demi they all shorted it to Dem. Freya snickered, “I’m sure he’d tell you.” I’m sure the answer wouldn’t make sense.
I sighed, “Because of where she’s being held.” Nate closed his eyes and a few tears escaped. Paisley wrapped her arms around him. Nate whispered, “Tell me my sister is not in Bankhead.” I hummed, “I can’t tell you where she is.”
Because then he’d go… which I knew…because I would. I didn’t have time for Nate to get caught. Because he knew they would do that and give us a way in. I wasn’t willing to risk him being hurt to do that. I’d get in anyway.
Paisley asked, “Why don’t you want Demi to be in Bankhead, Nate?” Nate answered, “Because it’s one of the few places the Resistance can’t get contacts on the inside. We don’t know a lot about the facility, and it’s where very strong willed wolves are taken.”
Nate punched the wall, “So of course that’s where she is. Demi is one of the strongest wolves I know. She was definitely the strongest she wolf in our pack. Everyone was stunned shewasn’t mated to the Alpha’s son. They just felt she was a Luna wolf. Demi was the only one not surprised.”
Paisley asked, “Why not?” Nate smiled faintly, “Demi said she was meant for a Warrior’s life. She was not the paperwork type of person. My little sister always said she was a gym rat and that’s where she wanted to be.”
I told him, “They will come back to you, Nate.” Nate asked, “Are you telling your mate?” I answered, “I mean… yes… I’m telling Xander that I’m going out… but I feel that wasn’t your question. You mean about where Demi is and… no.”
Nate snorted, “You are going to get in trouble.” I disagreed, “Not even slightly. Xander understands missions. He’s a Hackura Duke and Squadron Leader.” Paisley said, “That doesn’t mean he’ll like you running off into danger.”
I conceded, “Well, no….but it means I’m not going to get in trouble.” Nate laughed, “God, I missed these chats. You are so cute.” I frowned, “Umm ok? I’ll see you later. So…be ready to see your sisters. They missed you.” Nate was clearly about to ask how I knew that when someone knocked on the door.
Paisley opened it. I wasn’t surprised to see EJ standing there. My brother in law raised an eyebrow when he saw me. EJ commented, “My brother was wondering where you were.” I said, “Well, here I am. See you later Nate and Paisley.”
EJ studied me then grabbed my arm as I passed him. I looked up into his eyes knowing there was a question in them. EJ said, “You have a different look about you when you’re planning something. Did you know that?”
I asked, “What? I do… that’s… what?” EJ explained, “When you hack you put your hair up and you have a determined look on your face. I watched the surveillance when you lifted Cassie’s cell phone in the kitchen. It’s cool, calm, determined, and in control. Just how you look now. Where are you going?”
Freya offered, “Brutus does actually want to know.” Well, I couldn’t really tell him. I said, “Well… that’s… I can’t… really… tell you… exactly….” Xander interrupted, “Can you tell me?” I linked EJ, “You told him… where I was… and I was going to find him next.”
“I wasn’t leaving without talking to him… that’s not a thing. The thing with Tenley and Blaise… was an emergency and he wasn’t here… and I called him… he didn’t answer… so that’s on Xander… when you think about it.”
