Chapter 19
The front door at Jack’s house opened and Niko and Feral walked in.
“Well, nice of you to join us,” Frenzy said sarcastically.
Feral shot him a ‘not now’ glare and walked over to the large formal table they all sat and stood around.
“Where you been?” Jack asked Niko.
“At Alison’s.”
“You dating Alison now?” Three asked doubtfully.
“No!” both Niko and Feral snapped.
Three raised an eyebrow. “Then why were you there?”
“She’s Feral’s,” Titus said, standing quietly off to the side, but close enough he could see all the maps and documents spread out across the table.
“Then why was Niko over there?” Three asked.
“None ya!” Niko insisted. “None of ya damn business! And why does it matter to you? You got Findley,” Niko said.
“Because she’s alone. And she’s nice. And she’s a friend of Findley’s,” Three said.
Niko glared at him. “None ya!” Then he looked at Jack. “I’m here. Why am I here? It’s early, I still haven’t slept.”
Jack all but snarled at him. “Do not even start with not sleeping and being inconvenienced to be here after you woke my ass up, my whole family up, before dawn this morning.”
Niko’s whole expression changed. “Forgot about that. Never mind.”
“Yeah, never mind,” Jack snapped. “Anyway, we’re going over some preliminary plans and maps of the area in and around the Gamieyon Pride lands, and discussing the situation with Steve. He’s going back with the Variant, as are some of our males. Stand here and listen like you care,” Jack said.
“I do care,” Niko said, all trace of humor or insincerity gone.
All of the Variant were laser-focused, zeroed in on the maps spread out on the table, each asking questions, pointing out landmarks as Steve described the orientation of the buildings on the Gamieyon property.
“Do you know where the attack originated?” Savage asked.
“No. By the time we realized they were there, they were on top of us from all directions,” Steve said. “And that’s saying something. We were always on patrol, always on alert.”
“They were obviously well organized, expecting to have to avoid your patrols,” Frenzy said.
“I say we go in the same way,” Savage said. “Small groups from all directions, moving silently, ready to fire at anything that moves.
“What if there are survivors?” Storm asked.
Frenzy swung his attention to Steve. “Do you think there are any?”
“Anything is possible, but I’d be very surprised. These people weren’t trying to get us to surrender, they were there to slaughter. The only reason I’m not lying in the sun with them is that Alpha Grail taxed me with getting his family, and any others that managed to escape, here safely.”
“Are there more males with you that might be willing to go in with us as part of a team? If we split into small groups, maybe three or four, one of you with each of us, at least we’d know if anyone we happen to encounter is a survivor of your Pride so they don’t get shot,” Frenzy asked.
“Hold on…” Steve got up and walked over to the front door. He let loose a loud, piercing series of whistles, then closed the door and went back to his place at the table. “They’ll be here shortly. I’m sure most will want to be a part of it.”
“How many males are you sending with us?” Frenzy asked, focusing on Jack.
“How many you want?” Jack asked.
“Whoever wants to be included,” Frenzy said. “Honestly, I’m not expecting any kind of confrontation, much less a battle. It’s just a recon mission, but we’re going in prepared just in case.”
“Rance, Dane, Slade, Tate, and Noah are going with you,” Jack said.
“Glad to hear you’re taking my advice,” Steve said.
“About?” Frenzy asked.
“Staying here,” Jack answered.
“He’s right. Stay here, stay alert. Protect home at all costs. In fact, we could leave a few of our people here,” Frenzy said, looking around at the Variant teams he’d brought.
“It’s not necessary. We’re good. We’ve got more people than you know. We can spare the few going with you with no problem.”
There was a knock at the door, and Steve stood up, but looked at Jack before he went to open it.
“Let them in,” Jack said.
Steve walked over and opened the door, inviting four other males into the house.
“Thought you might be interested in what’s happening.
If not, that’s fine, too,” he said leading the way over to the table.
“Alpha Laighin, this is Dean, Ted, Dillon, and Hugh. They helped get our Reigna and our females here.”
Jack stood up and offered his hand, shaking each of theirs. “These people represent the Variant. They’re here at our request to help us investigate what occurred on your Pride lands and to search for evidence that we can then turn over to their people to help get justice for your people.”
A couple of them smiled sinisterly, the other two nodded.
“We’re thinking we go in small groups of three or four people from all four directions. What we mainly need is someone to identify your people, if there are any survivors. We don’t want to shoot anyone that is part of your Pride. Anyone else, fair game,” Frenzy said.
“I’m in,” Ted said.
“Same,” Dillon said.
“Do I get a gun, too? If they’re there, I have a few plans of my own,” Dean said angrily.
“Yeah, I’m going, too,” Hugh said.
“Good. Let me make one quick call and make sure everything’s a go,” Frenzy said. He took out his phone and dialed a number, then turned it on speaker and placed it in the middle of the table.
“Yo,” a deep male voice answered.
“Why are you answering Valor’s phone?” Frenzy asked.
“Thought it might be fun. So, I hear you have my people working on a special mission.”
“It’s more recon than anything. And for the record, Valor is the only one of your people, and you’re on speaker phone, and that phone is surrounded by Alpha Jack Laighin and most of his lieutenants, as well as members of the Pride that were attacked,” Frenzy said.
“You really think I’m going to say anything different than I would if I wasn’t on speaker?” the male asked. “And you’re my people.”
“Admit it, you’re more relaxed when I’m gone,” Frenzy said. “Come to think of it, most people are and I just don’t get it. I’m a delight.”
Savage shook his head, and members of both teams chuckled.
Frenzy looked over at Jack. “Jack, let me introduce you to Lethal. He runs SOT 1, and Valor is a member of that team, though he’s now anchored to technology in the background rather than boots on the ground.
Lethal often checks in on what Valor’s doing when he’s not on mission himself,” Frenzy said.
“Ahhh, the ‘One’,” Jack said.
Lethal huffed a laugh, and despite the fact that he didn’t mean it that way, it sounded sardonic. “Frenzy been telling you about things, I see.”
“Only what won’t get me killed,” Jack said.
Lethal actually laughed then. “Frenzy, why are you tying up Valor on this? He’s got the damn satellites repositioned. You know General Ferriday’s going to blame me.”
“I’m fully prepared to take the heat on this one,” Frenzy said. “It’s personal. These are my people.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll still get the blame.”
“He’s not wrong,” Frenzy said, looking around the room. “Anytime anyone gets in trouble for overstepping, Lethal is blamed because if he didn’t do it himself prior, we wouldn’t try it, too.”
“I think I’d like Lethal,” Jack said.
“Nobody likes Lethal, except for Nina,” Frenzy said.
“Not true, not true at all,” Storm said.
“She’s right,” Savage said.
“Males want to be Lethal, and women want to do Lethal, but then Nina would kill them, so, let’s not anybody go there,” Hail said.
Lethal laughed again. “I’d kill them before Nina got a chance. No fucking body touches me but Nina.”
“Despite the threats to kill anybody except Nina that might happen to brush against him, he’s laughed twice. You guys are on a roll,” Feral said.
“And there’s my other errant team member,” Lethal said.
“That ended quite a while ago,” Feral said with absolutely no emotion.
“You made that choice. Offer is always open. I hate having to train new males.”
“You made me make that choice. And you don’t train anybody! You just throw them into a helmet and say, do your part and we won’t have to shoot you,” Feral said.
“He didn’t say that to me,” Frenzy said.
“What’d he tell you?” Feral asked.
“Screw this up and you won’t be coming back,” Frenzy said. “But that was before he knew and loved me.”
“You’re all full of shit. Anybody still alive after rescue doesn’t require training — much. And if I’m not mistaken, none of you died, so quit fucking whining. I’m putting Valor on, but… Frenzy, you know how to get me. We can be there in an hour or less.”
“You worried about me?” Frenzy asked with a smirk.
“No, but I love a good fight and this sounds like something I haven’t been a part of yet. Don’t get yourself killed.”
There was a muffled sound, then Valor’s voice came across the line. “’S’uuuuup?”
“Getting any pretty pictures?” Frenzy asked.
“Yep, lots of them. I don’t see anything moving. Nothing human, nothing lion shaped. A few small animals on the ground, some burned out structures. But it’s quiet. Spooky quiet,” Valor said.
“Anything not burned out?” Savage asked.
“Savage, my man!” Valor said. “Only one or two small structures, most likely storage sheds. No heat signatures inside. Nothing of consequence moving.”
“How long can you keep eyes on those coordinates?” Frenzy asked.
“I’m moving them back within the hour, hopefully nobody will notice I’ve accessed them.
If so, I’m thinking I’ll have Sin deal with them — you did say he approved your mission, didn’t you?
But shoot me a call when you’re an hour out.
I’ll reposition to take another look and stay that way as long as I can. ”
“Sin is aware; he’ll cover you if necessary. Anything on the Falwells?” Frenzy asked.
“We’re poking around looking for a facility near their home base, but so far, nothing.”
“Let me know if that changes. We’re heading out within the next fifteen minutes,” Frenzy said.