Chapter Nine
A black SUV pulled up to the perimeter of the cordoned-off area, and a woman in a tailored pants suit stepped out. She flashed her credentials to the officers manning the barricade and, having been waved through, walked toward their group.
“Captain Reynolds,” she said, her tone crisp and authoritative. “I’m Special Agent Mercer, Federal Task Force. This is now a federal case. Give me a quick update.”
Reynolds bristled. “With all due respect, Agent…Mercer, this is still an active crime scene under city jurisdiction.”
“Not anymore.” She handed him a document. “Presidential directive. All matters concerning illegal gene modification fall under our purview.”
Gunnar stepped forward. “We’ve got nearly two dozen dead, Agent. This isn’t just about gene mods. And as GCR operatives, I believe we have jurisdiction.”
Mercer’s eyes were cold. “And we have reason to believe this facility is connected to a network of illegal enhancement operations. The implications go far beyond local concerns.” Her gaze shifted to Giles. “Did you recover any data?”
Gunnar moved to position himself between Giles and the federal agent. Bryn leaned toward him. “Something doesn’t feel right,” he whispered.
“Agreed,” Gunnar replied. “The timing is too convenient. And I’ve never heard of a task force overriding GCR authority.”
“Something you’d like to share, Detective?” Mercer glared.
Giles cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should keep things cordial.” He held out his hand. “Giles Delacourt.”
“Gunnar Ericson.” Gunnar shook hands too, which left an opening for Bryn.
“Bryn Ashton. You said you were from a federal task force?”
The agent couldn’t avoid the handshakes or the question. “That’s right. Now about the data…”
“She’s lying,” Bryn announced. “I only had time for a truth read.”
“You’re the augur?” There was a sneer in the fake agent’s voice.
“Nice to meet you too,” Bryn retorted. “Whoever you are.”
“So where are you from?” Captain Reynolds asked, pulling his gun. “Or do I need to arrest you?”
“That’s above your pay grade, Captain.”
“We’ll continue this conversation at the precinct. Standard protocols still require GCR to file initial findings on gene-related crimes. If you come up with a satisfactory explanation for your presence, I’m sure the intelligence will be shared.”
Mercer’s lips thinned into a tight smile. She pulled out a cell. “One call is all that’s needed.”
Gunnar didn’t wait for further discussion. He nodded to Giles and they headed toward their car.
“We need to move fast,” Giles said once they were inside the vehicle. “There’s something very wrong here.”
“Where do you think she’s from?”
Gunnar’s brow creased. “She might be official. If she is, the question is, what department? If she isn’t, that’s a whole other ball game. Reynolds will keep her tied up for a while so let’s go find out what was worth killing two dozen people to keep secret.”
As they pulled away from the scene, Bryn glanced in the rearview mirror. He didn’t envy Captain Reynold’s position.
Once they were back at HQ, Bryn’s sense of relief was strong.
The morning could have gone so much worse than it did and he was still pissed at both Gunnar and Giles for putting themselves at risk.
He stomped upstairs to the apartment while Giles went to check in with the geek squad and Gunnar headed to Warden’s office.
Bryn got himself a glass of milk then dug two Twinkies out of the cupboard.
He didn’t sit but lounged against the kitchen counter, mulling over the events of the morning.
It wasn’t easy to stay mad at Gunnar when not so long ago Bryn had put himself in danger at the hands of a serial killer.
So not the same. He yawned. Maybe I should take a nap. His cell buzzed with an incoming message. Or maybe not. A quick glance had him swallowing the last bite of his Twinkie. Warden didn’t like to be kept waiting so he made his way to Warden’s office and found the others waiting for him.
“Finished brooding?” Giles asked.
“Fuck off. You could have gotten my partner killed today, Giles.”
Giles gave an infuriating shrug. “That’s the job.”
There were too many witnesses in the room to stab him with Warden’s paper knife or bash him over the head with a stapler. Giles smirked like he knew what Bryn was thinking and Gunnar moved between them.
Warden tapped his pen on the edge of his desk.
“Thanks to your excellent work at the investor event yesterday, we have data backing up our suspicions that this is about more than a mafia turf war. Russo has deep pockets but his resources aren’t infinite.
I’m certain there’s other funding behind this and after today’s encounter with Agent Mercer, if that was even her name, I have concerns that there’s something going on at a government level. ”
Giles nodded. “There have always been factions that don’t approve of the approach to management of the gene-affected. It’s one more flavor of prejudice.”
“And if you can’t eliminate a problem, you turn it to your advantage,” Gunnar said.
“Lupines are already stronger, faster and have sharper senses. Sanguines heal fast, some”—he eyed Giles—“move even faster than lupines. With those abilities enhanced further, both would make excellent cannon fodder in any frontline action.”
“So what’s The Hammer getting out of this?” Bryn asked. “There has to be something in it for him if he’s doing the dirty work, manufacturing the drug then pumping it into unsuspecting victims.”
“I agree,” Warden said. “But that remains a mystery for now. Next, Bryn should read the victims recovered from today’s raid. One of the sanguines has since died, he never regained consciousness, but that leaves us with two potential sources of information.”
“Where are they?” Gunnar asked.
“West Roxbury VA Medical Center,” Warden responded. “Emmett will make the arrangements for you to visit later this afternoon. I want you and Giles to accompany Bryn in case either of the victims needs reassurance. They’ll respond better to those who are gene-affected in the same way as they are.”
Fabulous. More time with my least favorite person. Bryn glared at everyone. “Someone bring snacks or we’re gonna have a problem.”
After such an early start, and an adrenaline-fueled morning, all Bryn wanted to do was vegetate on his beanbag and eat junk food.
Neither was an option. Emmett had commandeered the conference room so they relocated and Bryn was stuck while Gunnar and Giles strategized about lines of questioning.
Warden had stayed in his office and, as no one was asking Bryn for input, he had time to think.
That was a mistake. “Who’s the person at the top of The Hammer’s list of people he’d most like to kill? ” he blurted out.
“What?” Gunnar stared at him.
“Think about it. We were talking about his motivation for doing all of this. I get that a few super-soldiers might be of use to him in his line of work, but he could have gotten them keeping his drug business small scale. So what would be more valuable to him?” Bryn didn’t want to give voice to the answer.
“Oh fuck.” Gunnar growled, the sound deep in his throat.
“Yeah, that about sums it up,” Bryn muttered.
“What are you two going on about?” Giles asked.
Gunnar shook his head. “Jesus, Giles, for a genius scientist type you sure are slow on the uptake. The answer to both of those questions is the same. Bryn.”
Light dawned in Giles’ eyes. “Fuck.”
“After bringing down The Hammer’s accountant, Bryn has to be top of his hit list. Russo already had a chance to kill him and didn’t take it,” Gunnar said.
“That can only mean he sees more value in keeping him alive. If Bryn could be compelled to work for him, Russo would be assured of loyalty in his organization.”
“Not only that, he’d be able to extract information from his enemies and rivals,” Giles contributed.
“So what are the odds that Russo has been promised Bryn as his prize for orchestrating this shit show?”
“And they’ve both found a clue,” Bryn said, under his breath.
“Don’t act like a brat,” Gunnar said.
“Damn lupine hearing. Anyway, I think I’m entitled to act up, don’t you?”
“No,” Gunnar and Giles replied in unison.
“You two ganging up on me is getting real old.”
“Suck it up, buttercup.”
“Really, Gunnar?”
Gunnar patted Bryn’s hand, letting his touch linger. Bryn’s face heated like he’d entered a sauna. Giles smirked at him but didn’t say anything.
I need a cold shower. Fuck me, Gunnar is one kinky wolf. He wasn’t going to get the image of Gunnar indulging in some ass play while Bryn was tied to the bed out of his mind for some time. If that’s his intent, I really hope he acts on it.
“So nice to see such a…close…working relationship has developed between you two,” Giles said.
“You wouldn’t know a good relationship if it smacked you in the face,” Bryn grumbled. “Though, in the name of science, I’m willing to test that theory out.”
Giles chuckled. “Maybe not. But it sure is entertaining watching you dance around each other. When are you going to take him properly in hand, Detective?”
“When I’m good and ready,” Gunnar grumbled. “Not that it’s any of your goddamn business.”
Giles shrugged. “Does Warden know about you two?”
“More than we do,” Gunnar said.
Bryn wasn’t sure what that meant but he needed the subject changed and fast. “I’m hungry.” That seemed to be a safe topic and Gunnar loved food.
“I’ll bet you are.” Giles didn’t as much as blink as he spoke.
“Let’s find Emmett then hunt down some food,” Bryn said, getting desperate.
Gunnar took pity on him. “We can do that. I’ll make grilled cheese. I also spotted apple pie in the apartment fridge.”
Giles gestured them away. “Go. I’m not hungry.”
Don’t recall asking him to join us or for his permission. Bryn scowled but couldn’t stay mad for long when Gunnar’s grilled cheese was on offer.
* * * *