Chapter Fourteen
Ed Solomon was a smooth driver and the car glided through the night.
Bryn’s adrenaline and Frost’s drugs had worn off and shattered, Bryn drifted in and out of consciousness.
Each time he awoke it was with a jolt to scan their surroundings before he remembered he was safe.
Solomon left him alone, speaking only to offer water or to check if he needed anything in his moments of lucidity.
When they crossed into Boston city limits, it was getting dark.
“Almost there,” Solomon said, breaking the silence. “Warden will be waiting for you.”
“How bad is Gunnar?” Bryn asked.
“I’m no expert but he took a bullet to the hip. Would’ve shattered a normal human’s pelvis, but with his lupine physiology, it’s just a nasty wound. The baton strike to his head didn’t help matters.”
“He has a hard head.”
“He’s healing. He’s also being an asshole about resting.
” Solomon shook his head. “He keeps trying to leave the hospital, insisting he has to find you. Warden told him he would be tied down or sedated to keep him from getting hurt more. Gunnar said no to the tying down, because you were the only one he wanted to do that with.”
“You’re kidding.”
“He’s been out of it. Still fought to help you, stubborn bastard.”
Bryn found himself smiling. “Typical Gunnar.”
“You said it, not me.”
They continued toward GCR headquarters in silence, Bryn’s thoughts drifting between relief at being rescued, lingering concern about Gunnar and worry about what lay ahead. Solomon pulled up in Marlborough Street at the front of the building.
“The front door? I’m honored.”
“Can you walk?” Solomon asked.
Bryn nodded and pushed the car door open.
“I’ve been kidnapped, drugged, and escaped a supervillain’s lair.
I think I can manage.” His legs felt like rubber, and exhaustion weighed on him, but he managed to stand.
Warden emerged with Emmett at his side and the two of them came down the path.
Solomon hovered nearby but didn’t offer assistance.
“Bryn,” Emmett said, stepping forward. “Thank God.”
“Thank you, Solomon,” Warden said. “You’ve had a long drive. Go get some food and rest. Emmett has had one of the staff rooms made up for you. I’ll get the car moved.”
“Yes, sir.” Solomon disappeared into the property.
“I know I’m irreplaceable, but this welcome committee seems excessive,” Bryn managed.
Warden grunted. “Inside. The medic needs to check you over.”
“I want to see Gunnar,” Bryn said, heading in without rejecting Emmett’s hand on his elbow.
“Trust me, you’ll see him sooner than you expect,” Warden replied. “Medical first.”
Bryn wanted to protest but the entrance hall tilted and he knew arguing would be futile.
He allowed Emmett to guide him to the room that served as a medical facility.
A white-coated doctor and a nurse were waiting for him.
They helped him onto the single bed, and he submitted to their ministrations with uncharacteristic docility. Warden and Emmett hovered nearby.
“The tracker,” he murmured as the doctor examined the wound on his lower back. “They cut it out.”
“Clean removal, at least,” she replied. “Professional work.” She applied a dressing to his back.
“We’ll need to insert a new one, but that can wait until you’ve recovered.
No surgery for you today.” She continued her examination.
“You’re dehydrated, your blood sugar is low and you’re exhausted.
I’m going to start an IV, and you need rest.”
“I don’t have time for that!”
“Yes, you do,” Warden said. “We’ll meet in an hour. That’s enough time to get some fluids in you.”
“I’ll go up to your apartment and get you some fresh clothes,” Emmett offered.
“Something that doesn’t look like he robbed a mall cop,” Warden suggested.
“I’ll have you know this is high-end security chic,” Bryn retorted, pulling off the ripped, bloodstained uniform shirt he’d stolen. “Very in this season.”
“If he resists you, Doctor, you have my permission to sedate him,” Warden said. “Any backchat—stick him.”
“Hey!”
Warden and Emmett left and Bryn contemplated escape if only to piss off Warden. Nah. Too much effort.
The medical team finished their work, leaving Bryn with an IV in his arm and strict instructions to remain on the bed.
Emmett came back with clean clothes, Bryn’s usual black jeans and a long-sleeved black T-shirt, and left them within reach.
“I’ll be back in forty-five minutes,” he said. “Try not to pull out that IV.”
“No promises,” Bryn called after him.
When Emmett returned, Bryn was sitting upright, the IV still in place.
“Your color has improved,” Emmett said. “Less ghost and more chalk.”
“Thanks…I think. I need a shower in the worst way.”
The doctor returned and disconnected the line, applied a bandage to his arm, and gave him a pointed look. “Forty-eight hours of rest after your meeting,” she said. “Non-negotiable.”
“Sure, Doc. I’ll pencil that in right after my vacation to Hawaii,” Bryn replied. She glared at him, and he held up his hands in surrender. “Kidding. Rest. Got it.”
“You’ll have to shower after the meeting,” Emmett said. “Just put the clean clothes on.”
“Gross, but okay.” Bryn changed then followed Emmett to Warden’s office. Warden was at his desk and Giles was sitting in one of three chairs.
“Where’s Gunnar?” Bryn asked, pausing in the doorway.
Before anyone could answer, a commotion erupted in the hallway behind him.
“I said I’m fine, damn it. Get that wheelchair away from me before I show you exactly where you can park it.”
The familiar voice was a massive relief. Bryn turned to see Gunnar limping down the corridor, one hand braced against the wall for support. His face was pale and there were dark circles under his eyes. A vivid bruise extended from his temple to his jaw. Their eyes met and everything else fell away.
“Bryn.” Gunnar’s voice shook.
“You complete and utter fucking idiot,” Bryn replied, but there was no heat in his words. “You were shot in the hip. What are you doing out of bed?”
“Coming to find you,” Gunnar said, as if it were the most obvious explanation in the world.
Bryn crossed the distance between them in four quick strides, stopping short of throwing his arms around his partner. “You look like hell,” he said, drinking in the sight of Gunnar alive and breathing.
“Speak for yourself,” Gunnar replied, his eyes never leaving Bryn’s face, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “Nice of you to finally show up.”
“Yeah, well, evil lairs are so hard to escape these days. No consideration for the guests at all.”
Warden appeared in the doorway. “If you two are quite finished, perhaps we could get on? I’m sure we’d all like to sleep tonight at some point.”
“Sorry, sir,” Gunnar said, though he didn’t sound particularly apologetic. He started to limp into Warden’s office, but Bryn stepped closer, offering his shoulder for support. After a moment’s hesitation, Gunnar accepted, leaning into him as they made their way inside.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Bryn murmured. “You should be resting.”
“Pot, kettle,” Gunnar replied. “Besides, did you really think I’d stay in bed once I heard you were back?”
“I heard they were about to tie you down…which is thought-provoking.”
“Jesus, Bryn…”
Bryn chuckled. They both took seats in front of Warden’s desk, Gunnar wincing as he lowered himself into the chair.
“You two shouldn’t be allowed out without adult supervision,” Giles said.
Bryn made a winding motion with one hand and raised the middle finger of the other. Gunnar growled.
“So good to have the whole crew back together. Things were way too quiet around here.” Giles brushed non-existent lint from a sleeve.
“Isn’t it?” Emmett settled into a seat to the side of Warden’s desk. “I don’t like it when you guys are out doing dangerous stuff.”
“It’s kinda the job, Emmett,” Gunnar said.
“I know, but I want everyone to be safe.”
Bryn didn’t miss Warden’s appreciative expression as he glanced over at Emmett.
“This operation has been compromised at every turn, and we need to understand why.” Warden didn’t bother with niceties. “Emmett…”
Emmett activated the room’s display screen. Images of the building Bryn had escaped from appeared, now surrounded by emergency vehicles and personnel in tactical gear.
“Three hours after you were picked up, Bryn, a joint FBI-GCR team raided the building where you were held. Above ground it seems to have been housing a legitimate business, though we’ll be taking a close look at the books.
Below ground, most equipment had been abandoned, systems destroyed and any research materials removed.
” Warden scowled. “We did, however, find Dr. Frost.”
“Dead?” Bryn asked, though he already knew the answer.
“Yes, I’m afraid so. Single gunshot wound to the back of the head, execution style. His body was left in a dumpster.”
“A message,” Bryn said. “Russo wanted us, and his co-conspirators, to know what happens to traitors.”
“Indeed,” Warden agreed.
“Frost saved my life. He deliberately made skin-to-skin contact and somehow made sure that his memories and intent were what I needed to see. He hid a cell and a key card. Dealt with the security system. Gave me stimulants instead of sedatives.”
“Did you learn anything from him, or anyone else for that matter, while you were there?”
“Russo’s operation is what we thought. He’s creating enhanced super-soldiers from gene-affected subjects and I think he’s close.
I saw tissue samples he was keen to show off and Frost seemed to think his expertise was only to rubber stamp research that had already been done.
Russo gave me a whole speech about creating the perfect hunters, interrogators, and spies.
He was particularly interested in my abilities,” Bryn added.
“He wants to replicate them in his subjects.”
“That’s not how it works,” Giles said.
“I know that, you know that, but Russo doesn’t,” Bryn said.