Chapter 15
15
“ O kay, the car’s parked outside and ready to go,” Evan announced.
Dallan sighed in resignation. He took Maggie home, but kept Evan. They still needed two drivers, and Evan had to be it.
Markhel looked out the bay window of Pari’s bedroom. “The van is ready as well.” He turned around. “Who is with me?”
Archer raised a hand.
“And with me?” Evan asked.
“I am,” Lany said.
“And messsk!” Tylahs popped out of the backpack Lany wore and waved a leg at him.
Markhel smiled. “You are ready, Tylahs?”
“Yesssk!”
Markhel looked Lany in the eye. “Make sure he knows exactly what to do.”
“He does,” Lany said without hesitation. “Don’t you little buddy?”
“Yes, Lanysssk!” Tylahs disappeared into the backpack.
Shona entered the room dressed in a black tee-shirt, black cargo pants, and black boots. Archer outfitted them, much the same way Melvale would have. Her eyes raked over Dallan’s attire, before turning to Archer. “Were you purposely going for the James Bond, spy look?”
Archer adjusted the utility belt he’d just put on. “Actually, I was going for practical and tactical.” He chuckled. “Hey, that rhymes.”
Dallan rolled his eyes at him. “Are we ready?” He gave Archer a pointed look. “Or d’ye need to feed again?”
Archer glared at Kwaku. “Someone keeps eating all the ice cream.”
Kwaku gave everyone an innocent look. “What?”
Halden entered the room dressed as the others. Raina took one look at him and sighed. “I want to come.”
“No, dove. It’s far too dangerous.” He took her in his arms and kissed her. When he broke the kiss, he looked into her eyes. “I’ll not risk your life.”
She held him tight. “What about you risking yours?”
“Don’t worry,” Evan said. “I’ve seen these guys in action. Halden will be safe.”
“You’re not worried?” Raina asked.
Evan shrugged and brought his index finger and thumb within a hair’s breadth of each other. “Perhaps a teensy-weensy bit. But I’m more worried about me screwing things up.”
“You’re the getaway driver,” Lany said. “All you have to do is stay in the car.”
Dallan took in the group. Archer, Kwaku, Zara, Markhel, Lany, Halden, and himself would go in and retrieve Melvale and Pari. After Tylahs took care of the guards, of course. They’d break them out, then get out as fast as they could. If they had to open a door to the palace they would, but they didn’t want to give these people, whomever they were, a show of their abilities. If they knew what Dallan and the others were capable of, they might begin a relentless hunt for them, and he didn’t want to risk his team or any other Muirarans the doctor and his men might happen upon. They didn’t want the doctor to know more than he already did. He knew too much already. Which was why Dallan planned on capturing him.
He went to Lany and tapped the backpack. “Tylahs.”
The little Sarian popped his head out and blinked at him with his big amber eyes. “Yes, Time Mastersssk?”
Dallan bent to get eye level with him. “Ye ken yer no to kill anyone, right?”
Lany sighed. “I’ve already told him…”
“He’s going to be tempted if he thinks yer in danger, Master Lany,” Dallan reminded him.
Lany sighed again. “You have a point.” He glanced over his shoulder. “You’ll be good, won’t you little buddy?”
“Yes, Lany. I be goodsssk.”
Dallan straightened. “See that ye are.” He turned to Shona. “Ye have the map?”
“Yes. If Markhel is right, which I’m sure he is, they’re still in a rural area in Jersey, just outside of Cranbury.”
“Good, they havena moved Melvale or his mate.”
Markhel closed his eyes. “I cannot sense him, but last night, he was very much awake.”
“Aye, I felt him too,” Dallan said.
“He is trying to bond with her,” Kwaku said. “As much as he can under de circumstances.”
“So long as he keeps it up,” Halden said. “I imagine we’ll find them in no time.”
“Agreed,” Dallan said. “Let’s go.” He turned to Markhel. “Secure yer mate, man. We have to leave.”
Markhel nodded and went to Maida who was standing quietly in one corner of the room. “Come, little one.” He took her by the hand and left the apartment.
Dallan and the others followed. They locked up, went down the four flights of stairs, and knocked on Al’s door.
He opened it, took in the group of towering men and gulped. “Uh, is it time?”
“Aye,” Dallan confirmed. “And when we come back, we’ll see yer well rewarded. Our associate should be here at any moment…”
No sooner than he said it, a tremor ran through the structure from the bottom up. Lany, Archer, Kwaku, Zara, Evan and Shona took that as their cue, and left the building.
“There he is now,” Dallan said. He motioned Markhel forward.
He tugged Maida to the door and glared at Al. “If one hair is out of place on her head when I return, I will crush you.”
Al gulped. “Um, got it,” he squeaked.
Halden stepped forward. “Let them watch TV. Raina is partial to Lassie.”
Al smiled at him, avoiding Markhel’s hard stare. “Lassie, got it.”
Simon Kells and Geran entered the hall from the basement and joined them. “Time Master Dallan.”
“Simon Kells. Take good care of them. We’ll let you know when it’s safe to return to the palace with Maida and Raina.”
Al looked at Simon Kells, his eyes rounding to saucers. “Um, is anyone going to explain to me what’s going on?”
“Not yet,” Raina said. “But we will. Suffice to say, the frightening looking man and his wife are here to protect us.”
“In my apartment?” Al asked incredulously.
Halden shrugged. “We’re told bad things can happen if Maida and her husband are separated for too long. If he’s captured…”
“I don’t want to hear anymore.” Maida slipped past a clueless Al and went inside.
Markhel sighed and turned to Simon Kells. “She does not like this.”
“Neither do I,” Raina said. “But neither she nor I are equipped to do what you do.”
“He knows, dove,” Halden reassured. “Take good care of them, Al. Order a pizza or something.” He handed the older man some cash then looked at Simon Kells. “Better make that three pizzas.” He handed him more money, kissed Raina, and left the building.
Dallan put a hand on Simon Kells shoulder. “Guard them well.”
“I will, Time Master.”
“As soon as we’re away safely, we’ll take Melvale and his mate to the palace. Zara will tell ye when we’ve done so. Then ye can bring them.”
“Of course.” Simon Kells cocked an eyebrow at Al, who yelped and scurried into the apartment. “This Al and his brother across the hall will have to be told soon.”
“Aye, but the most important thing now is to free Melvale.” Dallan gave him a curt nod and left.
Outside part of the team was getting into the silver sedan Evan was driving. The rest were piling into a white van Markhel was in charge of.
Though the van was bigger, it had less windows than the car. Dallan went across the street and looked at the sedan with trepidation.
“It will be all right,” Shona said softly beside him. “You can do this. We’ll roll the windows down.”
He closed his eyes a moment. “Aye.” He opened his eyes and looked down at her. “We can comfort each other in the back seat, aye?”
She laughed. “Oh, yes.”
He smiled. “I love ye, Flower, more than words can express.”
Shona looked him in the eyes. “I know. Now get in the car.”
He took one last look at the van across the street, caught sight of Maida and Raina watching them through the front bay window of Al’s apartment, and gave them a nod.
Markhel started the van and pulled away from the curb.
Dallan took a deep breath, opened the back driver’s side door of the sedan and climbed in, scooting across the seat to make room for Shona. Lany sat in the front with Evan. The latter started the car, and they were off.
Shona rolled the windows down to ease his discomfort and took him by the hand. With all the windows down it wasn’t so bad, and he looked out at the passing scenery. Businesses, eateries, and eventually brownstones and some newer apartment buildings Archer said were built within the last year. Seemed the man had done his homework. Melvale would be proud.
They got on what Shona called a freeway and headed west. Eventually they came to a huge bridge and after crossing it, she informed him they were now on Staten Island, and would soon be in the state of New Jersey.
Shona pulled her hair back into a ponytail to keep it from flying every which way because of the open windows.
“D’ye wish me to put the windows up, Flower?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Evan said without hesitation.
“No problem here,” Lany chimed.
One of Tylahs’ legs popped up from the depths of the backpack. “I’m okaysssk!”
Dallan gave Shona a somber look, then gave it to the others. “I thank ye.”
Evan looked at him in the rearview mirror. “We’re all good, son.”
His heart stirred. “Thank ye,” he said again for no reason, other than the word “son.”
Shona put her hand on his leg and gave it a pat as she smiled. She then leaned her head against his shoulder. Of all the assignments they’d been on, this was, by far, the most dangerous, and everyone knew it. For if a foe could capture and contain one such as Melvale, and he a Muiraran Alpha, then what hope did the rest of them have if any of them were captured? The fact they could be captured was unnerving enough, without thinking about what else might happen. They had to do this quickly, cleanly, and with as much stealth as possible.
They drove for at least another hour before Evan entered a small town. He looked at Dallan in the rearview mirror. “According to Markhel, he sensed Melvale close to this place.” He nodded at something ahead of them. “There’s a small park. We should stop don’t you think?”
“Aye, yer right. Pull over and park the car.” Dallan sent the order through his heart to Markhel’s, and soon the team had exited their vehicles and were gathered around a picnic table.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have all worn black,” Shona pointed out as a few passersby stared at them.
Kwaku ignored her and scanned the area, then closed his eyes.
Markhel did the same.
“Anything?” Dallan asked.
Kwaku shook his head. “Noting, Boyeee. We should wait here; he will have to wake up sometime.”
“Markhel?” Dallan asked.
He opened his eyes. “Kwaku is right. My brother sleeps or is unwillingly unconscious.”
“Most likely the latter,” Lany muttered to himself.
Archer looked around, spied a fast-food place across the street from the park and smiled. “Lunch is on me then.” He pulled a wad of cash out of his pants pocket.
“Good grief,” Evan cried. “Don’t wave that around!”
Archer stuffed the cash back in his pocket. “Who wants what?”
“How can you think of food at a time like this?” Evan asked.
“His heart feeds off of eating and enjoying his food,” Shona said.
“What?!” Evan looked at Archer in disbelief. “Well, I guess that comes in handy, so long as you’re near enough food.” He smiled at Archer. “You’d better hope your future mate can cook.”
Archer smiled. “I’m not only hoping, I’m praying!” He slung an arm around Evan and began to drag him in the direction of the fast-food place.
Dallan’s mouth curved into a smile. There was nothing they could do now, so they might as well feed themselves. They’d need it for what was to come. He didn’t know how much fighting there would be, but they’d all agreed to let their enemy think they had no special abilities and were just a group of men breaking Melvale out.
“Yer sure yer up to this, Flower?” he asked Shona.
“I’ll be fine.” She leaned against him and kissed his bicep. “Besides, Dad and I will be with the car and van. If anything, we can hightail it out of there if there’s any sign of trouble.” She cast him a worried look. “Don’t get separated from me.”
Translated, she meant, don’t get captured . “Dinna fash, lass, I won’t.” He tucked a finger under her chin, brought her face to his, and kissed her.
Dallan didn’t care what he had to do. He would not be captured and taken from his mate.