Jet #2
“It makes sense,” Vaughn said. “The hanged witch, Sarah White, was likely accused of being a witch due to her gifts as an omega x. She had eighteen children and every one of them lived past her death.”
Kristopher spoke up from Laura’s iPad screen. “I would very much like to have an omega x visit the lab for bloodwork. I’m assuming the “x” stands for a gene mutation. With a test subject, we may be able to discover it.”
Angus abruptly stood up, his expression angry. “I knew this was coming. I’m telling you right now, there’s no way in hell you’re going to use Ben as a lab rat.”
Kristopher argued that it was mostly a matter of a blood test.
“Ben is pregnant and therefore unavailable,” Colt said more calmly but with finality.
“Laura, what about the other omega x? He’s unmated, correct?”
“You’re right, Elliott’s not mated. He’s at home sick tonight, though. I suppose he might be willing to take a blood test.”
The mention of Elliott had me sitting up straight in my chair.
“He’s sick? He should be able to heal himself. Do all of you realize the potentiality of this?” Kristopher asked.
“You can’t put all this on Elliott’s shoulders,” I spoke up, perhaps a little strongly, because all eyes suddenly turned to me.
“Jet?” Kristopher wore a puzzled look on his face. He knew me as a member of the SOS ops team, but I stood out from the others because of what had happened to my brother.
“It’s not fair to Elliott to have all the hopes of the SOS placed on him. He’s been through enough,” I said.
“I should think he’d want to do anything to find out what happened to his father. Perhaps he’s still alive somewhere,” Kristopher said.
“Elliott is emotionally fragile due to the experience,” I argued. “I spend a lot of time with him as his guard and I’ve seen how much he struggles.”
“I know you have a personal interest in this, Jet, but don’t let that blur the lines,” Kristopher said.
Gail spoke up. “Jet’s right. Elliott is still very vulnerable.
He has an extreme fear of alphas. It’s actually amazing that Jet has been able to become close to him at all.
He has been doing better lately, and I would hate to see him regress.
Perhaps the brothers we’re going to meet would agree to blood tests. ”
Trey looked at his phone, then murmured something to Bertram and headed for the house again.
Bertram stood. “This is taking a toll on Trey’s health. He’s expecting, and I don’t want him upset. We won’t be coming to any more of these meetings.” With that, he followed his mate inside.
Kristopher sighed. “All right. One more thing—Jermaine and I have been thinking that, for their safety and well-being, the omegas at the Borders’ ranch should be mated to alphas as soon as possible.
It would mean they could come out of hiding, with the added benefit of freeing up most of the ops alphas.
Only Elliott and Ben would still need protection, as omega x’s. ”
What I felt when he said that, I couldn’t put a name to. Imagining Elliott being married off to some strange alpha he’d be terrified of made me want to punch something.
“If Elliott’s going to be guarded anyway, what’s the point of mating?” I said, unable to keep silent. “Elliott’s afraid of alphas.”
Shaking his head as though tired of arguing, Kristopher said he’d be taking all of this information to his contact with the FBI, who was trying to gather enough evidence to justify either a warrant to access the omega program’s central facility—the one where all omegas were taken before supposedly being sent anywhere else, or for a raid on it by their SWAT team.
He also wanted to discuss it with his mate, who had been unable to attend this meeting.
The gathering wrapped up, and everyone began taking the chairs to the shed. As I was putting several inside, I overheard some of the omegas from the ranch talking.
“Trey’s upset about what Gail said earlier about a beta not being about to conceive an omega. His mother is a beta and his father is an alpha. He was trying to get a hold of them. That’s why he kept getting up.”
“Poor guy. I wonder if they lied to him.”
I moved away from them, anxious to get back to the ranch. In the car, Joel asked, “What was that back there, Jet?”
“What was what?” I asked, distracted by my thoughts of Elliott potentially mating.
“Come on. You kind of went all alpha about Elliott. Didn’t he?” Joel asked Lynn and Anson.
“You kind of did,” Lynn said. “Maybe you’ve developed protective feelings for him. Or is it something more? Kristopher mentioned ‘personal issues.’”
“Protective feelings would make sense, since my job is literally to protect him,” I shot back. “And personal issues are just that. Personal.”
Nobody spoke for the rest of the short ride.
When we got out of the car, Emma and Lynn immediately headed to their cabin, probably eager to escape my presence.
We’d always been friendly, and I knew I’d been borderline rude, but I didn’t appreciate what Lynn had been implying.
My concern for Elliott should not immediately suggest deeper feelings, and making up a workplace romance was juvenile.
I looked toward the omegas’ house, where a light shown in the front window. I was concerned about Elliott and the fact that Riku had left him alone. The rest of the omegas had just arrived home. They would check on him.
I started for the cabin I shared with Anson and Joel, only to stop in my tracks when Keane suddenly shouted.
“Anson! Jet! Elliott’s gone!”
Anson, who was on his way to check the animals in the barn, broke into a run. Seconds later, I caught up with him at the door to the omegas’ house.
Inside, the group of omegas were all talking at once.
“He’s gone.” Keane looked upset as he passed a letter in his hand, and Anson indicated for me to take it.
I quickly skimmed it.
“He’s going to turn himself in,” I said, handing the letter back to Keane.
“Fuck!” Anson swore. “Why would he do that? What is he thinking?”
Seconds later, faint music began to play.
“That’s El’s ringtone,” Ren said.
“I just called his number,” Camp said, holding his phone to his ear. “I’ll call again.”
When the music began again, Keane turned to the kitchen trash can behind him.
“It’s coming from here,” he said, lifting off the lid and pulling Elliott’s cell phone out.
Ren sat down on a kitchen chair, tears running down his face, and Riku put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.
“I called Laura and the others. They’re coming.” Anson pocketed his phone. “Do you know when he left? And how?” he asked the group.
“He was here when I left for the Angels’,” Camp said, and the others nodded.
“You said he was asleep,” I said to Riku.
“He was when I left.”
I stared at him. I didn’t believe him, but I also didn’t know why he would help Elliott do something that would likely get him killed. My gut clenched thinking about Elliott being out there alone, small, undoubtedly scared, and vulnerable to attack. And so fucking stubborn. I shook my head.
“He said in the letter he was turning himself in,” Zeke said. “But he left his phone. Would he have called in the tip first?”
“El wouldn’t put us in danger by taking his phone with all our contacts,” Keane said. “He’ll go somewhere else and make the call from a public phone.”
“Where?” Ren asked hopelessly.
“I’m heading for the bus station,” I said, my hand already on the doorknob. “I’ll call you if I find out anything. Let’s hope he’s still waiting for the bus.”
I passed Laura and Nova rushing from the ranch.
“I’m going to find him,” I said, not stopping to say any more. The others could explain to them.
“Take the Range Rover,” Laura called to me, throwing me the keys. Grateful, I nodded. I hadn’t even thought about what I’d drive. I just knew I had to get to Elliott before it was too late.