Chapter Fifteen
There was only a sliver of moon, which helped hide them, but it also hindered their observation of the plant. They were able to observe that Shiel Sinaga had increased security, but they weren’t able to confirm if there were any humans in the building.
“Are you trying for a controlled explosion?” Delaram asked. He was busy setting up the bombs.
“No,” Deacon replied as he looked through night vision binoculars. “We need to make this place very much on the human’s police radar. A message has to be sent. Shiel is playing Russian Roulette with shifters’ abilities and identities.”
“What if Peter isn’t in there?” Marion asked, voicing the worry that had been eating at her. “What if we’re too late for him?”
“Don’t let those thoughts upset you right now,” Deacon said. “One thing at a time.”
“Right,” Delaram agreed, nodding his head. “These bombs need to be placed around the perimeter, and then we light up the sky like the Fourth of July.”
A little gleeful squeal, which sounded suspiciously like a hyena laugh, erupted from him.
Marion raised an eyebrow. “You’re a poet and didn’t know it.”
“Don’t encourage him,” Deacon muttered.
Delaram winked at her and she hid her smile.
“Okay,” Deacon said, turning to look at them. “How many explosives do I have to set?”
“There are—”
“Wait,” Marion said, interrupting him. “You? This is an us mission.”
“No, just me.”
Marion’s lips tightened. “We are partners in this, Deacon. You know I have to check to see if Peter or any other humans are in there.”
“Listen, this is dangerous—”
“I don’t care,” she snapped. “I came to New York to find my friend, and that’s led me here. I told you before that I don’t need to be mollycoddled.”
Deacon placed his hands on her shoulders. “I’m not mollycoddling you.”
“Do you think I’m weak? Untrustworthy? Do you think I’m going to run away?”
“I can’t have anything happen to you!”
That shut her up and she blinked, searching his face. “What?”
He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but the words died. His brow furrowed and he took a deep breath. “I can’t have you getting hurt because ... I care about you, Marion.”
She had no idea what to think about what he just said. What she saw in his face and eyes, however, added another layer to his words. Then there was a shift next to them, and they both turned their heads. Delaram had a sappy smile on his face.
“I love romance,” he murmured.
Amusement gripped her and when she looked back at Deacon, he smiled.
“Let’s pick that part of the conversation up later,” she said.
“All right. I still don’t want you coming with me.”
“And you know I won’t stay here.”
He sighed. “Yes. I know.” He glanced at Delaram. “How long can you give us?”
“The longer you’re there, the more likely you’ll be caught,” Delaram pointed out.
“Right.” He turned to Marion. “No more than fifteen minutes.”
“Okay,” she replied.
“I mean it, Marion. Check out the building, but you get your ass out of there in fifteen minutes.”
Taking a deep breath, she steadied her nerves.
She wore all black and tied her hair into a bun in an effort to blend in with the night.
Instead of going through the exit door like before, they decided a frontal approach would be better.
The guard at the front was pacing himself, as if bored out of his mind.
This was real. It was happening.
As the guard turned, Marion palmed her taser and quietly rushed forward. The guard must have sensed her presence because he turned, gun in hand, but she beat him to the punch. Firing her taser, the man’s body jolted and then he fell, muscles twitching.
Marion flattened her body against the building, placed the gun on “safety” and quickly changed cartridges.
Scooting to the door, she tested to see if it was unlocked, which it wasn’t.
She went to the fallen body and patted him down, coming across a set of keys.
Hoping one fit, she tried each until one key slid home and the door popped open.
Turning, she gave Deacon a thumbs-up and entered the building.
Checking her watch, she made a mental note of the time, then hurried to the staircase. Rushing up, she went to each floor searching for Peter. Even the plant’s processing center was dark and empty.
However, as soon as she stepped onto the fourth floor, she came to an abrupt halt. There she was, and there he was. Peter had a collar on him, and the chain from it was gripped in Shiel Sinaga’s hand. He looked at her imploringly and she tried to convey that everything was going to be all right.
“You thought I wouldn’t know you and your little band of merrymen planned to rescue my toy?” Shiel tutted. “Silly girl. Did you like my trap?”
The glee in her voice scared Marion.
“Just let him go.”
“You are annoyingly clueless,” she snapped. “Right about now, your minotaur is surrounded by my men. He’s a fierce fighter but he can’t last against the numbers.”
“I don’t care,” Marion lied. “I’m only here for Peter. Let him go and we’ll disappear from here. You can keep the bull.”
Shiel smiled, although there wasn’t any humor whatsoever. “You expect me to believe that?”
Marion took a step closer. “You should.”
“Kneel.”
“What?”
“Kneel,” Shiel snapped. “I am far superior to humans, and I want you to kneel.”
Peter nodded, urging her to do what she ordered.
It irked just a little that he wanted her to act like some plebian.
Perhaps her own stubbornness made her a little reckless.
Just as she went down on one knee, she surreptitiously brought up her taser and shot Shiel right in the chest. The woman screamed and fell, her body convulsing.
Marion ejected the cartridge and gestured to Peter. “Come on, we have to get out of here.”
Peter gathered his chain and hurried after her.