“They didn’t say they were here to pick up a prisoner,” Smiley reiterated. “Just medical supplies. If it was a miscommunication regarding Tim’s order, they would have shown different paperwork at the gate and stated they were here for a prisoner transfer.”
“Perhaps they’ve captured the other human.” Fury reached for one of the Security radios. “I’ll get an update on the search.”
Darkness stormed into the room. “It wasn’t one of ours.” He lifted a hand, showing blood on his knuckles. “I thought of our males at first, when I heard someone tried to take her. They caused a little trouble with True over the female. None of our males are involved in this.”
“Who did you suspect?” Breeze inched closer to him.
“Our numbers,” Darkness repeated. “The ones who have refused to take names.”
“It was two human males, Darkness,” True snarled. “They touched her, hurt her. They were inside my home. Only one escaped.”
Tim straightened his shoulders. “I’m going to be the ass**le again and suggest that maybe this was some kind of escape attempt on her part.” He backed up behind Fury, staring at True from around him. “Don’t attack me but it needs to be said. What if she is guilty of using New Species for ransom and her partner bribed two males from Fuller to break into Homeland to get her free? There were other officers living down the hallway and they didn’t hear shit. In my experience women make a hell of a ruckus if they are being kidnapped.”
“It is something to consider,” Justice calmly stated, holding True’s glare. “We don’t know—”
True snarled. “No. You’re wrong. She was drugged too. She will tell us what happened when she is able. I did not want to leave her but Doc Harris said it will be hours until the drugs wear off and I am needed here. We must find those who mean her harm.”
The phone rang and Justice answered. He listened, thanked someone, and hung up. “Slash will be fine. The doctors gave him something to counteract the sedative. He was able to tell them that the two humans arrived at the dorm to transfer Shiver to Fuller. They had paperwork for it, wore the uniforms, and seemed legitimate.” His gaze slid to True. “She protested and repeatedly asked him to call you. They tranquilized him as he reached for his phone.”
Justice turned his head to pin Tim with a direct stare. “Forget your rescue attempt scenario. True is right. She was not a willing participant. They came to take her by force and we won’t know what happened after Slash went down until Jeanie can tell us. Maybe she overheard something they said and it will point to who is behind this.”
Breeze cleared her throat and frowned at Tim. “Did you verify that Fuller Prison got your cancel order? Perhaps they don’t know she is to stay here. That fits. If they came here to get a prisoner, too, of course they’d want her alive. I don’t understand why they’d knock Slash out but maybe our male frightened them when the female put up a protest. I can’t see him just standing there meekly if she began to struggle and the humans turned too aggressive. The Fuller guards do carry dart guns to handle unruly prisoners.”
“The darts used at Fuller aren’t strong enough to take down a Species male.” Darkness faced off against her.
She didn’t back down. “Obviously, they are now. You didn’t spend a lot of time at Mercile once you reached maturity and they sent you away but some of the technicians they hired were as big as our males. Many of those males are imprisoned at Fuller now. The guards keep strong darts for use on those captured humans when they become aggressive. They must have a new formula that is strong enough to disable us as well.”
“She has a point,” Flame agreed. “As we grew stronger the technicians they used to control us were changed out for males similar in size to the ones hired by the task force. They might need to be as heavily dosed as our people to keep them down. Whatever Fuller now has access to, it was strong enough to take down Slash.”
Tim jerked up the phone and placed another call. Seconds ticked by. “Fuller still isn’t answering. What the hell? They should pick up.” He disconnected and placed another call. “I’m assembling two teams to go over there.”
“I’m coming with you,” True stated.
“No.” Tim shook his head then spoke into the phone. “Trey? Assemble two teams ASAP and pick me up at Homeland. It looks as though Fuller Prison guards tried to grab Shiver and everyone here is up in arms. Fuller has gone dark. I can’t raise them for confirmation about any of this.” He slammed the receiver into the cradle and turned. “I’m going to put on my uniform and wait for them at the gate. We’ll call as soon as we know something.”
True blocked the door and fought the urge to punch the human in the face. “I’m going with you. I will know the other human when I see him. I will make him pay for touching Jeanie.”
“No.”
Justice got between them before violence could erupt. “We’re all going, Tim. That’s final. True won’t calm down until we know why his female was targeted and I want to know what the hell is going on at Fuller. They told the gate they were here for medical supplies but then darted one of my males and injected the female as well. Something is seriously wrong and I’m going to find out how this could be deemed acceptable by them because we all know it’s not.”
Breeze gripped True’s arm. “Breathe in and out. I’m sure you’ll get answers at Fuller. Jeanie will be well guarded and well cared for until you get back.”
“Perhaps they’ve captured the other human.” Fury reached for one of the Security radios. “I’ll get an update on the search.”
Darkness stormed into the room. “It wasn’t one of ours.” He lifted a hand, showing blood on his knuckles. “I thought of our males at first, when I heard someone tried to take her. They caused a little trouble with True over the female. None of our males are involved in this.”
“Who did you suspect?” Breeze inched closer to him.
“Our numbers,” Darkness repeated. “The ones who have refused to take names.”
“It was two human males, Darkness,” True snarled. “They touched her, hurt her. They were inside my home. Only one escaped.”
Tim straightened his shoulders. “I’m going to be the ass**le again and suggest that maybe this was some kind of escape attempt on her part.” He backed up behind Fury, staring at True from around him. “Don’t attack me but it needs to be said. What if she is guilty of using New Species for ransom and her partner bribed two males from Fuller to break into Homeland to get her free? There were other officers living down the hallway and they didn’t hear shit. In my experience women make a hell of a ruckus if they are being kidnapped.”
“It is something to consider,” Justice calmly stated, holding True’s glare. “We don’t know—”
True snarled. “No. You’re wrong. She was drugged too. She will tell us what happened when she is able. I did not want to leave her but Doc Harris said it will be hours until the drugs wear off and I am needed here. We must find those who mean her harm.”
The phone rang and Justice answered. He listened, thanked someone, and hung up. “Slash will be fine. The doctors gave him something to counteract the sedative. He was able to tell them that the two humans arrived at the dorm to transfer Shiver to Fuller. They had paperwork for it, wore the uniforms, and seemed legitimate.” His gaze slid to True. “She protested and repeatedly asked him to call you. They tranquilized him as he reached for his phone.”
Justice turned his head to pin Tim with a direct stare. “Forget your rescue attempt scenario. True is right. She was not a willing participant. They came to take her by force and we won’t know what happened after Slash went down until Jeanie can tell us. Maybe she overheard something they said and it will point to who is behind this.”
Breeze cleared her throat and frowned at Tim. “Did you verify that Fuller Prison got your cancel order? Perhaps they don’t know she is to stay here. That fits. If they came here to get a prisoner, too, of course they’d want her alive. I don’t understand why they’d knock Slash out but maybe our male frightened them when the female put up a protest. I can’t see him just standing there meekly if she began to struggle and the humans turned too aggressive. The Fuller guards do carry dart guns to handle unruly prisoners.”
“The darts used at Fuller aren’t strong enough to take down a Species male.” Darkness faced off against her.
She didn’t back down. “Obviously, they are now. You didn’t spend a lot of time at Mercile once you reached maturity and they sent you away but some of the technicians they hired were as big as our males. Many of those males are imprisoned at Fuller now. The guards keep strong darts for use on those captured humans when they become aggressive. They must have a new formula that is strong enough to disable us as well.”
“She has a point,” Flame agreed. “As we grew stronger the technicians they used to control us were changed out for males similar in size to the ones hired by the task force. They might need to be as heavily dosed as our people to keep them down. Whatever Fuller now has access to, it was strong enough to take down Slash.”
Tim jerked up the phone and placed another call. Seconds ticked by. “Fuller still isn’t answering. What the hell? They should pick up.” He disconnected and placed another call. “I’m assembling two teams to go over there.”
“I’m coming with you,” True stated.
“No.” Tim shook his head then spoke into the phone. “Trey? Assemble two teams ASAP and pick me up at Homeland. It looks as though Fuller Prison guards tried to grab Shiver and everyone here is up in arms. Fuller has gone dark. I can’t raise them for confirmation about any of this.” He slammed the receiver into the cradle and turned. “I’m going to put on my uniform and wait for them at the gate. We’ll call as soon as we know something.”
True blocked the door and fought the urge to punch the human in the face. “I’m going with you. I will know the other human when I see him. I will make him pay for touching Jeanie.”
“No.”
Justice got between them before violence could erupt. “We’re all going, Tim. That’s final. True won’t calm down until we know why his female was targeted and I want to know what the hell is going on at Fuller. They told the gate they were here for medical supplies but then darted one of my males and injected the female as well. Something is seriously wrong and I’m going to find out how this could be deemed acceptable by them because we all know it’s not.”
Breeze gripped True’s arm. “Breathe in and out. I’m sure you’ll get answers at Fuller. Jeanie will be well guarded and well cared for until you get back.”
