“Why were you looking for us?” How did he even know to look for them?
Dr. Dante took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Long story. But the short version is the US military dragged me out of bed at three AM and told me what happened at the Utah facility. I didn’t want to believe any of the betas were responsible but….” He shrugged. “I’ve been helping them try and figure out what’s going on. Where the other Anubis came from why you were with Luca.” He put his glasses back on. “When I realized they didn’t have plans to let you live—” He swallowed. “I told them about the tracking satellite New World used to do recoveries with. It brought them to Montana, and after that, they just followed the bodies.”
“Why am I alive?” Nox had a terrible feeling he already knew.
“Because whoever found you aren’t military. At least, they weren’t with the US Army. I’m sorry, they must have followed me.”
“What’s the last thing you remember?” It could give Nox some idea where they were.
“Getting stuck with a needle in the middle of the woods. When I woke up, I was in here with Luca. He was cold, so I gave him my coat. And you were….” Reese nodded at the side of the glass prison holding Nox.
“You haven’t seen anyone?”
Reese shook his head.
Nox petted the glass near Luca’s cheek. “I’ll get us out of here. I promise.” He stood. The room swayed, and tremors ran down his legs. But with each passing second, the Anubis leeched away more of the sedative until the stale air blossomed with scents; metal, gun oil, human sweat mixed with the Anubis’s earthy musk.
Nox cursed.
Luca got to his feet. “It’s them, isn’t it? The other Anubis.” His fear peppered Nox’s senses.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sur—”
The door on the other side of the room opened. Two men in tactical gear took up a spot on either side.
A third man walked in and approached. His scent drifted ahead of him on a current of air. The Anubis slid along Nox’s muscles and pushed to emerge so it could defend its Alpha against an Anubis who’d already tried to take him.
Nox rushed the glass, and it boomed with the impact of his body.
The stranger paused midstep, his eyes widening but the fear was momentary. He closed the distance. “You’re not so scary now that you’re locked up in a glass jar.” He leaned close enough his words left a white halo on the glass. “Glad to know they weren’t full of shit when he said that glass would hold you.” He grinned. “Nice to know you’re not as unstoppable as you seemed.”
Nox growled. “Let me out of here, and I’ll show you just how unstoppable I can be.”
“You killed a lot of my friends, Mr. Nash Kelli.” The man’s canines sharped.
“And I’ll kill the rest of them.” Nox’s jaw popped and his teeth elongated, breaking past his gum line. Blood and saliva ran down his chin.
“I believe you. Enough that I would have killed you when I found you, except you have something that belongs to me.”
Dr. Dante stepped up to the glass cell he shared with Luca. “I know you. You’re Paul Dekker. One of the men working for Armtek who went missing six months ago.”
Armtek. Why did that name sound so familiar? “Military contractors,” Nox said.
“The same contractors who negotiated the government contracts with New World.” Dr. Dante practically spat the words.
“Yeah. I had the privilege of seeing the video of Mr. Kelli here and his team in action.” Dekker widened his grin. “Knew right then I wanted whatever it was they had. Best decision of my life.”
“Won’t be when you purge the ichor. Or did New World forget to inform you about that part?”
Dekker turned to Dr. Dante. “Oh, they’d just love that, wouldn’t they?” He stepped closer. “Would make sweeping us under the rug so much easier.”
Dr. Dante furrowed his brow.
Dekker clicked his tongue. “All those army people and you still know nothing. But don’t feel too bad. Neither did New World. If they had, they never would have tried to fuck us over.” Dekker pressed closer to the cell. “Although, there are a few people I’d like to fuck over myself.” He slathered his tongue over the glass in front of Dr. Dante. “You smelled really good in the woods. Bet you taste even better.”
Dr. Dante took a step back, herding Luca with him.
“Don’t worry, doc. I’ve got a lot of plans for you, but dead isn’t one of them. At least not right away.” Dekker tilted his head. “Maybe if you cooperate, I’ll make the extra effort not to break any bones or nick any arteries.”