“Like I told Sloane, I like to keep myself informed.” Shultzon turned his attention to Dex. “You look uncomfortable, Dex. May I call you Dex?”
Ash felt Dex shift beside him.
“I’m going to be honest with you, Dr. Shultzon.”
Shit. What the hell was Dex going to say? Ash had been so wrapped up in his and Sloane’s past with Shultzon that he hadn’t given any thought to how Dex might react around the guy.
“Please do.”
“You might reconsider when you hear what I have to say.”
Ash clasped his hands together and remained silent. He could have told Dex now was not the time, but if Dex wanted to get something off his chest, who the hell was he to deny the guy that? A part of him was curious. The other half told him Shultzon deserved whatever Dex gave him.
“The only reason I’m not punching you in the face right now is out of respect for Sloane. You tortured him. You experimented on him. I don’t care what your reasons were. They were children. Kids who’d already been put through emotional hell by parents who, instead of protecting them, had them taken away and locked up like animals. And then you come in, their hero. You rescue them, feed them, clothe them, give them toys, but at an unspeakable price. You put them through a physically and mentally excruciating experience they’ll have to live with for the rest of their lives if they live through it.”
Shultzon didn’t look fazed in the least. “How much did Sloane tell you?”
“Enough to know eighteen years later that what you did to him still haunts him.”
“I understand,” Shultzon replied, his tone remorseful.
“Do you?” Dex asked angrily. “Do you understand what it feels like to be woken up by your lover’s screams in the middle of the night? To see him distraught and lost in a world of pain and anguish, fighting a force out of your reach? Do you understand what it’s like to watch the man you love begging for the pain to stop but knowing there’s nothing you can do because it’s in his mind? No, Doctor. You don’t understand, and if it were up to me you’d be rotting away in a jail cell somewhere. Lucky for you, it’s not up to me. From this point on, Ash will do the talking, because nothing that comes out of my mouth while we’re in the same room will be pleasant.”
Holy. Fuck.
Ash forced himself to stop gaping at Dex and quickly snapped himself out of it. Okay, they came here for a reason. He turned to Shultzon. “Doctor, we’re here because we’re worried about Sloane. He’s lost control of his feral side twice.”
Shultzon’s hand flew to his mouth, a look of genuine concern on his face. “Oh dear God. How did it happen?”
Ash explained about the first time Sloane had lost control after getting into a fight with Dex, and then the second time when Sloane had been in the middle of being intimate with his lover. He explained how Sloane’s memory was fuzzy in some places while completely blank in others.
Shultzon looked thoughtful. “It seems to me the problem started after his injury.”
Ash agreed. “We can’t figure out what could have caused it. Could it be the combination of Therian medication and his emotions? He’s been on meds since then.” Although he’d pretty much ruled this out, he wanted to know if Shultzon agreed. There could be something he knew about the meds that maybe Ash wasn’t aware of.
“It’s possible. Therian medicine is still in its youth. There’s no telling what effect it can have in the long run. However, if it was the medication, we would have had vast breakouts of Therians experiencing similar incidents. Though it does make me wonder….” Shultzon pursed his lips and shook his head. “Never mind.”
“What is it?”
Shultzon appeared reluctant to continue. He shook his head as if talking himself out of it, but in the end he gave in. “When Sloane came to visit, he asked me about the First Gen Research Facility and whether that was truly the end of it. I’m afraid to say, I didn’t believe so then, and even less so now.”
Dex straightened beside Ash but remained silent. This wasn’t what Ash had been hoping to hear.
“Are you saying what’s happening to Sloane might have something to do with the First Gen Research Facility?”
“Not the facility, but perhaps whatever the THIRDS was working on inside of it. I know I shouldn’t be discussing this, and I ask that it not leave this room, but now that I know about Sloane, I’m concerned for him and his safety. I believe the THIRDS, or at least someone with quite some influence, is still experimenting with the scopolamine drug Pearce used on Dex, attempting to perfect it to control Therians.”
Ash frowned. “That’s a very serious accusation, Doctor. Do you have evidence to back up this claim?” If the doctor truly believed this, he had to be getting his information from somewhere. An unsanctioned drug? And one powerful enough to control a Therian? Shit. They’d all had their suspicions regarding the facility and whatever had been going on, but Ash had hoped they’d heard the last of it after the facility had been decommissioned the second time. He’d almost believed it, and then during their mission to track down Hogan, Austen had shown up with a powdered concoction containing scopolamine, confirming it was all far from over.
“I’ve been trying to gather intel, but it’s very slow going. Mostly it’s where I’ve managed to glean snippets of conversations held in the shadows. I have to be cautious. Not everyone can be trusted.” Shultzon spoke his next words quietly. “I believe someone is using specialist agents to get the work done without the THIRDS’ knowledge.”
“So you’re saying whoever’s working on this drug is doing so off the books?” Ash didn’t like the sound of that. If what Shultzon was saying was true—and that was a big fucking if—then it would have to be someone with a high level of security clearance. Those officers were the only ones who could assign cases or tasks to specialist agents. Though it made sense. Specialist agents didn’t function in the same capacity as THIRDS agents, since they technically didn’t exist.
Shultzon nodded. “I had been hoping to speak with Sloane about it, but then there was that unfortunate incident, and he was injured.” He opened his mouth to continue but seemed to think better of it. “I’ve said too much already. This is a very dangerous situation, and I have no intention of putting you or any of your agents in any danger. Until I have something solid to present you or the Branch of Therian Defense, I shouldn’t say any more.”
“The Branch of Therian Defense?” Ash and Dex exchanged troubled glances. If this shit went that far up, then it was big.
“I’m afraid—if my suspicions are true—this could have a dire impact on the THIRDS, especially if the involved parties are discovered by someone outside the THIRDS organization. I fear they may be putting their trust into the wrong hands, and I can’t allow the lives of good agents to be placed in jeopardy. I will say this.” Shultzon looked from Ash to Dex and back, his voice grave. “Someone may not be who they say they are. Be mindful of the orders you’re given.” Shultzon stood and motioned to the door. “I’m sorry, but I think it’s best any future communication between us be arranged elsewhere.”