However, we would also get involved in other types of projects as well. Our special focus would be missing children or other vulnerable people. Between our talents in intelligence, tracking, and cyber, we should be able to help. We had certain field talents that would give us an advantage over other investigators. The fact that we weren’t official would also give us an advantage—there were some rules that we might bend. As shifters, we also had enhanced senses that would help us with special cases.
After we discussed the basic idea of what we wanted to do with our civilian lives, we headed over to a large house that we thought would be good for our operations. It had five bedrooms. Four would be used as office spaces while the other one would have a bed in case one of us was working late and needed some place to crash.
We looked around and decided that it would fit our needs. It was anonymous enough that outsiders wouldn’t really know that anything special was happening at the location. Just some old military buddies sharing a house. It was on a corner lot in a middle class neighborhood. We would put in a state of the art security system, designed by us. It also had a nice, large backyard with a privacy fence. None of us particularly liked being caged in a house or room for very long, but when we were working, it might be necessary. The backyard would be a place where we could step out of the constraints of the office, even if it were only for a few minutes.
After a quick conference, we told the real estate agent we would take it. I only haggled a little bit over the price, and we made the deal pretty quickly. I was pretty sure that with the commission she would make, we made her month.
I planned on paying cash, so the house would be mine without any kind of conflict if the business didn’t go as we foresaw it. Thankfully, the house was already vacant, so we were going to be able to take possession of it within a week or so.
We decided that during the next two weeks, each of us would draw up a plan of how we saw our particular talents being used, the cost for getting everything started, the projected market, and potential profits. Basically, a business plan for our section of the company.
After about two weeks, we would meet again to talk about our thoughts and begin formulating a final plan. We headed back to the pub for a beer to celebrate our new company and our new lives.
We were all very excited about the company. Like most combat veterans, once we were off-duty, we found ourselves at a loss with what to do with ourselves. This company not only provided us with a focus for our lives, but it would give us a chance to do something positive—such as finding abducted children or a serial killer. We had all seen horrific actions and events during the war. We wanted to have a positive impact.
I was satisfied. My life was finally coming together. Dad died while I was overseas, but I did have a chance to Skype with him a few days before he died, so I was pleased with that. He told me that he loved me and that he was proud of me. He had always been a hard man, keeping his feelings close to his vest. He didn’t say he loved me or was proud of me lightly or often. So, when he said it, it meant something.
Of course, I have always loved my mother, but Dad and I had a close bond since I was young. My entire goal in life was to make him proud. I was devastated when he died.
I had to leave my career and take my position as leader of the clan. That was difficult for me. The Rangers had become my life, and I had gone through some difficult challenges to make it into the elite group. There were also my brothers, the other Rangers in my unit. Leaving them was like leaving my family all over again.
When I returned home, I was lost. I knew I had to get my feet back firmly on the ground and find some direction, but I didn’t know how. I wanted nothing more than to be left alone. I didn’t want to talk to anyone or to spend time with anyone. I lost track of time, and I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I probably lost a good thirty pounds before we came up with the business, which provided me the direction I needed.
Soon after that, I heard Luka calling me from far away. The next thing I knew, I was married to a beautiful, intelligent, sensual, wonderful woman. A woman I had fallen in love with. My heart started beating rapidly at the thought of her.
Alexander, one of my friends, was snapping his fingers in front of my face.
“Gage, where are you? Gage, is anyone home?”
My body jerked, startled. I looked at Alexander and then the rest of the crew confused for a second.
“Your mind seemed to leave for several minutes. It went on some kind of vacation without your body.”
“Sorry, I guess I was introspective,” I said.
“I guess you were,” Jared, another friend, said.
“We asked you if there was anything else regarding the company that you wanted us to think about. Some of us need to get home. We might be tough guys in the military, but some of us have wives that scare the living daylights out of us,” Alexander said and laughed.
“Alexander, you are the only one with a wife. And she is a sweet woman who wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Jared said.
“Actually, Gage has a wife now, as well,” Alexander replied with feigned haughtiness.
“And she is tough,” I said. “But regarding the business, I think we covered everything I wanted to discuss.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Then, after reaffirming that we would meet in about two weeks with our part of the business plans, we headed out.
My thoughts turned to Luka again. I had dated other women and even cared deeply for a couple of them. However, none of them ever made me feel like Luka did. None of them ever made me feel whole—like a complete person. Until I found Luka, I didn’t even truly know that I had a missing piece.
I unlocked my truck door, and as I slid behind the wheel, I felt a huge pain grip my insides, twisting my stomach and intestines into a giant knot. My heart began to thump rapidly, and my breath caught in my throat.
Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. I had a horrible feeling that Luka was in danger.
The truck was old, but I pushed her as hard as I could. I ran two lights and went around at least one corner on two wheels. The truck fishtailed when I hit the dirt track that led up to the land on the mountain where Luka’s cabin was.
I didn’t know what was going on. I just knew that I had to get there and fast. She was in danger, and I prayed that I wasn’t going to be too late. I had been at least twenty minutes away from her when the feelings hit.
As soon as I got to the dirt road, I bailed from the truck. I left the keys in the vehicle and the door standing open as I ran up the road toward her cabin.