Final Extraction by Julie Trettel

Vada

Chapter 8

 

 

 

Settling into a new location was never fun. There was a lot to do and usually I pitched in and helped where I could, but after the stress of the move and digging all day, I was exhausted.

“You don’t look so good,” Jake said.

“Just tired,” I said weakly.

I started to swoon, and he reached out to stop me from falling. Other humans would mention how much heavier I was than I appeared. I assumed that was just a product of being half gorilla, but Jake not only didn’t comment, but he picked me up in a cradle as if I weighed nothing at all and carried me down to the mock recovery bay that others were working to setup.

“What’s wrong with her?” Trevor asked.

Jake stopped and turned to face him. “Nothing really, just overdid it out there.”

“The job’s done?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good, just stick her in a corner somewhere. We have a lot of work to do to get setup here.”

“Sure, but I heard the recovery room was already up.”

“Fine, take her there and then get back to work.”

“You got it,” he said as he continued making his way to our original destination, he whispered in a very soft voice, “Just lie low and give your body time to heal. I was already told you stubbornly won’t shift. Is there a reason for it?”

“He can’t know,” I sputtered quietly.

“What you are?”

I looked up into his eyes feeling like I could truly trust him and nodded.

“Yeah, well, that means you gotta do it the old fashioned way. Takes longer, but just as viable.”

“Are you speaking from experience?” I asked in a voice low enough that the average human shouldn’t hear.

He shook his head. “Nope, but I have friends.”

He set me down on the first available bed in another private room and left me. The fact that he could carry me with such ease and hear when I spoke in my lowest voice made me question whether he was telling the truth. Jake was one of them, the bad guys, but he’d never treated anyone here like the others did. He’d helped me on several occasions and gave me encouragement and hope, both rarely found in captivity. But how could Trevor not know he had a shifter working by his side?

It didn’t matter how guilty it made me feel to lay in bed while everyone around me was busy working. Once one of the nurses started an IV to push fluids into me, there was really nothing I could do.

I spent the remainder of the day in and out of consciousness as I dozed.

“I’m here, Vada.”

I smiled up at the man that had been haunting my every dream. He was always there, right beside me. Even when I couldn’t see him, I could feel his presence. He was so handsome and strong. I’d never felt safer with anyone.

“I’m here, beautiful and I’m going to take you far away from all of this.”

I frowned.

“But the others.”

“They’re safe.”

“I can’t leave if they’re not.”

“I know.”

His hand caressed my cheek and I shivered. No one had ever touched me like that before. I craved more.

“So beautiful,” he whispered as he lowered his head towards mine.

His hard strong lips melded against mine.

I whimpered and surrendered as he took control. God the man could kiss. My legs quivered.

I closed my eyes soaking up the new sensations I was feeling.

Bzzz. Bzzz. Bzzz.

An alarm jolted me from my dream.

I sat up quickly and looked around. A guard sat in the corner watching me. He had an odd look on his face. “You moan in your sleep. The kind that gives me all sorts of wicked ideas. Too bad for you that my time’s up here.”

The door opened and Jake walked in. “Trevor wants to see you in the office. He’s on a rampage over the missing laptop. Apparently, his contact back in North Dakota couldn’t find it, but it’s worse than that.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah. The building was destroyed. Looks like a bomb.”

“Did they find anything in the rubble.”

“I don’t know, but he’s asking to see you.”

“Man if he did, then he’s going to have me up all night trying to analyze camera footage that we’ll never be able to recoup.”

I watched as Jake stiffened but there was a smile on his face as he shook his head. “Sucks to be you man.”

“No kidding. I’d much rather enjoy a night alone with this one.”

Jake laughed but it was an empty sound. “Guess it’s my lucky night then.”

The man left and I expected Jake to take his seat and resume guard duty, instead he approached the bed and hovered over me. Unlike my last guard, I wasn’t the least bit afraid of him. Maybe that would be my undoing. Perhaps I was letting my guard down when I shouldn’t and after all these years, this would be my biggest mistake. Still, I prided myself on being able to read people and everything about Jake told me he was trustworthy.

As he pretended to check my vitals, he whispered, “It would seem we have mutual friends. Sit tight and keep your head down. It won’t be long now.”

“We do?” I asked in surprise. I couldn’t fathom who he was talking about.

“Silas Granger.”

“I don’t know anyone by that name.”

“Well, you should. He’s your mate. And he is hell bent on getting you out of here.”

Excitement and nerves fluttered in my chest. Silas Granger. If he was right, then the face in my dreams finally had a name.

“I don’t know who you’re talking about,” I lied.

“He certainly knows you. I was given specific orders to protect you at all costs.”

“But you’re a Raglan,” I reminded him.

He gave me a slight nod. “For now.”

I had no idea what that meant.

“Your vitals look a lot better. Perhaps you’ll be ready for duty again in a few days,” he said in a regular volume.

The door opened again, and an old familiar face appeared.

“Martin?”

“Hello, Vada. I’m glad to see you’re still with us. How are you feeling?”

“She’s a little run down. The move took a lot out of her, but she’s a tough one. She should pull through.”

“Glad to hear it. I have big plans for you, but we’ll start with just a bit of blood today.”

I sighed. Martin hadn’t been around in a long time, years probably. He wasn’t one of the really bad ones though. On occasion he was even nice.

He looked up at Jake as the two men stood over me assessing each other.

“It’s a rather dreary day, is it not?”

“Terrible. It looks like rain,” Jake replied.

“No it doesn’t. Wait, how long have I been out? It was bright and sunny outside.”

“I wish I’d brought an umbrella,” Martin said speaking as if I hadn’t said a word.

“I prefer a parka,” Jake said.

Martin smiled and held his hand out. Jake took it and grasped his forearm.

“Our mutual friends have gone to great lengths to keep you hidden,” Martin said openly, “Head down and stay out of trouble. Don’t do anything stupid.” Then he looked down at me. “I need some information, Vada, and I need it fast.”

He pulled out a small vial with a bright green label. I recognized it immediately. When he pulled out a syringe, I tried to pull away from him.

“That’s not necessary. She’ll tell you whatever you need to know,” Jake insisted.

“I know, but it’s not safe for her to remember any of this. She could make us both,” Martin explained.

“I won’t,” I insisted.

“Sorry, but I can’t chance that right now. There’s a gorilla shifter in here and I need to know who she is.”

I shook my head. “Sahara was taken from us a year or more ago.”

“He’s not talking about Emma,” Jake said.

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head and tears filled my eyes. I swiped away at them just as quickly not wanting them to see me vulnerable for even a second.

“How did you know that’s her real name?” I demanded.

“We have mutual friends. Relax. She’s safe and well cared for by her mate,” Martin told me.

“Her mate?”

He nodded and smiled down at me.

“Is he a gorilla too?”

“He is,” Jake confirmed. “It’s not safe to discuss it openly though. The cameras could come online any second.”

“Which is why we have to hurry. The gorilla, Vada. Who is she?”

I shook my head.

“Dammit, girl. I’m not going to harm her. I’m trying to protect her. But he wouldn’t give me a name.”

“Who?”

“It doesn’t matter. If anything happens to her, then years of work will be destroyed.”

“No one is that important,” I insisted.

“She is. And clearly you’ve never spent time with a mating gorilla being denied access to his one true mate.”

“Silas,” I whispered barely audible, even to my own ears.

Jake grinned and winked at me.

“Protect me and I’ll guarantee you her safety,” I told him.

Martin sighed. “Dammit, Vada. I’ve never given you reason not to trust me, and I certainly never pegged you for one that would look after her own hide over another. You always seemed far more the martyr type.”

“Maybe it’s time I change my stance on that. I’ve already suffered one brush with death. I don’t want another.”

“I promise. You’ll have my full protection. As a show of good faith, I won’t even wipe away your memories.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

A low hum that was all too familiar started.

Jake picked up my files and started jotting down some numbers. “What was that pulse again?” Jake asked. When Martin looked at him like he was crazy Jake smiled but his eyes rolled upwards towards the cameras.

“Ninety-two,” Martin said.

“Thanks. I think that’s all we need.”

He sighed but didn’t dare speak openly again. We were all playing our parts now. The pretenses were back in play as those cameras signaled our reality show had recommenced.

I couldn’t understand why Silas hadn’t told Martin my name if he truly meant for him to protect me. Because of that I had already decided I would trust Jake over Martin, but I still needed to keep both men at arm’s length because all of this could be a trick, some sick game Trevor had concocted. He’s certainly done far worse in the past and enjoyed mind games exactly like this.

Yet, I couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of hope that just maybe Silas, my true mate, was out there and doing everything he could to rescue me. While that made me excited to think about, it also terrified me. There were still too many of us and I knew that there were others still that weren’t at this facility. They needed me and I couldn’t leave them behind because they didn’t have a Silas Granger ready to walk through hell to save them, they only had me here on the inside and ready to push them to safety the moment that opportunity came.