Henri - 28

 

Just as Taegan leaped to avoid the taser darts, another wolf attacked Xavier's assistant. The man fought back. Using his size and strength to his advantage, he caught the wolf's foreleg while avoiding its snapping jaws and cast the wolf aside as if it was a rag doll.

 

That gave Taegan a chance to regroup. He sprang, his jaws fastening on the man's shoulder from behind, his weight forcing the man to his knees. By then, the other wolf was back. It raked its claws down the man's side, tearing through clothes and flesh. The man shouted in pain but still managed to get to his knees, trying to shake Taegan off. That was all the other wolf needed. With one more swipe of its claws, it tore out the man's throat.

 

Taegan instantly turned to check on Henri. ::Is he dead?:: he asked, seeing Henri standing over Xavier.

 

::Dead and in Hell, I'll warrant. How are you doing?::

 

::This bastard is dead, thanks to our friend here.:: Taegan nodded toward the wolf standing beside him.

 

::Who…?:: Henri didn't get to finish his question as a loud howl of triumph filled the room.

 

Taegan looked toward the cages and gave the wolfish equivalent of grin. The last of Xavier's men had crawled into one of the empty cages and pulled the door closed behind him. Its former occupant, Taegan presumed, stood in front of the door. The wolf howled again, just before shifting. His companion shifted as well then Taegan and the others did the same—with the exception of Ransom, who was lying comatose on the floor.

 

Allyn hurried over to him, pulling the dart from his flank. "Next time, try to avoid being shot if you can," he muttered. "You missed all the fun."

 

Miranda, being female, eyed the two new men with interest, since they were totally naked, unlike the others. "Don't know how to come back dressed, I take it. Not that I mind. You're a pretty sexy set of male pulchritude."

 

The smaller, younger one dropped his gaze in embarrassment, while covering his groin with his hands. The other man shrugged, glancing at Miranda's left hand. "A married woman shouldn't be gaping at naked men."

 

"You have to be kidding."

 

"No, ma'am."

 

Before things could escalate between them, Taegan suggested that Henri should see if there were any lab coats in the other room. While they waited, Taegan asked the older man, "Why did you attack them, not us? Seems to me you'd be under Xavier's control."

 

The man snorted angrily. "That's what the bastard thought. Jimmy and I were just waiting for him to slip up, so we could take him out."

 

Henri returned, handing each man a lab coat. "Believe me, I can understand that. What's your name? And do you know who the wolf in the cage is?"

 

"Me? I'm Calvin. No clue about him." He thumbed toward the tranquilized wolf. "He was never awake enough to shift and talk."

 

"How long have you two been able to shift?" Taegan asked.

 

"About what? A week?" Calvin said, looking at Jimmy.

 

"Yeah," Jimmy replied. "Whatever he was injecting us with finally took hold. But—" he looked at the others, "—maybe it's not as great as he thought because he had to do it once a day, even after our first shift. The next day he didn't, and we couldn't change."

 

Allyn nodded, looking pleased. "Sounds like you're right, if that's the case."

 

"Do you think it means we won't be able to, now?" Calvin asked.

 

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Miranda said, striding into the lab.

 

Henri was right behind her. "Check the fridge. I'll deal with the cabinets. I want every damned thing in here destroyed. Everything!"

 

Taegan came in as well. Between the three of them, they collected everything, putting full vials and bottles into a large plastic bin Allyn found in a storage room. The rest of it went into a pair of heavy duty trash bags.

 

"He has to have notebooks somewhere, detailing his experiments," Henri said, going to the desk at the end of the lab. Every drawer was locked. Muttering, "Keys", he went back to Xavier's body to dig through his pockets. Once he found them, he asked Allyn, "How's Ransom doing?"

 

"He moved," Allyn told him, running his hand over the gray fur on Ransom's side, "so I think he's coming out of it. I can't say the same for the guy in the cage."

 

"The stuff the bastard used on him would knock out an elephant, I think," Calvin said.

 

Henri nodded. "Then he upped the dosage. I guess he learned his lesson from me."

Henri - 27

 

Henri - 27

 

::We're in place,:: Taegan told Henri from his perch on the roof above the room they would soon be entering. ::We can't see much from where we are, other than the door to the room and across from it, three cages. Two hold what appear to be humans. There's a wolf in the third one, who looks very sedated.::

 

::Then we were right. Thank God. Okay, I'm going in.::

 

There was a moment of silence, then Taegan heard Henri shouting, "Xavier, you wanted me. I'm here if you dare to face me."

 

::So far, nothing,:: Taegan told him. ::Okay, I was wrong. Two men are going to the door. From what I can tell from here, one of them could be Xavier.::

 

::It is,;; Ransom put in. He was perched at the other skylight where he obviously had a better perspective on the men. ::They're at the door. Everyone shift and in. That includes you, Henri.::

 

Taegan sent Henri an image of the room, shifted into his timber wolf form, and entered, landing on all four feet, inches from the cages. He saw the two red wolves, Allyn and Miranda, across the room, while Ransom's gray wolf appeared two feet from Xavier. Henri, in his coywolf form, teleported in to join them seconds later.

 

Xavier spun, chortling manically. "Do you really think you can stop me?" he asked, raising the gun he was holding.

 

His assistant, a huge, muscular man, was also armed—with what Taegan realized was a tranquilizer gun. The man fired, just as two men in lab coats appeared through the interior doorway which—Taegan presumed—led to the lab. Springing to one side, Taegan felt the dart graze his shoulder without penetrating it.

 

Low growls came from the two cages which had, seconds before, held men. Now they were coywolves—very angry ones, from all appearances.

 

::Guess his experiments worked,:: Henri said, from behind Taegan. ::You take the idiot who tried to shoot you. I'll deal with Xavier.::

 

Taegan took a second to check how the others were doing. Allyn and Miranda were stalking one of the newcomers. He held a rifle, swinging it between them, as if trying to decide which one to shoot first. Ransom, looking slightly groggy, was going after the second man and Taegan saw a dart protruding from Ransom's flank. It slowed Ransom down enough that the man was able to evade him, making it to the cages, where he unlocked and opened the doors of the two holding the angry wolves.

 

At that point, Taegan had other things to occupy his attention. To wit, Xavier's assistant, who now held a taser. Taegan knew if the darts hit him, he would begin to shift uncontrollably. He backed away slowly, tensed his muscles, and leaped.

 

* * * *

 

Henri was having problems of his own. He had managed to avoid Xavier's first shot, but in doing so, had ended up cornered between a cabinet and the wall which separated the area into the holding cages and the lab. Just as Xavier fired again, Henri jumped to the top of the cabinet.

 

Xavier grinned evilly. "Think that will save your mangy hide, Henri?" He pulled a second weapon from his belt. "I've found this very useful for controlling my test subjects," he said, aiming a very lethal looking stun gun at Henri.

 

An agonized scream filled the room. Xavier turned his head to see where it had come from. That was what Henri needed. He sprang, his jaws locking around Xavier's arm.

 

::One down. Two, if you can deal with Xavier,:: Allyn said. ::Oh, shit!::

 

That didn't bode well as far as Henri was concerned but he had other things to worry about at the moment than what Allyn's words had meant. He shook his head, his fangs tearing deeply into Xavier's arm as he flung the man against the cabinet.

 

Henri barely heard Taegan's muttered, ::Well, I'll be damned:: over Xavier's panic stricken shout, "Attack them, you bastards!" Henri didn't take the time to see who Xavier was yelling at, although he had a sneaking suspicion he knew what was happening. Instead, he put his forepaws on Xavier's chest, forcing him onto his back. He released his grip on Xavier's arm, snarling viciously before biting into the man's throat.

Henri – 26

 

Henri – 26

 

"With that photo, we have a visual for teleporting in," Taegan said. "Perhaps onto one end of balcony?"

 

"Before we do," Miranda said, "one of us should go on the roof and look through the skylights. We don't want to drop in to find out he's got a guard—or guards—who will see us."

 

Ransom nodded. "Good point. If he's been there for a while…" He paused to look at Henri. "Any chance this was where he was holding you prisoner?"

 

Henri debated, then shrugged. "Anything is possible. It would negate the idea he would have moved his base of operations after my escape, in case I tried to come back to deal with him. But he might be egotistical enough to figure that wouldn't be a problem. After all, he'd be pretty sure I teleported well away from there without stopping outside first to see where he was holding me. Has the building been abandoned for more than a year? Never mind, you said it's been like this since Katrina."

 

"It would certainly behoove him to have a permanent base of operations." Allyn looked at the floor plan again. "There's only one door leading to the big, second floor room, so his securing it would be easy enough."

 

"Meaning our getting inside will be interesting," Taegan commented dryly.

 

"Why here?" Allyn asked pensively, looking at the photo again.

 

"Why not?" Taegan replied. "It's abandoned, and given the neighborhood, it's not a tourist attraction. Also, from what I found out, preservationists are fighting to keep it from being demolished, so there's no chance someone will try to buy it until that's settled." He asked Ransom, "Can you bring up the building on a map site, preferably the earth view?"

 

Ransom did, and grinned slowly. "It's hard to tell from this, but if the skylights over that room aren't blacked out…"

 

"Yep," Taegan agreed. "We'll have a chance for a two-pronged attack."

 

"Meaning?" Miranda asked.

 

"One of us will go into the main area and create enough of a disturbance to draw Xavier's attention. That will give us a chance to get into his lab before he realizes what's happening."

 

"It should be me," Henri said. "I'm the one he's looking for. If I call him out, dare him to try to catch me…"

 

Taegan started to say something but Ransom beat him to it. "That would be perfect."

 

::It's not perfect,:: Taegan said tightly in Henri's mind. ::It makes you a sitting duck.::

 

::I have been since the day we decided to draw him out. What makes this any different?::

 

::You'll be on his home turf. One man down there waiting. One shot from a tranquilizer gun, and he'll have you again. Even more dangerous is…:: Taegan slammed his fist on the coffee table. "If he's managed to create a shifter—or more than one…"

 

"Then we'll have a fight on our hands for sure," Allyn replied. "Though, if you think about it, they might not be much of a threat. They'll be new, and one can hope, still learning how to deal with their animal forms."

 

"Don't count on it," Ransom said. "He's not creating them for a petting zoo."

 

"True. But if he's using what he took from Henri, who doesn't have a predatory bone in his body…"

 

Allyn chuckled when Henri muttered, "Had to go there, didn't you?"

 

"I guess we'll find out when we get inside." Ransom shut off his laptop. "Unless anyone thinks differently, Henri goes in as himself. The rest of us will be in our wolf forms."

 

"Makes sense," Taegan replied. ::Just be damned careful,:: he told Henri. ::Get out of there as soon as I tell you the plan is working.::

 

::And join the rest of you.::

 

::I… Yeah.::

 

::I'm not going to desert all of you,:: Henri told him emphatically. ::Despite what Allyn said, I'm as much of a predator as the rest of you. I can, and I will, fight tooth and nail to stop Xavier and any of his people or creations.::

 

Taegan smiled wryly. ::Somehow I knew that's what you'd say.::  

 

"If everyone's ready." Ransom shot a knowing, amused look at Taegan and Henri. "I suggest we get a move on. But first, I gather you and Henri can mind speak, Taegan. Allyn and I can as well and he said he and Miranda can. I suggest we see if the five of us can communicate that way." He added, mentally, ::It would make things much easier all around.::

 

::Much,;; Taegan agreed, glancing at Henri.

 

Henri nodded. ::I heard you, Ransom.::

 

"And me?" Allyn asked.

 

Both Henri and Taegan said they could. Then the men looked at Miranda. "Obviously, I heard Allyn. Ransom?" She waggled her hand. "You said something about easier all around. If Taegan and Henri said anything, I didn't get it."

 

::Can you hear me now?:: Ransom asked her.

 

The other men broke out laughing, which seemed to bewilder Miranda.

 

"He asked if you could hear him now," Allyn told her.

 

"Barely. It was like he was whispering. I got the 'now' and that was it."

 

"Okay. I'll be the intermediary for her, guys," Allyn said. "If you need her to know something, tell me and I'll pass it on."

 

With that problem settled, there was nothing left to do but go find Xavier and deal with him.

Henri - 25

 

Henri - 25

 

Taegan arrived at Henri's apartment that evening the normal way, by car. He received a kiss, in exchange for the bottle of wine he handed Henri, calling it, with a laugh, a 'hostess gift'.

 

"Not sure I qualify as a hostess," Henri told him, "but it's much appreciated. All I have to offer to drink is tea or instant coffee."

 

"I noticed when I was putting things away." Taegan made a beeline for the living room. "You did well. It looks homey."

 

The dining table and chairs were set up at one end of the room, the sofa and two armchairs at the other. The late evening sunlight coming through the windows seemed to accent the warm tone of the beige upholstery. The coffee table, like the dining table, was a shade paler than the hardwood flooring.

 

"Dinner should be ready as soon as the steaks are grilled," Henri said. "How do you like yours?"

 

"Rare," Taegan told him, following him into the kitchen. "Why don't I set the table while you finish up?"

 

Henri nodded. After checking the oven's grill temperature, he slid the steaks in, then put the diced zucchini and corn into the frying pan to sauté in olive oil. Taegan put two plates on the counter, gathered up silverware and glasses to take to the other room. By the time he got back, Henri was putting the steaks on the plates. He dished out the vegetables, topping them with minced chives.

 

"Smells great," Taegan said, opening the wine. "The food, I mean."

 

Henri laughed. "I knew that."

 

Soon, they were seated at the table, their meals in front of them. Taegan poured them each some wine, waving his hand dismissively when Henri apologized for the fact that all he had were water glasses. "It still tastes like wine, no matter the container."

 

Staring at his dinner, Henri wasn't certain he could eat. His stomach was doing flip-flops when he thought about what was planned for later that night. Get a grip, he told himself. It's not like I'm going after Xavier alone. I have good friends who won't let him get his hands on me again.

 

"It's going to be fine," Taegan said, reaching out to grip Henri's hand. "By this time tomorrow, you'll have your life back."

 

"Or be a guinea pig again," Henri muttered.

 

"Not happening. I promise. So take a deep breath and eat. You need your strength."

 

Henri nodded, taking a bite of steak. It actually tasted good and didn't sit like a lump in his stomach. He took another bite, then ate some vegetables, and before he knew it, his plate was empty.

 

"Now if it stays down…"

 

Taegan smiled. "It will. Have another glass of wine and relax while I take care of the dishes."

 

"You don't have to."

 

"You cooked. I clean up. I think it's some sort of law."

 

Henri was about to debate that when the doorbell rang. He went to answer, heeding Taegan's warning to check before opening the door. Peering through the peephole, he saw Ransom, Allyn and Miranda standing on the porch and he let them in.

 

Miranda, of course, had to check out everything. "Not bad, not bad at all, for a bachelor's pad," she pronounced before taking a seat at one end of the sofa.

 

"It would be a disaster if it wasn't for you," Henri told her.

 

"Pfft. However the strange décor—" she grinned broadly, "—in the bathroom does not add to the ambiance."

 

"No kidding. Ransom told you why he's there?"

 

"I did," Ransom said. "Did you learn anything from him?"

 

"Nothing really helpful," Henri replied. "He and two other guys were hired through, believe it or not, a day labor service. From his description, it wasn't by Xavier or the man who was with him when they came after me."

 

"So he's picked up more helpers, from the sound of it," Allyn said.

 

Ransom took his laptop from his bag, setting it on the coffee table.

 

"Here's what I could find on the interior of the building," he told them, going online. Ransom opened a website. "One recent photo and—" he went to another site, "—a general floor plan." When everyone came over to look, he tapped the photo. "As you can see, the central section of the building goes to the roof while both ends are broken into two floors with a balcony fronting the second floor." He pointed to the railings along the balconies and the stairways leading up to them.

 

"Offices on both, I presume," Allyn said.

 

Ransom shook his head. "At one end, yes. Either that or small storage rooms—the floor plan doesn't label what they are. On the other side, one long room takes up each floor."

Henri – 24

 

They did have a long talk with Xavier's man, and learned nothing helpful. The man told them his instructions—if he'd found Henri—had been to bring him to the side entrance of the building.

 

"The guy said there'd be someone there to pick up the package—meaning you." The man looked at Henri.

 

"How did you know what I looked like," Henri asked.

 

"The dude gave us a picture. Looked like it was copped off a TV show."

 

Taegan frowned. "How many people are looking for him?"

 

"Three that I know about. Me and two others. We were at a day labor place and this dude came in looking for guys that had cars. He picked the three of us and offered us good money if we found you." He glanced at Henri. "I got lucky. Saw you at the bus stop in the Quarter. Followed the bus. You must have bought out the stores, from the bags you were lugging. I almost offered you a ride but I figured if someone was looking for you, you might know it, so I just tagged along behind."

 

"What did the man who hired you look like?" Henri asked. When the man described him, Henri shook his head. "No one I know. Did you let him know you found me?"

 

"Nope. He didn't give us a number. Like I told you, we were just supposed to take you there if we found you." The man looked hard at Henri. "How the hell did you get me back here?"

 

"You don't remember? Guess I hit you harder than I thought. I knocked you out before you could drag me from the car, shoved you in the backseat and here you are."

 

::All true, minus the car.:: Taegan's words shocked the hell out of Henri. Not that he'd said them, but the fact they were in Henri's head, not spoken aloud. He knew mind speak was possible between shifters. He'd just never had it happen to him, or tried it with another shifter. ::Close your mouth,:: Taegan told him, chuckling.

 

Henri did, while concentrating on Taegan. ::Can you hear me?::

 

::Loud and clear. Never done this before?::

 

::No. Damn.::

 

::Fun, huh? But right now we'd better do something with our friend here before I return to the gallery.:: Aloud, Taegan asked Henri, "What do you want to do with him?"

 

"I think he's safe enough the way he is. Still, let me gag him so he doesn't try to shout for help." Henri went into the kitchen, returning with a washcloth and a piece of rope they'd used when they'd moved the furniture from Miranda's house to the apartment. He stuffed the cloth into the man's mouth, securing it with the rope.

 

"Do you want to come to the gallery with me?" Taegan asked, after they'd left the bathroom.

 

"No. I'm going take a stab at getting the living room in shape, since I'm having company. Do you still want dinner?"

 

"You bet. I have an unexpected meeting with a patron at seven but it shouldn't take long." Taegan chuckled. "That's why I was calling you in the first place. To let you know I'd be a bit later than planned."

 

"All right. Then I'll see you around eight, I guess." Henri put his arms around Taegan, saying softly, "Thank you for being here for me."

 

Taegan kissed him, replying when it ended, "I always will be—any time you need me."

 

Henri smiled wryly. "I hope it isn't always because I get myself in trouble."

 

"Nope. Even when you just want my company, I'll be here in a flash."

 

"I like that idea." Henri kissed him quickly. "Now, however, you'd better get moving before your employees think you've deserted them again."

 

"Good point." With that, Taegan vanished.