Forsaken Duty (Red Team #9)(56)

“It’s likely the site we found in Colorado isn’t the only headquarters the Omnis have here in the U.S.,” Owen said. “I think they have several around the country and internationally. Someone inside is helping us…maybe Jax. We were sent here for a reason. Either to get us as far away from their core site, or to bring us closer to it, depending on who really sent us. Given what we found in Colorado, and also where Edwards was keeping Addy, and the fact that Jason came out here to disappear, I think we’re very close to their home base.”

“Maybe there’s a section of the tunnels that the Feds didn’t open or see,” Ace said.

“Or another tunnel complex. Fuck knows there’s a ton of abandoned silos in the area,” Val said. “Maybe each kingpin in the game has one himself.”

“Taking the show underground is strategic,” Ty said. “Keeps drones from hitting them and satellites from observing them. Lets them operate invisibly from the rest of the world.”

“There was a section in the WKB silo complex I wasn’t allowed to investigate,” Max said.

“The WKB?” Addy asked.

Owen looked at her and explained, “The WKB is the White Kingdom Brotherhood, a prison gang cum biker gang acting as enforcers for the Omnis. They’re based about an hour west of here.”

She nodded, taken aback by all the info shared so freely here. It had taken her years to unravel a fraction of what they were divulging at the table.

“And the Omnis showed up to the place where Wynn was being held just before we got there,” Max said. “We’ve tracked those vehicles to the WKB compound. They haven’t left it since.”

“Pete’s in your confidence, isn’t he?” Owen asked Max.

“So far, the info he’s given me hasn’t been wrong.”

“See what he knows.”

“Copy that.”

“Owen, back to Jafaar,” Wynn said. Addy noticed her voice wasn’t as confident as the men’s. She wasn’t a team member, but a tutor and nanny—this had to be way out of her comfort zone. “While I was locked away, I overheard the couple with him, who may or may not have been my parents, offer to replicate the genetic modifications in return for my freedom.”

Owen crossed his arms. “That’s not technology that we want turned over to an Afghan warlord. We have several data points for the WKB compound. Let’s refresh our eyes out there. I want to know who’s going into that silo, changes in the general population. If Jason and the others involved in this are thinking to make a last stand, they’ll be calling in reinforcements. I’ll give Lobo an update. Kit—I want Wynn’s parents, or whoever they are, captured alive. They may be able to help us with Addy’s situation. I don’t want to leapfrog them in priority, but they’re important. If we can get them out of this mess quickly, do it.”

“We’ll make it happen,” Kit said.

Owen sent another glance around the table. “My priority is my son. He’s not the team’s priority. I want to be clear on that.”

“Fuck that, O,” Val said. “Nothing on the table’s more important than your boy. Except the doctors Ratcliff, so they can help Addy.”

“No. This is coming to an end. Fast. We can’t blow the opportunity we have to make it end our way, not theirs,” Owen said.

“The guys have been searching for Omni real estate holdings,” Kit said. “They’ve hidden them well inside stacks of dummy corporations. Greer’s working an algorithm to crawl through the data and unravel the connections. No matter how this ends, that forensic work will be useful to the FBI. We’ll dig back into that and see how far we can get. I don’t want us to be spread too thin. You may need to bring in additional guys.”

“I can’t,” Owen said. “Senator Jacobs will know we’re staffing up.”

“Then we’re gonna have to be lean and mean,” Kit said.

“So…back to Jax,” Kelan said. “Which side does your gut say he’s on?”

Owen shrugged. “He got Addy out of her marriage, but kept her at the same house where Edwards had held her. He claims to be the one who sent Hope to the WKB to find Lion. And he was who told her to search out Max. He was in the tunnels when Kelan and Fiona were taken. He helped Kelan get out so he’d live to save Fee. But…he perpetuated the lie that I was King, keeping Addy and me apart. He sent Ace out to find prides to save them from being lab rats…but what did he do with them? I don’t know. I keep seeing him on both sides.”

“Maybe he did those things so he wouldn’t blow his cover,” Ty said. “Maybe he’s in so deep he doesn’t have a side anymore.”

“King stopped Holbrook’s abuse of my cubs,” Lion said. “And he gave me permission to stay as their leader. Both dispensations I would not have expected from the bastard. Is Jax King?”

“Maybe he’s leading the resistance?” Angel suggested.

“He told me my father was head of the opposition,” Owen said. “I don’t know. We need to find my dad. Jax said his hunt for the scientists behind the human modifications was leading to their deaths.”

“Your dad’s killing them?” Rocco asked.

“No. The Neo-Omnis are, to cover their tracks. Or so Jax says.”