Adam (The Protectors #5)(33)
When he reached out for her, she stopped him. “I was checking the attic out.” She frowned at him. “I’m fine. I’m good.”
“What in the hell happened?” Sloan stopped, looking up at the ceiling and then back to her.
Jill cringed at Sloan’s bellow. Her eyes looked behind him at Adam who looked at her with wide eyes. Beside him was the Mayor, who she had seen in the newspaper not an hour or so ago, with Alice glaring at her.
“What’s that cum dumpster doing here?” Jill sneered, and then looked Alice up and down with a snort.
“Why you little bitch.” Alice turned ugly in a flash, clawing her way toward Jill, but when Jill flicked her hand up, palm out as if she was going to plaster her to a wall or tumble her across the room again, Alice pushed her fiancé in front of her with a yelp.
“Yeah, you better back off,” Jill hissed, and then stepped back when Sloan got in her face.
“Focus!” Sloan glared down at Jill and spread his arms wide. “What in the f*ck is this?”
“Follow me.” Jill stepped over the broken table, ceiling and a knocked out half-breed. Behind her was a line of Warriors. She noticed for the first time she’d landed in the room where Steve, the two women who had been turned, and Angelina stood. She stopped, ignoring Steve’s shocked expression. “Did you know him?” she asked the women, nodding toward the half-breed lying on the floor.
“No,” Angelina replied while the other two women shook their head. “I’ve never seen him before.”
“I’ll stay down here and watch him.” Adam nodded toward the man on the floor as Sloan passed.
Jill walked out of the room and actually felt Slade glaring at the back of her head. Before she could climb up the steps, Slade grabbed her arm, stopped her, and moved her to the side. “Stay here.”
“But…” She started to argue, but stopped when he actually growled at her. She crossed her arms glaring back and watched as each Warrior followed Slade up the steps to the attic, even the * Mayor went up.
Glancing out of the corner of her eye, Alice stood, looking her up and down. “What’s your problem?”
“Just wondering what it feels like to have tits and a dick?” Alice smirked, and then laughed at herself. “It’s sad really, watching you slobber over Slade when you know that man would never go for someone like you.”
Jill turned to look at Alice, but stopped and decided not to respond. She was already in enough trouble and was going to try to be the bigger person here.
“Slade is looking real good.” Alice smoothed her tight dress over her body. “I think I may have to see about making an appointment with him.”
“I don’t think he specializes in STDs. There’s a free clinic a few blocks away.” Yeah, so much for keeping her mouth shut. Jill turned and started climbing the steps; she decided that taking a chance of being bitched out, rather than killing a bitch would be much better for her in the long run. Curses and threats followed her all the way up.
Jill was just in time to see Jared jump from the last step to the plywood and rolled her eyes. Why in the hell didn’t she think of that? Sometimes, she forgot her own abilities, or at least until a half-crazed half-breed was chasing her. A smile cracked her lips as the Mayor scooted carefully along one beam, his arms outstretched trying to keep his balance. At least she had been smarter than him and used two beams to get across. With one leap, she landed just behind Jared, who turned quickly toward her ready to pounce.
“Dammit, Jill!” Jared pulled his punch. “You were told to stay downstairs.”
Jill glanced at Slade who was glaring at her again. “Yeah, but I found some things up here and forgot to tell you so I thought I’d better show you.” She walked over to the file cabinets, ignoring all the glaring. The files she had taken were scattered somewhere after she was tackled. “These three cabinets are filled with personal information on who has been sold as well as the buyers, but the buyers’ info is blacked out.” She handed out some files so they could see.
“What’s in that one?” Duncan asked, nodded at it, but still looking at the file in his hand.
Frowning, Jill pulled out files and opened one to see the smiling face of a very pretty woman. “These are potential targets.” She handed the file to Sloan. “These women have no idea they’re being watched.”
The silence was deafening. Even the Mayor was quiet and not saying a word, but staring in horror at the pictures pinned to the wall.
Glancing at Slade, he was staring at her without the glare, and if she wasn’t mistaken, there was a little respect in his gaze. “That’s not all.” Jill broke eye contact and headed toward the curtained off area. Opening it wider, she exposed the metal slab. “In that cabinet, which I didn’t touch, are vials that I believe were used in turning these people.”
“Son of a bitch.” Jared’s eyes left the cabinet to look at her. “Good job, rookie.”
“No big deal.” Jill felt weird now she was being praised; she didn’t like it. “Had a hunch and just followed up on it.” She did her best to keep Anne’s name out of it.
“Without back-up,” Slade added, but nodded as he passed her, heading toward the cabinets.
“Good work, Jill.” Sloan also passed her, but went in a different direction. “Damon and Duncan, help Slade secure this area. I want everything and I mean everything boxed up and sent to the compound and in my office. I’ll send Sid and Lana up to help.”