Primal Law (Alpha Pack #1)(82)

"What the f**k?"

"Why were we told he was dead?"

"And where the hell is he now?"

"If he's alive, what about Terry, Jonas, Phoenix, and Ari?"

Nick weathered the explosion, fielding their barrage of questions as best as he could under the circumstances. "I know, and believe me, I'm with you all the way. If this is our Micah, then we've got a big f**king problem because we've been lied to, and maybe worse. But we have to take this one step at a time. Let me turn the floor over to Dr. Mallory for a few minutes so she can explain how what we've learned from Beck supports the findings from our lab and coincides with the information we liberated from NewLife."

Giving Nick a short nod, she moved forward. Jax thought she looked rather pale, and figured the idea of Terry perhaps being alive had shaken her. Badly. She wouldn't wish him dead, but theirs hadn't been a match made in heaven by any means.

"As I told Nick, the two new shifters will make a full recovery. The speed with which this has occurred is nothing short of remarkable, and our tests on Beck and Archer have given us some startling information." Scooping a sheaf of papers from the table, presumably her notes, she relayed their findings.

"Both shifters' bodies contain abnormally high levels of epinephrine, which has super-stimulated their adrenaline. As a side note, this overdosage may account in part for heart failure in at least two of the four bodies we received from the coroner that were found locally. Anyway, in our two survivors, their systems absorbed and accepted the drug, as well as a cocktail of a designer drug that has, by all indications, altered their DNA to contain more animal than human genes."

"And this means?" Nick prompted.

"In layman's terms, some of the doctors and researchers at NewLife are attempting to create a breed of highly advanced super-shifters. They're taking existing shifters and fit humans, enhancing their greatest and deadliest genetic strengths, and striving to perfect the process of making an intelligent man-beast that has Psy gifts and is virtually indestructible."

Ryon's eyes were wide. "Like that creature from the old movie Predator with Arnold Schwarzenegger? They couldn't kill that f**ker."

"The premise is similar," Melina allowed, "except NewLife is working with humans and shifters, not extraterrestrials, and using DNA and genes rather than technology perse. But creating a ruthless, unbeatable soldier is the bottom line."

"That's what the dead guys were trying to tell me," Ryon said, looking tired. "They're agreeing with you right now, all excited. They've been driving me crazy."

Jax felt sorry for him, and hoped he got some peace from the ghosts.

"This all makes sense, except for why Beck and Archer were in such bad shape when we found them," Kira put in. "If they're strong enough to recover so fast, then why would the bastards starve and torture them?"

Nick answered that one. "How do you produce the best warriors? By breaking them down and building them back up again and again, until nothing can stand in their way. The weak perish; the strongest are made stronger."

"That's . . . evil."

"Yes," their boss agreed. "It's horrible for the victims, unethical, and dangerous for humanity. Worse, according to Beck these aren't volunteers in an aboveboard, sanctioned program. They're being stalked and kidnapped from all walks of life and forced into being test subjects. Beck said that he and Archer were two of the few who'd survived all of the doctors' engineering so far, and had been scheduled for 'mind reprogramming.' "

"Brainwashing," Melina clarified.

Jax sat forward. "We were talking about who's at the top of the pyramid. Does Beck know who they are?"

Nick sighed. "I wish. He says Orson Chappell's name has been whispered, and from what he's managed to overhear there are at least two figures above him. And every last doctor, researcher, or other employee who's in on the program is terrified of them."

A heavy silence followed. This whole deal was more terrible, more far-reaching, than any of them had envisioned.

"What now?" Zan asked.

"We put NewLife under surveillance," Nick said. "They might lie low at the Vegas location for a while, but eventually they'll have to make a move. I want to place two of you in Vegas, and two more to watch their building in Dallas, Texas. Just document everything and everyone you see coming in and out, nothing more. We need to learn where they're holding other shifters and humans so we can plan our next hit."

"I'll take Vegas," Aric volunteered.

Ryon piped up. "I go with him."

"Zan and I will take Dallas," Jax said. He was surprised when Nick vetoed the idea.

"No fieldwork for you until your abilities return."

"With due respect, I was a human soldier before I was turned, and a damned good one."

"We can't take any chances on this one. I'm sending Kalen with Zan, since he did so well in his first run."

Aric snorted. "Hard not to do good when you don't have to do anything but stand outside and hold up the wall." That earned him a venomous look from the Sorcerer, which he ignored.

Nick shot a disapproving glare at Aric. "You know my expectations. If you're part of this team, ditch the attitude and act like it. You're mentoring a new recruit, so suck it up and teach him."