Berserker's Rage (13 page)

“When I asked about the Prophet, Felicia’s mind became a chaotic mess. Boy, I’m not sure how to say this, except that your woman is in the hands of a mad man, who may, or may not be, her biological father. Felicia was one of his followers, and then one of his wives. Yes, plural. I need to work through all the info and process what I saw, but we need to get your girl, and get her as quickly as possible. From what I saw, this Prophet is a psycho prick who wraps his crazy in a religion that he has created. And get this, he has built an underground world below Felicia, California. Fuck, at this moment I don’t even know if that’s really her mother’s name or not.” Brax pressed two fingers to his temples.

“Kea’s on his way,” Hal murmured. He’d never seen Brax quite so shaken.

“That’s good.” Brax nodded.

“I’ll drive while you do whatever you do.” Tapping the steering wheel, Hal tried to focus on getting to Felicity.

“I’m going to call Slater, see where he’s at. If he can be here in a few hours we could use him as well.”

The fact Brax thought they needed Slater, a wolf shifter on their team, freaked him out. Hal listened with half an ear as Slater agreed to meet them within a couple hours, just outside of their destination.

“Our vehicle has been delivered. You ready to roll?” Hal asked.

“In the words of Keanu. This is gonna be a fucknut.”

Keanu was not only a smokejumper, but he was also a fire elemental, newly married and a father-to-be. If there were a group of men Hal trusted with his life, and the woman who captured his heart, it was his teammates. They were more like his brothers than co-workers, where he was the larger, younger brother.

Brax mapped out the trail the van had taken, choosing a route that ran parallel to the road but only a four-wheel drive vehicle could take. He wondered how far out the Prophet had feelers and if they would have to ditch the vehicle miles away.

“Your woman’s mother had a lot hidden in her mind, some things I don’t know if even she is aware of.” Brax spoke in a low tone.

“Explain please.” An overriding urge to push the gas pedal to the floor rode him.

“It seems that Felicia grew up in a commune with the Prophet. He selected her as one of his wives, but when she never conceived he had to choose another and another… you get the idea. I guess his father before him was the prophet and so on. They started out something like the Mormon community, and then became their own. Somehow they believed the world was going to end so they dug their underground facility below Felicia, California. I would bet, if we dug up the ownership to the little town, it would be owned by one of the followers, or whatever the legal name of the prophet actually is. Felicia’s mind is a mess. The women there live to serve their masters, and he, the Prophet, is the ultimate master. As long as you are his wife, you are pretty safe, but if you are deemed no longer worthy of the title, for whatever reason, I guess you have very few paths. Felicia was in her early forties and had yet to give him a child, but in his way he loved her. I felt that through her bond with him.” Brax stared out the window.

“So, Felicity should be relatively safe since she’s his daughter?” Hal gladly left the busy traffic of Los Angeles behind.

“No. Felicia and he were childhood sweethearts, that’s why she lasted as long as she did. She found the notebook where he keeps all of his wives names. It seems he needs to keep track of his numerous women’s likes and dislikes and such, by cataloguing them. Not because he wants to ensure that he pleases them, but because he wants to be sure to keep them straight. On her page he had marked her out. In her place there was a new girl’s name, a young female who had just turned eighteen. Felicia’s parents were no longer alive, from what I could see in her mind, and she feared what would happen to her. She, Felicia, is one truly smart, brave, and resourceful woman. The prophet, or John, kept a safe with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. He never changed his password from when he was a teen, a decision I’m sure he came to regret. She didn’t stop to beg him to keep her, just popped the safe open, took all the cash from the safe, tucked it into her bag, and calmly walked back to her little apartment.”

Hal was amazed she made it out alive. “She just walked out?”

Brax smiled. “If she wasn’t already married I’d totally marry her.”

The reality she was also old enough to be his mother was also an issue, but Hal didn’t mention it, seeing the strain around the other man’s eyes disappear eased some of his own stress. “Okay, I’ll bite what did she do?” Hal asked.

“She taped all that money to her body, making sure she didn’t draw any attention to herself. Being one of his wives, the first wife, gave her lots of leeway. He was such a pompous ass he assumed she was too stupid to know she was on her way out. When she walked right up the tunnels without a backward glance, nobody tried to stop her. Once she hit the top, she kept right on walking. Of course, she’d never been outside of Felicia, California and hadn’t packed any water or food, but luckily she ran right into one Rand Evans. From what I saw, he took one look at her and agreed to take her to Los Angeles with him. She may not have had schooling, but she was smart, and she had money. Rand was already rich as fuck, and well, the rest they say is history.”

“Oh, I bet John wasn’t a happy camper. So does she know who Felicity’s father is?” Hal asked, looking at the GPS.

“She really doesn’t know for sure, but in her mind John is. Either way, Felicity isn’t safe with him. If he wants, he can rape her or give her to one of his most trusted men. Under his tutelage they treat the women like sex slaves. The women learn as young girls how to please their men. They are taught that is the way into heaven, by pleasing their masters. It’s all sorts of fucked up. The men, if they are higher up, can come and go, but the women are never allowed outside without an escort, and never during the day. Can you imagine going your entire life and never seeing the daylight? That is what we are going into. We are going in to save your woman, but how about the others?”

“I’m thinking that’s a job for the feds, man. Let’s just get her out, then we will deal with the rest.”

“I don’t think it’s going to be that easy, Hal. You didn’t see what I did.” A tortured look came over Brax.

He wished they had a member of their team who could become invisible, go in, get Felicity, and get out. Of course, nothing was ever easy.

“Let’s just get there, meet up with the team, and make smart decisions.”

The several hours drug by, yet a calmness stole over him the closer they got to their destination.

When he pulled up at the rendezvous location, both Keanu and Slater were there. A sleek black helicopter and an odd looking off-road vehicle sat waiting for them. Keanu’s family owned one of the wealthiest engineering firms in the country, but you’d never guess it by looking at the tall Native American. Slater stood next to Keanu, both about six feet tall, but was the exact opposite in looks, down to his red hair and green eyes. They both looked ready for anything, dressed to blend into the sandy surroundings.

He jumped out of the truck and shook both men’s hands, filling them both in on what he knew, and letting Brax explain what he’d seen in Felicia’s mind. Slater growled, a totally wolf-like sound.

Hal pulled out a shirt Felicity had left, handing it to Slater. The other man inhaled, holding the small shirt in his fist. “We should leave your vehicles here and take just mine. When we get close enough I’ll shift and scout the area. A wild wolf wouldn’t set any alarms off.”

“What the hell is that thing, Slater?” Brax asked.

“This is my baby. Boys, meet the Sidewinder buggy. This is not a toy for little kids. She can go from 0-60 in 4.4 seconds and can travel up to a hundred miles an hour in sand.”

Hal whistled between his teeth. “Do I want to know what this baby cost?”

“Let’s just say she is worth more than a few of those pickups back there, and, no, you may not drive her, Keanu.”

Keanu raised his right hand, middle finger raised high with a small flame on the tip.

Slater slid into the driver’s seat, indicating for the others to get inside, giving Kea a look that clearly stated he was not allowed to touch his toys. Cammie, Keanu’s wife, had a big jacked up jeep she let him drive, but only after he cried like a little boy. Hal didn’t think all the whining in the world would get him behind the driver’s seat of Slater’s baby.

Brax and Keanu climbed into the back, while he took the passenger seat. The six hundred and thirty horsepower engine roared to life. As Slater took off, Hal’s head hit the back of the seat. “Where were you at that you got here so fast?” Hal asked Slater, watching as the man shifted gears.

“A bunch of us were in Nevada racing in the Dunes. I clearly have the far superior vehicle, they just haven’t realized this baby cost a couple hundred grand.”

“Someday you are gonna have to tell us exactly what your family does, or where you get your big money from.” Brax spoke from the back.

They bumped over some rough terrain, making talking difficult, giving him time to focus on Felicity.

“Hal, you have my permission to drive my girl. Do not let the fire-breather back there behind the wheel.”

“You know, puppy, you will need me one day, and I’m gonna be doing my hair or some shit.” Keanu flipped Slater off.

Slater looked Keanu up and down. “That wouldn’t surprise me, pretty boy.”

The red haired man climbed out of the vehicle, completely uncaring of his surroundings he took off his top, folding it carefully and then shucked his cargo shorts. Hal watched him shift from man to wolf seamlessly. A big red wolf with amber eyes stared at him, the difference was startling. His red coat had streaks of blond similar to that on his head. Slater gave a wolf-like bark, and then he raced off. Being so close to where he knew his woman was being held prisoner, yet not running in to save her, had him and his berserker going a little stir crazy.

“I see you and your big guy have come to an understanding,” Keanu said.

“Something like that.” Hal kept his eyes on the direction he last saw the wolf go.

“There is only one head, but two minds. You are not so different from Slater, you know. I don’t know if you would shift fully into another being, but I’m glad to see you’re not fighting it anymore,” Brax grunted

“I’ve seen him,” Keanu said.

“What the hell? When?” Hal asked.

“Several times. I thought you had control and were aware. What the fuck?” Keanu sat back with a look Hal couldn’t decipher.

He ran his hand through his hair. “I do have control to an extent, I just thought I hid it better than I obviously did. Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“It’s not like we walk around with signs saying what our super powers are. Besides, it’s no big deal. You look the same… only bigger.”

With an exhale, Hal released the breath he wasn’t aware he’d been holding.

“Did you think you turned into a version of the Incredible Hulk or something?” Brax asked.

“Something like that. I mean I would hear seams rip and my clothes would be ten kinds of screwed, sort of like the big guy you mentioned.”

Hal narrowed his eyes as Keanu started laughing. “Can you do something to make him stop?”

“I’m afraid to look into his mind. The last time I did…let’s just say he has really dirty thoughts, and I couldn’t look at Cammie for a while.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault she calls me her Louisville Slugger.” Keanu smirked.

“I really don’t want to know what he’s talking about, do I?” Hal asked.

Brax rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. “Not enough brain bleach in the world my man.”

“You’re just jealous, captain. One day you’ll find a woman who thinks you…what the fuck is that?” Keanu asked.

Hal’s head swung back to the front of the vehicle, and saw a streak of red was flying toward them. “That would be Slater. Damn he’s fast.”

When the big red wolf stopped outside the Sidewinder, he shifted back to a naked Slater. “Yeah, so the pyramid is empty this time of the night. From what I can tell it’s run by a couple people during the day, but they seem to have been gone for a while. I smelled your girl and at least a dozen other males. I saw four armed guards stationed around the grounds, but I didn’t see where they were holding her.”

“You just going to stand around with your junk hanging out?” Keanu asked.

Slater raised both his hands and gave Kea the middle finger. “Eyes above the shoulders, unless you want to see what I’m packing.”

“Children, unless you want me to fuck with both your minds, shut the fuck up.” Brax growled.

The sound of howls split the air. “What the hell was that?” Hal looked around.

“You didn’t think I came alone, did you? I brought a few of my family members. I figured we’d need a little back up.”

Keanu raised his brows. “Again, are you driving nekkid, or what?”

“I’m going to bite you.” Slater growled.

Hal knew his friends were trying to ease the tension, but until he had Felicity back in his arms, safe, there was nothing that would make him relax.

“I think we should go on foot. There could be camera’s set up, or traps, in my shifted form I can sense things I can’t in my vehicle.”

“Don’t say it, Keanu,” Brax warned.

“I was actually going to agree with him.” He laughed.

Hal climbed out, followed by Keanu and Brax.

“I’ve sent my pack mates a head, they’re going to fan out, check for traps and be our backup. Trust me, they are the best of the best when it comes to defense.”

“If they are as fast as you, I think it’s safe to say I feel confident they will be there quickly. However, are they prepared to take down men who may, or may not, be armed?” Brax asked.

“This isn’t our first rodeo, boys. Let’s go, one of my guys said there’s movement from inside the pyramid structure. Something about the floor opening up.”

Slater shifted seamlessly back to the big wolf, his size easily three times that of a normal one. Leaving the three of them to follow in his wake, he took off at a fast run, knowing they had roughly two miles between him and where Felicity was being held. By the time he was close enough to make out the triangular structure, he was sure he felt the being inside him rise closer to the surface. Hal allowed his body to accept the other, knowing he would need all the extra strength.