KnightForce Deuces (20 page)

“You believe these men know more than they are
saying?” Melch asked, surprising Silas.

Silas glanced at the doctor, noticed his slight
frown and nodded. “Of course they know more than they’re saying.
Especially the doctor, he was involved with creating the poison.
Chances are he removed the sample.” Silas took a wild guess at the
reason for the doctor’s discomfort and was surprised at the man’s
guilty reaction. The gall of some humans never failed to amaze him.
To sit in front of the person you tried to kill as if you’ve done
nothing wrong… because you think you’re so much smarter than
everyone else and no one will know. Silas shook his head at the
man’s arrogance.

Hickle’s head whipped around, his mouth dropped
open and then snapped shut as he started speaking. “No, no, that’s
not true. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Silas and Hawke smiled and returned to their
seats.

Melch looked at Hickle’s red face and then at
Silas. “He says it’s not true,” he said.

Silas shrugged. “He’s lying.”

The doctor jumped up. “I won’t tolerate this.”
He moved to leave the table.

“Sit down, Hickle,” Melch said in a hard
tone.

“But…but…” the doctor stuttered looking around
the room.

“Sit down. We have a situation where several
citizens were killed with undetectable bombs and there is a chance
several more bombs are at large. My one job here today is to
receive any pertinent information regarding those devices.” He
tilted his head in Silas’ direction. “Mr. Knight and his associate
came in good faith to exchange information and that’s what will
happen.”

Silas looked at the doctor’s panic-stricken
face and knew Hickle either stole or took the chemicals. The
question was why? And for who?

“Hickle, did you take the chemicals?” Hawke
asked.

The doctor jerked as if Hawke placed a live
wire next to his skin. “No.”

Melch and Kalid looked at the doctor,
frowning.

Hawke shook his head and pointed to the men
across the table. “Even they knew that was a lie.”

Hickle stared at Melch and then dropped his
gaze.

“How do we stop the effects of the chemicals?”
Silas asked, his gaze volleying between Kalid and
Hickle.

“I am not aware of a method to stop the effect,
this particular chemical is still being researched,” Kalid said,
his tone apologetic.

“May I see the properties of the chemical,
please?” Hawke asked.

“No,” Hickle said when Kalid prepared to slide
the folder across the table.

“No?” Melch said looking at the
doctor.

“What if he memorizes it and uses it against
us? We’ll have no defenses and be at their mercy,” the doctor said,
glancing at Silas and then Melch.

“Why would he or anyone at this table do that?”
Melch asked.

Dr. Hickle frowned. “Because… you
know.”

Melch frowned and signaled for Kalid to release
the folder to Hawke. “No doctor, I don’t.” He looked at Silas.
“Corrina Griggs had the flesh-covered bombs developed, do you know
the name of the scientist person she used?”

“No. By the time we met up with Griggs, there
were no others besides her sons and minions.”

“We were afraid of that. Can you tell us a
little about your involvement with the bombs?”

Silas told of the first bomb inside Boggs, the
male contact Tyrese met at the bar and then the women on suicide
missions.

“I think we can create something to
counteract this
,” Hawke said.

“Did they give you the right
formula
?”

“For the most part, they left out the
ingredient we have at the lab but since I’ve isolated it, we can
test it with the other components. This is a nasty brew, I’m not
surprised they don’t have a solution for it.
”

“They want us to find or create an antidote
so if the need arises in the future we can have another one of
these chats
,” Silas said.

“I gathered that,
” Hawke
said.

“You have scanners in all your buildings that
detect the bombs?” Melch asked.

“Yes,” Silas said.

“Can we look at your specs for the scanners?”
Melch asked.

“Sure.” Silas glanced at Hawke, he reached in
his shirt pocket, pulled out a flash drive and slid it across the
table to Melch. Hickle reached for it but Melch’s stern look
stopped him. Melch picked up the flash drive and handed it to Kalid
who installed the drive in his laptop.

Silas looked at Hickle. “Is there anything else
we should know about the poison?”

Hickle frowned but didn’t speak.

“Like the name of the people or group you stole
the chemicals for? Are they done? Or should I expect more attempts
to test an unauthorized chemical at my home where my woman and
children live?” Silas asked in a hard tone.

The doctor flinched.

“Answer him,” Melch said.

“I don’t know the answer,” Hickle said and
Melch shook his head.

“It should’ve been an unqualified no, or an
honest, I don’t know,” Melch said, his tone filled with
disgust.

Hickle’s eyes widened and then he
stood.

Melch stood as well. The two stared at each
other for a long moment. Hickle looked away and dropped into his
chair.

Kalid removed the flash drive, handed it to
Silas and then left the room. Melch unbuttoned his coat and
sat.

“It seems we have a problem,” Melch said
staring at a red-faced, tight-lipped, Hickle. “Doctor, please
explain why and when you removed classified materials from a secure
Federal location and how those chemicals were used against Mr.
Knight and his family.”

Hickle turned his head slowly and stared at
Melch. “You can’t be serious.” He glanced at Silas who sat with his
hands clasped together on top of the table staring at
him.

Hickle pointed at Silas. “Don’t you know who he
is? What he is?”

Melch frowned. “According to all the
information I’ve received, Mr. Knight is a high-caliber businessman
with financial assets all over the globe. Is that what you’re
referring to?”

“No. He’s not human. He’s something… like a
wolf or dog. They both are.” He pointed at Silas and then
Hawke.

Melch’s eyes widened and then he took a long
look at Silas. “Hickle, I don’t understand what you mean. I’m
looking at him and don’t see what you see.”

“He changes, they all do, into great big
wolves,” Hickle said making wild gestures with his arms.

Silas’ lips quirked. “
A dog? Really
?” he
said to Hawke.

“More like a vicious pony, perhaps
?”
Hawke retorted.

“Wolves?” Melch questioned with just the right
combination of incredulity and sympathy.

Silas almost felt sorry for Hickle, his career
was over and he would probably spend the rest of his days in a
mental facility.

“You saw Mr. Knight and his associates turn
into big dogs or wolves?” Melch asked slowly.

“Stop talking to me as if I’m crazy. I’m not!”
Hickle yelled.

Melch held up his hand in a placating gesture.
“Okay, okay, take it easy and tell me about the time you saw Mr.
Knight turn into an animal. Any kind of animal.”

“I never saw him of course, they’re too smart
for that. But Lancaster has. He’s shown videos of this man working
in a lab for him.” He pointed at Hawke.

“Lancaster, should’ve known
,” Hawke
said.

“How is my good friend Boris Lancaster?” Silas
asked smiling.

The doctor frowned. “Friends? He never
mentioned anything about the two of you being friends.”

“Boris didn’t mention a lot of things I’m sure.
How’s he holding up these days?”

“Alright, I suppose.” He turned to Melch. “See
this proves I was right. He’s a werewolf or something. We need to
prepare against them turning on us.”

“His knowing the same man you know proves
what?” Melch asked. “Why don’t you tell us about Lancaster and how
you met him? I’m sure you’ll feel better after you get it all off
your chest.”

“It’s not what you think, this isn’t about
money, it’s about national security,” Hickle said. The stench of
his lie stung Silas’ nose.

“It’s about money
,” Silas told
Hawke.

An hour and a half later, Silas and Hawke
walked toward their car in the parking area. Hickle gave names,
dates, locations and somehow connected Lancaster to the bombings,
which wasn’t true but Silas didn’t call the doctor out on that. The
thought of Lancaster sitting in front of Melch answering questions,
trying to double talk or bribe his way out of the situation pleased
him. Maybe Melch would hold Lancaster for contempt or just lock him
away for being an asshole.

Silas sent Tyrese the names of the two men,
John Crawford and Ollie Brown, who Hickle named as the ones
financing the deal. Supposedly one of them came up with the idea of
poisoning the pack of wolves and holding the antidote for a huge
bounty. The fact there was no antidote didn’t stop them from
releasing the deadly mixture on his pack. A visit from Tyrese
tonight would even the score. Froggy and the others would be
avenged.

“Incoming,” Silas warned just as a dart landed
in Hawke’s upper arm. The next second, two darts hit Silas in the
thigh. He pulled them out and tossed them on the ground next to
Hawke’s. Silas ducked as two darts whizzed past him.

“Two behind the van over there
,” Silas
told Hawke.

“Five waiting behind that concrete beam.
There are no cameras in that section and I’m not sensing any on
those five. That van is loaded with electronics, we need to take it
out or be prepared to see ourselves on the news
,” Hawke
said.

“You take the van and I’ll corral the
five.
”

Hawke ran straight to the van, pulled off the
door and went inside. Silas heard some yelling, a sizzling sound
and a loud crash. The five men hiding ran and he took off after
them. They split in different directions. His beast panted in the
excitement of the chase. He caught the first three easily, bashed
their heads together and tossed them in a heap before taking off
after the last two.

Silas dived and brought the two men down. They
rolled twice, stopped and he grabbed them by their shirts lifting
them from the ground. “What are you doing out here?” he asked
walking back to the other three.

“Nothing.” One of them said struggling to break
free from Silas’ strong grip.

“I’m done here, nice set-up, pity it’s not
working. Found their stash of darts. There’s electronic
surveillance all through this garage, why hasn’t security made an
appearance yet
?
They should be back online by now
,”
Hawke said.

“Humans
,” Silas muttered looking at the
three men moving slowly on the ground. “
Someone is watching.
Grab the darts and let’s leave. After listening to Hickle’s lies
and half-truths for the past hour, I’m ready to leave this place
and breathe fresh air.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Silas released the two men and walked toward
their vehicle. He pulled out a small device from his pocket and
scanned the SUV for tampering. He sensed the attack and sidestepped
two more men seconds before they reached him. Their heads collided
with the steel-reinforced passenger door, knocking them
out.

Three others ran into him, driving him back a
few feet. Silas noticed an unusual scent that had been absent when
he encountered the first five men. The three men landed several
hard punches to his face and torso before he backhanded one,
sending him flying across the parking lot, landing on a late model
car creating a sizable dent and then sliding to the ground. He
grabbed the other two, knocked their heads together hard and tossed
them aside.

The two who charged first, regrouped and came
at him again. Silas grabbed both by their throats, turned and
walked toward Hawke who leaned against a concrete pole
watching.

“Smell them
,” Silas said lifting the two
men higher. Hawke walked forward and inhaled. Frowning he sniffed
again.

“What’s that odor? It’s not the poison, it’s
different.
” He looked at Silas.

“When I chased them down the first time,
they smelled human. But now, it’s human with something extra. They
moved faster
,” Silas said looking over his shoulder at the
three men on the ground. “
Now that I think about it, there was
some power behind their punches.”

Hawke snorted.

“If they’d attacked humans, this
would’ve turned out differently.”

“Another test
?” Hawke asked.
“Someone
wanted to test a drug that increased human strength against us?
They knew we wouldn’t be hurt or killed.”
He tipped his head
back toward the media van.
“Maybe that’s what all the equipment
was for.”