his
fists. “I wasn’t that out of it. I asked.”
“What kind?” Bestial peered at him.
“I’m not certain.” Smiley shrugged.
“The breeding drug can override certain contraceptives.”
Smiley felt sucker punched. “Are you certain?”
The council member nodded. “Pretty certain. Condoms work but
only if they don’t break. I don’t suppose you used one?”
“No.”
“Did you release inside her?”
“Yes.”
Bestial grimaced. “Then it’s a possibility we need to be
aware of and make a contingency plan for.”
Vanni pregnant with my child . Smiley bolted to his
feet, unable to remain seated any longer. “We need her brought to Homeland.
Where is she?”
“Calm,” Jericho ordered.
“What if she’s carrying my child? She’s out there alone.”
Smiley refused to back down. “Our enemies could go after her to steal my son or
kill her outright to prevent his birth. Tim said she’s in danger from that
church. Someone from there set her up. We need to retrieve her now to secure
her safety.”
“Smiley?” Fury drew his attention. “We’ll keep a surveillance
team on her but we can’t send a team to pick her up. It would seem as though we’re
kidnapping her. That would be bad publicity.”
“They said she was in seclusion at her home. Do we know if
that’s true?” Smiley wasn’t even sure if she was okay or not.
“Yes.” Tim nodded. “I have a two-man team outside her
apartment masquerading as paparazzi. We went to the wrong address last night.
The one listed on her driver’s license was outdated. She moved last month. We
have visual confirmation that she and her roommate, an Elisabeth Goss, are
holed up inside. They are refusing to take incoming calls or answer the door.
The only reason we know for sure she’s there is because someone called the cops
reporting a possible suicide.”
“What?” Smiley snarled.
“She’s fine. It’s a bullshit ruse some of the paparazzi pull
to draw out whomever they want to photograph. It’s standard procedure for the
cops to do a wellness check and interview the residents to make sure there isn’t
a real problem. My men verified the call didn’t come from inside the residence.
In this case the police had Travanni and Elisabeth talk to them on the doorstep
after the apartment manager unlocked the door for them. They weren’t opening it
up for anyone.”
“Your team actually saw her? They are certain?” Smiley
needed confirmation.
Tim nodded. “Yeah.”
That calmed Smiley a bit. “Did she look well?”
“I don’t know.” Tim frowned. “She was talking to the cops
and they left without calling an ambulance so I assume so.”
Fury drew Smiley’s attention. “I can only imagine the stress
you are under right now but this isn’t the time to pull her into Homeland for
questioning. This is a media frenzy and all focus is on her. We need to wait
for things to blow over a little before we make a move.”
“She’ll pay for what she did,” Bestial promised. “We’re good
with patiently waiting when we need to.”
“Pay?” Smiley glared at him. “I’m not even sure if she did
it. She denied drugging us.”
Bestial blew out a breath. “She’s associated with a group
that hates us. She also escaped rather than come here.” He paused. “How many
Species ate and drank in that bar when she wasn’t there, yet nothing happened?
She comes in and you’re drugged. Do I need to continue? It all points to her.”
Smiley hated to admit that it did sound bad. He kept silent.
“We aren’t certain if she was aware of the danger but no
good comes of dumping a drug into someone’s drink. That female had to know it
was potentially harmful.” Bestial inhaled and blew out a deep breath. “She’ll
be prosecuted under New Species law.”
Jericho cut Smiley off before he could speak. “Either way,
she needs to be brought in for questioning at the first opportunity.” He
flashed Smiley a warning look to keep him silent. “She can
fists. “I wasn’t that out of it. I asked.”
“What kind?” Bestial peered at him.
“I’m not certain.” Smiley shrugged.
“The breeding drug can override certain contraceptives.”
Smiley felt sucker punched. “Are you certain?”
The council member nodded. “Pretty certain. Condoms work but
only if they don’t break. I don’t suppose you used one?”
“No.”
“Did you release inside her?”
“Yes.”
Bestial grimaced. “Then it’s a possibility we need to be
aware of and make a contingency plan for.”
Vanni pregnant with my child . Smiley bolted to his
feet, unable to remain seated any longer. “We need her brought to Homeland.
Where is she?”
“Calm,” Jericho ordered.
“What if she’s carrying my child? She’s out there alone.”
Smiley refused to back down. “Our enemies could go after her to steal my son or
kill her outright to prevent his birth. Tim said she’s in danger from that
church. Someone from there set her up. We need to retrieve her now to secure
her safety.”
“Smiley?” Fury drew his attention. “We’ll keep a surveillance
team on her but we can’t send a team to pick her up. It would seem as though we’re
kidnapping her. That would be bad publicity.”
“They said she was in seclusion at her home. Do we know if
that’s true?” Smiley wasn’t even sure if she was okay or not.
“Yes.” Tim nodded. “I have a two-man team outside her
apartment masquerading as paparazzi. We went to the wrong address last night.
The one listed on her driver’s license was outdated. She moved last month. We
have visual confirmation that she and her roommate, an Elisabeth Goss, are
holed up inside. They are refusing to take incoming calls or answer the door.
The only reason we know for sure she’s there is because someone called the cops
reporting a possible suicide.”
“What?” Smiley snarled.
“She’s fine. It’s a bullshit ruse some of the paparazzi pull
to draw out whomever they want to photograph. It’s standard procedure for the
cops to do a wellness check and interview the residents to make sure there isn’t
a real problem. My men verified the call didn’t come from inside the residence.
In this case the police had Travanni and Elisabeth talk to them on the doorstep
after the apartment manager unlocked the door for them. They weren’t opening it
up for anyone.”
“Your team actually saw her? They are certain?” Smiley
needed confirmation.
Tim nodded. “Yeah.”
That calmed Smiley a bit. “Did she look well?”
“I don’t know.” Tim frowned. “She was talking to the cops
and they left without calling an ambulance so I assume so.”
Fury drew Smiley’s attention. “I can only imagine the stress
you are under right now but this isn’t the time to pull her into Homeland for
questioning. This is a media frenzy and all focus is on her. We need to wait
for things to blow over a little before we make a move.”
“She’ll pay for what she did,” Bestial promised. “We’re good
with patiently waiting when we need to.”
“Pay?” Smiley glared at him. “I’m not even sure if she did
it. She denied drugging us.”
Bestial blew out a breath. “She’s associated with a group
that hates us. She also escaped rather than come here.” He paused. “How many
Species ate and drank in that bar when she wasn’t there, yet nothing happened?
She comes in and you’re drugged. Do I need to continue? It all points to her.”
Smiley hated to admit that it did sound bad. He kept silent.
“We aren’t certain if she was aware of the danger but no
good comes of dumping a drug into someone’s drink. That female had to know it
was potentially harmful.” Bestial inhaled and blew out a deep breath. “She’ll
be prosecuted under New Species law.”
Jericho cut Smiley off before he could speak. “Either way,
she needs to be brought in for questioning at the first opportunity.” He
flashed Smiley a warning look to keep him silent. “She can
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