Page 54 of Shadow Blind

Aiden weighed his options. Wolf ran the Shadow Mountain base. Unless his big bro relented and allowed Demi to stay, Aiden was shit out of luck. He couldn’t sneak Demi into his assigned quarters, not when the only way to access the base was through aircraft being lowered into the air hanger.

Resigned to the inevitable, Aiden twisted to face his big brother, who’d maintained his macho, impassive, He-Man expression through the entire confrontation. “Guess I’ll need one of those badges too.”

“‘Fraid not,” Cosky interrupted without bothering to hide his satisfaction. “Space is limited in The Neighborhood. We get no visitors, so have no need for motels.”

Aiden grunted. Irritation, which hadn’t completely dissipated, swiftly rose again. “Your point?”

Cosky looked skyward. “The point is, you’re bunking on base.”

“Not happening.” Despite his annoyance, he kept his voice cool. Level. “Staying with you will give Demi and I a chance to talk.”

“Fuck no, dude. We only have one spare bedroom, which Demi will be occupying. We’re not gonna ask her to share it with you.”

Aiden planted his fists on his hips. “Don’t be an ass. You got a couch, don’t you? A goddamn floor? I’ve sacked out on worse.”

“For Christ’s sake, she wants to cut you loose. Your mere presence will make it awkward for her,” Cosky snapped.

His brother-in-law wasn’t wrong. But how was he going to patch things up with Demi if he wasn’t around to talk to her?

Rawls chuckled. Ever the peacemaker, he stepped between Aiden and Cosky. “Ignore Cos’s inhospitality. You can bunk with Faith and me. We got a guest room. Even better, we’re next door to this clown.” He shoved Cosky’s shoulder so hard the bastard staggered back a couple of steps. Rawls looked incredibly pleased with that feat of strength.

“You cannot stay in The Neighborhood,” Wolf interrupted. While his dark gaze was implacable, a shimmer of sympathy lit his eyes. “You are needed on base.”

Scowling, Aiden turned on Wolf. “Why?”

He couldn’t afford to be stuck here, not without Demi. He needed the time and proximity to prove to her that something special still existed between them.

“You have captives to interrogate. We must identify who is behind this bot weapon and prevent the weapon’s launch. I have never seen Benioko so worried.” An expression close to concern touched his brother’s face, as though the shaman’s anxiety rattled him.

Aiden forced himself to relax. He felt like he was at war with himself. Half of him wanted to dive into the interrogation and find out who was behind the slaughter of his team. The other half wanted to rescue his relationship with Demi. Both actions were essential to him, yet irreconcilable. He couldn’t do both at the same time.

“I have no intention of abandoning the interrogation or the search for answers. I’m merely making bunking arrangements for when the interrogation is complete.” Sudden exhaustion crashed through Aiden, making it hard to focus.

Wolf was already shaking his head. “There is more at stake than the information Demi’s attackers possess. We must have a vaccine ready in case this weapon is deployed. You are our only hope of a vaccine. The labs need you on base, close at hand.”

Dammit.

Aiden scrubbed a palm down his face, trying to think past the tiredness. He could hardly bitch about Wolf’s request. If the worst happened and the bots got loose, a vaccine was essential for the survival of humanity. If Benioko’s vision came true, everyone would die…including Demi.

He needed to focus on stopping the release of the weapon, and finding a cure if they were already too late to contain the threat. Which meant he needed to be on base.

Fixing his broken relationship would have to wait.

Chapter twenty-three

Day 7

Denali, Alaska

Wolf commandeered one of the utility carts outside the hangar's entrance. A two-seater this time, with a pickup bed. Aiden sat in silence, nursing his suddenly pounding head as his brother navigated the dark gray warren of tunnels. The confrontation with Cosky must have over-amped him, leading to an adrenaline crash—which explained his weariness—and the jackhammer breaking his brain apart.

He’d been on base for a week now, but his time had been split between the isolation chamber and emergency room. And while this wasn’t his first trip through the Shadow Mountain lair, it was his first chance to take in base specifics. When he’d first arrived, Wolf had taken him along a back route, one that avoided the populated areas, so he’d seen little of what made Shadow Mountain unique.

The hanger level was nothing more than walls and two lanes of traffic. One coming, one going, with a white line separating the two. Wolf exited onto a ramp that spiraled downward. There were four exits off the ramp, with neatly stenciled signs above each exit. Level Four simply said Enesolo. Level three said N-Z. Then a level down: A-M. The last exit was simply marked Hetazenee.

Aiden studied the unfamiliar word before the utility vehicle passed beneath the arch. “What’s the language on the signs?”

Wolf slid him a flat look which triggered Aiden’s hackles.

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