Page 27 of Grizzly's Bear

Meaning Tony had all the bells and whistles on the inside. Slade wondered if that was where they were keeping Talbot.

Adam’s phone chimed, and he glanced down. “Gotta go. Aleksy wants me suited up and ready to go. I’m meeting him at the armory.”

“Tony has an armory?” Jensen shook his head, even as he voiced his disbelief. “Of course, he has an armory. Man’s probably got more gadgets than the military.”

“House is that way.” Adam pointed. “I’ll see you guys when we get back.” Then with a wave he was off and moving.

“Rissa’s going to be pissed,” Jensen murmured, and Slade snorted. Pissed was probably an understatement. Then he thought of what she’d said about the people being held by hunters.

“Maybe not,” he speculated. She’d been willing to risk her health to remember anything and everything she could that might give them a direction to go in. He didn’t doubt she’d want to help rescue the prisoners when they had a location.

“Let’s go see this farmhouse,” Jensen muttered as they fired up the all terrains and headed in the direction Adam had directed them, earlier.

Tony met them on the porch. “Tah said I’d be seeing you. Also said you wanted to pay my guest a visit.”

Slade nodded. “Heard he’s not saying much about where he’s set up his torture labs. According to what my mate remembers, he said he has plenty of female bear shifters.”

And fuck, if he didn’t feel guilty about that, too. If they were members of the Holloway den, Slade wondered how long they’d clung to hope someone would come rescue them and when they’d finally given up. All this time, and up until a year ago, they’d never known any of the females in their den had survived the attacks. They’d believed the lies perpetrated by their elders, even as females had been hidden away from them under the pretext of being kept safe in case of another attack. Rissa’s overhearing Talbot make a comment along the same lines gave validity to it. Now, they needed to find them and bring them home.

“Come inside, then.” Tony held open the door then stepped in behind Jensen and Slade. “Follow me.”

He led them through the living room then down a hallway toward the back of the house. Midway through, he paused and placed his hand against a panel. Part of the wall shifted, and he opened it wide, waving for them to enter before he stepped in behind them. Motion lights flared to life as they moved along a corridor that pitched downward, taking them under the house.

“House was here. I’m building another one, but it seemed stupid to waste this one. Then I found out it had hidden rooms. Not sure what it was originally used for, but with a few renovations, I use it as my guest room. Talbot has a little wear and tear to him, but his mouth is still functional. He can tell you anything you want to know. It’s motivating him to share that information that’s the issue.”

“Glad to see if we can help,” Jensen said, though Slade wondered what they might be able to add that the others hadn’t.

Tony stopped abruptly, and Slade blinked as he took in the area in front of him. Talbot had been stripped to the skin and was currently locked in a cage that barely fit him. It was poetic justice as far as Slade was concerned. How many shifters had Talbot imprisoned similarly? How many more were being taken every day by groups of hunters? Hunted, tortured, and murdered for the simple reason of existing.

“Tsk, tsk, Tony,” Talbot called as they entered. “You should know the danger of mixing company by now. Humans with shifters is bad enough. But bringing bears into a pride of cats? Not wise at all. They don’t mix well, but they have the bloodiest fights. Vicious when fighting for survival.”

“Funny you should mention survival,” Jensen murmured as he moved confidently into the room, heading straight for the cage holding Talbot. “As I was just questioning yours. Wondering how much of the torture you dish out that you might be able to survive.”

Talbot laughed, but Slade noted his eyes were watchful. He darted his gaze between Jensen and Tony, seeming unsure which one to fear more. Slade found it very interesting.

“Just remember we need him alive,” Tony warned as he walked over to a table. “Everything you asked for is right here.”

“Do you really think you can do anything they haven’t already tried?” Talbot sneered.

“Maybe,” Slade said as he joined Jensen. “Maybe not. But we’ll enjoy it, either way.”

Talbot paled even as he glared at Slade.

“Remember me, do you?” Slade squatted by the cage. “Should I shift and see if that helps?”

“I warned that bastard not to go on Holloway land. Stupid, arrogant hunter.”

Slade knew he was referring to the hunter who’d been in charge when Rissa and Ariel were taken. Daniel had ripped out the man’s throat since he’d been in the room with Ariel and attempted to slit her throat before Daniel made it inside.

“Dead hunter,” Jensen corrected. “I believe he was mauled by a lion.”

“Something like that,” Slade agreed.

“Hughes was an idiot. I don’t know what Blaine ever saw in him. That boy was nothing but trouble from the start.”

Tony stepped forward when Talbot spoke. “Really pissed you off when he let one of your captives go, didn’t it?”

Talbot laughed. “One of the most important skills a person can have is simply to watch and take note of what motivates people. Do they do what you say not to do or do they follow your orders to the letter? Do they respond better to fear or to praise? Once you learn their secrets, it’s a simple matter of behaving in the way guaranteed to sway them to your agenda.”

---