Page 28 of Connected

Alvarez smirks as he stares back in silence, though he’s disturbed by Darius’s deep violet glare.

“Hey, Bud… Did you search him yet?” Digby asks. “Any sign of that key?”

“No, not yet Oz and me, we were busy takin’ a look inside that place—it’s kind of a mess in there. I think Oz should show you and Darius, what we found, and then maybe you can decide what we need to do.”

“All right, but just make sure you search him; we need to find that key. Hey QT… you and Zak, you keep your eyes on that asshat and make sure he doesn’t go anywhere. If he even moves or crinkles his nose… rip his fuckin’ legs off.”

Digby grins at Alvarez as he and Darius head with Oz back towards the concrete building.

Zak nods as he takes a big bite from the candy Bud gave him—he’s so hungry, and the small bar of chocolate does nothing to satisfy the growl in his stomach.

“Oh, don’t worry,” he smiles, “I’ll havegreatsatisfaction in doin’ that. He’s goin’ nowhere… except maybe to hell.”

“Yeah, but not yet. First, we need him to give up that key and then… then we’re gonna have alotof fun with him, before we kill him—slowly.” Digby grins. “Hey Alvarez, have you ever seen a cat toy with a mouse? Yeah, well, that’s nothin’ compared to what we’re gonna do to you. It’s payback time, asshole. For what you did to her—to him—and for the past. I sure as hell hope you’re ready to die today. QT get him stripped and then I’ll search him myself when I come back. Then if I don’t find it, well then… then I’m gonna do anythin’ I have to, to make him tell me where it is.”

Alvarez smiles, smugly. “But you can’t kill me. You, soldiers… Soldiers, have rules—codes, morals. You cannot do just what you like.”

“No- no, see you don’t understand. Out here—us—we don’t have any rules. Hell, no one even knows we’re here, not officially,” Zak smiles. “Out here, it’s rules of the jungle, so if you happen to escape and then get ripped to shreds by some big fuckin’ predator, well… oops—no one gives a fuck. So, we can pretty much do anythin’ we damn well please,” he smiles.

Kat stands and now she confronts Alvarez herself and leaning over him she glares. Not moving, she stands still and keeps staring, and a smile slowly creeps across her face. “Yeah, just imagine—it could even be some big-bad predator—like me.”

“No,” he laughs, “no seeyoucan do nothin’.Youneed that key, andyounever find it. You never gonna be a wolf again.”

Kat takes a breath and then spits on him, watching as the drool runs down his face. “Oh, Iwillbe a wolf again, and then, then Iwilltear you a-fuckin-part.You are mine, asshole, remember that.” She takes a breath, looking over her shoulder at the team. “No one touches him, do you understand me? Not until I get Luna back.”

The guys all look at each other—their faces saying they understand.

“Okay. Did the rest of you hear that?” Digby clarifies the point. “He belongs to Kat now; she can do whatever the hell she wants to him.” He smiles as again he looks Alvarez in the eyes. “You know, you might wanna rethink your whole strategy here. You mighta got more mercy from me or Zak. She’s pissed as hell and I mean, she’s really… really pissed. So, my advice, don’t piss her off more than she already is. I mean, if you want your end to come swiftly, you might wanna hand that key over sooner rather than later. But that’s just my advice, it’s up to you if you take it. But based on personal experience when she’s in this kinda mood, hell, it’s not good. So, I wish you luck, cos you’re gonna damn well need it.” He laughs loudly, then turning around he follows Darius and Oz back inside the concrete building.

Zak takes Kat in his arms and leads her away. “C’mon, let’s get you somethin’ to eat. We’ll worry about him later.”

Chapter 10

Looking inside the room, Digby gasps and his mouth drops open in disbelief as he and Darius survey the scene. “Whoa… what the fuck happened here?” His nose flares and twitches at the overpowering smell that fills his nostrils. “Holy hell; it’s a mess.”

The putrid scent of blood is soaked into every fiber of the hot humid room. The shredded remnants of the bodies make it look like a scene from a slaughterhouse.

“Yeah, I told ya, it’s a bit of a state,” Oz sighs, leaning over his shoulder.

“Well fuck, Zak sure did a helluva job on them,” Digby smiles.

“Hey Oz, maybe you wanna bag that laptop,” Darius points at the computer sitting on the desk on the other side of the room. “Did you check them—what’s left of them—see if they got any cell phones?”

“Urghh… no, not exactly. Hell, are you serious? You really want me to check that mess?” his nose sneers in disapproval. “I mean it wasn’t something I thought about doin’ but… okay if that’s what you really want.”

“Yeah, see what you can find. Give anything you find to Zak—he can check them out when we get back—just in case Alvarez gives nothing up. Right, let’s get outta here, it’s making my stomach heave.”

“Well, it’s making mine growl. What? I can’t help it, I’m hungry.” Digby grins. “All that meat when we’ve been on dried pasta out of a packet… C’mon what’s not to like,” he laughs.

“Yeah, well, shifter meat never was my thing, but go knock yourself out.” Darius places his hand to his mouth and turns to leave.

“Wait… before you go,” Oz calls him back. “There’s somethin’ else I think you should see. Come with me.”

Oz leads them down a narrow corridor deeper inside the building and at the end of the hallway, there’s a steel door.

“So, what the hell is this place?” Digby frowns. A dank smell hangs in the corridor outside, and he recognizes the scent—though he can’t say exactly what it is. His nostrils flare and the frown on his brow deepens as they get closer. “So, what’s in there?”

“You’ll see, but um… you might not wanna go right inside. I have to warn you, it smells pretty grim, so you might wanna hold your nose.”

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