Page 52 of Stray Cat

“Copter crashed,” Jeff surprised her by saying. He gestured weakly. “Out there. Somewhere.”

“Shit,” Lindsay said in shock. She hadn’t smelled burning or fuel, so either the helicopter had gone down miles away or the remorseless wind and sun had stripped away the odors.

Neal approached, sword on his back, gripping a still-bound AC by the arm. Emma and Brody closed in on AC’s other side. The group stopped several yards from the SUV but close enough so that AC could see the man sitting on the lowered tailgate.

AC betrayed no recognition of Jeff. Humans could keep their emotions from their faces, but slight movements and scent betrayed them to Shifters. However, Lindsay could tell AC had never met the man. Jeff’s eyes widened a bit when he saw AC, which might meanhehad seen AC before, even if AC didn’t recall it.

“Everyone got out,” Jeff said to Lindsay. “There were three of us and the pilot. I was trapped under debris. They helped me free but I couldn’t keep up with them walking back to the road, so they left me behind.”

“Seriously?” Lindsay demanded in outrage.

Jeff nodded. “They parked me outside that place you found me, told me to take shelter there, and they’d send help.” He trailed off bitterly, slanting a glance at AC. “I guess they never did.”

“Total bastards,” Xav said, in a tone that didn’t bode well for whoever they were.

“Well, the dude I work for is pure evil,” Jeff said. “I should have known better than to sign on with him, but I needed the money.”

“Give me his name,” Xav said. “We’ll find him and explain why he shouldn’t have left you behind.”

Jeff moved uneasily. “Who are you guys?” He looked over Xav and the other DX men, taking in their dark fatigues and tracking gear. “You aren’t cops. You work with Shifters.”

“We’re your fairy godmothers,” Xav told him. “You won’t have to worry about retaliation.”

“Are you mercenaries?” Jeff’s curiosity grew. “Doesn’t matter who you are, though. I’m not a snitch.”

“What about Dean?” Lindsay asked him. “Was he in the helicopter? Did he go with the others?”

Jeff frowned, his puzzlement true. “Yeah, he did. He wasn’t hurt.” He directed his next words at AC. “What are you doing here? You working with these guys now?”

AC still had his hands bound, but as Neal stood half in front of him, Jeff likely couldn’t see that.

“Sort of,” AC said. “Where did your friends go?”

“Notmy friends. And hell if I know where they are now. We were moving base. Too dangerous to stay in the old one after we stole all that cash. I don’t even know where.” Jeff broke off unhappily. “I’m not high up enough in the hierarchy.”

“We can find them,” Xav said without worry. “Tell me who I’m looking for, specifically. Would assist me if you can tell me what hideout you were movingfrom.”

“Don’t you know?” Jeff gestured at AC. “You have him. He can give you the information, and I’m off the hook. Come on, man,” he said to AC. “Help me out.”

Xav glanced at AC in suspicion, but AC remained blank-faced. Lindsay scented something wrong, but AC still betrayed no recognition of Jeff.

“Let’s get him to a hospital,” Xav told his medic. “Maybe he’ll be more forthcoming when he feels better.”

The medic nodded and started wrapping his stuff to put away. The minute he moved from Jeff, the man amazingly tried to run.

He made it a few hopping steps before he yelped in pain. Lindsay, Xav, and the medic leapt after him, then Lindsay heard a shout behind them.

AC had lunged forward, breaking from Neal and hurtling himself at Jeff. Neal snarled and ran for him but not before AC jabbed the taser he must have lifted into Jeff’s shoulder.

Jeff gasped at the impact, shuddered, and collapsed. Lindsay caught him and gently lowered him to the ground, the medic reaching to help.

Lindsay rose to find AC waving the taser menacingly, keeping Neal and Brody at bay. “He’s one of the bastards who took my brother,” AC snarled. “He doesn’t deserve to walk out of here.”

“He couldn’t have anyway,” Xav said dryly. “He has a broken leg.”

AC’s eyes held rage. “I’d have shot him if I’d had a real gun. I think I’ll just hang on to this toy one. Tell your wolf boy to back off or he gets it next.”

“Drop it,” Xav advised. “Or one of uswillshoot you—with a real gun, as you call it.”

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