Page 22 of Sergi
A moment passed before Rafael responded. “Alpha and Charlie were taken alive. I believe they were darted. Not sure of current status.”
“What is your location?”
“Three miles south of Brasov.”
“Are you safe?”
“Yes.”
“Contact in one hour.”
The line went dead.
Bella brought her laptop over and sat in the chair next to the couch. “What do you think?”
Devon stared at the map. Rafael thought Sergi and Carlos had been taken alive, yet their responders had gone dark right after Rafael had run. The team understood the importance of delivering word back to home base. Rafael had accomplished that.
Devon gave Bella the only response he could give. “We know where the facility is. What we don’t know is why they took Sergi and Carlos alive.”
“They hoped to get intel on who sent them.” Jacques seemed assured of his response as he studied the display.
Devon nodded. “But would they need both or just one? Had the shifters Remus sent been killed or captured for some other reason?” He finished the espresso and turned to Jacques. “Can you have Cook send in coffee and something to eat? Bella, wake up Decker and Cressa.”
After they left, he pulled out his cell phone and called Remus, who answered before the first ring.
“What have you heard?” Remus’s voice was almost as neutral as Rafael’s, but Devon caught the slight edge.
“Rafael just checked in. He confirmed the location. Sergi and Carlos were taken, but we’re not sure of their status.”
“Why did it take two days to hear something?”
“Rafael has been on the run. He didn’t say how many were following, but they’ve been eliminated. We don’t have any further information, but he’ll be calling back in about forty minutes.”
“Interesting. What does Decker think?”
“He doesn’t know yet. I’ve sent someone to wake him and Cressa. They’ll be available for Rafael’s next check-in.”
“Are you recording?”
“Yes. I’ll have Bella send Rafael’s initial contact.”
“Don’t bother. I’m having my car pulled around, but I doubt I’ll make it for the next check-in.”
“I’ll notify the gate.”
When Remus hung up, Devon considered why the trackers went dead. They shouldn’t go offline if the subject were dead, which gave him hope. Had the trackers been found? If so, what made them think to look for them?
“What’s up?” Decker stormed into the room with Cressa and Bella a few steps behind. “Bella said Rafael reported in.”
Once everyone had settled and Jacques returned with two urns of coffee and a large plate of appetizers, Devon glanced at his watch. Three o’clock in the afternoon. Their personal schedules were disjointed with the constant surveillance, the guessing, and the worry.
“Bella, replay Rafael’s call.” Devon waited and watched the team as the call between Rafael and Bella plaid out. When it ended, he said, “Remus is on his way. While we wait, any thoughts on why Sergi’s and Carlos’s trackers went dark?”
“I spoke with Roxie before I crashed.” Cressa pushed back her tangled hair. The dark circles told him how worried she was for Sergi. She was concerned for the others, but she had a strange relationship with the head of his security—close at times, irritating each other the next. They held great respect for each other, tormenting aside. “We assumed the lab would be underground. It’s possible minerals in the ground could be creating interference, or the lab security is using some type of blocking technology.”
No one else had a better answer and agreed it made sense.
“So we keep monitoring.” Devon didn’t like it, but at least they had the location. The first phase was completed, but the next phase had become more difficult.
