Page 20 of A Cougar's Kiss
Chapter 8
Oasis
The Next Day
After Midnight
“Jace and Amelia will stay here while we go above ground. You and Bas make sure your Lead Enforcers have their assignments and check in with them regularly. Once the press conference is finished tomorrow, we’ll make contact and head to the cabin. Beginning next week, groups of one hundred will migrate above ground through each zone, every three days.” Rome stood at the head of the table in his private conference room a few minutes past midnight. For the last few months this had been the preferred meeting time for the Assembly leadership because it was when they achieved the most privacy.
“Send encrypted messages to Lead Enforcers only so that the moves can be organized and supervised. After the meeting earlier, talk will be spreading like wildfire throughout Oasis, we don’t want widespread panic so make sure that your Leads are giving correct and stabilizing information.”
Jace looked around the room, noting Eli and Ezra appearing more than eager to get above ground. Rome was taking them, along with Nick and X with him. Kalina, Ary and X’s mate Caprise would follow in a few days. Nivea and Ezra’s mate, Jewel, would lead the first group from the east coast back to their previous homes. Bas, Jace and Decan who Rome had not included in this meeting because he was still new to the position of FL, would stay in Oasis and coordinate with Rome regarding the moves. The Shadow Shifters were returning to the world to live alongside the humans, not beneath them as they’d been doing for the last twenty years.
But just as things had changed down here, Jace was certain they were different up there. He’d seen it for himself when he’d been looking for Cole. Everything had changed from the way things looked and operated to the government structure that they’d once known. Staying down here was never meant to last forever but going back too soon would have cost them too many lives. He hoped now wasn’t still too soon.
Beneath the table she touched a hand to his knee, somehow knowing what he was thinking. It was that way with Amelia, had been for a while now. Things left unspoken because there didn’t need to be any words. She knew how he governed the Pacific Zone and she worked alongside him as if she were meant to be there. Twenty years ago, that thought would have never crossed his mind and he wasn’t certain he wanted it there now.
“The Ruling Cabinet’s going to name their new leader on Thursday. There’s going to be some resistance. Rallies and protests have already started down in Miami.” Dorian Wilson with his now heavily salt and peppered hair and beard spoke from the other end of the table.
Dorian had formerly worked for the U.S. government agency called the Federal Bureau of Investigation. After the assassination of the president, that agency had been dismantled by the Ruling Cabinet and now a couple hundred who had been committed to their country and their job at the FBI, had formed a consulting firm in Washington D.C. which was a cover for their continued intel work. Dorian’s specialty there was the Shadow Shifters because he was closer to them than any other human at the firm would ever get.
“That’s why we’re keeping Mackey locked up tight down here,” X said.
“Wouldn’t it make more sense to take him with you?” Amelia asked. “Showing he’s alive would likely stop the naming of another psychopath and continue to halt the fanatical group’s movement.”
Jace was just as shocked as the rest of the shifters in the room that she’d spoken, but he didn’t show it. Instead, he waited for their reply.
“Or start an all-out war before we’re prepared to fight it,” Kalina replied, calmly.
The First Female’s cool gaze remained fixed on Amelia and Jace felt something savage stir inside of him.
“We’re going to take this in steps, just like we planned. Mackey’s going to stay here until we’re ready to play that card. We’ll have someone in place in Miami in time for their announcement, but it may not even be necessary since our press conference is scheduled for first thing tomorrow morning and Priya verified with some reporters she’s still in contact with that the Ruling Cabinet’s scheduled to make their announcement, the day after on Thursday, at five in the afternoon, “Rome stated firmly.
“What’s the significance of that time?” Jace asked because it had been gnawing at him since Rome had shared the information in a secured message on their comlink.
“For all we know there is none,” Priya stated. “My source only stated that the expected new leader, Tavarus Macombe, lives in Miami and that’s why the announcement is being held there.”
A fact which only made Jace more anxious.
“I think there’s more to it than that,” Amelia added. “They wouldn’t stage something like this in Miami just because the guy’s house is there.”
Jace agreed with her but from the looks the others were tossing his way they weren’t so sure. Either that or they were wondering why he’d brought his executive assistant to a private meeting in the first place. He was still trying to figure that one out. He’d already had sex with Amelia, more than once so he had to be keeping her around for work purposes. Right?
“We’re sending someone to Miami. They should be arriving tomorrow afternoon, so we’ll be covered down there if something jumps off,” Rome said, his gaze still on Jace. “Our agenda remains the same. We’re set to leave in six hours.”
Jace nodded and was about to stand from his seat when there was a quick knock at the door. With a nod from Rome, Ezra used the control panel to disengage the locks and seconds later the door flew open and Cam and Haven ran in.
“He’s dead!” Haven yelled.
“And Shya’s gone!” Cam added.
In that moment every bit of oxygen was sucked out of the room as Nick stood glaring at the young jaguars. “What. Did. You. Just. Say?”
* * *
The reinforced steel cell where Ewen Mackey had a cot, a table and one chair, all nailed to the cement floor, was filled with blood.
Splattered on the walls and in puddles on the floor. His body or what was left of it, had been removed by the curanderos half hour ago. Nick, Bas, Rome, Jace, X and Eli stood inside the room with the scent of putrid blood filling the space.
