Falke’s Captive

Kelan felt as if he didn’t breathe again until he was close enough to see the lab was still where they’d left it the night before. And there was Beth’s Jeep. He took a second to close his eyes and fill his lungs with fresh air, which he let go with a sigh.

The vehicle’s presence at the base camp didn’t explain why Beth wasn’t answering her phone, and until that mystery was solved, he wouldn’t be able to breathe without the ache in his chest.

He and his brothers ducked down a few feet inside the tree line that surrounded the base camp when the sound of a revved motor echoed through the forest. Seconds later, a man he recognized as Tim came barreling out of the brush and onto the dirt drive, throwing a dust plume into the air as he whipped the ATV into a turn and pulled up to the back of the trailer.

Who’s that? Gunnar asked.

Kelan answered, Tim. He’s another student who’s working on the field project with Beth.

Kelan watched as a second man, the older, heavier one they’d seen last night with Tim, stepped from the side of the trailer, shutting the door behind him.

The professor, Reidar suggested, and Kelan concurred. But where was Beth? The professor met Tim at the end of the trailer as the younger man lined up the ATV to a pair of ramps. From the brothers’ vantage point, Kelan had a clear view of the trailer’s back doors, but they were closed, so he couldn’t see if Beth and Sindre were inside. And unfortunately, without a sight line to Sindre, they couldn’t communicate telepathically.

But Kelan was close enough, hidden in the heavy overgrowth that lined the clearing, to hear the conversation between the two scientists.

“I’ll put up the ATV,” the professor said as he grabbed onto the handlebar. “You go around and hook the trailer to the truck. We need to head back to the university.”

“Why? I thought we were staying here ’til the end of next week.”

The professor frowned. Apparently he didn’t like being questioned. “Plans have changed. There’s some more equipment that’s come in, and I want it installed in the lab. Plus I need to get back to the campus lab where I can do more in-depth tests on some of the research Beth started. After you drop me off, and the equipment’s installed, you can go back to the northernmost point on the map that she marked and begin gathering other samples from the wildlife up there.”

“Oh, okay. Where is Beth? I wanted to tell her—”

“She’s not here.” The professor sat on the ATV and revved the engine once.

A confused look crossed Tim’s features. “But her Jeep’s over there.”

“She rode into town with a ranger who stopped by earlier to check on us. I sent her back with him to check all of us out of the hotel and arrange for someone to drive my truck back to Seattle. She’ll meet you in Chelan tomorrow evening. Now get moving. I want to meet with Professor Sayers as soon as possible.”

“Yes, sir,” Tim said, but Kelan could tell the professor’s explanations made no sense to him from the confused expression on his face.

At least good ol’ Timmy wasn’t involved in whatever was going on.

Something’s wrong, Reidar said telepathically. Beth would’ve called or told us if there’d been a change of plans. The concern was evident in his tone, even though the words weren’t spoken aloud.

I know, brother. We’ll find her. Just stay put. We’ll figure something out.

You think she might be in trouble too? Gunnar asked.

Yes. She was supposed to come here this morning and convince the professor that she’d talked us into letting her have another sample of Falke’s blood.

What?

Kelan winced at Gunnar’s reaction, the volume pounding at his brain. It was a ruse! We were going to find another cougar, a non-shape-shifter, and pass off a sample of its blood as Falke’s. We could’ve used it to convince him that the originals were tainted.

The professor got off the ATV, but waited for Tim to climb into the semi and crank the engine before he unlatched the double doors in the back of the trailer and shoved them open. The sight revealed had Kelan and his brothers cursing.

Their telepathic reaction reached the puma locked inside the cage, and it let out a terrifying scream only partially drowned out by the noise of the big rig and the revving ATV being maneuvered into the trailer.

Beth tried to shout despite the duct tape over her lips. Her heart pounded a furious beat against her breastbone, and her skin prickled. The damn puma scream was enough to scare a woman half to death.

They’re here, Sindre told her.

She widened her eyes at him and continued to struggle with the tape on her wrists. If she could just get loose…

Sindre was on all fours, pacing.

“Mmmm!” She eyed the vial as it rolled around inside the cage, but the cat wasn’t listening, at least not to her.

Kelan says to stay calm. They’re going to get us out.

“Mmm-mmm…” She rolled her eyes. Yes, she knew all of that, but he needed to stop freaking moving around before he knocked the vial out of the cage. She heard the semi start up.

He says he and Reidar are here. And Gunnar too.

She closed her eyes, burning with fresh tears. Hurry.

The ATV shot into the rear of the trailer with the professor on it. He killed the engine, got off and leaped back outside to put away the ramps and shut the doors.

Beth used her feet to roll her chair over to the cage and kick it.

What? Finally, Sindre looked at her, and she looked down at the vial, which was now at the edge of the cage. Oh. He started to reach for it, but missed when the trailer was jolted from the outside. Her wide eyes met the cat’s gaze.

The semi…Tim was hooking up. They were going to move out.

The puma pawed at the vial again and covered it up as she pushed away from the cage and rolled back across the space a mere second before the side door opened and the professor stepped inside.

This was a nightmare.

How could Kelan and Reidar save them without revealing their secret? Was Tim in on it with the professor? Surely he saw her Jeep outside. He’d know she was in here.

The trailer jostled again, and the professor stuck his head back out. After a few seconds, he asked, “All set?”

“Yep, just got to raise the drops, and we’ll be ready to go,” she heard Tim holler. “You want to put up those steps and join me in the cab?”

“No, you do it. I have a test underway in here. I want to keep an eye on it.”

She could tell Tim drew closer. “You sure? It’s gonna be a bumpy ride, at least until we reach the highway. Most everything in there is bolted down, but you and the chairs aren’t.”

Whitmore kept the door almost closed, but for a little room to clear his head. “I’ll be fine. I’ll… duct tape any loose things down so they don’t get away from me.”

“Okay. Have it your way. Call me on my cell if you want to stop somewhere and pick up food or something.”

“I’ll do that.”

He closed the door, locked it, and turned to face her. The puma hissed at him, but the professor eyed her. “Now, my dear, what am I going to do with you?” He looked down, searching the floor.

“And where did that vial go?”

As soon as the truck began to move, Reidar saw Kelan jump to his feet and take off running. He’d been positioned directly behind the trailer and had the best view inside, and the angle to approach without being seen.