CHAPTER 33
Although getting into Dom's lab required Henry’s presence and security codes, getting out just required some muscle to pull open the blast doors. With the anger dogging Jake’s steps, he had more than enough to accomplish the task.
“Angels, Atlantis, psychics, and ancient hippies,” he growled as he stalked up the tunnel.
He’d reached the second blast door before he realized he wasn’t alone. He held it open for Laney to slip through before he followed her out.
She reached the front door and pushed it open. “You okay?”
Jake noted the concern in her eyes and his anger ebbed a bit. “I don't know, Laney. What exactly am I supposed to make of all that?”
Laney didn’t say anything, just followed behind him as he began to push through the overgrown path. When the path was clear, she stepped up next to him. “Jake, I know you’re frustrated and you want to do something. But I think this actually does help.”
Jake stopped short and glared down at her. “Help? How the hell does any of this crazy help?”
She flinched at his tone, but held her ground. “It helps more than you getting angry and storming off.”
“Look, I’m not angry. I’m just…” He ran his hands through his hair. “Hell, I don’t know what I am. This just all seems too crazy. I know what I saw in Afghanistan. I know what happened yesterday. I know what the M.E. says. But fallen angels?”
“I know it seems unreal, but we have to look at the facts. These men are unreal. Their fighting skills, their healing abilities. None of them are normal.”
Jake looked past Laney. He let out a breath. She was right. They weren’t normal. Which meant there wasn’t going to be a nice, easy explanation. “I know. It's just… When I heard Tom had gone missing, I thought it would take me a couple of days to track him down. I figured he’d run off. I’d talk him down, help him get settled. But this? I don't want him in the middle of this.”
She reached out and squeezed his hand. “I know. But we don’t always get what we want.”
He looked at her upturned face and saw the sadness there. “I don’t want you in the middle of this, either.”
She smiled, the sadness still there. “Like I said, we don’t always get what we want.”
He cleared his throat. “So tell me, Dr. McPhearson, what do we do now?”
“We find the site. That’s where Tom will be.”
“Besides believing it’s in the U.S., we have no idea where to look.”
“Actually, I do have an idea about that. While you guys have been tracking down all your sources for any information, I’ve been thinking about the weak link in this chain. It’s Priddle. He’s the one who brought Drew on, and then Drew sent me the paper. Priddle left his university, quickly. I’m betting there are some clues there.”
Jake nodded. She was right. He should have thought of that. “Not bad for a professor.”
She grinned. “Well, I have my moments.”
“I’ll leave first thing in the morning.”
“And I’ll go with you.”
He shook his head. “No chance. It’s too dangerous.”
Laney’s expression was fierce. “Drew was killed because of all of this. Mike and Rocky were hurt and four other officers were killed. I won’t sit here twiddling my thumbs while you take all the risks. The sooner we find out where the site is, the sooner all this ends. Besides, I’m guessing you’re not well-versed in academic-speak. I am.
Jake wanted to argue with her. He didn’t want her going. She’d be safer here. He knew, though, that she was right. She’d already lost Drew to this madness. If it were him, he’d go crazy without something to do. And she was more familiar with talking to academics than he was. His form of interrogation generally involved fists and sharp instruments. Neither would be too helpful in this case.
She smiled and his breath caught. But nothing was going to happen to her, he vowed. He wouldn’t let it.