In the far distance, maybe about a mile down a snowy road, stood what looked like a huge barn. Men milled around, some shoveling snow, some practicing target shooting.
Greg nudged her toward the lodge, so she continued on, following the guy who’d hit her up some stairs and into a large gathering room with a homey stone fireplace that lay empty and waiting. Greg reached her side and looked around. Closed doors were in the far wall, and wide staircases led both up and down.
Her feet hurt from the icy snow.
The soldier started down the stairs, so Zara followed, allowing the heat from the place to sink into her bones. Her aching feet slid on the wood, and Greg caught her arm to steady her. He was so calm, she had to wonder about his upbringing. Not by one breath had he given away the anger and fear he must be feeling. Maybe the drugs were still in his system.
They reached a landing that opened up into a small conference room. A long hallway, lined with black-and-white photos of different landscapes, headed down another way. Zara followed the soldier down it to a nice wooden door, and he shoved it open.
Tension suddenly spiraled around them, and she knew without looking that Greg had gone on full alert.
A woman sat behind a desk, her black hair in a bun, her blue eyes sizzling. “Greg. It’s so good to see you alive, boy. I have to say, I’m having a rather proud moment.”
Greg sucked in air, his fear palpable.
Zara slid to the side to stand in front of him, instinctively shielding him.
“Inside,” the bald soldier ordered from behind her.
She moved into the room and waited for Greg to do the same. The bald soldier followed them and shut the door, leaning back against it. Two guest chairs, both of a smooth log design, sat before the glass-topped desk. A wide window took up one wall, and diplomas—tons and tons of them—decorated the rest of the walls.
“Sit,” the woman said, her lascivious gaze aimed over Zara’s shoulder at Greg.
Bile rose in Zara’s throat, but she took a chair, careful to walk normally even though she probably had frost bite on her toes. The phone couldn’t be seen in her nightgown, probably. She sat and put her hands in her lap.
Greg sat, no expression on his hard face. “Dr. Madison.”
Oh no. Zara gaped. “You’re the doctor who’s done so much damage?”
“No—” Dr. Madison began and then caught the eye of the soldier behind Zara. She cleared her throat. “Yes, but I’m trying to rectify my wrongs. We made mistakes in messing with science, and I’m fixing that. Right, Todd?”
“Yes,” the soldier said. “We’re destroying all the aberrations, and then your soul will be clean.”
“Destroying?” Zara whispered.
Dr. Madison nodded. “I’m afraid we’ll have to start with you, Greg.”
Chapter
35
Ryker hacked into Sheriff Cobb’s files at work without a qualm, while Denver tried to track Zara’s cell phone and Heath worked on satellite imagery through the storm. They’d moved their computers into the central room to all work around the same table and coordinate their efforts.
“What about the Copper Killer case?” Ryker asked, his shoulder still aching. “Heath, you can go. We’ll cover this.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Heath’s head jerked up. “Zara and Greg are family…my first priority. I’ll help the FBI out after we’re all safe.”
Ryker’s throat closed, and he nodded. Family. Yeah. He held on to that fact to keep himself from panicking and blowing up the entire building. He’d sent Grams to stay with a friend far away from the offices, just in case another attack was coming. “Dr. Madison won’t kill Zara. She won’t.” He kept the words going in his head like a mantra.
Heath set his tablet down. “Madison won’t kill Zara because she’ll want to study her and get into her head, figure out what kind of woman you would love. Plus, if Madison’s main goal is to recapture all of us, either for herself or for Sheriff Cobb, she must know Zara is great bait for you. Logic dictates that Zara is fine for the time being.”
Some of the heat in Ryker’s chest cooled. He’d gotten worked up and lost his temper more in the last week than he had in years, and that had to stop. “She wants to study Greg, so he’s safe. If he doesn’t do something stupid.”
Heath rubbed his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“The kid is trained, but he might try to spring Zara, and she isn’t trained.” Greg could get shot.
Heath nodded. “She would’ve told Greg about the phone, so he knows we’re tracking them. Greg will hold tight.”
Ryker tried to calm his racing heart. He’d done a shitty job of protecting them, and he hoped to hell he’d be able to apologize.
“Isn’t your fault,” Heath said, not looking up from his tablet.
Ryker nodded, his head and heart filled with Zara and Greg. They had to be all right. What if Madison decided she wanted only Greg and not Ryker and his brothers? Would Zara be safe then or unnecessary?