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“It’s warm,” she pointed out. “It was active.”
“Until I covered the camera,” he snapped. “Let’s go.”
She knew where they were going.
Ria quickly adjusted her top as Mercury stalked from the office, his hand on his weapon as he spoke softly into the link he had reactivated at his ear. The small mic lay along his cheek as they moved quickly through the hallways, heading for the security room.
As they neared the heavy steel door that protected the sensitive security monitoring equipment, Jonas moved quickly from the other end of the hall, a six-man enforcer unit following closely on his heels, weapons drawn.
Jonas swiped the secured pass card through the security lock, waited for the retinal scanner to engage, then pressed his palm to the palm plate and waited for the green light.
When it lit the panel, he jerked the door open. The scent that met their senses was unmistakable. Jonas bit out terse orders as he entered the room, moving slowly, carefully around the body spread out in the floor, intestines displayed, horrified eyes staring sightlessly up at the ceiling.
Austin Crowl. His blood stained the metal floor, congealing, the stink of death surrounding him as Ria stared at the sight.
“Where are his assistants?” Jonas moved through the room, paused at the door to another section of the room and opened it carefully.
They were there. One shot, the other with his throat sliced end to end.
“Contact Pride Leader Lyons. Initiate Alpha Direct, and begin placement. We’ve been compromised.”
By one of their own.
Ria stared up at Mercury, watching as the mate and lover turned into the enforcer. Hard, cold eyes, savage features.
Jonas turned to Ria. “Can you work this equipment?”
She nodded. “I can.”
“Get in here and pull up the security discs. I want to know what the hell they were looking at, who was here and how someone managed to kill my men.”
She moved slowly into the room, staring down at Crowl with a sense of anger and sadness. He had been a nasty little bully, but he hadn’t deserved this.
“Lyons is initiating Alpha Direct. Dane Vanderale is moving to our locations; Leo Vanderale, his wife and babes are secure in the labs, their security force moving in.
“Get to work.” Jonas stabbed his finger in the direction of the monitors. “We have four hours before this fucking party, and I want to know what the hell is going on. Now!”
He wasn’t the only one.
Alpha Direct would pull all the mates and children in the ruling family to one secured location, known only to Callan, Jonas, and the security force assigned to the initiative. If Jonas decided it was needed, he could force Callan into the same secured perimeter. The protection of the ruling family fell under his designation and he wouldn’t hesitate to use it.
“This is Vanderale equipment,” Ria murmured, her fingers racing over the keyboard, attempting to code in the special security protocols the equipment had established when it was first initiated. “I need Dane in here. This is one of his babies. You have a backup, but you also have a set of protocols set to maintain security, no matter what. Protocols the techs were unaware of. Only Callan knew what they were.”
Jonas gave her a sharp, brooding look. “Why wasn’t I aware of this?”
“Need to know.” She shook her head and smiled tightly. “Whoever did this, they’re caught, Jonas. Sanctuary is one of Leo’s priorities. You have the best, all the way around, and this baby.” She entered the commands into the system program, watching the coded display as it came up. “This baby rocks!”
And there it was. Level five security active, recording now. She just needed Dane to help her finish the final sweep.
The monitor flickered, images of the last sweep coming up. Her office, transmission recorded. Callan’s office, showing Dane, Callan and the males of the ruling family heavily into conversation over his desk, as of an hour ago, displayed, recording received, though the rooms weren’t set for recording.
And the children. There, the room where the children of the pride were secured was displayed.
“Move on Alpha secured three point seven,” Jonas ordered as Ria worked furiously, pulling up present security.
“Children are accounted for. Leo, Elizabeth and the twins are currently there. I need Dane on the line immediately.”
Mercury attached his headset to her ear.
