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Stygian felt his chest tighten. He’d seen it himself. Seen the pain and fear in the little girl’s eyes when the feverish episodes descended on her. And he knew, if that child were his and Liza’s—his by adoption or by blood would make no difference—he would do whatever it took, however he had to do it, to ensure that pain was never felt again.
“There’s nothing we can do.” Ray Martinez’s voice rang with the truth as a sudden angry conflict seemed to battle inside him. Understanding gleamed in his gaze, was emphasized by the clench of his fists and the frustration in his voice. “We’ve made the request of the people and none have come back with an agreement. I don’t have the access codes into the database, Director Wyatt. I cannot access it for you.”
“I want Honor Roberts and Fawn Corrigan.” The kid gloves were off as Jonas made the demand. “Fuck your database, Mr. President. I couldn’t care less about it, any more than Gideon Cross could. He’s here for the same thing, and by God, if I don’t find those girls first, then he may kill them once he does find them.” He leaned against the desk, palms flat, his expression savage. “Is that what you want?”
Both Johnson’s and Martinez’s gazes flashed with fear before they could hide it.
There was no way Jonas missed it. And Stygian had no doubt the director wasn’t certain exactly what that fear was. What Stygian did know was that, somehow, the pair was hiding something.
Liza’s father straightened his shoulders. “Twelve years ago,” he stated heavily, “there was a crash in the desert several nights before our daughters crashed into a high ravine in the desert. Two girls died in that first crash.”
Jonas’s growl was rife with violence. “There was no report of it.”
“A young Breed was traveling with them. He told us the girls were running from the Genetics Council and begged us not to report it. No one else knew of the crash or the deaths. We elected to follow the Breed’s request to give him time to run. When no one came looking for them, we decided to keep it out of the reports. Until you arrived, Director Wyatt, no one seemed to care.”
Stygian narrowed his gaze.
They weren’t lying. There was the scent of truth and overwhelming sadness, almost of grief, as though they had known the girls. But there was no reason to believe they were lying.
Jonas stared between the two men; both Rule and Cavalier watched them closely as well.
“What did you do with the bodies?” Jonas’s voice sounded strangled.
“They were incinerated in the desert, presumably to hide their existence there,” Audi stated. “The young Breed walked away that night and stated that even his own past was gone. We assumed the two girls were Breeds as well, and from the same lab as he.”
“And you are only now telling me this, why?” Jonas asked.
“Because you’re only now telling us the truth of why you’re here,” President Martinez stated implacably. “Had you been honest to begin with, Director Wyatt, perhaps you would have been told sooner.”
“I want to see the area where the bodies were burned,” Jonas informed them, his tone implying he wouldn’t be denied. “We’ll leave at first light in the morning.” He turned to Stygian. “I’ll need you there, but to ensure Ms. Johnson’s protection, perhaps you should bring her as well.”
“There’s no need for that,” Audi Johnson rejected the idea instantly. “I’ll take care of her while he’s gone.”
Jonas’s smile was cold. “You’ll be with us. And so will she.”
With that, he turned, motioned to the two Breeds with him and stalked from the room.
As the door closed rather loudly behind him, both men turned to Stygian, their gazes accusing, as though it were his fault they had been forced to face the director.
He gave a quick shake of his head. “I rarely agree with him, but I wouldn’t go head-to-head with him, so I rather doubt the two of you would have any luck with it.”
Only Jonas’s mate was known to have been able to outargue or outyell him when the situation warranted it.
“Then you should talk to him,” Audi announced. “Number one, there’s no reason for Liza to be in the desert
at first light in the morning. And there’s no reason for Director Wyatt and his entourage to remain here in Window Rock. He has the information he needs, now he can leave. And I believe you should discuss this with him.”
Stygian’s brows lifted as a chuckle escaped him. “Why would I do that?”
The very idea was ludicrous. Judd and Gideon were still out there, and the information they held could still be of use to them.
He lifted his hand before the two men could say anything more. “Let me tell the two of you something,” he growled. “It offends me on a level I can barely understand that the two of you, who nearly lost your daughters at one point, would even consider asking that man to give up the battle he’s fighting.” A snarl slipped free. “Get your fucking asses over to that hotel and see that child. See her laboring for breath, the damned fever burning her alive from the inside out, so painful she struggles to just breathe. Fuck you two. Get the fuck over there and see what you’re asking him to turn his back on.” The thought of Amber’s pain, her tears, was enraging. “You’re asking him to walk away before he knows in his soul there’s nothing left to search for. You’re asking him to give up on that child’s life. And let me tell you something right now, gentlemen. He’d die and see your godforsaken asses in hell first.”
“Why are you yelling over something Dad would never do?”
Stygian swung around.
The awareness that Audi Johnson and Ray Martinez wanted Liza in that room no more than he did almost slapped Stygian against the side of the head. The fact that it was his own damned fault didn’t sit well with him.
