Shadow Effect - 40. Chapter 40

Sebastian growled, his fist clenched at his side, making most of the team wince. An unhappy Alpha was not in anyone’s best interest. In the four and a half months since Huntington’s so-called disappearance, they had hit multiple brick walls searching for his hideout. Another wall was the cause of Sebastian’s outburst.

“Goddamn it!” the Alpha cursed. “There has to be a better way of getting information. Every avenue comes up empty. The bastard did not drop off the face of the Earth. He has to be out there somewhere.”

Reilly placed a hand on Sebastian’s arm. “Cassiel warned us Huntington would be difficult to find.”

“Difficult? More like impossible!” This time Sebastian’s reaction was punctuated with a resounding smack of his hand on the table.

Elijah grimaced. Next to him, Ashton cringed. He didn’t respond well to violence. During their weekly therapy session, his mate slowly revealed the horrors he endured while held captive by multiple humans who had no right to be alive.

It was a wonder Ashton wasn’t a catatonic mess. In fact, most of the hybrids rescued were surprisingly well-adjusted. In addition to the twins, Cameron and Ray, two other hybrids on his and Tyler’s original list had been saved. Wyatt Rykers, Luke Brouillette, and their families now reside at the lodge.

To allow Sebastian to focus on finding Huntington, Nat Chusi was now spearheading the search effort. She deployed additional teams with the lion shifter temporarily out of the picture. Wyatt and Luke weren’t the only successes. Nat recruited the best shifters, and they brought home six more.

All of them displayed a surprising resilience and ability to process the repercussions of their captivity. Donovan had done some research and discovered each showed a dissociative pattern relating to how they perceived their abuse. He theorized that the combination of drugs used to initiate the change also affected the areas of the brain that processed trauma.

In layman’s terms, the chemicals affected the connections that controlled memory, emotions, impulses, and instincts. When the doctor mentioned impulses and instincts, Elijah asked him if it could be why the twins could control their wolves when it came to the drive to mate. So far, Ashton and Austin had displayed an uncanny amount of control. He and Ashton were able to explore each other sexually, having done everything except penetration.

Reilly’s voice pulled him back to the present. “—and besides, unless we can find a way to hijack a surveillance satellite, I don’t think we’ll be able to find Huntington until he’s ready to be found.”

Elijah blinked, realizing he had missed a chunk of the conversation. He was alert enough, however, to catch the way Sebastian’s eyes widened. It was easy to picture a proverbial light bulb going on over the Alpha’s head.

“Maybe we can hijack a satellite,” Sebastian said with a sly grin.

“Since when do you have high-level access to surveillance satellites?” asked Zev.

“I don’t. But I think I might know who does.”

Sebastian stood quickly, his chair skittering behind him on the wood floor, teetering before landing on all four legs with a clatter. He was out the door in a flash, leaving Reilly to scramble after him.

“Um, what just happened?” Elijah asked, still not sure when the conversation had taken a turn.

“I think Sebastian is going to contact his IT guru, Lex.” Hunter said. “He’s helped us out before with obtaining sensitive information. If anyone can hack into a satellite, it’s him.”

“Where did Sebastian say he thought Huntington might be?” asked Elijah, still catching up from when he zoned out.

“He said they’ve gotten a few leads that possibly trace back to Pago Pago, Uganda, or a hundred-mile stretch of the eastern coast of Russia,” Hunter replied.

Tyler’s eyes widened. “Fuck, talk about remote! What the hell would Huntington be doing in any of those places?”

“Sebastian thinks it’s the remoteness that would appeal to Huntington’s lion,” Hunter explained. “Pago Pago is probably the least likely, but a few calls were made with a phone linked to Huntington. It doesn’t mean he’s there, just that his phone was at one point. Uganda, on the other hand, has tree-dwelling lion prides. It would be easy for him to blend in, and the area is not as popular a tourist destination as other African countries. Civilization is close enough for him to establish a base of operations while he gathers his troops.”

“What about Russia?” Elijah asked. “Why there?”

“Well,” Hunter continued. “It’s a massive area of nothingness. No cities, no towns, not even a tiny hamlet. It would be the perfect place to establish a covert base. Most of the area we’ve targeted is forested. Plus, Huntington’s human businessman had ties to Russian businessmen. It’s not a big stretch of the imagination to think those ties are linked to Russian shifters, too. It’s not a secret that a few higher-ups in all the major governments are part of the supernatural world. If I were placing bets, that’s where my money would be.”

Silence settled over the group as they waited for Sebastian and Reilly to return. It took over an hour before the Alpha strode into the room with a look of smug satisfaction.

“Sorry about running out of here so quickly, but my contact is sometimes hard to get a hold of. I lucked out, and he’s between contracts right now. Found out some interesting information, too. Did any of you know there are people who can interpret auras?”

Reilly rolled his eyes. “Nevermind the auras. Tell them about the satellites!”

“Anyway, Lex assured me he could get into a privately-owned network of satellites capable of homing in on detailed areas. Think Google Earth. Only these satellites can make out individual ants on an anthill. It will take him a few days, but we should have some information by the end of the week.”

Ashton tapped Elijah’s shoulder. Reading the tablet, he relayed his mate’s question. “Can we trust Lex?” Elijah was wondering the same thing.

Sebastian nodded. “Yes. Apparently, Lex has known about shifters most of his life. He can see and interpret auras. It seems all supernaturals have a unique color to them, depending on what they are. He’s never breathed a word to anyone, not even his husband. I know because I made it a video call and had Enya join us. He was telling the truth.”

Cassiel had asked Sebastian to protect Enya. She had nowhere else to go, and she was vulnerable with Huntington on the loose. No one doubted that Kasar’s strikers would be looking for her. Plus, Sebastian would be able to keep tabs on her. Enya was a wild card, one they hoped would work in their favor. She kept to herself mostly, occasionally joining them for a meal at the lodge. Sandi and Mama’s cooking could entice the most reclusive hermit out of hiding.

“What are his thoughts on the areas you’ve narrowed things down to?” Ben asked.

“Lex agrees that Pago Pago is a long shot. He’ll hack into the phone records and see if he can dig deeper than my team could. He wants to concentrate on the Russian coast along the Okhotsk Sea. That’s why it will take a few days. After he accesses the satellites, he’ll scan the coast for spots that can be used as a harbor. Then he’ll narrow it further and see if any of those areas have a flat enough terrain suitable as a runway nearby.”

“Is there anything we can do?” Zev asked.

Sebastian shook his head. “At the moment, no. We’re stuck in a holding pattern until I hear from Lex. I’ll let you know when I do. Try not to worry too much. Cassiel said Huntington would need time to plan. My gut still tells me we’re okay. We have some time. Keep doing your normal routines until I say otherwise. Don’t hesitate to call me if you have questions.”

The meeting adjourned without fanfare, each couple going their separate ways. Tyler and Austin followed Elijah and Ashton out of the main house as they had driven together.

“You guys have any plans for the afternoon?” Elijah asked.

“No, we can work on practicing sign language if you want,” Tyler replied.

Ashton and Austin nodded, then each made a fist, bobbing it up and down a few times, signing yes. Now that they had regained full dexterity in their hands, the twins were keen on learning how to communicate more extensively. Many of the other hybrids had full use of their hands but could not speak. Ronan’s sister offered to teach sign language to anyone willing to learn. So many people signed up, and she now taught three one-hour sessions five days a week. With so many pack members practicing, it had been easy to pick up for most of them.

“That sounds good,” Elijah replied, biting his bottom lip, unsure if he should tell the others what he thought. After a moment, he decided it was worth a shot. “But I think I need to call Cassiel first. Something’s been nagging at me, and he might be able to shed some light on it.”

Ashton signed, "What?"

“Well, remember last week when Sebastian told us that Huntington’s assets are tied up in the probate system, and even the off-shore accounts were frozen?”

Tyler’s brow furrowed. “Yeah, but why is it nagging at you?

“Well, Huntington had to have laundered the money from selling the hybrids. But according to the lawyers, everything they’ve uncovered so far is legitimately tied to Global Insurance. What if Huntington wasn’t laundering the money through human methods? What if Cassiel’s brother was involved deeper than we initially thought? The Fae aren’t about to offer any information to humans. It would be crossing the Veil and violating whatever their protocols are. Which, we already know, aren’t written in stone.”

Tyler, Ashton, and Austin looked at him in stunned silence.

Ashton grabbed his tablet and typed out;"If the money from the sale of the hybrids was laundered through Fae channels via Brioc or Puck, wouldn’t discovery of such actions threaten the Veil?"

Elijah nodded. He was proud of his mate for quickly coming to the same conclusion he’d made.

“And if I were Brioc or Puck,” Tyler added, “I’d make sure my ass was covered in case of such a discovery. They must have some kind of plan to shift the blame if things go south. I wonder if they consider Huntington faking his death cause for alarm? I imagine a prominent individual in both worlds dying under suspicious circumstances would be brought to the king’s attention.”

“Exactly.” Elijah nodded his head. “That’s why I want to call Cassiel. I think we need his opinion before we go to Sebastian. After all, it might only be a far-fetched idea.”

Ashton signed, "Do it."

“Let’s get back to our place first.” Elijah and Ashton were still sharing the suite with Tyler and Austin. Despite their progress, the twins were more comfortable having each other nearby. Occasionally, one or the other twin needed support that Elijah and Tyler couldn’t give.

In the privacy of their suite, the guys made themselves comfortable, as Elijah called Cassiel. He pictured the quizzical look on the Fae’s face as he answered with a questioning tone. “Elijah? To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Hello, Cassiel. I am sorry if I am disturbing you.” Why Elijah was speaking formally, he had no clue. Shaking his head, he continued, “I’ve had a few thoughts, and I’d like to get your opinion on whether or not you think it warrants being concerned about.”

“Certainly,” the Fae answered.

Elijah explained his theory, ending his hypothesis by asking, “So, is this something I need to make Sebastian aware of so he can have his team dig deeper into Huntington’s finances?”

There was a long pause before Cassiel sighed. “I think you should make your Alpha aware of the possibilities you just discussed with me. He can use the information however he chooses. I assure you I will investigate this matter and get to the bottom of it. If, indeed, Brioc or Puck has been aiding the movement of human funds, the king will be advised so they may be dealt with accordingly.”

Elijah was glad he wasn’t on Cassiel’s shit list. The Fae’s tone of voice was downright chilling. “Thank you. I have one more question, and I hope you don’t take it the wrong way, but I have to know. Why was retrieving the laptop my dad hid so important?”

Another moment of silence ensued before Cassiel confessed. “I hoped the laptop had information I could use as leverage to bring down Huntington on my own. At the time, I knew he was connected to Alberts and Belland. I needed more facts before approaching the king to petition for intervention. I discovered your father overheard Kasar discussing the sale of a hybrid. Huntington tried to set Mr. Garrison up to take the fall for stealing the device. It backfired when your father hid it. It was a smart move to place it in the old car. The vehicle’s purchase was too recent to come up in our searches. Unfortunately, the decision also got your parents murdered. Huntington is merciless, especially when he believes he was betrayed.”

Tears welled in Elijah’s eyes as he realized that no matter what move his dad made, he was a dead man the moment he overheard the fateful conversation. Sniffling, he pulled himself together as Ashton pressed against him. “Thank you. Please update us and let me know when you have any new information?”

“Yes, Elijah. It is the least I can do. You have my word.” Cassiel ended the call.

Elijah leaned over as Ashton pulled him close and kissed his cheek. "You did a good thing," he signed.

“Thank you.” Elijah brought his fingers to his chin and then pushed them outward, away from his body, simultaneously signing the words as he spoke them. Ashton’s smile melted his heart.

In the first few months after Kage’s death, and even in the first weeks after he realized Ashton was his mate, Elijah hadn’t been sure if he was capable of opening his heart to someone else. Slowly, as he and Ashton got to know each other over the last four months, he started to believe he had a second chance at love. Sebastian’s moratorium on physically delaying their mating was unexpectedly beneficial, allowing them to learn about each other without all the expectations being bonded mates entailed. Now, a sweet warmth spread across his scar whenever he was close to his mate. Elijah knew it was Kage's way of conveying his approval.

Calling Sebastian was next on the agenda. The Alpha listened patiently as Elijah recapped his theory and subsequent conversation with Cassiel.

“You’ve brought up some valid points,” Sebastian agreed. “I’ll work on digging deeper into Huntington’s financial trail. We may get lucky. With the amount of money he has, it doesn’t surprise me it may have trickled over into the Fae world. Do they even use money over there?”

“I doubt it,” Elijah replied. “I’ll have to ask Cassiel next time I speak with him. My best guess would be the Fae are more interested in natural resources like gold or jewels. All the legends I’ve heard seem to give rise to that notion. Maybe you should focus your inquiries on those industries? It might also be a reason to take a closer look at Russia. Aren’t they the largest diamond producer in the world? Add in what they produce in gold, and it makes sense.”

“You’re pretty damn smart, Elijah,” Sebastian praised. “I’ll get on this information right now. If I find anything, I’ll let you know. I’m sorry about your parents. It’s a hard pill to swallow, knowing they didn’t stand a chance against Huntington.”

Elijah thanked him and ended the call. Ashton pulled him close after he hung up and nuzzled his face into Elijah’s neck. A growly purr-like sound rumbled through him. He knew it was Ashton’s happy growl. Even though he lacked proper vocalization, throughout the months of getting to know each other, Elijah now recognized the different tones of his mate’s growls and whines. Wolf language was as complex as human speech.

“Rein it in, you two,” Tyler implored. “We have practicing to do.”

Elijah smiled and gave Ashton a sweet kiss, receiving a wolfy grin in return. They spent the remainder of the afternoon using nothing but sign language to communicate. Every day was bringing them closer to fluency.

It was two weeks before they heard back from Cassiel. In the interim, Sebastian’s team traced funds in one of Huntington’s business accounts back to the sale of three hybrids. It was a start. The lion shifter embedded the funds in several subsidiaries, changing hands several times through several transactions, all of which looked legitimate at first glance.

Cassiel texted Elijah to arrange a call with the team. The information he relayed stunned them.

“I interrogated my brother regarding the laundering of Huntington’s illegal funds. After considerable persuasion, I was able to ascertain that Brioc aided the movement of the profits from the sale of the hybrid shifter children. I am not at liberty to give you the details, but the matter has been elevated to the proper level. Neither Brioc nor Puck will be wreaking havoc anytime soon. The king has made sure of it. He has also extended his sincere apologies for their behavior,” Cassiel assured them.

“That is appreciated,” Sebastian remarked, “But the king needs to understand restitution must be made on their behalf.”

Elijah had to admit Sebastian had brass balls making demands of the Fae king.

Cassiel’s tone was icy. “I have told my father as much. We are limited in what we can do. Interference in your world can upset the balance easily and threaten the Veil. King Auberon will not launch a strike against Huntington. He has agreed to lend his support to your forces when Huntington decides to attack. The forests within your territory will be placed under his protection. He is willing to allow a contingency of dryads to inhabit the area immediately surrounding your holdings. They will serve as the first line of defense. He will also authorize a troupe of pixies if necessary to aid in battle.”

“Pixies?” Reilly questioned. “Why?”

Cassiel chuckled. “Most people believe pixies are mere mischievous creatures. Curiosities that are tailor-made for children’s stories. However, contrary to the myths, they are fierce battle soldiers. Their small size and speed allow them to strike rapidly and with precision. Their teeth are venomous, although their poison is short-acting on larger beings. However, it is enough to hinder a human or shifter for a few moments, long enough for your soldiers to take action.”

“What about the hybrids?” Sebastian demanded. “Brioc’s and Puck’s interference in our world directly led to their creation. What is your king going to do about that?”

“I wish I had better news for you regarding that misfortune. The hybrids were created using human, and shifter means. Fae magic did not come into play. King Auberon understands your frustration at the lack of progress and wishes he could do something. As of right now, no magic within our world can help. He has offered to provide any help possible should you discover a remedy.”

Elijah’s shoulders slumped, and he felt Ashton deflate next to him. Tyler and Austin looked just as dejected. Disappointment shone in all of the team’s eyes.

Sebastian shook his head and sighed. “That’s not what we wanted to hear, but we appreciate the offer. Please extend my gratitude to your king.”

Cassiel acceded and ended the call.

They were back to square one with discovering a cure.

After requesting more time to analyze the data he collected, Lex asked for a meeting. Elijah felt as if they were stuck in a neverending Groundhog Day loop of meetings. When the team was gathered, the Alpha called his friend.

Dispensing with pleasantries, Sebastian cut to the chase. “What have you got for us, Lex?”

“We were right to focus on Russia. I’m sending you the coordinates of an area we targeted and a file of still shots. I’ve marked the spot where it looks like a small airstrip is concealed. There’s a section I’ve highlighted that can only be a narrow road. It leads to a hilly area, and get this; old geological surveys show a series of caves. According to the surveys, most are shallow, but a few would be large enough to house a pride of cave-dwelling lions.”

“Or a devious, manipulative Alphahole,” added Sebastian. His mouth thinned, and his eyes narrowed in contemplation.

“What are you thinking?” Hunter asked after the silence became awkward.

Snapping out of his thoughts, the Alpha thanked Lex for his information and promised to call him later with questions. Turning to the group, he said, “All of this makes perfect sense. If Huntington needs to train his striker team for an assault on our territory, what better place to do it than a remote mountainous area in the dead of winter?”

“How long do you think before he tries to attack?” asked Reilly.

“Ideally, he should wait until early spring. Even with winter training, moving the number of shifters he needs wouldn’t be wise until then.”

Elijah’s leg bounced nervously. “Um, Sebastian? How many supernaturals do you think he’s amassing?”

Sebastian smiled grimly. “I wish I were wrong, but I doubt he’d try it without at least three hundred. He knows our pack is close to six hundred. But when you subtract the number of shifters too young, too old, or not trained, we have roughly the same amount of able-bodied shifters.”

Three hundred? Elijah gulped. Three hundred trained strikers would be a formidable force. Then he remembered the Fae king’s promise to provide support. They had the element of surprise in their favor. “We’re in a holding pattern now, aren’t we?” he asked.

“I’m afraid so,” replied Sebastian. “The good news is, it’s the dead of winter. If we have a typical spring, Huntington won’t be able to attack until early to mid-March. That gives us six to eight weeks to prepare.”

“What do you want us to do?” Hunter asked. As Sebastian’s first Beta, it was his responsibility to coordinate the preparations. Kellan, Wayne, Jack Porter, and Donovan would be needed too.

“We’ll need a few strategy sessions to hammer out our plans. I’d like to send our most vulnerable pack members to West Virginia. Nat and the other council members can defend the McDen if Huntington decides to strike there. We have a lot of planning over the next few weeks, and we don’t need any distractions. Anyone under eighteen or over six hundred and their families should be given a choice to relocate until this is settled.”

Over the course of the next several days, Elijah watched as a whirlwind of activity overtook the lodge. Hunter enlisted any shifter with combat skills to teach any able-bodied and willing shifter who wanted to learn to fight. Those excelling with weapons did the same.

Families and elderly shifters trickled out slowly, not wanting to draw attention on the off-chance Huntington had spies in the area. Lex had not only discovered the lion shifter’s likely hideout, but he also discovered Huntington had a mole planted at the Great Falls Airport. It explained how he probably found out about the twins’ rescue. The individual responsible had silently disappeared.

A week after the phone conversation with Cassiel, Elijah was sitting in on yet another strategy meeting when Sebastian was interrupted by his phone ringing. An annoyed look crossed his face until he glanced at the screen. His brow furrowed as puzzlement replaced annoyance.

“Caleb?” the Alpha inquired as he connected the call. “What?” Sebastian placed the call on speaker. “Could you repeat that?”

Sounding quite unlike the depressed shifter Elijah encountered just a couple of months prior, Caleb now sounded downright giddy as he proclaimed, “We discovered a cure for the hybrids!”

Stunned silence filled the room.

Cliffhanger.... sorry, not sorry. From the initial conception of the idea for this series, it was always going to be; Discovering the existence of the hybrids in book one, locating them in book two, and discovering a way to "cure" them in book three. An author can only write what their characters tell them too. 
A big and grateful shout out to my team @Mrsgnomie @astone2292 (nice new avatar btw!) and @Danilo Syrtis. The difference in writing between these two stories and my earlier ones is huge. Writing is a hobby for me, improving my skills is an ongoing process. So, thank you! You're a great team to have. 
Speaking of @Mrsgnomie, At posting time Shadow Effect has 45 recommendations and 157 of you are following the story. Let's give her a scare and see how close we can get to Boss Nanny (at 103). If we beat her I'll screenshot her outraged DMs. 
Thank you all for sticking with me through this series. The support of our readers contributes a lot to an author getting promoted. 
No epilogue for this one. It's time for me to buckle down and get some writing on the last story. I'm sure you're all anxious to see how it turns out. 
Now, show some love; reactions, comments, reviews and most of all---RECOMMENDATIONS!!!
kbois