Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

MELINDA

M elinda and Joe slipped silently into the shadows of the compound, their movements synchronized and quiet as if they'd been doing this kind of thing for years. The facility's corridors spread out before them like some kind of malevolent spiderweb—its cold metal walls seeming to hint at and hide dark secrets. Melinda's heart pounded in her chest, the memory of her colleagues being murdered flashing across her brain whenever she caught sight of the security patrols. Those uniforms, once symbols of order, now represented betrayal and death.

They managed to avoid detection, moving with deliberate care through the maze of corridors. The guards' patrols seemed random, yet Melinda knew better than to assume anything about this place was left to chance. Every corner they turned, every door they passed, was a potential trap. Joe signaled to her to follow him, his eyes scanning the hallway for any sign of danger.

Hearing footsteps approaching, they ducked inside one of the darkened labs, the door whispering shut behind them. Melinda's breath caught as she took in the room. Advanced climate manipulation technology lined the walls, the sleek, intimidating equipment humming with contained power. She recognized some of the devices, its presence confirming her worst fears about the facility's purpose.

"I'm going to see how big this place is and if I can get an idea about the size of the staff here and the ratio of security to researchers," Joe whispered, his voice barely audible. "I'd also like to see if I can find their communications hub. Can you stay and see if you can figure out what it is they're trying to do?" She nodded. "Good. Stay safe; I won't be long."

Melinda nodded, her focus already shifting to the consoles and screens around her. Joe slipped out, leaving her enveloped in the dim glow of the lab's monitors. She moved to the nearest console, her fingers brushing over the keys, bringing up screens filled with data. Graphs, charts, and streams of numbers appeared, all pointing to one horrifying conclusion: the facility was actively manipulating local climates, testing extremes and pushing boundaries.

As she sifted through the data, her training took over, and she began to make sense of the information. They were not just experimenting with weather patterns—they were trying to weaponize the climate itself. But who would have a use for such technology? Big corporations, cartels and even the military. The implications were staggering, and Melinda felt a cold sweat break out on her brow.

Her concentration was intense, her mind racing to piece together the fragments of information. She couldn't help but think of the broader consequences, the impact on the world if this technology were to be deployed. The scale of potential destruction was overwhelming.

Rising methane levels could have significant effects on the climate due to methane's potency as a greenhouse gas. If someone could manipulate the earth's temperatures, changes in weather patterns, and effects on the planet's ecosystem and inhabitants, the potential for abuse was staggering.

Minutes felt like hours as Melinda worked, her heart a steady drumbeat in her chest. Every sound outside the lab made her freeze, her ears straining for the telltale signs of discovery. But she pushed forward, driven by a need to understand, to find a way to stop whatever horrors were being planned within these walls.

Melinda's heart leaped into her throat at the sound of approaching footsteps. She quickly crouched behind one of the towering machines, its metallic surface cold against her back. The dim lab was a labyrinth of shadows, each one a potential hiding place, but also a trap. She held her breath as the door creaked open, the faint glow from the hallway spilling into the room.

Peering through a narrow gap between two machines, Melinda's eyes widened in disbelief. The figure entering the lab was Amy Brighton, a colleague who had vanished over a year ago. Amy's appearance was startling: her hair had turned almost completely gray, her face lined with exhaustion and fear. She moved with a cautious, hesitant step, as if every shadow might conceal a threat.

"Amy?" Melinda whispered, stepping out from her hiding place.

Amy's head snapped up, her eyes widening in shock and recognition. "Melinda? Oh my god, I thought you were... I mean, I didn't think I'd ever see anyone from outside this facility again."

Melinda rushed to her, wrapping her arms around Amy in a quick embrace before turning back to the machinery. "What happened to you? We thought you were dead," she said, glancing over her shoulder to look at Amy.

Amy's eyes filled with tears. "I've been here, all this time. Greaves forced us to work on his projects. There are others, too, held against their will. We've been under constant surveillance, treated like prisoners."

Melinda's mind raced. "We need to get you out of here. And we need evidence to expose what they're doing."

Amy nodded, her face a mix of hope and fear. "The main server room has all the data you need. But be careful; Greaves?—"

Before she could finish, the door slammed open again, and Greaves stood there, flanked by two armed guards. His eyes blazed with fury as he took in the scene.

"Well, well. Look what we have here. I knew there was a rat in my facility," he sneered, looking at Amy. His eyes darted to Melinda. "We've been looking for you."

Melinda stepped forward, her voice steady despite her racing heart. "And now you've found me, or rather, I've found you. This ends now, Greaves. We're taking the information and exposing you."

Greaves laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "You really think you can stop me? Or the people I work for? You're in over your head."

Two armed security guards flanked him, their weapons trained on Melinda and Amy. The guards' presence sent a chill down Melinda's spine, but she forced herself to stay focused, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Joe and Kallik charged in. They didn't have weapons, but their determination was palpable. Greaves's eyes widened in fear as he recognized Joe's deadly, protective instincts. It took Greaves only a fraction of a second to realize that despite two armed guards he was in mortal danger. He spun on his heel and bolted through an emergency exit.

"Stop him!" Melinda shouted, but Joe and Kallik had their hands full. The guards had immediately turned their attention to the new threat. When she made a move to give chase to Greaves, Amy grabbed her and held on tight.

"He'll kill you," Amy said, terrified.

Joe lunged at the nearest guard in less time than it took the guard to realize the enormous threat that Joe represented. Joe hit him full force, knocking the gun from his hand. The weapon skidded across the floor, coming to rest under a desk. Joe delivered a series of rapid punches to the guard's midsection, forcing him to stumble back.

Kallik tackled the second guard with a swiftness, power and skill that was surprising, both men crashing into a lab table and sending equipment and papers flying. The guard struggled to bring his gun to bear, managing to get off two wild shots before Kallik could knock it from his grasp with a swift elbow to the man's midsection. The weapon spun out of reach, useless for the moment.

The first guard, recovering quickly, aimed a wild punch at Joe. Joe ducked, then countered with a powerful uppercut that sent the guard reeling. Seizing the moment, Joe kicked the guard's legs out from under him, and he hit the ground hard, unconscious.

Kallik, still grappling with the second guard, used his knee to deliver a sharp blow to the guard's stomach. The guard doubled over, gasping for air. Kallik didn't waste a second; he followed up with a swift kick to the head, sending the guard sprawling to the floor, dazed and defeated.

Breathing heavily, Joe and Kallik quickly scanned the room. "You okay?" Joe asked, rushing to Melinda and Amy.

"Yes, we're fine," Melinda replied, her voice shaky but determined. She glanced at the emergency exit where Greaves had disappeared. "We have to get this data out."

Joe nodded. "Kallik, make sure those guards are truly incapacitated and then find something to tie them up with. Melinda, you and…"

"Amy," Melinda supplied.

"You and Amy gather up whatever data you need. Kallik, you stay with the girls, and keep them safe."

"Don't let him get away."

"Don't worry. I'll take care of him," said Joe, smiling menacingly before giving her a brief, hard kiss and then turning to race after Greaves.

As he did, Kallik turned to her. "If we need to escape this place, we'll need appropriate clothing for your friend and your mate."

Melinda had to wonder at his use of the term mate. She was certain Kallik knew she and Joe were lovers, but ‘mate' was not a term used by humans and she had not sensed Kallik was a shifter.

"Mate?" asked Amy.

"I'll explain later," Melinda assured her..

Kallik nodded. "Finish gathering your data; we're going to need to move. There could be more of them."

JOE

Joe's heart pounded as he tore down the corridor, his footsteps echoing in the sterile hallways of the facility. Greaves had a head start, but Joe was determined not to let him escape. He sprinted through the maze of passages, rounding corners with a speed born of desperation and training.

Out of sight of Melinda and the others, Joe allowed himself to shift, welcoming the familiar swirling mist as it performed its magic, transforming him into his true form, the massive, powerful sabretooth tiger. His senses sharpened, and he caught the scent of Greaves, his fear mingling with sweat. With a snarl, Joe launched himself forward, closing the distance rapidly.

Greaves burst into the men's locker room, slamming the door behind him. He fumbled with a keypad, attempting to seal himself inside. But Joe was already upon him. The door splintered under the force of Joe's attack, shards of wood flying as he barreled into the room.

Greaves screamed, backing away, but there was nowhere to run. Joe's claws slashed through the air, and with a final, swift motion, he took Greaves down. The man's body crumpled to the floor, lifeless. Joe stood over him, breathing heavily, his anger slowly ebbing away.

He shifted back, his form shrinking and reshaping into human once more. Naked and vulnerable, Joe quickly searched the lockers, finding a set of clothes that fit well enough. He pulled them on, his mind racing with what needed to be done next. They had the evidence, but now they needed to get out, and fast.

As he turned to leave, the door to the locker room burst open again. This time, a group of mercenaries stormed in, weapons drawn and ready. Joe froze, recognizing the man at their head—General Hawkins, his former commanding officer. Hawkins' presence here could only mean one thing: the conspiracy reached far deeper than they had realized, right into the heart of the military.

"Well, well, if it isn't Joe Crawley," Hawkins said, his voice cold and mocking. "I always knew you had a knack for finding trouble."

Joe's eyes narrowed, his mind racing for a plan. "Hawkins. I should have known you were involved."

Hawkins chuckled, a dark, menacing sound. "You were always too curious for your own good, Joe. Now, hand over the data, and maybe I'll make your death quick."

Joe assessed his options, knowing he was outnumbered and outgunned. "What happened to you, Hawkins? You were a good man once."

"Times change," Hawkins shrugged and replied, his smile fading. "And so do loyalties."

The mercenaries closed in, their guns trained on Joe. He knew he couldn't take them all on in his current state. His mind worked furiously, searching for a way out, a way to get Melinda and the data to safety.

Just as the tension reached its peak, the facility's alarm blared to life, echoing through the halls. The sudden noise startled the mercenaries, giving Joe the split second he needed. With a swift, fluid motion, he grabbed a nearby locker door and ripped it free, using it as a makeshift shield.

Bullets ricocheted off the metal as Joe barreled through the mercenaries, knocking several of them aside. Hawkins shouted orders, but Joe was already moving, adrenaline and determination driving him forward. He had to get back to Melinda and the others, had to ensure that the data made it out.

As he battled the general's goons, he could hear the chaos spreading throughout the facility. He turned back to take on the few mercenaries that remained and the general himself. Joe had always suspected Hawkins had had a hand in what had happened in Afghanistan. Maybe, just maybe, they could force Hawkins to confess to what he had done. It wasn't much, and it wasn't the primary outcome for the mission, but it gave him hope that perhaps the wrongs that had been done to him could be rectified, and he could be exonerated. He would always carry the burden of his brothers-at-arms' deaths, but at least his name would be cleared.

Realizing that the tide had turned and the general was most likely done for, the last of the mercenaries turned tail and ran, leaving Joe to take on the general. As Hawkins leveled a gun at him, Joe felt a small furry animal slink past him. They were really going to need to come to an understanding about Melinda following his orders, as she seemed reluctant to do so.

He could only watch as Melinda coiled her muscles and leaped for the general's arm.