Critical Intelligence

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Immortal Ops II

CRITICAL INTELLIGENCE

By

Mandy M. Roth

 

Dedication

To Jack T., for explaining, then re-explaining the finer points of weaponry and for teaching me that it is okay to “camp.” To my mother who has always made it clear that being a strong female is acceptable and that all little girls can grow up to be whatever they dream of being. I love you and can never thank you enough for all that you’ve done for me.

 

Critical intelligence: (DOD)

Intelligence that is crucial and requires the immediate attention of the commander. It is required to enable the commander to make decisions that will provide a timely and appropriate response to actions by the potential or actual enemy. It includes but is not limited to the following: a. strong indication of the imminent outbreak of hostilities of any type (warning of attack); b. aggression of any nature against a friendly country; c. indications or use of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons (targets); and d. significant events within potential enemy countries that may lead to modification of nuclear strike plans.

Department of Defense Handbook, 2005.

 

Chapter One

I-Ops Headquarters, classified location…

 

Geoffroi “Roi” Majors tossed his feet onto the conference table and leaned back in his chair. Captain Lukian Vlakhusha, his brother by way of shared lycan DNA, cast him a warning look. The Colonel was due in at any moment and he’d frown upon Roi’s behavior, not that Roi gave a shit.

As if on cue, the door to the debriefing room opened and Colonel Brooks made his way in, wearing his normal stoic game face. “Sorry to call you all in on such short notice, but some important matters have come to our attention.”

“Did the tabloids claim to have proof of aliens? Ooo, do we get to lie about Roswell again? That was great pretending like we hadn’t seen a thing. Who wants to do it again? Raise your hand! We can force Green to make up another lame ass weather balloon story. Everyone believed it the last time,” Wilson, the team’s wererat and resident smart-ass, said from across the table.

If looks could kill, Wilson would be six feet under. For a moment, Roi thought that he might have to restrain Lukian so he wouldn’t tear Wilson’s head off. When no one was immediately maimed, Roi relaxed. Though, the idea of getting a few good punches in on Wilson did sound like fun, but that always sounded like a great idea and could wait until a better time.

The Colonel ignored Wilson’s comment and hit the light switch. Jon groaned and shielded his amber eyes, no doubt hung over again. He’d taken the loss of their fellow I-Ops teammate, Lance, the hardest. They’d been close friends and Roi wasn’t sure that Jon would be able to pull out of his funk. The only people he had to confide in were the other Immortal Ops (I-Ops), his team members. It wasn’t like he could parade into any old shrink’s office, rambling on about losing his best friend of the past twenty-five years who never looked a day over twenty five and who also happened to be a werepanther. Yeah, a confession like that would leave Jon locked up in Bellevue in two point two seconds.

Roi suppressed a grin. Too bad Wilson wasn’t prone to pouring out his heart. Seeing him in a straight jacket would be priceless.

Jon’s amber gaze fell upon Roi and he nodded. Roi tipped his head and then directed his attention on to the Colonel. “If you don’t mind me asking, sir, why did you call us in here today? We’ve already debriefed you on the events surrounding Lance’s death, and Parker’s been eliminated. Please don’t tell me there’s another leftover insane team member on the prowl. I’m not sure my nerves can take that today.”

Wilson laughed, but Lukian growled. Roi just smiled and kept his feet on the table. Ticking off the Colonel was his favorite pastime. Well, that and sex, but since there weren’t any eligible hotties around, he’d have to just settle on harassing the Colonel.

I give and I give.

The overhead projector came on and an image of Benjamin Parker flashed up. He was an ex-I-Ops agent who’d gone AWOL, later killing one of their own. Parker had lost it shortly after Lukian’s lycan DNA had been introduced to him. He’d managed to escape, and had long since been assumed dead until he’d shown up a little over a week ago, trying to not only kill the I-Ops, but Lukian’s lifemate, Peren, as well.

Lukian sat up straight in his chair as the images of Parker flashed by. Colonel Brooks glanced up at the screen, not seeming to notice Lukian’s obvious discomfort with the situation. “Intel just sent these. Here you’ll see Parker in Munich with Gisbert Krauss.”

“Krauss?” Green asked from the other side of the table. Green was their resident scientist who had a handy werepanther gene. Sad thing was that Green actually looked tougher than he was. He was as tall as Roi with a head of deep red hair and a set of biceps that rivaled any other I-Op, but Green had never taken to the beast side of his shifter abilities. Rather, he submersed himself in books and research, vowing to make headway in the creation of more I-Ops teams. When Green had a question, they all listened. He was the smartest man they’d ever known and considering the room’s combined age, they’d been around long enough to know a whole lot of people.

“Yes, Krauss,” Colonel Brooks said, flipping to the next image, this one showing Parker standing again with the short, balding Gisbert Krauss. “How much do you know about him?”

Green shifted in his seat a bit and shrugged. “Just that he’s big in the field of genetic research. Big enough that I’ve seen his name in a number of related publications. They’re claiming he’s on the verge of some sort of genetic breakthrough. I saved all references to him. I can get them if you’d like.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Wilson asked. “They’re probably filed next to the pile of ‘things he does instead of date’ collection.”

“If you’re done,” Colonel Brooks said, staring at Wilson with a cold look.

“He’s done,” Lukian said sternly. No one dared to question him. One, they respected him. Two, he’d rip their heads off and spit down their neck before they had a chance to blink. He wasn’t like the rest of the team. Lukian was born a shifter, a lycan. His strength was unrivaled and he had other perks as well, like being King of the Lycans.

“Tell us why Parker was meeting with Krauss.” Lukian leaned forward in his seat. “I think we all know that it wasn’t for an in-depth look into the life of a cell.”

Colonel Brooks ran a hand through his salt and pepper hair before pointing at the image. “We’ve had our eye on Krauss for a while now. We found out that he had a hand in an underground paranormal website that talked about DNA alterations and the making of super humans with the potential to be used as weapons for the highest paying governments.”

Brooks advanced the image and the next one showed Krauss standing with Parker near I-Ops Headquarters. The room went silent. That was a little too close to home for their liking. They glanced at one another nervously.

Clearing his throat, Brooks continued, “We think Parker may have sold secrets to Krauss, led him straight to us and worse yet, participated in the human studies.”

Green shot out of his seat. “Studies? What the hell do you mean by studies? Mixing straight shifter DNA with a normal human has a one-hundred percent fatality rate. If they’ve been sacrificing men to serve their purpose then--”

Brooks put his hand up and interrupted Green. “Not just men, women and children too. At least that’s what Intel’s come back with.”

Roi’s stomach tightened. “Why in the hell is ‘Intel’ just getting this information to us now? Christ, if we were that slow half the country would be dead or vampires by now.”

“Same difference,” Wilson said, snickering. Everyone ignored him.

Colonel Brooks shook his head slightly. “Intel is not flawless. You know that. We do what we can with the information they’re able to retrieve. Have you ever asked yourself how many men died for what you’re seeing now?”

Roi snorted. “What I’m asking myself is how many fucking women and children died, sir.”

“What else do we have on him?” Lukian asked, raking his fingers over the table and ignoring Roi’s outburst. “Do we know how many children they’ve killed?”

“No. But we know for certain, that a large group of children were assembled in Asia from around the world and experimented on in utero. We also know that the mothers disappeared once the children were born and the only reason they stopped the experiments was because we got a little too close to discovering them. They spread the children who survived out in to orphanages and stopped, at least for a bit. At least we hoped they did.”

“How long ago are we talking about?” Jon asked, concern evident in his voice.

Colonel Brooks turned the lights on. “The thick of their experiments on fetuses and newborns were conducted between twenty to thirty years ago. We can only guess what they were doing offsite though. They most likely still are doing this. My guess would be they’re keeping the numbers smaller now. The Asia project was massive. If these children managed to survive, they’re adults now. Imagine what it would be like to have enhanced abilities all your life and not understand why. Or worse yet, turn into an animal or a vampire without warning.”

Lukian looked like he was about to be sick. “If they physically survived the change without guidance, they could very well have ended up like Parker.”

“Great, just what the world needs. More superhuman sickos.” Wilson’s comment was more on the mark than any of them wanted to admit.

“Do we have any data on the children? Any idea on what orphanages they went to?” Green asked his voice low.

Roi put his hand up, snorting. “Let me guess … Intel has a rough idea, but they only just found out about it. That or they just now felt it pertinent to share the news with us. Why the Intelligence Community doesn’t gather their covert agents up and shoot them one by one is beyond me. They are inefficient bastards who let innocents die.”

Brooks cast him an angry look and Roi stuck his middle finger up. Everyone knew the I-Ops were basically their own bosses. Brooks was keenly aware of this but they often afforded him every opportunity to appear as though he was in charge. It kept the high-ups in the government happy, believing the I-Ops could be controlled and it seemed to make Brooks pretty damn content as well. Roi had never been much of one to play the game so no one expected him to. “Could you pass this salute on to Intel for me, sir? Thanks!” Having had more than his fill of fun Intel factoids, Roi stood up to leave. Lukian would brief him, as he always did. Right now, he needed a fuck, a shower, to eat and some sleep. Didn’t matter what order he got them in. He wasn’t picky.

“Majors, are you going somewhere?” Brooks asked, arching a brow.

Roi smiled as he walked past him. “Yes, sir … to get laid, you could ask Intel if they have any idea who the lucky lady will be though, if you’d like. Heads up, I’ll be long done with her before they even hint at it and I’m not one who is prone to finishing early.”