Chapter 8- Moving Targets

RIAN POV

Dawn came too fast.

No sunrise through the safehouse windows, just the artificial grey of pre-dawn and the low hum of the city waking up without us.

Lucien had the car idling out back by 5:12 Kael was already checking out the main exits, moving like a man who had slept with one eye open his whole life.

Theo walked on his own now, but his hand stayed braced on the wall, His heat had been forced down, not resolved, that left him raw and unstable. I kept my scent low and steady so he wouldn't pick up on my own fraying control.

"Back door's clear", Kael said, not looking at me. "We have twelve minutes before the next patrol sweep".

Lucien nodded once. "Move".

No one argued, arguing got people caught, I kept my hand on Theo's elbow, he didn't pull way, that was new before he would flinch at any contact that wasn't medical, as we crossed the loading dock. Cold concrete under my boots, the smell of oil and rain.

Lucien's driver wasn't there, Lucien drove, of course he did, he didn't trust anyone else with us.

Theo and I got in the back Kael took shot gun, Lucien slid behind the wheel without a word, eyes scanning the street before we pulled out.

"Route's clear for now ", he said. "We're heading to the old Voss research annex. Abandoned since the Scission Act, no cameras, no signal".

"Great", Kael muttered. "A haunted lab, what could go wrong?.

Lucien glanced at him, "Better than your place".

I didn't say anything because the tension between Lucien and Kael was thick enough to choke on. Two angry Alphas in a car with one Enigma and a compromised omega, one wrong word and it would ignite.

I kept my eyes on Theo, he stared out the window, jaw clenched not from pain but from memory.

This city had taken too much from him.

"You okay?", I asked softly.

He nodded. "Better than I was".

"Not the answer I asked for".

He looked at me and gave a small tired smile.

"I will live because of you".

I didn't know what to say to that so I just bumped my shoulder against his, he didn't flinch.

The annex was worse than haunted, it was a ghost . Voss Biotech had built it twenty years ago, right after the first leak. Then they scrubbed it, buried the files and pretended it never existed.

The building was half- collapses, windows blown out, vines crawling up the concrete like it was trying to reclaim it. Lucien killed the engine and killed the lights.

"scanner's are down", he said. "But we don't stay past 48 hours, if they ping this location we are done".

Kael was already out of the car moving to the perimeter, I help Theo out, his legs wobbled but he caught himself before I could grab him.

"Don't fall", I said.

"Not planning to", he replied.

Lucien opened the side door with a keycard that shouldn't have worked anymore, the lock clicked the door groaned open on rusted hinges.

Inside smelled like dust and old chemical's, emergency lights flickered on as Lucien bypassed the main system.

"Generator's still good for now", he said.

Kael moved ahead, clearing room, his hand never left the gun at his hip.

Theo and i stayed in the main hall, watching the two Alphas circle each other with words they weren't saying.

Lucien stopped in front of Kael.

"You knew about the facility?", he asked.

Kael didn't look surprised. "I knew there was a site, not that it was yours".

"Don't lie to me, Kael",

"I am not", Kael's voice was flat. " I was given a file, no name attached, when i found out it was Voss Biotech, i was ordered to stand down".

Lucien's eyes narrowed. "By who?".

Kael hesitated. "The council".

"I always knew those people where up to no good". Lucien said.

The word landed like a stone in still water.

The council, the twelve people who ran the Scission Act, the ones who decided who got registered, who got called, who got used.

I stepped forward. "The council knows about this place ?".

Kael nodded. "They know about all of them, they keep them for leverage, for experiments".

Theo flinched beside me, i put a hand on his arm.

Lucien exhaled slowly, " Then they know we are here". Kael met his gaze "Probably".

For a second, i thought they would start fighting again, instead Lucien just said.

"Then we move fast".

THEO POV

We set up in a sub-level room, Lucien rigged the entrance, Kael set up comms.

I sat beside Rian watching the door.

"You think they will come?", I asked quietly.

"I think someone always comes", Rian said

I nodded. "Kael's different".

"People change or they get better at hiding who they are", he said.

I was quiet for a long time.

"Do you trust him?," I asked finally.

He looked at the door, Lucien and Kael were talking in low voices, too far to hear.

"No, but I trust you and you trust him", he answered.

I managed a small smile. "Fair".

Lucien came in alone, Kael stayed outside, on watch, while Lucien came close to us i stood up.

"I will be outside".

"okay".

RIAN POV

Lucien sat on the edge of my cot, close but not touching.

"They are mobilizing, task force units moving east, they know we are not at the club anymore". he said quietly.

"How long?,"I asked.

"Maybe six hours, maybe less", he said.

I nodded, that was enough time, barely, Lucien's hand found mine under the blanket. his fingers were warm. Calloused, he didn't say anything, he didn't need to, I squeezed back.

"Get some sleep ", he said. " I will wake you if anything changes".

I wanted to argue, I wanted to stay awake to keep watch but exhaustion hit me all at once.

"Wake me", I said looking at him.

"I will". His thumb brushed over my knuckles once, then he let go and stood. as i drifted off, I heard his footsteps leaving the room.

KAEL POV

Lucien walked close to where I and Theo were sitting down the hall.

"Theo you should go sleep, I will wake you once it's time". I said

"Okay".

Theo went to sleep and I stood up.

"If they come for Rian, they go through me first", Lucien said.

I didn't answer but I didn't disagree either, he is no longer the Cold hearted Lucien I used to know back in school.