“Sit down.”
Nik nodded. Not happy. He’d gotten Emma here and in one piece, despite almost getting herself killed.
Rylee turned on a screen. “We have something more pressing that needs investigating.”
Nik swore in Russian on seeing the gruesome pictures.
Emma swallowed. “Holy shit.”
The images showed the bodies of naked men twisted in agony while undergoing the change. Their hideous faces frozen in death. Part human part monster wolf. None turned wolf.
Emma turned to Rylee. “The change killed them.”
“Not our change,” said Rylee. “Rather than wolves becoming men, these are human men becoming werewolves. The intermediary human-wolf monster form.”
Nik shook his head. “That’s not possible.”
“Our genetics research team believes someone is using reverse genetic engineering to cause men, mostly former soldiers, to become werewolves.”
“Looks like they failed,” said Nik.
“We don’t know for sure,” said Rylee.
“Do we have their bodies?” asked Emma.
“No. One of our wardens found the bodies while in wolf form. He returned with a camera to take pictures. Then he went straight to his office and sent us the photographs. However, when Lev and his team arrived, the remains were burned beyond recognition. Fortunately, the warden brought back an arm. It’s in the lab. We analyzed face recognition and found they were soldiers either missing in action or AWOL. Most served in the Middle East. Not all American. Some were British and a few Russian.”
“So Lev is working on it?” asked Nik.
“No. He and Slade are stalking a terrorist group that obtained a nuclear weapon, which has taken precedence. Emma, we believe whoever is experimenting with this might be deep black ops, so we’re putting you in the field.”
“Too dangerous,” said Nik.
“Would you like to partner with Emma on this one?”
Yes. No. “What about Saskia?”
“Once we get a lead on who is using soldiers as lab rats, then you can return to follow Saskia. I’m sure she’s laying low knowing you were tracking her.”
Emma furrowed her brow. “Where did the warden find the bodies or what remained of the men?”
“In Croatia. Have you been?”
Emma smiled. “Last year, I went undercover following a rogue Russian agent known as Igor.”
Rylee tilted her head. “Did you get him?”
“No. He got away. Unfortunately, he took out three agents during our botched attempt to apprehend him including…”
Rylee finished. “Your fiancé.”
“Yes.”
Nik felt cold jealousy penetrate his soul. Yet, losing her fiancé must have broken her. “I’m sorry.”
Emma snapped. “If you help me catch his killer, after we trace whoever is testing wolf DNA on humans, I’d owe you.”
“I would be happy to help.”