Rack & Ruin (THIRDS 3)

“A miscommunication, and then you happened to find Reyes? That’s pretty fucking convenient, Brodie.”

Sloane narrowed his eyes. “Is there a problem, Agent Taylor?”

“Yeah, I like knowing when someone’s trying to make an asshole out of me,” Taylor snarled.

“Like I said. Miscommunication. My team has eight suspects detained in the sub-basement of the building behind us. Your teams can transport them back to HQ. Get them processed and ready for questioning.”

Levi gave him a stern nod and walked off. Taylor hesitated. He started to turn, stopped, and met Sloane’s gaze. “This is bullshit, and you know it.” He thundered off toward his team, ordering them to move in.

Dex appeared beside Sloane. “I think he took it rather well.”

“Yeah” was all Sloane said. As soon as the rest of Destructive Delta returned and climbed into the BearCat, they headed back to HQ. There was something bugging Sloane, he just couldn’t figure out what.

It wasn’t long before Sloane sat in the padded interrogation room across from Reyes. The guy was once again cuffed and chained to the floor, but he was lounging in his chair as if he didn’t give a shit. He was cocky, a borderline sociopath, and fearless. Well, they’d see about the last one. Sloane had every intention of putting the fear in him.

Finished with his assessment of Reyes, Sloane laced his fingers on the table in front of him, his gaze never leaving that of the Human before him. “We believe members of the Order are being murdered by the Coalition and made to look like casualties of war. They’ve got a shit list and guess what? You’re on it.”

Reyes let out a snort. “What can I say? I’m a popular guy.”

“A charmer like you? How can you not be? You seem to be able to get away with anything. Even murder.”

Reyes leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. “I don’t think I like what you’re implying.”

“Let me rephrase that. You got away with murder, and now you have to answer for what you did. There are no corrupt judges to bail you out of this one. The evidence isn’t going to magically disappear. Did you really think it wouldn’t catch up to you? That you wouldn’t have to answer for what you did?” He watched Reyes. The guy was guilty as sin, but he felt no remorse for the crimes he’d committed because in his eyes, they weren’t crimes, they were good deeds. He was answering the call of higher power. Now he was about to answer to a different power.

“You can’t pin that on me. You’ve got nothing.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did you think you were with the HPF? This is the THIRDS. Things work a little differently here. You’re going to tell me where the remaining branches of the Order are located and list the names of every member you know.”

Reyes sneered at him. “And why the hell would I do that?”

“Because if not, I’m going to let you walk out that door.”

Reyes frowned at him. “How’s that make any fucking sense?”

With a grin, Sloane tapped the desk’s surface. Photos of Martin—or what was left of him—from the crime scene, along with those taken of the guy at the morgue, spread out across the screen.

“Jesus.” Reyes swallowed visibly, his eyes darting from image to image.

“Remember your old pal Craig Martin? Of course you do. He was on that shit list too. This is what’s left of him.” Sloane tapped the screen again, and photos of Alberto Cristo joined Martin’s. “And that’s your friend Alberto Cristo. Also on the list. You walk out that door, and you’ll be lucky if all you get is a bullet to the head. It might take them a week, a month, maybe a year. But they’ll hunt you down.”

“But it’s your job to catch these animals!”

“Really, Angel?”

Reyes sat back, fidgeting in his seat. “I mean, it’s your job to stop them, isn’t it?”

“It is. It’s also our job to stop the Order. Then there are all the other crimes going on at this very moment. Come on. You know what it’s like out there. We’re government funded. How many agents do you think we have? We can’t be everywhere at once. What if we’re in the middle of a call when the Coalition tracks you down? Did you know they have members in their Therian form hunting alongside them at all times? You ever faced a jaguar Therian in his Therian form, Angel?”

Reyes shook his head. With a smile, Sloane turned his neck so Reyes could see his mark. The man’s eyes widened.

“Do you know what my bite can do? It can pierce your skull in one motion. I can hunt at night, and you’ll never see me coming. I can climb and swim better than you. My claws can rip your throat out in one swipe. Now, imagine the Coalition. A group of Therians. Let’s say lions, tigers, cougars, and jaguars all looking for you. You think they won’t find you? Would you like to meet a tiger Therian up close?” Before Reyes could answer, Sloane tapped his earpiece. “Cael, could you come in here. And bring Seb with you.”

Seconds later, and the door opened. Cael walked in, and Reyes let out a bark of laughter. “That’s your fierce tiger Therian?”

“Don’t be rude, Angel. This is Agent Maddock. He’s a cheetah Therian. Don’t let his size fool you. His job is to chase you down and trip you up. He can go zero to sixty in three seconds. Once he catches you, he’ll bite down on your throat until Agent Sebastian Hobbs gets there.”

Seb padded into the room, his striped coat shifting and moving against his powerful muscles as he came to sit beside the table, his tail thumping heavily against the carpeted floor.