Autumn Rising: The Spirit Shifters, #3

For my three beautiful daughters.

I love you, always.

Chapter One

TWO THINGS OCCURED to Peter Haverly. The first was that, as far as the surveillance data Toby hacked into had shown, Calvin Thorne and his team weren’t aware he was a shifter. The second was that he’d promised to protect Mia, and he intended to do so with his life.

Still in the form of the mountain lion that was his spirit guide, he turned on silent, padded paws and raced away from the seemingly never ending row of military men and their guns. He had no choice but to leave the others standing there—the wolf-shifter cousins, Blake and Chogan, who had both shifted back to men, and now stood naked before the row of soldiers. Rhys, the tiger shifter, and the boy, Toby, who, in the form of a bat, had alighted in a tree above their heads. Peter’s priorities didn’t lie with them, not in that moment. He would help them when he could, but he wouldn’t be able to do anything from inside whatever compound the army intended on creating here.

He ran through the trees, retracing the route they’d just taken. He heard shouts from the soldiers, but they must have assumed there was nowhere for him to go, as shots didn’t follow. Before too long, the square structure and wooden logs of the cabin appeared. With relief, he saw Mia waiting on the porch, her hand at her mouth, anxiously nibbling her nails. He had been worried something might have happened back at the cabin while they’d been gone, that Autumn’s abduction had simply been to lure them away while soldiers swept in and killed more of the shifters.

At the sight of him, she straightened and began to head down the steps toward him, but he shook his head, motioning her not to come any closer. He needed space to be able to shift back, and he didn’t want her anywhere near him while he did so.

Peter stopped about ten feet from the cabin. He needed to return to the form of a man, and he needed to do so quickly. Focusing in on his spirit guide, he mentally thrust the mountain lion away. Instantly, pain clamped down on his body, clasping him in its red hot grasp. He moaned, his body beginning to change, the bones breaking, the muscle tearing. More, more, he willed. He needed to force his shift back to man, faster than he’d ever done before, going through worse pain than he’d ever experienced. His fur melted from his body, his ears flattening and molding into his skull. His nose and jaw retracted, teeth reducing and becoming blunt. His human ears sprang from the side of his head. Paws shrank, the pads separating and narrowing to become fingers, claws shrinking and smoothing to become nails. Bones snapped and cracked, wrenching his body into different positions. His tail collapsed back into his spine, the skin closing over the wound where the appendage would have been.

Though it had only taken maybe a minute at most, the shift had felt like a lifetime to him, both because of the intense pain accompanying it and because of the urgency of the situation, but finally he was a man again. He got to his feet and snatched up his clothes, throwing them on even as he ran toward the cabin and lunged up the couple of steps onto the porch. He grabbed Mia’s hand, still tugging on his boots with his other hand as he did so, and yanked her back down the steps.

Peter, what’s going on? Her dark eyes were wide with fear.

We’re surrounded, but I’m getting you out of here.

But how? And what about the others?

I’ll have to come back for them. You’re the most important to me, and neither you nor I were ever featured on the files Toby hacked into. There’s a chance we can still get out of here. Just play it cool and follow my lead.

But Mia resisted, tugging back on his hand even while he was trying to pull her away. Where’s Autumn?

He didn’t want to tell her, knowing what her reaction would be at the abduction of her friend, but he had no choice. If he starting lying to her now, she would never trust him. The soldiers have taken her.

Her face blanched. What!

Don’t worry about that for the moment. We need to get out ourselves and worry about everyone else later. We can’t help them if we’re all trapped.

Tears began to well in her eyes. But I can’t abandon everyone.

We can’t hesitate, Mia. If you want to stay here, helpless, then keep arguing with me. But if you’d rather be able to help your friend, and be free in the meantime, I suggest you move, now!

She gave him the briefest of nods, though her expression was strained, and allowed him to pull her away from the cabin.

At a brisk walk, he led her through the trees, in the opposite direction to where Calvin Thorne and his men were, back toward where he’d left the car. He thanked God he always carried his government I.D. on him, even if he was currently suspended. With any luck, the soldiers standing guard wouldn’t be high enough in rank to have access to that information.

Within minutes, he spotted the line of dark clothed men, all holding M4 carbine weapons, which were pointed toward them.

Halt or we’ll shoot! a male voice called.

Do you know who you’re speaking to, soldier? Peter called back. Though the events of the last half an hour had left him shaken up, he knew he couldn’t let it show in his voice. The slightest tremble or hesitation would make the soldiers suspicious of him. "My name is Peter Haverly and I’m head of research for Operation Pursuit."

How do we know that? the man called back, but there was doubt in his tone.

I’m reaching into my back pocket for my I.D. He moved slowly, first holding his hands up to show they were empty and then carefully pulling his identification from his pocket.

Stay where you are, the man called again, motioning at him with his gun. Throw the I.D. to me.

Peter gritted his teeth, but did as he was told.

And who is the girl? the soldier asked.

A civilian. She got caught up in this mess. Now let us pass.

I’m sorry, Sir. I need to check this with my superior.

Peter’s jaw tightened. "I am your superior! He forced the words out. I am also unarmed with a pack of were-freaks right behind me! Now, let us pass."

The soldier cowered, ducked his head and stepped back. The men flanking him did the same. Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir.

He pushed Mia forward, between the line of soldiers, so he walked with her in front of him, his hands on her shoulders. He was glad none of them were shifters, or they may have picked up on how fast his heart was racing, firing adrenaline through his veins.

Now back to your positions, he commanded once they were past.

He kept walking, not daring to look back in case he saw one of the men on the radio or caught them watching him, trying to figure out if they’d done the right thing. If they noticed him looking back, it would equal doubt, and doubt would equal something being wrong. Peter had always believed good things walked in the light. If you acted like you were supposed to be somewhere or doing something, then no one would even think to correct you.

As soon as they were out of sight, he caught up Mia’s hand again, and they ran through the trees, heading to the car. Mia’s breath came in short, sharp gasps, partly from exertion, partly from fright. His shifter genetics made it easy for him to run, but he couldn’t deny the fear. The soldiers—people he had considered, in part at least, to be his men—had murdered those shifters without a second thought. The possibility that they would do exactly the same to him and Mia if they realized something was wrong was very real. He was waiting for the crack of a gun to echo behind them, the soft thump of a bullet hitting flesh, of Mia stumbling and falling to the ground. He didn’t care if he got shot himself, but just the idea of seeing her fragile body crumpled and hurt filled him with terror.

They broke through the trees, and Peter saw the dirt track they’d left the car on right up ahead, though there was no sign of his black BMW. He was filled with fear that someone would have stolen the car, or that the military would have thought to impound it already. But would they even have known it was his car? They knew they were looking for Blake and Chogan, and even Toby, using Autumn as the bait to trap them all in one place, but had they known they’d been using his vehicle to travel in? He couldn’t be sure. If they did know, then he was already implicated alongside the shifters, perhaps not as one of them, but as some kind of human sidekick. But perhaps he’d gotten really lucky and they had no idea he was involved at all ...

Yet.

Together, they ran down the dirt track, heading in the direction in which he’d left the car. They’d emerged from the forest farther north than they’d entered. The road curved and they followed the bend. As they rounded the corner, the black shape of his BMW sat, still and silent. It was still there, no one had moved it.

His next thought was that the people after them had left the car here as another trap. If the military was watching, they might have placed a tracker on the vehicle, or, even worse, an explosive device to be rid of their enemies once and for all. But then why would they do that? They’d be confident that they had everyone contained.

He didn’t have the luxury of being picky. They needed to use the car to get away from here. Normally, he’d have shifted and used the disguise and speed of his spirit shifter to escape, but the army was on the lookout for shifters now. His best disguise was that of a normal man. Even so, he didn’t want to take any chances.

Just wait to one side for a moment. Let me get it started.

Mia frowned. What? Why?

Just wait, and stand back.

You think there’s something dangerous about the car? She frowned, her eyes flicking between him and the vehicle. Peter hesitated. Then the penny must have dropped. You think it might have a bomb planted in it?

I’m just being cautious.

She locked a hand in her short, dark hair. Jesus, Peter!

I know, I know. But you need to let me do this, okay?

She opened her mouth as though she planned on arguing with him, but then her shoulders slumped, her lips pressed together, and she stepped back.

Cautiously, Peter approached his car. He reached out and quickly opened the driver’s door. It swung open and he paused, waiting. Nothing happened. Peter slid into the driver’s seat. The familiar scent of leather encased him, but he couldn’t mistake familiarity for safety. His heart hammering, he slid the key—which he thankfully still had on him—into the ignition. He took one deep breath, gritted his teeth, and turned it.

A second passed, the longest second of his existence, and the engine smoothly roared to life. Peter let the breath out, and waited for another few seconds, his whole body tensed for something to happen. When nothing did, he motioned for Mia to join him. She opened the passenger door and quickly jumped in.

No bomb then? she said.

Unless I’m dead and this is my afterlife.

You think I’d feature in your afterlife?

Only as a memory.

Something dropped in her face, disappointment, he thought. He reached out and squeezed her hand. Because I couldn’t stand the idea of you being dead.

She forced the tiniest hint of a smile. It would have to do for now.

Peter put his foot down on the accelerator, and wheels spinning, did a three point turn, and headed back the way they’d come. Back toward Chicago.

As he drove, he snatched side glances at Mia’s delicate features. Her face was pale, her lower lip trembling, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

Hey, it’s okay, he told her, reaching out with one hand to squeeze hers. You’re safe now. I won’t let anything happen to you.

She wiped at her dry eyes with the back of her hand. I’m not upset for me. I’m worried about every one we’ve left behind. Autumn, the hurt shifters, Toby ... She looked to him. What am I going to tell his parents? They trusted me, let me into their home, and I got him involved in all this again. He’s just a kid! She shook her head and stared back down at her lap. This is my fault.

Her sadness and self-blame broke his heart. No, it was my fault. I asked you to introduce me to Toby and his parents. This doesn’t fall on you, Mia.

She shook her head. It doesn’t matter who took who where. It’s me they trusted. It’ll be me they focus their anger on, and I don’t blame them.

Toby’s parents are going to have to stay quiet if they don’t want to end up in the compound with him.

She lifted her eyes back to his. "They’ll want to be there, won’t they?"

Peter had no experience with having a child of his own, and struggled to put himself in the Wests’ position. Would he step into captivity willingly for someone he loved? He snatched another glance at the young woman beside him. Would he offer himself up for her? Yes, he guessed he would.

You’re right, he said, eventually. But we don’t want more people in that place. The more in there, the harder it will be to get them out.

We can hardly sneak in and rescue everyone!

I know that. This is much bigger. The public know about shifters now. Something needs to change with public perception. The military need to be forced to give up control of the shifters, and we can’t do that alone.

And what about Autumn? What are we going to do to find her?

He clenched his jaw. I don’t know that yet. I need time to think.

She nodded and turned her face to stare out of the passenger window, giving him that time. They both fell silent, watching the new world they’d found themselves in pass by as they headed back to Chicago.

Chapter Two

CALVIN THORNE’S HOLD on Autumn’s wrists didn’t loosen for even a second as he pushed her through the trees and bushes, holding her in front of him the whole time. Small shrubs and nettles lashed at her legs. The muscles in her shoulders and arms were beginning to burn again. They’d not had time to recover from her rough treatment from Tala and her sidekick before this new assault began. She knew there was no point in trying to fight. Soldiers had stretched around the perimeter of the cabin as far as she could see, and she could still hear the thick thrum, thrum of the chopper somewhere above their heads, though foliage muffled both the sight and sound of the aircraft.  Two other soldiers sporting some kind of semi-automatic military rifle flanked Thorne. She stood no chance of escape. She just needed to bide her time and hope a moment materialized.

The solitude of the cabin meant it was a good hike to where the military men had been able to park their vehicles. Exhaustion was beginning to take hold, her feet dragging as Thorne pushed her along, her toes catching in tree roots and fallen branches. Yet Thorne didn’t let her fall, but held her upright resolutely, forcing her to keep his speed, though it felt like he was carrying her half of the time. He marched her onward, barely allowing her to slow his pace.

They broke through the trees and stepped into a clearing. Autumn’s heart clenched, her stomach dropping away, leaving her feeling as though she’d suddenly become hollow. She finally realized just how large this operation was. More men stood, talking on handsets. Huge trailers, which she assumed contained electronic monitoring equipment from the number of satellite dishes attached to the roofs of the vehicles, were parked around the clearing. Perhaps Operation Pursuit had been underground before, but she didn’t think it was any more. This military team had done nothing to disguise itself or stay on the low down. Huge metal containers like the type she would have expected to see at a shipping port were positioned on the outskirts. Were they going to be the housing for the shifters, she wondered? The military couldn’t intend for one solitary cabin to be the sole housing in the enclosure. The operation was going to be far bigger than that.

Just how many shifters were out there, she wondered. How many did they think they’d catch?

Behind the trailers were more massive, flatbed trucks. On their beds, tons of folded mesh wiring rose into the sky. On another identical truck, metal poles, ten feet high, were stacked on top of one another and held down by ropes. They were going to build a perimeter to keep the shifters in, she realized. They must have understood that the line of soldiers would be impossible to maintain long term, though she assumed whatever kind of perimeter they built would still be guarded.

The government’s plans here were clear, but what was to become of her?

Her heart went out to Blake and Chogan. Were they really going to hold all the shifters captive in that cabin? The place barely seemed livable. And what about Peter? She’d seen him in his mountain lion form with Blake and Chogan, and was certain it was him. What was he doing here? And if he was here, did that mean Mia was too? She worried about her friend, though there was little she could do to help her if she needed it, not in her position. She was the one who needed the help!

From the direction of the vehicles and equipment, new soldiers approached at a brisk pace, their expression stern.

This is Autumn Anderson, Thorne told them when they were close enough to hear. She needs to be taken to the labs.

Both men saluted. Yes, Sir.

From out of the pocket of one of the army men came a large syringe. The point was covered in a cylinder of plastic for protection, but he clicked it off and dropped the plastic into his pocket. He approached her, the long, thin needle glinting in