the suicide bomber,” she said, her voice pitched low to keep from echoing through the long, empty space.
“I wasn’t,” Ward muttered, his attention locked on the darkness in front of them as he moved forward at a swift pace. “I only used the distraction to enter the Wildlands.”
Easy enough to claim. “Then what was the purpose of the bomber?”
Ward paused, his body tensed as he abruptly turned to lead them into a side corridor. “He was trying to destroy the computers you stole.”
Cammy frowned. Over the past few months they’d managed to track down a handful of Benson Enterprise labs. Xavier always insisted the Hunters bring back any intel that might help to discover more about the enemy before the Pantera torched the buildings. But none of the computers they’d confiscated had seemed worth such an extreme response.
“Why?” she demanded.
The male said nothing as they hurried down the hallway. At last Karen reached out blindly, brushing her hand over her son’s back.
“Ward, we need to know,” she murmured in a soft voice.
“There’s private research that they didn’t want falling into your hands,” he at last muttered, the words sounding as if they were being forced past his stiff lips.
Clearly his loyalty was being divided between his employers and the woman who’d given him life.
“What sort of research?” Cammy pressed.
He shook his head, his shoulders hunched. “I can’t.”
Again Karen reached out to touch Ward’s back. “Please. It’s important that the Pantera know how to protect themselves.”
There was a long silence before Ward at last heaved a loud sigh. “Dammit.” His steps slowed as he glanced over his shoulder. “Christopher is creating a virus.”
Cammy blinked in confusion. “A computer virus?”
“No. A biological virus.”
Stunned, Cammy struggled not to trip over her feet. She was a Hunter, not a Healer, but she knew enough to feel a tight knot of dread settle in the pit of her stomach.
Obviously sharing her concern, Ice moved until he was at her side, filling the narrow hallway with the prickling heat of his power.
“Why?” Ice growled.
Ward was forced to halt as he reached a steel door that blocked the hallway. Reaching out, he pressed his hand against a glass panel set in the wall. “Christian realized after the Pantera discovered his connection to Benson Enterprises that he’s been put in a vulnerable position,” he said, his voice stripped of emotion. “He demanded that his scientists come up with a fail-safe in case things go south.”
Cammy could feel the tension that clenched Ice’s body.
“What’s the fail-safe?” she demanded.
“A lethal disease that’s mutated to kill the Pantera,” Ward muttered.
Dear Goddess. He was talking about a custom-designed pandemic meant to wipe out her entire species.
What sort of monster would even contemplate such a horrendous crime?
Sickness rolled through her, and Cammy instinctively reached to touch Ice’s arm. The last thing she wanted was to interfere in his ability to fight, but she desperately needed the comfort of his warm, strong presence.
“Has he already created the virus?” Ice rasped.
“I don’t know for sure, but the files were on the computer that was stolen from the lab in Bossier City,” Ward explained. “Christopher is desperate to make sure the Pantera don’t have access to the research.”
The door slid open and Ward led them into what looked like a small storage room. The male stepped into the cramped space, waiting for the rest of them to squeeze inside before he turned to close the door. At the same time the deafening sound of gunshots splintered the air.
Hissing in pain, Ward dropped to his knees, his hand pressed to his chest. Karen cried out, rushing forward before Cammy could stop her.
Crouching down, she wrapped an arm around Ward’s shoulders as she tried to see through the darkness. “Have you been hit?”
“I’m fine,” Ward hissed through gritted teeth. “Get back.”
Cammy leaped forward at the same time as Ice, but before they could reach Karen there was another barrage of gunfire that sent them diving for the floor. Cammy crawled forward, her heart missing a beat as Karen fell to the side, a bloody gouge marring her right temple.
Shit.
With the last of his strength, Ward reached out to slam shut the door, bringing a temporary end to the flying bullets. Then, with a groan, he leaned against the wall, his shirt covered with blood.
“There’s a tunnel behind the shelves. It leads beneath the fence,” he said, his voice husky with pain. “I’ll keep them from following as long as I can.”
Ice rose to his feet. “The virus—”
“I truly