here knows what’s going on, and I need to figure out why that is. In the meantime, we need the big guns. Bigger than the ones we’ve got.”
“Guns don’t do shit against Full Bloods.”
“I know. They can take down Half Breeds, though. Just think what could happen if Skinners worked with a big group of soldiers who not only believed us about what’s out there, but had plenty of guns big enough to do that job at their disposal?”
After a pause and a long, beleaguered sigh, Rico grunted, “Inhuman Response Division, huh?”
“Yep.” After rattling off a phone number, she told him, “Ask for Adderson. Tell him I sent you. Find out what you can.”
“Are you sure you’re not setting me up for this because you’re pissed about Toronto?”
“No. You’re just the only one I know who’s got a chance of getting out of there if the IRD turns out to be the bastards responsible for nearly killing Cole. You know all about that kind of thing, remember?”
“Gotchya.” With that, the connection died.
Outside, the howling was getting closer. Whenever there was a lull in the chorus of shredded throats, she could hear the wild barks of Half Breeds using their heightened senses to close the gap between them and their next meal.
“How’s Rico?” Nadya asked.
Paige put the phone back into her pocket and started packing away her kit. “I’ll find out in a while. What about Milosh?”
The Amriany woman had rarely left the side of his cot since administering treatment to him. “Our healing serums seem to be working,” Nadya said, “but he still may be in too much shock to survive on a dirty cot in this basement.”
Quinn walked down the stairs, shifting into a more human form by the time she reached the basement. Placing her hands flat against a wall that was an uneven surface of packed dirt, she said, “We may not be able to stay here much longer.”
“Any sign from Burke?” Paige asked.
Sinking her fingertips into the wall as if that could help her feel any tremors created by an approaching digger, Quinn shook her head. “Nothing yet. He and some of the others gathered farther in town. Maybe we can make it look like we’ve moved our shelter there.”
“So the whole town is overrun?” Paige asked.
“As far as we know. We can’t stay out long enough to get a good look around. Those Full Bloods sniff us out right away and get the Half Breeds to chase after us.”
“That’d be Liam pulling those strings,” Paige said. “He could steer the Half Breeds in Kansas City, so he’s probably doing it here.” Walking over to a collection of rifles and shotguns propped in one corner she asked, “Are these all functional?”
Quinn’s fur was slick with gore that could have come from any number of sources over the last several hours. It bristled as she said, “Haven’t checked them all. We stole them from around town when we first arrived and have been storing them here for an emergency.”
Paige grabbed a shotgun and checked to see how many shells were inside. “In case nobody’s called it yet, this is an emergency. Ammo?”
“There’s some in those boxes.”
Two bankers’ boxes sat next to each other at the foot of Milosh’s cot. When Paige checked them, she found only a few small cases of shells and rifle rounds stored with supplies ranging from flashlights to shoelaces. She helped herself to a dozen shotgun shells. “Can he be moved?” she asked while looking down at Milosh.
Nadya found a hunting rifle and strapped it across her back. “He probably shouldn’t, but I don’t know for sure. Drina was our medic, but she’s dead.”
Even for Paige that seemed harsh. Still, there were only two things that could be done where fallen comrades were concerned. Nadya could mourn them or, if she didn’t take action, she could join them.
“We’re taking him out of here,” Paige said.
Another Mongrel had found her way into the basement without making a sound to announce her presence. She simply appeared as the oil in her fur was shed. “No. I’ll do it,” she said. “You two don’t know where you’re going. As far as we know, there are more Half Breeds than people in this town. We’ve got alternate shelters, but we can’t get there on the surface.”
“She’s right,” Quinn added. “We can tie him to her so he’ll be dragged along for the ride.”
“You’re not one of the tunnel makers,” Nadya said.