Ria watched the doctor's expression. She watched the maddening fear glitter bright and hot in Ely's eyes.
"I'm petitioning the Ruling Cabinet when they convene," she told Mercury then. "You deserve to know that, Mercury. You have to see these tests through. It's the only way to save us all. As a member of that cabinet, it's my place to tell you you are no longer permitted off the boundaries of Sanctuary."
Ria froze. She reached out slowly, her hand gripping Mercury's arm as danger seemed to sizzle around him.
"Council-trained, weren't you, Ely?" he sneered. "Have you noticed how easily you fall back on Council tactics when you don't get your way?"
Ely paled.
"And according to Breed Law, you cannot order me confined anywhere without due cause."
"Initial tests show due cause." Ely's voice trembled as tears filled her eyes. "I didn't want to do this, Mercury."
Ria tightened her grip on Mercury's wrist. The tension filling him now was incredible, the anger and fury building inside his muscles.
"Initial tests are not enough, Ely."
They swung around to face Callan, Kane and Jonas where they stood at the end of the hallway.
In her peripheral vision Ria watched Ely's face. It tightened into a mask of pained betrayal as she faced her pride leader.
"Respectfully, Pride Leader Lyons, you can't make that determination."
"No," Jonas answered for him. "Breed Law has made that determination. As a member of the Ruling Cabinet, Ely, it's your place to uphold due process,' not to accuse or attempt to confine one of our own. Until Mercury shows the inability to control his anger or otherwise destructive behavior, then he cannot and will not be held against his will, nor will he be ordered to undergo any testing until he's deemed a danger to Breeds or humans. The Ruling Cabinet will be convening, Ely, and a protest against your abuse of your position will be lodged instead."
"You and your rules," Ely sneered. "We both know, don't we, Jonas, exactly what you think of Breed Law. You use it to suit your own means and purposes. How will the Ruling Cabinet feel to learn how far you'll go to manipulate us all to get your way?"
Jonas smiled at that. "Ely, sweetheart," he said gently. "Do you think you know anything that could harm me or my job? If you do, you're welcome to list it in your petition of complaints."
His voice was smooth. There was no warning, no sense of worry or nerves. It was like watching Dane work. Of course, Jonas had enough secrets to sink Sanctuary, the Breeds and himself. But like his brother, he would never give one person enough information to do more than irritate him if it were ever revealed.
"You think so little of me?" Ely was staring back at him, hurt. The conflicting emotions surging through her were reflected in her expression, and in her scent, Ria assumed.
The Breeds were all tense, watching her closely, the smallest hint of confusion in their eyes.
"I think something's wrong, Ely," Jonas finally said gently. "I believe perhaps we've allowed you to be under too much stress, or you've overstressed yourself. I think you need to rest, and think about the steps you're taking. How many Breeds will ever trust you should the knowledge of what you're attempting to do become known?"
"You think you're so damned smart." Her hands slid from the pockets of her lab coat, the fingers clenched in fury as a flush rose to her cheekbones. "You're risking everything. Not just Sanctuary and the Breeds, but Mercury himself, and you know it."
"Enough, Ely." Callan's voice was as sharp, as demanding, as the lash of a whip, causing the doctor to flinch in response. "Return to your office or to your quarters. That's an order."
"Pride Leader"
"That's an order, Ely!" His voice never rose, but something in it, some primal growl, had the doctor jerking in reaction.
Ely shuddered then turned on her heel and stalked past them, moving through the hall and away from them as something rumbled in Mercury's throat.
He turned back to Callan. "There's something wrong here," he finally admitted. "That's not the Ely I know."
Jonas shook his head, watching the doorway the doctor had slipped through. "It's not the Ely I know either, but just as with you, until we can deem her a hazard, we can't force her into testing."
"Why try to force her?" Ria asked. "Do to her as she did to Mercury. Trick her."
"We would first need a scientist with the ability to run the tests."
Ria crossed her arms over her br**sts. "You kidnapped a Council scientist just last month, didn't you? Jeffery Amburg? He was never released from your custody despite repeated attempts by several governments to learn what happened to him."
Jonas's brow lifted. "We released him. We have proof of it. What happened to him after he left Sanctuary isn't our concern."