“Merinus?” The line was answered quickly by a very irate brother.
“She’s sleeping.” Callan wanted this first conversation just between the two of them. “Where is Sherra?”
“Right here,” Kane answered. “Tell us where to meet you, Callan. The shit is getting deep now, we have to get you to D.C. fast.”
“Let me talk to Sherra first. Then I’ll talk with you.” Callan would know by her voice if the man was to be trusted.
There was a pause, the sound of a low feminine voice.
“Callan,” she spoke quietly. “Kane isn’t lying to you. We have major problems here.”
Callan breathed roughly, both in relief and in aggravation. At least she was safe.
“Where’s Dayan?” Callan asked her coldly.
There was silence.
“Sherra?” he asked her carefully.
“He’s disappeared, Callan. Taber and Tanner are tracking him, but he’s staying just out of reach.”
“What happened?” Something had, Callan knew, or the others wouldn’t be after him.
“He attacked Dawn.”
Callan was silent, feeling rage work through him, over him. After the horrors Sherra and Dawn had both faced, he had dared to hurt her.
“How bad is she?” he asked her carefully, fighting his fury.
“Bad enough. But she’ll live through it,” Sherra sighed. “We have her in the safe house with Doc now. He’ll take care of her. Taber and Tanner will take care of Dayan. We have to get you and Merinus to New York. Kane’s setup is as secure as it gets, Callan. He has all the evidence in place, all we have to do is get you to the Senate meetings this week on genetic engineering in D.C.”
Callan grimaced. He would have to stand before the world and claim he wasn’t quite human, not quite animal. Sickness burned in his stomach. The only thing worse would be what would happen to Merinus if they got hold of her.
“Are you at the location I gave you?” he asked her, referring to his coded directions in the email he sent.
“I’m here, as are Merinus’ brothers and her father. Tell us what to do, Callan.”
“Put Kane on.”
“How do you want to do this, Lyons?” Kane’s voice was set and determined.
“There’s an airfield about four miles from you. A small one. Very private and deserted. Have a private plane there at noon tomorrow. Merinus and I will meet with you where you are now, and go to the airport together. When we get there, your pilot will vacate the craft and I’ll fly us to an undisclosed location outside D.C. If I can still trust you that far, then we’ll go ahead with your plans.”
“Trusting bastard, aren’t you?” Kane bit out.
“Kane, if the Council gets your sister, they will destroy her, painfully. There will be nothing left of her, alive or dead when they are finished. I refuse to take a chance on that. And don’t think the Council isn’t watching you, too. They know about Merinus and they know who she is, and if Dayan has betrayed us, the plans your family has made as well. There’s no safety for us, or for you and your family until this is finished.”
“I know what the Council is, Callan, and I have my own safeguards in place,” Kane assured him. “My sister is everything to myself and the rest of her family. You can count on that.”
“As long as I can. Remember, noon tomorrow.” Callan disconnected, then flipped the phone to the desk.
He breathed in roughly. Terrified to trust even someone Sherra was backing. He trusted no one but himself and Merinus now. Especially now when the danger was so much closer. He rose to his feet and paced the room slowly. The motel Kane and Sherra were staying in was one of the best and he knew she would have taken precautions in checking in and disguising herself. They would be aware that the Council had been watching them, their soldiers trying to track them. That was no guarantee they had taken enough measures, though. There was no foolproof answer. His muscles bunched with the tension that knowledge sent through him. The roads between here and D.C weren’t any safer. There would be hidden Council operatives all along the line, if there weren’t already. Son of a bitch. He snarled with anger. He could have escaped on his own, but not with Merinus—
“Callan?” She stood in the doorway, dressed in his shirt again, concern etched across her face. He breathed out roughly, turning to her, opening his arms for her. She came to him as naturally as breathing. Her arms going around his waist as he held her close to his bare chest.
“How do I protect you, Merinus?” he whispered roughly against her hair. “I’m terrified of losing you. Terrified I can’t get you to D.C. safely.”
“How would you do it if I weren’t with you?” she asked him, raising her head to meet his gaze. “I can keep up, Callan. I’m not weak and I’ll try like hell not to slow you down. Do what you would do if you had only yourself to deal with while getting there.”