Pushing Boundaries Ch. 05

NB: Hi all, I'm really sorry for the delay. As usual, thank you to wildheartedangel for editing this piece.

***

Riley sat quietly on his bed, amidst the Spartan furnishing of the Vanguard quarters. This was where he would be staying now since the previous accommodations were just temporary covers.

There was no 'home' for a Vanguard. He literally slept where he was needed and right now, he needed to be within five miles of his latest target. She might appear eccentric; sleeping amidst the abandoned wolves in the open, marking herself as easy prey but Riley was convinced that looks could be deceiving.

He had never tracked and hunted down a hybrid before so he was going into this next mission with calculated blindness. He would have to watch her before making his move. Her files showed that Keona MacFarlane was a copycat --at least that's what the scientists think --but Riley had a hunch that she had more tricks up her sleeve. Women that cold and controlled never display more than necessary; not just her emotions, but her thoughts, her sexuality and most definitely her abilities.

There was no way he could successfully seduce her. He needed a plan B.

Whatever plan B was, it'd have to wait for his phone was ringing like crazy. Riley saw the number and knew that he should not pick it up but a part of him wanted to still be connected to Marine's life --no matter how sadistic it was.

"Hello..."

He expected shouts and angered curses but instead a feminine voice on the other line said, "Riley is my daughter safely with you?"

He knew he should not answer and should have disconnected the call but instead he lied, "Yes Ma'am. She's sleeping at the moment..."

He heard the gasp on the other line and then it sounded like someone was trying to snatch the phone away from Erika Culzean's hand.

"Ah," he heard her say in a slightly embarrassed tone. "It does seem too late for me to say no to that right now. Well then... will you keep her safe for me? I know she's all grown up now and you're both adults... but she's my only baby."

Riley felt choked. He wanted to apologize, to beg this woman for forgiveness but instead he kept his voice level. "I love your daughter Mrs Culzean and I will bring her home soon. I promise."

A long pause on the other line then, "Thank you. We'll see each other again then."

Riley crushed the mobile phone in his hand until it was a mesh of plastic and metal and threw it violently to one side of the room. There was only one way to uphold that promise of course. He'd have to negotiate with Connor.

But he already knew what the verdict was --Keona in exchange for either Marine or his brother. He'd have to choose.

***

Meanwhile, Marine was slowly regaining consciousness; her head throbbing violently as though she had been knocked about carelessly. Rubbing her eyes, Marine pried them open to find herself in a strange white-washed room.

She may have been wrapped in a blanket but Marine recognized while there were no chains on her feet, she was in some sort of prison. The room had an electronic door and bore no windows. The only ventilation was a square vent big enough for a rat. In other words, there is no escape.

Instead of feeling fear, Marine tried to recall what had led her to this situation. Had she been kidnapped on the way home? Frowning, she closed her eyes and tried to remember.

She was lying on the mat looking up to the sky... and Riley was there wasn't he? They had a drink and then...

"Riley!" she screamed, getting to her feet to pound on the door. Someone must have drugged them both and placed him in another room or something! She continued pounding on the door until a voice made her jump in alarm.

"Miss Culzean, I would suggest for you to remain calm and sit down," said a female voice from a hidden speaker. Marine's eyes flicked to every corner of the room, hoping to find a camera or a speaker that she could rip out. There was no way someone was going to watch her 24/7!

"Where's Riley?" she demanded. "What have you done to him?"

The woman kept quiet for awhile then answered, "He's fine. Don't worry about him."

Marine bit her lips; the adrenaline rush was wearing off and fear was creeping up her neck. "Please don't hurt him... I'll do anything you want," she begged.

***

Hedva who was watching Marine from the screen didn't know what to reply to the girl. How could it be that the first questions she asked were not to enquire about her own safety but for that of another? Hedva was a scientist, not a kidnapper and her sense of sympathy for the girl was ruling over her immediate order to keep her under lockdown.

Marine Culzean was of no scientific significance to her. She was just the bait --not even a lab rat. Hedva felt sorry for the girl.

"Miss Culzean... is there anything that you need? Food, water... more blankets perhaps? I need you to trust me that you and Riley will be safe," she said over the speaker.

Hedva watched as Marine frantically looked around for the camera before giving up to huddle herself in a corner of the room.

"I want to go home..." she sobbed and Hedva knew that if Connor wouldn't release this girl soon, she would. Marine was just a baby...

Turning off the microphone, Hedva picked up her desk receiver and connected her call to Riley's room.

"Eos," he answered at the first ring.

"Come by my office at 0700. I want you to start looking for your target at the first opportunity."

"Yes Doctor."

***

Hedva had given him a screen shot of Marine huddled up in a corner of her holding cell. She said it would come in useful in case Keona refused to believe that Marine was truly kept hostage.

However, from what Riley had seen of Keona; she had a kind heart especially for the weak and helpless. Despite her intense outer shell, she could be manipulated if one knows the right buttons to push. And right now, that button is Marine.

Keona was raised in a pack and from his files; it was a known fact that pack fostered the kind of loyalty and love for kin. Marine may have been born as a Vampire but she spent her younger years playing in the compound; protected and loved as a child of a pack that consisted of the MacFarlane Weres and the Culzean Vampires.

So in other words, she will not hesitate a second to help release Marine. That had been the flaw that the research facility was hoping to act upon. However, Riley had been studying Keona's files for the last twelve hours and her behavior patterns showed that she struggled between the individualistic trait of her Vampire and the communitarian need of her Were. As such, she saw sharing as something forced but was reasonable enough to understand its necessity for the functioning of the pack. That didn't mean she had to like it.

Initially, Riley thought of sending her a package containing the screenshot and specific directional clues to the facility but decided against it. The struggle between her two halves would force her to tell Alex and Marine's parents out of courtesy and that would jeopardize the whole mission. So, Riley was going to deliver the package himself and convince her to act on her own accord.

But first, he needed to look like he had been beaten up pretty badly.

It didn't take him long to get another Vanguard to punch him at specific, non-fatal areas just so he'd look roughened up. It was necessary for the story that he was planning to act out. After making sure his clothes were soiled and muddied, he drove up to the shelter and put on his game face. Keona was going to read his mind and he had to be prepared for it.

As he drove, Riley made sure that he kept thinking of Marine all the time; playing images of her and his feelings for her on rewind inside his mind. The intensity of the memories should convince Keona that he wasn't lying --at least not about that.

About half an hour later, Riley reached the shelter and shielded his scent. If the reports were correct, Keona would have mimicked his ability --even subconsciously --and that would mean he'd have to be really careful to maintain his shield around her.

Limping towards the shelter, Riley banged on the wooden door and made a concerted effort to slump against the side panel to exaggerate his injuries. As expected --it worked.

"Oh my god! You're hurt!" exclaimed Keona the moment she opened the door. "Rina! Clear a table for me!"

"No... no..." Riley croaked. "Need to... hurry..." His chest heaved as though he was about to have an asthma attack.

"I have to see to your wounds first," she insisted. "Who did this to you?" Her voice was firm but gentle; her fingers examining the swelling on his cheekbones.

"Have to... find..." he choked a little before continuing, "Marine..."

That did it.

"Marine? How? Where's Alex? Did you call him? Is she alright?" Keona was starting to panic. "No... wait, I can find her. Did someone hurt her? Where is she?!"

Keona leaned Riley carefully against the door frame and cupped his cheek in desperation. Riley knew that if he didn't stop her, she was going to read his mind so he reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled photograph.

"Help her..." he whispered, passing the screenshot of Marine to Keona. He knew the moment that he saw anger and fear flash in her eyes; Keona MacFarlane was his.

"I'm going to call her parents and Alex," said Keona as she started to stand up.

"No!" he burst out. "No... time..."

"What? I don't understand..."

"One hour to find... her... or she dies..." Riley pulled out a bloodstained note from his breast pocket; hands trembling as he passed it to her.

Keona looked at it and the gold flecks in her green eyes seemed to burn to reflect her state of mind.

"I'm going to get you some water and bandage that hand while you tell me exactly what happened. Is that clear?"

Riley nodded.

When she returned with the glass of water, he took a sip and began recounting what happened.

"The next thing I knew, I was left alone on the picnic mat and she was gone..." he started to sob. "And I couldn't drive much further because my head hurts... and I remembered your shelter. You have to help me..."

"You were dating my cousin?" asked Keona, sounding slightly surprised. "For how long?"

"Maybe a few weeks..." he groaned as she applied a stinging cream on his arm. "Alex was very possessive of her... took me so long to get him to let her go out with me."

Something in her expression made Riley put his guard up. There was a look of utter destruction and fury that he could only describe as jealousy --except that she looked like she was about to kill someone.

Bingo! This was another button to push.

"Oww..." he winced as Keona tightened his bandage a little less gently than she did before. It was obvious that she was annoyed.

"Can you get up? I'll drive," she said before peeking inside the shelter for Rina. "Hey Rina, I'll be out a while. If anyone... comes looking for me, tell him to go to hell."

Riley heard Rina chuckle. He would have done the same too except that he didn't want to die in the hands of a jealousy-stricken woman. As they say, hell has no fury like a woman scorned.

Although... a furious woman behind the wheel was perhaps a ticket to hell too. Keona was driving beyond the speed limit; muttering curse words that sounded foreign --probably gaelic --and swerving the car like a she was a formula-one driver.

"Uh... I think we should slow down..."

"Just give me the damn coordinates," she snapped. Then turning to look at him, she peered at his eyes. "Do you love her? Do you love Marine?"

Riley didn't blink and held her gaze as he answered, "Yes... and I will do anything to get her out safely."

The car came to an abrupt stop.

Riley was thankful that he had his seatbelt on. Looking around him nervously, he asked,"Is... is this it?"

In lieu of an answer, Keona shifted the gear to neutral and pulled up the hand brake. "I can smell her," she muttered under her breath but Riley heard her. If she could scent Marine who was locked deep underground, it only meant that her abilities were much stronger than his for he could smell nothing. It made him glad that his shields were up and in excellent working condition.

"I want you to stay here."

"No! I want to follow you," he said stubbornly.

"No! You'll only slow me down!"

"I have to..."

Keona stared at him --he was sure that she was reading his mind now -- and she finally relented.

"I suppose she'll feel safer with you. But stay close behind me at all times do you understand? If you get in my way I will kick you."

"Yes..." he stammered and followed her out.

***

Keona was confident that she could have handled things alone but the human was insistent that he wanted to follow. Was this what it felt like to love someone so deeply you'd risk your own life for them?

Not that she loved Alex --that bastard. She was going to kill him the next time she sees him. What claim does he have on Marine? He's not her parent and she's not even a Were for him to extend his pack behavior to. He certainly did not extend any sense of possessiveness over her and he certainly had no right to be possessive over someone else when he claimed that there was nothing between them. How dare he! He had called her his mate but never once in five years had he made the effort to call or visit or anything!

So yes --the next time she sees Alex, Keona was going to grind his bones to dust.

"Argh!"

"Umm... is everything alright?" asked Riley. Keona turned to flash him a weak smile. She really didn't want to frighten the human. He really cared for her cousin and Marine deserved someone nice like him... not that obnoxious, lying brat!

"Focus..." she warned herself. Anger was an emotion --a distraction --and if she was going to find Marine and get the three of them out safely, she needed to keep her cool. How could she have forgotten that?

Oh yes, that's right --Alex, the bane of her existence.

"I think that is the entrance..."whispered Riley, pointing to a hidden panel behind some foliage.

"Yes... but we can't enter from there. I need to find the ventilation hatch. They won't have cameras there."

"Oh... good thinking."

"Yeah, keep up."

Keona heard Riley stumble a little behind her as they waded through the dense foliage and uneven ground. If she were alone, Keona would have shifted into a smaller four legged animal to help her maneuver in a more stable manner but she had a feeling that he doesn't even know that he's been dating a Vampire.

Keona pondered on that last point. Whoever kidnapped Marine must be doing so for a specific reason. Now that she wasn't so angry at Alex she could at least clear her mind to think of a better explanation.

It wasn't just Marine's scent beneath the ground. Keona was sure that there were at least a dozen other Vampires walking about within enclosed metallic walls...

Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to bring a human into a Vampire's lair --or whatever you want to call it --down below. It was like bringing fresh meat...

"Oh god! That's what you are!" she exclaimed. "Listen to me. You have to stay in the car you understand? Do you... have a gun or something?" she asked, even though she knew the bullets would be useless against Vampires. However, it would cripple them long enough to give the human a chance to escape.

"I... I... yes, I do. But... why can't I be with you?" he demanded. Keona gave him a sympathetic look then placed both her hands lightly on his shoulders.

"I'm really sorry that I have to do this," she whispered just seconds before she forced the suggestion into his mind --an ability she learned from her mother. "Stay in the car and keep the gun with you at all times. If anybody and I mean anybody approaches you apart from me and Marine, I want you to shoot them and then drive away. Do you understand?"

Riley's head moved reluctantly but he was obeying the suggestion. Keona waited until he was at least ten feet away from her before continuing her search for the hatch. There has to be one somewhere.

Ignoring the sharp stones cutting into her sandals, Keona continued to search; perking both her Were and Vampire instincts to pick up the ventilated scents.

Finally! She found it!

***

Riley had been sitting in the car for more than ten minutes when his phone started to vibrate; shattering him out from his dazed situation. As he blinked back to reality, Riley frowned in confusion as to how and why he got into the car.

Another vibration cut him from his thoughts and he picked it up.

"Where are you Major?"

"I'm directly above the capture point... but she did something to me and now I've lost her. She... made me do something against my will."

"Yes, we assumed she would have that ability but that does not merit in your favor Eos. Where is she now?"

Riley paused, thinking of his last conversation with Keona. "I... I think she's looking for the ventilation hatch."

"There's no way she can get into it. It's not big enough for a human."

"I'll find her."

"Get to it. That's an order."

"Yes, Sir."

***

Keona had found out that while she could not shift into her own wolf, she had the ability to take on a copy of other wolves and animals alike. However, she didn't like it. It was like putting on someone else's mask; someone else's skin and looks. She will never have that intimate relationship with the inner beasts that Werewolves pride themselves with and it made her sad.

With that said, she still had to recall the DNA of the animal she wanted to shift into. Apparently, when she learned to copy Alaron's ability to heal, she managed to tweak it further to actually 'see' to the level of each cell's nucleus. It made for faster healing because she could manipulate the cell to begin dividing at a much faster rate to stitch back wounds and cuts. It was why working with injured animals became her calling.

The real animals in the wild knew only base emotions and instincts. They did not treat her like a second class pack mate or call her a half-breed and if they hated her, they'd bite; instead of passing snide remarks and isolating her.

So, she had always been alone and kept to herself --like now. She could still call for Alex or for her uncle and aunt but she won't. She could do this.

Unbuttoning her shirt, she took it off and folded it neatly; hiding it together with her jeans and boots. That was another thing she learnt. Werewolves often ripped their clothes when they shift because the mind does not see the material as part of the body. But when you can 'see' how every fiber crisscross over your skin, you'll be able to shift --at least with minimal clothing.

"Okay, here we go," she murmured under her breath as the familiar tingle of bones melting away and skin stretching and contracting took over. When she blinked her eyes open, all she saw were indistinguishable colored images of the world around her.

The hatch may be too small for a human but it was big enough for a cat. Keona had considered shifting into a wolf or a dog but knew that their heavy padded feet would alert the Vampires down below much easier than the soft and light movements of a feline.

The downside? Canines had better sense of smell but Keona was sure she'd find Marine in no time. Her cousin was scared and she was radiating waves of energy literally everywhere; calling for someone to help her.

Moving as quietly as she could, Keona tried to search for an exit. The ventilation spaces forked at various places but she needed to exit the one closest to Marine... then she'd have to think of a plan to bust them both out. There was no way Marine could fit into the hatch.

Found you.

Keona could vaguely see through the filters of the ventilator in the room where Marine was kept.