Panthera Spelaea Ch. 61-70

Mitch nodded. "So far. They're dug in pretty well into natural cover."

"I don't know what he pays you guys, but it isn't enough." There were much safer ways to make a living than being stuck in a tree with a nine-hundred-pound Liger roaming free.

"I like the way you think." I went back to scanning the air, going back when I thought I saw a dot. Changing the magnification, I confirmed it. "Helicopter approaching from the east, about five miles," I said over the radio.

"Eyes on it," one of the snipers reported a few moments later. "Commercial AgustaWestland AW109, two pilots. Newer version with skids instead of wheels. I can't see any passengers, but it can carry eight."

The helicopter circled the island a few hundred feet up. It slowed down as it passed over the Liger along the northwest coast, then continued to circle the island until it came in for landing a few hundred feet east of us. "Stay out of sight," Mitch said as it flared out, dust and sand kicking up around it.

The pilot shut down the engines, and the rear door opened up. A man got out, then pulled a person down to the ground next to him. My gut flipped, and my Lion raged as I saw who it was. "MELANIE!" She turned towards me, only to be pulled by the neck towards a rocky outcropping.

"JOHN! DON'T!" Her captor had a rope around her neck attached to the barrel of a sawed-off double-barrel shotgun. Melanie's hands were both cuffed behind her back, and she had bruises and cuts on her face and knees. She'd struggled, unsuccessfully. More rope tied his hand to the stock, and his finger was on the trigger. It was both a way to control and kill her, even if we killed him first. One twitch of his trigger finger and the shotgun would blow her head clean off.

"Quiet," Mitch said. "Hold your fire; we have a hostage."

"That's my little sister," I told him. "How the hell did they know she was coming?"

"I don't know," Mitch said. "I'm calling it in." He pulled out a satellite phone and started dialing.

The man holding Melanie hostage yelled out to us. "JOHN CANTWELL! COME OUT HERE NOW, OR SHE DIES!"

I looked at Mitch, who was talking to Zach back on the yacht. He handed me a pistol and jerked his head towards the door. "Don't do anything stupid," he told me.

"Save her before me," I replied. I put the gun behind my back and covered it with my shirt before walking out the door.

The pilots stayed in their seats, and I didn't see anyone else in the back of the helicopter as I walked towards it. "I'm coming. Don't hurt her; she's got nothing to do with this."

"That's close enough," he said when I was about ten yards away. He had Melanie on her knees in front of him; with his finger on the triggers, there was no way Art's people could take a shot. Even a headshot would kill my sister. "Are you armed?"

"Naturally," I said.

"Toss it into those bushes, then strip off all your clothes. Toss your clothes over there too."

I took out the pistol and tossed it away before I started to remove my clothes. "You know what I am, and you aren't afraid of me?"

"We both know she'll be dead before you can reach me. The only way she survives is if you do EXACTLY what I tell you."

I was standing there in my plaid boxers; he nodded impatiently, so I dropped them and kicked them off to the side. "Now what?"

"Walk back towards the church, but don't go in. Tell the men inside to leave their guns, equipment, and clothing and walk to the helicopter. After my boss has what he wants, they'll be released."

"I'll let them know." I turned towards the church.

"And John?" I looked back. "Bring back the satellite phone. Tell Mitch I expect to see all seven of their naked asses in the seats, and your patrol boat needs to head for the mainland at full speed."

"I'll pass it on." Fuck! How the hell did they know about the three guys in the church, much less the four snipers out in the bush!

Mitch was just as shocked and passed along the information to Zach. "We've got no shot at freeing Melanie," he told his boss. "I don't know how, but they know everything we have done here. They didn't fall for the Liger, and they even know I'm the team lead!" He listed for a while. "Understood." He got on the radio and told the snipers to leave their gear and double-time it back to the church. He then ordered the other two to strip down and follow him to the helicopter. He tossed the satellite phone out to me. "Hit redial to get Zach. Good luck, John. You're on your own."

"Looks that way," I said. I turned back towards Melanie, once again stopped a distance away.

The three security guys walked carefully across the broken ground towards the helicopter, then climbed in and buckled themselves in place. Melanie's captor had me call Zach; he was to bring Anna and Svetlana to the island with the Eagle carcass and no one else but the pilot. The four snipers arrived at the church a few minutes later. They stripped and walked to the helicopter. As soon as they were seated, the pilot started the engines and took off, heading back to the east.

"Now what?"

"We wait," the kidnapper said. "Once your mates are here, my boss and his son will arrive."

"You're not going to kill me first?"

He shook his head. "No, he wants to do that himself. You and your girls killed his son, after all. He wants the pleasure of watching you die before he takes your Lion and your mates."

And that would leave the Eagle for someone else, maybe his oldest son?

I sat on the hard ground, trying to figure a way out of this that wouldn't result in Melanie's death too. I had nothing.

Ch. 69

"Can you at least let her sit down? That can't be comfortable, and we're going to be here for a while." Melanie had her bare knees pressed into the gravel and rock with the shotgun to the back of her neck. "You should relax too. I'd hate to have anything happen because your hand got tired."

Her kidnapper thought for a moment. "Fine, but you stay sitting down," he said. I was ten yards away and sitting bare-ass on a rock, so I wasn't about to jump up and kill him. We both knew it was too dangerous with Melanie held the way she was. He allowed Melanie to shift until she sat on the ground with her back against the rock where he sat. The rope around her neck moved, the barrel now on the left side of her neck.

"Do I know you?" I couldn't shake the thought I'd seen him before.

"You should. My father is coming to kill you, after all."

That was where I'd seen him, next to his father on the helicopter. "That would make you Vasili Abrahmov. You know I had nothing to do with the death of your brother."

"The Eagle killed him to save you. My father wanted your Lion for himself because it is much more powerful than the Eagle. If only Art hadn't been so fucking well prepared to repel boarders! We'd all have the Gift by now."

"What Gift," Melanie asked?

"You'll see soon enough," Vasili replied as he tugged on her neck, making her choke. "No talking. Sit there quietly or be punished."

"She has no idea why she is here, does she."

"I haven't told her anything since we took her from your people outside the airport," he said. "It doesn't matter. She will serve her purpose, as will you."

I thought about this for a moment. "Why Anna and Svetlana? What have they done to justify putting them through the pain of watching me die?"

Vasili snickered as Melanie gasped. "Why? Because we know far more about you now. Todd and his women gave us access to your plans and communications, but that wasn't enough. Only now do we understand the bond between your Lion and his mates."

A cold feeling came over me. "You're going to kill my girls to hurt me?"

"Kill? No. That would be a waste, given how difficult it is for a Switcher to find his mate. We know that your cat bonded to them and that bond will transfer to Mikhail when he takes over. He's been unable to do anything sexually for years now. I'm sure he's going to enjoy making such beautiful young women submit to his will forever. They will bear him many strong children."

My cat surged forward, and I had to shove him back. Now was not the time. "How do you know?"

"Art is far too trusting of his friendships with the other Switchers. They aren't family, not that money can't get blood to turn against him. Jealousy is a far bigger problem for Art. Bringing you all together to witness his wealth and power was a poor idea."

I was wondering what happened. Art wouldn't betray me; he had plenty of opportunities to take my Lion if he wanted. Duncan and Olivia were in just as much danger as I was on the islands, so it wasn't him either. It left only one. "You turned Edward."

Vasili barely nodded. "We didn't have to turn him; he came to us! He drove a much harder bargain than Todd did. Still, you are here, the Eagle is coming, and Art can do nothing to stop it now. Edward gets a new identity, Russian citizenship, and a major share in our company. When Dad and I are immortal, we'll make back that billion dollars in a year."

Edward betrayed the rest of us for a billion dollars? How could you trust these people as far as you could throw them? Well, it wasn't going to be my problem soon. "You're going to pay that weasel a billion dollars for giving up two switchers?"

Vasili smiled. "We've only given him a fifty-million down payment. He only gets the rest when we have the Eagle and Lion shifters, and Edward kills Art." My eyes got wide. "We know Art's company is trying to wipe my father's business out. Is he foolish enough to think we shouldn't fight back? Let's see how well Karpen Investments runs without him."

Damn. With Art out of the way and two Switchers in the Abrahmov family, Duncan would have to make a deal with them to survive. I got quiet, looking out over the ocean as the sun got lower on the horizon. I had to find a way out of this to save those I loved.

My ears picked up the sound of a helicopter; it wasn't the same one the security guys had left in, so it had to be Art's. It landed a few hundred yards away, and the girls got out. Svetlana was carrying the backpack we'd put the Eagle in. Their eyes lit up when they saw me but sank again as they took in the rest of the scene. As soon as they were clear of the blades, the helicopter took off again.

Anna started to run towards me, only for Vasili to yell for her to stop in Russian. She froze, waiting for Svetlana to catch up. Vasili had them sit near me but not close enough for us to touch. "Show me the eagle," he said. Svetlana put on surgical gloves, then unzipped the top of the bag to expose the frozen and feathered carcass stuffed inside. "That's enough. Close it up." Svetlana zipped it closed again and took off the gloves. Vasili pulled out a radio and made the call to his father that he was ready for him.

Mikhail's helicopter arrived ten minutes later, right at sunset. He looked old and weak, moving slowly up the gentle slope to reach us. He embraced his son before turning to me. "We finally meet, Mr. Cantwell."

"We do, Mikhail Abrahmov. I can't say it's a pleasure."

He chuckled. "I suppose not."

I looked at Melanie. "My sister has nothing to do with this. You've won; we're all here and at your mercy. Let her go."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Mikhail replied. "She knows too much, and I don't throw away things of value. I'm sure she'll fetch a good price at the next slave auction, perhaps as the night's entertainment? There are plenty of rich men who would love to use and abuse such a beautiful American girl." He went to cup Melanie's face; she tried to turn away, but the rope didn't allow it. "Vasili and his people can enjoy her while she heals up. I'd take a turn myself, but I'll have two of my own to play with."

Anna promised she'd never give herself to him while Svetlana sat open-mouthed, staring past them at something. I followed her gaze to see what it was. The Liger was moving up the hill towards us, silently moving between the olive trees and rocks. "We have to buy time," I whispered.

Mikhail looked at Anna and laughed. "Your mind rejects me, but it won't last long. The Switcher hormones will soon have you begging me to fuck you, over and over."

"I'd never submit to a wrinkled old bastard like you," she spat.

"That's the wonder of it, isn't it? The Gift will restore my health and youth, and the two of you will willingly submit to me whenever I desire it. You will serve my needs, bear my children, and obey my will."

"I'd sooner die than obey you," Svetlana said.

"You say that now, but how long will that last? How many times will you be beaten into submission, only to have me heal you up to do it again? How many days or weeks before you learn your lessons? Don't kid yourself, my mates. My cat will want you, and eventually, you will want me too."

I looked at Svetlana. "Don't get him riled up," I said. Then I whispered there was a gun in the grass to my right. The Liger was nearly on them, and he focused on the rope around Melanie's neck. The options were rapidly shrinking, and my sister might be the loser. "You forget about something," I said as the Liger got ready to pounce.

"What?"

"We're not alone." The Liger lunged forward, its jaws crunching down on Vasili's upper arm. He screamed as the shotgun went off. I shifted into my Cave Lion, roaring out my outrage as I leaped towards Mikhail. He got a pistol out and started firing, but I ignored the pain. My jaw clamped down on his right shoulder, my teeth punching through his torso and crushing the bones beneath. He dropped the gun as I shook him like a rag doll, then tossed him ten feet down the hill.

Looking to my left, I saw the Liger shaking Vasili's right arm. I turned and grabbed his left arm, pulling it back as he screamed in agony. I dug my claws into the ground as I pulled and shook, treating him like the rope in a tug-of-war battle between two huge cats. I won because the Liger tore his arm loose from his shoulder, leaving me the rest of his body.

I didn't hesitate, letting go of his arm and clamping my jaws over his head. I put my front paws on his chest, hearing his ribs break under the weight, then I started to pull and shake. It only took a few seconds before Vasili's head was rolling across the ground.

I heard gunshots from behind me and spun around to see who it was. Svetlana was standing there with my old pistol in her hands. She fired again and again into Mikhail's chest until he collapsed onto the ground.

The Liger roared, and I turned back to him. He was standing over Melanie's body, and I could see the blood pouring out of her neck. He licked at it, then looked at me. I moved over, and my cat rubbed against his face before the Liger turned and walked off. I shifted as Anna ran up. "Fuck! She's hurt bad!"

Anna rolled her onto her back, then placed her hand over the ruin that was her neck. The shotgun blast had taken out the front of her throat, and she was bleeding everywhere. "It's bad, John," Anna said.

Svetlana came running up to us and saw how bad it was. "She's going to bleed out in seconds," she said.

"Oh, God," I said. "I'm so sorry, Melanie. I love you," I said as I held her hand. She was looking at me, and I could see the life draining from her eyes.

"Here," Svetlana said as she returned with the backpack. "Put her hand in here. It's the only way."

There was a bright flash as I shoved Melanie's hand into the cold feathers, and both Melanie and the carcass were gone. In their place was a new Golden Eagle.

She raised her beak to the sky and let out a screech.

Ch. 70

Mikhail's helicopter was still sitting forty yards away, pointing away from me and not moving. I thought about securing it or capturing the pilot. One radio call might result in Art's team ending up with bullets in the back of their heads, or he might take off and strand us here temporarily.

I had more immediate problems, though. My sister was now an Eagle Switcher, and I had to reach the beast to reach her. The last thing I needed was to be searching Croatia for my sister. "Don't make any sudden moves," I told the girls as I watched the new Golden Eagle look around. "It's all right, Melanie. You're safe now."

The bird flapped its wings and jumped up, taking a perch on the rock that Melanie had been leaning against earlier. It looked at me, and I thought I saw recognition in her eyes. I had to hope the Eagle spirit remembered the three of us from Moscow and the Elements. I tentatively reached my hand towards her; she looked at my hand but didn't move out of the way. My fingers started to stroke the feathers on her chest. "She likes it," Anna said. I moved my hand up to her neck, and Melanie raised her beak to give me better access. The bird watched both girls as they approached. Anna wiped Melanie's blood off her hand onto her shirt before touching her feathers. "So soft."

I was pleased the bird didn't take off like last time; she seemed relaxed and comfortable in our company. It made the next step clear. "Keep talking to her while I talk to Zach. We have to warn him about Edward." The Eagle screeched at the sound of his name. It must have pulled recent memories from Melanie's brain after the switch. No wonder she was comfortable around us now.

"What about Edward?"

"Edward gave us up for a billion-dollar stake in Mikhail's company."

I could see the anger flash in their eyes, soon replaced by determination. "Go. We'll take care of your sister." The two continued whispering and stroking the bird.

Melanie watched me with eagle eyes as I got up and walked to where my clothes lay. I pulled them on quickly, thankful to have shoes on again, then found the satellite phone. Zach's number was on the redial, and I sent the call. "Zach, it's John. Are you alone?"

"Just a minute." I heard him move somewhere, then a door closed. "What's going on?"

"Mikhail and Vasili are dead. They had Melanie. She was in a bad way, but I saved her by using the backpack. She's with the girls now."

"Damn. It's over?"

"Not yet. Edward Smith gave us up. Vasili bragged about how it was worth the billion dollars to get two of us, plus Edward has to take out Art to get the full payment. You need to protect Art and capture Edward without tipping anyone off first. Don't kill him yet; we need to find out if he recruited anyone else on the Elements, or we won't be out of danger."

"SHIT! Ok, I'm on it. What do you need?"

"Art's people are holding your team. We need them back, and we need a cleanup team back here to remove their gear and dispose of the trash. Go, we'll talk later."

"Thanks, John." He hung up, and I shoved the phone into my pocket.

I had work to do, and I didn't want the girls exposed to the danger. I knew they wouldn't like what I was about to say, though. I walked back to where they sat with my sister's Eagle. "Zach's been told about Edward. We need to get back to the Elements, but first, I need to get the guys Mikhail took from here."

Svetlana didn't think it was a good idea. "Do you know where Mikhail sent them? Or how many people are watching them?"

My lack of an answer told her both were 'no.' "I can't exactly ask him now."

"Check his phone," Anna said.

It was worth a try. I went over to Mikhail's body and recovered his phone out of his pant pocket. "We got lucky, Svetlana. It's still intact." Naturally, the phone was locked. And it was in Russian, which I didn't yet read enough of to help.

"We won't get the phone out of him, so we better hope Face ID still works," Svetlana said after I gave it to her.

I yanked his body until it was leaning against a rock. Mikhail's eyes were open, but one of Svetlana's bullets had cut his cheek. Would it work? I had no idea.

Svetlana held the phone up, moving it around to get the face in the camera. It took a few tries, but it finally opened. "YES!" Svetlana opened up the text message application.