Were in the City Ch. 20

Helen's POV

Right after the brief update call from Liam and Jessie

What the hell was going on out there on the West Coast?! It was just over three hours until the first check-in call at 8pm their time ... and they were going to tell her everything at that point ... or else! But she was not going to sit around waiting for hours, there was plenty she could do right now.

Helen picked up a phone, texted VAULT IN 5 to her inner circle - Julie, Lennie and Tina -- then dropped all her electronic devices on the desk and wheeled herself out of the office to the elevator. Punching in a special code, she was able to drop one floor below the obvious basement to a security level that held the vault and a panic room big enough for thirty people.

The other three arrived in just under five minutes. Helen opened the vault with a series of biometric scans and passcodes, the four of them went in and Lennie closed the door behind them. No electronic signal could get in or out of the room, the only thing they had to worry about was recording devices. They patted each other down and scanned for electronic devices before Helen started to talk.

"Any news on finding our leak?"

Julie shook her head, "Not yet. The security team is doing a sweep for monitoring devices every day now. We are watching everyone and everything, listening and reviewing every conversation, monitoring all cell and network activity. Nothing odd yet, but assuming whoever it was is smart they'd know we'd be suspicious after the attack so they'd be silent and acting normal for now. We are reviewing as much historical data as we have, maybe something will turn up."

Helen sighed, "Ok, so what we are going to talk about now next stays with just us four. Include no one else unless you clear it with me first please."

"I had a conversation with Jacob five days ago in which he gave me information about Jessie Taylor that I have not shared with you until now. I only told you they'd been attacked and I know you all assumed that the meeting with Beth Parker did not take place, but it did happen before the attack. Beth was able to identify Jessie's grandmother -- the woman in the picture is Miriam Richard, Silvie's twin sister. Jessie is carrying the Richard alpha mantle."

Julie whispered, "Holy shit!" and the other two murmured variations of the same thing.

Helen nodded, "A few days ago Jessie and I had a conversation about the Richard Pack Trust and its trustee rules. If Jessie can prove who she is, she could take the Trust from the Richards and the Algonquin Alpha. I've been thinking about ways to do this ... it must be done so very carefully and methodically ... but every scenario I think of ends up with our war restarted and lots of wolves including Jessie dead. I can't see a path forward that isn't an awful one, but oh how desperately do I want there to be one that could work!"

Julie exclaimed "To hell with careful and methodical, just go for the throat ... declare who Jessie is to the Alpha Council and surround her with warriors! Let everything come apart and kill anyone who comes for her."

Helen smiled sadly, "I have moments where I have thoughts like that too my friend. I am afraid that my life will end before I get to taste the blood of Mark and Stephen Richard on my tongue ... but I won't choose that way first. And you won't either, even if your wolf wishes it. We have to try to be better than that if we can."

"This may be a useless discussion anyway. I got a call from Liam and Jessie a short time ago. Something has happened which they are going to tell me more about when they call back at 8pm their time tonight, but Jessie said she thinks the Richards already know who she is and that they may try to kidnap her and the twins."

Lennie groaned, "From our leak?"

Helen shook her head, "No, that's the strange part. Jessie said she thinks the Richards have known who she is for years!"

Julie shook her head, "That's not possible. If they knew who she was before now she'd have been killed years ago. Why would they leave any threat to the Trust alive?"

Helen sighed, "Jessie said something else -- that the Richards want to control the Alpha with the mantle. She said control not kill. I suppose if they kidnap her they could threaten her, threaten the twins, make her do something for the Richards but what? All she could do is what we've already talked about -- claim the Trust for herself. To do that she'd have to go public and then any coercion would eventually be found out. How does that help them?

Julie muttered, "They would want to remain trustees, but it could free them from their bond to the Algonquin Alpha. He'd no longer be necessary to retain control of the Trust. If they kept threatening Jessie and the twins maybe they think she'd go along with it all, but it would be very hard to do. She'd fight them forever."

Tina spoke up for the first time, "There's something else she can do ... she can have a child that will inherit the mantle. What if they want the alpha bloodline back in their hands? They could use Jessie to get what they really want - control of the next generation Alpha, a child that is theirs. Any one of the Richard men could become the father of the next Alpha who could claim the Trust and carry the Richard name."

The silence that followed that statement was deafening.

Helen finally spoke, "That makes horrible sense. Jessie is a rogue, claimed by no one. She has few rights at the moment. On pack land, no rights at all. She would be at the mercy of whoever had her and no one would have the right to challenge that."

"How many people know who Jessie is right now? The twins, Beth Parker and perhaps Alpha Jenkins, the four of us. Silence a few people, kidnap Jessie, no one ever knows you have someone with the alpha mantle until you declare it for your child later. If you have enough proof you could pull it off. Shit!"

Julie exclaimed, "How do they silence us? The Richards have got to know we know, we'd just tell the Council who she is and that the Richards are holding her against her will."

"What do we know? What can we prove? Beth Parker is the key, if they take her out we've got nothing. We tell the Council without Beth Parker and the Richards just say we are lying to create trouble. We don't have the support of enough Council members to force any kind of intervention or investigation. No, we'd be on our own if the Richards get their hands on Jessie."

"I don't know what Jenkins and Beth Parker know right now. Jessie said to contact Beth and talk to her. I have to do that right now. Beth has to be protected."

"Julie, I need you to do a full security check on the situation on the West Coast, check everything you can for any anomalies. We need to know if our three are being watched. Add Beth Parker and the Jenkins Pack to that too, whatever you can find out."

"Lennie, we need to know where every Richard family member is right now and what they are doing. Track them carefully from now on."

"Tina, I want you to review our plans for attacking the Richard estate and the Algonquin compound. If we have to go in to either of those places to get Jessie and the twins I want to know that we have all the resources on standby to do it at a moment's notice if we need to."

Tina shook her head, "Helen we can't make the first move on them and you know it. We'd be the ones breaking the truce, we'd never survive the consequences of that. If they are taken we can't save them that way."

Helen groaned, "Fine, then find another way ... think of something ... if you are right and they want a child we would have some time to save Jessie but I don't know about Jacob and Liam."

Tina sighed, "What about the Algonquin Alpha? If the Richards have someone who can take the Trust, then the Algonquin Pack will lose all that land, wealth and influence. He might care ... if he's not already in on it in some way."

Helen nodded, "Work that angle, see what you can find out. Track him, see what he's up to."

The four of them exited the vault and went their separate ways to start working on their tasks. Helen went back to her office and checked her messages. She was surprised to find one from Alpha Jenkins saying it was urgent that she call him back.

She didn't hesitate, and when he answered and started talking Helen knew things were falling apart.

"Beth Parker is missing. Something has happened to her in the last five hours since we got back from our meeting with Jessie and the de Vries twins. Every pack member who can is searching for her now. I can't reach Beth through the pack bond - I didn't feel it break so it's got to have been suppressed with a silver collar."

"How did anyone get onto your territory to get to her?"

"There's an 18 year old boy and an all-terrain vehicle missing too. Bobby transferred to our pack last year when he discovered his mate among my wolves and we've been fostering him until they both turn 18. He did some repair work around the medical clinic while Tony Richard and his Algonquin guardian were here. The boy's originally from a pack in Ontario ... they could have threatened his family, his mate ... I don't know exactly but damn it I missed it!"

Helen noticed Jenkins had used Jessie's real name and knew who the twins were. "William, how much do you know about Jessie?"

Jenkins sighed, "She told us everything Helen. She's the Richard Alpha. Is this why Beth has been taken - because Beth identified Jessie's grandmother?"

"Yes, I think so. And your life could be in danger because you know this. Does anyone else in your pack know who Jessie is?"

"Yes, one other - Beth's great-grandson. He was with us today at our second meeting."

"Then guard him carefully too. I don't know how far the Richards will go but you know as well as I do that they are ruthless so don't take any chances. I have to warn Jessie and the twins now, but I will set my team to looking for Beth. Call me if anything changes please."

Helen hung up and tried to call Liam's phone. It went to voicemail. She left a message to call her back as soon possible. It had been almost an hour since they'd last spoken so they were still driving home, another hour and they'd be home. She should hear from them about 7pm their time if the traffic wasn't bad.

Ninety minutes later Helen was staring at her phone willing it to ring. It was half an hour until their designated check-in time and they should have been home by now. She'd left two more messages. When it rang, it was Jenkins again.

"Helen, there's a local news report about a vehicle fire on the coast highway. There was some kind of accident. The description of the car matches the one Jessie and the twins were driving. Have you talked with them yet?"

Helen felt like she'd been kicked in the chest. She couldn't seem to get a full breath. "No. They should have been home by now. Are there any reports of casualties?"

"Not yet. Is there anything you'd like me to do?"

"Do you have any contacts with the highway patrol or local police? If so, find out what you can about the situation and let me know. Otherwise, look after yourself and your pack. We'll stay in touch."

Hanging up, Helen turned to Julie who had been listening. "I don't think they made it home. Drop everything else and look for Beth, that young boy, Jessie and the twins. The quickest way out is by plane so start there and hope they are all still alive."

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Jessie's POV

The turbulence was the first thing that registered in Jessie's addled brain. That was quickly followed by nausea. She had a terrible headache and everything seemed to be spinning the wrong way. She started retching before she even opened her eyes. It would have been much better if she'd had the use of her hands but they seemed to be tied down by her sides.

She heard someone curse, then say "She's finally waking up ... Jared, you dosed her, so you get to clean up the mess!"

Jessie pushed her body back into the seat, trying to reduce the amount of motion affecting her head. The plane kept bouncing around, she felt cold and sore. She wanted to stretch her legs but they too seemed to be tied down in some way, there was very limited range of motion. Groaning, she jerked against all her restraints in frustration.

"You are not going anywhere so just settle down ... and the cuffs will start burning if you don't sit still. We'll get you some water and medication for the headache if you behave."

She opened her eyes. Luckily the lights were not bright, but she still spent a minute blinking away tears as her eyes adjusted. She looked around -- she was in a private jet with three other passengers, all men, all wolves. She could see it was night though a couple of windows where the blinds were up.

Jacob ... Liam ... can you hear me?

There was no answer to her silent call. She croaked out, "Where are Jacob and Liam?"

A large man sitting a few rows forward and facing her sneered, "Animals travel in the cargo area."

Jessie's other half was furious, and wanted to rip his face off, but she managed ... just barely ... to keep that hidden. She remembered what Liam had told her when they had talked about her surprising lack of reaction to silver. Her restraints had to be embedded with the metal in order to suppress her gryphon and any ability to communicate mind-to-mind with others. She needed to hide who she was as much as possible, so she could not afford to reveal that silver didn't work on her.

One man, clearly younger than the others, walked carefully from the kitchen area towards her with a towel, a bottle of water and some pills. He cleaned her up as best he could, then offered her some water. It tasted delicious. He gestured for her to open her mouth for the pills but the sneering man stopped him, "Jared, if you value your fingers use the leash!"

Jared flushed and nodded, reached down and grabbed what Jessie now discovered was a strap attached to a collar around her neck. He pulled the leash up and back, forcing her to bend her head back. "Open your mouth and I'll drop the pills in". Once he did that, and gave her another drink of water, she looked over at sneering man, who was obviously missing several fingers on both hands, and said "I guess you are not too bright -- looks like it took you a few tries before you figured out the leash trick eh?!"

He growled and half-rose from his seat but the third man started laughing and wacked him on the back. "Carl, give it a rest ... and you did lose your first finger that way so don't get all bent out of shape." The laughing man looked over at Jessie, "If you don't want to be gagged as well I'd watch what you say from now on."

Jessie closed her eyes, hoping the drugs would kick in fast and take her headache down to a manageable level. She dozed for a while, listening to the hum of the engines. Nobody was talking out loud in the cabin but if they were all from the same pack they didn't need to -- they'd be conversing another way. The silence was nice but she wasn't learning anything about them or where they were going."

She opened her eyes and said, "I need to go to the bathroom please."

Carl smiled unpleasantly, "You'll just have to hold it."

"How long will I have to do that for? Are we landing soon?"

Jared spoke up, "Not for at least two more hours."

"Well I won't be able to hold it for that long, and I'm going to keep bugging you about it ... so how about we just figure out a way to get it done, unless you'd like me to have an accident in this chair? Come on guys, what are you afraid of?"

Laughing man sighed, "Fine. But then you shut up or get gagged, only two options." He stood up and approached her seat. Soon she was facing the open bathroom door with her arms restrained behind her and a chain still attached to both ankles.

"You are either going to have to help me or let me have the use of my hands for a few minutes please."

Her wrist cuffs were unclipped and he shoved her forward, "Two minutes, no more. And the door stays open." Jessie rolled her eyes and got on with it. As she washed her hands, careful of the wounds she had on them, she looked at herself in the mirror. She was a mess, blood matted in her hair, bruises and cuts on her face and neck. The collar was a combination of silver metal and fabric, she couldn't see how it was attached but it was probably difficult to remove -- thank heavens it wasn't effective on her.

"Enough, back to your seat. Turn around and put your hands behind you."

Laughing man was standing just inside the doorway when another round of turbulence started. He reached out to steady himself against the sink, just as Jessie did the same, her bare hand landing on the back of his.

Jessie looked into his eyes and quickly whispered, "Where are we going?"

"Quebec. The Richard estate."

"What is your name?"

"Tim Farrow."

She tightened her grip on his hand, "Tim, when I tell you to do something, anything, you will do it."

After a couple more lurches, the plane was flying smoothly again. Letting go of his hand, Jessie turned around and placed her hands behind her. Once back in her seat, she closed her eyes. Her headache was much reduced and she could now focus on Jacob and Liam. If they were trussed up like she was then they wouldn't be able to talk to her but maybe she could get through to them.

I hope you can hear me. If you get a chance at some point to let me know that you can that would be great, but I'm going to keep talking just in case. We are on our way to Quebec, to the Richard estate. About another two hours before we land. I've managed to touch one of the three men with me, programmed him a little bit just in case, but this whole thing is going to be harder than I thought if they keep me tied up. I hope you are both alright. Love you.

Jessie managed to fall asleep and didn't wake up until she felt the wheels of the jet hit the pavement as they landed. She had wondered how they were going to smuggle her out of a public airport but once out of the plane she realized they'd landed at a private airstrip. There was only an SUV and a truck waiting for them, everything else was quiet and dark. Two men opened the plane's cargo compartment after she was shoved into the SUV and she caught a glimpse inside. There were several large cages in there, and she saw them haul Liam out of one of them. She only recognized it was him because of the clothes he was wearing -- his head was covered by a hood and he was chained up much like she was.

Jessie had to talk her other half down once more, telling her that she too was making note of everything and one day there would be a reckoning for what these wolves were doing to her family.

Liam I see you. Are you ok?

There was no answer in her head, and she saw no reaction from him. Silver didn't hamper her abilities but it looked like Liam couldn't send or receive if he was collared.

As she watched, both men wrangling Liam let go of him for a second and Liam didn't hesitate. He crouched and rammed his head into one man's stomach, carrying them both to the ground. Liam got in two more hard body blows with his knees before he was hauled up and dragged to the truck. Jessie and her gryphon cheered silently. Liam was still fighting, would always fight, just as Jacob would ... and she would do the same.

The SUV drove away before Jessie saw Jacob. It was only a short trip to a group of buildings that included a fancy large home. She was dragged in the back door, up some stairs and into a room that was very sparsely furnished -- just a single bed and a table with 2 chairs. Her feet and hands were freed from the restraints but a chain with one end bolted to the wall was attached to one leg. They took her shoes before she was left alone.