Page 16

Chief Styles Sawyer

Sawyer was so relaxed after the shot of morphine as he reclined on the low cot while Dr. Richards laid cool cloths across his right pec and shoulder.

His scalp and face felt much better after being cleaned and sprayed with a numbing agent.

“You got lucky, Chief Sawyer. These burns could’ve been far worse if it wasn’t for your uniform.”

The doctor’s touch was gentle and confident, but he still preferred someone else’s.

“Thank god for Oakley. He saved my life…more than once.”

“Sounds like you have hero worship.”

Sawyer opened his eyes and didn’t like what he saw.

Dr. Richards’s smile had darkened, and his eyes glimmered with deception.

Oakley’s suspicion was nudging the back of his mind.

“What kind of doctor are you, Dr. Richards?”

“I’m a medical geneticist.” He winked.

“Why would rainforest conservationists need a geneticist on staff?”

Dr. Richards slid his stool back and snapped off his latex gloves.

“I’m gonna let you get some rest, sailor.”

It didn’t get past him that the doctor wouldn’t answer his question.

“And when are you expecting those field guys to get back?”

“That all depends on the samples they collect.”

“What kind of samples?”

“I’ll come back and check on you soon.”

“Hey…hey, wait.”

The doctor didn’t turn around, and Sawyer was losing the battle to keep his eyes open.

He didn’t know how long he’d been asleep before strong arms gripped his shoulders and shook the shit out of him.

“Sawyer. Get up, get the fuck up.”

Fighting through the narcotic fog, Sawyer tried to open his eyes.

“These guys aren’t fuckin’ scientists. They’re doing some kind of illegal experiments on animals and humans.”

Oakley’s voice was harsh and panicked, but Sawyer couldn’t get his limbs to move. He was pulled upright, and Oakley grabbed his cheeks, turning his head from side to side.

“What are you on? What did they give you?”

“Oakley, calm down. It’s just pain medicine.” Sawyer tried to focus. “What the fuck is wrong with you? What’d you see?”

“They got some big-ass lab in the woods back there.”

“What were you doing back in the forest? I told you to mind your own business.” He frowned. “We’re here for one reason, Oakley. A phone, period .”

“Sawyer, they have a dead man stretched out on a table with his chest open like they’re doing an autopsy.”

“The fuck—”

“And they’re doing shit with animal parts. Jaguars, eagles, caimans, spiders, and other shit.”

Oakley’s eyes were flashing wild and bright.

“I don’t know what we’ve walked up on, but it’s not a goddamn ‘save the rainforest nonprofit.’ It’s an organization called Ravens. And I saw a shit-ton of government documents from the DOD, labeled top secret.”

“Jesus.” Sawyer shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind.

“We gotta let someone know and fast.”

Sawyer struggled to get on his feet. “Come on, let’s—”

“I’m really sorry to hear you say that, Chief Oakley.”

He and Oakley spun to see Hank Madison standing there with his two bodyguard-like men flanking him.

The calm look on his face scared the hell out of him. Sawyer had encountered enough enemies to know when he was staring at danger.

“Your comrade is right. You should’ve minded your own business.”

“We don’t want any part of what you guys are doing out here.” Oakley stood in front of him. “When your field people come back with—”

“It’s too late for that.”

The bodyguards both whipped out pistols from behind their backs.

Sawyer yelled out at the loud pops and the jolts of Oakley’s body as he was shot several times in the center of his chest.

“No, no, no!”

Sawyer dropped to his knees and caught Oakley before his head slammed into the ground.

There were no holes or blood. He stared terrified at the ten-inch darts protruding from Oakley’s chest.

He held him tight in his arms as if he had enough power to protect him.

“What did you put in him?” he growled.

“The same thing we’re about to put in you.”

Oh fuck.

The last thing Sawyer remembered was a sharp sting in the side of his neck before his world faded to black.