Lynx Northern Shifters 3

care.”
It took three rings to rouse the man and Leonard, presumably, said, “Hello?”
“I’m Trey Walters, Horton’s colleague. I need you to come in immediately. I’ll pick you up. Give me your address.”
“Uh…okay.” Leonard-who-does-as-he’s-told obligingly gave his address, and Trey handed the phone back to the guard who stood in front of him.
“He’s not stupid, just obedient. Few people have that number of his. He’ll have assumed Horton gave it to you.”
“Fine.” This guard would simply have to deal with his own guilt later on. “If you’ve lied to me or led me astray, I’ll let you know.” Trey waited, in case the guard had something else to confess, but he just stared stonily back at Trey, anger banking there at having to hand Leonard over to him. “Horton was a complete asshole and deserves to be dead.”
The man didn’t disagree, but he didn’t answer either.
“Let’s hope we don’t meet again,” said Trey. “Give me the keys to your car.”
The guard fished them out of his pocket and silently handed them over.
“Thank you.” With that, Trey took off, driving ten minutes to pick up a not-terribly-awake Leonard and then, following Leonard’s directions, another hour down a back road towards, apparently, Jonah. Trey avoided heavy-handed tactics with Leonard, instead implying that they were checking in on Horton who wasn’t answering his phone. Leonard even checked on his own phone. It helped that Trey had impressive ID to flash and Horton had mentioned Trey to Leonard.
By the time they reached the field with the bunker—a fucking bunker for Christ’s sake—Trey’s wolf was straining within him. A sure sign that his emotions were out of control and the wolf wanted to take over, take care of the situation.
The wolf also wanted to rescue the lynx.
Trey turned off the ignition and turned to stare at Leonard who cleared his throat before saying, “Horton has told me this man might be dangerous. So I’ve always been careful.”
“All right. Makes sense,” he added leadingly, because he understood Leonard wanted to tell him something else.
“But he’s never appeared dangerous,” Leonard admitted, “only sickly. So I’m surprised.”
Trey undid his seat belt and stepped out. “Let’s see what’s happened.”
Leonard nodded, obviously steeling his nerve before he too exited the vehicle. Careful , Trey warned himself, don’t spook Leonard at the last moment. Because it was Leonard’s retinal scan that would give access to this bunker. Hidden away in a field, looking like a place out of World War II, Jonah was apparently stowed away in something that required the latest tech in order to gain entry.
Leonard made it most of the way to the first gate before he stopped, paused.
“Let’s do it,” said Trey, keeping all the impatience out of his voice, forcing a calm he didn’t feel into his expression and his body stance. Leonard was convinced, and stepped up to the scanner. He waited ten seconds, keyed in the combination, and the lock clicked open.
They crossed into the bunker, shut the steel door behind them and Trey smelled blood, urine and…beneath those awful smells was lynx. Jonah. And he couldn’t feel relief at having found Jonah, because the conditions were so godawful.
The cat snarled, loud enough for Leonard to hear. He looked to Trey, eyes going wide, and fear flowed off him. “What the fuck was that?”
“How do you open this second door?” Trey asked, voice steady. It was a door made of bars and the idea of Jonah behind them enraged him.
“Combination again,” said Leonard, his voice shaky. “What the hell is happening?”
“Give it to me. The combination.”
Leonard repeated five numbers and Trey punched them in, pushed a little to see the door give way and sit ajar. He kept a hand on that door and turned to his companion. “Leonard, go out and leave that steel door open. Get into the jeep and lock all the doors. Drive out of here and don’t look back.”
A soft hiss, barely audible, reached Trey’s ears, and he didn’t want Leonard to hear the lynx again, didn’t want Leonard to see Jonah.
“Now,” snapped Trey.
“But.” Evidently Leonard was conflicted, and Trey wished he had psychic powers and could force Leonard to disappear from here, to forget everything that had happened today.
“This is my job, Leonard, to take care of this situation. It’s your job to leave, to forget. You understand.”
Leonard should. Horton often hinted