We all stared at Thomas in silence after he claimed he was working for Jomica. The kid could tell we didn't quite believe him. He lifted his chin even higher, keeping his eyes on Captain.
"I'm not lying," he said harshly.
Captain stared at him for a moment longer, then shifted in his seat. "That is not a name sane people are throwing around for fun, indeed."
"So now you're calling me a crazy person?" Thomas said, growing even angrier. "I'm telling you. It's Jomica. They recruited my group a year ago!"
"Uh-huh," Captain said slowly. "I'm not saying I don't believe you. I'm just not sure if those people who recruited you were honest with you."
"They...!" Thomas snapped his mouth shut, and his angry eyes had a hint of pain in them again. "I don't think they lied to me," he added in a calmer manner.
"How sure can you be about that?" Captain asked.
"Listen," Thomas said quietly, almost hissing at him when he leaned closer. "They are not rookies. They are not wannabes. They knew their shit, and they knew stuff. They knew Jomica's secrets. They are dangerous."
Captain spent a long time in silence as he studied the young terrorist closely. That angered Thomas even more, but he kept his mouth shut and waited somewhat patiently.
Finally, Captain leaned back.
"I agree," he told Thomas. "I will not jump to any conclusions. We need to investigate this further before we can say if it really is Jomica or not."
"So?" Thomas asked with a frown.
"Whoever this group is, they are skilled," Captain said. "On top of that, if you are correct, and they are in fact Jomica or one of their divisions, this is bigger than what my team can handle alone."
"...So?" Thomas repeated.
"Would you be all right talking to a bigger crowd? I think I need to ask the General herself to be present in this meeting," Captain asked.
The kid hesitated, but finally relaxed a little. "Only if it's her and you and your dogs. I'm not talking to anyone else. Got it?"
"I am fine with that," Captain said.
"But you have to understand. Some of the information I have is urgent. You can't waste time," Thomas said.
"What do you mean by that?"
The kid sighed. "When we were recruited... We were given a specific job."
"Which is...?"
Thomas grew even more reluctant, so I already knew...
"Our job was to kidnap omegas so they could use them to make money," Thomas said gloomily.
I didn't visibly react to his words, but I felt something nasty in my chest. Reid had a much stronger reaction. He glanced at me, but said nothing.
"I see," Captain said, keeping his voice neutral. "Do you know where these omegas are kept, and how many there are?"
"I know exactly where they are. There's maybe twenty or thirty of them."
I could feel us all tensing up at his words. This was getting really big...
"Where are they held?" Captain asked.
"It's an hour drive from here," Thomas said. "I can give you an address, but if they suspect anything, anything at all, they will start killing the omegas. They have a huge building where they are held, and you will never get down to them in time to save them all. There are at least a dozen terrorists present at all times, ready to slaughter them all."
Captain leaned back. "So in order to save them...?"
"You need someone to get inside for you. Someone they trust," Thomas said.
"Someone who already works for them?" Captain asked tentatively.
"Yes."
"And that someone would be you?" Captain asked.
Thomas didn't reply straight away. He didn't seem too interested in being that person, but his anger was growing again.
"Jomica or not, they let my brothers get killed. Fifteen people are gone because of them," he said quietly. "I might be feeling angry enough to be that person."
"Understood. I need that address so we can start monitoring the place," Captain said.
"Just don't get caught. Their rules are very clear. If they suspect you have found their location, they will not hesitate to kill them. And there will be..."
Captain tilted his head.
"...babies," Thomas muttered, regret growing in his eyes.
"Understood," Captain said. "Give me the address. I will reschedule this meeting until I can bring General Gray with me. I doubt it will take long."
"Sure," Thomas said, and Nico gave him a piece of paper and a pen. "This is the place. And this..."
Thomas wrote down another address.
"This is their base," he said, and pushed the paper back to Nico.
"A base?" Captain repeated, taking the paper from his partner.
"Yup. It's a big one. Loads of guns and terrorists and shit," Thomas said.
"Understood," Captain said. "Anything else I should know right now?"
"I guess. It's about Mercer," Thomas said. "We weren't after him. We were told to kill him, yeah, but our top priority was to get that kid he was with. I don't know why, but he's very important to Jomica. Or whoever the fuck we worked for."
I frowned. Could it be...?
I glanced at Reid, who had a deep frown on his face when he glanced at me. We were both thinking about the same. That kid Mercer was with was Ruben Campbell's son. The son of the leader of Jomica.
So... Could it be Thomas was telling the truth, and he really was working for Jomica?
"If that kid is still alive, you better protect him," Thomas added. "They will not stop until they can get him back."
"Understood," Captain said. "Anything else?"
"I... can't think of anything urgent right now," Thomas said.
"All right," Captain said with a nod. "I'll tell the guards to give you a better cell. A private one with nice accommodations. I'll also tell them to give you a notebook and plenty of pens. Write down every little detail you can remember. All of it. Every name, place, conversation."
"Yes, sir," Thomas said.
"And... If you don't mind... I'd like to know who these people were," Captain said, pointing at the pictures on the table. "I'd appreciate it if you could write down their names on the back."
"I'll do my best," he said. "And... Do you think you can find those two who didn't get caught?"
"If you can give me their names and addresses, I can try to search for them," Captain said.
"And what would you do with them if you found them?" Thomas asked.
"I can bring them here, and they would get the same treatment if they cooperate," Captain told him.
Thomas considered it, but then shook his head. "I don't know if they'd want to cooperate... No, never mind. Forget I said anything about them."
"All right. Let me know if you change your mind," Captain said. "We have to go. We will see soon."
"Sure..." Thomas said, and wrapped his arms around himself.
He seemed so lonely... He wanted his mate, but if the guy didn't cooperate, he would get sentenced to prison for a very, very long time. In that case, Thomas would lose him anyway.
"You all right?" Reid asked when we headed to the door.
"I'm good," I told him, hoping he'd leave it at that.
I quickly opened the door and stepped outside so he wouldn't have any time to keep pushing it, but I immediately ran into Captain, who reached for my arm, but didn't grab me.
"You all right?" he asked.
"Not you too... Let's just focus on the freaking Jomica, okay?" I said maybe a little too angrily, and tried to leave the short hallway, but Captain stopped me, and made me turn back around.
"Go," he told Reid and Nico, who stepped outside, leaving me alone with him. He turned back to me and gave me a stern stare. "I don't want to say this, but maybe I shouldn't let you–"
"Do not take this mission from me," I told him, my emotions kicking up a notch. "Do not make me sit on my ass for another month. I came here to fight True Order and Jomica, not watch while you guys do the job I fought so hard to get."
"This mission just got way too personal for you, and you are not all right," Captain said gently.
"And I never will be," I said harshly. "So let me do my job, because then at least I can get justice for myself. Stop trying to throw me aside."
Captain let out a deep breath. "I'm not trying to throw you aside. I just want to take care of you. And I will do everything in my power to help you heal from everything that's been done to you. But in the meantime, I don't want to make things worse. You must understand that."
I stepped closer to him. "Don't take this away from me. You just let me start working. And it would make me feel a lot better if I got some blood on my knives. Especially from those who are handling that baby factory."
He stared at me, and I stared back at him. He then sighed again and let go of me.
"Stubborn little omega..." he muttered.
"You're all just as fucked up as I am, so let me do my job," I told him.
"Fine. For now," he said sternly. "But if this starts eating at your sanity, I'm locking you up in your room, got it?"
"I can handle myself. This isn't my first mission involving a baby factory," I told him, then chose to continue in a softer tone. "I know you just want to take care of me, but this isn't doing me any good. I chose this job. I'm good at my job. I want to do my job, and every time you try to put me aside, it makes me regret I said anything about my past."
He straightened his posture almost sharply, then stopped to stare at me. And finally, he relaxed, and his expression turned apologetic.
"That was not my intention. I am sorry about that. I'm just... You are very important to me already, Riley, and I've seen too much. I'd rather be overly cautious with you and have you be annoyed with me than watch you deteriorate or get hurt... But... I will honor your wish."
I smiled at him. "I will let you know if I can't deal with something, if that helps."
"If you promise me you actually will do that, then yes," he said softly.
"I promise," I said.
But I guess neither of us quite believed me, but I was going to try to be honest with him. And myself.
A few hours later, Reid and I were back at the truck at the hospital and getting ready to get back to work. Ryan and Ethan needed a break, so we were going to take their places in the hospital. Captain and Nico were trying to get a hold on General Gray at the back of the truck while we changed our clothes. I tried to eavesdrop a little, but the two of them weren't really talking much.
Jomica, huh...? That name made my insides turn in a very unpleasant manner. I didn't want to believe it, but Captain did say a month ago that Jomica was still out there, growing larger and more powerful in the shadows.
And the fact that Richard Campbell – Rene – had suddenly resurfaced right before these new groups showed up with their vanishing acts didn't feel like a coincidence.
"So..." Reid mumbled while I was putting my jacket on. "You are all right, right?"
"I'm all right," I said, trying not to get agitated by his question. He'd wanted to ask me that ever since we ended the meeting with Thomas, but he managed to hold it in this long. "I mean it. I'm..."
He took a slow step closer to me and lowered his head to take in my scent while I hesitated. I glanced at him. His worried eyes were only inches away from me.
"I can do my job. I can handle missions involving baby factories," I told him quietly. "I just... I don't want to talk about what happened to me, okay?"
He watched me closely, then nodded a little. "Okay."
I stood still a moment longer, my eyes on his. Then I smiled. "Let's go guard another door, shall we?"
"Yes," he said, and gave me room to walk past him.
It was Mercer's door we got to guard again. A moment later, we stepped into the hallway and headed to Ethan and Ryan, who stood behind the door. They greeted us shortly and gave their spots to us.
"News?" Reid asked quietly, nudging his head at the door.
"Extremely weak. No improvement. Doctors don't seem hopeful anymore," Ethan briefed us in.
"Looks like he's not going to wake up anymore," Ryan added. "The doctor came to give the news a few hours ago. Andrews is becoming hostile, the kid desperate."
"We assume the mafia is on standby," Ethan continued. "If Mercer dies, things will get ugly."
I felt a large, nasty knot inside my stomach. If Mercer died... I didn't even care about the hell the mafia would rise. This city would lose one of its biggest protectors. Terrorists would try their luck here again.
"You got any news?" Ethan asked us.
Reid and I exchanged looks.
"That's not good," Ryan said. "So? What is it?"
"It is possible this attack was arranged by Jomica," Reid muttered.
Ethan and Ryan stared at us, then they both let out short sighs.
"You just had to one-up our news, huh?" Ryan said.
"That's how I roll, brother," Reid said. "Go get some rest before shit hits the fan."
"Yes, sir," Ethan said, and the two of them left.
Once Reid and I were left alone in the hallway, I peered into the room we were guarding. What I saw broke my heart... Mr. Andrews sat next to his leader's bed, his head held down. He was holding his friend's hand between his. He didn't move at all.
But seeing the alpha kid, Rene, made me feel even worse. He was curled up against Mercer's side, his head resting on the older alpha's shoulder. He was crying and holding onto Mercer's hospital gown, like trying to stop the man from leaving him.
I turned away to give them privacy, my heart heavy. I felt so sorry for those two, and for this world. If we lost that man now... I couldn't stand the idea.
My sadness woke up my omega, but it stayed silent while it took in our surroundings. It could feel the devastating misery in the room behind me, but it also noticed things I hadn't.
Sadness... Fear... Everywhere... it noted.
I didn't really pay attention to its thoughts, not until about an hour later, when a doctor and a nurse came to see Mercer. Once they had gotten our permission to enter, the doctor nodded, but didn't step in just yet. He stared at the door, then took in a deep breath, straightened his posture, and finally reached for the handle. The nurse following him had a red hue in her eyes.
They stayed in the room for a few minutes, and when they stepped back out, and the nurse pulled the door closed, they both stopped to gather themselves. The nurse lowered her head, fighting against her emotions, almost failing at it.
"Come on, then..." the doctor told her gently, and touched her arm.
She nodded and looked up with tears in her eyes, then let the doctor lead her away.
Everyone sad... my omega whispered. Why?
Because this safety and peace we'd fought so hard for would die with Michael Mercer.
Not long after that, Captain stepped into the hallway, and stopped when he saw us. I found it a little odd, but then I realized he didn't stop because of us. He stopped because of his old friend, who was slowly dying right behind us. He, too, needed a moment before he could find his strength to make his way to us.
Reid and I stayed silent when he stopped between us to stare through the glass. I could feel his pain, and I understood he shared a long history and a strong bond with the mafia leader. This was his good friend.
"Nothing new?" he asked with no hope in his voice.
"Nothing new," I told him.
He nodded. "Right..."
"Did you get a hold of General Gray?" I asked.
"I did, but I don't really care about that right now," he said. "Nico is dealing with it."
"Understood," I said.
Captain stayed silent as he stared at his old friend, but his expression was changing. I could feel anger mixed in with his sadness.
"You better start waking up, you old bastard," he murmured, that anger now almost suffocating his voice. "Jomica may be back, so you and I still have work to do."
He turned around and left. I watched him go in silence. I couldn't even imagine his pain. The worst part was that he couldn't even stay to watch over his friend because the old threat was once again looming close by. He had to walk away from someone he cared about because he had a state to protect. I hated the idea that he couldn't be here to send his old friend on his final journey. I feared Mercer would draw his final breath while Captain had to do his job. I wished that the mafioso would wait at least until Captain could be there with him. Captain was the kind of man who would want to be there.
Silence fell into the hallway. The minutes passed as I stared at the wall in front of me, waiting... I wasn't even sure what I was waiting for. A miracle? Or that dreadful moment when Michael Mercer was no longer with us? I wished I believed in miracles... I still hoped he would pull through. I didn't even want to know what this world would turn into after Mercer's passing, but there didn't seem to be hope anymore.
Minutes passed while I was deep in those miserable thoughts. I wasn't even alert. If someone had stormed into the hallway with guns ready, I wouldn't have been ready to respond. At least there was someone else in my head keeping an eye on our surroundings.
Something happening... my omega told me, and I immediately looked around.
The hallway was empty, so I glanced over my shoulder to see into the room.
"Reid," I said quietly, and he turned to look into the room as well.
Both Rene and Mr. Andrews were now hovering over Mercer. My stomach dropped as I watched them calling to him. Their expressions were anxious and desperate, so I assumed... I assumed this was already it... That Captain missed his old friend's death by a few fucking minutes...
But Mercer moved. I stopped to stare at him, fearing I'd only imagined it, but no.
He was actually moving...!
"Fuck me..." I breathed out and turned to Reid. "He's waking up."
"He's too stubborn to die," Reid said, looking relieved.
I turned to stare at the mafioso again, holding my breath because I feared we were celebrating too soon, and he was just having a final seizure or something. Suddenly, Mr. Andrews turned his back to the bed and took a few steps away, hiding his face behind his hand. Rene burst out in tears and buried his face against Mercer's chest.
But I smiled.
Mercer had opened his eyes.
I let out the deepest breath while Reid grabbed his radio and called for Captain, who replied in a matter of seconds.
"Gambit? What is it?" he asked, sounding worried.
"Just letting you know that the old bastard heard you," Reid told him.
"...What?" Captain asked quietly.
Reid smiled at the radio, looking happy to get to say the next words.
"Michael Mercer is awake."
[Before the next update, Ream subscribers will get a new bonus chapter in Reid's POV!]