––––––––

SILAS MET WITH ASIA, Angus, Hawke, Jacques, and Jasmine in the conference room later that day. Jarcee had taken Faye home and asked if Silas thought it was a good time to explain her mated status. Silas believed it would be best to wait until she was no longer in the military, so her loyalties would not be divided. But left it up to Jarcee. The fact Faye had been sent away the first time for reporting their relationship, swayed Jarcee to wait.

Nelson and Beth were being held in the jail with no contacts. Their vehicle would be broken down and sold for scrap metal. The cops searched their homes for anything incriminating, evidence would be packed and locked away in the compound.

“Nelson has access to Taurus. He’s been supplying women, both human and dual-natured for the men in Taurus’ pack. Anyone not designated as a breeder is passed around to the men for release. Needless to say, they go through a lot of females quickly,” Asia said.

“If we take his place, we can go in and wipe him out,” Angus said. “The Knights can be called in to assist since they’re in the area.”

Silas thought about it. “We’re still under surveillance. There can be no slip-ups. Nelson’s life is forfeit, it’s the only way to keep Jarcee from killing the man himself. Faye’s still enlisted so he can’t do that. I promised him the man would be handled.”

“Agreed,” Hawke said. “We can set something up, exchange a dead body for him, take our body and keep it in the compound until we return.”

“You’re thinking to take him from jail?” Asia asked.

“Yes.”

She shook her head. “Too many cameras. He needs to be escorted off the premises to a clean location and then make the exchange. We make sure there’s another vehicle in place to take our bodies to the compound while Nelson and Beth leave.”

“We take Beth too?” Silas asked.

“Yes or keep her locked away forever. She’s deep into this with him, loves the challenges, the thrill. If she had the contacts, she would keep it going without him,” Asia said. “For someone so young, she’s very dark. I didn’t go into her adolescent memories but it’s possible something traumatic happened to her at a young age.”

“We already accepted the White House dinner,” Jasmine reminded him. The people in this room, Leon, Brix, Tyrone, Tyrese and Danielle his mate, were the only ones who knew of the bracelet and that he trusted to use it.

“True. When is the next shipment of women expected?” Silas asked Asia.

“Middle of the week.”

“That’s the same time we’re in D.C.” If Nelson didn’t show, they could lose this opportunity to clean house. But he couldn’t postpone this dinner either, he planned to make sure Bents didn’t get pardoned and to do that he needed a face to face with the President. He could take Renee, Jackie, and their mates. Jacques could talk to the Joint Chiefs, they were already familiar with him. It might work.

He’d send Hawke, Asia, and Angus to Canada. Two of them would pose as women. Cain would maneuver the Knights close once he gave them the exact location. By sending the small team in first he hoped to minimize innocent casualties.

“We’ll do it,” he said.

“Who are you sending?” Jasmine asked him.

He told her his plans.

“Renee would love it,” Jasmine said. “I think you need more women, though.

“How many did Nelson promise to take this trip?” Silas asked.

“Three,” Asia said. “That was before he went after Faye. Her relationship with Jarcee made her a prize. A prize that cost him his life, but her ability to handle Jarcee made her gold.”

“Does he take Beth with him?”

“Sometimes, but not the last time,” Asia said.

“Okay, we take her body, keep her memories and knowledge, but change into someone else. I’m sending the three of you, but we’re still short one,” Silas said.

“Send Mélange,” Jasmine suggested. “She can meet up with them after they use the bracelet. She won’t ever know.”

“It’ll compromise the team dynamics for her not to know,” Angus said. “In a situation like this we all count on each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It won’t work if we’re not all on the same page.”

“You think it’s better to tell her about the chameleon?” Jasmine asked Angus although she looked at Asia.

“In a mission like this, yes.” Angus looked at the others.

“Mélange and I haven’t always seen eye to eye, but she lived in Canada for a while and knows the area. Plus, if she doesn’t know our skill sets she’ll work at a disadvantage and will definitely not show us any respect. I don’t see how we can use her and not share who we are. She knows of the bracelet, that was how I met her. Plus, she knows either you or one of us will kill her if she betrays you.”

“Mélange had been trying to steal it from a Liege Lord to sell on the market. She goes in as herself, she doesn’t use the bracelet,” Silas said.

Asia smiled. “Who knows what tricks Mélange has to disguise herself? She might surprise you.”

Silas didn’t care and he didn’t particularly like dealing with Mélange either. But the opportunity to walk into Taurus’ camp was too tempting. With the Knights on standby, Silas hoped to clear out the camp and shut down the breeding operation. More importantly, he wanted to learn who was at the head of this pack.