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In front of them lay Hannah, fast asleep.
Hudson rushed in and laid a hand gently over her mouth. The little girl’s eyes popped open, and she recognized him in the dim light. Hudson made a zip-it gesture across his mouth. Hannah nodded. He gently removed his hand and saw her smiling face.
Hannah silently mouthedat him. “You came!”
His insides leapt with joy at seeing her safe. He scooped her up and headed for the door where Logan had stayed on guard.
Hannah looked up at Hudson and whispered. “Where’s Nora?”
A whisper came from the ceiling. “I’m still here.”
All three looked up, and everyone smiled.
Logan slid the vent’s closure clasp to the side, sending the grate swinging open. Nora, with Logan’s help, climbed out of the shaft. She quickly went to Hannah and hugged and kissed the little girl.
Suddenly, alarms blared. There were footsteps and sirens, and a light started flashing in the hallway.
Apparently, somebody noticed something. The time for being quiet was long gone. The time to rampage had returned.
Hudson handed his daughter to the only person he trusted to take care of her. “Nora, keep Hannah inside this room. Don’t come out until one of us gets you.”
“You go fight,” she said. “I’ve got Hannah. Don’t worry about us.”
Hudson couldn’t have been more in love with Nora than he was at that moment if he tried. There was no more use in denying it or trying to pretend it didn’t matter. He needed her more than he needed air to breathe. He gave her and Hannah a gentle bear hug and then left the room.
Without another word, Hudson and Logan shifted into their bear forms and raced into the hall. Instantly, two men in lab coats faced them, coming to a skidding stop. Logan jumped on the one. Hudson, the other. And with two neck bites, the men were done.
Over the intercom system, a cold and apathetic male voice spoke.
“Facility is in lockdown. Unauthorized entry. You cannot escape. Surrender, and you won’t be harmed.”
Hudson raised his head and pointed his bloodied muzzle to wherever the speaker and camera were and let out a terrific roar.You keep us here, and you won’t like your end. Your two doctors who were dumb enough to charge us are already dead.
The disembodied voice continued.
“We have initiated the gas attack phase. If you don’t hand over the little girl to us …return her to the front entry …poison gas will seep into all halls and rooms and slowly suffocate all of you. You won’t get out of here before it happens. I suggest you hand over the girl now if you want to survive.”
Logan looked at Hudson with fearful eyes. Hudson looked back with a determined stare. They needed to find the control room and stop the poison from infiltrating.
As if reading his mind, Logan took a deep inhale, trying to place a scent. Then he galloped ahead.
Hudson didn’t have to be reminded twice. It was now or never. If they didn’t stop the gas, his newfound family would fall comatose, and Hannah would surely die. Hudson dismissed the thought of failure with each mighty paw slamming into hallway doors and crashing through in hopes of finding the target. He bared his teeth and vowed to rip the heads off anyone who got in his way.
Footfalls again interrupted his thoughts. They were coming closer.
Hudson’s eyes narrowed, and he unclenched his massive jaw.
The alpha looked at his beta, who, paw-for-paw, raced down the hall at the same speed to attack.
“You ready, pal?”
Logan looked over and smiled a satisfied bear smile. “Born ready, friend. Let’s do this.”
TWENTY-FIVE
NORA
Nora cradled Hannah in her arms like a baby. She really had become attached to her, quite like a mother was drawn to a lost cub. The tragedy the child suffered, and the life after that she would be forced to endure was one of heartache and triumph. There was a good reason why she had come to love the girl. She saw herself in her, a mirror of pain rendered much more dire due to her age.
