to her feet. `Reagan,' she muttered, looking at her clothes. Max flicked on his torch. `Hey, easy with that!'
Mason studied her in the bright spotlight. Her eyes were half-closed as she clutched protectively at her torn, blood-smeared blouse. Almost human, he thought, and nodded, agreeing with himself.
`Not that one, Max. Use the other.'
`Other what?' Reagan squinted into the light.
Max shot her with the tranquiliser gun. Twice.
Mason sat in the quiet of the saloon car. Lights and rain washed over it as they raced through the night. The hybrid slumped beside him, leg bumping against his, warming where it touched. He let it stay.
`We could have put her in the boot,' Max said, looking up from his tablet. `Blood on the leather seats never looks good.'
`She's fine,' Mason murmured, rolling the wedding ring on his finger.
`We can fly to the US tonight and set up a command centre in our Washington offices.'
`No.' Mason looked out and up into the night. A tear formed at the faded memory of a place far away. Scents and faces blossomed in his mind's eye.
`Sir?'
`I'm going home.' Goosebumps covered his skin. `Tonight.'
`Does she know you're coming? I mean, you haven't spoken of this — to me.'
`Ruth knows.' Mason glanced at the hybrid beside him. `Look after this one, Max. She's not a willing hybrid, more a victim. Remember, her name is Reagan.'
`Done. Does Sir Robert know you're leaving for a break?'
`I'm not coming back to this, Max.' He swallowed an anger he knew Max didn't deserve. `And Sir Robert will do as he is instructed.'
`Yes, sir.'
Mason closed his eyes, shutting out Max's tight face. He had made Max remember that he was someone to be frightened of. Damn.
`I've set up offices in Sydney for you, if you want to come.'
`Serious?'
Mason opened his eyes to find Max watching him excitedly.
`Yes, serious,' Mason said, relieved. `Might even show you how to surf.'
`Surf?' The hybrid slurred, trying to sit up. `Hey!' she squawked, struggling against her bonds. `Bastards.'
`Max.'
`Night-night.' Max darted her again.
`Fark you.'
Mason lifted her head, brushing strands of hair off her face. He caught the look Max gave him. `She reminds me of Ruth.' He rested her head on the headrest.
`Oh,' Max said, colour touching his face.
`Relax. She's staying here with the Fund. I want her trained and…cared for. She might be useful to the Fund. Get her settled and come over.'
`Yeah. Thanks.'
`We're nearly here,' Mason watched the lights of his private airstrip grow brighter. He needed to say it before he left. They had done so much together. `Max, you know why I have to stop now.'
`But they're still out there.'
`Maybe so, but,' Mason took a deep breath as they came to a stop beside his jet, `we're not much better than them now. We have to stop. I have stopped.' The car slowed and he stepped out into the night without looking back.
Max didn't get out. He watched the jet take off, feeling odd as the lights disappeared in the sky.
`So he finally did it.'
Max started as the comms screen lit up. `You knew? How come I wasn't briefed about this?' He could feel his ears burn as Sir Robert stared back at him.
`Maxwell, you were part of the problem. Mason hunted and you enabled. It had to end like this for Mason to survive as a person, otherwise…'
`But the Bloodells are still a threat, Grandfather. They will…' Max shut his mouth as Sir Robert held his hand up.
`The sanity of our heir is of more importance. If Mason had finally lost control I would have been forced to act.'
Max swallowed and sank back into his seat. `You would have done that? Acted against Mason?'
`You know him better than any of us in the Fund. What would happen if he was Mason no more but just the thing he calls Butcher? Tell me, Max — how would you control Butcher without killing him?'
Max was silent for a moment as hundreds of scenarios and strategies flashed though his mind. None of them worked.
`I see you understand now,' Sir Robert said. `Who else is with you?' he added as the hybrid stirred.
`A hybrid Mason wants us to help,' Max said, rubbing his face. `She's an Unwilling, Mason said. Wants us to shelter and train her within the Fund. `
`Compassion and an interest in an Unnatural? So, Mason has begun to heal.'
`It was strange tonight. His abilities have increased, but with her,' Max nodded at the hybrid, `he showed restraint. Even said she reminded him of Ruth.'
`She?' Sir Robert pursed his lips. `He saw this hybrid as a woman not an Unnatural then?'
`Yes. He has never done that before. He said her name was Reagan.'
`Well then, let us hope Ruth's plan to bring him home works. The thought of it has obviously already had an effect on Mason.'
`Do you think she can do it — pull the family back together? It's been a year since she left with Wilson.' Max tapped the divider window and the saloon car moved off.
`You didn't spend a lot of time with him before all this. Mason has always been intense, even more so with his family. If Ruth and Mason can reconnect again, then the Douglas family will have a chance. That's why you're going to Australia, my boy. To make sure that they do, and I've made sure the Sydney office has everything you will need.'
`When you say everything—?'
`Weapons, air support and security staff to handle any possible threat.'
`Does Mason know?'
`Maybe, but it doesn't matter. Where the Douglas Family goes, the Fund is there, ready.' Sir Robert leaned closer to the screen, his eyes filling it. `Do whatever it takes — just keep them safe.'
`Yes, sir,' Max said, watching Sir Robert fade from the comms screen. `Whatever it takes.'
CHAPTER 2
Mason stood with his eyes closed. Around him the forest sang its chorus to the morning sun. A cool breeze carried scents he had missed for so long. He leaned against the balcony railing, arms outstretched as the sunrise warmed him. This was home.
