Chaos

Chapter Three

Chapter Three 

Shifter's Den, Colorado

"What do you mean Scotland's research facility is gone? Gone how?" roared Braden's voice through the open window and small electronic bug, that I placed in the office earlier this week.

"I- I do-don't know, s-s-sir. I just-t received word-d-d from o-our team that it was," stuttered a young male assistance.

"What. Did. The. Message. Say?" gritted Braden Annoyance flashed through his eerie milky blue eyes. Braden was an intimating person. He didn't need to say anything, just his presence scared people. With his muscular and well tanned frame-which hinted at physical labor-his hard jaw-line and unsmiling face, he represented a picture of bad-ass. To top of the scary meter was Braden's fierce temper, which was quick to rise at the tiniest hint of idiocy.

"Uh, I h-h-have the exact words with me. J-just one second, p-ple-ase." The poor assistance was so scared his hands were trembling. Trying to shift quickly through the papers in his hands, he dropped the papers everywhere. "I'm sor-r-ry, sir."

"Incompetent fools. Everyone here is incompetent!" Braden slammed his fist down on the desk Logan was seated at. The assistance, if possible, became even shakier. Pitying the young male, Derek, who was leaning against the door, picked up the papers. Turning his back to the assistance, Derek dismissed him with a curt "Go."

Braden let out a grunt of frustration. Logan casually leaned back in his leather arm chair, arms crossed against his chest. Kade continued to sit curled up on the window seat, reading a book, his head bent forward, throwing sun-kissed hair into his eyes. Kade was the Shifter's savior and genius. With his wired-rimmed glasses hiding forest green eyes and a slender built that underestimates his strength, he fits the geek description to a T. Whenever any lawsuit or government ruling is filed against the Shifters, Kade is the first to be notified. He has saved the Den's ass multiple times now.

I moved my binoculars to Derek again. Through the binoculars, I could see his hazel eyes quickly scan each paper. Unlike Braden, Derek had pale skin. However, Derek was almost as tall, and as scary as Braden. Derek's body didn't hint at physical labor. His body hinted more too military training-which is exactly where he obtained his muscles. After a moment of sorting, he pulled a yellow paper to the front of the stack. He cleared his throat and then read the message. The message I, myself, called in early to report.

"Dear Logan:

Apparently, two days ago, at approximately 17:00 hours, four small homemade bombs went off in the Scottish Shifter Savior research laboratory. The only remaining structural object standing was the large oak doors. On the doors was the symbol of the notorious Chaos. The Agents inside the buildings most likely did not survive the blast; however, the shifters were successfully rescued. You may congratulate me on my last success.

Yours truly, 

Chaos"

Silence filled the room. Through my binoculars, I saw Logan drop his head into his hands. Kade shut the book and watched everyone in the room. Braden's jaw clenched and unclenched several times. And Derek just stood there, fiddling with a braided leather bracelet on his wrist. The bracelet had colored beads threaded through the braids. It was cute and looked to be made by a child.

I decided I should break the tension. I pulled out my untraceable Droidx cell phone out. I dialed Logan's number and watched the room.

Ring. Ring. Logan kept his head in his hands. Kade and Derek stared at the phone. Ring. Ring. Braden turned his back to the phone and began to pace the room.  

In a quiet voice, Kade said, "Who wants to bet its Chaos? I say twenty bucks it is her."

Logan continued to ignore the phone. Ring. Ring. In the middle of the next ring, Logan sighed and picked the phone up from the cradle. "Yes?"