Hakan Severin by Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright

Geeks.
    “These are reports from various private investigators who’ve been looking for Reny after she was found,” she explained. “It looks like the cops did a decent job of hiding her identity to protect her.”
    Xavier studied the reports before he tossed them on the desk.
    “I hate to admit it, but the human authorities probably saved her life.”
    “Yes,” Payton agreed. “They kept her identity hidden in case the people holding her captive tried to find her.” She grimaced. “Which, of course, they were trying to do. Thankfully, they didn’t have any info on her until she arrived in New Orleans and was caught by a photographer during the spree of supposed puma attacks.”
    Hakan grimaced. The disciples of Shakpi had been responsible for that fiasco, although their newest enemy appeared eager to use the humans’ growing fear of the Pantera to their advantage.
    “Shit,” he muttered, glancing at the paper that Payton handed to him. The picture was blurry, but there was no mistaking Reny walking out of the FBI headquarters with Sebastian at her side. “She made the front page.”
    Xavier gave a puzzled shake of his head. “So if our enemies know where Reny is, why didn’t they make any effort to retrieve her instead of Hiss?”
    Payton grimaced. “They didn’t know about Hiss until they managed to plant a bug in The Cougar’s Den.”
    “What?” Xavier roared, heat blasting through the air as he snatched the file from Payton.
    “That’s where they overheard someone discussing the blood tests that revealed Reny and Hiss are siblings,” she said, unfazed at the large male’s fury.
    Hakan was beginning to suspect that Payton had developed the ability to stand up to anyone and anything.
    “Goddammit.” Xavier glared out the window that offered a view of the communal eating area. “I’ve had the damned place swept for electronic devices a dozen times.”
    “Lian claimed our enemies have access to military-grade equipment,” Hakan pointed out.
    Xavier jerked his head around to glare at Hakan. Clearly he took the electronic breach as a personal insult.
    Hakan got it.
    The knowledge that someone had slipped past the guards into the Wildlands and disappeared with Hiss continued to piss him off.
    “I don’t care if they have fucking X-Men technology,” the Geek snapped. “I would have found it.”
    Hakan rolled his eyes. Any other time he might have enjoyed provoking Xavier. The Geeks and Hunters enjoyed baiting each other, attempting to prove which faction was superior. But this was too important. They were Pantera. Which meant that they worked together.
    “Not if it wasn’t actually in the bar,” he said.
    Xavier scowled. “What the hell are you talking about?”
    “They seem to have an enormous amount of money and political connections. It would be easy to bribe or blackmail a local to wear a listening device and hang around the bar.”
    Xavier gave a lift of his brows, as if surprised that Hakan actually had the ability to do more than punch or bite things.
    “Shit, you’re right,” he breathed, pulling out his phone. “It could be a customer carrying the listening device in and out of The Cougar’s Den. We need to put the place off-limits until we’ve managed to find out who our latest enemy is and what they want.”
    “Wait.” Hakan halted the Geek from making his call. “We don’t want them to suspect that we’ve discovered how they’re getting intel on us,” he said. He might not be a Geek or a Suit, but Hunters understood how to stalk their prey. “Besides, we can send in trusted Pantera to give out false information. It might give them a sense of security if they think we’re chasing after shadows.”
    Xavier gave a nod. “I’ll speak to Raphael.”
    There was the sound of footsteps before a pretty female with blonde curls and violet eyes poked her head into the office. Lydia, Roch’s new mate, had been using her legal contacts to try to discover information on