“It is not far, Sabin.”
“Is it habitable?”
“For the Shaurok, anything is habitable. For us, no. We would have to be suited up. The air is not breathable and the temperature is too high. They are approximately …”
“Are you going to tell me how close they are to their sun?”
Edge’s eyes light up. “Yes.”
“I don’t care. All I need to know is how many men we need and what protection we need.”
“Full gear. And as many men as we can spare.”
“What are the odds, Edge?”
“Good. We can get this, Sabin. We go transparent and they won’t know what hit them.”
We’ll need all of The Seven. I can’t leave Serena here unguarded. Drey will have to come, which means he’ll have to bring several of the newbies with him. This does not have a good feel to me.
“Does Rafe know yet?”
“No one knows.”
“Call a meeting for fifteen minutes from now.”
I wait for the men in our makeshift conference room. My thoughts ricochet all over the place, but mostly they land on Serena’s safety.
The Seven join me, and I have Edge explain the situation. I assess them as Edge speaks. It’s apparent they aren’t happy with the news.
“Rafe, thoughts.”
“We have no choice, Sabin. Judgment Day is our first priority.”
“True, but do we take this risk?”
Verus is feverishly tapping and sliding his fingers on his ever-present devices. I sometimes wonder how he crams all of them in his pockets. “So, Verus, what’s the verdict?” I ask.
He holds up his finger and doesn’t answer. I thrum my fingers on the table, waiting impatiently. Why wasn’t I born with more patience?
“It’s not that big of a risk,” Edge insists. “They’ll never see us coming.”
“Edge is correct,” Verus finally adds. “By my calculations, it won’t take us much time to get there, and with transparency, we can get in and out in no time at all. Hopefully, we may even be able to do this without even engaging them. From the looks of things, their security isn’t even tight. I believe this is because they think we don’t know they have it.”
“It’s too easy. I think we are fooling ourselves,” Rafe says.
“I agree,” I add. “In all the dealings we’ve had with the Shaurok and the Mastermind, it’s never been easy. Why the hell would he start now?”
Helios asks, “May I say something?”
“By all means. When have you ever shied away from it?” I ask.
Helios chuckles gruffly. “The Shaurok are dimwits. Perhaps the Mastermind let them decide what to do here.”
“Never. We would be fools to believe that. This is Judgment Day we speak of.” I’m troubled that none of The Seven see what I see. “Listen, how long have we been fighting him? He is not stupid or naive. We would be naive to think that. I would love to believe that we could waltz right in and grab the thing, but I think we would be taking the greatest risk of our lives. I want more data and information before we make the call on this. Verus and Edge, get me everything you can on this place. I want any outlying security risks we face on entering the atmosphere there, any possible shield alerts, anything. I also want to know what kinds of weapons they may have targeted on us. We can’t go in there blind. I want everything you have by tomorrow.”
They all get up to leave and I ask Rafe to stay behind. When it’s only the two of us, I ask his opinion.
“We stand a good chance of getting it back.”
“What if it’s a trap?”
“Verus and Edge will find out if it is.”
“What if their security makes it look clear? I have a bad feeling about this, Rafe.”
“Our missions are based on fact, not feelings.”
“But intuition has saved our asses more times than I can count.” He doesn’t respond. “One other thing, Rafe. What about Serena? Who will stay behind with her?”
“We’ll have to pull Drey out and have him bring a couple of the newbies.”
“This has a really bad feel to it for me.”
“Before you go off on it, just wait until all the information comes in from Verus and Edge.”
“Yeah. I guess.”
“And go have a good fighting match with Helios. He’s dying to kick your ass.”
“As if. I need you to do something for me. I want to get something for Serena.”
“Like?”
“I don’t know. I want to get her something to make her happy, but I don’t know where to start.”
Rafe thinks for a time and then mentions something that piques my interest. “Remember how enamored Juliette Hart was of that canine she had? What was it called? Ethel?”
“Yes. She took that dog everywhere. We even brought it to Nyan’trua.”
“Right. What about getting one for Serena? Humans love those things.”
“That’s an excellent idea. And it could keep her company when I’m gone. Thanks, Rafe. Do you think you can locate one for her?”
“I don’t see why not. And if I can’t, I know Edge can.”
“I can picture how excited Serena will be already.”
“If she’s anything like Juliette, she’ll be past excited. She may love the dog even more than she loves you.”
The fact that Rafe knows the depth of our feelings for each other doesn’t go unnoticed. “How did you know?”
“I’m not blind, Sabin. Everyone knows.”
After a curt not, I say tightly, “Well, if you could get on the procurement of the canine, I would appreciate it.” I leave him standing in the conference room. I’m not in the mood for dealing with any of his shit.
Nineteen
Serena
Something’s up. Everyone is acting strange—again. Edge and Verus have been absent a lot, holed up together in the new sec center. Sabin is tight lipped about what’s going on, and everyone’s mood is in the dumpster. When I ask, I get the silent treatment.
“Why don’t you trust me?”
Sabin’s head swivels in my direction. His expression is stony. “I do trust you.”
“No, you don’t. When I ask you a question, I never get an answer. You evade me like a criminal evades the cops.”
He won’t even look at me now.
“What are you hiding from me, Sabin?”
A hand reaches behind his neck and he rubs it. Then he sighs. “It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s that I don’t want to worry you.”
“Oh, and keeping me in the dark doesn’t worry me?” I cross my arms and my toe starts tapping. He sees it and shakes his head.
“Serena, I …”
“Bullshit.”
He cocks his head and a smirk appears. “Seems I can’t outsmart you anymore.”
“Could you ever?”
“Not really. I lied and told myself I was doing an admirable job of it.”
I take handfuls of his shirt and say, “Tell me now. Or you won’t like my behavior if you don’t.”
“We located Judgment Day. Edge and Verus are assessing the dangers in taking it back.”
“I see. And where precisely is it?”
“In Andromeda on some hellacious planet that’s not suitable to sustain life.”
“And …?”
“We’ll go in and get it.”
He’s not exactly forthcoming. The corners of his mouth pull down and his lips stretch into a hard line.
“What else?” I ask
“What else?”
“There has to be more or you wouldn’t be this tense. I know you, Sabin.”
He releases a harsh growl. “The Shaurok. There are dozens who guard it.”
“And what makes you think you can march in there and back out in one piece?”
“I don’t happen to think that, but Edge and Verus seem convinced of it.”
Now I get it. He’s been trying to keep this from me because he’s damn scared of what will hap
pen if they try to retrieve the damn thing. This is so unlike him.
“So what are you doing to ensure everyone’s safety?”
“Edge and Verus are looking at every possible scenario and running every security detail. They’re scanning the planet and looking for shields and anything that could trigger an alert to our presence.”
“Sabin, is your technology as good or better than theirs?”
“What do you mean?”
“What if they have better surveillance equipment than you? What if their detection capabilities are better?”
He slashes his hand through the air, dismissing my suggestion. “They’re not. They are inferior to ours.”
“And you are one hundred percent sure of that? And that they don’t have some super secret weapon?”
“No. If they did, why would they need Judgment Day?”
“Super power. But I’m not talking weapons here. I’m talking super secret weapon as in something up their sleeve, maybe some force field. You have your invisibility cloaks. Maybe they have something even better.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. I’m speculating here. Trying to get you to think outside your usual Sabin box.”
“My Sabin box? I see.” At first, his eyes twinkle, but then they clear and he starts to pace. “You’re right. It could be a ploy to get us there.”
“Yes! What happens if you get there, it is a trap, and you’re outnumbered?”
The dark look that now simmers in him is all the answer I need. “Don’t go, Sabin. This isn’t good. I know it.”
“It’s fine. We won’t put ourselves at unnecessary risk and I make the final call.”
“Promise me,” I beg.
“I promise.”
The following week, I contemplate asking Sabin about SCUBA diving, when Edge approaches me. I am outside, sitting on a chair, overlooking the sea, which is only about a hundred yards from where the house sits. I have squelched the temptation, but the urge to dive is killing me.
“Serena, can you come with me?”
“What’s up?”
“A surprise!” Edge bounces on his toes. It’s a comical sight to see a man of his size acting like this.
“Um, Edge, what kind of surprise?”
“You’ll see, just come.”
He holds out his hand and I take it, allowing him to lead me inside. All of the men are there, standing in a circle, and Sabin’s back is toward me. When I get close enough to touch him, he turns around, and in his arms is a furry little creature. A puppy.
“Surprise!” Sabin grins like a child, handing me the ball of fur. I accept it because I don’t know what else to do, but the truth is I’m mildly in shock.
“A puppy?”
“Yes!” Edge is acting like he’s the one who got the puppy. “Isn’t he cute?”
“Er, yes, he is.” I hold the little fella. He’s black with wisps of feathery hair poking out at odd angles everywhere. “What kind is he?”
Once again, Edge calls out, “He is known as a mutt. The man who sold him to us said he is of fine stock.”
“Seriously?” My brows furrow because I’m pretty sure they’re serious, but they were duped. And for The Seven to be duped is a major deal. “Where did you get him?” I ask nonchalantly.
“From a man down the road. Why?”
“Okay, guys don’t get all pissed off here. The little fella is adorable. But the man you bought him from took you for a ride. A mutt is a derogatory term. It means he has no clean lineage. His sire was probably some dog that wandered in off the street and got the dam pregnant. You know? And the dam probably was a mutt herself. But it’s cool, because little Walter here is the cutest puppy in the world. But I’ve got to tell you, I have no freaking idea what to do with a dog. I never had pets growing up, other than my goldfish, so …”
“Walter?” Sabin asks. “You’re going to call him Walter?”
“Yes. It’s a stately name, I think.”
“I was thinking he should be called Snuffles.”
“Snuffles? What kind of a name is that? He’ll grow up thinking he has allergies.”
“Allergies?”
“You know, snuffles, sniffles. If you’re giving him to me, I would think I’d get to name him.”
Edge ekes out a nervous chuckle. “She’s right, Sabin.”
Sabin glares at Edge.
“So, did he come with a manual?” I ask. Seven pairs of startled irises stare at me. “Okay then. Do any of you know the first thing about dogs?”
I get a resounding yes, accompanied by grins. But then they back off because apparently they don’t have dogs on their planet, but they do have canine-like animals. They look much the same and act the same.
“So, I’ll take them as the same. How do I train Walter not to pee and poop in the house?”
They mumble to themselves and each other and then Sabin finally has an admission to make. “We use our MSI technology for that, so we don’t really know.”
“So, what you’re telling me is you never actually trained a pet, your little artificial intelligent thingies did it for you?”
“Yes, that is true, but we are all intelligent ourselves. I believe we can figure it out.”
“Hmm. We’ll see about that.” I look down at little Walter and smile. He really is a cute little guy, all furry and big-eyed. Bending down, I click my fingers and he wags his tiny tail. I scratch him behind his ears, and when I do, something jumps up on my hand. “Ah, shit, the little bugger has fleas!”
“Fleas?”
“You’d better look them up and we need to give Walter a bath. Then you need to get some flea treatment, or this house will be overrun with them by tomorrow. I do know that much.”
Sabin yells, “Verus!”
“On it,” Verus answers.
When I scoop up Walter, a small puddle is on the floor. “What’s that?” Rafe asks.
It astounds me that I’m in the midst of all this manpower, literally, and these brainiacs didn’t stop to think about the ramifications of puppyhood.
Scratching my forehead, I say, “What do you think it is, Rafe? It’s puppy pee. I have a suggestion. One or two of you needs to figure out how to house train a puppy or we need to get one of those MSI thingies, because I’m at a loss here. Besides, this was all your idea.” And as I’m walking away, I say over my shoulder, “And one of you needs to get me some good puppy shampoo. By the way, if I didn’t thank you, thank you for my puppy.” I kiss Walter and he licks my face. I do love puppy breath, I decide.
What in the world am going to do with a puppy, of all things? Holding the little fella in the air so I can take a good look at him, I start to laugh. Really hard. The looks on their faces were priceless when I told them about the fleas, but the peeing and pooping thing, oh my god. They must have all grown up with silver spoons in their mouths. Did those MSI thingies change their diapers, too?
So much for SCUBA diving, unless I can outfit Walter with all the proper gear. Not funny, Serena. I do have to hand it to them. The idea that they would even think of giving me puppy is awfully sweet. And Edge—his excitement was off the charts. He was more excited than Sabin. You would think he was the one getting the puppy. Sometimes I think he has a crush on me, but then I realize he just wants to please me. He likes to see me happy.
“So, the puppy wasn’t a great idea, huh?” Sabin is behind me. I would’ve known even if he hadn’t spoken. Not only does his scent fill the room, but his energy invades it. A tingle runs up and down my spine, making me shiver in a good way.
“It’s the thought that counts, and it was a special thought. I’m just worried because I don’t know a single thing about puppies or dogs.”
“Keep it in perspective, Serena. Walter is a creature of this world. He will be fine.” He runs a finger from my shoulder to my wrist.
“True, but he adds something to the mix I wasn’t expecting.”
“I wanted to give you something to keep you company while I was
away, and I thought a canine would be a good choice. I erred and I’m sorry.”
My stomach twists with his words. Not the ones regarding Walter, but the ones about his leaving. “While you’re away. When are you leaving?”
The puppy is forgotten, left to roam in our room. Sabin tucks an errant strand of hair behind my ear, and says, “Soon.”
“I need specifics. Soon isn’t good enough for me.”
“We don’t have a time yet. Verus and Edge have the latest information and assure us that it is safe to go. We now wait for Drey to arrive. He will bring three more men with him. They will guard you while we’re away.”
My gut screams. This is all wrong. “Sabin, no. You can’t go!”
“We have to, Serena. This is what we do. Chase Judgment Day.”
“But something’s not right with this. I feel it here!” I pound a fist in the middle of my chest. “I never feel these things but right now I do. Please trust me on this.”
He takes my fist and unfolds it, linking our fingers. “I trust you above all. But Edge and Verus thoroughly checked it several times. And then after our discussion, sent another explorer in to see what else it could pick up. They even put out sensors for any unusual energy source and got nothing. I think we’re fine. And we’ll be a full team with Drey and have others standing by just in case. My main concern is leaving you here without any guards, but Drey will bring three of the new recruits. They are trained in combat and operations, so you will have a solid detail here. I feel confident in leaving you in their hands.”
How can I make him understand the danger that lies out there? “Sabin, something lurks out there that will destroy either you or the others. I know it. Don’t ask me how, because I can’t answer that. But please don’t go. At least not now. You said that Judgment Day was useless without Paradox. As long as Paradox is protected, let them have Judgment Day for the time being. Don’t let them draw you out like this. You need an army to go in there.”
He full on smiles at me and when he does, he is flat out stunning. “I love how you’re so worried about me. It melts me, Serena.”
As much as I want to melt him and tell him he does the same to me, I need him to know this shit is for real. I’m not telling him to show how much I care. Well, maybe I am, but this is real!
The Hart Brothers Series Box Set (Including the bonus book Sabin: A Seven Novel): Freeing Her, Freeing Him, Kestrel, The Fall and Rise of Kade Hart, Sabin: A Seven Novel Page 137