by I. T. Lucas
“Good idea. I’ll have Bhathian take over your trainees, and you can take back your post as my bodyguard.”
“Thanks.”
The smirk on Kian’s face portended another taunt. “Can’t stay away from the girl, eh?”
“Let’s get one thing straight,” Anandur said. “There is nothing going on between Wonder and me, and I don’t want to hear any comments about it. Can you please not follow in your sister’s footsteps? One yenta per keep is plenty.”
Kian took a swig, put his glass down on the table, and pinned Anandur with his intense stare. “I’m very grateful for my sister’s unsolicited meddling. Thanks to her, I found my true-love mate, and my life has been changed infinitely for the better.”
7
Magnus
“Mister Finder of Lost Things.” Magnus offered his hand. “Thank you for coming and bringing along your three lovely associates. I’m Magnus.”
“Jeff.” The guy transferred the dog leashes to his other hand and shook what was offered. “What happened to Brad?”
“There was a change of plans. I took over for him. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, of course not. I was just under the impression that we were looking for Brad’s missing partner. I thought he would like to be here in person.”
“Yes, he would. But unfortunately, he was called elsewhere.” Magnus smirked. “Just between you and me, though, I’m a much nicer fellow.”
“I’m sure,” Jeff said. “Different location, too. We were supposed to meet at the club where Brad’s partner had last been seen.” He took a look around the largely deserted industrial park. “Are you sure you don’t want to start there?”
“We received a new tip.” There was no reason to tell Jeff that the missing person had changed as well. As far as the guy was concerned, they were still looking for Brad’s missing partner.
One of the three Golden Retrievers took a fancy to Magnus, pushing his head under his hand and wagging his tail furiously.
“What a cheerful doggie smile you have.” Magnus crouched and scratched the dog behind his ears. “What’s your name, buddy?”
“Ralph,” Jeff said. “This one is Ross, and that one is Reese.” He pointed at the dogs as he said their names.
Magnus patted the other two as well, but they seemed only mildly interested, while Ralph looked like he was ready to go home with him.
“Do you have an article of clothing of the missing person?” Jeff asked.
“Yes, I do.” Magnus pulled out one of the Doomer’s T-shirts from a plastic bag.
After a short sniffing session, the dogs put their noses to the ground and started searching.
Following Jeff, Magnus asked, “Does it take long to train a dog to do that?”
“It does, and not every dog is good at it. I like to work with Golden Retrievers because they are just great dogs, but Rottweilers are good too. But even within the same breed, there are differences in attitude and aptitude.”
The dogs were well trained, not running or pulling on the leashes as Magnus had expected them to. They led him and Jeff behind the building and sniffed at the grass.
“The screen of that window is torn.” Jeff pointed.
“I noticed.”
That must’ve been Grud’s escape route. They’d mistakenly assumed that he’d walked out the front door.
Regrettably, the handyman Onegus had hired to fix the hole in the cage room was long gone, and it would be hell to find another one on a short notice. Maybe they would just leave the screen as it was.
The tear wasn’t as incriminating as the hole. Any random thief or vandal could’ve cut the screen to try to get into the vacant building and check if there was anything worth stealing. But a hole made in a concrete block wall was a different story. The only reason for anyone to make it was if he’d been imprisoned in the cage. Except, the cages were meant for apes and hadn’t been used for that purpose in decades.
With the screen, Wonder might get in trouble for “forgetting” to turn on the alarm, but no one could prosecute her for it. The worst that could happen was her losing the cleaning job that she was not coming back to anyway. In contrast, the hole could’ve opened a whole can of worms.
The dogs kept going, sniffing a path that was anything but direct.
Grud must’ve still been in the building when Liam had parked outside, or maybe even when Brundar and Magnus had gotten there. That was why he hadn’t used the front door and why he’d zigged and zagged from wall to bush to tree and then to another wall.
Either way, he’d been long gone by the time the rest of the Guardians had arrived and started searching for him. Even on foot, by that time he’d probably been halfway up the road leading to the residential area on the hill.
The Guardians were searching both sides of that road, going from one warehouse to another, and from one workshop to the next, but given the numerous potential hiding places in each of those buildings, it was quite a futile search without dogs.
Other than the industrial park they were in, there were four more along the road, two of more or less the same size, and two that were bigger and had mixed-use commercial and industrial facilities. And unlike this park, which seemed to have been vacated for some reason, maybe for repurposing, the others enjoyed full occupancy.
Talk about a needle in a haystack.
Magnus had high hopes for the Finder of Lost Things and his dogs. If Jeff could locate the escaped Doomer, all of them could finally go home.
Home. When had the village become one?
Magnus had thought it would take a long time to adjust to a new place and a different culture, but apparently being surrounded by family both here and in Scotland meant that he now had two homes.
Cool.
“Easy, boys,” Jeff said as the dogs started pulling on the leashes. “Not so fast.”
“What’s got them excited?” Magnus asked.
“We will soon find out.”
The dogs stopped next to another warehouse and started sniffing the grass again.
Maybe Grud had been hiding right there the entire time? If he had, the guy was much smarter than Magnus had given him credit for. Assuming the Doomer would want to distance himself from the facility as fast as he could, no one had thought to search the nearby buildings.
“Should we go inside?” Jeff asked. “Could your friend be in there?”
“Let’s give it a try.” Magnus pulled on the door handle, half expecting it to be locked, but the thing opened into a simple reception room. Even more surprising was finding a living, breathing receptionist, and a pretty one at that.
“Oh, good. Are you here to search for the guy who knocked out the poor gardener?” she asked.
Magnus put his hand on Jeff’s arm to shush him. “Can you tell us what happened? We weren’t given many details.”
“Some thug knocked Jorge out with a blow to the back of his head.” She pointed to hers. “And robbed him. He took his wallet and his phone and stole his truck. I wanted to call an ambulance for him, but he begged me not to.” She leaned over her desk. “I think Jorge is illegal. His wife came and picked him up. I’m so glad he decided to report it. I don’t think the police care if he is an illegal immigrant, right?”
“They don’t,” Jeff said. “Their job is to catch criminals, not to chase after illegals. Did your gardener see the face of the robber?”
She frowned. “He didn’t say. The poor man was too distraught, and frankly so was I. All I could think of was getting Jorge medical help.”
“Jeff,” Magnus said to catch the guy’s attention.
“Yes?”
Magnus looked into his eyes and pushed a small thrall. “You should take the dogs out.”
Luckily, the guy’s brain was easy to manipulate. “Yes, I should take the dogs out.”
When Jeff left, Magnus turned to the receptionist and flashed his most charming smile. “Do you happen to have Jorge’s number? I would like to ask him a few questions.”
“Don’t worry, that’s not my jurisdiction, and I couldn't care less. I just want to find his truck for him. Its loss means no income for Jorge and his family. I doubt he has insurance, and even if he does, it will take time until he gets the money to buy a new one. And what about his equipment? He needs that truck and his work tools back right away.”
After that speech, no thrall was necessary.
The girl nodded solemnly. “He gave me his wife’s number to call. I still have it.” She picked up a post-it note but didn’t hand it to Magnus right away. “Let me copy it for you. I want to organize a fundraiser for Jorge. If everyone who works here and our other locations pitches in, we might collect enough to help him replace his tools.”
“That’s a wonderful idea.”
“I’m also adding our number with my extension. I’m Megan, by the way.” She scribbled both numbers. “Call me if you find the truck. It will make me feel much better knowing that Jorge has it back.”
Magnus took the note and tucked it inside his jacket’s inner pocket. “I will.”
8
Wonder
In the guest bathroom, Wonder checked herself in the mirror after putting on the things Amanda had brought for her. It was nothing fancy, just a pair of black leggings that were quite comfortable, and a purple T-shirt that was a little tight across the chest but other than that looked great.
In fact, she had never looked better, and that was without doing anything with her hair or even the benefit of eyeliner. Her black pencil was inside the purse that she’d left at the facility. Magnus was supposed to bring it with the rest of her things, but she would have to wait for him to catch Grud first because he wasn’t coming back until that was done.
Oh well, there was no rush. Amanda had supplied her with a whole wardrobe. There were about twice as many items in that suitcase than in Wonder’s closet back at the shelter.
Not only that, but everything was of such high quality that she would not have even known where to look for things like that, let alone afford to buy them. The cut of the simple garments and the feel of the fabrics were amazing.
The only reason she didn’t recognize the designers’ names was probably because they were known only to the rich and famous.
In contrast, her cheap sneakers looked even worse.
But that wasn’t her biggest problem. The thong panties Amanda had given her were a pain in the butt. Literally.
Why would anyone voluntarily submit to such torture?
At first, she hadn’t planned on wearing them, but after putting on the leggings she realized that Anandur’s boxer shorts were too bulky to wear under the tight-fitting pants.
They were so much more comfortable, though.
Wonder turned around and looked over her shoulder at her butt.
Shit on a stick. Without proper panties there was nothing to cover the separation line between her ass cheeks. It was on full display for everyone to see.
That wouldn’t do.
Syssi had been right about Amanda. There was a very wide gap between what Kian’s sister considered appropriate and what a decent woman felt comfortable in.
Then again, what was considered decent or indecent was subjective. Wonder didn’t wear bras. Maybe that was indecent too?
Kicking off her sneakers, she pulled down the leggings and the thong, put on the boxer shorts, and then spent a couple of minutes trying to pull the leggings over them without them getting all bunched up.
The first opportunity she got, she was going to buy a couple of bras and two or three packages of normal panties, instead of waiting for Magnus to bring her things over.
Ugh. He was going to pack her underwear. How awkward. For some reason, she hadn’t thought of that before. Maybe she should tell him to skip it? She could replace all of her panties for as little as twenty bucks.
But calling Magnus and telling him that would be just as awkward if not worse.
“Are you okay in there?” Syssi asked.
“Yeah. I’ll be right out.”
Wonder pushed her feet into the sneakers and opened the door. “How do I look?”
Amanda put a hand on her hip. “Why are you wearing boxer shorts under the leggings?”
Syssi giggled. “Because she doesn’t think floss should go you know where. Right, Wonder?”
It took a moment for Syssi’s meaning to sink in, and when it did, Wonder felt her ears heat up. “I’ve never worn a thong before. It’s very uncomfortable.”
Amanda waved a hand. “Nonsense. You get used to it. If you don't want unseemly panty lines, that’s the only way to go. Besides, it makes you feel sexy all day long.” She waggled her brows.
The heat spread from Wonder’s ears down to her cheeks. “I don’t want to feel like that all day. It’s distracting.”
Laughing, Syssi took her elbow. “Amanda is special. Let’s leave it at that.”
“Hold on!” Kian’s sister caught Wonder’s other elbow. “I want to do something about your hair.”
Wonder patted her thick braid, making sure all the strands were still tightly woven together. “What’s wrong with my hair?”
“Nothing, darling. But it will look so much better freed from that braid.”
Not wanting to offend Amanda, who as Kian’s sister was no doubt someone important, Wonder forced a smile. “Maybe some other time. I don’t want to keep Mister Kian waiting for too long.”
Amanda sighed, “It’s just Kian, without the Mister. But you’re right. We don’t want to upset the grouchy goat.”
Thank the gods.
“Hey!” Syssi pretended offense as she led Wonder out. “Don’t call my husband names.”
“I’m not. I’m calling my brother names.” Amanda followed behind them.
“Told you. She is special,” Syssi whispered loudly.
“I’m right behind you.”
“I know.”
It seemed like the sisters-in-law were good friends, and their easy banter was fun except when Wonder was the target of it.
Would they accept her as a friend too?
It would be nice. She was starting to warm to Amanda. The woman was still intimidating, but a little less so, and she meant well. Wonder didn’t even mind Amanda’s proposed makeover as long as she got to hang out with the two of them again.
As they stepped outside, Anandur got up, but Wonder didn’t think he did it for her. It was probably out of respect for Syssi and Amanda.
“Do you feel better now?” he asked.
“Much. Thank you.”
“You look nice.”
Wonder couldn’t help but glance down at her ugly sneakers. “Thank you.”
“Come, sit over here, Wonder.” Kian waved her to the chair across from him.
“Does anyone want a cappuccino?” Syssi asked.
“I do.” Amanda raised a finger.
“Wonder, what about you?”
It felt incredibly awkward to be served by the boss’s wife. But Wonder was thirsty, and besides, refusing might offend Syssi. “I would love some, thank you.”
“Awesome.” Syssi clapped her hands.
All along, Wonder could feel Kian’s intense eyes on her.
“Anandur tells me you don’t remember anything about your life before the coma,” he said.
“That’s correct.”
“No recollection whatsoever?”
“None, sir.”
He grimaced, apparently not liking the honorific. “But you did know that you’re an immortal?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
She shrugged. “It was like knowing that I’m a female. It was a fact. Later, I started doubting it, trying to explain my fast healing as just an anomaly. But when I found Grud, I knew right away that he was an immortal too. The same happened with Mordan and Shaveh and then Anandur.”
“How did you know that they were immortal?
”
Wonder rubbed her hand over the back of her head. “I got that prickling sensation, as if all the small hairs back there stood up.”
Kian and Anandur exchanged glances, with Kian’s expression saying ‘I told you so,’ and Anandur’s turning sour.
“That’s an odd reaction for an immortal female.” Kian lifted a pack of cigarettes off the coffee table and pulled one out. “The prickling sensation you’re describing is something immortal males feel when they encounter another immortal male they don’t know. It’s a warning mechanism. But I’ve never heard of a female getting the same reaction.”
Wonder’s face flushed with heat. As if she needed more proof that she was a freak. Not only was she strong like a male, she also had the same instincts. Next thing she knew she would start growing facial hair.
“Your fangs do not elongate, do they, darling?” Amanda asked.
Wonder shook her head.
Amanda crossed her arms over her chest. “Bummer. I always wanted to have real fangs like the guys.”
Someone kill me now.
“Wonder is a natural born warrior,” Syssi came to her defense. “That’s why she was gifted with special abilities that are usually reserved only for males. Right, Wonder?”
“I don’t want to be a warrior.”
“Why not? I think it’s awesome that you’re a formidable fighter. And you chose Wonder Woman as your name. That can’t be a coincidence.”
Wonder lifted her eyes to Syssi, who other than Anandur seemed to be the nicest of the bunch. “But it was a coincidence. I had no idea what Wonder meant. It just sounded nice, and the kids who thought I was her were smiling, so I thought it was a good name.”
“What would you like to do?” Kian asked.
Picking at the end of her braid, Wonder twisted the strands around her fingers. “I don’t know yet. I don’t have any education, so there isn’t much I can do other than manual labor or security. But that’s not what I want to do for the rest of my life.”