by April Hunt
“For a decision that she made when she was barely a teenager?” Cade’s deep voice interjected.
Grace’s mother stepped back, and Cade slowly walked up the cabin steps.
He glanced over her mother coolly, not hiding the fact that he didn’t like her words. Grace almost felt bad for the other woman, because Cade unleashed every ounce of intimidation he’d learned from his time in the Rangers.
His gaze flickered to Grace and softened as he slid an arm around her waist. “I can’t recall a single person who practices the same judgment that they did at thirteen. Lord knows I don’t.”
“People out there,” Rebecca Steele added coldly. “But here in the Order, we hold our flock to higher standards, regardless of age, experience, or time spent at Sanctuary. If either of you are serious about reaching your New Dawn, it’s something you’d do well to accept sooner rather than later.”
She turned and traipsed down the stairs, obviously finished with the little reunion.
Grace closed the door and heaved out a sigh. “That sucked a lot less than I anticipated.”
Cade cocked up a blond eyebrow. “Really?”
“Not really, no.” It had gone about as well as she’d expected. The only shocking thing had been her ability to rein in her temper and not make the situation any worse. Nearly twenty years and Rebecca Steele was as self-righteous and delusional as she’d ever been.
“Tell me something good. What did James want to talk to you about?” she asked, needing to shift the subject off her mother.
“A job.”
Grace blinked. “Say that again?”
“Seems like James is head of the armed henchmen patrolling the grounds, and he wanted to know if—assuming Rossbach’s approval—I’d be interested in using my knowledge in service of the Order.”
Grace bit her lip, thinking of all the ways that could be a pain in the ass but also do them some good. “That could work in our favor.”
“Seriously? You think I want to work for these assholes?”
“Yeah. I mean, you should. We don’t know how long we’re going to be stuck here, and like you pointed out, we’re not exactly in Disneyland. Having you on the inside could help us get around better.” She nodded toward the door. “As you can probably tell, I’m not exactly my mother’s favorite person. Not so sure that getting on her good side’s possible. Not sure she has a good side to get on, so every little bit helps.”
If Rebecca Steele didn’t have a good side seventeen years ago, there sure as hell wasn’t one now. The longer a person was subjected to New Dawn’s extremism, the more they lost pieces of themselves—and she knew that from firsthand experience.
Cade looked less than thrilled about her idea.
“You keep frowning like that and you’re going to get wrinkles.” Grace slowly closed the distance between them, easing her arms over his shoulders. “What’s wrong?”
“I know what you’re saying makes sense, but if I’m working with them, I won’t be able to back you up if you need it. The whole point of this double op was to have each other’s asses.”
“We need to accept these small gifts when we get them because they’re going to be few and far between.”
Not to mention that this was likely to be the only one that they got.
Chapter
Fourteen
Cade and Grace followed Stephanie through the New Dawn compound where camo-clad figures mingled with the regular people. Grace counted at least twelve sitting in the tree stands around the perimeter and figured there were probably more holed up in what Stephanie called the PC.
Protector Command.
She’d come close to letting a snide comment slip about the chosen title but hadn’t because of Cade’s hand tightening around hers. It was like he’d read her mind, which she hoped was a one-time thing, or else they were both starting the day sleep-deprived.
The night before, she hadn’t been able to shut her brain off. She’d tossed and turned as her thoughts shifted from past memories to future scenarios and back again. When Stephanie knocked on their door this morning, Grace was more than happy to get up and get busy.
Until she mentioned some kind of test.
“What did you say this thing is again?” Grace hated surprises, especially when thought up by these people.
“The Enlightenment? It’s just a way to help Father Teague decide where your skills are best put to use—both while you’re with us in Sanctuary, and when you’re ready to take his teachings back to the Outside.”
“So it’s basically a job compatibility test?”
Stephanie chuckled. “Yeah, that’s about it. For me, my Outside job with the DA’s office is pretty self-explanatory. Order members can sometimes get into sticky situations while pursuing their New Dawn. But because of my job, I also happen to be a people person…which is why I’m an ideal escort.”
Stephanie gave her an encouraging smile. “It’s really nothing to worry about. For the two of you it’s just a formality. I mean, the things we could do with an FBI agent and former Ranger are practically limitless.”
That’s what made Grace nervous, and judging by Cade’s frown, him too.
“Everyone seems so happy here,” he pointed out. “Is finding your New Dawn that easy for everyone?”
Stephanie’s smile faltered. “No, unfortunately not. For some, there are a lot of Obstacles to overcome. The Outside can be a cruel, harsh place if you’re not prepared. That’s why Father Teague ensures every member has the tools they require before sending them to find their path.”
“What about the people who find it a little more difficult?” Cade asked. “Is there tutoring or something that happens?”
“If a member of the flock requires a little more TLC, they’re usually sent to the Reconditioning Center so they can get the extra help they need. And speaking of…” Stephanie nodded toward a two-story cabin structure set apart from the rest of the buildings, its back end abutting the forest. A petite brunette stepped onto the Rec porch, and even from this distance, the woman was unmistakable.
Sarah Brandt.
“Sarah!” Stephanie waved, encouraging her to join them. “I want to introduce you to the newbies. Grace. Cade. This is Sarah.”
“Hi.” Sarah nodded, joining them. “I heard a new van came in last night. I’d hoped to slide into the Evening Nourishment, but I was needed here.”
“The Rec is Sarah’s domain. She’s great at handling our slightly lost members…knows the right push-to-nurture ratio to get them back on their path. The day she stepped into Sanctuary was a day the Order was given a huge blessing.”
A blush crept up Sarah Brandt’s cheeks. “Actually, it was just a Tuesday.”
Grace laughed with the others. “How long have you been with the Order?”
“I’ve been in Sanctuary almost six and a half months now, but thanks to my boyfriend, Simon, I had access to Father Teague’s wisdom before that. His words really resonated with me. They were how I knew this was where I was meant to be.”
“Wow. Six months. Does that mean that you’ve already gone to the Outside to find your New Dawn?”
The vice president’s daughter shook her head, still smiling. “I’ll go on my journey as soon as I’m given Father Teague’s blessing to do so. But for now, I’ll remain here and serve our community.”
“Your family on the Outside must miss you,” Grace asked with faux innocence and waited for the young woman’s reaction.
Sarah Brandt’s smile withered away, and the friendly sparkle in her eye turned dark. “No. I have no one on the Outside. My family is here.”
The abrupt change in her tone made Grace blink before she caught herself.
Either ignoring the sudden shift in mood or not seeing it, Stephanie dropped an arm over Sarah’s shoulder. “That’s right. Here in Sanctuary, Sarah’s been inundated with love and support, and she humbles us every day by giving it back by running the Reconditioning Center. I don’t know what Father Teague would do wi
thout her.”
Stephanie checked her watch. “Yikes. I need to get Grace and Cade over to the main house for their Enlightenment.”
The eerie smile was back on Sarah’s face as if it had never left. “Then go. Don’t let me keep you. May the New Dawn shine upon you.”
“And upon you as well,” Grace, Cade, and Stephanie repeated in unison.
Stephanie hustled them through the main lodge, bypassing the dining room and what looked to be classrooms, most of which were already occupied. The deeper they went into the building, the quieter it got.
Stephanie stopped in front of a nondescript door. “This one’s you, Grace. They ask that you remove anything metallic and have a seat in the chair closest to the door.”
“Does this Enlightenment involve electrocution?” Grace took out her earrings and tucked them into her pocket.
“Hardly.” Stephanie laughed. “But it is sensitive equipment. Your evaluator will answer any and all questions that you have. Lord knew I had so many during my test that I could’ve filled up a three-subject notebook.”
Grace linked her fingers through Cade’s. “Do you mind if I have a word with Cade before we get started? Just for a minute.”
Stephanie winked. “Not a problem.”
Spotting an older man down the hall, she left them alone.
Cade was already shaking his head when Grace turned toward him. “I know what you’re thinking, and no.”
“How the hell do you know what I’m thinking?”
“You want to get yourself sentenced to the Rec.”
Grace opened her mouth, then closed it with a sigh. “Okay, yeah, that’s what I was thinking. But it’s the perfect chance for me to get inside Sarah’s head. You heard her out there, Cade. We need to know how genuine her desire to stay here is.”
“Why? We can’t leave this place without her, even if she’s made it her permanent zip code. Brandt will roll heads if we had a chance to extricate her and didn’t do it. I don’t know about you, but I like my head where it is. Both of them.”
Grace rolled her eyes. “I know we’re not leaving without her, but if there’s a chance we could talk sense to her and have her walk out on her own two feet, then that’s the tactic we should try first. Brains over brawn.”
“You really think you can break through six months of brainwashing in what? Twenty? Forty-eight hours?”
“I won’t know until I try. We owe Sarah Brandt a solid chance before we break out the gag and handcuffs.”
Cade speared his fingers through his hair. “I don’t like the idea of you purposefully getting yourself in trouble just to get sent to the Rec. There’s got to be another way.”
“Trouble? Who said anything about getting myself in trouble? I’m supposedly eager to become the next model member of the flock, right?”
“Right,” Cade dragged out the word, looking unsure. “What are you going to do? Ask for them to put you there?”
Grace grinned and patted his cheek. “See! You’re gorgeous and smart!”
Cade cursed. “I think I liked the trouble route better.”
“Zoey was right. You’ve turned into a worrywart in your old age. Keep it up and you won’t have stomach lining by the time you hit thirty-five.”
“Thanks to you and my sister, mine disappeared years ago.” Cade palmed the back of her head and guided her mouth within inches of his before stopping. “Please be careful.”
“I’m always careful.”
Grace stood on her toes and closed the remaining distance. As her lips moved with his, a small hum slid out from her throat. Three days had passed since they’d wiped their slate clean and agreed to see where things went, and the intimate touches already came progressively easier.
It should freak her the hell out, and yet a warm glow of contentment put a smile on her face.
Cade protested her pulling away with a low groan. “Now you’re just playing dirty—and trying to distract me from the fact that I won’t have eyes on you for God knows how long.”
“Uh huh. And it worked.”
His concern jumbled her emotions, which wasn’t a good thing considering she needed to go into a room and fool an evaluator into thinking she was determined to be a model member of the Order. “Keep yourself busy. I’ll be back before you notice I was actually gone.”
“Not likely,” Cade muttered.
Grace waved to Stephanie, signaling that they were finished, and entered the room.
She hadn’t known what to expect, but it wasn’t the ominous metal contraption sitting on top of the lone desk. Wires jutted out from both sides, giving it a Dr. Frankenstein feel. But the older woman sitting behind it looked more like a grandmother than a mad scientist. Her stark white hair, pulled away from her face and wrapped into a low bun, was styled much like Grace’s mother’s. But this woman’s gray robes identified her as a member of Rossbach’s council.
Grace nodded, offering the elder a warm smile. “May the New Dawn shine upon you.”
“And upon you as well, Grace. I’m Councilwoman Edith, and I’ll be your evaluator this morning.” She gestured to the seat across from her…and directly in front of the odd-looking machine. “Come. Sit. I assure you I don’t bite.”
“Are you sure it doesn’t?” Grace gestured to the torture-tastic machine and sat. “So this is going to tell you where my place in the Order is going to be? Before, Father Teague put people where he felt they best fit.”
“And he still does, but he relies on the evaluation to give him a starting point. We want your time here at Sanctuary to be a peaceful one so that you can better focus on the steps needed to take to reach New Dawn.” She rounded the desk, a bundle of electrodes in her hands. “Our success rates have tripled since we’ve started implementing the evaluator.”
“That’s incredible.” And more than a little scary. “And when you say success you mean…”
“The evaluator helps us identify possible Obstacles, and therefore allows Father Teague to develop an individual plan of attack for every Order member.”
It was the “attack” part that didn’t sit well with Grace.
The evaluator looked to be nothing more than an oddball lie detector, and thanks to the FBI, she’d been trained to beat them, graduating from Quantico with one of the highest success rates. Councilwoman Edith wanted to use it to sniff out her weaknesses, so she’d just make sure she didn’t give her any.
At least not any that she didn’t want her to have.
Edith brushed Grace’s hair off her forehead and placed the electrodes on her face and arms. Even her legs.
“Wouldn’t this go a lot easier if I just told you what my issues are?” Grace asked.
Edith smiled. “Even the most spiritually attuned persons can be blind to their Obstacles, and considering you already have a Defection under your belt, I wouldn’t call you one of them.”
Grace fought to keep her surprise off her face. “Why don’t you think that I’d been sent away to find my New Dawn? That seems to be what everyone else was told.”
“Because I had the privilege of sitting alongside your mother as she mourned your loss, and I hope you don’t mind me being frank, dear, but she wouldn’t be able to handle it again.”
Grace snorted internally. Mourned for her own reputation was more like it, or the possibility of it interfering with her connection to Father Teague. But miss her? Never.
“I don’t want that to happen either, Councilwoman. When I accidently stumbled on Bethany and Thomas, I told myself that I wouldn’t squander this second chance. I’ll do whatever needs to be done to make my mother proud, and to honor every single member of the Order in every action that I perform.”
The older woman studied her, looking for authenticity, and Grace gave it to her in the subtle shine of tears. “I don’t want to fail again, Edith. I’ll do anything to prove that I belong here.”
“Anything?”
“Yes…I’ll even voluntarily serve time in the Reconditioning Center.”
The Councilwoman slowly returned to her seat, and flipped on the evaluator. “I actually think that would be a splendid plan. At the conclusion of this evaluation, you’ll report to the Rec for a minimum of a weekend of reconditioning. Once that sentence has concluded, we’ll see if any additional time is warranted.”
Checkmate.
Grace swallowed her smile and kept her face stoic. “I’d like that, Councilwoman Edith. Thank you.”
“There’s no need to thank me, child. Helping you to your New Dawn is thanks enough.”
Grace didn’t dwell on just how perfectly everything had fallen into line so far. She couldn’t have planned it any better herself—which usually meant something waited on the outskirts to muck it all up.
Chapter
Fifteen
Once upon a time, Cade had had an unforgettable run-in with a Russian intelligence officer known in wide circles as the Dentist, and not because of his overt love of oral hygiene. He’d come seconds away from his balls falling off in the frozen tundra. And he’d had tropical parasites pulled out from under his skin while stationed in a jungle.
None of it compared to being questioned for two hours by an eighty-year-old New Dawn member. The older man had touched base on everything—childhood friendships, the time he’d snuck out of the house to smoke his first cigarette. Then he’d broached the subject of the cause behind his and Grace’s split nine years ago, and Cade had told the truth.
Him.
He had no delusions that he’d fucked up. He knew it. Grace knew it. He’d tossed away their six-year relationship because he hadn’t been man enough to tell her that civilian life scared the shit out of him.
Within the regiment, you mattered. Your skills were put to good use, and your reputation as a badass came with the badge on your lapel. But the second you changed into civilian clothes, you became just another guy good with his fists.
There weren’t too many occupations where that was checked off in the pro column.