“If you assume all Hunters are truthful, you would never know if they lied.”
“It would bring dishonor.”
“And that’s a great sin for you?”
“A Hunter lives and dies by honor.”
“The only people I truly trust are my parents.”
“That is why I have to ask about the men you were traveling with to Gobekli Tepe.” Eogan’s voice was low. “When did you meet them?”
“I’d only met them in person yesterday afternoon. I’d spoken to Steve many times on the internet.”
“Were these communications monitored?”
Hester frowned. “What are you suggesting?”
“What were these men hoping to find at Gobekli Tepe?”
“They wanted to prove that the ruin was connected with extraterrestrials who had visited this planet in our distant past.”
“And you accepted this explanation for their trip?” He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
“Of course. It’s the reason all of us were there.” Hester’s voice rose with indignation. “That's why I came to Turkey. I needed to see the carvings on the stones.”
“So you risked going with strangers?”
“Steve and I had communicated for over a year before I decided to come here. He wasn’t a complete stranger.” Hester understood Eogan’s hesitation to believe Steve’s intentions, but academics frequently corresponded by email for years without meeting.
“You don't know what his agenda was.”
“He wanted the same thing that I did.” She didn’t bother to hide her exasperation. “When I met him yesterday he was exactly as I had envisioned. He was a wealth of information about Gobekli Tepe. He’d visited it many times. I wasn't about to complain when he wanted other people to join us.”
“You were almost killed.” Eogan’s tone was critical. “They left you to defend yourself and that tells me they can’t be trusted.”
“Three of them did die.” Hester shivered as she remembered the horror of the previous night. “I can’t blame Steve and Franklin for saving themselves.”
“If we’re traveling together you must trust me and do what I ask.” He gave her a sharp look. “That’s the only way I can protect you.”
“I’ve fended for myself for thirty years. Nobody is going to dictate how I act.” She wasn’t about to relinquish her independence for any man, even if she found him attractive.
“Hunters do not give women orders unless it involves safety,” Eogan said. “Your protection is all that concerns me.”
“You seem very quick to tell me what I can and cannot do.” Hester crossed her arms. “I’m capable of choosing my friends without your interference.”
“I caution that you don’t know these men as well as you think. The ambush that you were caught in may not have been about me. What if they were really looking for your companions?”
A shiver of fear went through Hester. She hadn't given any thought as to why those men had been waiting for them on the road. The other strange thing was that Steve and Franklin had been so quick to drive away. They hadn't looked back or hesitated.
“You said they were looking for you.”
“I’ve had time to reconsider what happened.” He frowned. “There is no doubt that I was being tracked, but they couldn’t have known in advance what direction I would take. You said those men ambushed you.”
“So you think they were after Steve all along?”
“You may have triggered a security breach by all of your investigations into aliens.”
“Most people consider us crazy, and ignore everything we say.”
Eogan gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Everything on the Internet and the telephone is monitored. Any talk of extraterrestrial beings will be flagged.”
“I'm an archaeologist who teaches at a small Midwestern University. Why would anyone care what I say?”
“You were discussing the possibility that aliens had been on this planet. The Albireons, who are extraterrestrials, control the world’s economy and resources. They have been on earth for the past seventy years.”
“We were just speculating about other life forms. Steve has been involved with UFO research for years. Why would anyone decided that he is a risk all of a sudden?”
“What do you know about Franklin?”
"He was Steve’s friend. It was the first time I had ever met him." Hester frowned. "He was more intense than Steve or the others. Whenever he spoke, it sounded like he was giving us military instructions."
"What kind of directions?" Eogan eased the speed of the car.
“He talked about being on the lookout for the enemy and being certain to protect our flank.” She shrugged. “To be honest I didn’t pay much attention.”
“It sounds as if he was expecting trouble.”
“How could that be possible?” Hester turned in her seat to look at Eogan. “As far as I knew, we only planned to go to Gobekli Tepe.”
“His agenda may have been different.” His voice was dry. “He might have suspected that you were being followed.”
“So he led us into the trap?” Hester didn’t bother to hide her doubt.
“I’m concerned that they kidnapped you at the hotel. How did they know you were with me? At no time did anyone see us together.”
Hester inhaled a sharp breath. “They knew I was there.”
“Either that, or they were waiting in case you returned.” His words sent a shiver of dread up her spine.
“You think they’ve been watching me?”
“Probably.” He stepped on the accelerator. “The sooner we get you to safety, the better. Can you recall any details about the others?”
Hester shivered. She suddenly had a new perspective on how it felt to be hunted. Before, she’d been worried about Eogan, but it had been his reality, not hers. Now she wasn’t so sure. Eogan had raised a few points that troubled her. She tried to concentrate and remember yesterday’s meeting with the men at the café.
“No one was nervous.” Hester rubbed her forehead. “It was a carefree discussion about ancient monoliths and what the possible meanings could be.”
“Was Franklin there too?”
Hester’s eyes widened. “He joined us later.”
“That was the first time you saw him?”
Hester nodded. “Josh didn’t know him either. It was Steve who vouched for him. After all, Franklin was providing the van. We weren’t in any position to tell him that he couldn’t join us.”
“Did he say anything that seemed out of place?”
Hester shrugged. “We were all talking about some pretty strange stuff. Most people would think it was all out of place.”
Eogan’s jaw tightened. “Did he do anything different? I’m looking for a clue as to who he was working for.”
“You think he’s a spy?”
“It is possible.” He slowed the vehicle down before turning onto the road to Iskenderun.
Hester sensed his frustration. She tried to focus on the conversation that had taken place the previous day, but it was hopeless. Fear and stress had pushed everything away except the fact that she was running for her life, and trying to get out of Turkey. She crossed her arms and leaned her head back.
Who was she kidding?
Sitting beside Eogan was making it nearly impossible to think. It was as if the essence of his being was reaching out to her. All she wanted was to have this feeling continue. It made no difference that they were on the run, or had tampered with a rental vehicle. All that mattered was that Eogan was with her.
A fleeting memory drifted through her mind.
She frowned as she considered the conversation. It had seemed strange at the time, and now in hindsight, it was even more significant. Franklin had been speaking to Steve in a hushed tone when she had first arrived at the van. They had stopped immediately after they saw her, but not before she’d heard what they were saying.
“Franklin was talking about some organization that
he called H.R.F.”
Chapter 11
It was a term that Eogan was not familiar with. That didn’t mean he could ignore it. He had to be certain that Hester wasn’t being pursued by this organization. Any information that he could gather about the group would help him protect her. Her safety was the most important thing right now. He’d worry about getting to the other Hunters after he knew she was out of danger.
“What does that mean?” He looked over at Hester. “I have not heard anything about H.R.F. before.”
“Neither had I. That’s why I thought it was strange.”
“When did he mention it?”
“He was talking to Steve, and they didn’t realized that I was standing by the van.” Hester’s voice was reflective. “He said the H.R.F. was prepared to do battle. That’s why I thought he was a military person.”
“Did they say what kind of combat?”
“They were discussing conspiracy theories and how they were all ready for an invasion.” Hester shrugged. “It just sounded like the usual ufologist rhetoric. In the chatrooms, they’re always talking about alien abductions and how unprepared we are for an attack.”
“So you think this group is part of the plan to stop such an assault.”
“They could be. I didn’t hear much more because once they saw me, they turned the conversation to Gobekli Tepe and the possible meaning of the carvings on the stones.”
Eogan frowned. He’d been held a prisoner below ground for the past six months so anything could have happened in that time. He needed to know if the other Hunters were aware of this group. His other concern was whether this H.R.F. should be trusted or feared.
“We’ll be in Iskenderun in an hour.” He looked at Hester. Fatigue and weariness were written all over her face. “Sleep. I’ll wake you when we arrive.”
She nodded and leaned her head against the window of the passenger side. Eogan forced himself to look away. She looked beautiful and at peace with her arms crossed over her bag and her glasses slipping down her nose. Never had he noticed a woman before, and for a few seconds he let himself savor the sensation of attraction that ripped through his body as he gazed at her.
It was intoxicating.
It was addictive.
He was a warrior and women had no place in his life. It was forbidden for a Hunter to mate on his home planet. Partlan had told him that being on Earth and removing their implants had meant that some Hunters had found their pair bonds and mates. He hadn’t believed it could happen to him, though.
Hester was the first woman he’d met after he’d pulled out his Kaladin implant. It was incredible that he could bond with anyone that quickly. A part of him wanted to deny what was happening, but the longer he stayed with her, the deeper his connection was growing. There was no denying the attraction he felt for her.
He needed to find out if this conversation that Hester had overheard was the reason she might be targeted. If they were on the run from two different organizations then he would change his strategy. He’d assumed that the Albireons were the only ones after them. It was their men that had tried to kidnap Hester.
Now he needed to find out about this H.R.F.
He sent out a mind connect to Ardal. “I am headed toward Iskenderun.”
“How long before you reach it?”
“An hour or less.” Eogan glanced over at Hester who was still sleeping. “I will have company. We intend to rent a boat and head for Cypress.”
“I will see if there is a team close by.”
“Another complication has arisen. We have run into an organization called H.R.F. and they may be pursuing us.”
“I have not heard of them.” There was a second of hesitation before Ardal connected again. “I will have my men search for any information concerning them.”
“I will let you know when we are in Cypress.”
“Stay alert.”
“Always.”
Eogan ended the mind connect. Ardal’s men should be able to tell him shortly if there was going to be a problem with H.R.F. A surge of determination rushed through him. There was no way he was going to let anyone hurt Hester. She may have stumbled into a plot that she had no knowledge of. It was his responsibility to ensure that she survived without harm.
They were entering the outskirts of Iskenderun when Hester yawned and stretched her arms over her head. A sense of calm and peace came over Eogan at the sight of her awake. He kept his eyes on the road as he maneuvered through the busy streets on his way to the harbor and waited until she was fully conscious.
“This is a beautiful city.” Hester’s voice was filled with awe. “No wonder they call this the Turquoise Coastline.”
“We should reach the port in a few minutes.”
“Good.” Hester shifted in her seat. “I need to stretch my legs.”
“You must stay near.” Alarm raced through him. “I can’t risk you getting lost or taken.”
“I’ll keep close.” Hester waved away his objections. “You’ll have to do all of the negotiations for the boat. I don’t speak the language.”
The harbor came into view and Eogan slowed so that he could park the car. They locked the vehicle and then walked along the pier looking at the boats available for rent. Most were small and wouldn’t be able to do the crossing that they wanted. When they had reached the end of the dock they found a larger boat in need of paint. There was an older man standing on its deck and he waved them closer.
“We need to go a distance.” Eogan looked at the ship.
“She will go as far as you can pay.” The man spoke in broken English.
“Great,” Hester said under her breath. “I don’t have much cash left.”
“How much for Cypress?” Eogan watched the man’s face as he considered the request.
“Seven hundred lira each.”
“How many American dollars is that?” she asked.
“I will take both of you for five hundred US dollars.” The man crossed his arms over his chest.
Hester went to open her backpack.
Eogan put his hand over hers. “Two hundred.”
He began the negotiations. He had learned this technique when he’d been stranded with other soldiers after finishing a mission. As per protocol, there was no exit strategy for the team. They’d bartered a lower price. When Eogan had questioned it, they’d advised him that they would be less memorable if they behaved as regular tourists. He also didn’t want Hester spending all of her money. It might be necessary later.
“That is too little. I need to pay for my fuel.” The captain waved away his suggestion.
Eogan crossed his arms and waited.
It took a couple of seconds before the man made a counteroffer. “Three hundred.”
Eogan glanced at Hester, and she nodded. “It is agreed.”
They boarded the ship. Hester handed over the money, and they found a place at the front of the boat. There was a short delay while the captain cast off. The morning was brisk and the breeze was a pleasant respite. Eogan had spent six months underground, and the scenic coastline and majestic mountain range that framed the port were a welcomed sight. He relaxed the tension in his body. Soon they would be free of this place.
Hester leaned against him.
A jolt of electricity went through him.
A quick inhale of breath from Hester told him that she’d felt it too. She looked toward the disappearing harbor and rubbed her arm. He sensed her uncertainty and reluctance to speak about what was happening between them. He didn’t quite understand it either, but to keep silent was wrong.
“There is a connection between us.” He spoke his thoughts aloud.
Hester’s eyes widened. “There’s no way that you could be feeling anything toward me. I appreciate that you’re trying not to hurt my feelings. I feel like a fool.”
“Why?”
“Somehow, you’ve guessed that I’m attracted to you.” Hester shrugged. “What woman wouldn’t be? You’re gorgeous and very prot
ective.”
“No woman has ever noticed me before.”
“I find that impossible to believe.” Hester’s eyebrow rose. “You could have your pick of any woman. No man wants me.”
“That’s not true.” He had to convince her that he was drawn to her. “You are very beautiful.”
“You told me before that you weren’t interested in women.” Hester pushed her glasses up her nose. “I gave up the dream of finding a man long ago. You don’t have to spare my feelings. It’s very gallant of you to try and ease my embarrassment.”
“I do not lie.” Eogan clenched his hands tight onto the side of the boat. He was handling this badly. “I want to explain to you about Hunters.”
“You’re warriors and not from this planet. What else is there to know?”
“We are not like other men.”
“I gathered that.” Hester’s voice was dry.
Eogan turned to her. “Women are forbidden to Hunters.”
Hester frowned. “What do you mean?”
“We do not have mates.”
“Never?”
He shook his head. “Our implants make it impossible.”
She glanced down at his forearm. “They stopped you from being attracted to women?”
“Because of the genetic modifications that have been done to us through the ages, we are devoted and fierce warriors. We obey orders and die with honor. We are the perfect soldier and the Kaladin did not want to risk anything interfering with that.”
“They thought that having a mate would distract you?” Hester’s voice rose in indignation. “That’s crazy. Men and women have spouses and families and still make good soldiers.”
“On Earth. Not in Cygnus.” Eogan lowered his voice. “You forget that our genes have been changed. At one time, the Kaladin allowed us to bond until they found out how different we were from other men.”
“That sounds ominous.” Hester’s gaze didn’t leave his face. “What happened?”
“We form pair bonds that last a lifetime and are so intense that nothing can sever it. There is only one mate for a Hunter and not even death can dissolve the connection or change its importance.”
Her eyes widened. “You never want anyone else, not even if your partner dies?”
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