“She’s very pretty,” he teased and it was no exaggeration. With a hint of red in her shoulder-length hair and wide amber eyes, Raina was lovely. Simple curiosity had inspired his search. He wanted to know more about the people in Ashley’s life. But Ashley’s vehemence fueled his interest rather than backing him off. “How does one have ‘fellowship’ with a university?”
Despite her obvious annoyance, Ashley smiled. “A fellowship is a research project or area of study sponsored by a university. In this case Georgetown allows Raina to use their facilities, but she’s required to find her own funding. Fellows are generally former students.”
“She’s researching innovations in agriculture?”
Ashley nodded. “She’s developing a hybrid grain that matures much faster than wheat or rice and provides twice the nutrition. Available farmland is shrinking as populations all over the world expand. It’s becoming harder and harder to feed everyone.”
It wasn’t surprising. Every developing world eventually faced these sorts of challenges. “Raina has quite a list of interests, biotechnology, microbe fertilization, genetically modified crops, alternate and high capacity agriculture, and hydroponics. Is she actively researching all of these subjects?”
“Of course not. Her research has evolved over the years. She’s focused on the super grain and hydroponics right now. In fact, if she doesn’t find grant money or corporate sponsors for the super grain, she might be down to just hydroponics.”
“She sounds very ambitious.”
“To put it mildly.” Her smile hinted at the deep affection she felt for Raina.
He deactivated the datapad and looked out the window. He wanted to know more about Raina, but his interest was making Ashley uncomfortable. They both had enough to deal with right now. He’d ask her about her friend once some of these stresses had been resolved.
Music filled the next hour along with his imagination. Gods knew there wasn’t much to look at, except for Ashley. Scrub-covered fields swept toward the blue horizon, the monotony broken only by an occasional butte or grouping of livestock. There were mountains in the distance but they marched along parallel to the road, never drawing nearer.
After a long pause, Ashley asked, “What happens if Dr. Irron makes it work?”
“If Irron makes what work?” he asked, giving himself a mental shake. She had to mean the genetic transfer. Nothing else made sense.
“You said the ultimate goal is to restore magic to the battle born. Correct?”
He shifted in his seat so he could look at her without turning his head so far to the side. “That’s the best possible outcome, but there are several other approaches we consider acceptable.”
“Well, let’s stick with the best-case scenario for now. Dr. Irron expounds upon my father’s work and develops a way to unlock the latent magic inside each battle born male.”
“I try not to jump that far ahead.”
She conveyed her impatience with a scrunched-up expression. “Indulge me. What happens to human females when all those battle born soldiers learn that the answer to their problems is waiting for them on Earth?”
He’d played this game with Garin several times already and the outcome was always the same. “We don’t have enough information to create probable outcomes. That’s why I’m here.”
“How many battle born males are there?” Tenacious as ever, it was obvious she had no intention of letting the subject drop.
“There are over a million,” he admitted, “but half are still too young to mate.”
She didn’t seem surprised by the number. “Five hundred thousand warriors could soon be coming to Earth ready to hunt down compatible females? And you honestly expect human males to just hand over their women without a fight?”
“If Irron can make it work and if mating is still necessary for the transformation. There are also the descendants to think about. Multiple Rodyte ancestors might be necessary to trigger the mutation, which slows things down considerably. There are simply too many variables to allow for accurate predictions.”
“You’re avoiding the issue.” Tension crept into her tone and her fingers tightened around the navigational ring. “Regardless of the specifics of the transformation, if females are required to—”
“We don’t even know that much,” he stressed. “Irron could devise a protocol that has nothing to do with the mating bond.” It was highly unlikely. The scientists on Rodymia had been using the mutation triggered by the mating bond as a delivery mechanism for the past forty years for a very good reason. It was easier to make alterations to the genome when the DNA was already changing. Knowing the fact would only worry her, so he kept it to himself. “We don’t know what will be involved and until we do, all of these what ifs are a waste of time.”
She sighed and slid her sunglasses farther up on her nose. “I suppose you’re right. I just can’t help feeling like I’m paving the way for an alien invasion.”
He smiled, hoping to lighten her mood, but her gaze remained on the road. “It’s doubtful that a mass invasion will result from any of this. But even if it did, when you consider the population of Earth, five hundred thousand is a drop in the bucket.”
“Sounds more like a flash flood to me.”
They lapsed into silence for nearly an hour. Ashley turned the music back on, but he could see the tension in her features. He wasn’t sure what to say to soothe her. She was worried about her people and he couldn’t blame her. Ensuring the wellbeing of his people was his primary motivation, so how could he fault her for a similar concern?
Wide-open spaces gave way to gently rolling hills and trees replaced the prickly looking bushes that had dotted the roadside for the past hundred miles. The more he saw of Earth, the more it reminded him of Rodymia. The cities were relatively primitive, of course, but many of the landscapes were similar to his homeworld, harsh and unforgiving.
“It’s not far now,” she said with a tentative smile.
“I’m no stranger to dealing with inactivity, but at least on a spaceship I can get up and move around. This vehicle is torture.”
They arrived twenty minutes later. She pulled onto a sloped concrete slab that led to a moderate-sized dwelling. The structure was isolated from other similar dwellings by a small stretch of land. The boundaries of each plot were designated by wooden barriers that clearly served no strategic purpose. There were three vehicle bays, but he could only see one automobile through the small, narrow widows inset in the roll-up doors. “Does your mother live alone?” This was a large dwelling for only one person.
“Most of the time. She’s between relationships at the moment.”
He directed the guards to park across the street and to remain in the van. Pator sounded annoyed by the order, but he obeyed.
They walked to the front entrance and Ashley knocked on the door. The barrier wasn’t locked, so she pushed it inward and called out, “Hello. We’re here, Mom. Is it okay if we come in?” She looked at him, concern shadowing her gaze. “She must be out back.”
Trepidation dropped like a stone into the pit of his stomach. He caught her arm half a second before she crossed the threshold. “Let me check it out.”
“I’m sure she’s just in the backyard.”
“I insist.”
Thankfully, she didn’t argue. She moved aside and motioned him onward.
Pator, check the perimeter but try not to make a scene. He glanced across the street and saw the guards pile out of the van before he pulled a compact pulse pistol from inside his boot. “Stay here.”
“You’re being paranoid.”
“I mean it.”
“Fine.” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the brick wall.
The house was eerily quiet, but nothing was disturbed, nothing out of place. He crept through the front room and headed toward the back of the house, scanning ahead as he neared each corner and doorway.
The backyard is clear. No sign of a struggle. Do you want us inside? P
ator asked.
Bandar still had to clear the bedrooms and he’d been given backup for a reason. Yes. Come in. He unlocked the large glass door and Pator slid it open.
“What’s the situation?” Pator whispered as he moved into the eating area. The other two guards were close behind.
“I’m not sure yet. Hanton and Tarn, see if there’s a sublevel or a crawl space. Pator, you’re with me.”
The bedrooms were situated off a narrow hallway. Bandar approached the first door. It was half open and there didn’t appear to be any activity inside the room. He paused to scan then cautiously stood to one side as he inched the door inward so he could see the entire room. It appeared to be empty, but they checked in the closet and under the bed before they declared the area clear.
Bandar? Ashley’s signal was faint, yet he easily recognized the rhythm of her energy.
We’re almost finished. Give use two more minutes.
She’s not there?
Rather than confirm her fear, he quickly cleared the last two rooms.
“There’s no one here,” Pator concluded.
Bandar nodded. “Go see what the others found.” He returned to the front room and motioned Ashley into the house. “It’s empty, no sign of a struggle.”
“But her car’s still in the garage.” Her face was pale, lips thinned. She was trying not to panic.
“Is there somewhere she might have walked? A neighbor or nearby park?”
She shook her head, eyes wide with concern. “She knew we were on our way.” Her eyes slowly filled with unshed tears. “This is bad. I can feel it.”
He didn’t want to compound her fear, but he was thinking the same thing. He’d rerouted her cell phone signals to his datapad. If Abigail had tried to call, they would have known about it.
“You don’t think Akim could have…”
He pulled her into his arms and pressed her face against his chest. That was his fear. However, he wasn’t willing to add to her distress until he knew for certain. “He had no way of knowing we were coming here and no reason to target your mother.”
“Wait. What about the files?” She pushed out of his arms and headed down the central hallway.
She found nothing in the first bedroom, but two file boxes had been stacked in the back of the closet in the second bedroom. Ashley opened the lid on the top box and found twelve document binders. She pulled one of the binders from the box and flipped it open.
“These are Dad’s notes.” She sounded relieved. “Maybe the two aren’t related.”
Bandar didn’t believe in coincidence.
“Commander Nox!” The shout was both verbal and telepathic.
Recognizing the urgency in Pator’s cry, Bandar ran back to the kitchen. The three guards were huddled around—was that a body? “Report!”
Pator snapped to attention and explained, “There’s a workshop in the garage. That’s where they found him. The area is a shambles. We believe that’s where the abduction took place.”
The person they’d found was naked, curled up on his side as if to protect himself from the violent abuse. His entire body was a mass of bruises and lacerations. Blood flowed sluggishly from several of the cuts, which meant the man was still alive. Going down to one knee beside the victim, Bandar tried to see his face without moving his head. “Shit.”
“Is that Letos?”
He glanced over his shoulder and found Ashley staring back at him, hand pressed against her throat. She’d obviously heard every word.
He nodded then reached out with his mind, sending an urgent distress call. It was unlikely the Crusader was back in range, but he had to try. When no one responded to the signal, he sorted through his telepathic strands and found his connection to Nazerel.
I have a medical emergency. Are you able to help?
Rather than reply to the question, Nazerel simply flashed to their location. “What’s wrong?”
“This man helped us escape and obviously paid for it. We need to help him.”
“I’m not a strong healer, but let me see if I can get him stabilized. Then I’ll summon someone who can finish the job.” He knelt beside Letos and carefully rolled him to his back. Letos moaned, but didn’t awaken. Placing one hand lightly on his forehead and the other on the center of his chest, Nazerel went to work.
Bandar dragged his gaze away from Letos and pushed back to his feet. Ashley stood back from the scene, arms crossed over her chest. “They have her,” she whispered. “They took my mom.”
He pulled her into his arms, infuriated by his own helplessness. He had to remain calm and think this through. The files were still here, so Akim must have had a different motivation for taking Abigail. If this was simple payback for Letos’s betrayal, there was no reason for the kidnapping. But why would they have taken the woman while leaving the file boxes untouched? Wasn’t information the ultimate goal? Bandar shook his head. No matter how he tried, he couldn’t make sense of the scene.
Ashley pushed away and tilted her head back so she could look into his eyes. “How did they know where to find her? What are they hoping to gain?”
“I don’t know.” She knew him well enough to spot a lie so he didn’t bother trying. “Letos is our best hope for answers.”
Nazerel emerged from his trance with a gasp. “I need help if I’m going to save him and this can’t wait any longer. We’ll be at the Bunker.”
Bandar nodded as Nazerel grasped Letos with both hands and flashed from the scene.
“How well did you search the workshop?” Ashley twisted out of his arms and looked at Pator. “Was there some sort of message? A ransom demand?”
“There was nothing, ma’am.”
“I need to see it for myself.”
Pator blocked her path. “We’ll search again. You don’t need to see it.”
“Why?”
“There’s a lot of blood. I think it’s his.” He motioned toward the spot where Letos had been. The hardwood floor was smeared with blood. “But you don’t need to fuel your imagination.”
“He’s right.” Bandar pulled her back against him. “There’s no reason to entertain dark thoughts. They have no reason to harm her.”
“They had no reason to take her either, so where the hell is she?” Her voice grew shrill before she checked herself. “I need a minute alone.” And she ran down the hall.
Hard racking sobs shook Ashley’s shoulders. This was too much. It was all too damn much. This was supposed to be a way to kill time, a routine errand to fetch some dusty old files. She’d been looking forward to introducing her mother to Bandar. Instead, she’d brought killers to her mother’s door.
She heard the bedroom door open and close, then Bandar was there, his strong arms wrapping around her. “We’ll find the Relentless and get her back. Nothing is going to happen to your mother.”
She turned around, tears streaming down her face. “You don’t know that.”
“I know I’ll do everything in my power to make it true. We all will.”
Now that she believed. “If Nazerel can’t save Letos, we won’t even—”
He stopped her words with his fingertips. “Don’t think like that. It doesn’t do anyone any good. We’ll find her because we won’t stop looking until we do.”
“I’ve never been this frightened or this angry. How can I be both?”
He kissed her forehead, then curled his hand around the back of her neck, gently rubbing. “Both reactions are perfectly natural. We’ll get through this. I promise.”
She wiped her tears on the back of her hand, trying not to feel foolish. Her relationship with her mother had always been strained. It was hard to be affectionate toward someone who thought you were crazy and treated you accordingly. But Ashley had made a conscious effort to improve their relationship over the last several years. Had it been enough? Did her mother know how much she loved her?
A fresh rush of tears blinded her, but she stubbornly blinked them back. Bandar was right. She had to stop bei
ng so emotional. It didn’t do anyone any good. “How did they know where to find her? This house isn’t in her name.”
“Is it in your father’s?”
She shook her head. “They started living separately when I was about fourteen, but they never bothered with an official divorce until three years ago.”
“What happened three years ago?”
“Mother thought she’d fallen in love and wanted to get married again, so she filed for a divorce. Dad didn’t take it well.”
Bandar’s dark bows drew together in a faint scowl. Was he struggling with the concept of divorce or the specifics of this particular situation? Rodytes had very different ideas about long-term relationships. “If he allowed her to live apart from him, why would he care about a document? Their life bond was obviously broken.”
His question proved her point. Choosing a life partner was instinctive for Rodytes. They either felt the pull of their mate or they didn’t and once they felt that pull, they never let go. Warmth cascaded through her and eased a bit more of her fear. Their bonding had barely begun, but it already felt completely different than anything she’d experienced before.
But this wasn’t about Bandar and her. She had to focus on her mother. “It wasn’t like Dad wanted her back. He just didn’t want anyone else to have her. Dad decided to literally make her pay for her freedom. Mother, in turn, hid all her assets with the help of a shady lawyer. She eventually broke off the engagement and paid her ex-fiancé for this house. However, he agreed to leave the title in his name until the divorce was finalized. The lawyers were still fighting over the details when Father died.”
“Letos is a technomage,” Bandar reminded. “Akim likely beat it out of him.”
She wasn’t convinced. “Letos can manipulate technology in some very impressive ways, but he isn’t truly psychic. Mom has tried to live off the grid for the past three years. She was so determined to thwart Dad that she even left her phone in the ex-boyfriend’s name and kept his greeting on her voice mail and answering machine. Anyone that doesn’t know her thinks they have the wrong number. Could they have traced the signal from your device? There’s nothing left in my mother’s name, nothing a technomage could follow. There’s something here we’re not seeing.” Bandar didn’t argue, nor did he agree. He stared past her in silence, apparently considering other possibilities. “They couldn’t have followed us. They’d been here and gone by the time we arrived.” She shook her head again, frustrated by the unanswered questions. “It doesn’t make sense.”
Crusader (Battle Born Book 1) Page 19