“So you can’t fight if you have a mate?” She rolled her eyes. “That sounds archaic. No woman wants to think of herself as a man’s mate.”
“How is your concept of marriage different?”
“I didn’t say I agreed with that either.” Agent Kelly crossed her arms over her chest. “Marriage is just a piece of paper.”
“There is no paper involved with a Hunter and his mate. It is a bonding that will last a lifetime.”
“No man stays around that long.”
“A Hunter does.”
Agent Kelly snorted. “Enough talk about fairy tales. They don’t exist. What I need from you is your statement about David Hendry, the Gordon brothers, and what happened in Caliente.”
“We found the brothers by checking the photos of the other photographers that had been at the park that day. We were suspicious after the ransom drop. It was obvious that one of the paparazzi was involved.” Partlan’s voice was bored. They had followed the usual steps of elimination before approaching the Gordon brothers. It was something the FBI should have done themselves.
“When we found the brothers, they were getting ready to leave the country. They had the ransom money.”
“You should have called the FBI at that point.” Agent Kelly looked up from the pad she had been scribbling on.
“Why? I have dealt with many takings, or as you call them, kidnappings. I am experienced with finding people. That is what Hunters do.”
“I’ve never heard of mercenaries rescuing people.” A muscle clenched in agent Kelly’s jaw. “Who else have you worked for?”
“I worked for the Kaladin.”
“I’ve never heard of them.” She started writing again. After a few seconds, she looked up. “You can continue with your version of the kidnapping.”
“The Gordon brothers told us they sold the boys. They did not exchange names with the buyer, but made the deal at their storage unit. We left them handcuffed at their house because Selina asked us to let them live.”
Partlan bit back the disgust he had felt at leaving the brothers alive. His instinct was to kill them for what they had done. They had no honor, and even though they were cowards, keeping them alive would not change who they were. To kidnap young children because you were angry, and then to sell them once you had extorted money, were not the actions of reasonable men. At their core, they were damaged.
“You sound disappointed. Selena showed great presence of mind.” Agent Kelly tried to hide her grin. “At least you won’t be charged with their murder.”
“These men will harm again.”
“Not in prison.” Agent Kelly looked up from her pad. “They will be put away for the rest of their lives because of the kidnapping.”
“If your courts find them guilty.” Partlan clenched his hands into fists. “I have heard that your justice is not always fair.”
“Everyone is equal under the law.”
The FBI agent spoke by rote, but she didn’t’ fool Partlan. He sensed her ambivalence. She might defend the law, but she was not blind to its weaknesses. Partlan’s respect for the agent increased.
“You do not sound satisfied with your legal system.”
Agent Kelly straightened her shoulders. “I know some try to manipulate it. The Walters are trying to do that for you right now.”
“I did not ask them to do anything.” Partlan shifted on the bed. “I said we would bring their son back because he had been taken with Tarrin.”
“But Tarrin meant more to you than Gates.”
“Rescuing both boys was important.” Partlan’s voice held a mild reprove. “I will not apologize about my connection with Tarrin. His father is a Hunter, and that makes Tarrin a brother.”
The agent lifted an eyebrow and gave Partlan a steely stare. “Why didn’t you tell us that Catal was his father?”
“We did not know.”
“I find that hard to believe. If you did the math, you would have been able to backtrack when Catal and Selena had been an item. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out he was probably the father.”
Partlan clenched his jaw. “Catal claimed Selena as his mate. We are sworn to protect a fellow Hunter’s mate and children. The parentage of the children does not matter to us.”
“She denied knowing who the father was.” Agent Kelly’s grip on her pencil tightened. “It was stupid of me not to realize it would have been one of the men she called in for help.”
“We did not make the connection either.” Partlan forced his gaze away from the agent.
“I don’t understand.” Her voice held confusion. “You were closest to Catal. Surely he knew?”
Partlan looked back. Her face was tilted and there was a furrow between her eyes. For a second, he longed to hold her and kiss away her worries. She would not allow that, so instead he would tell her a truth about himself.
“Until Catal found out he had a son, we did not think we could father children.”
Her eyes widened. “That’s another one of your lies. Why would a group of men believe they were sterile?”
“Where I come from, we do not have children.” Despite the ache in his head, Partlan lifted his chin. “We were bred to be warriors, not to father children.”
“Bred?” Agent Kelly’s head jerked back. “That sounds like something out of a science fiction book. You’re good at fighting. That’s the only reason men became mercenaries.”
“Not Hunters. We are genetically modified to be warriors, and from our first breath to our last, we protect.”
“Now I know you’re not telling the truth.” Agent Kelly crossed her arms over her legs, letting her writing pad tangle over the edge of her lap. “Despite what you see in the movies, science is not that advanced on Earth.”
“I did not say I came from Earth. I am from Cygnus.”
Partlan waited for her reaction. It was a risk telling her, but he had to try to convince her to let him go free. This planet was not friendly to aliens. Since they had crash landed almost a year ago, they had hid from the authorities. As a prisoner, he would not be able to protect himself or her, if threats were made.
He had not had time to contact Ardal, the leader of their unit either. His last mind connection had been when he was shot. Ardal needed to know what had happened to him. He would have to check in soon so that he would know how to proceed.
“You said you didn’t lie.” Agent Kelly shook her head. “Let’s just look at the facts of the kidnapping for now.”
“I have told you the truth. It is your decision whether to believe or not.” Partlan tried to move his arm, but the handcuffs reminded him of his restraints. “Are these necessary?”
“You’re the one who unarmed my agents at the Walters’ house. I’m not taking a chance that you’ll escape again.”
“It will not prevent me from leaving.”
“You’re in no condition to run.” Agent Kelly picked up her pencil. “How did you find Hendry?”
“He met the Gordon brothers at the storage locker. It was a matter of identifying the car and getting his address from his license.”
“And shooting him.” The agent’s eyebrow rose. “Which you claim was in self-defence.”
“It was.”
“Continue.”
“Hendry told us that the boys were put on a transport truck, but he only saw the word Diamond. We found the name of a Diamond Haulage on his emails and proceeded from there.”
“You took a chance with that one.”
Partlan shrugged. “We followed the wrong truck at first. It did not prevent us from reaching the boys in time.”
“So now we get to the interesting part. The shootout in Caliente.”
“They came out of the building with shotguns.” Partlan’s voice was matter of fact. “We had no choice. The children were being held there.”
“You could have called me.” Agent Kelly flipped her notebook shut. “I would have had an armed unit there within the hour.”
“Children’s
lives were at risk. It is not our practice to wait.”
Partlan shut his eyes as a wave of weakness descended. His words seemed to be tied up in his tongue. He tried to continue speaking, but nothing came out. Exhaustion took over and he was powerless to control his body. He fell into a deep sleep.
How long he slept he did not know, but the sun was setting low in the sky when he awoke. Agent Kelly was still in the room. She was curled up in one of the chairs sleeping. She was using her coat as a blanket, and her arm for a pillow. In slumber, she looked even more beautiful.
Partlan inhaled an awed breath.
He could feel the steady beat of her heart.
His beat in unison. Her breathing was faint, but he strained his ears and mind to be certain she was content. Her face was relaxed and the stern lines around her mouth and eyes were gone. It was the first time he had seen her at peace. His heart soared with happiness. It was a new emotion for him.
He wanted to reach out and touch her; to brush the hair away from her eyes. Never had he noticed a woman before. He sent her a wave of calm and then leaned back to mind connect with his unit.
He reached out for Ardal, his leader. “It is Partlan. I am still in Beverly Hills.”
“What happened?” Ardal’s voice was clear in his mind.
“Agent Bakker shot me when I was trying to leave. Agent Kelly has arrested me and is holding me at the hospital.”
“Can you escape?”
“If necessary. I am handcuffed to the bed, but these restraints will not last long.”
“Good. I am sending men to you.”
“I should warn you of one other development.”
“Continue.”
“I am certain that Agent Kelly is my pair bond.”
Chapter 5
A sharp pain shot through Partlan’s shoulder as he twisted the handcuffs back and forth. The metal was bending and soon it would be weak enough for him to break it. He clenched his jaw and twisted again. Pain was meant to be endured. Training and combat had taught him that there were worse things.
The constant smell of antiseptic surrounded him. It was the second day after the shooting and he was anxious to leave the dull green, institutional walls that surrounded him. Humans might find it comforting to be in such a sterile environment, but he found it stifling. He might as well be locked away in a prison cell.
He gave his wrist another twist.
The machine at the head of the bed began to beep faster and footsteps could be heard in the corridor. He took a deep breath and steadied his heart until the noise subsided. The door pushed open and a nurse moved toward him. She checked the monitor and then the dressing on his chest.
“The doctor will be in soon.” She adjusted one of the leads to his chest and then moved to inspect his arm where the IV had been inserted. “He’s doing rounds right now.”
She followed the tubing of his IV to the pump and then pushed a few buttons before turning to him with a smile. She was young and beautiful and her brown eyes were soft as they settled on him. Partlan felt no stirring of interest or attraction. It was as it had always been. In thirty-three years the only woman who had excited him was Agent Kelly.
“Is there anything you need?” The nurse picked up the water jug from his side table and filled it at the sink.
Partlan’s eyes followed her movements. “I am fine.”
At that moment the doctor walked in.
“I would have to agree.” The doctor flipped through paper on his chart. “It’s amazing. Your lab results are almost perfect.”
The doctor put the chart down on the bed beside him and then removed the dressing on his chest. “Any pain?”
Partlan shook his head. “I am anxious to leave.”
The doctor took a closer look at the exposed wound. “Remarkable.”
“What?” The voice of Agent Kelly echoed in the small hospital room.
“My patient has extraordinary restorative powers. I’ve never seen anything like it in all my years of surgery. It’s almost completely healed.” The doctor stepped away and motioned to the nurse. “You can redress this.”
Agent Kelly moved closer to the bed. A surge of joy moved through Partlan as his eyes lingered on the tall, beautiful agent. She was dressed as usual, in a dark baggy pant suit with her hair dragged back behind her head in a tight bun. She was frowning and he fought the urge to pull her into his arms and comfort her. His only desire was that she be happy.
“When can he be released?”
“Normally I’d say in a week, but at this rate, he should be good to go in a day or two.” The doctor stepped back to let the nurse cleanse the wound.
“Good.” Agent Kelly’s eyes skittered away from his bruised and reddened chest. “My supervisor wants him in custody.”
“I said he could go home, not to prison.” The doctor picked up the chart from the bed. “Unless he’s going to a hospital facility in jail, he’d be better off here.”
“He needs to come with me for further questioning.”
The nurse finished with her work and moved away. Partlan flexed his chest muscles. The new bandage held. He nodded at the nurse and then turned his attention back to Agent Kelly. Her brow was furrowed and her face reddened.
“He needs rest.” The doctor clasped the chart close to his chest and held the door open for the nurse to pass through. “I’m not releasing him just because you want him for interrogation.”
The doctor left the room.
Silence followed him.
Partlan cleared his throat. “I will go with you now, if you wish.”
Agent Kelly shook her head and threw herself down in the chair beside the bed. “I have to follow the doctor’s orders. I can’t move you until he releases you, or your lawyer might use that against us in court.”
“I do not have a lawyer.”
Partlan leaned back on his pillows. A sense of peace enveloped him. Agent Kelly had brought the sunshine in with her. He might be locked to a bed and facing custody, but that did not matter. All he cared about was being near to her.
“You have the right to have a lawyer appointed to you.”
“What will they do?”
“Protect you and make certain you don’t incriminate yourself.” Agent Kelly pulled her small pad out of her pocket.
“I trust you.”
“You shouldn’t.” Agent Kelly’s eyes avoided his. “I am trying to have you arrested in the shooting of David Hendry.”
“Have your experts not explained what happened?”
Partlan’s voice was devoid of emotion. As connected as he was to Agent Kelly, he would not deny who he was. He was a warrior sworn to protect. David Hendry would have died at his hands even if he had not struggled with Partlan for the gun. There were no second chances when the lives of women or children were threatened or damaged.
“Yes.” Agent Kelly sounded disappointed. “The forensics confirm what you told me. You’re lucky.”
“Luck had nothing to do with it. I am a skilled warrior.”
“You’re pretty sure of yourself.” The FBI agent sat up in her chair and clicked her pen open. “Explain what happened at Caliente again.”
“As you wish.”
Partlan leaned back and started to relate the story of the capture of the child traffickers and the rescue of their captives again. As he spoke, he twisted his handcuff until the metal bent with ease. Soon he would be free and then he would have no choice. He would escape. It would be easier if he left before being taken to the FBI headquarters.
When he had finished relating the story, Agent Kelly clicked her pen a couple of times. “Tell me about the judge.”
“Catal killed him.” Partlan shrugged. “The judge came after him with a gun and shot at Catal and his family. The man deserved to die.”
“It seems you always have a reason to kill people.” Agent Kelly sat forward in her chair. “Do you leave anyone alive?”
“There would be no honor in killing innocent people.”
<
br /> “So you recognize that some people are innocent.” She emphasised the word innocent with sarcasm.
Partlan tilted his head. “We protect. That means only those causing harm will be killed.”
Agent Kelly exhaled a loud breath. “There is no deviation from that? Is there no grey in your universe?”
“Grey is a color.” Partlan frowned. “What has that to do with honor?”
“Black and white, right and wrong.” Kelly’s voice rose in exasperation. “You can’t tell me you’ve never heard the term grey being used for middle ground.”
“Your language is still unclear to me. Where I am from we do not use words to mean more than one thing.”
“Unbelievable.” Agent Kelly closed her notebook. “So there is no change in your story?”
“Why would I alter the truth?”
Partlan sensed her frustration, but he did not understand how he could make things better for her. He could not lie. A Hunter did not dishonor himself in such a way. The men they had killed at Caliente had shot first. He would have killed them whether they attacked or not.
“We did leave some alive.” Partlan’s voice was conciliatory.
“That’s a blessing I suppose.” Agent Kelly sighed. “We’re interrogating them now, but they refuse to talk and have lawyered up. They’re a pretty well connected lot.”
“We should have killed them.”
Agent Kelly rolled her eyes. “I’m surprised you didn’t. What stopped you?”
“Selena asked us to let them live.”
“That’s the second time you listened to her. Why?”
“She is a woman. We obey.”
Agent Kelly’s eyes widened and she sat back in her chair. She opened her mouth to speak and then shut it. It made no sense to Partlan why she would be surprised, but he had learned that what was normal on Cygnus, was not true on Earth. He waited for her to speak.
“Are you telling me that if I told you to do something, you would?”
“As long as it did not interfere with your safety.” Partlan’s tone was firm. “I have learned that women on Earth are not used to ruling and sometimes make decisions that can harm them.”
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