* * * * *
Jake munched his breakfast slowly while he surfed the Israeli and American news sites over the internet. He was glad he had decided to ‘pop’ into Jericho for breakfast, because for some reason, the continuum was offline. Evidently the gods had the same IT issues Humans did.
Curiously, some of the tallest skyscrapers all over the world had been evacuated. In San Antonio, the same building with Rion’s apartment that he had tried to break into on his search for Serena had been emptied, along with buildings in Tel Aviv, Dubai, Hong Kong, Seattle, Paris, New York and Toronto. The news media were abuzz with speculation as reporters attempted to connect the dots about the owners of these tallest of buildings, but so far no one was to …
“Mind if I join you?”
Jake heard a somewhat familiar voice ask in Hebrew. He looked up, a little surprised to see—
“Mira?”
She was standing next to his booth holding a juice glass.
“I usually don’t sit with Mossad,” she smiled, “but since I sort of know you—”
“Oh, good G-d, sit down.” He smiled.
She smiled back and took the bench seat across from him.
“How did you get here?” he asked.
“Rion.”
“Rion? When did you meet Rion?”
“Before you did, actually.”
“Before? How?”
“While you were running down leads looking for Serena. He’s quite persuasive . One minute I’m chasing him down for kidnapping and the next thing I know we’re both working for him.”
“Yea,” Jake quipped. “Small world. So how did he recruit you?”
“I think I ticked him off,” she admitted.
“Really?” he chuckled, “That’s not a wise thing to do. Pissing off Zeus?”
“Well, it wasn’t exactly intentional. Before you flew off to Seattle, I kept working on the leads. We’d already tracked him to his security company so I wanted to see what they were up to. I couldn’t get into their network but they did have some really interesting security patterns I kept noticing.”
“It was that obvious?”
“Maybe not to anyone else. But is was to me.”
“I think I’m beginning to understand why you’re here now,” Jake offered, smirking from behind a coffee mug. “Keep going, I want to hear the rest of this.”
“Yea, so I wrote some tools I use to kind of streamline my work and research. You know, sniff out certain protocols and patterns on the sly. I start building a pattern reference of every place I see this signature. I see a couple hundred of them across the globe, mostly military and government stuff.”
“And,” Jake probed.
“And all of them tied to one really ugly hacker.”
“That would be Rion,” he assured her. “So what’d you do?”
“Nothing at that point; I was still collecting data. I’m just sitting in the office when he saunters in the door like he owns the place––all of our security systems just let him right through. I recognized him immediately from the photos I’d downloaded from Serena’s phone. I thought I was dead.”
Jake shook his head, smirking. “Let me guess, you two talked ‘geek’ for the next two hours.”
“More or less. How did you know?”
“Because you’re like the ultimate geek, Mira, and so is Rion. The whole world could be crashing down in Armageddon and you two would be wondering if the network was still up.”
“Probably,” she agreed, taking a sip from her glass.
Jake noticed that Mira was wearing an access ring.
“So what do you think of the continuum?” he asked.
“Everything here is impressive, Jake.”
“Yea, until it goes down.” Jake innocently mocked.
Mira studied him for a moment. “You don’t know—”
“Know what?” He stuffed a bite of potatoes into his mouth.
“They’re not like us. They don’t make mistakes. Their knowledge doesn’t ‘go down’.”
“Sure it does. It’s down now.” He munched.
“Rion’s gone, Jake.”
“I know, he was kidnapped.”
Mira just looked at him.
Jake caught her stare and stopped munching. “Mira, what are you talking about?”
“Everyone’s saying that he’s dead.”
Jake just blinked at her.
“That’s why nothing works anymore. The last of the Sentinel Masters, is gone, Jake.”
Jake quickly left the table.
* * * * *
Serena heard the subtle door chime. She ignored it. After a several more chimes, she yelled at it, tears streaming down her face. “Go away!”
The door opened anyway. He entered her room, moving silently through it, until he found her laying on her bed. She was dressed and deeply despondent.
So this was the young woman, and now new goddess, who Rion was seeing. Damn.
She had easily felt him enter her apartment. But through her tears she could barely make out someone standing in her room. “Dammit! I said go away!”
She didn’t recognize the voice. “Serena, I’m sorry for the intrusion. I’m Admiral Dark.”
“Huh?” She leaned up to try to get a better look at him through her tears. Others had also stopped by. But an Admiral showing up in her room? She fought hard to pull back the sadness she felt; the sadness that had been pouring out of her all morning.
“I’m sorry about what you’ve been hearing this morning.”
“They killed him! Just like they tried to kill me!”
“Serena,” Dark walked up to the side of her bed. He shook his mind clear for a moment. Good god she smelled nice. “What you heard from other people here at Jericho—may not be true.”
“It’s off. All of it. Rion told me, that he would always be with me.” She held up her fist with the silent gold band. “It doesn’t work anymore! He’s gone, Admiral Dark.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
“It’s never happened before. That’s what they said. It’s broken. The knowledge of the Ra is gone.”
“We don’t know that, Serena. All we know is that it’s off.”
“Your own prophecies—”
“Are wrong.”
Serena blinked at him.
“They are often wrong. About half the time, in fact.”
Serena lifted herself to a semi-sitting position on the comforter, her legs half tucked under her. She moved with a natural elegance Dark had seldom seen in a human. He tore his eyes away from the denim-covered curves of her long legs and ass, turning away to look out the window instead. Her attraction could put natural gravity to shame.
“Listen, I know you’re very upset at the moment,” he offered, looking over his shoulder and not directly at her. “But you’re right, this has never happened before. It still doesn’t mean my friend is gone.”
She sat up fully. “You—you were friends with Rion?”
“We’re still friends, Serena. I haven’t given up hope on him. We need the people closest to him to be strong. Morale in Jericho has been seriously shaken, and its eroding. Quickly. Rumors are flying.”
“I—I’m sorry. I didn’t know—”
“They’ll be time for apologies later. Right now, the Prince of the gods is missing. There’s no reason to believe he has been killed at this point. Just the opposite, in fact.”
Serena stood up quickly. “What do you mean?”
“Whoever kidnapped Rion used some powerful technology to do it. That kind of power doesn’t just grow in trees. They could have killed both you and Rion in a heartbeat. But they didn’t. They tried to kidnap you; both of you.”
“Jake stopped them.” She wiped her tears.
“Damn right I did.”
Dark had already heard the Mossad entering the apartment and her room from behind him. His stealth needed a bit of work.
Jake walked past the Admiral and took Serena into his arms. She held onto him tightly
.
“I was briefed on your new position with Dominion this morning, Jake. Welcome aboard.”
Jake nodded.
“Serena, as Rion’s consort, you’ve become a very important piece of this family now. You’re a newblood, you’re an Invicti, and whether you realize it or not, you’re the last of the royal blood until Rion is found. Do you understand the weight of what I’m telling you?”
She nodded. “I think so.”
“Pull yourself together, Serena. The rest of the Invicti will be arriving this afternoon from Seattle. We’re pulling in our people from all over the world. Jericho is about to become a little crowded.”
She nodded.
“Commander Gold, you’re with me.”
Jake nodded. He gave Serena a soft kiss on the side of her head and left with the Admiral.
Serena took a deep breath, trying to calm her feelings. She sat back down on the side of her bed. Her feelings still a shambles. Her eye caught something on the fine wood bedside table. She could have sworn that the only thing on the table was a lamp when she had entered the room hours ago, crying. Five new poker cards lay neatly fanned facedown. She reached over and collected the cards into her hand, the ten of hearts showing on the bottom. She fanned them out slowly. Someone had done an artistic playing card style visage of Jake, and then herself as the queen. She smiled seeing Rion’s stylized face on the next card. The last card was the ace, all of them hearts. But instead of a large heart in the center of the last card, there was a stylized drawing of what looked like tall buildings, a skyline? She suddenly realized that there were seven cards in her hands. The last two were blank.
“You’ve got aces that ain’t yet showin’,” the words trailed through her mind.
Serena gathered up the hand she had been dealt. She pressed the cards against her lips, new tears falling from her eyes. But this time, a new feeling of resolve was rising quickly within her.
38
I take it you and Serena have some history?” Dark rode the elevator with Jake down to the undersea tunnels, their conversation out of earshot of anyone who might be eavesdropping.
“We dated for a couple of years at school. We broke up last year.”
“Are you really that big of an idiot?” Dark asked, his Hebrew flawless. “She’s beautiful.”
“You people don’t mince words around here, do you?” Jake glared.
“No. Just me.”
“I had bigger responsibilities, Admiral. Serena didn’t understand that at the time.”
“I see. My apologies, Jake.”
“Don’t worry about it, Admiral. Besides, I don’t think it was G-d’s intention to put the two of us together for any length of time, considering what’s happened with Rion.”
“I wish I had your faith.”
Jake half smiled at him.
“People around here call me Dark, Jake. It’s the name of my Clan.” Dark offered Jake his hand.
“Thank you, Dark.” Both shook firmly. “I appreciate what you told Serena upstairs. Is she? Really royalty now that she’s married to Rion?”
“The Ra don’t marry, Jake. That’s not what makes Serena a princess—only blood does that.”
“I didn’t know she was blood?”
“She is now.”
“How’s that?”
“Rion awakened her.”
“Right. The whole Nephilim thing.”
“That’s a rather derogatory label in our history, Jake. We’re hardly ‘fallen’.”
“I’m sorry, Dark. I’ll probably be stepping in it quite a bit as I learn more about your culture.”
“I’m not offended, Jake. We’re adults here.”
Jake nodded. “So, how is Serena related to Rion?”
Dark chuckled.
“I stepped in it again, didn’t I—”
“No, Jake. When someone is awakened by another Ra or even a halfblood, they take on some of the genes of their sire.”
“You’re joking—”
“I’m dead serious.”
“So—Serena—?
“Is like Rion now. She has some of his DNA.”
“Like, some—a lot?”
“Who knows? If we did a blood test, Serena would show up as being part of Rion’s family tree.”
“Like his sister?”
“I guess that’s one way of looking at it.” Dark smirked. “Their genetics would be very close.”
Jake was still feeling repulsed by the whole idea when the elevator doors slid quickly open. The corridor was crowded with people pulling suitcases and carrying large duffle bags on their way to new temporary housing.
“Is it always this crowded?”
“No. I’ve recalled our operatives back to the sanctuaries. I’m sure it will thin out quite a bit once people begin to get into new routines.”
“I thought you people were dying out? Are all of these people Ra?”
“No. A few are newbloods, but almost all of them are halfbloods. Most are my people, and other clans who work with us. We work hand-in-hand with the Apostleship of the Dominion. My wife and sister are Ra.”
“Wait—your sister is Ra but you’re a halfblood?”
“Yea, don’t ask,” Dark grumbled.
* * * * *
Serena answered the chime. A tall twenty-something blonde woman dressed in hiking attire with a sizable military style duffle slung over her shoulder stood in front of her door.
“Hey, Serena. I’m Elle.” Elle’s feelings were all over the newbie sun goddess. She was cute.
“Hi. Do I know you?” She felt oddly familiar to Serena somehow.
“You do now.” Elle smiled factiously.
“Are—you in my feelings?” Serena sensed. “You feel like Rion—I mean, but different.”
Elle chuckled. “Let’s hope I don’t feel like Rion. Can I come in?”
“Ah, sure.” Serena looked out into the hall to see several other people carrying all different types and kinds of luggage.
“What’s going on?”
“Recall. The gods are re-grouping. Leavenworth. Jericho. Silverthrone. Halfbloods mostly. And what’s left of newbloods like us.”
“How many are there?” Serena closed the door.
Elle leaned her duffle against the couch in the small apartment. “Who knows? A hundred newbloods maybe. Halfbloods, tens of thousands when you start to include the other continents. All on their way here. I’m your new roommate, by the way.”
“Roommate? Carson didn’t say anything about me getting a roommate.”
“That’s because he doesn’t know yet. We’ll let him know soon enough.”
“Who’s ‘we’?”
“The Invicti, Serena. In case someone forgot to tell you, you’re a sun goddess. A very elite breed among the newbloods.”
“People keep telling me I’m something. Honestly, Elle, I don’t know what any of this means yet. It’s a little frustrating. I—”
“Whoa, Serena, you are feeling way out of it,” Elle moved up to her. “Relax.”
Serena was suddenly aware of Elle’s very calm feelings moving over her own ruffled ones. It felt really good, feeling Elle soothing her emotions. Serena took a deep breath. “Wow.”
“Better?” Elle asked.
“I’m sorry,” Serena apologized. “It’s been a little overwhelming—especially with losing Rion.”
“He’s not lost.”
“He’s not?!”
“Usually we can feel each other, Serena. But something cut us off from him the other day when he was taken.”
“Dark said they use really powerful technology.”
“I’ve read the reports. It was Kir. I’m sure of it.”
“I don’t know what ‘Kir’ is.”
“You don’t need to worry about for now.”
“What if they try to take me again?”
“They won’t.”
“You don’t know that!”
“I do.”
“How?”
“Because they’ll have to get through me first. I’m not just your new roommate, Serena. I’m also your new bodyguard.”
* * * * *
Jerrod entered Carson’s office and quietly closed the door. He walked up and joined the shorter teen who was looking out the window at the new throngs of people entering Jericho by the thousands.
“I’ve never seen so many awakened in one place before.” Carson said quietly.
“It was a good decision to continue expanding Jericho and the other sanctuaries. Let me borrow that crystal ball of yours next time you’re not using it. How in the hell did you know all of this was going to happen?”
Carson smirked. “Everyone getting settled in?” His gaze met Jerrod’s.
“We are. The quarters are opulent, Carson. We’re not royalty here.”
“I beg to differ. One of you is.”
“I’ve assigned Serena her new bodyguard. They’ll be rooming together until Rion is found.”
Carson raised an eyebrow? “Elle’s okay with that?”
“No, but I didn’t give her a choice. I’m not leaving Serena alone by herself. Not even for a moment. Until she’s trained, she’s vulnerable.”
“You should take her to Leavenworth. She’ll be safer there than here.”
“Probably. But you need us here. Without the knowledge of the Ra, Jericho is also a lot more vulnerable. No one will bother you as long as all of us are here. The Kir can take care of themselves.”
“If you say so. I’m not convinced they didn’t have a part in this somehow.”
“We can’t be second guessing our allies, Carson.”
“I always second guess my allies, Jerrod. Even you.” Carson met his gaze with an unwavering stare.
Jerrod nodded, his lips pursing. There was a reason the teen-looking century and a half old director of the Dominion had garnered the reputation of being a heartless bad-ass. But there was no denying Carson’s results. He had kept all of them safe. Jerrod watched the throngs of people moving through the courtyards below.
* * * * *
Interra (Awakened Series Book 5) Page 35