“Sir?” I asked before going over to help my team. “Why did you put me on this assignment? I’m not a programmer.”
“I know, but you know more about George than anyone else here.” He cleared his throat and turned back to papers on his desk. “Passwords, that sort of thing. You might also be able to catch things not immediately recognizable as worth looking at.” His eyes flicked to me. “You’re dismissed, Lieutenant.”
“Yes, sir,” I replied before walking toward the door.
Durand gazed up at the others. “Dismissed,” he ordered. “Out! Just take it all with you.”
Corbin raised his eyebrows at me, and Mia cringed.
“Ashe,” she said, “take that, yeah, and the phone.”
I gathered up as much as I could before leaving with my fellow soldiers.
After my shift, there were two things I had to do: move some items over to Corbin’s quarters, where he lived with his family, and get a call out to Evgeni.
The call was the most challenging thing to do. There was only one spot on the entire base that got a decent signal, and it was on top of the mountain in a place known as the Northeast Lookout. Teenagers who lived at the base were always up there hanging out and wearing out their cell phone batteries.
The route up to the Northeast Lookout was inside an old borehole that had been drilled vertically into the rock. A narrow, rusting metal spiral staircase from the fifties twisted through the shaft until it ended in a ladder and hatch that led to the surface. The stairway had been restored but still remained rickety and unstable.
After the twenty-minute climb, I lifted the hatch and pulled myself up onto the windy, barren rock that overlooked the mountains to the north. The sky was an ominous shade of gray, and the wind blew fiercely, spattering me with the occasional drop of rain.
A few teenagers were sitting on the rock outcrops, but as the rain began, their numbers dwindled until all were gone.
I checked the reception on my cell phone—full bars, which was perfect for a phone call. But to avoid the wind, I had to scramble down the cliff and stand in an alcove below.
Skidding down the loose sand, I ran into a blond-haired boy who sat shivering, holding his phone in the alcove.
“Go,” I ordered, nodding to the trail with my head.
“No, I’m waiting for a text,” he told me defiantly.
Suddenly recognition sparked.
This was the Drake Prime, Logan Brooks. That little shit! I had half a mind to beat the crap out of him.
“Logan,” I snarled his name. “Get the fuck out of here.”
His eyes met mine and widened before he shifted and stood, dusting himself off, “Geez! You don’t need to be a dick!” he replied as he scrambled up the steep slope.
Yeah. He definitely knew who I was.
I watched him leave and waited to hear the hatch above close before making my call.
It rang twice before the familiar voice came over the line. “Hello?”
“Hey Evgeni, I’ve got some news.”
“Go ahead,” he responded.
I switched to speaking Russian out of paranoia. “George Miller was brought in a few weeks ago.”
“Hmmm… George Miller? I already knew that. Are you assigned to him?”
“I’m assigned to help look over his electronics, but that’s not why I’m calling you. Arthur has murdered those rogue Dragonborn he picked up earlier this spring. No trial, no Council meeting. It was all covered up… he left them to starve to death,” I told him.
“And you think he’s going to do that to George?”
I huffed out a breath, “Yeah. It’s not like I think George is this great guy, but he doesn’t deserve that.”
“Hmmm… I agree. I wonder if Arthur is looking for his research notes—George had all of Celine’s research notes too. Let’s not do anything right now. Just let me know if you find anything of interest while you’re looking through his stuff.”
I blew out a breath. “Okay.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“We need to get Arthur out of power… he’s a monster. The longer we leave him as PL, the more damage he does.”
“Yeah, but this has to be done the right way. We need the support of the Council.” He hesitated, “Will you let me know if you come across any scientific notes?”
I hesitated. “Sure. What are you looking for in particular?”
“Research that belonged to Celine—which means it belongs to me. I want it back, is all.”
“Yeah,” I whispered.
“Thanks. Stay safe, keep yourself shielded,” he warned before hanging up.
I paced the alcove.
I was sick of playing pawn to Arthur. His son, Durand, was actually a decent guy… but the PL? No, he was as rotten as they came. He disgusted me. He made a mockery out of everything we stood for, and sooner or later, he was going to destroy all of us if he wasn’t stopped.
4
Sydney
Pondering what move to do next on the chessboard, I snuck a peek at Babushka #2. She smiled broadly at me, showing almost all of her even square teeth.
"Shoot! I'm stuck. Will you give me a hint? No?" I asked, but also nudged Aaraeth to ask the old woman for me.
#2 pressed her lips together in a sly smile before rambling off something in Russian. I didn't need a translation; I knew she'd beat me.
It was impossible to win against the Babushkas. First off, they were sharp as tacks, and second, they'd been playing chess since the dawn of time.
I puffed up my cheeks and blew out a breath as I knocked over my king to signal my defeat.
At least I was awarded a sympathetic smile from #1 as she looked up from her knitting.
I was contemplating the game, when I felt it—that tingling sensation in the base of my spine.
Primes.
Dragonborn Primes were nearby and approaching quickly.
#2 didn't feel them yet, but beyond her, #1's sharp blue eyes flicked to mine—she sensed it too and nodded.
She says if you concentrate, you can recognize who comes, Aaraeth relayed to me.
Following her instructions, I unfurled my senses, reaching out and away from the house and down the road.
"Several," I breathed in fear. "Five… six… no twelve Dragonborn. Two Primes."
"Vos?" Who? Asked Babushka #2.
I tilted my head, probing the men. "Ummm… Durand, my uncle and…. I don't know the other one. They're all," my eyes snapped open, "soldiers. They're coming for me."
I gulped, my heart pounding in my chest. I reached out to Evgeni's dragon, but Nammos swatted me away mentally, like a swipe of his large black paw.
#1 sat there thoughtfully, her tongue probing her teeth beneath her closed lips as she focused on the newcomers.
"Is fine," she finally said in her broken English.
"You're sure?"
She lifted one shoulder and rambled off a string of Russian.
I held my hands up, "I have no idea what you just said."
"Learn Russian," was her only reply.
"Learn English," I returned, but quickly regretted my words and bashfully murmured, "Sorry."
I chewed my lower lip as the two grandmothers fired out a lightning-quick conversation. My eyes flicked between them as they spoke.
Aaraeth? I asked. What are they saying?
They say you are belligerent like Evgeni, she answered.
I knew that wasn't all, but I couldn't concentrate on the babushkas at that moment, not when I felt them coming for me.
As the group neared, a shiver ran through my body.
They weren't a threat to me, but they were a threat. All the soldiers were on guard and alert—looking for danger, searching for hazards. I felt their minds—focused and watchful.
I recognized Taya, my guard from the academy, and I smiled. I trusted Taya. She'd been an ally and a friend.
But my smile quickly faded when the intensity of the group seeped into my senses once agai
n. The truth was that I needed security like this. Someone wanted to kidnap me. They had power and numbers and were trained. And worst of all, they'd had no qualms about shooting to kill.
But twelve soldiers seemed like overkill… or was it?
We sat there quietly, listening.
The splash of the pool was the first noise to meet my ears, followed by the low hum of traffic and then the sharp clack, clack, clack of Katie's heels in the kitchen. Water splashed into the kitchen sink as she rattled around, opening the dishwasher and the refrigerator.
"Ouch! Damnit!” she cursed low under her breath, completely unaware of our impending guests or our eavesdropping. We were separated by only the double-sided fireplace that acted as a barrier between the spaces.
Her heels led through the open glass wall and back out onto the deck that overlooked the city.
The Babushkas usually just ignored her, and she did the same. There was a story there, but I hadn't been here long enough to find out the details.
I sat in the quiet, wondering about the strange dynamics of this house, listening for something, anything, to announce our guests.
An intricate gearwork clock sat on the mantel, ticking away the seconds.
I picked at a torn cuticle on my nail before biting it off.
We finally heard the sound of a car on the front driveway, I sucked in a breath. Evgeni's thugs had let them through the gate, and they were now here.
Ten soldiers and two Primes.
When the doorbell rang, I stood but sat back down when #2 cocked her head, pointed to the chair, and rattled off an order in Russian.
I watched Katie click-clack her way across the shiny tile toward the front entry. As she passed, she pulled a sheer, white, boa-edged, shawl around her shoulders.
I shook my head. Why? Why cover up when your cover-up was see-through?
She caught sight of us watching her, she scoffed in exasperation that we were leaving the door to her.
Of course, she wouldn't be alone. All visitors would also be met with either Baldy or Ponytail… or one of the other bodyguards that I hadn't given a nickname to.
Only Baldy and Ponytail were Primes. This meant that Evgeni was always surrounded by at least one or two other Prime Dragonborn.
The front door opened, and I stood again as Durand's mind feathered over mine.
I froze in irrational fear.
I had nothing to be afraid of, yet my hands were slick with sweat, and my heart was pounding.
The attempted kidnapping must have affected me more than I realized.
If only Ashe were here. The worst thing about the last few weeks was how alone I felt.
Ashe…
I squeezed my eyes closed.
No. I wasn't some pathetic girl who needed a guy to make herself whole. I wasn't weak like this. I was tough... But my words were only words and not the truth. The truth was that I felt broken.
Fury boiled up inside me at how weak and pitiful I was. I would not be some stupid girl crying over a silly, asshole guy!
Good. Anger. Focus on that, I told myself.
Aaraeth snorted in irritation.
According to her, everything would be fine.
Pffft! Not even my own dragon was on my side.
It was all bollocks, as George would say.
My heart squeezed again.
God, I missed George. I missed George being my dad. I missed our conversations. I even missed his dry humor. He'd turn to me with a completely straight face and say something obvious and ironic.
What would he say now about Ashe?
"You figured out how to rid yourself of men," he'd probably say… or something along those lines to make me laugh and realize how absurd everything was.
"Sydney?!" Katie's screech brought me out of my reverie and back to the present.
If someone told me a year ago that I'd be living in a mansion with bodyguards, I would've laughed my ass off.
Now, it was just my life.
I dragged my feet a few steps before #1 stopped me and squeezed my face in her firm grip, making me meet her eyes instead of the tiles on the floor.
She tilted her chin up, revealing the knot of her gold Gucci scarf tied at her neck. I only caught a few words as she spoke to me in Russian. However, her dragon, Oirsoid, translated it directly into my mind.
I know you are suffering, but you must show strength, stronger than you are. You must appear tough, tougher than you are. Remember, adversity is a good teacher. Learn from your pain, and rule it, don't let it rule you. You are a Prime and part of this family. Be proud and hold your head up high.
She released me but still pierced me with her blue eyes and stern expression.
Hope filled me as I met her gaze.
She was right.
I was a Prime, and maybe it was time I started taking back my own life, being who I was before Ashe.
Wrapping that smooth blank wall around my mind, I marched forward as if ready for battle.
When I entered the foyer, I was hit by reflected sparkles from the crystal chandelier, but I ignored them as I joined the group. Three people stood in the doorway, Taya, Durand Lambert, my uncle, and next to him was the strange Prime I'd felt before.
A smile crossed my lips as Taya stepped out from between the men.
I closed the space, and she folded me into a hug. Her soft brown eyes crinkled at the edges with a smile.
"It's good to see you, Syd," she told me with a smirk before her eyes flew to the unknown Prime of the group. "Have you met Matt?” she asked.
I shook my head.
Matt was mixed race with high Asian cheekbones and light brown hair.
"I'm Mathew Long," he introduced himself, his intense gaze unnerving me.
I shook his proffered hand once before letting go and turning to Durand.
"How are you, old man? Holding up okay?" I asked my uncle, knowing he was at the oldest in his thirties.
Durand raised an eyebrow at my comment before shaking his head, a smile curving the edges of his lips. "I'm glad to see you're still safe and in one piece after all the trouble you've caused."
"Me? I try my best to keep you in a job," I bantered.
"We're here to take you to Briony. Do you need to use the bathroom first?" Durand said, looking over my shoulder to admire Katie's backside as she disappeared in the house.
Ewwww.
"And that's where exactly?" I asked.
His eyes flicked back to me and narrowed. "Colorado. Let's go," he ordered, turning toward the open door.
"Wait, I have to get my things," I told him, slipping around to the staircase.
"Your bags are already loaded into the vehicle," he told me, watching as I ran up the steps.
Inside my room, I glanced around. My backpack and suitcase were gone along with much of my clothing, including my stuffed lamb. Spinning in a circle, I called my phone with my watch, but its chime didn't sound.
In the hallway, I spotted one of the housekeepers. "Have you seen my phone?"
She nodded, "I packed it in your backpack for you. It's already in the car waiting."
I puffed up my cheeks and raised my eyebrows.
"You packed the rest of my things?" I asked.
She nodded. "Yes, it's my job."
Being waited on was super weird, and I was not a fan.
Walking the circuit of my room, bathroom, and closet, I reluctantly made my way back to Durand, hoping I didn't forget anything.
The sun was setting as our plane touched down on a lone runway carved into the top of a mountain among small dark trees. It was definitely different from the runway near the academy in Idaho, being on the drier side with shorter vegetation that hunched over the brown earth.
Turning to Taya, I touched her leg as she leaned across to chat to Durand. When she turned back, a soft sigh escaped her lips. "We're here. Are you excited?"
I shrugged. "Where are we? This doesn't look like Denver."
"No, we're far from there.” she l
aughed, then stood and motioned me to follow Durand off the unmarked plane.
Making my way down the steps of the aircraft, I looked out in the distance. Splashes of orange and yellow hues marbled the sky before disappearing with the sun.
A small commercial terminal was lit up, about a kilometer away from where we disembarked at a charter hangar. I looked for any signs to tell me where we'd landed, but everything was too far away and too dark. The only illumination other than the distant terminal was the white fluorescent street lamps that buzzed with electricity. A cool breeze fluttered my hair, making me wrap my arms around myself for warmth.
Taya led me to one of the idling SUVs, and I slid into the back seat with her. Durand pulled himself into the front driver's seat, making the young driver jog around and get in the other side. The two exchanged a few words under their breath as we drove.
After a long time on a paved road, we turned off onto gravel, and the tension of the soldiers began to ease up.
The trees had thickened and changed from the low scrub oaks to tall majestic pines that hedged us in and blacked out the stars.
"Durand?" I asked.
"Yeah?” he replied, but didn't turn to catch my gaze. Instead, he continued to scan the area with his eyes and dragon senses. I could feel him as his mind swept past me like a radar beam.
"I heard there's a cadet program at the academy. I was thinking of joi…"
He cut me off. "You can't join."
"Why?"
"It's too risky," he barked.
"But I need to learn how to defend myself. When Ashe and I were attacked, I was basically useless. What happens if I need to defend myself?" I twisted my mother's ring on my finger, the amethyst dipping before popping up again on its rotation. "I don't want to be helpless."
Taya nodded beside me. "That's actually a good idea. I don't know why you weren't involved in any of the school training. I think it would be good for you."
"No," rumbled Durand. "She won't be joining the cadets."
"Then who's going to teach me how to defend myself? You?" I asked.
"I'm far too busy.” he sighed and met my eye in the rear-view mirror. "Taya can start to train you since she thinks it's such a good idea."
Hard Boiled Page 4