by I. T. Lucas
What he hadn’t expected was to find the hole he’d made in the wall all patched up as if it were never there. The mattresses and blankets and spare clothing were all gone too, as was his stack of books.
Someone had taken great care to erase all evidence of anyone other than the apes ever being locked in those cages.
Why would anyone go to all that trouble?
Not the human police, that was for sure. They would’ve wanted the evidence to stay intact.
Whoever had done it must’ve wanted to protect Wonder and cover up her criminal activity. Using the facility without permission was no doubt a punishable offense even in the West, where the laws were lax and civilians were allowed way too many personal freedoms.
Humans weren’t meant to be free. Mortdh’s teachings said that it wasn’t good for them. They’d been created to be slaves to their betters and needed a firm hand to guide them.
But if not the police, then who could’ve done it?
Grud had been watching her for months and collecting the little bits of information she’d let slip. Wonder didn’t have friends, human or immortal.
Maybe it wasn’t about Wonder at all?
Maybe it was about Dur?
What if Dur had overpowered Wonder, taken her phone, and called his people?
As a spy, Dur probably belonged to a secret division of the Brotherhood, and the men Grud had seen leading Shaveh and Mordan out had been from that unit.
That could explain the cover-up job, but it didn’t explain why Shaveh and Mordan had been taken away in handcuffs. Although it did explain why they hadn’t tried to get free.
“Gary, honey.” Vera pushed the kitchen door open. “Harold is back with the things you asked for. Would you like me to set the table?”
Grud waved her off. He really hated all these cutesy names she called him. He was a warrior, not ‘dear’ and not ‘honey.’
“I said I was hungry.”
But in case someone came to visit the old humans, he had to keep up the nephew named Gary charade. A few more days of repeated thralling and the couple would not remember their own names, let alone the invented nephew’s. By then he would probably be gone.
Vera smiled. “It will be ready in a minute.”
After the woman’s interruption, it took him a few moments to gather his thoughts again.
Why would the Brotherhood arrest Shaveh and Mordan?
Getting caught by a female was humiliating, but it wasn’t a crime.
The other possibility was that Dur wasn’t a Brother at all. He might have been a clansman, and those who’d arrested Shaveh and Mordan had been Guardians who came to rescue him.
The spy story might have been a clever cover to hide who he really was while he pretended to be one of them. That would also explain why he’d seemed odd for a member of the Brotherhood.
The guy was too polite and too charming, behaving like a human male who was practiced in wooing females rather than just taking what he wanted from them.
Still, if he were a Guardian, the bastard was a very convincing liar.
Grud shook his head. All that thinking was starting to give him a headache. He had a hard time combining all the possible threads into something that made sense.
If Dur was a clansman, and those who’d arrested Shaveh and Mordan were Guardians, they would have taken Wonder with them. Why would they care if the evidence of her trespassing was discovered?
Fuck. Thinking in circles wasn’t going to solve the puzzle for him. Besides, his rumbling stomach was too distracting for him to think clearly.
Maybe once he was full, the answers would come.
14
Magnus
After driving around the neighborhood nearest the facility for over an hour, Liam parked the car, opened his box of mints, and popped one into his mouth. “You should get the guy with the dogs again.”
“Dogs can’t track someone in a vehicle.” Magnus leaned his head against the headrest.
Earlier that morning, he’d had one of the Guardians call Jorge’s wife with some bullshit story about insurance. The guy spoke fluent Spanish, which had been instrumental in getting her to cooperate.
With a detailed description of the truck and the license plate number, Magnus had been sure they would find it parked somewhere in that neighborhood, but apparently he’d been wrong.
“Not true. I read about a dog that tracked an abducted child over forty miles away. The child had been driven in a van.”
Magnus cast Liam a sidelong glance. “Don’t believe everything you read in the newspapers. And even if that were true, Jeff’s dogs can’t do it.”
“Did you ask?”
“I didn’t have to. They sniffed around the place the gardener was found and then stopped.”
Liam rubbed his jaw. “If I were that Doomer, I would’ve dumped that truck at the first opportunity and got another car.”
“I had William check on it. No cars were reported stolen in a twenty-mile radius from the facility.”
“None would be reported if he thralled the owner.” Liam popped two more mints into his mouth.
“Are you hungry? Or is it some kind of a nervous tick?”
“I think better when I chew on something.”
“How about we pick up a burger instead of you popping those mints like they are candy?”
“I’m all for it.”
As Liam turned the ignition on, Magnus pulled out his phone and rang William again.
“Sorry, mate, but we can’t find that truck for you. It’s an old model, and it has no LoJack.”
Magnus switched the phone to his other ear. “What about the phone? I’m pretty sure the Doomer dumped it in the same place he left the truck.”
“That would have been a stupid move. He probably destroyed it and then dumped it somewhere else.”
“Not necessarily. We are talking about a Doomer here. They are not taught to think independently. They follow orders.”
“If you can get me the phone number and the login information we can track it to its last location.”
“I’ll have Vince call the wife and ask.”
“Let me know when you have it.” William disconnected the call.
“Are you okay with a drive-through?” Liam asked.
Magnus glanced at his freshly pressed slacks. If he got them stained, they’d be ruined. “I prefer to sit at a table if you don’t mind.”
“As you wish. I’ll try to find something.”
After texting Vince, Magnus put the phone back in his pocket. “I still think the Doomer is hiding somewhere in this neighborhood. He could’ve thralled a resident to let him use the garage.”
“As I said before, those dogs could come in useful. We can split up, you, Jeff, and me, each one with a dog, and comb the neighborhood.”
“Maybe. I don’t know if Jeff or his dogs will like your idea.”
“Found it!” Liam said as he spotted an In-N-Out.
“I told you that I wanted a decent place with a table to eat on.”
“They have seating inside. I just love those burgers.”
It wouldn’t have been Magnus’s first choice, or his fiftieth, but when partnering with another Guardian compromises had to be made.
“I thralled Jeff to forget the details from yesterday. I don’t think he would’ve wanted to assist in finding my supposed partner after learning he’d robbed a gardener. If I want him to bring his dogs tomorrow, I will have to drive to his place, wait for him to come back home, and thrall him again to agree. The guy is booked for weeks in advance.”
“I don’t see a problem with that.” Liam got out of the car and waited for Magnus to join him.
“I guess it’s not a big deal. Two consecutive thralls are not going to cause damage, provided they’re done right.” The guy had been easy to thrall, which was an advantage. The lesser force needed for entry, the more precise the thralling could be.
Liam pulled the hamburger joint’s door open. “Maybe the hacker
will find the truck by the phone’s last recorded location, and there will be no need for the dogs.”
“I hope so.”
15
Anandur
Regrettably, lunch with Wonder wasn’t happening. Kian had an appointment in the city and needed both him and Brundar to accompany him.
Letting her know he wouldn’t be picking her up, though, was complicated by the fact that he had no way of communicating with her. He’d smashed her cellphone and hadn’t supplied her with a new one yet.
But he had Bridget’s.
“What’s up?” he asked as she picked up. “Are you done with Wonder?”
“I am. She is with Vanessa now.”
“Do you know how long it will take?”
“They’ve just started. I assume several hours.”
“Can you do me a favor and tell her that I can’t make it to lunch? And also make sure she is fed?” He wanted to suggest paying her back for Wonder’s lunch, but Bridget would’ve been insulted.
The doctor chuckled. “Don’t worry, we won’t let your girl starve. Vanessa is taking good care of her.”
Damn busybodies. “She is not my girl, she is my friend, and I feel responsible for her. That’s all.”
“Right. Anyway, check with Vanessa in a couple of hours.”
“I will. Thanks.”
“No problem.”
He switched the phone to his other ear. “By the way, did you find anything?”
“Doctor-patient confidentiality, Anandur. You’ll have to wait for Wonder to tell you.”
He’d expected as much. “I will.”
His next phone call was to William.
“What can I do for you, Anandur?”
“Can you hook Wonder up with a new phone?”
“Sure thing.”
“When will it be ready?”
“You can pick one up in five minutes.”
“I can’t. I’m in the city with Kian. I’ll come over when I’m back.”
“See you then.”
The first thing Anandur had done once he returned to the village was to stop by William’s.
“Thanks for the phone.” He tucked the box under his arm.
“You’re welcome. Tell Wonder where she can find me if she needs help with it. I put the instructions up on our site, but there is nothing better than one-on-one demonstration, especially for someone who is new to our systems.”
“I’m sure she’ll be able to figure it out on her own.” William’s disappointed expression prompted him to add, “I guess it might get a bit confusing, though. I’ll tell her to come see you if she needs a more in-depth tutorial.”
William grinned. “That would be great. I want to meet the girl who defeated the undefeatable duo.”
“Yeah, about that. I suggest you don’t mention it to her. She’s touchy about it.”
“Why?”
Anandur shrugged. “The day I understand all the strange intricacies of the female psyche, will be the day I solve the secret of life.”
“I hear you. Isn’t there a Nobel Prize waiting for the first male to crack the code?”
“If there isn’t, there should be. It might be the most important discovery of all times.” With those parting words, Anandur walked out of the lab and headed for the clinic.
Hopefully they were done, because Callie was waiting for them with dinner.
A smile spread over his face as he found Wonder sitting on a bench outside the clinic. Her eyes closed and her face tilted up to absorb the last rays of the setting sun, she looked so serene.
Beautiful.
Taking a moment to absorb her beauty, he stared at her relaxed, youthful face, trailed over the thick braid resting over one plump breast, and finished at her long legs that were stretched out in front of her.
Fates, the girl was an impossible to resist temptation.
Right.
He shook his head. Little sister—that was how he should think about her, a young girl who needed his help to start her life. Lusting after Wonder was not cool.
“Hey, sleepyhead, wake up.” He nudged her sneakered foot with his boot. “I have something for you.”
As Wonder opened her eyes, the vivid jade color took his breath away. “You got me a present?”
“A new phone.”
“Thank you. I had to ask Vanessa to let me use hers. I called the maintenance service to let them know that I won’t be cleaning the warehouses until further notice.”
He sat on the bench next to her, but not too close. “How did it go?”
“Oh, I said I had a family emergency and that I didn’t know when I’d be able to come back to work.”
“I meant with Vanessa and Bridget.”
A blush skittered across Wonder’s cheeks, disappearing as soon as it had appeared. “It was interesting. Bridget says there is nothing wrong with me physically. Vanessa asked me about a thousand questions before declaring me sound of mind.”
“Did she remember to feed you?”
“They were both very nice. Vanessa took me to the café for lunch.” She cast him an accusing glance. “I didn’t have any money on me and had to let her cover the bill. It was very embarrassing. When is Magnus coming back with my stuff?”
“Shit, I should have left you some money. I was sure I could grab a quick lunch with you, but Kian needed me, and I had no way of letting you know other than calling Bridget. Did she tell you I called?”
“Yes, she did. That’s why I’m sitting here instead of going home. I was waiting for you.”
He pulled out a bunch of twenties and handed them to her. “Here, this should cover you until Magnus returns.”
After a moment’s hesitation, she took the money. “I’ll pay you back when I get my purse. By the way, does Carol accept cards? I had my debit card in my jeans pocket when you took me away from the facility, but I didn’t see anyone using credit or debit at the café.”
“We don’t use them here. Not yet. William is working on it.”
“Who is William?”
“He is our tech guy. If you need any help with the new phone, he is your guy. I’ll show you where he works. I'll also get you the clan-issued charge card for the vending machines.”
“Thanks.”
Anandur glanced at his watch. “We have about half an hour before dinner at Callie and Brundar’s. Do you want to take a walk?”
“I would love to.”
As she pushed to her feet and stretched, the buttons on Amanda’s too small blouse nearly popped open.
“Are you coming?” she asked.
Gazing at those buttons and hoping they’d give, he’d remained seated.
“Yeah.” Anandur forced his eyes away from her breasts to look into her captivating eyes. “So what else did Vanessa have to say?” he asked as they started walking.
Wonder tucked her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. “She says I’m anxious because I don’t know who I am and that’s natural. There isn’t much she can do for me since she can't hypnotize me or thrall me. The only way for me to regain my memories is to expose myself to as many experiences and as much information as I can, hoping that something will trigger them. She’s going to prepare for me a tablet with audio books that are summaries of the originals so I can learn as fast as I can.”
“What about the high school equivalency?”
Wonder shrugged. “I think I’ll wait with that. For now, I want to feel like a normal person my age. I still have huge gaps in general knowledge, and I don’t have a full command of the language yet. I want to focus on that for a while. Vanessa said that reading a lot would help with that. Mrs. Rashid said the same thing.”
Anandur rubbed the back of his neck. “Speaking of age. Did either of them figure out how old you are?” Please let it be twenty-five and older.
Not that it really mattered. Wonder’s innocence and inexperience were what they were, regardless of her actual biological age.
“Bridget thinks I’m as young as you said I am
.” She avoided his eyes, looking ahead into the distance. “She said I could be between eighteen and twenty-one.”
He could live with twenty-one, barely, but it was better than eighteen.
“The thing is, in some ways I feel much older than that, and in others younger. I don’t think it matters much, though.” She cast him a sidelong glance from under her long lashes.
Anandur shook his head. “The reason it matters is that a young person can be easily influenced and manipulated by someone older and more experienced. It creates an unfair advantage. In your case, it’s even worse. You know less about the world than the average twelve-year-old.”
Turning toward him, Wonder’s jade eyes blazed with indignation.
She humphed. “That’s the worst bunch of nonsense I’ve heard in a while. I might not know much about anything, but do I seem to you like someone who is easily manipulated? Was it easy for you to convince me of your innocence? Were my three prisoners successful in influencing my decisions?”
He had to admit that she made a good argument. “Two points for Wonder. You win this round.” He lifted two fingers in the sign of victory.
She humphed again. “I would say that I won every round so far. Maybe not easily, but still, a win is a win.”
Her spirited reaction was interesting. This was not the cool-headed, soft-spoken girl he’d gotten to know. When riled, Wonder found her voice and then some.
Good for her.
Perhaps he should needle her more often. Wonder always looked beautiful to him, but while miffed she was magnificent.
16
Wonder
“Thank you for inviting me again.” Wonder followed Callie to the dining room table. “Can I help bring stuff from the kitchen?”
“There is nothing to bring. Sit, eat, and enjoy. Brundar did the cooking this time.” Callie sat down. “All I did were the mashed potatoes.” She lifted the lid off a large glass dish. “The asparagus.” She repeated the reveal with a smaller dish. “This one is for us girls. Anandur thinks that anything green is bad for him, and Brundar is not a fan of veggies either.”
