Warrior Rogue (The Drift Lords Series)

by Nancy J. Cohen

  Concern creased her brow. “So what’s your next move?”

  “Zohar should have been able to identify the portals with the jamming signal gone. That’ll pinpoint our targets. I have data about the generators keeping the inter-dimensional gates open. We need to devise a means to take them out.”

  She tilted her head. “This all seems very factual. What about the prophecy?”

  “I’m hoping Nira has had some success in locating your other so-called sisters.”

  “While your team is shutting down the rifts, what are we supposed to do? Follow up on a vague prediction about a coming cataclysm and locate the mythical rune to prevent it?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Do you know how absurd that sounds?”

  He jabbed his finger for emphasis. “We’re on a magic ship that unfolded from your pocket. We met a dwarf who turned a nail into gold, a serpent who swallowed us then spit us out, and a dog who changed into a man. Oh, not to mention a dragon who’s afraid of water. What would you call those?”

  Jen grinned, grateful they were on the same page again. “I guess my life has been unbelievable ever since I met you.”

  “I’m sorry about that.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it was my presence that activated your power and put the Trolleks on your trail.”

  They locked gazes, studying each other’s faces. Jen’s glance dropped to his mouth, perfectly contoured for kissing. She reached across the table and grasped his hand. “I wouldn’t trade knowing you for anything, Paz.”

  A responsive gleam entered his eyes but it was quickly replaced by firm determination. He slid his hand free and leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. “What do you plan to do once we reach shore?”

  “Go home, get into some decent clothes, and do my nails. They’re a mess.” She examined her fingertips with a grimace. “Then I’ll check my mail, call friends, and pay bills.”

  It sounded so odd to talk of mundane chores. Would her life ever be the same again? Did she want it to be?

  She lightened her tone. “You can contact your team from my apartment. Then I’ll take you over to the showroom. I’ll introduce you as my latest male model. It’s a good cover for you.”

  Her staff would fall all over him, especially when they learned he was straight. She’d have to stake her claim right away.

  “I don’t want to stay long in New York.”

  “I know.” Oh, but she was dying to have him try on her outfits. If he played along, she would design some fabulous jackets to fit his physique. And to see him strut down the runway, well, she wouldn’t be the only one panting at the prospect.

  “General Morar may pick up our trail again,” Paz reminded her, “especially if your timepiece acts as a locator beacon. You need to consult Nira on how to block the signal.”

  Jen took a drink of orange juice. They’d found some nonperishable packs among the food stores. “I need to talk to Nira about Algie’s experiments, among other things.”

  Paz drummed his fingers on the table. “We know the Trollek scientist is injecting humans with Trollek DNA to find a stable recombinant strand. What if she gets to the point where her test subjects survive?”

  “Then I suppose the Trollek DNA would replicate inside those people. She has a sample of my blood now. That may give her the element she needs. My so-called sisters…our serum could give her the key to complete her plans.”

  She and Paz both fell silent, contemplating their tasks ahead. Their relationship problems were minor in comparison but there was no question they had to work together to succeed.

  Otherwise, Ragnarok faced them, whether from the Trollek invasion or Algie’s experiments or the evil demon Loki who aimed to bring about the end of time.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The enchanted ship deposited Jen and Paz at a deserted wharf in Manhattan where they scrambled ashore. As soon as they stepped foot onto land, the ship collapsed into a folded piece of paper that wafted into Jen’s hand. She stuck it in her purse, which she had miraculously preserved through their adventures.

  A long walk brought them to a curb where Jen hailed a taxi. She rattled off instructions to the driver, and they proceeded to wind through a myriad of streets into the heart of the city.

  “We should get out before we reach your place to see if anyone is watching,” Paz said, peering out the window.

  Jen agreed and told the fellow where to let them off. She paid the man then grimaced at the diminishing funds in her wallet. At least it was Monday, so the banks would be open.

  On the sidewalk, Paz gawked at the sights surrounding them. Buses belched toxic fumes as they roared past. Yellow taxicabs shuffled one behind the other in nonstop traffic. He craned his neck to trace buildings that reached toward the sky, while his nose sniffed garlic from a nearby eatery. Pedestrians crowded the street, rushing to and fro. Despite the many metropolises he’d visited, this one had its own unique character.

  Jen nudged him with her elbow. “Will you stop acting like such a tourist? You’ll attract attention.”

  “You’re right.” His training kicked in. Blend with the natives. He slouched and glanced at blotches on the ground from old chewing gum. A woman pushing a baby carriage jostled past. He jumped as though touched by a Trollek.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Jen cast him an annoyed glance.

  He dodged a fire hydrant as they moved on. “Danger lurks in big cities. General Morar’s agent found us in Hong Kong. He can find us again. How far to your lodging from here?”

  “Not much farther.”

  Smells of roasted chicken drifted their way from a restaurant they passed. “Should we pick up some groceries?”

  “You know, I don’t really do the cooking thing too well. Let’s just stop at my place, deflate for a minute, and then we can go out to grab a bite.”

  “All right.” He had no idea what she meant by deflate but grabbing a bite he understood. Besides, he was eager to see her residence. It would reveal more about her.

  They approached a wide expanse of grass and trees that pleased his eyes. Trails ran through the park, crowded with joggers, families, and young lovers. A massive concrete structure rose to their left.

  Jen pointed out the sights like a tour guide. “That’s the Museum of Natural History, and this is Central Park. My place has a view of the park although it’s not much.”

  They walked a couple of more blocks in silence while he absorbed his surroundings. He liked the green spaces. Being surrounded by tall buildings made him feel closed in.

  “What’s your home like?” Jen turned her curious gaze on him. “Do you have a house, an apartment, or what?”

  He pictured his sprawling estate, imagining her surprise if he told her its acreage. “My world is a desert planet. Rivers are underground. My property sits on a plateau and overlooks a stark landscape of reddish-brown earth and pillars that point like fingers toward the sky. I miss the clean air and natural beauty but most of all the quiet.”

  “I’d think an interstellar traveler like you would be drawn to the cities. They must be fabulous.”

  A wistful smile crossed his face. “You have no idea of the wonders out there, but I prefer the peace of deep space. It’s vast and silent, and stars play like concerts of light far away.”

  “Sounds lonely to me.”

  He shrugged. “Nobody bothers me. That’s what I like about my job.”

  Jen pursed her lips as though his answer didn't please her. Doubtless the bustle of the city and the hectic lifestyle stimulated her. They were polar opposites in that regard.

  She turned down a street lined with sturdy buildings the residents called brownstones. The odor of sun-warmed trash drifted their way. Spindly trees stood at intervals down the sidewalk surrounded by protective fencing. Steam hissed from round cylinders in the road. Every now and then, a heavy truck lumbered past.

  A white delivery van was parked up ahead, the name of a flower shop emblazoned on
its side. Jen turned into the building opposite, where a uniformed man greeted them with a grin. He had gray hair, a stocky body, and a discolored front tooth.

  “Miss Dyhr, how are you? I haven’t seen you in so long that I was worried.”

  Jen gave him a hug. “I had a business trip abroad, and then I took some time off. Sammy, meet my friend, Paz Hadar.”

  They shook hands as per the American custom.

  “I figured you’d be back soon because you got a delivery.” The older man beamed at Jen. “They insisted on bringing it upstairs.”

  She narrowed her eyes while Paz stiffened at her side. “What delivery? From whom?”

  “A welcome home bouquet. I didn’t see the card.”

  Jen and Paz exchanged glances.

  “I’m going upstairs.” Jen grabbed a set of keys from her purse and marched inside toward the elevator.

  Paz leapt after her into the lift. “This isn’t a good idea.” If his makeshift PIP hadn’t gotten wet in Fafnir’s cave, he could have scanned for life signs in her corridor.

  “No one knows we arrived today. I didn’t even know when we would get here.” Her glance dropped to her watch. “This thing has become a liability, but I couldn’t take it off if I tried.”

  “We should have gone directly to Florida. We’ve no protection here. The Trolleks may have picked up our trail as soon as we stepped off the ship.”

  The elevator door opened, and they emerged into a carpeted hallway. Paz spied the floral arrangement on the ground in front of a closed door ahead.

  Jen rushed forward, stooped, and snatched the card sitting on a stick in the midst of the mixed bouquet. Her handbag shifted, and she adjusted its strap across her slim shoulder.

  “Don’t touch anything,” Paz warned. The doorknob could be booby-trapped. For that matter, the flowers themselves could be tainted with poison.

  “It says, This is a taste of what’s to come if you resist us. Your friends are next.” She gazed at him in bewilderment. “What does that mean?”

  He examined the door for signs of tampering. “We’ll find out soon enough. Stand aside.” Hearing nothing unusual from beyond, he twisted her key in the lock and pushed the door wide.

  Jen gasped at the wreckage inside. Someone had trashed her apartment. The contents were broken and strewn about the carpet. His mouth tightened at the look of stunned shock on her face. She needed to face reality. The Trolleks would stop at nothing to track them down.

  “Oh. My. God.” She stepped across the threshold, her eyes wide. “Who would do this?”

  Paz sniffed. “Cors particles. They couldn’t have been here that long ago.”

  She whirled toward him. “Then why the flowers? And if they vectored into my apartment, why aren’t they waiting here for us?”

  He gave her a mirthless smile. “Because it’s a lesson. They want you to know that they can get to you anywhere. They can get to anyone. Who do you think delivered the bouquet? Their mind slaves. The Trolleks can bend people to their will.”

  Her face paled. “I have to get to my showroom.”

  “No, we have to go to Florida, but likely they have people watching us to see if I’ll lead them to my team.” He tapped her arm. “Take what belongings you need. We have to leave.”

  “You can use my computer to contact your friends.”

  But after he verified her apartment was clear of any lingering intruders, he discounted that idea. Her computer had been zapped by disruptor fire. Its melted ruins congealed on her desk.

  While Paz stared out the window toward Central Park and kept an eye on the flower shop van outside, Jen filled a zippered tote with clothing and cosmetics that hadn’t been destroyed.

  She joined him when she’d finished. “I love this apartment. It may not be much, but for a one bedroom in New York, it’s pretty spacious.” She swiped at a tear running down her cheek. “We can’t stay here now. It’s not safe.”

  He liked how she said we but felt bad about how her world had been turned upside-down. Feeling partly to blame, he resolved to make things right for her. “I’m sorry, Jen.”

  He pulled her into his arms and traced a tender finger across her luscious mouth. His head lowered. He couldn’t help stealing a kiss. Jen’s arms wound around him in response and she clung fast, pressing her mouth to his with desperate insistence.

  “We should move on,” he said after a few minutes of savoring her sweetness.

  He gently detached her, aware that her sad gaze would forever be emblazoned on his heart. He gritted his teeth, reminding himself they were on a mission. There wasn’t time for sentimentality.

  Jen recovered her composure. “We should use the fire escape. Sammy won’t see us leaving then and neither will the guys in the van.”

  “Good idea.”

  When they reached the ground, Paz followed Jen down a side street. She walked with purpose, her stride fast and her expression determined.

  Carrying her bulging tote bag, he matched her brisk pace. “How do we get to Florida from here? The Trolleks will instruct their agents to watch the airports and all departing flights.”

  “I could ask my dad to send us a private jet.”

  “That wouldn’t lessen the risk. The beasts could vector onboard.”

  “Bus or train?”

  “Too public. We could use the Chinese junk again to sail down the eastern coastline. The magic protected us from their spatial shifts en route from Hong Kong.”

  She shook her head. “Another sea voyage isn’t my first choice. We’ll decide later.” They halted at an intersection. “In the meantime, I need to get a replacement cell phone at a phone store. You can shop for electronics and buy whatever you need to make another PIP. I know a place near Broadway and 47th Street, but we’ll have to take another taxi. And I should stop at an ATM to get more cash.”

  Upon his nod of agreement, she stepped to the curb and waved vigorously. One of the yellow ground vehicles veered over and squealed to a stop. Jen slid into the backseat and Paz followed. The swarthy driver glanced at them expectantly.

  “Let us off a block away from 47th Digital,” Jen said.

  The hired vehicle swung into traffic. As they passed sidewalks mobbed with people, shops, and eateries, Paz absorbed the visual onslaught. They’d gone from Tokyo to Hong Kong to New York City. How could Jen not get tired of the noisy crowds?

  He was right to believe they weren’t suited. She could never live in a place separated from her friends and isolated from society. Yet privacy was crucial to him. His estate held more than his residence. It held his laboratories and his testing ground. His blueprints were finished. He had only to build the prototype he needed to demonstrate his theories.

  He imagined Jen in his kitchen, protesting that she didn’t cook and they had to go out to eat. Go out where? The nearest dining establishment was miles away.

  Yet the thought of returning home alone filled him with a yawning emptiness he’d never experienced before. Besides, Jen could be an asset in different ways. She knew how to get a business off the ground, how to market her designs and how to establish a network of contacts. He could use someone with her experience. His lack of aptitude in this direction inhibited his progress.

  Being a Drift Lord was infinitely easier than coping with business affairs. His father wouldn’t agree, but then Paz had been a disappointment to him ever since they’d discovered his abilities.

  “Let us out here,” Jen told the driver, while Paz wondered how he’d lost himself in thought so completely that he had blocked out their surroundings.

  Fool, you’re going to get us killed or captured if you keep losing focus.

  It was her influence. The sooner he rejoined his team and she met with Nira Larsen, the better for both of them.

  Jen fumbled in her purse for cash, paid the driver, and exited. Paz followed suit, and they strolled down the street.

  At a cellular phone store, Jen paused. “Wait here while I get a replacement for my phone. It was insu
red so there shouldn’t be any problem. Then I’ll take you to the electronics place.”

  He hovered on the sidewalk while she went inside. Loud music boomed from a food market next door. His bones vibrated from the bass. Down the broad avenue, flashing neon signs made a light show from the sides of buildings. People shoved past: workers intent on their destination, mothers pushing baby strollers, young women giggling as they shopped.

  Jen emerged after what seemed an interminable wait. They continued down the block. She detoured inside a bank building to acquire funds while he loitered outside. Resuming their walk when she returned, he sniffed a divine aroma further along.

  He gestured. “Where is that smell coming from?”

  “The Hershey store. It’s a popular brand of chocolate.”

  “As in chocolate chip cookies? Those are Zohar’s favorite treat.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Can we go inside? I’m hungry.”

  “Oh, all right. I could use a Reese’s or two.”

  “What is a Reese’s?” He trailed her into the emporium.

  “It’s milk chocolate coated peanut butter.”

  “Pee-nut butter.” He cocked his head. “I am unfamiliar with this foodstuff.” Jen bought a pack and gave him one.

  The confection melted on his tongue, a heavenly combination of salty and sweet. “Give me another. I like this pee-nut butter.”

  “We missed lunch. Maybe we should grab a sandwich. Candy will only make us hungrier.”

  They bought hot dogs and chips from a street vendor then continued along their way as soon as they’d finished eating.

  His spirits soared when he spied the electronics store and glimpsed the window displays. Those components would be more than adequate for him to build a new device.

  Giddy with excitement, he browsed the aisles and gathered an armful of goods. Most were primitive constructs by his standards but he could use the parts for his purpose.

  Jen dragged him from the store after she paid for his items.

  “Thank you. I will pay you back later once I get more kewa stones.” He flashed her a grateful grin.

  She waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it.”