But that would lead him here.
Tobin had driven a car into a group of his most qualified guards. He’d killed another two without any difficulty. How long would it be before he stormed Octavius? And how close would he come to Annabel?
No. He couldn’t let that happen.
“Pull everyone back,” he repeated. “I’ll be back later.”
Tobin paced the motel room. Headlights flashed through the curtains. Force of habit urged him to check for an incoming threat, but at this point he’d welcome a fight. His thoughts drifted to fantasies of beating Jasper Bishop to an unrecognizable bloody pulp.
It would be more than a fantasy when Tobin found him.
Henry sat in the corner, clicking away on his computer. Now in a motel outside Chicago, they had evaded capture by civilians and Tavians alike, but Nora was gone.
“Anything new?” Tobin asked through a clenched jaw.
Henry scowled at him. “Not since the last time you asked five minutes ago.”
Tobin raised his eyebrows. He had at least seventy-five pounds of muscle on his travel companion; all of it was aching to hurt someone. Apparently, techies didn’t pick up on that sort of thing.
Tobin rolled his neck to release the tension. “To be clear, this is a rescue mission. I’m getting in and out as quickly as possible. Accessing their mainframe will have to wait.”
“Yes. We’ve discussed that twice.”
Tobin gritted his teeth. He really wanted to smack that computer right off Henry’s lap and explain to him the finer points of physics—like how far a man Tobin’s size could throw a man Henry’s size. He paced until the feeling passed.
Blue lightning flickered from the corner—a teleportation flash. Charlotte limped toward the bed.
Henry stood up. “What are you doing here? Doctor Theron said you’d be in the medical facility for at least a couple more days!”
She grimaced as she lowered herself to the bed and never made any effort to take off her thick black sunglasses even though the room was dimly lit. “That was before Nora was captured.”
“But your injuries,” Henry said, pointing to her chest. “Your lung!”
Charlotte waved a dismissive hand. “Doctor Theron used the same adhesives that they use on guards who have been injured. As long as I don’t overwork my lungs, I’ll be fine.” She looked at Tobin. “He also covered for me. The other council members had a lot of questions, but as far as they know, all of this was from a fall. Nora’s asylum petition won’t be affected.”
“They would believe that,” Tobin muttered before grabbing two bottles of water from the corner. He handed one to Charlotte. “Make sure you stay hydrated—trust me. I’ve been in your position before. And speaking of Nora’s asylum petition, any word?”
She tilted her head back and forth. “It went about as well as I had expected. There’s definitely support for Nora behind the scenes, especially after the deaths of the Seers, but there aren’t many who are willing to publicly support her.”
Ambiguity and duplicity. Sounded about right.
“Do they know she’s been kidnapped? We’re going to need more than that. Did you ask about a rescue mission? Formal negotiations? Anything that could actually help her?”
Charlotte sighed, rubbing her temples. “The general consensus right now is that, as an exile, they can’t negotiate on her behalf.”
Tobin threw his bottle of water against the wall. “That’s as well as can be expected?”
Charlotte’s eyebrows rose above her sunglasses. “They said an asylum petition would likely be approved if she were to file it in person. That would get her away from Tavian pursuers.”
Tobin sneered. “Let me get this straight. They want Nora—a prisoner in a Tavian jail—to file her own asylum petition? You can’t make this stuff up.”
“There’s more.” Charlotte grimaced. “If she were to return with Doctor Fry, it would be irrefutable proof of the Tavians’ actions against Nios, so she’d likely receive a full pardon. All her rights and privileges as a Niotian would be reinstated. She’d be able to resume her old life in Nios.”
Nora couldn’t return with Doctor Fry on her own. As clueless as the council was, they had to know that. They were offering a deal—to him. “No more games, Charlotte. They know I’m with you.”
Charlotte’s thin lips pressed together. She nodded.
“They want me to fix this for them.”
She nodded.
He didn’t like the idea of cleaning up the council’s mess, but Nora’s safety had always been his top priority. He shrugged. “What tools will I have access to? I’ll need a lot of firepower, some beacons and scramblers to throw them off—maybe even an electromagnetic pulse device…”
Charlotte stared at him, her face twisted and frozen, and he paused.
“They want me to get two prisoners back on my own, don’t they?”
“If the council were to provide resources, it would mean that we sanctioned a mission into Octavius. We can’t do that. It would be a violation of the treaty.”
For a moment, his shaking breath and thudding heart were all he could hear. A rescue mission for two prisoners with no support. Of course it was perfect for the council. If Tobin failed, they could disavow the mission. If he succeeded, they would get a Seer and their genetic engineer back.
He paced, trying to keep his anger under control. At least Jasper made no pretenses about what he wanted. With all their smiles and charades, the Niotian council was a far more dangerous adversary.
Henry peered at him over his laptop screen.
“Anything new?” Tobin asked in a growl.
Henry shook his head. “I found an entry point, but the official channels have been dark since they took Nora.”
Tobin sat on the bed, and let his head fall into his hands. Even if the Niotians wouldn’t help, he’d find a way to get Nora back.
“But I think I may have found something else,” Henry offered quietly.
Tobin’s head shot up.
“It’s not much,” Henry said, cringing. “It’s from a social media site in Octavius. There’s a post about a party being held tomorrow at the ruling family’s estate. Apparently, anyone holding any power in Octavius will be there, and there’s rumors of an unveiling of sorts—something big.”
“An unveiling?” Tobin flew to read the screen.
“Yes, people are speculating about what it might be. The going theory is that a Tavian Seer has finally been born, but…”
“It’s a Seer, all right,” Tobin said. “That explains why they went through the trouble to take Nora alive.”
If they planned to unveil her, it meant they needed her. They wouldn’t kill her before the party. There was hope.
He paced as his mind flew through the preliminary details of a plan. Security would be tight, but it was a party. It wouldn’t be a complete lockdown; there’d be holes.
A decoy would help, but in Octavius he’d need more than shock value to pull guards from their posts. He’d need to fool Jasper.
“Henry, that trigger program you told me about. Could you make one for me?”
Henry frowned. “I guess, but why would they care if you were at London Heathrow?”
“Not Heathrow,” Tobin replied. “The People’s Bank of Switzerland.”
“Isn’t that the physical anchor point for Octavius?” Charlotte asked from the bed.
Tobin smiled.
Henry scoffed. “Yes, Octavius is there, but it’s in a private vault three stories below ground. It could take me years to get you in, and even if I could, the shield protecting it can withstand a nuclear blast. You could bring the whole building down, and Octavius would be fine!”
“I’m not really going there. I just want Jasper to think I’m there,” Tobin replied.
“Why?” Charlotte asked.
“I used to be in charge of all Niotian defense. I know all about the shields protecting our physical anchor point in the garden, but I still wouldn’t
want Jasper getting close. When he took Nora, he used my name. He knows who I am, and he’s threatened by me. I’m betting he won’t want me hanging around even if he doesn’t see a threat.”
Henry beamed. “I can do that. I’ll make it look like you’re scouting the bank.”
“It has to be good,” Tobin added. “They have to believe it.”
Henry raised an eyebrow. “I can handle it.”
“I don’t want it executed until everything is in place.”
“Of course.” Henry swiveled in his chair and began typing.
Tobin strode to the door.
“Where are you going?” Charlotte said, lifting her head from its resting place on the wall.
“The hardware store,” Tobin said, smirking. “I’m going to need some supplies for my grand entrance.”
Chapter 22
Something warm brushed along Annabel’s arm, pulling her from sleep. She opened her eyes, but the room was dark and silent. Her eyes slid shut.
It happened again, but this time it was firmer. A hand. She frowned and turned over to see Jasper’s lean silhouette standing over her.
She had nothing to say to him.
“Don’t you have more important things to be doing?” She snuggled back under the covers.
He turned on a lamp. “I need to show you something.”
She flipped in her bed and glared at him. He hadn’t bothered with her last night. He wasn’t even sorry that his mission might end her life. Yet he expected her to joyfully flit to him the moment he came calling? That might have worked two years ago, but not now.
“I’m sleeping,” she said coolly. “It can wait until tomorrow.”
She grabbed her duvet, intending to throw it over her shoulder as she settled back in bed.
He grabbed her hand. “This is important.”
He was still dressed in his black tactical gear, and his face was pale. Dark circles surrounded his eyes. There was an urgency there she hadn’t seen before. She sat up. Maybe something was wrong.
Ugh! No.
She’d invited him into her room last night, a big mistake, but it wouldn’t happen again. He wouldn’t get one ounce of friendship—or anything more than that—from her. He had revealed his true self last night. He was Head of the Guard first—Cyrus’s right hand. She’d been a fool to think otherwise.
“Five minutes. That’s all I need,” he pleaded.
Her heart ached, but she squared her shoulders. “No.”
“It’s Leonora. We caught her.”
Annabel’s eyes widened. Her time was up. She glanced along the shadows of her quiet room. This place of protection, the place where she’d found peace and comfort, would soon be covered in her blood—and it was all because of Jasper.
She glared at him, trying to unleash all her anger with her gaze, but it melted into pain. Her world was ending. She needed a friend.
“Please,” he whispered.
Don’t give in to him! Keep it together…
His tone stuck with her, though; it didn’t carry the triumphant ring she thought it would, especially after the way he’d spoken to her last night.
What had happened?
She pressed her lips together and drew in a deep breath through her nose. Five minutes couldn’t hurt. She’d get the information she needed, but she’d have to stay strong. He couldn’t be allowed to manipulate her. “Fine.”
He offered a hand to her, but she slipped from her bed unassisted and grabbed a robe. She followed him down the stairs and through a service door by the atrium. Staring down the hall, she couldn’t hide her shock. Growing up, this door had led to a utility closet. She crept behind him, wondering what other changes she hadn’t noticed in her own home.
She shivered as they passed through a heavy gate with iron bars. The air was dank, and her bare feet rubbed against the coarse-stone ground. She inched closer to Jasper, too afraid to lag behind in a place like this.
“It’s not much farther,” he said, leading her through another gate, which shut heavily behind her. Everything about the hall suggested that most people who made this trip never returned.
She stopped. He wouldn’t have brought her here to lock her up, right?
“What is this place? Why have you brought me here?” she asked. The questions sounded muted, as if the solid walls had absorbed the sound. She doubted anyone would hear a prisoner’s scream down here.
“This leads to a block of holding cells,” Jasper replied extending an arm down the hall to an opening where faint-orange light flickered.
Annabel shook her head. “No. I’ve seen our holding cells, and they look nothing like this.”
“These are separate for a reason,” Jasper replied. “Cyrus commissioned this place to hold a different kind of prisoner—one for whom he may not want a full record of captivity.”
“Someone like me.” She took a step back. “Is this where Cyrus intends to keep me now?”
He groaned. “Seriously?”
She folded her arms and glared at him.
“No. Not you,” he said. “Her.”
He continued on. Not wanting to be alone, she rolled her eyes and followed until the walls opened up to a small cavern. Torches were mounted on the walls, but they did little to light the three cells secured with black iron bars. The stone walls had no bricks or seams. It was like they had been carved into the side of a mountain expressly for this purpose. No one would be able to escape this.
“Our implants don’t have the same capabilities in here,” he explained. “We can’t teleport in or out. We can’t even message or call anyone. You have to use keys for the cell doors.”
“Keys?” Her face contorted. “That’s so antiquated. Why would we resort to that?”
“The outer gates in the hall are like the rest of the implant-controlled locks throughout the district. These cells can’t be hacked or manipulated using any of our implants or devices. The combination of security protocols makes this the securest place in all of Octavius.” He glanced at the first cell again. “Which is why she’s here.”
She stepped closer to the cell, squinting in the low light. The prisoner lay curled up on the floor, facing the back wall, but it was impossible to miss the blond hair and slender feminine frame.
“Leonora,” she whispered. The infamous Seer One. How many times had Annabel thought about her—the threat she posed, the idiocy of the Niotians for letting her go in the first place? It was surreal to see her.
“The medical team came by and drugged her so she’s ready for her big reveal tomorrow.”
Jasper brushed Annabel’s arm and headed for the hall. She followed him through another maze of staircases and tunnels until they emerged in a wide hall lined with unmarked doors and honey-colored floors. She’d toured this place once as a representative of the ruling family. These were the guard barracks. He ushered her quickly down the hallway to a set of double doors at the end.
“In here,” he whispered, looking down the hall. The suite was smaller than her own but still quite nice. Large mahogany beams lined the ceiling, the rich brown wood complimenting the dark leather furniture. Another set of doors were open, revealing a bedroom with deep-green bedding. Jasper’s quarters.
“Do you know where you are?” He eyed her intently.
She nodded. “Yes, I believe so.”
“And you know how to get here?”
Annabel paused but finally nodded.
Jasper drew a deep breath. Emotion filled his eyes and twisted his features. “I need you to promise me something.”
Her arms ached to reach out and hold him, but she folded them instead. He couldn’t keep popping in and out of her life. It was too hard, especially now. “No.”
His mouth hung open for a moment, and he raised an eyebrow. His voice carried an edge. “No?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’m not here to make you promises. I’m here for information.”
He rolled his eyes. “I know I lost my patience last night—”
“Lost your patience?” she asked, balling her fists. “You said that you didn’t have time to pretend with me.”
His shoulders sank. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I don’t care. Now, why did you bring me here?” she asked. “Why show me that dungeon?”
He stared at her, his eyes impenetrable, and leaned on the back of his couch. “We had a complication today. Tobin Kalos. He got away, and as long as he’s out there, he won’t give up, not even with Leonora in our dungeon.”
Cyrus might already be in her suite, ready to kill her, and Jasper wanted to talk about a former Niotian guard who might be a little angry? “That’s not my problem.”
He rose and stepped closer to her. “I know you don’t agree with what I did, but I need you to trust me this time. This isn’t over. He’ll go to the ends of the earth for her, and he’s got help. We think a Niotian hacker is working with him. He’s gotten into surveillance systems, he’s had clean lines of credit. There’s not much he can’t do right now.”
Annabel didn’t even have a friend to talk to before she died. She was supposed to be angry that someone was willing to rescue Leonora regardless of the risk? “It sounds like Leonora is very lucky.”
He groaned, rubbing his face. “Please, Annabel. If anything ever happened to you…”
Something snapped inside her.
“Stop!” she shouted. “You don’t get to talk to me like that. Not after last night. You picked your job over me, and you made it crystal-clear.”
“I’ve never put anything before you,” he stepped closer, dizzying her thoughts. She stumbled backward. “Promise me you’ll come here. Please.”
She stared at his lips, then hurled her gaze to the corner of the room.
Don’t let him in!
“It won’t matter.” She scanned the ceiling. “I’ll never live long enough for anything to happen. Thanks to you, Cyrus has a Seer now. He doesn’t need me anymore.”
He released a sharp breath. “I will protect you from Cyrus.”
He acted like Cyrus had never experimented on her, like he hadn’t threatened to kill her. The invisible pull to get closer to him dissolved.
The Seers Page 18
