“Could you please go and find Shae and bring her to me?”
The corner of his lips dipped in a frown. “She doesn’t like me.”
She smiled, though it carried no warmth. “And?”
His frown deepened. And I don’t like her.
“Very well.” He left her in search of Shae.
There were too many working parts in this scheme for Zach’s own piece of mind. Especially since he seemed only privy to about half of them. What Kestrel had planned was total world dominance, with her army of Weres to exact control.
Once accomplished, she would de-industrialize the world. It was the only true way to ensure the safety of the Earth. The war would be long and hard fought. Most people wouldn’t accept this fate and would fight to keep the comforts they had.
They would lose.
No one could stand against the force they were amassing against them, and by the time they realize the scope of the danger, it would be too late.
But there was more to this than what Kestrel had told him. He knew of the opposing group of Weres controlled by another Druidess. And all this secrecy had something to do with dealing with that threat. But why Kestrel chose to keep it from all of them, Zach didn’t know.
That she didn’t trust all of them was a given. Gods knew she couldn’t trust Blain. Samuel, from what he had gathered, had been with her the longest and so perhaps there was a measure of trust there, and while Gordon appeared to be her lap dog, could it all be for show? Could she know him well enough to trust him?
Then there was Zach himself. Did she distrust him? Undoubtedly. She knew him. Had studied him. She trusted his motivations, but could she truly trust he would align with her forever? He had refused to become a Were, after all.
The two oddities in all of this were Joseph and Shae. She had included Joseph in her plans at the risk of Blain discovering what they were. He didn’t completely understand the dynamics of the Weres, but he did know, Joseph had been made into a Were by Blain and so, in a way, served him.
Was Kestrel simply using Joseph to keep Blain unbalanced? A way to remind Blain who is in charge? Perhaps. Zach didn’t know. It would be interesting to see what would happen if Blain ever does manage to corner Joseph alone. From the looks Joseph gave, Zach was sure he would tell Blain everything.
Shae was another matter. He wasn’t sure what, if anything, she knew of Kestrel’s plans. She played a part in them, of that, Zach was sure, but how? And did Shae know?
Zach couldn’t be sure and try as he might, he couldn’t figure out what it could be. He arrived at the VIP suite he had spotted Shae in earlier and entered. She was there with another woman he had not met before.
The woman was pretty, long auburn colored hair, parted in the middle to cascade to either side of her attractive face. She was slim, but curvy. Her eyes, though. They looked dead to him. As if all the good in the world had been stolen away.
“Shae?”
The girl turned to him; her usual looks of loathing replaced with curiosity.
“What was all that about?”
For a second, Zach didn’t understand the question, but he realized they had both been watching the drama unfold from up here. Zach noticed a flash of, something, cross the woman’s face. But it disappeared as quickly as it came, and Zach wasn’t sure what it had meant.
“I’m not sure. Something about what Samuel and Joseph had been about and Blain wasn’t too happy about not being informed as to what it was.”
Shae turned to the other woman.
“You went with them, Sarah. Where did they go? What did they do?”
That was news to Zach. He wasn’t aware someone else went with Samuel and Joseph. There had been no mention of this woman, Sarah.
That look came over Sarah again before she stilled her face. She knows something. She knows and it hurts her not to tell.
Sarah shook her head. “They didn’t tell me. They dropped me off at a hotel room and left me there.” She smiled sadly. “I think Kestrel just wanted to keep me away from Blain.”
Shae’s cocked her head slightly as she considered, before nodding. “That seems like something she would do. She wouldn’t want Blain abusing you anymore.”
Zach went cold. “Excuse me?”
Shae turned to Zach, mouth opening.
“It’s a figure of speech. Blain likes to antagonize me. Always pushing my buttons.” Sarah interjected.
Shae’s mouth closed with a click, and she turned a sharp eye on Sarah.
“What brings you here, Zach?” Sarah ignored Shae’s look.
Zach couldn’t miss the subject change. And while Sarah’s explanation seemed plausible given Blain’s tendency to rile people, he believed there was more to it. He wouldn’t put it past Blain to be abusive, both emotionally and physically to this woman. But what could he feasibly do about it?
“Kestrel asked me to come find you, Shae, and ask you to go to her.”
Shae smiled and hopped off her seat. The girl was such a paradox to Zach. He had seen darkness and malice from her, and yet, in many ways she still acted like a kid. He was glad her usual dislike for him was absent for now.
“I’ll catch you later, Sarah.”
Sarah smiled sadly at Shae again, and Zach wondered if she was capable of any other type of smile. “See you, Shae.”
Shae ducked out around him and he eyed Sarah, and she eyed him skeptically.
He wanted to ask her what she knew. What she kept from Shae. He framed the questions in his mind, but the look she gave him, a look of utter despair and sadness, and he couldn’t do it. He was afraid any question he asked her would only bring her more unhappiness, and he did not wish to be the cause of that.
In the end, he nodded to her and left.
He needed to make his way to the feast. He would be expected to make an appearance. Kestrel would want him to be there to ease fears and answer questions. Though, there was no going back for any of them, Kestrel had explained to him their acceptance of what was going to happen would increase their survival rate.
Doubts still plagued him as he entered the dining hall, but he hid them behind a sure smile and warm greetings.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Samuel had secreted Joseph away after they had dined and rested. Joseph, for his part, had no interest in interacting with Blain and so readily accepted being sequestered until they had to leave again.
Samuel didn’t particularly care for Joseph. No, that wasn’t true. He disliked Joseph. Immensely. A feeling he knew was shared by anyone who met the man. He would rather not have been saddled with the man, but Samuel knew better than to question Kestrel’s motives.
Blain was a powder keg ready to blow at a moment’s notice, and Joseph, an open flame who relished in dancing before him. Keeping them apart was smart for the group’s cohesion. What there was of it.
This group was not unlike the group of old. They had constantly been at each other’s throats. Bickering and snapping. It was amazing they had been able to accomplish what they had.
Samuel believed it had something to do with the temperament of their token animals. It played a role in their personality development.
He found Kestrel in her room. She had changed from her green gown to wearing blue jeans and a ‘love pink’ t-shirt. Seated at her desk, she penned something on a sheet of loose-leaf. A gauze bandage encircled her writing arm, which paused the moment he entered.
She turned in her seat and examined him.
He eyed her clothing, arching an eyebrow at her.
Standing, she did a little spin. “Do you like it? As much as I thought I would never wear a ridiculous outfit like this, I find it quite comfortable.”
He had to admit. He did like it. Though the gowns she usually wore made her look gorgeous, there was something about her in plain jeans and a T which made her look even better. Perhaps it was the look of availability? Of approachability? She always seemed so aloof in the outfits she usually wore.
“I do, My Lad
y. They fit you nicely.”
She smiled. “They do, don’t they? Shae picked them out.”
Her smile disappeared and she turned serious.
“All is ready?”
“It is, My Lady. And I see that your plans are already in motion.” Nodding toward her arm.
Kestrel nodded. “We have little time. I need you back here as soon as possible. Take Joseph and Shae within the hour and return immediately.”
“You have explained to Shae what we need from her?”
“In part. I will leave the rest of the explanation to you. I think it will make more sense to her when she sees what you have prepared for her.”
He nodded. It made sense. It would work better that way.
“Where is she?”
“I sent her to pack. I explained that this is part of the special job I had for her, so she is eager to get to it.”
He nodded in understanding. “I will gather up Shae and Joseph and we will leave immediately.”
Samuel turned to go but Kestrel stopped him.
“Oh, and Samuel. It would be best if Joseph stayed away. I don’t want him available to Blain.”
Samuel turned his head slightly to look at her from his periphery. “Of course, My Lady.” He tipped his head and left.
When Samuel came and got him, Joseph had been pacing. At the knock at the door, he froze, fearing it was Blain. Samuel had been explicit he would not tell Blain anything about what they had done or where they had gone.
Joseph didn’t understand the secrecy. It had nothing to do with Blain. So why not tell him? Why put Joseph in the awkward position they had put him in?
Blain could make Joseph tell him everything. But Joseph knew he would resist. It was simply in his nature, and Blain would beat him, as he always did. Ultimately, Blain would use his will on Joseph, and he would have no choice but to tell. But that wouldn’t be before Blain broke several bones in Joseph’s body.
The pain was only temporary as was the damage. But it would hurt. At least for a while.
He wished they would simply tell Blain and leave him the hell out of it.
Cautiously, he approached the door and checked the viewer. It was Samuel and Shae. So, it is time.
He opened the door.
Samuel stood there with a travel bag, a look of practiced patience on his face as if he had endured a slew of questions he had avoided answering. Which was undoubtedly what had been occurring.
Shae had a miffed look to her, obviously unhappy with not being told what was going on. She wore her usual long coat, despite the warmth of the Texas air. He knew from experience she had a pair of wicked looking knives hidden there.
Her hair had grown since he had first met her. He remembered its choppy look when they had approached her on the streets of Chicago, as if someone had taken a dull pair of scissors to it. Now as it grew back, she looked more like a young woman and less like a sewer rat.
It was a shame.
Samuel stood in the doorway. “You ready?” He made no move to enter and Joseph made no move to invite them in.
“So soon?”
“You would rather stick around and hang out with Blain?” Samuel asked with a quirk of his mouth.
Joseph scowled at him.
“Fine. Let me grab my things. I haven’t even had a chance to unpack.”
Grabbing his go bag from his bed, he joined them at the doorway and motioned for them to proceed. Samuel turned and made his way down the hallway and Joseph fell in behind him.
Shae came up beside him. “Soooo, do you know where we are going?”
Samuel glanced back toward him as if he needed the look to remind him his place.
“Yeah. I do,” he muttered, not looking at her.
She stayed silent for a bit as if waiting for him to elaborate. When it appeared he wouldn’t, she followed up.
“Which is?”
“We are going somewhere that Kestrel needs you to be. If she hasn’t told you, it isn’t my place to do so.”
He could sense her frown from beside him.
“That is almost exactly what Samuel said.”
“And yet, you decided to ask someone else knowing the answer you would get,” Samuel said from up ahead, not bothering to look back.
Shae growled.
“I just don’t get why no one will tell me. If it is something I am supposed to be doing. If it is somewhere I am supposed to go — then why not tell me?”
Samuel halted and turned, bringing them up short so they didn’t knock him over. Squatting down to bring himself more level with Shae, he gave her a serious look.
“Shae. Understand this. We are in a dangerous game right now. There are people out there who are desperate to find out what it is we are doing. What we are planning. By keeping things secret, we are trying to forestall them discovering what we are up to.”
He reached up and gripped her upper arm gently. “What and where you are going is very important, and we can’t let outsiders know. So, the less we talk about it, the less likely people we don’t trust,” he shot a glance at Joseph, “won’t find out.”
She had caught his look and Joseph knew she understood the implication had been about Blain and not him. Nobody trusted Blain. Frowning at Samuel, she eventually nodded.
“Good.” Samuel stood, spun and continued down the hallway and they were forced to walk briskly to catch back up.
The trip took less than a day. Leaving Houston and its suburbs, they travelled north for a time and then east. Joseph, familiar with the route, napped for most of the way.
Shae had kept silent as they travelled. If she wanted to keep asking about where they were going, she kept her questions to herself. Instead, she gazed out the window.
Joseph knew little about her, but what he had picked up from conversations was she had been held captive by an agency of the government for more than a year. He imagined seeing all this, experiencing all this freedom, must be amazing to her.
He tried not to think about it.
Texas was so different from London. When he wasn’t napping, he stared out the window, like Shae. London could be so gloomy, and yet, here, there was blue skies for miles. Clouds were like visitors here, not like the permanent residents in London.
In time, they left civilization behind and only the open road lay before them. Samuel drove like a professional driver. Unerringly straight. Never hugging the lines, always centered. The only deviation he did from being perfect was he drove one mile over the speed limit. Always. Never two. Never one under.
His perfection irritated Joseph. Anyone who Joseph viewed as better than him, he loathed. And he loathed Samuel. Though he undoubtedly shouldn’t. After all, if what he heard was true, Samuel had over 2,000 years to become perfect.
At long last, they turned down a dirt drive. It had been unmarked and if Joseph hadn’t known about it, he would never have spotted it. Shae perked up when they turned on it, as if knowing this would lead to their destination.
Which it would.
They travelled the dirt road for several miles until traffic from the highway was no longer visible. The ground became uneven, undulating in low hills. Their car sent a cloud of dust up behind them, obscuring the way they had come.
Passing between two hills they were abruptly in front of a steel-walled structure. The rounded roof sloped down to the ground on either side, making the building look like a semi-circle. A lone doorway sat facing them. Parked next to the building, was a small red coupe
A satellite dish rested on the crest of the roof and an antenna rose from behind the building. The building was an old bomb shelter Samuel had acquired. With some modifications they had been able to alter it for Kestrel’s purposes.
“This is where we were going?” Doubt resonated in Shae’s voice.
Samuel didn’t answer, instead, grabbing his travel bag, he exited the car and walked to the front door.
Shae turned a questioning look on Joseph. He shrugged and got out as well. If Samuel wasn�
�t going to explain anything to her, he sure as hell wasn’t either.
Samuel had unlocked and opened the door by the time Joseph got there. They had to wait a moment while Shae exited the car and came over.
When she reached them, she stopped and crossed her arms under her breasts and scowled at Samuel. “I wish you would just explain what it is we are doing here.”
“I will, he told her. “Once we are inside. You will understand better that way.”
She huffed and strode past him into the building. Joseph gave him a plaintive look, but Samuel simply stared back, coldly, and followed Shae. Joseph shook his head and followed.
Before them was a small landing at the top of a long flight of stairs, leading down. Shae had already started down them and they followed. Once they reached the bottom it continued off into a long hallway which ended in a steel door.
Shae had stopped before the big door. There was a palm print scanner to the side, and she turned a quizzical eye to Samuel.
Her face lit up with surprise when he motioned for her to touch the scanner. Joseph watched as the girl placed her palm upon it. A blue light traveled up in a horizontal line from the bottom of the scanner to the top and back again. There was a beeping noise, followed by a click and a whoosh as the door began to open.
Behind the door lay a shorter hallway to another steel door with a palm scanner. Shae didn’t hesitate this time. She moved quickly across the space and placed her hand on the scanner. Once again, it scanned her palm. Click. Whoosh, and the door opened.
This door led to a sizable room filled with shelves upon shelves of canned food. Although it wasn’t apparent from where they were in the center of the storage space, Joseph knew from their previous visit this room also housed a washing machine and a dryer and several enormous freezer units packed with a variety of food stuffs.
The next door they came to didn’t have any security measures and opened at a push. What greeted them was a considerable living space. There was a kitchen and dining area. In one section of the room sat a flat screen TV with a comfortable looking sofa in front of it. Two doors could be seen from this room which were open to reveal a bedroom and a bathroom.
The Gathering Page 30
