by Lora Leigh
regret it,” Ray promised, his gaze slicing to Audi. “You especially.”
With the final warning, he turned and stalked from the chief’s office.
“Dog, keep an eye on President Martinez.” Lawe activated the clip at his ear as the door slammed behind the other man. “If he leaves the building, I want to know where he goes. Lock jamming on all communication devices he attempts to use and inform me immediately if he attempts to contact any Council sources.”
“Affirmative.” Dog’s reply came back immediately.
Breathing out heavily, Rule turned back to the Martinez family, his gaze going to the man who could have been his grandfather. If he had been born a man rather than a Breed.
Orrin sat down slowly, his gaze meeting Rule’s, those endless dark eyes filled with nearly forty years of misery.
“You came to this office when first you arrived and spoke to my son, to request the help of the Navajo Nation in finding a rogue,” Orrin whispered, shaking his head. “In your eyes I saw a carefully veiled contempt, and I agreed with Ray’s suggestion that nothing good could come of helping you.”
“He convinced us all, Grandfather,” Audi spoke then, the title Orrin had given him use of when he was but a boy slipping from him as he stared at the old man in regret.
There was love here now, Rule thought. The tendrils of deceit and malice that he hadn’t been able to pinpoint finally identified. Now, only love and aching regret remained.
Orrin nodded slowly, still holding Rule’s gaze.
“I have ached for the day that if the children of my daughter existed, they would come to her family. That they would reach out and allow us to extend to them all the love we felt for our precious Star, and more besides.” A tear slipped past his cheek. “I would pray that the day would come that you would extend me your hand, grandson, and grant me the chance to show you the truth of my words.”
Rule glanced at Lawe, knowing his brother had hoped this would be the greeting they received when they first arrived.
Lawe nodded slowly. Rule turned to him and slowly extended his hand. “I look forward to knowing you, sir.”
To that, Orrin smiled sadly. “Ah, my daughter’s son, I look forward to knowing my grandson.” He turned to Lawe then, took his hand and whispered, “Both my grandsons, as well as the women they so love.”
Orrin turned to his family then. “Liza, could you, Chelsea, Claire and Isabelle step into the outer office with your and Claire’s mothers?” Audi Johnson asked heavily as he slowly moved his arm from where he’d held his wife to his side.
“Come on, girls,” Jane Johnson ordered, holding her arms out to Claire as Terran released her. “Let’s let them talk.”
“About us?” Isabelle rolled her eyes, but kissed her father’s damp cheek and did as Audi asked.
When the room had cleared of all but the Martinez men, Audi Johnson, Lawe’s mate, and the four Breeds, Orrin clasped his hands on the desk and breathed out shakily.
“Audi, you must tell them all that you know,” he ordered, lifting his gaze to meet his grandson’s. “Then I will tell them of a ritual that was enacted on two young women whose souls were already passing, and lay to sleep the souls of two young women who would have died otherwise. Perhaps then, they will know how to protect these children who are so much a part of our hearts, no matter their names, no matter from where they came. They are ours now, and we will not give them up, our children, especially our daughters, without a fight.”
BREED TERMS
Breeds: Creatures of genetic engineering both before and after conception, with the genetics of the predators of the Earth such as the lion, tiger, wolf, coyote and even the eagle added to the human sperm and ova. They were created to become a super army and the new lab rats for scientific experimentation.
The Genetics Council: A group of twelve shadowy figures who funded the labs and research into bio-engineering and genetic mutation to create a living being of both human and animal DNA, though references to the Genetics Council also refer to affiliated political, military and Breed individuals and groups.
Rogue Breeds: Breeds who have declared no known loyalties and exist as mercenaries following the highest bidder.
Council Breeds: Breeds whose loyalties are still with the scientists and soldiers who created and trained them. Unwilling or unable for whatever reason to break the conditioning instilled in them from birth. Mostly Coyote Breeds whose human genetics are far more dominant than in most Breeds.
Council Soldiers: Mostly human, though sometimes Breeds, soldiers who willingly give their loyalty to the Council because of their ideals or belief in the project and their belief that Breeds lack true humanity.
Bureau of Breed Affairs: Created to oversee the growing Breed population and to ensure that the mandates of Breed Law are fully upheld by law enforcement agencies, the courts and the Breed communities. The Bureau oversees all funds that are paid by the United States as well as other countries whose political leaders were involved with the Genetics Council or any labs in their countries. They also investigate species discrimination and hate crimes against Breeds and track down scientists, trainers and lab directors who have escaped Breed justice.
Director of the Bureau of Breed Affairs: The position has been held for the past ten years by Jonas Wyatt, a conniving, calculating and manipulating Lion Breed who ensures that Breed Law is upheld and all Breeds given a chance to be free to find mates who will ensure future generations of the Breed species.
Breed Ruling Cabinet: Composed of an equal number of Feline, Wolf and Coyote Breeds as well as human political leaders. It governs and enforces the mandates of Breed Law and oversees Breed Law where the separate Breed communities are concerned.
Purists and Supremacists and Their Various Groups: Groups of individuals who for reasons of religion, fear or just personal feelings believe that the Breeds are not human, but no more than puppets created in man’s image. They’re determined to destroy first the Breeds’ public standing, then their lives. They dream of a world where Breed genetics have no hope, no chance and no threat of ever infecting the human population.
Their species discrimination against the Breeds includes but is not confined to the following: capturing Breeds and Breed-mated couples for further scientific study of how to weaken them or create a drug that will prevent the conception of hybrid children; guerrilla attacks against Breeds and Breed facilities; public outcries and protests against Breeds, Breed-funded and– hosted events and/or charities; bombings of Breed offices, attempts to kill key Breed political figures and general harassment whenever possible.
Nano-nit: A tiny microscopic robotic device that can be attached to a video or audio bug. Once in the proper location, it can be activated remotely, when it then detaches and finds the closest electrical source, where it will burrow inside and then follow the current to a designated electrical impulse for cameras, computers, televisions or any audio/video or computerized component, and then begins uploading specifically programmed information. Once the internal hard drive is filled, the nit then detaches and follows the electrical currents once again, to a point away from the original location, where it then finds a device, any device capable of Internet or uploading capabilities, and then transmits the information to a location that cannot be determined unless the nit is found during the upload process, after initial activation.
Named a nano-nit because of its size and similarity to the parasitic louse egg, or nit.
There is no known security to detect a nit specifically, and once activated, it’s impossible to find, detect or exterminate. To find out, the host device must first be detected, then placed in a static-free, airtight shell, where a nit reader is plugged into the host device. The nit is then activated and makes its way from the host to search for an electrical source. It moves then to the nit reader’s signature using the attached nit cord, which is an open-ended electrical cord that simulates the source the nit requires. Once there, a tiny probe locks the nit in place,
allowing the reader to decode the programming and determine its original commands.
Nits have very little encryption. Because of their size and the requirements for upload space, programming is confined to what to upload and where to dump.
Because of their specific technology, a host device can be only an audio or video transmitter or bug. The nit is unable to function independently when attached to any other device.
Mating Heat: A chemical, biological, pheromonal reaction between a Breed and the male or female Breed or human that nature and emotion have selected as their one mate. Believed to be able to only mate once—though as Breed scientists have noted concerning other anomalies within the Breeds, nature is playing with the rules of the Breed species. To this point, general information on Mating Heat has been contained. Tabloids and gossip columns write about it, but no proof has been found to verify the rumor of it. Yet.
Mating Heat Symptoms: (Breed) A swelling of the small glands beneath the tongue and a taste, often different from Breed to Breed, which could be spicy, sweet, or a combination of both. Heightened arousal. The need to touch and be touched by the mate often. A heightened need for sex that results in a sensitivity to each touch and release that heightens the pleasure as well.
(Mate) An almost addictive need for the taste of the mating hormone secreted from the glands beneath the Breed’s tongue. A sensitivity along the body and heightened need for sex that can become extremely painful for the female, whether human or Breed. Heightened emotions, an inability to refrain from touching or needing to be touched by the other.
Desert Dragoon: A vehicle built with independent suspension to traverse the rough, rocky and often uneven terrains of the desert. Built wide, for power rather than speed, blocky and capable of ramming through obstacles and carrying mounted weapons. Equipped with stealth technology, real-time GPS, satellite communications and laser– and bullet-resistant force fields that operate for short periods of time and act as theft deterrents.
Breed Ruling Cabinet: A cabinet of six high-ranking Breeds of each species and six humans of prominence and/or power who makes decisions for the Breed community as a whole.
Breed Law: The laws that govern every legal, contractual, criminal or enterprise endeavor involving any Breed or Breed affiliate, including but not limited to wives, children, siblings, parents, lovers, intended spouses, or the same of mates involved, and how the various governments of participating countries must deal with them.
Law of Self-Warrant: Any Breed can, one time only, accept punishment or death for any criminal act that would cause their mate, child, parent or other associated relative to face a punishment the Breed believes would cause his mate or child more harm than the loss of the Breed would cause.
Hybrid/Breed Hybrid: A child concieved naturally of a mated couple or of a Breed-human couple, whether mated or through artificial insemination.
