“Should I summon a medic?”
She opened her eyes and forced herself to smile. “I’m fine. This will pass in a moment.”
“May I ask what just happened?”
If he worked for Morgan, it was unlikely he’d be shocked by her abilities. “I pick up memories and impressions when I touch people or some objects. I was just learning a bit more about her. Apparently, I’m weaker than I realized.”
His smile was surprisingly gentle. “That can’t be surprising after yesterday. It’s my understanding that your injuries were serious.”
She waved away the concern, but her hand shook, ruining the effort. “All I need is rest.” But it wasn’t true. What she needed was someone who could help her analyze the information she’d received from Thea, maybe slow down the images. The problem was, she had no idea who to ask for assistance. That wasn’t true either. Drex would likely know if such a person existed. She just wasn’t’ ready to face him again. Deciding to take her own advice, she said, “I’m going to go lie down for a bit.”
Foster escorted her to the stairs, but remained on the main floor as she climbed. Once she reached her bedroom, she pulled off her jeans and tossed them across the foot of the bed before she climbed between the sheets. She’d focus on the images as she fell asleep. It was a technique that had worked well in the past. When images remained elusive, she could often explore them in her dreams.
She found a comfortable position and waited for sleep to claim her.
Chapter Four
Thea Cline was shaking so badly she had to pull her car over to the side of the road. If Jenna hadn’t collapsed as she—did whatever the hell she was doing—Thea would still be her prisoner. She couldn’t tell exactly what the traitor was doing to her, but she could feel Jenna’s vile presence in her mind. Abaddon would be furious if he realized how badly Thea had failed. Abaddon was a demanding master. His punishments were harsh and uncompromising, but his rewards were generous.
After losing her husband and children, a sister and her mother in the L.A. massacre, Thea felt like a hollow shell of a person. Thank God Grandma Helen lived in Florida. Grandma Helen was the only flicker of hope in Thea’s devastated life, but the elderly widow had moved to an assisted living community several years before and was in no position to help Thea with anything other than encouraging words and earnest prayers.
Thea hadn’t just lost loved ones that fateful day. Her home had been demolished, her purpose in life obliterated. She moved through a pointless series of days as if in a trance. Following her family into the hereafter seemed the only outlet for the overwhelming pain. Then she met Jacob.
Many said disasters brought out the best in humans. They banded together and accomplished incredible things. That might be true, but disasters also brought out scumbags, and Thea had seen far more of those than everyday heroes. Shelters and emergency housing filled up in hours after the spaceship crashed into the city. Thea was lucky enough to have a small nest egg at her disposal, so she’d opted for a motel on the outskirts of the destruction. Each time she left the shabby room, she returned to a note from the manager demanding more money. The first few times she begrudgingly paid, but the third demand had been exorbitant. She descended on the office like a vengeful spirit, determined to stand her ground. Unfortunately, the dirtbag manager had all the power. There was a waiting list of people willing to pay almost anything for a relatively clean bed and a hot shower.
Jacob overheard the screaming match and gently pulled her out into the warm, starlit night. With silver hair and kind blue eyes, he reminded Thea of her grandparents. “Don’t waste your breath trying to reason with a philistine.”
The old-fashioned phrase made her smile. It sounded like something Grandma Helen would say. “But it’s so wrong to take advantage of people’s misery. Someone has to do something.”
Rather than arguing with her, he invited her to the café across the street for a cup of coffee. Not sure if she’d have a room when she returned, Thea still agreed. They talked for hours, never once mentioning the disaster or all they’d lost. It felt so good to distance herself from the pain, if only for an hour or two. Toward the end of the conversation, Jacob asked if she’d heard about the Resistance Force.
She shook her head and smiled at the waitress who was starting to begrudge them refills. “Are they a support group?” She rolled her eyes at the idea. Sitting around in a circle, bitching about her problems, held zero appeal to her. She’d always preferred action to useless complaining.
“In a way. We think of ourselves as crusaders.” His voice lowered and he leaned in as he explained, “We have concrete plans to drive all aliens out of Earth-controlled space. We believe Earth should be reserved for humans and only humans.”
Something deep inside Thea stirred, a longing, a purpose, she’d thought never to feel again. “If the battle born had never come to Earth, my family would still be alive.” Emotion choked her for a moment, so she took a careful sip of coffee. “That freaking ship leveled the house where I grew up. Everything is gone, wiped away as if it never existed. I’d planned to raise my children in that house, to grow old with my husband. My mother and sister, they’re just gone. No bodies, just empty coffins and memories. I want the battle born gone! No, I want them dead.”
Jacob invited her to a meeting and Thea had never looked back. She was soon living in one of the tents on the secluded property owned by one of the founding members. She donated what little remained of her nest egg and offered to support the movement in any way possible. Her willingness to accept any mission without asking questions brought her to the attention of leadership. She was moved from the tent city to the bunkhouse adjacent to the main house/headquarters and her missions became more important, and more dangerous.
Thea didn’t care. A fragile grandmother was all that was left of Thea’s once happy life so she’d die while driving the murderous aliens off her planet!
Thea had been sent to Jenna to assess her attitude and determine what it would take to recruit the human hybrid. Thea was a purest, so she believed Jenna’s alien blood made her unworthy of the cause. Abaddon, however, disagreed. And no one argued with the supreme leader.
Abaddon always seemed to be a step or two ahead of everyone else. Thea wasn’t sure how he came by his information. She hadn’t been able to find any indication that Jenna was anything other than human. Abaddon must have access to intel unavailable to the general public, which reinforced Thea’s suspicions that he was, or had been, some sort of spy.
Desperately needing to hear a friendly voice, Thea checked her mirrors, making sure she was well out of traffic, then she called Grandma Helen.
“Hello.” Helen’s warbling voice had never sounded so precious.
“Hi, Gram. It’s me, Thea.”
“I know who you are, dear. You’re the only one who calls me anymore. Even your mother can’t seem to bother with a silly old woman. Is she doing okay?”
A knot of pain fisted Thea’s heart. She’d told Grandma Helen about the tragedy twice, but the fact slipped through her aging mind like water. At times like these, dementia was a mercy.
“She’s fine, just really busy. You know Mom. Never a minute to relax.” The lies tightened her throat and made the ache in her chest even more pronounced. “So what’s going on in Florida? Have you been going down to the dining room for meals, or are you hiding in your apartment as usual?”
“The food’s not worth the walk.” Helen laughed, and Thea could see her waving away the concern. “I’m more than happy with my own company. Now tell me what’s bothering you. Your voice is all tight and scratchy.” Despite her memory challenges, Grandma Helen was still surprisingly perceptive.
“I’ve just had a terrible day and needed to hear your voice.”
“Want to talk about it, or do you need a distraction?”
Thea grinned, knowing where that question always led. “Definitely a distraction.”
“Why did the snowman pull down his pants?�
��
With a shake of her head, Thea obliged. “I have no idea. Why did the snowman pull down his pants?”
“Because he heard a snow blower coming.”
Helen’s infectious laugh was infinitely funnier than her jokes, but Thea appreciated the effort. “That’s a good one, Grandma. I love you like crazy.”
“I love you too, Thea. Call anytime. As you’re quick to point out, I’m always here.”
The call ended and Thea cleansed her mind with a nice deep breath.
Finally composed enough to drive, Thea set the car in motion and continued on toward the hotel she’d been staying at since her arrival on the East Coast. Thrilled to leave the stressful clutter of Manhattan behind, she crossed the river and returned to her hotel in New Jersey.
Once she reached her modest hotel room, she threw her purse on the bed and retrieved her laptop from its hiding place in the back of the closet. She’d covered it with yesterday’s clothes, making sure a pair of dirty socks rested on top of the pile.
She opened the laptop and set it on the bed while it booted. Then she retrieved the device she’d been given before this mission. It was slightly larger than a thumb drive, but still connected to the USB port. There were strange, curving symbols etched into the top, but she wasn’t sure if they were a foreign language or company logo. She had no idea how it worked, but suspected the technology was way more sophisticated than anything available at the local electronics store. It created a direct link with Abaddon.
No one knew Abaddon’s real name, and no one she knew had ever been in the same room with their mysterious leader. She’d participated in video conference calls, but Abaddon only appeared as a hazy shadow. His voice was always modulated. Some suspected he was a celebrity not yet willing to announce his loyalties publicly. Others believed he was some sort of international spy. Thea wasn’t sure what she believed, but his autocratic style made her uncomfortable. Absolute power was never a good idea, not even when circumstances were this dire.
This was only the third private conversation she’d had with Abaddon. Most RF members would consider this an honor. Thea felt nothing but impatience. The connection engaged and she adjusted the tilt of the laptop until her image was centered in the small box at the bottom left corner of the screen. Now she waited until Abaddon activated his end of the connection. It generally took a minute or two, but once he’d kept her waiting for over an hour.
By the time Abaddon came on screen, Thea’s impatience had turned to annoyance. Had he really not known Jenna Fermont had powers, or was that why Abaddon was so damn interested in the filthy hybrid?
“Report.” His voice sounded deep and artificial, like a bad voice emulator. And as usual, his image was a featureless shadow.
Jenna got right to the point. “She allowed me to enter, but as soon as I told her why I was there, she attacked me.”
“Explain.”
“She grabbed my arm and…barged into my mind. I couldn’t feel what she was doing, but I knew damn well she was there.”
His shadow arm raised and touched his face. Was he stroking his chin or scratching his cheek. It was disconcerting not to be able to see the other half of the conversation. “Are you damaged?”
What an odd way to phrase the question. “I don’t think so, but obviously the conversation wasn’t long enough for me to form much of an opinion about her. She seemed suspicious and hostile.”
“She nearly died the day before. Hostility is to be expected.”
“Then why didn’t we wait a few days before attempting to see her?” Abaddon didn’t like anyone questioning his decisions, but she wasn’t sure she cared. Since her senses came back to life, she found herself becoming more and more defiant.
“The apology would have seemed less sincere if it had been delayed.”
Emboldened by his willingness to explain, she pushed a little harder. “I have no idea what she learned from me, but I guarantee it’s more than I learned from her.”
“I have always been more interested in what humans do than in what they say.”
She tensed. Again with the strange, almost formal, phrasing. He only had a faint accent, yet his word choices made it seem as if English wasn’t his first language. She squinted, trying to make out any sort of detail in his shadowed image.
“Jenna is accustomed to wealth.” His tone turned distant, as if he were talking to himself. “We need only her address to make that conclusion. The battle born allowed her to return to Earth, so she is clearly not yet claimed.”
“You knew all of that before you sent me to her house.” He’d paid for the airline ticket and the hotel room, so she didn’t really care if it was a wild goose chase. But her mind, like her body, was her own. No one could enter without her permission.
“She allowed you into her home,” he clarified. “She might have been upset by the attack, but it did not make her incapable of trust.”
“Why is this hybrid so important?” She stressed the word hybrid, boldly illustrating her dislike.
He made a strange sound, rather like a wheezing cough. Had that been his idea of laughter? “You disapprove of my interest in Jenna?”
“I’m confused by it.” He made it sound like she was jealous and that would require much more interest than she felt. She wanted all aliens off her planet, and that included half-aliens. “How did you find out she was a hybrid in the first place? It seems like a closely guarded secret to me.”
“Not closely enough.”
He hadn’t answered the question, yet something in his tone made Thea move on. “And how can she help our cause?”
“She has connections that could be beneficial to us. The fact that her father was Rodyte is irrelevant. But her resentment of her father’s people could be twisted until she feels as we feel.”
“Good luck with that,” she muttered. “I barely made it through the door before she attacked.”
“You need an advocate.”
“An advocate?” The suggestion meant he hadn’t given up, which meant she wasn’t heading back to California. She sighed. There was nothing left in California, so she wasn’t sure why she cared. She just wanted to go home. The realization only compounded her sadness. Her “home” was a pile of rubble.
“Our mistake was approaching her directly. Visit again, but ask to speak with Jenna’s mother. I believe her name is Lenore. Explain that you came to apologize and act extremely hurt and confused that Jenna responded with aggression. Play upon Lenore’s sympathy. Use your tragedy if you must, but win her over first. Then you and Lenore can work on Jenna together.”
Use your tragedy if you must. The phrase stuck in her mind like a thorn. The festering hole in her soul had just barely scabbed over and his careless words tore it wide open again. She would not “use” her tragedy for anyone or any cause. The man was deluded.
The coughing wheezy sound came again. “Clearly, I have struck a nerve. The details are up to you, but your assignment remains. Recruit Jenna Fermont by recruiting her mother, or there will be consequences.” Without giving her an opportunity for input or reaction, he ended the transmission.
* * * * *
Jenna dreamed off and on all night, but the images weren’t psychic, nor particularly helpful. Drexel Kaen featured prominently in most of the situations and each became progressively more sensual as the dream progressed. She showered and dressed in her habitual business suit. This one was navy blue and the skirt was a bit tighter than usual. If Drex was going to torment her nights, why shouldn’t she complicate his days?
After packing what she’d need for a three-night stay into a carryon bag, she went downstairs, hoping to catch her mother. She had just enough time for a quick breakfast before the shuttle was scheduled to arrive and take her to the Bunker. Would Drex be on the shuttle, or would he bio-stream directly to the Arizona desert? The thought of seeing him again made her stomach so tight she could barely eat.
“Foster said one of those Resistance Force crazies showed up here yester
day,” Lenore said once they’d passed beyond the typical small talk. “Did you call the police?”
“There was no need. I’m pretty sure I scared her more than she scared me.”
“But, sweetheart, they know where we live. That might have been the real message behind the visit.”
She rubbed the back of her neck, imagining Drex’s reaction if he came to the same conclusion. He’d lock her in his cabin aboard the Triumphant and… Wishful thinking? A wave of heat washed over her, mocking her determination to hold back the tide. Everyone might believe that her surrender to Drex was inevitable, but she refused to accept the dire prediction. She licked her lips and looked at her mother. “Foster and his men aren’t going to let anything happen to us. Forewarned is forearmed. We didn’t know about the Resistance Force. That’s the only reason their attack was successful.”
Lenore sighed then picked up her tea. “I hope to heaven you’re right. All of this is making me very uncomfortable.”
“Well, you don’t need to be. I’ll be safe at the Bunker for the next few days. Foster and his team are going to stay here and make sure nothing happens to you.”
“Foster also said you touched the intruder’s mind,” Lenore said. “Did you learn anything helpful?”
“I’m not sure yet.” Her mother’s startled look made Jenna smile. She understood shock and confusion, was feeling a good deal of it herself. “When I touch her, a rapid stream of images and impressions flowed into my mind. I managed to seal the information, make sure it doesn’t dissipate, but I haven’t been able to access it in any meaningful way. Do you know anyone who could help me review what I saw? They’d need to slow down the images so I could analyze them.”
Refilling her tea as she considered the question, Lenore took a moment to respond. “I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head. I’ll call Rachel at Stargazer Ranch. If she doesn’t know anyone with the ability to manipulate memories, she should at least be able to tell me who would know.”
Defiant (Battle Born Book 13) Page 7
