Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
With limited options, I whip my vehicle down a narrow side street adjacent to the park and kill the lights, all too aware that there is only one way to finish my mission. I have to get out of the vehicle. Instinct has me reaching for the trusty weapon my father taught me to shoot at a very young age, only to realize it’s not in my purse, not when I’m traveling. Airports don’t take kindly to a girl traveling with a Glock, even if her father is a highly ranked member of the armed services. I snake the cellphone Creed gave me from my purse and breathe out. I’m not calling him unless I have to, but I’m not stupid enough to not be prepared to contact him if I get into trouble.
Eyeing my surroundings, I do as my father taught me to do in all public places—I calculate escape paths should I need them. Once I have at least two options, I open the door and exit, shutting the car, only to realize the only way to the tall shrubs lining the side of the alley is by boldly walking across the street. At this point, I’m so far into this that I just do it. I rush forward, and I don’t stop until I’ve hidden myself behind the greenery. Rapidly, I travel its path, and it’s not long before muffled male voices reach my ears.
Too muffled is the problem.
I push my way inside the greenery, poked and prodded in the process, until I’m all but on the other side, when I hear, “I’m starting to get pissed off, Brock.”
I frown at the sound of the deep male voice, a familiar male voice, and while I can’t quite place it, my mind screams GTECH, Groom Lake. “Julian wants the crystal and the protocols for GTECH use,” the man continues. “Why is this so fucking difficult to produce?”
“I’m aware of what Julian wants, and I’m working on it,” Brock snaps right back, clearly unafraid of this particular Zodius soldier. “Powell isn’t keen on giving out that information to anyone,” he adds. “He insists it’s still in the testing stages, not ready to be revealed, and after Groom Lake, he won’t hand it over until he’s certain it’s ready.”
“I’m beginning to feel we’re being jerked around,” the other man growls. “You need to get this under control, and I mean now.”
“Don’t tell me what I need to do, Lucian,” Brock cackles.
Lucian, I whisper in my head. Yes. Now I can place the voice. He’s one of Julian’s closest allies. Seeking confirmation, I shove aside part of a bush, managing to gain a visual of a muscular man with short, military-spiked, blond hair. Yes. Yes, it’s him. It’s Lucian, and he’s not alone. There are two men—Zodius, I assume—with him.
“Fucking around and moving too fast isn’t going to do anything but screw this up,” Brock continues. “Once Powell is out of the way, I’ll be the go-to man. I’ll control the government’s Zodius initiatives, meaning we’ll control those initiatives. But that means patience, which you, Lucian, have never had.”
Lucian saunters a few steps toward Brock, leaving the two Zodius who flanked him behind. Brock stands his ground, arms crossed in front of his broad chest, legs spread in a solid stance. Lucian pauses just in front of Brock and lowers his voice for what I believe is for Brock’s ears only, but I hear him clearly. “If you fail me, Julian will kill us both.”
Brock replies, “I will not, nor have I ever, failed you,” his voice equally as low. “Powell’s already experimented with and demonstrated Red Dart on humans. His company, PMI, is testing it on GTECHs in his private facility.”
“So, he doesn’t trust you,” Lucian accuses. “Or you’d be a part of his PMI staff.”
“I’m close to becoming an insider,” Brock insists. “Getting close to his daughter would—”
“Creed defected to the Renegades,” Lucian informs him, confirming what Creed has told me himself, and I can’t help but feel relief. Creed isn’t one of them. I shove aside the many feelings this idea stirs inside me as Lucian adds, “And as we all know, they’re ex-fuck buddies. We also know they’ve been in contact. In other words, she needs to be eliminated.”
I barely contain a gasp.
Eliminated?
Julian wants me dead?
“Are you fucking insane?” Brock demands. “She’s the only thing, besides himself, that Powell gives a shit about. If she dies, he’ll go nuts. He’ll put his guard up—and I’ll never get to Red Dart before it’s too late.”
“Not if it looks like an accident,” Lucian states, unfazed by Brock’s concerns. “And while he grieves, for a brief time, his guard will come down. Use the opportunity to get me Red Dart.”
“I want to talk to Julian,” Brock demands.
Lucian and the other two Zodius soldiers laugh. “Julian does not talk to humans,” Lucian replies, his voice pure amusement.