Broken Protocols (17 page)

John smiled at her, and damn if one of his teeth didn’t wink out at her the same color as his suit. Wow. Tooth jewelry. Her gaze widened and her breath caught in the back of her throat. It was all she could do to not say something. Instead, she turned to look around her to see the room filling up. Several people took seats. She decided the best thing was to do the same. She watched one man sit down on a black pole that instantly widened to accommodate his butt.

Taking a deep breath, she promptly sat down on the closest pole, her breath whooshing out when it opened successfully into a seat to support her butt. Thank heavens. She smiled up at the brothers. “Go on, I’ll be fine.”

Milo gave her a weird finger salute she guesstimated meant something similar to ‘right on’ and turned and walked forward. He’d certainly dressed up for the occasion, wearing a black and white striped skin suit. She shuddered at the jailbird look. It didn’t matter how long she lived here, she was never going to wear a skin suit like that.

As if understanding her thoughts, Levi bent over and whispered, “You’d look better in that than he does.” He kissed her cheek, winked at her, and walked away.

The lawyer, thankfully not sporting painted-on skin pants, waited a few steps ahead for Levi to catch up. Heads bent deep in discussion, they strode out of the room.

And left her alone.

*

Leaving Dani in
the waiting room was one of the hardest things Levi had ever done. She knew no one, nothing about the world she found herself in or the pitfalls that awaited her every time she opened her mouth to speak. But he had no choice. He quickened his pace to catch up to Milo strolling on ahead. His brother’s flagrant disregard for the rules had put them in this situation. Only Levi had compounded the situation by using his friend’s healing pod to help heal the damage done to Dani and Charmin from time travelling.

He could only hope that his friend’s attempt to destroy the pod Levi had used to heal Dani would make today’s Council visit more of a maintenance check up than an actual investigation. He’d had John meet them here just in case, but he hadn’t had time to brief him.

The legal fees that his company paid to keep John’s law firm available for times like this was exorbitant. As they were checked at the door and led into a smaller chamber, Levi spotted his old friend Stephen Cavendish on the Council dais. Relief swelled inside. This might have started as a witch hunt, but it wasn’t going to end up that way. Stephen, young and only a junior council member, was on Levi’s side when it came to Government meddling. And played the game well.

He smiled at his friend, relaxing even more when Stephen winked at him. This would be just fine.

Stephen opened the discussion. “I hear congratulations are in order, Levi?”

Levi beamed. “They are indeed.”

Milo bobbed at his side, his headset in. He rarely spoke at these meetings. Probably just as well. What came out usually didn’t bode well for Levi.

In a genial let’s-get-this-over-with-so-I-can-get-back-to-my-honeymoon tone of voice, Levi asked, “What is the problem that you needed to disturb me during my time of celebration?” He kept his face curious but amiable – at least he hoped it was. One sign of fear and these vultures would pounce.

“It’s your friend Johan Strand. He’s wanted by the Council. When his request to appear was ignored, a team was sent to retrieve him. Unfortunately, he’d set up some kind of self-detonation on several of his equipment centers. Suspicious behavior at best,” said one of the senior Council members. “As your residence is known to be associated with him, we requested everyone there to appear here for questioning.”

That’s not quite the way Levi understood events to have gone down, but it wouldn’t be the first time that the Council had twisted things to suit them. “First, Johan is an acquaintance, not a friend,” Levi said in a what-has-this-got-to-do-with-me voice. “Second, I don’t know anything about his equipment. Nor do I know where he is, if that is what you are looking to me for answers about.” He stood tall and straight. “And my wife knows even less.”

The Council stared at him. Even Stephen. Then again, he’d always been good at playing the Council game.

Levi waited patiently. Ever since Milo had gotten them in hot water a year ago, whenever there was a question the Council wanted answered or information they needed to collect, he and Milo were dragged down to appear in person. As if they couldn’t lie or cheat their way through these sessions in person like they might be able to through a HoloKomp. He suspected that the Council ran illegal scans on every person that entered these rooms. Hence the reason for keeping Dani out. She might not pass the scans.

He needed the Council to find nothing wrong for a few more months. Then he could start asking them to back off before he involved the lawyers at a more in depth level. As it were, today was one step from harassment. And John had brought that up more than once. But Levi needed to keep a low profile while Dani settled in. No one could take a closer look at her right now.

He couldn’t imagine the shock of what she’d been put through. He didn’t think he’d have handled it half as well as she had if he’d been in the same situation. In fact, he knew he wouldn’t. He looked around, seeing Milo and his lawyer…his extended family only a call away. He’d lose everything familiar and dear.

Just like Dani had.

For the first time, he had a little insight to all that she’d lost.

And how little he could do to make up for it. He’d done his best to protect her, but he could never replace everything.

“Levi?” John nudged him. With a startled look at his old friend, he realized the Council was talking.

“We need to know any information,” the elder Councilman, Carlson, said in a tone that demanded obedience. “Any names or locations that you may have heard Johan mention to try and track him down.”

Levi frowned while he stopped to consider the request. “In truth, I’m not sure I ever heard him mention anyone or any place in particular. He was notorious for his parties, and serious talk didn’t happen then, nor were there any party goers who wanted to talk.”

“And yet, he mentioned the two of you going out for coffee after your last appearance here.”

Levi’s eyebrows shot up at the reminder. However, he answered smoothly, “He did invite me, but the coffee never happened. He wanted to go and see his lawyers instead so he asked for a rain check.”

That at least was the truth. He suspected they already knew what he’d done that day. A drone would have noted his and Johan’s actions at the time and submitted a report on both men filed away for future reference. The Council muttered between them for a long moment.

“Your answers have been recorded. Should you have any further information to offer regarding the issue, please contact the office.”

A different Council member spoke. “We notice that Milo has not added anything to the conversation.”

Levi shrugged. “He has nothing to say. He had nothing to do with Johan.”

“Not one of the regular party goers?” Eyebrows shot sky high and amused twitters rippled through the Council members.

Milo was an anomaly to them. He lived in his own world and wouldn’t have attended one of Johan’s parties if his life depended on it. His parties were always private with his other geek friends. Levi highly suspected they played more computer games than sex games when they were together. His whole group was more active sexually in VR than in real life. But that might also be his age or his perspective on other people. Milo was light years ahead of others. While they were looking into a coffee cup and wondering at the pretty pattern the cream made as it was poured, Milo had already analyzed the composition, calories, health detriments, and health benefits for everyone in the damn room as well as who could tolerate that level of fat and who should be running in the opposite direction.

No one was like his brother.

Councilman Carlson said, “And the other occupant in your residence?”

“My wife, Dani?” Levi hated the way Carlson spoke about Dani. “You know her name is Dani. She isn’t an occupant.”

“Is she here?” The speaker ignored his comment, choosing instead to stare at him in a cold manner.

“She is waiting in the outer chamber.” Levi curled his upper lip. “I speak on her behalf. All documents have been filed as per protocol.”

After a moment where the men clicked away on their comps to verify his statement, the men nodded. Stephen smiled at him.

Levi’s breath whooshed out. So they’d skated by safely again.

But for how much longer?

He pushed Milo ahead of him as they walked out. Now to collect Dani and get her home, safe and sound.

As he walked back into the anteroom, he realized she was no longer sitting where he’d left her.

In fact, there was no sign of her. “Shit.”

Get Broken Protocols 2 at Amazon.

Romantic comedy & suspense

It’s the first day of Ninna’s job in the local animal shelter…and a dog is talking to her. Not just any dog…a fat, old, smart-alecky Basset Hound who says his name is Mosey.

She can’t quit, she needs this job. And then there’s the yummy vet. Who turns out to live across the street from her in a much bigger house than her tiny house. Big enough to hold a few animals – including the mouthy Mosey. With all this going on, she doesn’t have time to worry about the rash of break-ins and the sense of being watched. She’s too busy worrying that she’s nuts.

When Ninna agrees to dog sit for the cute vet from work, she sees it as a trial at being a pet owner and a way to build on her budding relationship with the vet. For Mosey, this weekend means time to get to know each other.

For the stalker who’s tracking Ninna’s movements, it means…opportunity.

W
ind whistled through
the open door of the garage. Moonlight danced across the broken lock. Troy loved it when people took off for holidays and left their houses wide open and inviting – like this. Sure, there’d been a lock on the door, if that’s what you’d call it. He hadn’t even needed to tinker; his crowbar popped it in seconds.

The owners had been gone exactly three days. Idiots. They’d forgotten to stop the newspaper. He’d be in and out in no time. If they had some good stuff, he’d come back a second time.

Great neighborhood. Rural and small – it worked for him. He’d been working this ten-block square for two months now. The next couple of blocks were a goldmine of opportunity. Easy pickings.

Hadn’t these people heard of alarm systems? Not that he couldn’t deal with those, too. But tonight’s job was a joke. No dog, no alarm, no locks worth a crap. In and out and then on to the next one.

Hard times had struck the small town. Not only were the regular owners of this house absent, but there were many deserted houses all around it. People who couldn’t make their payments, couldn’t sell their houses, had walked into the bank and handed over the keys. Only the bank couldn’t get their money back, because they couldn’t sell the places, either. No one came out ahead on those deals – except him. He did some demo work and stripped out what he could. There was always a market for scrap. Tonight, though, he was looking for the good stuff. The easy money stuff.

Cash, collectibles, electronics, jewelry…anything and everything he could carry out and sell fast.

The neighbors had a dog. But it didn’t seem to give a damn. If he crossed into its yard then maybe… As it was, he had enough to keep busy for tonight and maybe tomorrow night without going close to it.

There was a tiny one-bedroom bungalow in the next block. The cutie lived there. He didn’t know her name, but he’d caught sight of her one night while casing the houses beside hers.

Small and slim, not skinny…she curved where women were meant to curve. She also lived alone. Something he hadn’t been able to forget. He was no low life Peeping Tom, but this girl, well…she’d caught his attention something fierce.

Maybe, he’d swing by for a quick look to see if she was home. Who knows, he might get lucky.

T
he Lost for
Options Animal Center reminded her of a beehive. People and dogs swarmed toward the sprawling building at the front, while another group appeared to be overtaking the neighboring field.

Ninna Bradford pressed a hand to her temple, wishing the pounding would go away. She could handle crowds, just not stampedes. There were animals – everywhere. The place had been calm when she’d been interviewed several weeks ago.

She grew up without pets and didn’t even have friends with dogs. She had nothing against them. She liked them well enough. She just had no experience with them. Zip, zilch, nada. Not that she’d told her interviewer that. She could do the job, which was clerical. And this was the only company in six months to offer her a position.

She closed her eyes and stood on the walkway for a few seconds, nervous to go further.
Breathe
. Her yoga instructor’s voice whispered through her mind.
Remember to breathe, Ninna. Take a deep breath…now release. Good.