Unique Ink (Shadow Assassins Book 5) (10 page)

“Did you find the little girl?”

“We did and not a moment too soon. Her father had her in this amazing ship and was just about to take off. The entire thing went down so fast Morgan didn’t have time to warn me, so you can imagine my shock when I was faced with an honest to God spaceship.”

“Dad was an alien?”

He nodded. “We returned the girl to her mother and deported Dad. Then Morgan and I had a nice long talk. She told me she had an opening and wanted to know if I’d consider working for a black ops organization focused on mitigating conflicts with extraterrestrial life forms. I already had a top level security clearance, so the transfer was simple. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, I still work for the FBI. Occasionally I’m asked about my current assignment, but no one is too surprised when I tell them I can’t discuss it.”

He made it all sound so common, so ordinary, while Roxie still felt stunned. “How many planets have visited Earth?”

“Generally it’s the inhabitants who visit not the planets,” he corrected with a playful smile.

She glared at him. “You know what I mean.”

“The inhabitants of thirty-two different planets have allowed us to know of their visits. We suspect there have been quite a few more.”

Her head shook in automatic denial. He had no reason to lie about the statistic, but her mind still resisted the information. “How long has this been going on?” Sevrin and her boys weren’t an isolated incident. All sorts of aliens had been toying with humanity.

“Hundreds, perhaps thousands of years.”

“Then why doesn’t the public know about this. They/we have a right to know.”

“Humans still slaughter each other over lines on a map. Can you imagine how they/we would react if they realized aliens were living among us? Most of the visitors are just curious. They study us for a while and then move on. There have been some creative trade agreements, but for the most part, we don’t have much to offer people who have mastered interstellar travel. It would be like us negotiating a treaty with cavemen. We’re just not that interesting to them.”

“And none of the visitors have been hostile? None have posed a danger to…” Her words trailed away as she answered her own question. “Shadow Assassins pose a significant danger to the general public and still they’re kept in the dark.”

“It’s necessary,” he insisted.

“I don’t agree with all the secrecy.”

“Humans are volatile and unpredictable. This sort of threat would panic the general public and endanger even more lives. The Shadow Assassins are focused on hybrid females. Nothing is gained by including the general public in the conflict.”

She wasn’t sure she agreed with him, but there was no point in arguing about it. “So did anything I tell you help you figure out why Sevrin wants me?”

He rubbed his chin as he considered the question. “I’m not sure. I don’t think she’s interested in anything you’ve done. I think the answer lies in who you are.”

“Which brings us back to my parents?” She sighed.

Before he could answer, Morgan came bustling into the room. She was out of breath and tendrils of her upswept hair had come loose to frame her face. “I’ve searched this entire base for you. Where the hell did you take her?”

“Just outside the transport hangers.” He shoved his drink aside and scooted back from the table. “What’s the matter?”

Morgan smoothed her hair back from her face and took a deep breath. She glanced at Roxie but continued to converse with Elias. “May I speak with you in the corridor for a moment?”

Roxie bristled. “If this has to do with me, I want to hear it. People need to stop talking about me and start talking to me.”

“All right.” Morgan rested her hands on the back of the chair directly across from Roxie, but made no move to pull it out. She didn’t want to give up the power position of standing while others sat. “Lor assured me that the nano-tracker he disabled wasn’t strong enough to transmit through our shields. However, Sevrin would have lost contact with the tracker as soon as Lor teleported you here.”

“That’s not my fault. It’s not as if I asked to be kidnapped.”

“I’m not ascribing blame.” Morgan paused and her expression turned thoughtful. “The longer you remain here, the more suspicious Sevrin will become.”

“What are you thinking?” Elias seemed particularly guarded, as if he wasn’t happy with Morgan’s interruption.

“Sevrin knows we’ve had contact with Roxie, that can’t be avoided. But with everything that happened immediately after Jillian left Unique Ink, it’s likely Sevrin won’t conclude that we’ve had Roxie this entire time.”

“What are you talking about?” Afraid Morgan would just ignore her, Roxie looked at Elias for the explanation. “What happened to Jillian after she left my shop?”

“Sevrin tried to murder Jillian’s father, but she sensed his peril,” Elias told her. “They brought him here and Odintar was barely able to save his life.”

“Lor and Blayne were out searching for Nazerel,” Morgan muttered to no one in particular.

“So were teams of my men,” Elias added.

Morgan’s gaze narrowed as she focused on Elias. “Has Nazerel ever seen you? Does he know who you are?”

“There’s no reason why he would. I’m a powerless human. I’m not worthy of his notice.” The sarcasm in each word made it obvious he didn’t agree with the assessment.

“So we send Roxie home with you at her side. She can tell everyone you’ve been corresponding online for months, but this is the first time you’ve actually met. She was upset by the dustup at her shop and asked you to fly in from wherever you live and give her some moral support.”

“You’re talking
about
me again. If you’re deciding my next move, don’t you think I might want to participate in the planning?”

“Sorry.” A smile lifted the corners of Morgan’s lips, but her gaze remained hard.

“The story might fool Sevrin,” Elias said, “but Jett saw me at Unique Ink.”

“Damn,” Morgan muttered. “We have to do something. Sevrin will investigate why the nano-tracker stopped working. We need to be there when she does.”

Elias shook his head. “She won’t come herself. There have been too many close calls lately. She’ll send someone to repair the chip or implant a new one.”

Roxie pressed her fingertips against her temples and rubbed. They couldn’t seem to help themselves. As soon as they started strategizing, she just faded from view.

Morgan shook her head. “I’m not so sure. Sevrin has been unusually hands-on where Roxie is concerned. If we’d realized this connection sooner, we could have utilized it better.”

“I’m not a ‘connection’,” Roxie snapped. “Just say what you mean. You want to use me as bait to catch the most dangerous person on Earth.”

Morgan didn’t deny it. “This is an opportunity we don’t dare pass up. You could be our way—”

“I am not an opportunity. I’m a person!” She shot to her feet, toppling her chair in her haste. “Can’t you see me. I’m standing right here.” Elias stood and tried to wrap his arm around her, but Roxie twisted away. “Stop it! You’re just like her. All I am to either of you is an opportunity, a worm for your frigging hook.” For the first time in years tears trailed down her cheeks. She angrily wiped them away, but knowing they’d driven her to tears only upset her even more. “Put me back in my cage. I want no part of this.”

Morgan started to say something, but Elias silenced her with a look. “Come on. I’ll take you back.”

He held out his hand, but Roxie crossed her arms, stubbornly tucking her hands against her sides. She would not be lulled by his fake compassion. He didn’t give a damn about her. He was worse than Morgan. At least Morgan didn’t play these cruel games.

They returned to the holding cell and Roxie moved inside, feeling desolate and alone. He knew better than to invade her space, but he lingered in the doorway. “We’re not trying to be insensitive, but time is running out. There are almost three hundred names in the notebook. We can’t possibly protect them all. Our only hope is to cut off the head of the snake before it strikes again.”

“I won’t be your sacrificial lamb.” Even as she spoke the words her heart rebelled. If she could keep someone else from being abused, or save even one life, wasn’t it her responsibility to try? “Go away.” He’d dragged her through her past and left her bruised and bleeding. She just wanted to be alone.

“I’d be at your side at all times and the Mystics would be ready to flash in at the first sign of trouble.”

“Then why not have a Mystic pose as my lover? Aren’t they more capable of protecting me than you are anyway?” It was a cheap shot, but she had to take it. Pain like this demanded company.

His shoulders tensed and his lips thinned. “Unfortunately, all of the Mystics have recently claimed their mates. Sevrin would know it’s a setup if she saw one of them with you.”

“You’ll figure out something. I have faith in your creativity.” She crossed to the bunk and lay down, presenting him with her back.

* * * * *

“Let me talk to her.” Jillian paced the Mystic Militia’s small office, obviously furious at what she’d just learned. Roxie had been in their custody for two days now and still she refused to relent. Odintar, who was leaning against the front of the desk, didn’t look any more at ease with the direction Morgan had chosen than his agitated mate.

Elias shook his head. “No visitors, except me. Morgan wants—”

“I don’t give a damn what Morgan wants,” Jillian snapped. “Roxie hasn’t done anything wrong. It’s ridiculous that she’s being treated like a criminal. No wonder she won’t cooperate with you. You’ve handled her all wrong.”

Elias hadn’t begun to “handle” Roxie, but that was the next step in Morgan’s plan. She wanted Roxie to realize what was at stake, that her stubbornness was putting others at risk. Most of all, Roxie needed to understand that her services were
required
not requested. Morgan had given him permission to use whatever means necessary—cajoling, intimidation, even seduction—to enlighten their reluctant guest.

“Roxie’s the best chance we have, but she’s scared,” Elias admitted. “I’m going to help her understand that she’ll be protected at all times.”

“And how are you going to protect her from a Shadow Assassin without allowing us in the house?” Odintar challenged. “I don’t think you understand how fast they are, especially Nazerel. He could flash in and take her from you before you realize he’s there.”

Jillian stilled and her gaze began to smolder. “That’s what Morgan wants, isn’t it? She isn’t baiting a trap; she wants them to take Roxie to their new headquarters. Oh my God, that woman is cold.”

He found it hard to defend Morgan when he happened to agree with Jillian. This new strategy revealed just how desperate Morgan had become. It was merciless and reckless, and Roxie deserved better. “We’re just using their strategy against them, only our tracking system is more sophisticated.”

“Really?” Odintar hadn’t moved but his voice grew more aggressive. “What sort of tracking system can’t be jammed or removed.”

“We’ll inject her with an isotope that emits a harmless form of radiation. The radiation can be tracked over long distances. It doesn’t transmit any sort of signal, so most shielding is ineffective.”

Odintar pushed off the desk and stalked toward him. “So let’s say her plan works flawlessly. Nazerel snatches Roxie and flashes her to their new headquarters. What then? If the warnings from Ontariese are accurate, three sizable Rodyte ships activated the hyperspace gates leading to this sector. Sevrin could have an army protecting her by now. We just don’t know.”

“And we can’t gather recon until we find the new facility.” Elias’ response was just as passionate.

Jillian walked to Odintar’s side and joined the prosecution. “And Roxie is just supposed to endure whatever they do to her while we’re checking out the situation? How long should she enjoy Sevrin’s tender mercies? Two days? A week? Several months?”

“I’m open to suggestions.” They were out of options, had been for weeks. “If you oppose this plan, offer us another? We’ve tried standing around and hoping for a break. We’re going to have to make something happen if we ever want this to end.”

Jillian looked at Odintar and silently shook her head. “I hate everything about this, but he’s right. We have to do something.”

“We cannot force this on Roxie or we’re no better than they are,” Odintar insisted. “If solitude has not cleared her head, then try another strategy, but you must find a way to make her see reason.”

Elias laughed. “Have you ever seen two stubborn females locked in a power struggle? Roxie will let the world burn just to spite Morgan. This stopped being rational shortly after it began.”

“Let me talk to her.” Jillian’s tone was softer this time, yet no less insistent. “You’re Morgan’s right-hand man. Roxie won’t respond to you.”

Elias sighed. Morgan was being as irrational as Roxie. And Odintar was right; isolation had only reinforced Roxie’s stubbornness. “All right. Give me a few minutes to set things up. I’ll have to loop the surveillance feed and distract the guards.”

* * * * *

Roxie glared at the door as she heard the familiar sounds of someone intruding on her solitude. Elias was the only one allowed to see her and she wanted nothing to do with him. He was Morgan’s lap dog and whatever appeal he’d possessed had been eclipsed by his willingness to follow irrational orders.