Xaver held his shield up for ten seconds longer. Ahron kept the same time on phasing, but he moved while he phased.”
George’s brow arched. “Moved?”
“Only a few centimeters, but still incredible. He was in one spot, and in the blink of an eye was in another.”
“And Aalexis?”
“Aalexis cooperated, but the assistants had to work with her. She’s becoming quite defiant.”
The angelic face of the young beauty was dangerous, her innocent look deceiving. Aalexis was the perfect predator.
If Ellyssa hadn’t escaped, his vision could already be underway.
Of course, growing his army without the mind reader could be done, but to know what your enemy was planning before execution was beneficial. Plus, his soldiers would need to be able to seek out hidden lairs. He needed all of his children’s gifts added into the final sequence.
George wished he’d sent Micah earlier. The oldest of his children had proved invaluable in the search for Ellyssa. Without him, Detective Petersen would never have located the storage facility. His child could have saved precious days better used by splicing the genetic makeup.
“She knows how powerful she is,” George said, eyes gleaming.
“Dr. Hirch, you don’t understand how difficult she’s becoming. Her sudden changes in attitude are unpredictable. The staff is growing wary of her.” Leland pulled his hand over his face. “They’re afraid.”
The news caused George’s smile to intensify.
“What if she hurts someone?”
George brushed off the notion with his hand. “Impossible. She has been educated on proper protocol. She will obey me.”
“Like Ellyssa?”
A tic worked at George’s jaw as anger responded. “The two are unrelated. Aalexis is just finding herself.”
“None of the other children have proven to be so difficult. Even without emotions, they knew what was expected. They all obeyed, like good soldiers, without question.” Leland pulled a stool over and sat down in front of the microscope. “What if she…becomes uncontrollable?”
“What are you suggesting?”
Glancing down at the Petri dish, Leland said, “It’s just—you have what you need from her. Maybe she should be…”
Leland didn’t finish the statement; he didn’t need to. Without giving control a thought, George advanced on the younger man, grabbing him by the lapels. He yanked the assistant to his feet. Nose to nose, he glared into the startled man’s eyes. He’d had enough of him.
“She is indispensible,” he seethed, “unlike you.”
Fear froze Leland’s face in a partial shout. Panicky breaths wheezed between his parted lips.
Finding his restraint, the doctor released his grip and smoothed out the crumpled fabric of the collar. “Your services are no longer needed.”
“Wh-what?”
His demeanor calmed, he stepped away. “Your judgment has become clouded. I will talk to career services. You will be placed in a more… appropriate job.”
The fear melted away as the tendons in Leland’s jerked. “You’re playing with something very dangerous.”
“I know what I am doing.”
“You have no idea.” Leland spun around and stalked toward the door.
George felt heat rush into his face at the young man’s gibe. He inhaled once and maintained control.
“Leland,” the young assistant stopped, his shoulders clenched, “your badge.”
Leland yanked the identification off his coat and tossed it on the table.
“Security will meet you at the doors. I would not keep them waiting.”
As Leland walked out the door, George hit the intercom and alerted the guards. Afterwards, he contacted the
“I want you to keep close tabs on Leland.”
33
Under the soft glow of his flashlight and the moon, Rein examined the debris covering the drive leading to the weather-beaten farmhouse. Something was wrong. The decaying trunk looked out of place, as did the bushes.
As a matter of fact, nothing had seemed right since he and Woody had left the cavern. Right from the beginning, Rein’s radar had been tripped.
Davis’ absence nagged him. The ranger had failed to leave a message. He had to have known about the search. They’d checked all the designated points for communication—nothing.
The rusty Oshkosh was still parked in the barn where he and Doc had left it. They were hoping it’d still be there, because it’d be easier to move the supplies, but neither had really expected to find it. Then it’d seemed as if the search teams had completely disappeared, which spooked Rein more than the thought of running into them.
“I don’t like this,” he admitted while helping Woody pull the rotting tree trunk out of the way.
Woody rolled his eyes. “What’d you expect?” Grunting, he lifted his side of the tree over a protruding rock. “Listen, we’re going to load the stuff and get our asses out of here.”
Rein hoped he was right.
They finished the job and climbed back inside the cab, him with his doubts and Woody with a reassuring smile.
“We should consider ourselves lucky we haven’t run into anybody,” said Woody as the truck jolted forward. “You worry too much.”
Rein looked forward, concentrating on keeping the wheels aligned with the grooved tracks, once in awhile bouncing over a rut. Not an easy feat, but the full moon helped with navigation. “Seriously? After you being a jerk about Ellyssa, and your paranoia of about being discovered, now you’re all calm when your fears are justified. They’re searching for her.”
“I was wrong about her,” Woody said, his voice soft.
Although Rein knew Woody had had a change of heart about Ellyssa, he’d never expected him to admit his misjudgment. Surprised, Rein looked askance at his friend. “Really?”
“Yeah. The concern she showed for Jordan was something I’d never witnessed before,” Woody said, as he faced Rein. “She’d only known him for a couple weeks, and supposedly she’s an emotionless soldier, but she really cared about him.” He glanced down, lips pursed before he continued. “She cried. And I mean cried. Not just a few tears, but an ocean of them.” Sighing, he turned away. “Plus, she was there for me.”
Rein’s grip tightened on the steering wheel as jealousy reared its ugly head. He should’ve been there, not Woody, to hold her and make her feel safe during the emotional barrage. It was a part of her transformation that he’d never be a part of. A part of her she’d always share with Woody.
“Jordan was right. She’s special, Rein,” continued Woody, oblivious to Rein’s reaction.
“I know,” he replied in a low voice.
The dirt path roughened, and the two men bounced over the rain-washed potholes. The old truck rattled and creaked. Rein eased his foot off the gas and glided, trying to cut the jostling to a minimum. The last thing he needed right now was to leave a trail of parts.
From behind a thick fir tree, the rubble of the farmhouse glided into view. The mound of debris was silhouetted against the light of the night sky. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. But with every meter the tires rolled, Rein’s apprehension radar pegged.
