Rex looked back at Dr. Scott, who nodded. “We’re finished. I’ll keep you updated on Jade’s condition.”
Baylor looked nervous. He led them to the same room where they met the day before. “Have a seat,” he said as they entered.
Rex and Alina sat down. Baylor pulled up a chair close to them and dropped his voice.
“You mentioned yesterday there was someone in your group who disappeared. Who was he, and what happened?”
Rex’s eyes narrowed. “His name is Stan. He was part of the resistance in Pria. I thought I could trust him, but he led us to Sampson in Gordian Palace, then claimed he didn’t mean to do it.”
“Do you still suspect him?” Baylor asked.
Rex thought for a moment. “I do. The resistance has traitors who have complicated things in the past. There is fierce loyalty among the true members, who would give themselves up before betraying another. Something about his story doesn’t seem right.”
“When did he disappear?” Baylor asked.
“At night,” Alina said. “He went behind a tree, then vanished. I never heard a sound.”
“What does he look like?”
Rex wrinkled his eyebrows. “He has black hair and greenish, hazel eyes. His ears are big for his face. He’s short and scrawny, too.” Rex chuckled. “He sure didn’t keep his looks.”
Baylor stood up and started pacing the room, his hand stroking his chin. “I think we’ve spied him.”
“What?” Alina exclaimed.
“Our security guards have spotted a man on our northern border with dark hair and a smaller build, like you described. He came through the security shield and set off the alarm, then ran back into the wilderness.”
“What’s he trying to do?” Rex asked.
“We’re pretty sure he’s testing the system. Sampson frequently sends spies to do just that. What’s disturbing about this, though, is he wasn’t stunned.”
“But Rex and I weren’t stunned, either,” Alina pointed out.
“True, but Rex carries nothing from Pria in him. You have the serum, which is why the alarm went off, but since you’re immortal it probably felt like a small buzz. Jade was stunned because she carries a surveillance chip. We monitor everyone who crosses our borders, but the high-pitched alarm only goes off when something Prian-made is entering. That in turn activates the stunning mechanism. One shouldn’t happen without the other.”
“So, you’re saying Stan might have a surveillance device, like Jade?”
“Most likely, yes. But his seems to be more advanced.”
Rex cursed Stan under his breath. “He is a traitor! Sampson sent him in to follow us!”
“Yes, that’s the only explanation,” Baylor said. “Lance is extremely concerned by this incident. He believes Sampson may have found a way to penetrate our security. You’ll be meeting with Lance soon—he wants all the information you can give him about Stan.”
Rex nodded. Baylor stroked his chin for a moment then said, “That’s all for now. I’ll let you know when Lance wants to see you.”
“Is there any way I can speak to Camden?” Rex asked.
Baylor nodded and pulled a small device from his pocket. “Here’s a phone you can use. I’ll write down the number for you.”
Rex eyed the device curiously. “A what?”
“A phone,” Baylor repeated. “I forget you’re not familiar with our technology. This is what we use to communicate. You dial a number, put this part against your ear and speak. Its range is limited, but it reaches Jaden. You can take it back to your room. Hit this button and type in this number, and Camden should answer.” He scribbled a chain of numbers on a piece of paper and handed it to Rex.
“Thank you,” Rex said, taking the phone and paper from him. “Let us know what else we can do to help.”
Baylor nodded. Rex and Alina followed him out of the hallway. They waved goodbye to him and Eleanor in the foyer, then headed to the elevator.
“Wow,” Alina said. “My mind is racing, trying to remember everything Stan learned about us that Sampson now knows. What should we do?”
“We wait for Jade to recover and learn as much as we can from Baylor. I’ll ask Camden’s advice too.” Rex fingered the phone in his hands.
Alina smiled. “How long has it been since you’ve spoken to him?”
“Since the day of your birth. Almost eighteen years.”
Several minutes later, in Alina’s room, Rex trembled as he waited for someone to pick up at Camden’s apartment in Jaden. Within moments, Camden and Rex were enjoying a tearful reunion over the phone.
“We’re here, we all made it!” Rex exclaimed. “Yes, Jade and Alina are with me. Jade is waiting for surgery. Sampson put a surveillance chip in her when she became Alina’s caretaker.” He paused. “I agree. It couldn’t have turned out better.”
Except for Zaiden, thought Alina.
“Yes, she’s in the room with me. She’s doing great,” Rex glanced at her and cleared his throat. “She’s immortal now. The dagger changed her somehow…yes, I think he knows by now. What does it mean for us?” He paused. “I suppose that’s good news…no, it’ll be at least a week, when Jade gets well. How dangerous is the road? Yes—let’s hope so. I’ll send word as soon as we know. In the meantime, the ball can start rolling. Can we trust Lance?” Rex smiled at Camden’s answer. “Good, I’m glad to hear.”
He glanced at Alina again. “Of course, I will respect his wishes.” The room went quiet, and Rex scrunched up his face and covered his eyes with his hand. Alina turned her attention to her fingernails.
“I’ve missed you, too.” He could barely speak. “See you soon.”
He tried a few buttons on the phone until it turned off. Alina waited for him to talk first. She jumped when he blew his nose.
“They’re ready for us whenever we can get there.” He gave a stuffy laugh. “They’ve been ready for years.”
“Ready for what?”
“For you. For the overthrow of Sampson. Everyone wants him gone. He has a lot of power here—you
