We made a quick stop at security, allowing Reece to arm up with lasers and throwing stars. When we reached the garage, Rush and Duncan were already waiting for us.
So was Hap. “Afternoon, Commander. Shall I have someone bring up a car?”
“A truck, Hap.”
“The big one?”
“None other.”
My jaw almost hit the floor when an enormous black-and-silver vehicle rolled to a stop in front of us. The polished finish was so glossy that it reflected our images. “What is that?”
“That, little heiress, is a full-size pickup truck.” Rush winked at me. “High-tech, too. One of the fastest solar-powered vehicles currency can buy. Hop in, and get ready to have some fun.”
Opening the door, he gave me a boost and slid in next to me. Reece put himself behind the wheel, while Duncan buckled up beside him. The Ritters jumped into the open back.
“Where we headed, boss?” Duncan asked.
“At the moment, that’s confidential.” Reece dialed his comm and spoke to someone. The rest of us heard nothing but his brief remarks, and he was careful not to reveal our destination. All I could determine was that he wanted privacy when we got there.
The size of the truck put us higher than most other vehicles in the swarm of traffic. Through our tinted windows, I caught people gaping and pointing at us. “We’re not keeping much of a low profile, are we?”
Rush laughed. “Not really. The commander is known for driving this truck. And the Ritters are a dead giveaway there’s an officer on board. But there’s no reason to suspect you’re in here. We’ve been spreading the word for days that you’re confined to the Center.”
“Besides,” added Duncan, “every inch of this beast is laser-proof. Military-strength glazing on top of the strongest armor available to the industries. We could roll a dozen times and walk away without a scratch.”
“For everyone’s information, I have no intention of rolling this truck,” Reece said dryly.
“Just stating the facts, boss. Is this going to be a long drive?”
“About an hour.”
“Mind if we have some music?”
“Be my guest.”
Duncan turned to me. “What do you like? Sketch? Merge?” One eyebrow went up. “Transcendence?”
I hadn’t learned much about Core music styles. “Surprise me.”
“Let’s try some Sketch.” He tapped on a screen in the dash and made a selection. Settling back, I listened to the pulsing electronic tune that filled the cab. Though it was a far cry from the quaint instrumental music I was used to, I enjoyed it, tapping my foot along with the beat.
The city sparkled and gleamed beneath the afternoon sun. We drove past eye-catching architectural structures and natural parks teeming with residents. Beautiful and modern, it didn’t fit Gem’s description of the Drudge, or the seedy underground.
“Does all of the city look like this?” I asked Rush, leaning in his direction to make myself heard over the music.
“Not all of it. This is the business district, where most of the wealth is. The closer we get to the outskirts, the less funding there is for construction and repair, so you’ll find the buildings smaller and less glamorous.”
“What about the Drudge?”
He looked startled. “Who told you about that?”
“Last night, Gem—”
A sudden burst of profanity cut me off. Reece braked the truck so hard that I pitched forward, limbs flailing. The harness Rush had shown me how to buckle was all that kept me from smashing into the seat in front of me.
“What happened?” I gasped, peering over Reece’s shoulder. A sleek vehicle with sinuous curves and dark windows had swerved into our path. I couldn’t tell who was driving, but from the collective groan inside the truck, everyone else knew.
“That arrogant little—” Reece pounded his fist on the wheel, releasing a heavy blast of noise into the air. Multiple blasts chimed in from other vehicles alongside us.
The music stopped, and the screen in our dash went dark. Then it flickered, scrolling the word TRON in bold letters across the top, and Aspen’s grinning face appeared. “How’s it going, Commander?”
“Are you insane?” growled Reece. “You really need to learn how to drive properly!”
Aspen laughed. “Maybe you just need to learn how to brake faster.”
“What the hell do you want, Asp?”
“To know where you’re headed, that’s all.”
“That doesn’t concern you.”
“Oh, come on. TRON tells me you’re hauling about a hundred pounds of precious cargo. How is our baby girl today?” He waved.
Reece swore again and switched off the screen. A few seconds later, it switched itself back on.
“You’re forgetting my car’s smarter than yours,” Aspen said, smirking.
“And you’re forgetting I can have you arrested without cause.”
“I’d be released in half an hour. You’ve met my attorneys, right?”
“Asp, I’m warning you—”
“Aw, don’t be such a grouch, Reece. I just got off a job and could use a distraction. Need some company this afternoon?”
Reece’s hands tightened on the wheel. “I do not.”
“Are you sure? You know I’m handy to have around.”
Duncan jerked his thumb at me. “An escort’s not a bad idea, boss.”
“Fine,” Reece snapped. “But I’m not paying you.”
Aspen laughed heartily. “Like I’m worried about currency. Send me the coordinates, and I’ll meet you there.” He waited for Reece to tap in the data. “Got it. Want to wager on who gets there first?”
“NO!” the men in the truck answered in unison.
He blew a kiss. “See you soon, Willow.”
His image disappeared. The vehicle he drove switched lanes brazenly and accelerated, hugging the pavement as it weaved in and out of traffic at a speed that made me dizzy to watch. He was gone from our sight within seconds.
I sat back in amazement. “Would somebody explain what TRON is?”
Duncan grinned over his shoulder. “It’s the name of his automotive software. Stands for Tiernam Real-time Operational Navigation. Very sophisticated. All the Tiernams have it built into their vehicles. He wasn’t lying when he said his car’s smarter than ours.”
Reece was unimpressed. “Well, his might be smarter, but mine’s bigger. If he does that again, I’m running him over.”
As we left the busy streets and intersections behind, traffic thinned, and Reece picked up speed. I peeked out the back window. The Ritters had flattened themselves across the bed of the truck to avoid being blown out. They lay unmoving, looking almost peaceful, their feline eyes closed against the shrieking wind.
“How long can they stay like that?”
Following my gaze, Rush eyed the creatures with a scowl. “Forever, if that’s what it takes. They’re patient. Resilient, too. Hard to kill.”
“Can they be killed?”
“Of course. They’re biological entities. But they have a regenerative quality, so they’re difficult to take out. If one loses a limb, it grows back. Same with most of their internal organs. Head wounds are the only way to end them, because they can’t reconstruct brain material.”
One of the Ritters yawned, tucking its head into the crook of its arm. “They don’t seem human to me,” I murmured.
“They’re not. Not completely, anyway. Their DNA is a complex mix.”
“That doesn’t seem right.”
“What doesn’t?”
“To possess the genetic material of a human, but not be given the same rights. The Ritters don’t appear to have much of a life.”
“A better life than most, Willow. They live with Core officers, after all.”
“That’s not what I meant. They’re kept, like pets. Humans deserve the right to determine the course of their own lives.”
“Ritters can’t do that,” he explained. “They can’t make choices like you or me. They’re programmed to show loyalty to one person, and that’s the Core officer who trains them.”
“And what if the officer dies? What happens to his quartet?”
Rush glanced at Reece. “Commander?”
“They’re euthanized,” Reece answered.
“What?” I exclaimed. “Why?”
“Ritters without a Core officer have no purpose,” he continued. “Their behavior falls apart quickly. Unless a new officer is available for their reassignment, the Ritters must be destroyed. Otherwise, they’re too dangerous.”
I flung my hands up. “If they’re so dangerous, why engineer them at all?”
“That’s a good question,” Reece said. “There are some on the Council who consider the Ritters an unethical use of genetic science.” He smiled at me in the rear-view mirror. “I don’t have to guess your opinion on the matter.”
“It’s ridiculous!” I fumed. “Human flesh shouldn’t be tampered with.”
“Mine was,” he pointed out. “And look what a strapping young man I turned out to be.”
I didn’t join the men’s hearty laughter. Reece was extraordinary, but that didn’t change my opinion. Genetic tampering was dangerous. Even the contract hanging over my head was an attempt to advance the evolution of prodigy skills. My children would be studied and researched, their DNA mixed up in little dishes at sophisticated labs to further promote the Core agenda.
“Someday, you’ll sit on the Council yourself,” Rush said. “As the daughter of Morry Roanoke and husband of Thess Tiernam, your viewpoint will hold much weight. So form your opinions carefully and stick to them when you do. You could change things, Willow.”
His last sentence was an echo of Joshua’s sentiment. I hadn’t seen my guardian in some time, but his words never left my heart. If I sat on the Core council, maybe I could change things. Perhaps that was what he’d intended for me all along.
I stayed quiet, lost in my tangled thoughts while the city turned to merchant buildings, then to sprawling urban residential areas, and finally to lush, green countryside. One hand pressed to the window, I stared in fascination at rolling hills dotted with trees and herds of domesticated animals. I’d never seen so many cows in one place, all of them fat and happy compared to the pitiful milkers in McKaireth.
“Where are we?” All I could recall of land outside the city limits was the desert scrub we’d traveled.
“The agricultural district,” answered Reece. “This land supports the city and spreads out for many miles.”
Slowing the truck, he turned onto a narrow road that wound like a black ribbon through the landscape. We followed it until a picturesque farmhouse came into view, framed by long, low buildings and fenced-in areas filled with horses. The fences weren’t made of wood, but I recognized the blue light from restraint technology. “A stable?”
“Chesapeake Stables, to be exact,” Reece said.
A twinge of excitement rippled through me. “Is Samson here?”
“Yes, this is where I keep him.”
Aspen’s sleek, solar-paneled vehicle sat in front of the farmhouse. Reece parked beside it, climbed out, and opened my door. He offered his hand to assist me as I jumped to the ground. A sweet southern breeze blew past, and I inhaled deeply. This place smelled of damp earth, horse, and fresh clover.
“What do you think?”
“It smells like McKaireth.” I closed my eyes against the sun that warmed my face. “Like my village in autumn.”
“Like home?”
Eyes closed, I nodded. “Very much like home.”
“Whenever you get homesick, I’ll bring you here. Soon enough, it will feel like home to you.”
I smiled. “I could get used to this.”
“You mean the stable?”
I opened my eyes. “I mean your generosity.”
“Just you wait,” he said a little mysteriously as Duncan and Rush rounded the truck. In the bed, the Ritters stood and stretched their flexible bodies. One by one, they made graceful leaps from the truck and stood near Reece, awaiting orders. When he spoke to them, the tallest of the group gave me a strange look. I stepped back when it came toward me.
“Relax,” Reece said. “Hold still.”
“I don’t want it near me. Not after what happened to Grindel.”
“It wasn’t there, Willow. I only had three of them with me that day, remember? This one had been left behind at the White Haven.”
The Ritter stood before me, shorter even than China, staring with slanted, golden eyes. It put its tiny hands on my shoulders, and I couldn’t help but imagine those razor-sharp claws sinking into my skin. “Reece . . .”
“Whoa!” Rush sprang forward. “No physical contact, remember?”
“This quartet answers to me,” Reece said.
“Sir, the contract is very clear about this. Ritters aren’t allowed to touch her.” The creature hissed at him, but Rush held his ground. “Commander, I could lose my position—”
“Back off.” Reece held up his palm. “I’ll take responsibility.” He put his hand on the back of the Ritter’s neck, and it continued to stare up at me before finally uttering an unusual word. “Repeat what it said.”
“I couldn’t even if I wanted to,” I protested, loathing its touch.
“Listen carefully.” He spoke to the creature, and again it produced a strange combination of syllables. “It’s telling you its name. Did you hear it?”
I swallowed and tried to repeat what I’d heard. It sounded something like leetwuf, but I wasn’t certain. The creature’s garbled voice made it difficult to discern the consonants.
“Leitwolf,” Reece corrected me. “It means ‘leader’ in the old German dialect.”
“Leitwolf,” I echoed, and the Ritter stood on its toes in order to reach my face. I froze, somewhat in shock, as it placed a dainty kiss on my left cheek, then my right.
“Commander!” Rush sounded angry.
Reece pointed at him. “Not another word.”
The sweeper’s jaw clenched, but he kept quiet while the little creature looked into my eyes. Its pupils had shrunk to pinpoints.
“State your full name,” Reece instructed me, his hand still on the Ritter’s neck.
I obeyed, and Leitwolf repeated my name in its harsh accent. Its pupils dilated back to their original shape. Reece spoke to it softly, and it withdrew its hands, bowing low before me. The commander took my hand, placed it on the Ritter’s spiky-haired head, and spoke again. When Leitwolf rose to a standing position, it stood close to me in silence.
“What just happened?” I asked, a little confused.
Rush made a gesture of impatience. “That’s what I’d like to know!”
“A bit of reprogramming,” Reece explained. “This particular Ritter now regards Willow as a first-priority directive. Whenever she’s with us, it will focus its protective instincts on her instead of me.”
Rush and Duncan exchanged a glance of surprise.
“Well, I’ll be,” Duncan said.
“I’ll be what?” interrupted Aspen, bouncing into our midst. Everyone except Reece and the Ritters jumped at his sudden appearance. He wore a rugged vest over his shirt and had lasers hooked to his belt. His runner’s form was lean and strong, his smile confident.
“Nothing you need to know,” Reece said.
“Doesn’t matter.” Aspen grinned. “I overheard you as I was walking up. It was more of a rhetorical question, anyway. Hey, Willow.”
His offhand impertinence amused me. “Hey.”
“I see you have a new friend.”
I gave the Ritter a nervous glance. “This is Leitwolf.”
Aspen’s lip curled. “I’ll skip the introductions, if you don’t mind. What took you guys so long? I’ve been here quite a while.”
Duncan snorted. “Unlike you, the commander doesn’t drive like a bat out of hell. He’d rather us arrive with our heads still attached.”
“My head’s attached.” Aspen patted his blond streaks.
Reece glared at him. “It won’t be if you continue to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
“You’re still grouchy, Commander. Are you getting enough fiber?”
“Asp.” One syllable was all it took.
“Okay, okay. I’m done. What’s on the agenda for today?”
“Peace and quiet. Starting now.” Reece gestured for me to follow him. Leitwolf fell into step beside me, while the remaining Ritters took up position in different corners of the yard.
The building we entered was cool and dark, with long rows of stalls. Many of the horses had been released into the fenced areas, but Samson’s head hung out of his stall. As we headed in his direction, the Percheron nickered at Reece, impatient to greet him.
“He’s magnificent,” I murmured.
“That he is.” Reece held out his hand for the beast to nuzzle. “He’s loyal, too. He works hard and doesn’t fail me. This fellow is just about the best friend I’ve ever had.” His voice was slightly wistful as he stroked Samson’s neck.
“Have you never had a best friend, Reece?”
He paused. “Once.”
“What happened?”
He didn’t answer, and that was enough to bother me. But when I put my hand on his arm, he brushed it aside. “Don’t.”
I thought his reaction unreasonable. He expected me to share my thoughts and feelings, but he wouldn’t do the same in return? “That’s unfair.”
His quick, firm grip on my chin startled me. “Don’t tell me what’s unfair. You can’t even begin to know the meaning of that word as well as I do.” His eyes had turned to steel.
“I-I meant no offense.”
“You never do. You wear your heart on your sleeve, Willow. But that’s a luxury I cannot afford. So drop it.”
Releasing my chin, he turned his attention to the horse, leaving me to wonder about his evasive words. He deactivated Samson’s blue energy barrier and led him from the stall. Leitwolf took my arm and was pulling me away from the steed’s massive forelegs when a lazy, feminine drawl floated across the stable.
“Well, well. This is an unexpected pleasure.”
The voice belonged to one of the tallest women I’d ever seen. Not as tall as Reece, but I could have stood her side-by-side with my father and called it even. She had a striking figure and dramatically short hair colored a stark, unnatural shade of white. Her eyes were blue as a summer sky, and they slid over the commander’s form in a familiar way that left no doubt in my mind what she thought of him.
Two realizations hit my gut. One was that she and Reece shared an intimate history. The other was that her attitude toward me was not going to be affectionate.
Reece came to a halt. “Katja.”
The woman sauntered right into his personal space. “In the flesh.”
She wasn’t kidding. Her snug, pink shirt revealed most of her chest and was cropped well above her midriff. Shiny pants rode low on her hips, leaving her toned belly exposed. Her riding boots were pink, as were her glossy lips and fingernails.
Doxy, the tiger whispered contemptuously. I was in complete agreement. This woman seemed the type. Likely she was wearing a scrap of pink silk to make her feel like a girl.
“I thought this was your day off,” Reece said.
Her smile revealed teeth as pearly as her hair. “It is. But I stopped by for some data work and overheard my assistant on her comm, scheduling your discreet little visit. I thought I’d stick around and see if you needed me for anything.”
“I’m fine,” he said. “I was hoping for privacy.”
“I can ensure privacy for us,” she purred, making me want to retch. Trailing the tip of her riding crop down his bare arm, she glanced up beneath a thick fringe of blackened lashes. “I’ve missed you, Reece.”
He didn’t reply. She replaced the crop with her long nails, grazing them across his skin. Her lips formed a pretty pout. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to avoid me today.”
“You do know better,” he said quietly. “I’d prefer to be alone.” Samson snorted and stamped his enormous foot in the dirt, impatient for freedom.
Her eyes narrowed. “If you wanted to be alone, why did you bring a guest?”
Reece glanced in my direction. “That’s none of your business.”
“This is my stable. Everything in it is my business.”
“Leave her alone, Katja.”
But she was already strolling my way, the provocative sway of her hips evident with every step. Reece dropped Samson’s reins, caught up, and fell in beside her. She had a large frame and wasn’t the least bit delicate, but she was beautiful. A pang of envy tore through my gut as I watched them approach. They looked good together.
Within three feet of me, he put out his arm to stop her. Irritation flashed across her face and then vanished. When he lowered his arm, she wrapped both hands around it and rested her tanned cheek against his shoulder.
“I’ll take a wild guess.” Her drawl was smooth as cream. “The Roanoke heiress.”
Fiddling with Morry’s pendant, I observed her in silence. She appeared quite comfortable clinging to his arm, and he wasn’t pushing her away. Had he forgotten that he’d kissed me earlier? Around my heart, walls went up in rapid succession.
“Katja, this is Willow Kent.” The commander’s eyes were veiled, his voice flat and cold. He’d made it clear he wasn’t interested. But she continued to hang all over him. Was she daft, or just desperate?
“I’m pleased to meet you,” Katja said, but her derisive smile told me otherwise. The only thing here that pleased her was Reece. Sizing her up, I worked the pendant between my fingers. Intuition kicked in. Beneath that gaudy, sensual veneer lurked a temper—one fueled by pride.
“What’s the matter?” she asked, with a cutting laugh. “Can’t you speak?”
My rebelliousness shot straight to the surface. “Perfectly, when I’m in intelligent company. Think you could find me some?”
Katja’s sharp inhale proved me right. Reece’s hand around her arm was all that held her back when she lunged for me. Beside me, Leitwolf extended his claws and hissed.
“You rotten little imp!” she cried.
“Floozy!” I retorted.
Reece sighed. “Willow, that’s enough.”
But I was too busy putting up walls to listen to him. I kept my eyes on Katja and relished the slight vibrations whispering over my palms. If he let her go, I’d be ready, and Samson’s stall would have a new, pink-booted occupant.
Rush, Duncan, and Aspen entered the stable, laughing together about something. But their voices trailed off when they saw us. Rush hurried to my side, scanning for traces of DNA, while the others approached with caution.
Aspen took in the scene and whistled. “Well, now, this is . . . awkward.”
Katja kept her eyes, glittering with spite, on my face. “You insolent brat! Do you know who I am?”
I shrugged. “Should I?”
“I’m Katja Wayne! Every stable in this district belongs to me.” She tossed her head in queenly fashion. “And if any of you plan on riding today, you’ll pay double the usual rates for her rudeness.”
Reece let her go with a light shove. “I’m the only one riding. Feel free to charge what you wish. But I want you to leave. Now.”
“You can’t kick me out of my own stable,” she spat.
Aspen laughed. “Sure he can. I’d rather like to see that myself.”
“Katja, I’m serious,” Reece said. “Grow up or get out.”
“Fine!” Glaring at him, Katja crossed her arms over her chest, which practically spilled out of her shirt. I felt sorry for her outfit. It was having a hard time holding her together. “But I’m tacking Samson up. You won’t lay a finger on any of my equipment, Commander.”
He didn’t rise to her baiting. “I have no problem with that. And while I’m here, I want an inspection of the mare I ordered. Where is she?”
“Grazing.” Katja pointed her riding crop toward the stable’s rear exit. “East paddock. I’ll be charging you double for her, too.”
Ignoring her, Reece drew near and took my hand. “Go outside and have a look at the chestnut mare, the one with a white star on her forehead. If you want her, she’s yours.”
Silence fell over our group. Katja tapped her riding crop against her thigh, and my intuition gave me a disquieting nudge. “Mine? I don’t even know how to ride.”
Reece smiled. “That will be remedied soon enough, if I have anything to say about it. I’ve already spoken to Morry about working stable time into your schedule.”
“She’s buying me a horse?”
“No, I am.”
The tapping increased in tempo. Inside my belly, the tiger paced back and forth. She sensed danger, and it all centered around the pearly-haired woman glaring daggers in my direction.
Aspen toyed with one of the Prizms on his belt. “That’s quite generous of you, Commander. As I recall, you never purchased a horse for Morrigan.”
“Just take her outside, Asp. Show her to the east paddock. And stay alert.”
Aspen gave him a mock salute. “Yes, sir.”
Reece turned his attention back to me. “I think you’ll like her. She’s a mustang. Probably the only horse in the Core who could match your spirit.” With a smile as warm as his fingers, he squeezed my hand. “She was supposed to be a surprise.”
“Thank you.” I wanted to smile back, but the uneasiness in my gut distracted me. Glancing at Katja, I saw tension in her rigid form. Something wasn’t right. The urge to turn and run was strong.
“Come on, Willow.” Aspen took my arm, an act that did not solicit an objection from Rush, and led me out of the stable. Leitwolf and Rush trailed behind us. The sense of danger disappeared when I stepped into the sunlight.
“I caught a strange look on your face.” Aspen directed me toward the east paddock. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I had a bad feeling in there. It’s gone now, though.”
“Do you know what triggered it?”
“It was Katja. Something about her is off.”
He grunted. “Everything about her is off. She’s a piece of work, let me tell you.”
“Exactly who is she?”
“She’s a normal, for starters.” He stopped walking, his eyes tracking furtive movement in the distance. We all halted with him. “And up until a month or so ago, she was Reece’s mistress.”
“Mistress?” I repeated, stunned. “She’s a—a paramour?”
“More or less. Her contract is with the military. It’s complicated.”
My heart sank. This explained everything. A doxy was casual. Paramours, on the other hand, were for companionship. No wonder she’d behaved so comfortably with him.
“How long?” I asked, dreading the answer.
“About five years. Don’t look so shocked. Things like that are regulated here. Core officers aren’t allowed to marry or reproduce, so they’re set up with mistresses as compensation.”
“But they’re not together anymore?”
“No.” Aspen kept his eyes on the distant movement. “He gave her up. No one knows why. But from what I’ve heard, she’s still available. Which is odd.” He removed one of the Prizms. “I thought she’d have found another officer by now.”
He fired off a shot. In the meadow across the road, a miniscule figure screamed and hit the ground. “But apparently, she found Mercer instead. Rush, you should notify the commander. We have incoming.”