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JETHRO SAT ON the couch in his living room, staring at the wall. Indy was in the kitchen cooking something but he wasn’t hungry. He’d taken his shot several days ago and was still tired, but to be fair, it may have more to do with his failure than the serum. He’d lost her. She was Hugh’s now. He grabbed another beer from the six-pack near his side. This was his fifth one, but it wasn’t dulling the pain.
Indy walked into the room and handed him a plate of spaghetti.
“Thanks.” He put it on the coffee table.
“You need to eat.” Indy dropped on the chair next to the couch.
“Not hungry.” He downed half of the beer. “But I am very, very thirsty.”
“I’ve never seen you give up before.”
“I haven’t given up. I’m thinking.”
“More like wallowing,” mumbled Indy around a mouthful of pasta.
“Screw you.” He finished the beer and opened another one. “I need you to go to the store and get more beer.”
“Sure, but you’re coming with me.” Indy continued to eat.
“Don’t want to.”
“Too bad.”
“I’m the master, not you.”
“If you don’t pull yourself out of this lovesick funk you’ll only be the masturbator.” Indy laughed.
“At least, I can still do that.” He took a gulp of his beer. “She almost took that option away from you.”
Indy stuffed more food in his mouth, nodding. “I knew she had spunk when she drugged you to escape, but that was a low blow.”
“Good thing it wasn’t an inch or so lower.”
“You don’t need to tell me.” Indy finished his spaghetti and traded his plate for Jethro’s.
Jethro frowned.
“You can have it.” Indy held the plate out for him. “Unless you’re too heartbroken to eat.”
“I’m not heartbroken.” He shoved Indy’s hand away. The Guard was just trying to annoy him enough to eat but he was working on a buzz and didn’t want food to get in the way. He wanted to drink until he passed out without one thought in his head.
“Right.” Indy started eating again.
“I’m not. I’m in lust.” He stood, stretching. “There’s a difference.”
“Not for a male there isn’t.”
He stared out the window at the brick buildings surrounding his house. They were all either dull gray or brown, fitting colors for the Warehouse District. “There is for me.” He’d loved Trinity years ago, but that was gone, replaced with death and betrayal.
“What?” Indy snorted, half-choking on the pasta. “Are you saying you’re in love with what’s her name?”
“Who?” He glanced at the Guard.
“That Almighty girl.” Indy licked the plate.
“Jason’s granddaughter?”
“Yeah, her.” Indy picked up the other plate and carried them both into the kitchen.
He laughed. “Hardly, but she is payment for the house.”
“And for Tee,” Indy said quietly as he reentered the living room.
He nodded and looked back out the window. His life was bleak. Before long, he’d be married to Stella.
They’d met a few weeks ago at a small dinner at Jason’s house which he’d been forced to attend. It’d been a very unpleasant evening. Jason’s wife had made it clear she wasn’t happy with her husband’s choice for their granddaughter. Jason had reassured him she’d come around. He kept praying she didn’t. He had no interest in Stella. She was attractive in a blonde, bland sort of way. Her skin was smooth and white, like a statue’s, and her hair was long, straight and a light blonde. She had no spunk, no passion. She was only there to obey and reiterate his opinion. He’d wanted a marriage like his parents. No matter what had happened to his mom when she’d been young, she’d loved his father and his dad had loved her.
Instead, he had a choice of being bored out of his mind or finding passion in another female’s bed. Neither was appealing but he knew himself too well to believe he’d remain faithful to Stella. If he could capture Trinity, he wouldn’t be bored. He’d be faithful to her, except when he had sex with Stella. He did want kids someday and no matter what Hugh claimed, it wasn’t possible. Conguise had shown him the reports and DNA didn’t lie.
“Come on.” Indy handed him the last beer.
He opened the bottle and followed the Guard outside to the carriage. Indy was stubborn enough to refuse to go to the store if he didn’t tag along. He stared out the window as they headed down the street. Stella wouldn’t like living here. Jason would probably give them another house in a more affluent neighborhood and he wouldn’t like living there. It’d be too crowded with too many Almightys surrounding him. Too bad he couldn’t live in the woods with only a few Guards for company and Trinity. He’d definitely need her. No matter how mad he’d been, as soon as he’d seen her his anger had fled. She’d only drugged him because she hadn’t trusted him and he couldn’t blame her for that. He’d treated her badly the last few years. He’d wanted to apologize, to tell her he understood but the look on her face when his Guards had tackled Hugh had sent the anger and jealousy racing through him again. She loved Hugh. He couldn’t fight that. He could kidnap her and persuade her body to want him, but her heart belonged to Hugh. He sighed and Indy punched him in the shoulder.
“Ouch. What was that for?” The Guard’s disgusted look spoke volumes. “Never mind. Don’t say it.”
“Listen, I like working for you. You’re a good master, but I’d rather go back to Cal than stay with you when you’re like this.” Indy gently slapped Jethro’s cheek. “Have some pride man. Either let the female go or win her back. Don’t just mope about.”
Indy had a point, but the Guard was cocky enough as it was, so he wasn’t going to admit it. He looked back out the window. The carriage had stopped but they weren’t at the store. They were near the end of a road in a nice, middle class subdivision. “Where are we?”
“Watch that place over there.” Indy pointed to the last house on the street.
It was an average home—average size, average color and average lawn. “Why? Are you trying to bore me to death?” He finished his beer. “Couldn’t we have stopped at the liquor store first?”
“I need you focused, not drunk.”
“I can focus better when I’m not thirsty. Let’s get more beer and come back.”
“Later.”
He sighed but this time he dodged Indy’s hand. “That was because I have no beer. Not because of her.”
“That’s almost as bad,” said Indy.
They sat in the carriage, watching that place for hours. He’d tried to get more information from Indy but the Guard had been closed mouthed about who lived there. He leaned forward as the door to the house opened and a large Guard stepped outside.
“That’s the Guard from the bar,” he said. “The one who helped Hugh.”
“Bruno. I figured since we had some time, maybe we should find out why he was meeting with Truent the other night.”
“We can use him to capture Hugh.”
“That’s what I was thinking. Once we know his routine we can...intercept him and persuade him to help us.”
“She’ll turn herself in for Hugh, no question about that.” The words were bitter, but they were the truth. She loved Hugh, but she’d loved him before too. Once he had her, they could talk. He could explain that he’d never been going to turn her over to the authorities. He’d make her understand.
They followed Bruno down the busy street, making sure to stay at least a carriage or two behind them. Bruno didn’t seem to notice them, probably not expecting to be followed. The Guard stopped outside a school and waited. The bell rang and hordes of small children raced out of the building.
“Poor Bruno.” Indy stared at the swarm of children like they had the plague. “Promise me, you won’t make me baby sit your kids.”
“I promise.” He loved kids but wasn’t looking forward to creating them with Stella.
A small boy walked over to the Guard, taking his hand. The two of them headed back toward their home, stopping at a store for some candy. The Guard seemed to enjoy his charge, his perpetual frown tipping up at the corners when the boy wasn’t looking. The kid was around ten years old, with brown hair and white skin. He moved fluidly, gracefully.
Jethro leaned his head out the window, inhaling. He couldn’t smell a thing except the odors of the city, but there was something not right about the boy. “Indy, get closer if you can.”
“Why?” The Guard moved the carriage a little closer.
“Can you catch the boy’s scent? There’s something about the way he moves, carries himself.” Too bad his senses were still dulled from taking his shot.
Indy gave him a queer look but he stuck his head out the window and inhaled before pulling himself back inside. “There are too many odors here. I’m confusing some of them.”
“I’m telling you, there’s something off about that kid.” His eyes met Indy’s. “I think we need to visit our good friend Bruno and meet his young master.”