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JETHRO SAT IN his bed, one hand resting on the rear of a female House Servant and his other around a bottle of whiskey. He took a drink as his fingers skimmed over her skin. She moaned softly, still sleeping. The female Servant on his other side ran her hand up his thigh. He smiled. She was awake; she’d do.
“Good morning,” he mumbled as he moved his attention to the non-sleeping Servant. He couldn’t remember either of their names. It didn’t matter. They wouldn’t care. They’d been paid well to be here. He should send them home and order a few more. These two had arrived a few days ago and he didn’t want them to get too comfortable because they weren’t staying. Her hand continued to wander up his leg. She exposed her claws, dragging them across his thigh. Later. He’d send for new ones later.
The door burst open and Jason stormed into the room. Jethro sighed. His binge hadn’t lasted as long as he’d hoped.
“You need to sober up.” Jason’s eyes never moved from the naked Servants.
“Arrest me.” He took another long drink.
Indy ran into the room. “Sorry, I just got back from the store.”
“Some Guard you are.” He was joking and hoped Indy understood. He’d continued to send the Guard on errands because he knew this time was approaching and he didn’t want Indy around to be implicated.
When they’d returned from Townsend’s house he’d ordered Indy to turn all his captives, including the Producers in the camps free. Then he’d set out to get drunk and laid. He’d succeeded admirably in both endeavors. His hand skimmed across smooth, naked flesh. He would’ve enjoyed a few more days. He patted the females. “Time to go.”
The one blinked at him sleepily and then stretched. It was a beautiful sight and Jason’s blue eyes darkened. He pulled a cover over the Servant to annoy the Supreme Almighty. “You need to know it was all my idea, my orders. My Guards didn’t have anything to do—”
Indy stood partway behind Jason, shaking his head frantically.
“What are you talking about?” Jason pulled his eyes away from the Servants to look at Jethro.
“Nothing,” said Indy. “He’s been drunk for days. He has no idea what he’s talking about.” The Guard sent him a look that said he should shut up.
Jason’s beady eyes darted to Indy and then back to Jethro. “He should be whipped for speaking about you in that manner.”
“Yeah, he should.” But not because of what he’d said. The damn Guard had disobeyed him again. Indy had made it clear that he didn’t think turning the prisoners free was a good idea, but Jethro had given his orders and had expected them to be obeyed. He should’ve known better by now. He crawled over one of the Servants—neither had moved—and got out of bed, pulling on his jeans. He carried the bottle into the living room and flopped on the couch.
Jason and Indy followed him out of the bedroom.
“Why exactly do I need to sober up?” He was done with Jason and his council. Kim’s ex had paid the bill, so his mom would be fine and they couldn’t do anything worse to him than what he’d already done to himself.
Jason grabbed the bottle, trying to wrench it from his grasp, but he wasn’t letting go. Finally, after several tugs, Jason dropped his hand and sat on the chair across from him.
“What’s his problem?” Jason glanced at Indy.
“He’s the master. Ask him.”
“I don’t have a problem or at least I didn’t a few minutes ago.” His eyes went to the bedroom door. They were still in there, probably still naked.
“Ah, to be young again.” Jason smiled but it was more like a leer and then his expression cleared. “You missed a date with Stella. She was quite upset.”
“Sorry.” He took another drink. He wasn’t, not at all. Instead of a boring evening with the blandest person alive, he’d spent the night with two, exquisite House Servants who were long, limber, lean and very, very knowledgeable in the art of pleasure. If he kept this up, maybe one day, he’d forget about Trinity and choose a companion who didn’t remind him of her.
“I suppose it’s not a problem, but don’t let it happen again.” Jason glanced at the bedroom and then back to him. “You can have your fun, but you have to respect Stella. She’ll be your wife one day.”
“Of course.” Jason would find out soon enough that there wasn’t going to be a wedding, but he wasn’t ready to lose his house yet. He couldn’t entertain like this at his mother’s home. “I won’t miss another date with Stella.” He grinned as he stood. “Now, if that’s all, I’m going to bed.”
“That’s not all.” Jason’s voice was sharp. “It’s time for you to go back to work. I need you to lead your team into the forest.”
He stopped in his bedroom doorway. The two Servants were still in bed, waving him toward them. “Why?”
“I’ve finally convinced the Council to bring out the weapons.”
“You’re kidding.” He staggered back to the couch. The Council had to agree unanimously before the weapons were released and the Council never agreed unanimously. The last time it’d happened had been when they’d gone after the Trackers and Handlers. “How? Why?” He rested his head against the wall behind the couch, closing his eyes. This couldn’t be happening.
“Why are you surprised? We’ve been losing and that can’t continue. With the weapons, we can end this war fast. Conguise and I have been trying to persuade them for months, but there were a few holdouts.” He shrugged. “The Parkview incident took care of that.”
“What Parkview incident?” He opened his eyes. He didn’t like the sound of this.
“You need to pay more attention to current events. It’s been all over the news. Hugh’s Guards attacked three homes in the Parkview community.” Jason’s eyes gleamed with triumph. “They killed the entire families. Kids. Grandparents. Everyone.” He shook his head. “It would’ve never happened, if we’d gone after them with force at the beginning of this mess.”
“What did they want?” He sat up straight. He hated Hugh but the guy wasn’t the type to send Guards to kill families in their homes, especially if they had kids. Of course, the Almightys may have attacked his Guards.
Jason looked confused.
“Why did they go after those families? What did they want from them?”
“How should I know?” Jason’s brow furrowed. “Guards don’t need a reason to kill, only an order.”
“Hugh had to have a reason. He wouldn’t risk coming all the way into Parkview just to kill some Almightys unless it benefited him in some way.”
“Parkview borders the forest. It isn’t that far for them and his reason could’ve been as simple as those families weren’t aligned with him.”
“He’s smarter than that. He can’t kill everyone who disagrees with him and his cause.” He shook his head. “No, there had to be some other reason. We need to question the witnesses.”
“The witnesses have already been questioned.” Jason’s face flushed and his words were short and angry. “They all said the same thing. They saw Hugh and his Guards fleeing the scenes.”
“You’re saying Hugh was there?” That was a lie. Hugh was too smart for that and he wasn’t a killer.
“That’s what the news is reporting,” said Indy, a warning in his tone.
He glanced from one to the other. Indy wanted him to shut up, but this story was all wrong.
“I’ll help him sober up, sir, and then we’ll set out,” said Indy. “How many other troops are you sending?”
“All of them.” Jason stood. “Come to Cal’s camp with your Guards.”
“When?” He wasn’t going to do this. He was done fighting this war.
“You’re in no condition today, so I guess tomorrow will have to do.” Jason glanced at the bedroom. “Send them home and get a good night’s rest.”
“Are the others already there?” He needed as much information as he could get.
“A couple of groups, but most are being assembled. It’ll be a day or so but I want you to train the troops on the forest. Most have never set foot outside of the city.”
“Of course.”
As soon as Jason left, he placed the bottle on the table and dropped his head into his hands.
Indy took the bottle into the kitchen and returned with a jug of water. “Here.”
He took the water and drank. “I need you to go to Townsend’s and tell him what’s happening. He needs to warn Hugh.”
“So, we’re working for the other side now?”
He hesitated. He trusted Indy, but he was asking the Guard to turn traitor. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. You shouldn’t be involved, but please don’t say—”
“I don’t care.” Indy grinned. “I only want to know what side I’m on. It’s a good thing to keep straight in this war business.”
The breath eased from his lungs. He didn’t want to think of Indy reporting him to the authorities. The Guard was the only friend he had left. He stood. “We’re working for ourselves now and no one else.”
“You’re throwing your career and possibly your life away only for yourself?” Indy’s tone was disbelieving.
“My sister is out there. They’ll kill everyone. They won’t care who it is.”
“And it has nothing to do with Trinity.”
“Don’t be an ass. Of course it does. It has to do with all of them.”
“The truth will set you free.” Indy laughed and headed for the door.
“This truth is going to get me killed.” He yelled after the Guard.