Lion looked up at the imposing man. “Casey is a child. Why would I be interested in her?”
Hope frowned at Max. “Don’t you have someplace you need to be?” she asked. Max’s gaze shifted to her. Whatever passed in their silent exchange had the woman coloring up—fast. Max pushed off the wall and started out of the room. “I’ll see you in a few, Lion. Eat your fill. Ivy and your sister will protect you.”
Lion set his fork down loudly. He looked over at the blond woman, his sister, apparently. “I don’t need women to protect me.”
“Of course you don’t. Max is just pulling your chain.”
“Lion,” Greer said, redirecting the kid’s focus. “I’d like you to meet my friend.” He gestured her way. “This is Dr. Chase. She’s a professor at the university in Laramie. You may address her as Dr. Chase, doctor, or professor.”
Remi smiled at the boy, who looked about as far out of water as a fish could go. “Or you can call me Remi. It’s nice to meet you.”
He nodded at her, then returned his attention to his plate. In about thirty seconds flat, he cleared his plate, shoveling the food into his mouth with his fisted fork, then washed the meal down with a tall glass of juice. He wiped his mouth and stood.
Greer got up. “Call me if you need anything,” he told Remi.
“I’ll be fine. Like Lion, I don’t need a babysitter.”
Greer smiled and nodded toward Selena, who was coming in from the living room. “Well, you got one anyway.”
“Fuck you, Greer. I’m not a babysitter,” the woman snarled. “I’m coming down to the meeting.”
Remi grinned, liking her instantly.
Greer laughed. “For real, Selena’s kick-ass. She’ll make short work of your baddies if they come here.”
Chapter Thirteen
Lion followed Greer and the lady warrior downstairs to the big conference room in the bunker. All the guys were seated at the long conference table—even Owen, who stood as they came into the room. He gestured toward the empty seat at the far end of the table. “Lion, please have a seat.”
The boy did as requested. To his immediate left sat Kit, then Max. Greer took the open spot to Lion’s right. Owen nodded at Kit.
“Lion, as you know, we took a sample of your DNA a few weeks ago.” Kit looked at him. “We have the results. They aren’t what we’d hoped. We couldn’t identify your father.”
“What does that mean?” Lion asked, glancing from Max to Kit.
“It means your father, King, is either not in the system or has had himself removed from the system,” Kit told him. “And it means we’re back to ground zero in trying to identify him.”
“Lion, let’s go over the things you told me about your childhood and good ol’ King,” Max said.
Lion sent a glance around the table. “I’ve never met him in person.”
“You may have, but without knowing who he was. Let’s start at the beginning.”
“My mother is Hope’s mother. She died because of me, as you know.”
Kit shook his head. “She died because King had her killed. Who raised you?”
“I was fostered with a family in the Friendship Community.”
“Did your foster parents ever speak about King?”
“Frequently. He’s someone all of us in the community were taught to revere.”
“And he never made an appearance there?”
Lion was silent. His eyes took on a distant expression. “I believe he did come, when I was young. But I don’t remember him. I left to be with the watchers when I was seven.”
“And did King ever come to the watchers?”
“I think so, but he only interacted with Mr. Holbrook.”
“You said he was revered in the community. Did you worship him?” Kit continued.
“It wasn’t worship, but we all loved him. It was to him we owed our lives.”
“How so?”
“He provided us with our homes, our fields, our community. He kept the outside world out.”
“And you never questioned the sheep-think?”
Lion glared at Kit. “You judge me, but you don’t know me.”
“He’s a kid, Kit,” Greer snapped. “Cut him some slack.”
“He’s a warrior,” Max said, “as lethal as you or I.”
“Whatever his skill set”—Greer looked from Max to Kit—“he’s still just a kid. We’re asking him to remember things that might be painful to him, to question things he may not be ready to look at objectively.”
Kit tossed his pen on the table and leaned back in his seat. “Take it, then.”
“Lion, tell me about the things you do remember. It sounds like King was a legend among your people.”
Lion nodded. “He was. It’s said he has a thousand sons.”
“Did you always know you were one of them?”
“Yes.”
“Are other members of your pride his sons?”
“No.”
“Have you ever met one of these brothers?”
“No.”
“Do you know where we could find other prides like yours?”
“Find the other communities that are like the Friendship Community. King owns several of them. Each is watched by a pride. Each is expected to play a different role in the coming Armageddon.”
“And what is your pride’s role in the Armageddon?” Kit asked.
Lion looked around the table. “We’re engineers. We’ve been studying construction and destruction of bridges and waterworks.”
“That was to be your pride’s role in the Armageddon?” Greer asked.
“No. That was for after Armageddon. It’s my pride’s role to return rivers to their natural flow, to recover them from the societies who stole them from nature.”
Max rubbed his forehead. “When is Armageddon going to happen, Lion?”
Lion shook his head. “I haven’t been given any details. My gut says soon.”
“Soon. That’s all you got?” Kit snapped.
“That’s all I know.”
*