“Do not engage—copy that, sir.”
“Report back when you return to base.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good luck.”
“Yes, sir.”
Click
Nate and Valen had been standing near enough to Rhett to hear both sides of the conversation clearly. The Director’s commanding voice carried. The two soldiers exchanged wary looks as Rhett disconnected the call and pocketed the phone.
“What are your orders, sir?” Valen asked directly. She’d heard the Director’s instructions, but Rhett’s orders trumped everyone’s—even Dr. Kenneth Williams’.
Hays scanned the area with keen eyes, thinking carefully before he spoke.
“Nate, I’m leaving you in command. You know what I expect of the base. Put one of our techies on establishing internet access asap for that video conference.” Nate Townsend nodded, biting back his worry at not being there to help protect his leader in the field.
“Valen, you’re coming with me. We’ll need a third,” he paused, thinking. “Get Harley Yu. He’s excellent at stealth. Get him up to speed and meet me back here in five minutes.”
“Yes, sir.” Valen turned and sprinted away in search of Harley.
“Sir, this is going to get complicated now that we’re to be working with Senator Arkdone’s people.”
“Never fear life’s complications; fear mindless compliance. It’s the difference between truly living and merely existing.”
Nate felt a surge of pride at his leader’s wisdom. He lifted his chin, clasped his hands behind his back and stood respectfully. “Sir, yes sir.”
Rhett’s bright brown eyes never left the southern horizon. Just then, he saw artificial lights burst alive against the darkening Texas sky.
“She knows we’re here,” he nodded toward the light.
Nate’s eyes followed his leader’s gaze.
“How could she know?”
“She’s Meg Winter—the ultimate metahuman—a mind bender and the Director’s biological daughter. I have a feeling I’m either going to admire the hell out of her or want to rip her heart out with my bare hands,” he paused. “Or maybe both.”
45 Choose
She caught them immediately. A small group was approaching at a fast clip and the standout, violet signature was among them. She focused on this aura. He was obviously the leader, though his soldiers ran before him protectively. She worked to read him, to feel his thoughts and emotions. The closer he came, the tighter her reading. By the time they moved into barn’s shadows, she knew enough to decide against compelling them into submission.
I want to see your true colors. Actions trump intent so let’s just see how you handle yourself.
Meg stayed out of sight and silent until she felt them move toward the massive oak that stood between the barn and the house. She knew she had one shot at this.
She unsheathed a six-inch blade from her weapons belt and slipped it between her teeth. Soundlessly, she stepped out of the crow’s nest and inched toward the zip-line where she reached to grasp the straight bar connected to the well-oiled cable trolley. One last psychic check of their position and she swung herself down the line.
The wind whipped her hair loose from her elastic band as she flew silently through the sky. She saw them one second before she released and landed on top of Rhett Hays.
Rhett had momentarily let his mind wander back to the dossier and the image of the girl known as Meg when he felt cold, hard boots knock him on the head and shoulders, forcing him to the leaf-covered ground. His initial instinct was to fight his attacker, but he stopped himself as he caught a glance of the girl just as she grabbed the blade from her teeth and instantly held it against his throat.
It’s her, his mind yelled in both surprise and something else—something that had his heart pounding against the blade at his neck.
Meg stood behind him as he knelt, controlling the blade expertly with one hand as she yanked the gun from his hip with her other and slipped it into her jeans at the small of her back. “You won’t be needing that,” she began.
Valen and Harley had their guns aimed at her forehead.
Resisting the urge to compel them into submission, Meg stared defiantly into their red lasers.
“Tell your soldiers to drop their weapons, Rhett,” Meg growled into his ear.
Rhett tried to look over his shoulder at the girl, but was yanked back to face forward by her quick jab to the pressure point behind his ear.
“Do it!” she ordered.
Rhett, whose hands had been up, glared at a fuming Valen. “Drop ’em.”
Reluctantly, Valen moved to lay her weapon on the ground. Harley followed her lead.
“How do you know my name?” Rhett asked the girl at his back.
“I know a lot about you, but not everything. What are your intentions?”