Lisa nodded tearfully. “Yes. You have to go.” She managed a smile. “You grew up so fast. It seems like only yesterday when you were a little girl asking me to cut the crusts from your sandwiches.”
“You guys did a great job. Now stop talking like you’re never going to see me again. Wes is wearing his impatient look.”
“Okay, honey. Be careful.”
“I will.”
“Don’t befriend any more strange men.”
Kali laughed. “I won’t.” Receiving a final hug and motherly kiss, she got into the SUV. Wes pulled away from the place she’d called home for most of her life, taking her to a destination that was unknown.
#
At the airport garage, Wes circled several levels in search of decent parking but ended up jamming the SUV between two vehicles in a tiny space meant for compact cars. As he grabbed her duffle and carry-on from the back, Kali noticed something curious.
“Where’s your stuff?”
“This way,” he responded curtly. With movements matching his abrupt tone, he began walking toward the glass paneled doors. There was nothing to do except follow.
He led her directly to the terminal. The flight had been delayed and wouldn’t be boarding for another half hour. As she spotted Mack and Shannon seated nearby, the blonde noticed Kali and waved. Mack’s expression hit the charts somewhere between a smile and a grimace. Kali nodded hello. There was too much on her mind to be concerned with interpreting his mood. Without a word, he stood up and walked several paces away. Wes followed.
She rearranged her luggage, surreptitiously eyeing Shannon’s outfit. She wore more clothing than usual. But her jeans were skin tight, and the Lycra and cotton blend tank top left little to the imagination. Kali put two chairs between herself and Shannon. But the intern moved to the seat right next to her anyway.
“This is weird, huh?”
“If you mean getting dragged out of bed at four a.m. to catch a plane for a meeting because someone broke into the office to steal a prized artifact only to not steal it, then yes.”
Shannon tossed her hair. “Oh yeah, that was weird too. But I was referring to you, me, and the boss going as a threesome. Wes is Mack’s right hand man. On important deals like this he’s always been there.”
Kali’s suspicions had been correct. Wes wasn’t going. He had lied to her and to Lisa. She fought hard not to show the betrayal she was feeling. There was no need to give Shannon more ammo. The girl had plenty enough to take aim with. “Yeah, it’s weird alright.”
“It’s whatever. I’m excited to be going to Mongolia! The mountains there are beautiful.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’ve seen pictures in National Geographic.”
Kali shook her head. “I meant, how do you know we’re going to Mongolia?”
Shannon’s voice changed to drip with false sympathy. “Don’t feel bad because no one told you. I only found out earlier this week. The location was supposed to be top secret and all but…” Her eyes slid suggestively toward where Mack and Wes were still talking. “A man will tell you anything if you ask in the right way.”
Kali felt an involuntary spasm ripple across her face. She bent to fumble with her bag in an attempt to hide it. But Shannon had noticed and was insulted.
“You’re not half as pretty when you’re jealous.”
Tired of the intern’s self-righteous attitude and testy from being awoken three hours before her alarm went off, Kali snapped. “I am not jealous of the pathetic relationship you have going on with our boss. You’re a smart girl, Shannon. This naked parade you’re so intent on being a mascot in is covering for a deficiency you don’t have. Try using your brain more often and people will see you for the right reasons.”
Shannon folded her arms and stuck her lip out in a full on pout. Then she slid away from Kali.
Kali scolded herself mentally for the outburst. Sure, what she said was true. No doubt about that. But over the next few days, she and Shannon would be spending a lot of time together. They hadn’t boarded the plane and already she had managed to offend the intern. Kali took a deep breath and touched Shannon’s arm. “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.”
Shannon responded with a sniff and stuck her nose higher into the air.
Kali committed herself to make things better. “Maybe I am upset because you know more about this deal than me. I think I work just as hard for this company.”
Relaxing her shoulders a bit, Shannon relinquished a stiff nod.
Okay, apology accepted?
A moment later, the guys returned. Wes looked nowhere near as anxious as he had before. Even Mack’s voice had taken on a surprisingly pleasant tone. “Get your things, ladies. The plane is ready to start boarding.”
Then men shook hands. Mack left several last minute instructions for the office. Wes hugged her goodbye and then he was walking away. Wanting to ask why he had lied and what was really going on and why all the secrecy, Kali bit her lip. Maybe Wes had lied because she had lied.
“Wes,” she called. He stopped and she jogged the distance to catch up. Her words came hesitantly. “Something…has been bothering me.”
His eyes sharpened with concern. “What is it?”
“The other day when you asked if I’d been having bad dreams or trouble remembering things…I lied to you. Something happened Friday, and at first I couldn’t remember what. On Monday, I blacked out again. I lost twenty-four hours. You’re the last person I remember seeing from that night. Did something happen to me in the basement at work?”
Wes’s blue eyes became cold and distant, making him look like a totally different person. “No. You were fine.” Next, he did something strange. Stepping in close, he held her almost desperately. “Keep your eyes open. Be careful.”
He kissed her forehead and smiled like nothing at all was out of the ordinary. It took some effort to return his smile. But she did. Then Wes pulled away and waved goodbye to them all.
Chapter 36
Due to a supposed mix-up with the tickets, Kali ended up in coach while Mack and Shannon flew first class. She sat crammed between a perpetual nose blower and a man who was apparently unfamiliar with the invention of deodorant. The back of the plane felt like a sauna, adding to her misery.
Several hours later, she was overheated. Her bladder was in spasm. And the funk of the passenger next to her had become overwhelming, multiplied by ten in the cramped quarters. Unable to endure it any longer, she excused herself to the restroom and came face to face with “occupied” written in red letters on both bathroom doors. Twenty minutes later, she was still waiting with legs clenched together so tightly that her pelvic muscles seized up. Kali squirmed. Beads of sweat trickled from her forehead.
A ten-year-old boy emerged from one of the stalls. “The fish sandwich was killer.” He smiled sheepishly. “I wouldn’t go in there if I were you.”
Kali didn’t have a choice. She dashed in, barely getting her pants down before the dam broke. She breathed a sigh of relief and immediately gagged. The smell was terrible. Covering her mouth and nose, she set a personal record for voiding and practically fell out of the door as she exited, crashing into a man waiting patiently outside. The stranger offered a hand to steady her, catching the door as it swung back.
“Excuse me,” Kali said.
His smile was warm. “That’s alright, miss.” He stepped in the bathroom but came right back out. His face contorted with revulsion.
It wasn’t her fault, but she apologized anyway, ducking her head in shame, and hurried to her seat. Using a rubber band from her purse, she tied her hair up and felt much cooler with the thick mane off her collar. Waking up so early had taken a heavy toll. Kali longed to sleep, but couldn’t. It was far too hot. I might suffocate.
She opened her cellphone and began playing a game involving pigs in space. Four levels later, she closed the cell to give her tired eyes a break. Most of the other passengers were fast asleep. Kali stret
ched and yawned.
A man several rows ahead caught her attention. Something was different about him. It might have been the shock of white hair accompanying his otherwise young profile. But the urge to watch him wouldn’t go away. She was staring so hard that if two holes had magically appeared in the back of his head, it would not have been a surprise.
Kali leaned forward, willing him to turn. When the man actually rose from his seat as if summoned, she jumped. He started down the aisle, giving her a full view of the translucent blue irises that only added to his striking appearance. She averted her eyes but felt his stare as he moved to the back of the plane. She was afraid to look again. It wasn’t like the guy was threatening or creepy. It was because he seemed so familiar.
Hearing the bathroom door shut, she turned around and suffered an inward jolt as she met the man’s icy stare again. A few seconds dragged by. Then he inclined his head in a slight nod and pushed into the restroom. Kali shrank back into the seat and took a deep breath. The feeling that overcame her was faintly reminiscent of the moment she had first met Rhane in the theater. That it was possible to feel such a way twice in one lifetime was unsettling.
One other passenger was not sleeping twelve grueling hours into flight—a boy not much older than her with a red ball cap that partially hid a gorgeous mop of auburn hair. His head nodded back and forth to music from an mp3 player as he traveled to the back of the plane. The man with white hair was returning to his seat. As he passed the younger, red-headed boy, the friction between them was almost tangible. And yet…it seemed as if they were pretending not to know each other. Kali shivered. Weird.
The plane landed in Tokyo to refuel and she got her first opportunity for fresh air. One of the last to exit the aircraft, she went straight to the restroom. Then she found a cafeteria to have dinner. Kali checked her watch. Back in the States it was nine o’clock Thursday night, making it Friday morning in Tokyo. Technically, she was having breakfast.
When the flight to Beijing was called, she returned to the plane. Stinky man was gone, replaced by a passenger with hygiene more attuned to standards of modern society. Eight and a half hours later, the captain activated the loud speaker and announced they would be landing in Beijing within the hour. Kali sighed in relief. The final destination remained some distance away, but at least the flying part was nearly over.
Because of the initial delay, the last train to Mongolia had already departed the station when their plane arrived. The next one wouldn’t set off until the following morning. Mack checked everyone into a four star hotel for the night. In a stunning display of generosity, he gave Kali the keycard to her own suite. She was too tired to express sufficient gratitude. The combined effect of the lengthy flight and jet lag from a twelve hour time difference had come crashing down.
She eyed the bed longingly. The mattress and pillows beckoned her to enjoy their comfort. But her body was sticky with sweat from the day’s travels. She needed a hot bath before settling in. So she stripped, let her hair down, and slipped into the tub. A hiss escaped her lips as the hot water lapped against her dehydrated skin. She submerged herself completely, resting in the gentle curve of the basin. Aromatherapy oils, complimentary from the hotel, floated across the surface of the water and released a pleasant odor. There wasn’t much more she could have wished for.
Five minutes later, there was a knock at the door. She ignored it. The visitor knocked again. “Kali?” a voice called from outside. “Kali, open up! It’s Mack.”
“Unbelievable.” She squeezed her eyes shut and wished him away.
Mack’s persistent knocking turned into urgent pounding. He was going to wake the entire hotel. With a groan, she stood up from the tub, pulling a terry robe around her dripping body as she hurried to the door. “Hold on a sec!”
Each of her footprints left a puddle of lavender scented water. Too exhausted and frustrated to care about the messy trail, Kali threw open the door.
Mack’s fist was raised as if he were about to knock again. “You settled in okay?”
Do I look settled? Kali wanted to scream but kept her voice calm. “The room is wonderful. Thank you. Matter of fact, I was enjoying a hot bath.” She pulled her robe tighter for emphasis.
Mack nodded. He was either oblivious to the hint or blatantly chose to ignore it. “Mind if I come in?”
Kali smiled icily. “Sure, why not?” She left the door open, grabbing a towel before sitting on the couch.
Mack chose a spot in front of paneled doors leading to the balcony. He gazed out at the city lights and began to speak. “This contract is very important to me. The arrangements for this deal may seem odd to you, but it’s imperative that we leave a good impression with the buyer and his…people.” Mack turned to face her. “I’m afraid that I have a confession to make.”
She was busy drying off with the towel, but Mack’s last sentence made her stop. His eyes averted to the floor, but Kali had already seen the anguish in them. He seemed to struggle with what to say next.
“The buyer for The Siren’s Heart specifically requested you to be here for this transaction.”
Wes had cautioned her to feign ignorance of any knowledge of the arrangements between the buyer and Mack. Remembering his counsel, she pretended to be confused. “I don’t understand. Why me? How does he even know I work for you?”
“I won’t lie to you, Kali. I don’t know. Usually, I obtain every shred of information available before making any sort of exchange. You know that. But this time, even I only had access on a need-to-know basis.”
“Then why make the deal? This artifact is extremely rare. I imagine that any number of buyers would have lined up for the chance to acquire it.”
“This…man…” Mack shook his head. “He made it difficult for me to refuse.”
“Threw a lot of money at you, huh?” Kali started pulling a brush through her hair.
“No.”
She looked up at him, surprised he had heard her. She was even more surprised when the color of his face turned as white as the sheets on the hotel bed.
“Are you alright?”
“It wasn’t the money.”
She hesitated, unsure if she should ask any more questions. He looked afraid. But that wasn’t all. Mack was showing signs of having a conscience. “Mr. Richards, what’s going on?” She moved toward him uncertainly. “Mack?”
He ran a trembling hand through his hair, but was quiet.
Kali took a step closer. “Is everything alright?”
Shaking free of whatever had tied him, Mack placed a hand on Kali’s shoulder. “Everything…everything will be fine.” He moved past her. When he reached the door, he was Mack again, the confident businessman. But his eyes were someplace else, distant and resolute. “We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow. Get some rest.”
“That was bizarre,” she mused aloud after he had gone. Everyone kept telling her that everything was fine. But Kali got the feeling things were just the opposite.
She finished her hair and climbed into bed. Her tired mind wanted to drift until sleep came, but Mack’s behavior was a heavy weight, anchoring her thoughts in a troubled sea, questions tumbling in on dark, angry waves. Why was Mack afraid? If money wasn’t the motivator, then what was? What would make him risk his business and prison?
Her eyes closed. Wondering what the next day would bring, Kali sank into an uneasy slumber.
Chapter 37
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE’S IN CHINA?!” It was late Thursday morning, and Rhane was livid. Static in the line seemed to crackle in sync with his fury.
York had phoned with news of Kalista’s recent departure. Dreading to be the messenger, he hesitated for a long moment before dialing. Things had strayed severely off course. They hadn’t gotten enough answers about Kalista’s disappearance and had no idea if she was truly a danger to herself or others. There was also the whole business of Gabriel being reawakened. Stack bad on top of terrible. Now Y
ork had to tell Rhane that Kalista was more than seven thousand miles out of reach.
“York.” Venom practically poured through the receiver. “What happened?”
“We got it wrong with the file. Those coordinates were not from where the statue was taken. They were meant for where the statue would be sold. The break-in must have spooked the owner. He moved the deal up by almost a week.”
Rhane spat a curse. “Who was on the plane?”
“I sent War. He was the only one who could get there in time.”
Rhane was silent. The situation hadn’t entirely gotten out of control. They had eyes on Kalista. And there was time to get a better handle on things.
York waited tensely, listening to the heavy breathing at the other end of the line. He clearly remembered the last time Rhane’s temper went nuclear. Heads had rolled. Literally.
“What did you tell him?” Rhane sounded calmer, but his anger seethed just beneath the surface.
“His orders were not to extract. Shadow until we arrive so we can figure out what the heck is going on.”
“Good. What time does my flight leave?”
York darted a glance at his watch. “In one hour and twenty-two minutes. Are you close?”
“I’ll be there in thirty,” Rhane answered tersely and hung up.
York scratched his head and looked down at the black canine. “He took that better than I expected.”
While Bailen watched carefully, York slung two duffels over his shoulder, one for him and the other for Rhane. Dropping the bags to the floor again, he knelt so his eyes met the canine’s. “I know you’re hiding something. And I know that whatever it is, it’s huge.”
Bailen uttered a low growl that ended in a soft whine.
“I just hope your secret doesn’t hurt him.” York stood and re-shouldered the bags. Before closing the door, he called back to the canine, “Are you going to stay a midget forever or do you plan on joining the rest of the pack?”
Bailen huffed once, sharply. His tailed swished against the floor.
York smiled. “Wish us luck, kid. We’re going to need it.”
#
A light dusting of snow had covered the frozen ground. Kalista’s hands were numb with cold. Somewhere her slippers had been lost, leaving her feet exposed and aching to the bone. Wanting to cry out against the pain, she forced herself lower in the brush and stayed as quiet as possible.