The needle that Miles was wielding pierced my palm, and I swore loudly. Miles raised his eyebrows, silently asking if I was okay.
“Sorry, kid. Should’ve given you something to dull the pain,” he apologized.
“I’ve been through worse. Just get it over with,” I grumbled.
“Yes, Talia is impulsive,” agreed Victoria. “That is precisely why I’d hoped she would never learn of the proposition or the council’s decision.”
She paused, rubbing her temples. The always-perfect paint on Victoria’s nails was chipped and peeling, and several of her cuticles were noticeably torn.
Good, I thought with some degree of satisfaction. I hope Talia’s escape is giving you an ulcer, too.
“The situation is more complicated than you know,” Victoria continued. “And I am not speaking about the council’s plans. I do not know who told Talia about what transpired in our meeting today, seeing as those sessions are confidential. However, that is the least of our present worries.”
“The hell it is,” I grumbled. “Whoever told her is solely responsible for Tals feeling like she had to run, and they need to pay for that. I’m betting it was that bitch Konterra.”
“Erik, listen to Victoria,” my father admonished.
The small smile Victoria gave my dad was warm and full of affection.
“I heard there were rumors about our meeting and the decision circulating among the staff on Vault,” she said to me, looking thoughtful. “So it very well might have been Talia’s night guard who told her.”
“So let’s bring her in,” I demanded. I wanted to confront the woman who’d raised her hand to my girlfriend, especially if she were the one responsible for Talia going rogue. If Konterra thought she had something to fear from Tals, I couldn’t wait for her to meet me.
Victoria shook her head, as if clearing her thoughts from an etch-a-sketch.
“Truly, Erik, we have concerns right now that are far more pressing. Talia is in more danger than either she or you know,” she began, sighing heavily.
“Way to be dramatic,” I said sarcastically.
“Erik,” my father chastised. “Talia needs you right now. The best way to help her is to listen. How about letting Victoria talk, and maybe save the snide comments for a more appropriate occasion?”
“It is okay, Earon,” Victoria spoke up. “He has every right to be upset.”
What, are they buddies now? I thought irritably. When I’d left for my first rally, the two had been cordial, though not on a first-name basis. Now, I wouldn’t have been surprised if they busted out friendship bracelets.
Victoria slouched back in her desk chair as I studied her through a black haze of indignation. The dark circles under her eyes expanded with each breath she exhaled. More than a few of her amber locks had come loose from the chignon at the back of her head, and her dress was a wrinkled facsimile of the stylish frock she’d worn to our security meeting. The councilwoman’s perfectly groomed façade was crumbling under my scrutiny. If I hadn’t been so consumed with Talia’s safety, I might have had room in my heart to empathize with Victoria and the weight she was carrying on her slumped shoulders.
“I do not even know where to begin,” Victoria said, looking as lost as her statement implied. Her small laugh was hollow, brittle, and very forced. “Talia’s escape has added muck to the already muddied waters. I guess….”
The councilwoman sighed again as she trailed off, running her fingers through her mussed hair as she searched for the right words to continue. When she took her hand away, a small drop of blood welled near one of Victoria’s temples. That was when I noticed her chipped nails had morphed into razor sharp claws. Like many Talents, Victoria was unable to prevent her abilities from manifesting in response to extreme stress.
She looks so defeated, I thought, finally feeling a slight twinge of sympathy for the councilwoman.
“Start at the beginning, Victoria,” my father said gently.
During our exchange, Miles had finished the last stitch and used a tiny pair of scissors to snip the thread. As I waited for Victoria to discern the beginning of whatever story she was about to tell, Miles wrapped gauze around my hand. When he was done, he sat back and smiled, satisfied with his handiwork. I flexed my fingers just to make sure they still moved normally, which they did. My body healed quickly, so the injury was likely to be no more than a scar in a matter of days.
“Firstly, please believe me when I say that it was with a very heavy heart that I agreed to Amberly’s proposition,” Victoria finally began, her tone imploring. “I never, not for a single moment, intended for Talia to be included in the order. I left the meeting and immediately set in motion a plan to show the council that she is a team player who can be trusted to work towards achieving our goals. I wanted them to see what an asset she is, and not just because of her talents.
“Even still, I knew it might not be enough for the council to grant her clemency, which is why I had an alternate plan in place. Under no circumstances was I ever going to allow her execution. Please believe me, Erik. We were going to get her out. I swear it.”
While Victoria’s words and beseeching gaze softened the hardest edges of my anger towards her, I couldn’t help but still feel that she was largely to blame for Talia’s current predicament. Until my girlfriend was safe, I wouldn’t be letting Victoria off the hook.
So, instead of answering, I simply nodded once while keeping my even stare locked on the councilwoman.
“Finding Talia immediately is of the upmost importance,” Victoria continued. “We need to locate her, before someone else does. Her safety is in jeopardy.”
The councilwoman took a deep breath, exhaling slowly through her nose.
“Someone like who, exactly?” I demanded. “The Vault guards? Other agents?”
“No, no, not our people. Everyone working with UNITED is under strict instructions to bring Talia in alive and unharmed. Well, relatively unharmed, since we all know that she will fight them. Nonetheless, under no circumstances is any UNITED agent permitted to use more force than absolutely necessary. And should it come to a situation where the agents must choose between mortally wounding Talia or letting her go free, they have been instructed to do the latter. I gave the order myself, and it will be followed to the letter.” Victoria’s amber eyes again locked with my turquoise ones. “Talia will not die as long as I am head of UNITED. That is a promise.”
I relaxed, some of the tension leaving my rigid body. Not because I took her words at face value. But because Victoria gave me a rare glimpse into her mind when she met my gaze. I felt the turmoil swirling inside of her. I felt her regret over making an impossible decision. When she’d said she cared about Talia, the councilwoman meant it; I felt that, too.
“Fine. You have my attention, Victoria,” I told her. “So, tell me, who are we worried about finding her? Who do you believe is Talia’s greatest enemy? In case you’ve forgotten, Talia is the most dangerous Talent out there.” I held up my hand to halt any forthcoming protest. “I know, I know. You all think the rogue Created and their manmade powers are the real danger. But don’t forget, Talia actually knows how to use her gifts. She’s had a lifetime of experience with them. And not only is she a trained killer, but Talia has had years to perfect and hone those abilities, as well.” I leaned back in my chair, cradling my injured hand in my lap. “Enlighten me, Councilwoman. Who is she supposed to fear?”
Needless to say, I wasn’t convinced that my girlfriend had foes capable of hunting her down and killing her. I had way too much faith in Talia and her talents to believe it, without concrete proof.
To my surprise, amusement sparkled briefly in Victoria’s expression.
“You two truly are soul mates. You both believe the other is invincible, while still going to extraordinary lengths to prevent the other from being harmed. Maybe it is the mental connection training you did while with TOXIC. Maybe it is a result of your romantic entanglement. Maybe it is due to something
else entirely. Whatever the case, I am sure our scientists would find your connection a fascinating case study.”
I glared at her. “Thanks for the unsolicited psych eval or whatever that was, but you didn’t answer my question.”
“I think what Victoria here is trying to say,” Miles interjected, “is that you and that girlfriend of yours are peas in a pod, kid. You think alike. You talk alike. You act alike.”
I snorted derisively. “You don’t even know Talia, Miles.”
“Not up close and personal like you,” he admitted. “But I’ve read every last scrap of intel UNITED has on that girl. And let me tell you, that file is thick.”
“Agent DeSanto is correct,” Victoria quickly agreed. “You and Talia are remarkably similar in so many ways. Because of that, even if she continues to block you from her mind, I believe you will still be the key to finding her. Of course, knowing Talia, I do think she will reach out to you once she feels that she is safe. Talia will trust that you will not betray her whereabouts. Do not deny it,” she warned, holding up her hand to stop me as she shook her head. “You once endured torture rather than divulging her location to TOXIC.”
“Is that a threat?” I interjected, my temper rising once more. “I promise you, there is nothing you can do to me that hasn’t already been done. I will not betray her, no matter what.”
“Erik,” my father chastised. “Victoria is on your side.”
I transferred my glare to him instead. It had little effect on him.
“What? Of course it is not a threat, Erik.” Victoria actually looked hurt by the accusation. “I want—no, I need for you to work with me to find her.”
I stood and leaned over Victoria’s desk, bringing my face within inches of hers.
“I will not betray Talia,” I repeated slowly, stressing every word. “If you want her back, give me a team of my choosing to find her. And you need to convince that council of yours that if she returns to UNITED, it will be as a free woman. I will not bring her back here only to have her locked away again. Or worse. Even if the treaty is voted down, I know she’d rather take her chances out there, with all those Talent-haters, than face execution.”
Victoria swallowed thickly, the only sign she found my proximity unnerving. My father moved around the chair to stand by my side. He placed a comforting hand on my back, once again intent on pulling me back from the edge. Miles stood, too, moving to stand beside the councilwoman.
“Sit, please, Erik,” Victoria said, her tone calm. “It is time I was honest with you about the larger forces in play right now. I fully admit, I should have been honest with Talia, too. If I had been, she might have thought twice about running.”
“I’m listening,” I growled, my canines elongating to sharp points.
My nails sprouted into claws capable of slicing through flesh and bone. In the councilwoman’s dilated pupils, I saw my own turquoise irises twist into glowing flames. She held my gaze unflinchingly.
“There is a bounty on Talia,” Victoria said. “A very, very impressive bounty. She is worth far more money to someone than I have ever seen offered.”
This revelation came as no surprise.
As UNITED’s poster boy, the face of the Created, I was a public figure who had plenty of haters. But my notoriety was nothing compared to Talia’s. My girlfriend was downright infamous. First, she’d been instrumental in bringing down TOXIC, gaining her attention within the international Talented community. Then, thanks to our raid on the Poachers’ auction in London, her name had claimed even more headlines, all over the world. Since the Poachers were well-established families—with old money, political connections, and ridiculously wealthy clients—it was a pretty safe assumption that they wanted Talia dead.
Then there were the hate-groups. Publicly taking me down was symbolic. Killing my girlfriend was a better strategy, though. Everyone knew I cared more about her life than my own.
I shook my head and sat, fully in control again.
“So what?” I asked, feeling like Victoria wasn’t telling me anything new. “Isn’t the same true for me? For Penny? For anyone associated with or working for UNITED?”
The increased physical distance between us seemed to give Victoria a false sense of security, because she relaxed visibly. Obviously she underestimated my reflexes. If I wanted to maul her, that ancient oak desk was no obstacle. Miles, on the other hand, had never underestimated my capabilities or my temper. Because of that, he remained standing by the councilwoman’s side, ready to leap between us should the need arise. Though, it was hard to say whom he thought he was actually protecting.
“Yes and no,” Victoria hedged. “Both you and Penelope Crane also have very large bounties for your deaths. As do a number of other highly skilled, extremely powerful agents, including Frederick Kraft. The reward for your heads, quite literally, would make someone very wealthy.
“The pivotal difference is this: someone out there wants you, Talia, and Penelope alive. Do not misunderstand—most organizations, including the Poachers, would prefer all three of you dead. Intel suggests the Poachers are offering a sizable sum to the person who can make that happen. But their desires do not concern me right now. As you said, Talia is very capable of holding her own. She poses a greater threat to any bounty hunter the Poachers send after her than that individual does to her. You and Penelope are under UNITED’s protection, surrounded by other agents at all times, which will remain true for the foreseeable future. And, like Talia, you both are capable of protecting yourselves. So, these are not considered imminent threats. These groups are not what concerns me in our present circumstances.”
“Okay,” I said slowly, confused as to where the conversation was going. I attempted to peek inside Victoria’s head, but found her thoughts well-guarded.
Guess she isn’t ready to share all of her secrets, I thought.
“Hear her out, son,” my father insisted yet again.
Suddenly, I wanted to read his thoughts. What was he even doing here? Dad wasn’t an agent. He wasn’t affiliated with UNITED in any way. Everything being said in Victoria’s office was confidential intel. My father, being a civilian, didn’t have the clearance to hear such sensitive information. Even more puzzling, it seemed he already knew what Victoria was going to tell me.
How close were my father and the formidable British woman? Once I found Talia, I was going to have a talk with him about it.
Victoria cleared her throat to regain my attention, and then pressed on.
“Last week, our Cryptos intercepted a communication sent to a mercenary organization called Nightshade. For the right price, this group will perform any number of unsavory tasks— from assassinations to kidnappings, from framing individuals for murder to political uprisings. You name it, and Nightshade has done it and will happily do it again.
“Throughout the last two centuries, they have been responsible for the deaths of ten presidents, five sitting monarchs, and over two dozen celebrities. And those are just the incidents that we are aware of. Nightshade has successfully ransomed children, wives, and husbands of captains of industry, billionaires, royal families, and high-ranking politicians, though very rarely for money. Most often, the kidnappings are a way of compelling the power player to take some action. Unsurprisingly, this has proven a highly successful method that has been used in nearly every arena, from business to politics—hand over your newest techno toy, and your child can come home unharmed; vote against a particular mandate, and your husband can keep his hands. That sort of thing.
“UNITED also has many documented cases of Nightshade being employed to create smear campaigns. They disseminate unfavorable information to the media, flooding the press with negative propaganda to sway public opinion on any number of matters. They were behind the fiasco with Fargotou Motors—the one that caused nearly 200,000 hovers to be returned, in turn bankrupting the manufacturer. By the way, in case you were curious, the hovers did not explode at excessive speeds. The rumor was fabricated and propag
ated by Nightshade at the bequest of a rival company.”
I stared at Victoria, confused as to why she was telling me any of this. While they certainly sounded like assholes, Nightshade didn’t have any apparent bearing on finding my girlfriend, which was all I cared about. Victoria seemed to sense my impatience, because she quickly continued.
“While we are not absolutely certain, intel suggests that Nightshade is behind some of the attacks the media has attributed to the Created,” she explained. “Not all of them, of course. The Created have definitely caused their share of mischief. However, the most wanton and deadly incidents have been linked back to Nightshade. The mess in Toronto, for instance, where footage of the attack was sent directly to media outlets? At the very least, Nightshade was responsible for disseminating the recording, resulting in great public backlash against our kind.”
“Sounds like you should’ve hired Nightshade to get the treaty renewed,” I said dryly. “Not sure my pretty face has really achieved the success you were hoping for.”
Victoria hesitated, and then met my gaze with a steady stare.
“The council considered it,” she admitted. “As much as I would like to say that UNITED has not stooped to the level of hiring mercenaries, I will not lie to you. Had Ian Crane not refused them as a solution to our problems with Danbury McDonough, we might have eventually hired Nightshade to take him out.
“Of course, Ian’s decision was the right one. Had we simply assassinated McDonough, you wouldn’t have had reason to seek asylum with Ian, and we would’ve remained blind to TOXIC’s experiments. The more we learn about TOXIC’s clandestine programs, the better we understand just how many McDonough managed to infect with his ideals and how far his virus has spread. Publicly exposing his deeds was the better option in that situation. And, thanks to you and Agent Crane, Danbury McDonough is no longer a problem. His followers, however, remain a very large thorn in UNITED’s side.”