Page 39 of Fighting Salvation

She shook her head slowly. “It hurts.”

He glanced at Bás and frowned and Bás mouthed ‘later’.

“How about some pancakes instead and you can tell me how you like them?”

Hurricane offered his hand and she took it with a smile. “What are pancakes?”

His heart broke for her as she moved away with Hurricane, everything right in her world for now. Duchess motioned for him to follow her out onto the deck that overlooked the forest.

“You know what that was about?”

He shook his head. “No, but I’m sure it’s nothing good.”

“Poor kid.”

“Did she tell you her name is Novem?”

Duchess cursed and shook her head as she leaned against the wall, her booted foot resting against it as she looked out over the beauty of SA. “She’s called the Latin name for the number nine?”

He pursed his lips. “Looks like.”

“I don’t even know where to start with that. Does that mean there are eight more kids like her out there, and what exactly is she to them?”

“I don’t know but my gut says it’s as bad as we think.”

“Has there been any more information from Tarquin or Melissa Green?”

Melissa was the daughter of Marsha Cavendish, who’d been in on Project Cradle with Hansen from the start. Melissa had no idea, as her father had raised her and kept her out of it as much as he could.

“She knows nothing and Tarquin is proving tricky.”

“We should send Rykov. His specific skill set might make him more amenable to talking to us.”

Bás crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s a good idea. When Watchdog gets here we can get Rykov on the return flight.”

“Speaking of Watchdog, shouldn’t he be here by now?”

“Any time now. He might have got his flight delayed but give him a call in the meantime. I need to find a way to question that poor kid about what’s going on without traumatising her more than she already is.”

“How can they do it, Bás? How can people hurt kids and if what you suggest is true, his own kid?”

He stepped forward and leaned his hands on the back of the patio chair, his thoughts on Hansen and the past as he searched for clues in his memories. “I don’t know, Duchess, but I’m going to find out if it’s the last thing I do.”

Chapter 11

Bás was just finishing breakfast when his phone rang. Frowning at the unknown number he felt his gut twist and the hair on his neck prickle as he stood and excused himself to go outside.

His hand settled on Val’s neck as he walked past her, her lips tipping into a reassuring smile which gave him comfort when he needed it most.

“Bás.”

“I always knew babysitting was your thing, Niall.”

Bás ground his molars. “Hansen.”

“How is our lovely Valentina?”

Bás wasn’t a fool and he knew his enemy was trying to bait him, trying to get him to lose control and he wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “What do you want, asshole?”