Do Or Die [Nuworld 4] (19 page)

“I’m sorry, Gilroy. I’m sorry that I embarrassed you in front of your men.” She

licked her dry lips and waited for his response.

“Did your brother tell you to say this?”

“He told me he wouldn’t stand up to our mama if he were on the clan site. But, no,

it was my idea to come here right now.”

“And what have you learned from this?”

“Well…” And suddenly she felt a fit of the giggles. She removed the distance

between them and gently ran her fingers along his crossed arms. “If I’m going to pick a

fight with you, I’ll do it in the privacy of our bedroom.”

His blue eyes danced and he reached down and literally lifted her off the ground so

her face was level with his. “Fighting is not what I want to do in the privacy of our

bedroom.”

Just then her comm beeped and they both looked down at her coat pocket. Gilroy

put her down and she reached in and grabbed it.

“Hi, Ana, I just heard from Tara,” Jolee’s voice spoke in her ear. “They’ve landed at

the Red Horn Clan. Torgo wants to establish a link with us in thirty minutes. There isn’t

anyone at your house and we need someone there to monitor from that end.”

“Okay, I’m on my way,” Ana said, and Gilroy raised an eyebrow.

“Tara also asked that I remind you she doesn’t want anyone to know she’s left the

clan site. She doesn’t want Gothman entering the clan site unless she gives the okay.”

“I understand. Have you contacted Lord Darius or Andru?”

“Lord Darius is in Taratown but should be home in an hour and I can’t reach

Andru.”

Ana put her comm back in her pocket and looked up at Gilroy. “I need you to…”

She stopped when Gilroy began scowling at her. She swallowed deeply and her

eyes widened as she saw his entire body tighten. “How sincere was that apology you

just graced me with?” he growled through his teeth.

“Would you please come home with me?” she whispered and wondered how she

would ever learn to stand up to this man.

“That’s all I ask.” His entire stature relaxed and he pulled out his comm. “Arrange

for my glider to be brought to the house.”

His expression intent, those blue eyes glowing while shiny black hair bordered his

face, he moved around her and threw a leg over her glider. Reaching for her, he lifted

her on in front of him and then tucked her into his broad chest before heading for the

house.

“Mama contacted Jolee and wants to set up a link with our landlink in thirty

minutes. Gilroy, no one is supposed to know that she went with the scouts. Papa is in

Taratown and Jolee said she couldn’t reach Andru.”

“Where did he say he was going when he left you?”

“He didn’t.” She paused and thought about Andru’s parting words. “I think he

might have gone into town,” she said quietly and was eternally grateful when Gilroy

didn’t press her about what Andru might have said.

They landed by the back door and Gilroy lifted her off the glider. “Go on upstairs

now. I’ll find Andru.”

“Gilroy?” She placed her hand on his arm. “Andru said something about needing to

find a claim. You might try looking for him, um…”

“I understand.” He looked at her seriously and she studied those deep blue eyes.

“I love you.” She smiled, hoping she’d given no indication of how frustrated her

brother was when he left her.

Gilroy’s large arm went around her waist and he pulled her to him. He took his

time kissing her and she fell into his chest, her legs suddenly no longer wanting to hold

her up. She felt him smile on her lips and pulled away until she could focus on his face.

“Now get going, soldier,” she said and made her face look stern.

He slapped her bottom and she jumped, suddenly looking startled. He seemed

pleased. “It certainly doesn’t look like you’ve been spanked enough in your lifetime.”

He took off then and she turned and hurried into the house. He wouldn’t actually

spank her, would he?

Thirty minutes later Ana was still alone. Fulga brought her some supper when she

refused to come down and eat. The link with Jolee was established and now they

waited. She was washing down some bread and honey butter with grape cider when

her pale gray screen blinked and then random letters began appearing across it. She

leaned forward in anticipation.

“Acknowledge transmission.”

“This is Ana.”

“Hi, sweet child. Torgo has established a block so this message is scrambled. It’s

being downloaded now. Acknowledge according to instructions. Please insert a disc

now.”

Ana reached for a blank disc and inserted it into the appropriate slot. The landlink

began buzzing and the message on the screen blinked a couple of times as the message

downloaded. She turned her head when she heard footsteps on the stairs and for once

was relieved to see her papa enter the room. She jumped up quickly and he sat down in

front of the landlink without acknowledging her. He read the message she received and

what she’d typed to her mama.

“The transfer is complete.” Darius spoke unnecessarily as Ana read the landlinked

message that ran across the screen.

Abruptly, the message typed on the screen disappeared and then the screen went

black. Ana reached around her papa quickly and pulled out the disc. Darius looked up

at her somewhat confused, but more so, put out.

“Torgo is shutting down the systems to ensure that any transmission that might

have tried to sneak through while we were receiving their message won’t make it.

Obviously they’re worried about something.” Ana looked at the disc in her hand and

then back at her papa.

“I don’t claim to have the landlink skills that Torgo possesses but I’d say your

assessment is right, I would. What do you think they’re worried about?”

Ana bit her lip. This was her chance to prove herself to her papa. If only she could

think of something intelligent to say.

“I visited the Red Horn Clan with Lara. Either there are spies in the clan that they

are warning us about or there is information the clan provided them that they feel

merits immediate attention.” The monitor returned to its pale gray state and Ana held

up the disc. “There’s only one way to find out.”

Darius gave his daughter a small grin and gallantly stood up from the chair she’d

given him. She sat back down and inserted the disc.

“It has audio and video,” she said, as she wheeled over to the other landlink and

began preparing to open the message. She grabbed her comm and then hesitated,

looking up at her papa. “I think it would be a good idea to have Jolee here. She could

help brainstorm if needed.”

Again that small smile. “Agreed.”

She contacted Jolee and then sat back and smiled. She had impressed her papa.

“Where is your brother?” Darius asked after a moment of silence.

“I’m not sure. Gilroy is out looking for him now.”

“He can’t be reached by his comm?” Suddenly Darius sounded upset.

Ana looked up at him quickly, not wanting to say anything that would get her

brother in trouble. Darius pulled out his comm and barked his son’s name into it. Ana

flinched.

“Where are you?” She was incredibly relieved when Darius spoke to Andru. “Not

good enough. Be here in five minutes.”

She heard Fulga open the front door then, and within minutes Jolee entered the

room.

“I haven’t started the message yet,” Ana said to the Runner as means of greeting.

Darius moved to lean against the wall. “Are Gilroy and Andru on their way? Should we

wait for them?”

“M’lord?” Fulga stopped in the doorway. “Will you be needing anything?”

“Strong coffee, I’m thinking. Bring two pots.” He dismissed the servant. “No, this is

a Runner issue, it is. Go ahead and play it.”

Just then a loud banging noise came from downstairs followed by muffled voices.

Several heavy sets of footsteps sounded on the stairs. Ana turned around quickly in

time to see her papa’s jaw tighten. He didn’t move from where he was as Gilroy walked

into the room with Andru—who was obviously quite intoxicated.

“Run the message, Ana,” her papa ordered.

Chapter Eleven

“I’m supposed to tell you that if this picture looks wavy it’s due to the scrambler

that is running simultaneously.” Tara’s image spoke to them over the monitor. “First of

all, we’re all alive and well and have experienced no hostile actions. There are, however,

several concerns that I have and want to make you aware of. There does appear to be

another clan other than the twelve acknowledged clans. I’m proud of you. You figured

it out and went on your hunch. That’s the sign of a great leader.”

Ana noticed her mama wasn’t using any names. She also knew her mama was

talking about her and couldn’t help but smile. She didn’t dare look at the other men in

the room.

“They appear to be a small clan but no one here has actually moved within them to

confirm that. They were last here three days ago and it’s believed they are traveling

east. They’ve only been seen on motorcycles so we also don’t know if they have gliders.

My next concern is that I wonder if the leader of this clan is among us already. If so, to

the north of us might be the actual headquarters. Here are my instructions. Increase

defenses to our north. This is not a recognized clan and therefore viewed as a potential

threat. Begin immediate defense maneuvers in both nations. These clan members have

visited other clan sites and are building support for their cause. I don’t think I have to

tell you their cause is a new leader for the Runners.” Tara looked down at a sheet of

paper resting on a table next to her. She spoke quietly to someone not visible in the

picture and then turned back to the camera. “Please have armies at full alert but keep a

low profile.”

The transmission ended then and the screen went black.

“What is the performance level of our armies right now?” Darius asked Gilroy.

“They’re performing at ninety-eight percent.”

“Increase the exercises. I want one hundred percent.” Darius then looked at Ana