Hathor Legacy: Outcast (9 page)

12
Betrayal

Zina was leaning against the door of her private transport veh
icle. A broad smile spread across her face as Nadira approached.

"I didn't realize you still lived in this district." Zina remarked. "Actually the towers of the
Palatine are more befitting of your status."

"My mother and I lived in this district, as I'm sure you reme
mber."

"I remember everything." Zina nodded, her almond-shaped eyes unusually warm. "Nadira, I was in the Sentry Leader's office when you called him today. I'm concerned."

"About what?"

"He asked you a question. You did not provide an adequate a
nswer. Where is Jonathan Keel?"

"Why were you telling the Leader what to say?"

Zina held her hand to her mouth to suppress a laugh, but a small chuckle escaped. "Come now, Nadira. We both know he's a fool. If I didn't put words into his mouth he wouldn't have any."

"So you control Brant? Do the other Guardians know this?" she asked, keeping her face impa
ssive under her mentor's steely gaze.

"Why were you at the Emerald Club last night?" Any pretense of friendliness evaporated as Zina took a step forward, crowding her.

"I tracked Jonathan there in case Ilana Travac showed up."

Zina was trying to force her way into Nadira's consciousness. Scanning for any crack, any weakness she could exploit. For an instant, Nadira thought about turning the tables. What be
tter way to fight an empath than to purposely send her a flood of emotions. Overwhelm her before she could do anything to defend herself.

Had anyone been able to get the upper hand with Zina? It was tempting to give it a try. But now was not the time.

"Interesting." Zina studied her. "You tracked him up until last night, and now no one can find him."

"He was attacked. He might be hiding." Nadira felt ridiculous even saying it. That was one thing Jon would never do.

"There is something, though." Zina clasped her hands. "I find it very curious that records were accessed across the network using your ID, while at the same time you entered your ID at the Emerald Club. Guardians have many powers at their disposal, but being in two places at once is extraordinary." 

"Are you tracking me?" Nadira asked. This was what she'd warned Jon about.

"How could you ask such a question, Nadira?" Zina came closer.

Backed up against the transport, Nadira's heart hammered in her chest.  If her mentor picked up any awareness of Jon's energy, she'd use that to force her way in.

"You've done it before," Nadira replied.

Zina's smile faded. "Minona was my cousin, but she dishonored herself by r
enouncing her duty to Hathor. She made her choice."

"She made a choice that you couldn't accept." Nadira clamped down on her emotional shields. Damn it. She had to stay calm. Giving in to her feelings would allow Zina to have the advantage.

"If Ilana confided in him, she told him things that will help us to locate her. Keel must be brought in." Zina narrowed her eyes at the apartment building. "And when I question him, there will be nothing he can hide. Nothing." 

*****

Jon was dressed and waiting when Nadira returned. Once she was in the apartment, she slumped against the door, her eyes downcast.

"Are you all right?" he asked. "Who was that woman?"

"Her name is Zina. She's my mentor."

"What happened out there?"

"She's looking for you. And she knows that someone used my ID over the network while I was at the Emerald Club."

When she looked up, her expression was strained. Instead of their usual sparkling brown, her eyes looked dull and tired. Closing the space between them, he took her into his arms.

"She can't force me to let her into the apartment. But all she has to do is have Brant give his okay and she'll send security officers here." Sighing, she relaxed against him. "There's only one way I can protect you. If you'll let me."

"What is it?"

"I'll have to create a connection between us. It'll keep her and the others from picking up your energy. I've already done it partially, but that won't be enough."

"Do what you have to do." Even as he said it, Jon wondered if he was making the right dec
ision. Being bound to her would make it difficult--no, impossible to go off on his own.

What would it feel like to be connected to her? And how would he be able to keep his mother's secret?

The tingling started in his forehead, spreading down to his neck and chest. Pings of energy hit him like sparks from a mining drill. Shivering, he clutched Nadira tighter. Her energy melded with his own, flowing into him like molten metal.

But even as he felt the shield being assembled around them, she was maintaining a separ
ation between their thoughts. He could feel her apprehension over Zina's visit, and something more--resentment, anger and loss. It looked to him like a deep hole that had no ending, a place she tried to cover over, but couldn't completely fill.

Now he was weightless and no longer bound by his physical body. Images formed in his mind. Nadira was a young girl at the beach. She was with a woman who she resembled, down to the same gold-flecked brown eyes. 

They were standing by the sea. The woman was crying, as she clutched Nadira's hand. Zina was striding across the beach towards them. She stood before the pair, her expression triumphant. Reaching down, she touched the side of Nadira's face, then looked up at the woman and smiled.

Before he could process what he'd seen, the image disappeared. Awareness of his surroun
dings returned. He was back in Nadira's apartment, her head against his shoulder.

"What did I just see? Why did Zina take you from your mother?"

"My mother was a Guardian. When the Guardians discovered I had abilities, she tried to stop them from taking me." Nadira shuddered. "But they found us."

"What about the rest of your family?"

"My father, Stefan was a Novacorp security officer. His ship was lost years ago. Anyone who helped my mother to hide would've been detained or sent to the mines. I don't know what happened to them."

Strangely enough, she didn't sound upset. Instead, her words were monotone, like she was r
epeating a story she'd rehearsed over time.

"Maybe the rest of your family left Hathor. Why didn't your mother do that? She could've gone far away from here."

"We can't leave this planet, Jon." Nadira bristled. "No one with abilities can leave or we'll die."

"But that doesn't make sense. Who told you that?"

"I don't want to discuss it, Jonathan."

The tingling dissipated as she withdrew. But even as he felt her shutting down her emotions, there was still a small part of her that stayed connected. It remained with him as she resumed her Guar
dian persona and eased herself out of his embrace.

"Jonathan, if we're going to see Matt, we have to go now. B
efore Zina can do anything."

"What the hell does she want? Ilana didn't tell me about her plans."

"Something is going on, Jon. I don't know what it is. But if we don't leave here soon, you will be taken. And I won't be able to stop them."

*****

Jonathan was glad the transport provided them a 360-degree view. As they trundled along the boulevard, he scanned the street, unable to shake the feeling they were being watched.

Fidgeting in his seat, he stretched out his legs, then pulled them in again. On the other end of the seat, Nadira was turned away from him, lost in her thoughts.

The car sidled up to the curb in front of Matt's building and the doors slid back.

"This is it," Jon said, as he stepped onto the marbled sidewalk.

Nadira glanced up at the tower. "Stay close."

"That will be easy."

A holo greeted them as they entered the building lobby. It was the same one who had appeared before, but this time she wore a purple and gold dress, the same color as her shoulder-length hair.

"I'm Mira, may I assist you?" she asked.

"We're here to see Matt Bento," Jon replied. "I'm Jonathan Keel, and this is my associate."

Nodding, Mira motioned towards the lifts. "He is expecting you."

The glass-enclosed lift started its ascent as soon as the doors closed. When they stopped on Matt's floor, it was deserted.

They walked down the corridor together, their footsteps barely making a sound against the cushioned floor. As they approached the apartment, the door swung open to admit them.

Matt stood at the opening. "Come in."

Inside, Jonathan looked around. It was quiet, but a feeling of uneasiness gripped him.

"Tell me what happened to my father," Jon said, not wasting time on a greeting.

"Who is this?" Matt asked, motioning to Nadira.

"She stopped the men who attacked me at the Emerald Club."

"Is she a security officer?"

The sound of heels clicking against the stone floor interrupted Jon before he could reply.

Ilana entered the room, aiming a stunner in his direction. She wore a dark blue jacket and pants. Her outfit was so severely fitted and sedate, it could've been a Novacorp-issued suit.

"Jonathan, I've missed you." She flicked her long, dark blue hair off her shoulders. 

"Ilana!" Jon moved towards her, but froze when she pointed the weapon at his head.

"Are you insane? You can't discharge a weapon in here!" Matt yelled.

"You're responsible for bringing him here with a Guardian, you idiot. Don't give me orders."

"A Guardian? Shit--I can't believe this," Matt muttered, as he rubbed his hands over his face. 

Next to him, Jonathan felt Nadira tense. If she could make a move before Ilana could use her weapon…

"Don't do anything you will regret," Ilana snarled, turning her attention to Nadira.

"Leave her alone!" Jon ordered.

"Always rescuing someone, aren't you? Did Matt tell you that your father planned the entire robbery and made us help him?"

"Liar!" Jon lunged forward. But before he could reach her, he heard a piercing scream.

Nadira fell to the floor, her head just missing the edge of a thick, glass table.

Racing towards her, he buckled as blasts of energy ove
rwhelmed him. Each hit was like being zapped by bolts of electricity. Pounding him up and down his body, sending him to his knees as he searched for a way to shield himself. The room spun around him as he choked back bile.

"Ilana, stop it!" Matt cried out.

"Be quiet, you fool. It's your fault for bringing him here."

Finally the blows stopped. What did she do to him? He'd thought she'd used the stunner. Slowly, he dragged himself over to where Nadira was lying. Her eyes were closed, but she was still breathing.

"I warned her. She didn't listen," Ilana said. "Get over by the couch, Jon."

He staggered to his feet, keeping his attention on the unco
nscious woman on the floor. How had Ilana been able to overpower her? That shouldn't have been possible unless…unless she had the same abilities as Nadira.

"J-Jon is coming with us," Matt said, his voice shaking.

"No, he's not. We're going to your place in the North, and he's staying here. I already told you, I'm leaving in three days. When that shuttle comes in, she'd better be on it with my payment," Ilana spat. "By the way, Jon, did you know that security is looking for you? When they find you here with her, they'll punish you for attacking a Guardian."

"You're not going anywhere," Jonathan snapped. It didn't ma
tter what she did to him at this point. He wasn't going to let her get away again.

"That's brave of you. Neither of you have any power here. I didn't even need this stunner." She shoved the weapon into her jacket pocket.

He tensed as Ilana sauntered over. She gripped his face between her hands and smashed her lips against his. Her touch was like ice. A couple of days before, he would've reacted differently. Now he was disgusted.

Grasping her arms, he tried to pull her off. But she held on, forcing her tongue between his lips.

"Get off me!" Jon thrust her away. She fell back against the couch, where she bounced down on the cushions.

In an instant Ilana was on her feet. With the wave of her hand she sent a blast of energy at him, twisting him around and sending him over a table. He landed
centimeters away from the glass wall. It wouldn't take much more force to send him flying through.

"Stop it! Are you trying to kill him?" Matt's voice was a mix of anguish and anger.

With effort Jon rolled away from the wall. His body felt as heavy as the stone floor he was lying on.