“Look, I’m excellent at what I do. I said it’s a no-go. It’ll be a waste of your time.” I snorted in exasperation.
He repeated my words right back to me, except with a not so humble twist. “Look, I’m excellent at what I do. In fact, I am the best. Better than you. Better than any of your friends. Better than any future children yet to be born. If there is anything to find, I will find it.”
“While a man with a solid ego is attractive, I’m not buying your bullshit.”
My bracelet flashed at me.
I flipped my gaze down to it. And stared in shock.
A choke erupted from my throat.
He was through my first firewall already. That had taken me fifteen minutes to create while he’d taken it down in only two. I had two firewalls left. The man was unraveling all my encryptions like they were the delicate threads of a silk scarf.
“Believe me now?” he grumbled.
“Fine.” I rattled off the number to him. “Answer my questions now.”
“I’ll give you advice, instead. If Joshua Striker came to you, then he’s using you as a pawn. He only thinks about himself, and he plays deadly games with everyone he takes an interest in. He is like—”
“The devil?” I cut into his lecture. “I already know that. I need information. Why would he target your kind?”
Wolfe paused for a long moment, his fingers still tapping away on his computer board. His sigh was heavy over the speaker. “Noelle, I can’t answer your question. Not with what you do for a living and already targeting my friends.”
“Then you look like the guilty one.”
“I don’t really care what you think of me. But I do want you to stop for a second and really contemplate what posting any further articles about my friends might do to the people of the world. Would it cause another war to start—just when the planet and her people are finally getting back on their feet? How many lives would end for your quest? How—”
I cut him off again, muttering, “Um, stop. I’ve heard you, and I’ll think about what you said.” I nibbled on my thumbnail again. “But that part about lives ending? I have something I need to tell you, as your friends might currently need your help.”
The typing didn’t stop, but his tone hardened. The wolf shifter had a seriously sexy voice, even when he was getting riled up. “What are you talking about?”
“Theron, Poppy, and Cassander.” My bracelet alerted me again, another firewall down, only one more left before I was found. I spoke quickly…and tried not to cry, “They found me, and so did Joshua. There was a fight.”
The keystrokes stopped fast. “Keep going.”
I couldn’t help my small sniffle, the day just too damn much. “Theron accidentally shot Cassander.”
Heavy breathing. More like a hard pant.
I gentled my words. This man had clearly been great friends with the seer. “I’m sorry, but Cassander didn’t make it. He’s dead.” I gulped down a lungful of oxygen and unburdened my soul. “Joshua ran after that. He was pleased with the outcome—for some reason—and I have no idea where he’s at right now. I had to get out of there, too, so I shot Theron and Poppy while they were distracted by Cassander. They’re probably done regenerating by now, but they’ll be grieving. They were in Port on King Western Province the last I saw them.”
No response. No sound at all.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered again.
I tapped my bracelet, ending the call.
And any further work Wolfe could do to find me.
I wouldn’t die after all I had been through.
I was a survivor.
The call with Wolfe had confirmed my suspicions, though. I didn’t need to travel to King Eastern Province. I swung my legs over the bed and walked to the main panel. I typed in my new destination with no hesitation.
I was going back to New City.
