Exciting, isnt it? Mr. Roth said, clasping his hands in front of him. New location, new assignment, another opportunity to advance. You must be pleased that the organization is taking such an interest in you, Mr. Hill. Not many are afforded such a privilege.
Yes, sir, I said, because I was pleased. I was happy that Talon had noticed me, that despite the mission to retrieve Ember not having the desired results, the part I had played had proved my worth to the organization. But something still nagged at me, despite my best attempts to quell it. I did have a question, sir, I ventured, and Mr. Roth arched one slender eyebrow. What of my sister? Shes still out there, with Cobalt. What does Talon intend to do about her?
Mr. Roths eyes glittered coldly, though his smile remained in place. You neednt worry about your sister, Mr. Hill, he said. Plans are in place to find and return her to Talon, though you must understand, she is a rogue and criminal in the eyes of the organization. We will take every opportunity to detain her without harm, but you saw the lengths to which she was willing to go to evade us. The last time we attempted contact with Ember Hill, an agent died. We cannot afford to have that happen again.
His tone hadnt changed; it was still calm and informative, but an edge had crept into his voice, and I felt a chill slide up my back at the reminder. One of Talons agents, a young Viper named Faith, had been dispatched to bring Ember back to the organization. Faiths job was to get close to Ember, earn her trust and, when the time was right, persuade her to return to Talon. It had been a good plan; Faith and a second agent named Mist had been able to infiltrate Cobalts hideout, and neither Ember nor the rogue had suspected anything. But something had gone terribly wrong, for when it was over, Faith was dead, the mission was in shambles and Ember had disappeared again.
Mist, Id later discovered, was alive, though she had also failed in her mission to extract certain information from Cobalt. Shed returned to Talon quietly and was immediately reassigned, though I had no idea where. I hadnt seen her since the day shed left for the mission.
Your sister is no longer your responsibility, Mr. Hill, Mr. Roth continued. Rest assured, we will find her. Trust that Talon has her best interests at heart, and will take every precaution to return Ms. Hill alive and unharmed. But you have another role now. Another project that requires your skill and talents. We hope you will make it your top priority.
Yes, sir, I said, hearing the subtle threat beneath the words. Of course. I was simply confirming that I can put my sister from my mind and focus on what I need to do.
I kept the confident smile on my face in front of Mr. Roth, but guilt gnawed at me. Ember had always been my responsibility. Id looked after us both for so long, cleaning up Embers messes, covering for her, getting her out of trouble time and time again. I would never admit it to Talon, but it was partially my fault that she had gone rogue back in Crescent Beach. Maybe if Id kept a better eye on her, paid more attention, I could have stopped my sister from falling in with Cobalt and throwing away her future.
Id tried to help her. Id done all I could to return her to the organization, knowing that if she just came back, she would realize her mistake. But Ember had stubbornly refused, and now her fate was out of my hands. I could only trust that the organization would find my twin and bring her back to Talon, where she belonged.
Excellent, Mr. Hill. Mr. Roth nodded, the cold smile never fading. Exactly what we need to hear. Put your sister from your mindher fate is in good hands, I assure you. He raised a hand to the door. Shall we go, then? The car is waiting, and I am sure you are eager to see what we have planned.
I nodded. I was moving up in the organization, as Id intended. Designs were falling into place, and I couldnt dwell on the past, even if it meant letting Ember go for now. Without a backward glance, I joined Mr. Roth in the hall, shutting the door to the office, and that part of my life, behind me.
GARRET
Tourist attractions always made me jumpy.
I didnt like crowds. It was the soldier in me, obviously, responding to potential threats, to having too many people in my personal space. Crowds were a good place to hide, but that meant the enemy could do the samemelt into the throng and remain unseen until it was too late. I didnt like being surrounded, and I really didnt like strangers touching me, something that happened often in these places, as tourists seemed to share a general obliviousness to their surroundings and bumped into each other a lot.
I wove through the crowds along the river Thames, keeping my head down and my cap pulled low. It was a bright fall afternoon, and the river walk teemed with people milling down the sidewalk with no sense of urgency. But I could easily see my destination over the tops of their heads; it soared four hundred feet into the air, the massive white Ferris wheel known as the London Eye, silhouetted against the blue. An even larger crowd had massed at the base of the huge wheel, and an impressive line led up the steps to the clear plastic pods at the bottom. I set my jaw and marched resolutely forward.
Sebastian.
A man rose from a bench and came toward me, hand outstretched. He wore plain civilian clothes like me, but I could see the soldier in him, the way his dark eyes scanned the crowds, never still. He walked with a faint limp, favoring his right knee, a memento from a raid that went south and nearly killed us all. I shook his hand, and he jerked his head toward the end of the line waiting to get onto the Ferris wheel.
I paid off the attendants, he said in a low voice as we started toward the Eye. We have a capsule all to ourselves for the entire thirty-minute ride. If you can stand me for that long, anyway. He grinned wolfishly, showing a set of crooked white teeth.
Why here? I asked. Seems exposed.
He chuckled. Think about it, Sebastian. The Order hates crowds and frivolity and...well, fun, and they avoid the touristy parts of town like the plague. They wouldnt be caught dead here. He waved a hand at the massive wheel. Plus, well have an enclosed glass room all to ourselves, with absolutely no chance of anyone eavesdropping on the conversation. Unless someone snipes us out, theres no way to get to us.
It was vastly improbable, but I scanned the area for snipers, anyway, especially the many buildings across the river. My skin prickled. So many dark windows and ledges and perches. If Tristan was here, thats where he would be now, patient and motionless behind the barrel of his rifle.
So how did that partner of yours take it, anyway? Andrew asked, seeming to read my mind. Have you talked to him since the...um...
No, I said softly. I havent seen him since my trial. I hoped I would never see my ex-partner again, because if I did, hed probably be trying to kill me. And truthfully, if Tristan St. Anthony was given that order, Id be dead before I knew he was within a thousand meters. Ironic, if I was shot down by the person I once considered my brother in everything but blood.
Suddenly wary, I glanced at Andrew, wondering how much he really knew. Had the Order shared the details with other chapters? I knew my name was out there: a rogue soldier whod gone over to the enemy. As far as St. George was concerned, I was to be shot on sight, no questions asked. The Perfect Soldier, now Order Enemy Number One.
If Andrews plan was to kill me, I couldnt do anything about it now, unless I wanted to take off or overpower him on a crowded riverfront. Since neither choice would help me get what I came for, I waited quietly in line until we reached the front, where the ride attendant nodded to Andrew and pulled open the door to the glass pod, then motioned us both inside. The door shut, and the capsule began to move.
Stepping farther into the pod, I gazed around warily. The oval room was quite spacious, clearly meant for large groups. You could fit a full-size car in the middle and still have room to walk around it. A wooden bench sat in the center, and the walls were clear, showing all of London far below.
Andrew stalked to one side of the room, turned and leaned against a wall, fixing me with a solemn glare. Relax, Sebastian, he said. I told you before. I heard what happened back in the States, most of it, anyway. I know what youre accused of. Bullshit or not, you saved my life once. Thats something you dont forget. And I dont care what the Order saysanyone who has ever fought with you would know that you wouldnt just betray your brothers like that. Not without reason.
He looked away as the pod climbed slowly higher, sunlight streaming through the glass. I gazed down at Big Ben on the other side of the river, its giant face announcing that it was almost noon.
Thanks, I said. I wouldnt blame you for turning me in, Andrew. Im just glad youre willing to give me the benefit of the doubt.
Im not the only one, Andrew replied. A lot of us werent happy with the way your trial was handled. He lowered his voice, as if there could be people eavesdropping, even here. When you escaped, we knew there had to be more to the story than what the Order was telling us. And I suspected I might see you again, sooner or laterI did say you could call on me for anything. He gave a wry grin. So if you need a favor, Sebastian, as long as it doesnt involve going directly against St. George, you just have to ask. Im guessing thats why youre here.
I nodded, smiling faintly in return. There is something I wanted to ask you, I said. Youre a scout now, right?
His brow furrowed, as if that fact was painful. Yeah, he answered shortly. After that close encounter with a bullet, I couldnt go on any more raids. They stuck me with intel gathering, rooting out Talon activity in assigned areas.
And the number of strikes has increased recently, correct?
Again, he nodded, though there was a wariness to him now, as if he knew where I was going with this.
How are you getting the information? I asked.
Good question. Wish I could answer it. His brow furrowed as he gazed back down at the city. The Order hasnt contacted me in several months, he admitted. I havent found or given them any information, and I know several others in the same boat as me. St. George isnt using its scouts to find the nests. And yet...the number of strikes is at an all-time high. He made a vague gesture with his hand. How are they finding these dragons? Theyre certainly not coming to us.
I frowned. That wasnt what I was expecting. Id contacted Andrew because I had hoped to learn why Order attacks on dragons had taken such a jump. But if St. George wasnt using its scouts at all...
That is strange, I muttered.
I think so, too, Andrew agreed. And it gets even stranger. I asked around, trying to find where the Order has been getting their information, and you know what I heard? A dubious look crossed his face. Rumors are that the Patriarch himself is receiving visions from God, telling him where to find the devils.
My brows rose. The Patriarch was more than the leader of St. George; he was almost a holy figure in the eyes of the Order. Only the most revered, staunchest devotee of St. George could become Patriarch, and once the position was filled, it was his for life. The council chose a new Patriarch only when the old one died, as they had done since the Order was founded. The Patriarch was a symbol of purity, incorruptible and utterly dedicated to the cause. But visions from God? I wasnt sure what to think about that.
Has he been right? I wondered.
Andrew barked a laugh.
Well, I dont know where the man is getting his intel, but whether its from God or not, hes been spot-on every time. Wherever he sends the teams, they find dragons. I guess the Order doesnt need us anymore.
I fell silent, thinking. The capsule spun lazily, stopping every so often as the Eye picked up new passengers or let others off. A gull flapped by, soaring past us toward the river. Is Order headquarters in the same spot? I asked finally.
Andrew nodded. Same place its been for the past hundred years, he answered. Why? His eyes widened. Youre not thinking of going in! Sebastian, theyll put a hole in your head before you get past the front desk.
Relax, Im not going inside. There wouldnt be any point. Headquarters would not leave suspicious files or dealings out in plain sight, and I wasnt a computer genius like Wes, able to hack my way through almost anything. Id never been to Order HQ, didnt know the layout of the building, its cameras or security systems; if I sneaked in, Id be going in blind, something I didnt care for. Besides, I was a wanted man within the Order; venturing into the heart of St. Georges operations seemed like a bad idea.
Andrew watched me, a suspicious look crossing his face. Dont suppose youre going to let me know what youre planning, are you?
Sorry, Andrew. I offered a half smile. No offense, but if anyone does find out we spoke, I cant risk the Order discovering anything about me. Better for us both if you know nothing.
Fair enough. The other gave a brisk nod. I dont like it, but fair enough. Just answer me this, Sebastian. He pushed himself off the wall and stood straight, his gaze intense. Is what they say about you true? he asked in a grim voice. Did you really throw in with the lizards? To destabilize the Order and everything it stands for?
I hesitated. The question wasnt angry, or accusing. It was just a question, from someone who wanted a serious answer. For a moment, I didnt know what to say. Andrew might be helping me, but he was still part of the Order, someone who hated dragons and accepted that they were soulless monsters. I couldve brushed it off, told him what he wanted to hear, but deep down, he would know I was lying, and that would be a disservice to someone I respected.
Im trying to uncover the truth, I said at last. Too many things happened that dont make sense with what the Order taught us. I cant ignore it anymore. I want to know whether the Order is hiding things from us. If they are who they say they are.
Damn. Andrew regarded me solemnly. Dangerous ground, Sebastian. I might have my own questions about the Order, but youre talking treason. No wonder St. George wants your head on a pike. He gave me a look that was both suspicious and resigned. What is it youre hoping to uncover, exactly?
I dont know, I said. Truthfully, I hope Im wrong. But with what Ive been through... I have to be sure.
Well, youre right about one thing, Andrew said. I dont want anything to do with whatever youre planning. If youre determined to go poking around the affairs of the Patriarch himself... He raised both hands in a distancing gesture. I wont warn him youre coming, but if you dont watch where youre stepping, youre going get yourself killed. But you know that better than I do. He sighed. After this, youre going to vanish and I wont ever see you again, I suppose.