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Chapter 1
The Present
Sarah
Undisclosed location
“Who are you?”
“I’m an IS-20 Intelligence Officer for the North American Guild.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means she’s a spy for the American general.”
As the truck drove me to an undisclosed location, I sat by idly while my mind replayed bits and pieces of my conversation with Birdie.
The American generalhadinvaded Asheron’s cabin in the Adirondacksina powerplay against the Aslanovs.
As a result, Elizabethhad been badly hurt,and the Elite warriors who’dstood guardover herhad beenunderstandablyprotective.
I had no doubts whatsoever that one wrong movement on my part could have gotten me killed.
Yet, the violence pouring from them had been nothing compared to the anguish on my friend’s face when she discovered I was sent to spy on her.
It had gutted me to the bones, and not knowing what else to do, I got out of the hospital room as fast as I could, while my mind tried to escape the colossal mess that was my life.
Because of this, I was careless and left myself open. The next thing I knew, Jacob Hayes had wrapped a chain around my neck until I passed out.
Now, here we were.
The black hood over my head was thin enough to let air through, but thick enough to keep me from seeing anything.
Judging from the sweat sticking to my skin like glue, it’s probably safe to say Dorothy isn’t in Kansas anymore.
I mentally calculated the distance separating us from the airport to pass time. It kept the panic at bay and gave me something to do while the truck went on its merry way.
I discovered the Executive Table sanctioned a dismantlement decree against Colin Baxter’s administration through my kidnappers when they thought me passed out.
The news was met with mixed feelings because, although I was relieved my torment would soon come to an end, no sane person wanted war. It just had a way of finding you.
I hoped Gabe brought his A-game to the table, because no one liked it when a foreign entity told them what to do. People stood their ground on principle when that happened, and bloodshed followed.
It might be hard to believe, but most Guild members were good people who believed in the cause. They had jobs and tried to make ends meet like everybody else.
Some of them were like me. They understood Baxter needed to be stopped and joined the fight.
Others didn’t want to believe the rumors of cruelty going around or the turmoil that came with having a general deposed. They’d rather believe the Table invented the charges against Baxter than admit they were foolish enough to follow him.
And finally, you had zealots like Jacob Hayes. Those lunatics believed a higher power chose them to bring order and smite their detractors. They would sacrifice their life for the cause in a minute, and everything they did was in its name.
That these men were here, acting on the behalf of the old general despite the decree, could only mean we weren’t on the same side.
“What’s going on in that big brain of yours, little mouse?” a voice to my right inquired, making my body tremble.
Out of all the people here, Jacob Hayes, AKA the Irish Butcher, was the one who worried me the most. Not only was he a deadly warrior, he was also mentally unhinged.
The man had been my instructor at the Guild Academy, and a more sadistic teacher I’ve never met. It’s a bloody miracle I survived his tutelage. I’m fairly sure he would have put a bullet in my brain a long time ago if the Guild hadn’t needed my set of skills.
