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  She snorted. “But it doesn’t have the buzz with it. They only give you the stuff to stop you from dying. That’s no fun.”

  She pouted at him. She played these games every time. The same gestures and phrases. He wondered if she would ever get bored with them.

  She stood up and sauntered up to him. “I don’t know if it is worth it. If he finds out that I’ve been spilling the beans he might set up an accident for me. No one is safe from him.”

  He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her dramatic performance. “Unlikely. I transposed the numbers in your registration. Even if he could find you, he would find another woman entirely.”

  This was new. She had never cared about her safety before.

  She grinned at him. “Are you looking out for me? Or do you just want to keep me all to yourself? I didn’t think you cared that much.”

  He raised an eyebrow and didn’t answer her implicit question. She smoothed her hand down his arm and pouted when he didn’t give a reaction. Because that was what she wanted, any kind of reaction.

  Isabella sighed and flopped back down on the bed. “Fine, I’ll tell you something. You should check the city books. I know he skimmed off some funds for his own. He has always been good with money.”

  Jephry flicked her the small bag of drug. He wasn’t sure if she had realised, he had been reducing the drug content in her dose. It was a crude way to detox her. It wouldn’t be long before she got no buzz from it. Hopefully by then they wouldn’t need what she knew.

  He had already been pretty sure that Portland was crooked as they came. But he hadn’t thought he would be so brazen as to steal from the city. That was definitely an avenue he hadn’t explored yet. But one that was guaranteed to get a rise out of the Council.

  He was almost out of the prison facility when his phone rang. “Yes?”

  The voice on the other end was long familiar, “Any luck?”

  Professor Nasser might be retired but he was still a force to be reckoned with in Whatinga.

  He switched his phone to his other ear so he could finish the process of leaving the prison. The guards were giving him back all his gear and it took a while to put all his weapons back where they were supposed to be.

  He answered, “A clue. Though I’m not sure it will get us the smoking gun, we will need. It will certainly put a bee in their bonnet. It might get them to have a closer look. If he has made any mistakes, we should be able to find it.”

  There was a long silence and eventually Nasser asked, “Do you think it will be enough?”

  Jephry was honest as they had both loved Elisha and he knew Nasser would want the truth about the man that had organised his wife’s murder. “No, but we will get him. It is all adding up and eventually he will be buried in the evidence we will pile on him.”

  He just hoped it was soon or Portland might just be able to kill them off before they put him behind bars. Or escape. He must have amassed a large amount of wealth though he could be damned if he could find it.

  ___

  Freya laughed at the joke Rawiri had told. He grinned at her cheekily and she smacked him with a hand. “Stop it, Rawiri. My sides hurt.”

  His eyes twinkled. “So, you think I’m funny?”

  She was warm inside and she enjoyed the feeling. “Better than dangerous but you are that as well.”

  His eyes turned dark suddenly. She was curious what he thought behind his dark and dangerous eyes. Dangerous for her as she thought she might fell for him. She didn’t do well with relationships. This was further than she had ever gone with a man. Usually, they made some excuse during the date and disappeared. She reached over the space of the table and caught his hand. He turned it over and caressed her palm. His eyes still dark but no longer dangerous.

  The server interrupted them coming up to them. Rawiri glanced up at the young man. He smoothed a hand on his apron nervously. “Sir and Ma’am the kitchen is closed and the main room will be closed up soon.”

  Rawiri smiled at the young man. “I get the hint. You want us to leave.”

  It shocked Freya that they were getting kicked out and looked at her watch on her phone. It was after midnight. She swore softly and started out of her seat. “Sorry, we didn’t realise how late it was.”

  Rawiri caught her arm and threaded it through his. She liked he did things like that. It was romantic without being overbearing. So many men thought because she was well educated and sure of what she wanted she didn’t appreciate being looked after.

  She said as they left, “You know many men get intimidated by the fact that I have so much education.”

  Rawiri snorted. “That has more to do with the men than with you, Freya. You’re a sweetheart. But then I wouldn’t think less of myself because you are awesome.”

  She laughed because she thought he was kidding. But he spun her around and cupped her face. “You are wonderful, Freya. If anything happens and we split, be completely sure that it is because I am an ass. And that it will never be because of you.”

  Still glowing with his compliment when she stopped by her parents’ home. Rawiri surprised her by turning her around and kissing her.

  She smiled against his lips. This was to be the signature of their relationship she realised and she liked it.

  Slipping her arms around his neck she kissed him back. She liked it was easy to kiss him. She didn’t have to worry about technique. She enjoyed the warmth of his body, the feel of his lips on her own and his hands as they ran down her back.

  They both pulled apart when someone cleared their throat close by. She turned and saw her dad standing in the doorway.

  Freya blushed. “Ah, Dad… um, this is Rawiri.”

  Her dad raised an eyebrow. “It’s a bit late, Freya. Say goodnight to your beau.”

  She couldn’t believe he could make her feel like a teenager again when she was in her twenties and had been living away from home for almost a decade.

  Her cheeks were still too warm. “Sorry Dad, we kind of lost track of time.”

  She turned to Rawiri. “I’ll call.”

  He brushed her cheek with the tips of his fingers. “Isn’t that my line?”

  Freya blushed and almost stammered but he grinned. “Well, you have my number. I’ll wait breathlessly by the phone.”

  She snorted at his ridiculous comment and smacked his arm. He caught it and tugged her closer and kissed her briefly on her lips. He tipped his head to her father and left.

  Her Dad looked at her. “You look happy.”

  She grinned. “He’s nice, Dad.”

  He grumbled. “He better be more than just nice if he makes you smile like that.”

  Freya pushed him inside. “Go to bed, Dad.”

  Chapter Five

  Whatinga: April 2088

  Freya slammed her fist down on the table and leaned forward.

  One intern asked, “Do you want us to run the test again?”

  She waved him off. He was a sweet kid and she wasn’t in a mood to be pleasant to anyone. She felt like peeling skin off someone and it was better if there was no ready target around.

  She knew she was missing something. Sure, her blood would be the key except she had no idea how to make her atramento enhanced blood work in others the way it worked in her own body. She had already spoken to Hal and she had assured her that there was no way to put the atramento on those were already affected as the drug also affected their EM field.

  Freya didn’t blame Hal as she had heard from Rawiri what happened to someone that didn’t have the right fields and she wasn’t willing either to try it out on any of those affected. It was all very frustrating to have the answer so close and yet still outside of their grasp.

  Freya wasn’t even sure what the atramento was doing to her so she couldn’t replicate it. If only she had more information on the flower itself and the drug.

  How did they get to this point? She sighed. She would figure it out otherwise a lot of people would eventually die. Giving them the drug
was only a stopgap, it was no cure. And there was still the issue of Portland still giving the drug out to people. Well, she supposed it wasn’t giving. He was still selling it. Surely, he had even a small conscience with the drugs but it was clear he didn’t.

  They had to find the drug producer and stop the production of the Ambrosia altogether otherwise others would be added to the list that needed help.

  They slid a mug close to her hand and she smiled at Andrew, the intern who had given it to her. He left quickly so obviously he knew she was still volatile. She wrapped her hands around the mug. It was warm but she really wished she had Rawiri here to warm her.

  Andrew was right, taking a break was the best thing now. And she could take some small comfort from the familiar gesture of leaning back and drinking a cup of coffee.

  Freya used to get so much comfort from her work. Knowing she was saving people’s lives but she realised she needed something more than just her work. She smiled sadly. She missed Rawiri.

  How did that happen so fast? She couldn’t be without him without thinking about him. She smiled to herself. She really was falling for him and she wasn’t sure if that or just should please her completely scared out of her wits. But there was one thing she was sure of, she wanted Rawiri but he had work and she couldn’t have him around all the time so pseudo coffee would have to do.

  ___

  Marcy smiled at Rawiri as he entered the small community building that was the base for the Mission. It was in a quiet neighbourhood that had seen better days. Though there were some large-scale developments at the end of the block. Soon this small building would be surrounded by tall apartment buildings that would gleam.

  She looked over the counter to his hands. “What do you have for us today, Rawiri?”

  He waved the rabbits he had caught that morning. “All dressed and cleaned. I thought you could do with some variety.”

  Marcy reached out and took them. “Thanks for that. We can always do with some protein. We have a large hydroponics but besides eggs we don’t get a lot of protein.” She motioned with her head further into the building. “The boys are playing games if you want to say hello.”

  Despite that there were fewer groups outside of Shields there were still many children arriving on Whatinga’s proverbial doorstep. It was getting harder for the Mission to find foster families for the children and especially the boys who were a lot like him when he had first arrived in the city. They were angry and bitter. Probably had good reason to be both as well. Most children in the Wildlands were either from raider families or escaped slaves.

  “I think I will.” He grinned at Marcy.

  When he visited, he always made sure he spent some time with the boys who were staying at the Mission. They needed to see what it meant to be part of Whatinga city otherwise they could go down a dark path. He was one of the few that understood the dark roiling madness that lurked inside of them.

  ___

  Freya bowed over another blood sample that still refused to give up its secrets.

  “Aren’t you late?” One tech at the lab asked.

  She glanced up and swore. She quickly finished up and put things away.

  Her colleague laughed. “He must be special.”

  Freya grinned back at her. “Oh, very special.”

  She scooped up her purse and made her way out of the lab. When she got outside, she realised she couldn’t have been that late as Rawiri wasn’t waiting for her.

  Freya looked at her phone to check the time. Rawiri was late. That didn’t surprise her as he had a demanding job that rarely fit into the nine to five that people could wish from their work. She didn’t begrudge him at all as her job was the same. Lives were at stake in both their jobs. So, she understood. She would wait a few more minutes and call him to see what was keeping him.

  When Freya looked up, she frowned as a man that looked very similar to Rawiri approached her but he was different. He had facial hair and his hair was longer than Rawiri’s.

  She asked, “Rawiri?”

  Was he undercover again? The man grinned but this was like a feral dog growling at a person. It was all bite and none of the joy she usually saw in Rawiri.

  Freya stepped back but someone behind her caught her arms. She struggled and almost got free, thanks to the strength atramento, but they shoved something over her face. The sickly-sweet smell was familiar and she struggled harder. Her head swum and she mumbled swearwords but she already knew it was too late. Darkness pulled her down with sticky strands.

  ___

  Rawiri was late but not by much. He pulled up and got out of his car. He looked around but he couldn’t see Freya. He went to his phone to call her and see if something kept her up at the lab. He had only just flipped open his phone when he saw movement next to the lab building.

  The movement was familiar and as he looked a figure moved briefly into the light. His heart almost stopped. He was older but there was no denying the similarities to his own face.

  It was Mana. What was his brother doing here and how the heck did he get into the city? He was a wanted criminal, for goodness’ sake. Rawiri had looked up his records in the city database when he had first become a cop. There was no way he could just stroll into the city like others could. If they caught him, he was already tried and found guilty of enough crimes to put him away for life.

  Mana would have had to have some serious money to bribe people or he knew people.

  That was when it clicked. Portland. He must have snuck Mana into the city. Why? He had the connections at the very least. Again, why would he go through the trouble of bringing a wanted criminal into Whatinga? Maybe he needed some muscle to run some errands. He grimaced. For the last year and a half, Rawiri and Jephry had been destroying Portland’s connections to the gangs. He didn’t have access to his usual muscle. That was why he was there. Portland was getting desperate.

  Rawiri stepped towards his brother but Mana disappeared. He was about to put on a burst of speed and catch up with his brother when a car swerved in front of him and he had to jump back in order not to get run over.

  When Rawiri looked up his brother was gone. He didn’t know which way Mana had gone. Swearing to himself he flicked open his phone. He thought about calling Jephry and warning him of the wanted criminal Portland had smuggled into the city but he called Freya’s phone instead.

  Rawiri let it ring until it went to voicemail. A chill went down his spine. He knew he had no proof but he knew Mana had something to do with the reason Freya wasn’t standing here waiting for him. Or not answering her phone. He ran inside the lab and caught the closest intern and growled, “Is Freya here?”

  The young man frowned. “She just left about five minutes ago. Do you want to take—” He let go of the young man and spun on his heels. Curse his brother, he had Freya.

  ___

  Freya surfaced a little when someone dumped her on a hard surface. Words were a smear of incomprehension across her consciousness.

  She stirred as a short pain pierced her arm and a voice said, “That will take care of her.”

  The slight lilt of his voice told her this was the man that looked like Rawiri but wasn’t him. There was none of the warm touch or the care that Rawiri had shown.

  Instead, Freya shivered with cold.

  Wherever they had dropped her it wasn’t a nice place. It smelt of smoke and unwashed bodies.

  She struggled to free herself from the sticky strands of whatever they had dosed her with. But the moment she moved her body seemed to disintegrate.

  Her heartbeat faster as she realised they had given her more than something to knock her out. She tried to focus her mind on what was happening to her. Instead, her mind was like her body and was disassociated and flittered all over the place.

  It swept her into the sea of her own thoughts and experiences for a long time. But time was irrelevant.

  Eventually, her thoughts coalesced into something resembling sanity. Her body shivered from the cold and her te
eth chattered. She rolled over and open her eyes.

  Freya lay in the centre of an empty room. There were benches and couches around the edges. It smelt like someone had died in the room despite the decadent wallpaper and lush furniture. There were perfume diffusers by the doors. Probably to keep the smell away from the rest of the building.

  That made everything make sense in a sick and wicked way as she realised that this was a drug den for the rich and powerful. She hadn’t been too lucky as they had dumped her on the floor instead of one couch.

  The floor was a beautiful parquet. The drugs made the touch under hands mesmerising and it took long moments for her to stop feeling the grain of the wood. Pulling herself to a kneeling position she swayed for a moment.

  She felt for her phone. When she couldn’t find it, she looked around. For a moment she was worried they had robbed her as well as kidnapping her. Thankfully, they had left her purse by the door.

  Freya crawled on the ground as she wasn’t so sure she could walk on legs that still felt like they were an alien part of her.

  There was nothing missing from her purse but it took several long moments for her to focus on the phone enough to put in the commands to call someone.

  ___

  Rawiri knew it was crazy to go to Portland’s office in the Council building. But he was without other options as he knew Portland was behind this and he wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. He didn’t question the sick feeling he had in the middle of his chest. He just knew he couldn’t lose her.

  Rawiri flashed his badge at the receptionist but didn’t wait for a reply as he ran through the corridors. Portland was probably somewhere else. There was no way he would bring her here. This was a fool’s move.

  He had reached up to open the door to Portland’s office when his phone rang. He scrambled to get it out and answered it, “Freya?”

  Her voice on the other end was wobbly, “Rawiri.”

  His heart flopped over in relief. He moved away from Portland’s office and his voice went soft. “Are you alright? Where are you?”

  There was a long pause before she answered, “I’m in an Ambrosia den at the University. Can you please come and get me, I don’t feel right?”