cottage and activated the communications system with a verbal command. He would feel better about returning to Ghost City if the promise he’d made Nikki were well underway, so he sent a quick message to Arton Lux, the Outcast whose brother commanded the battle born. The message was simple. Contact me at your earliest convenience.
No sooner had the message transmitted than the holo-com activated, indicating that Arton was asking for a connection.
That was fast. Jaron accepted the com.
Arton’s full-sized image appeared in front of him. His short silver and black hair accented the silver rings in his pale blue eyes. “Is this convenient?” he asked with a wry smile.
“I didn’t wake you, did I?”
Arton shook his head. “I meditate constantly, but seldom sleep. What can I do for you?”
Keeping the explanation as simple as possible, he explained what he needed and why. “If Sedrik isn’t willing to actually collect the DNA samples, I will do so myself. However, I still need his help finding out where the females live and the best time to...visit each dwelling.”
“I don’t see any reason why he’d object to any of it. You’re not spying on them. You’re attempting to save their lives. I’ll contact him in a few hours. Sedrik rises early, but the schedule kept by the battle born fleet is about four hours behind ours.”
“Understood, and I appreciate any assistance he is willing to give. Oh, and one more thing. Discretion is extremely important. For obvious reasons, we do not want these females subjected to invasive medical procedures.”
Arton nodded. “I’ll make sure my brother understands that as well.”
“Thank you.”
With another nod, Arton deactivated the com.
Jaron looked longingly toward the bedroom, but dug a blanket and spare pillow out of the hall closet and carried them to the couch.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Jaron had a hearty breakfast waiting for Nikki when she emerged from the bedroom. He had printed a clean outfit and fluffy towel and left them in the adjacent bathroom, so she was dressed and ready for the day. Part of her had hoped that he would return during the night and continue the sensual exploration they’d briefly enjoyed when they first arrived. But he hadn’t and her dreams had been sensual and haunting, tormenting her with erotic images and longing.
“Did you sleep well?” He handed her a mug of the hot chocolate-ish beverage he’d given her the night before then sat down across from her.
She took a quick sip from the mug then set it down and picked up her fork. “As well as can be expected.”
“I contacted Arton last night or very early this morning.”
Arton? If the name was supposed to mean something, she’d forgotten what Jaron told her. “Who is Arton?”
“The brother of the battle born commander. The commander’s name is Sedrik. Sedrik agreed to collect the DNA, or to send a stealth team to collect it for us. He said it shouldn’t take more than a day or two and everyone involved understands the need for discretion.”
“That’s wonderful. Thank you.” Thrilled by the progress, she allowed herself to relax. Her friends might still be in stasis, but at least steps were being taken to undo what the Cretzians had done.
She still wasn’t sure what to do about her own condition. Should she insist on the same treatment? Mirra had stressed that the regression was dangerous. Was it worth the risk if her body had accepted the changes? As much as she hated the thought of submitting to any sort of medical procedure that was the only way to make an informed decision. This was too important to decide with emotion alone.
Rather than reiterate her uncertainty, she moved on. “Kara said you might be able to hack into my mother’s cell phone. If so, I’d really like to speak with her.”
“Of course, but have you thought about what you’ll tell her about Haley and Selina?”
“Yes. Kara and Natalie gave me the perfect cover story. I’m going to tell Mom we were kidnapped by the Outcasts like all the other females, but we found out about the rebellion and have been helping your people fight for equality and justice. I’ll tell her Haley and Selina contracted a virus so they’re unavailable right now but they will check in once they’ve recovered.”
He milled over the story for a minute then nodded. “That should work. Can you wait until after breakfast or are you going crazy?”
She looked apologetically at the food. “I’m kind of going crazy. I’ll make it quick. I promise.”