Rogue (25 page)

Riley

“Comfortable, Cobalt?”

Ava lowered the phone and turned, smiling at me across the table. Without waiting for an answer, she reached over and flipped on the spotlight, beaming it right in my face. I squinted but refused to turn my head. “Anything you want to say before we get started?”

“I’m good, thanks.” I tried to shrug, which was harder than it looked, being tied to a chair with my arms behind the metal back. The plastic cuffs dug into my wrists as I turned, pretending to look around the room. “Though the service in this place sucks. I ordered a glass of ‘Screw you, Talon bitch’ an hour ago.”

Ava smiled.

“Vulgar bravado will not save you, I’m afraid.” The girl walked around the table, regarding me like she might a particularly tricky math problem. Plucking a needle and syringe from the table, she held it up and turned back to me. “I assume you already know what I stuck you with.”

“I’m guessing Dractylpromazine,” I replied. Developed in Talon labs using a mix of science and old magic, “Dractyl” was a powerful tranquilizer that essentially put the dragon side of us to sleep, preventing Shifting and locking us into a human form for a short time. One of Talon’s more terrifying weapons against their own kind, it was a jealously guarded secret, given to agents only in rare, special circumstances. I’d attempted to Shift earlier, as soon as I’d woken up and realized where I was. But the dragon had barely stirred, sluggish and groggy, as if coming out of a long hibernation. That was when I’d known this wasn’t an ordinary kidnapping, that whoever had captured me knew exactly what I was and how to counter my most potent weapon. Which meant only one thing.

Talon had finally caught up. I was in trouble.

“Yes,” Ava agreed, putting the syringe back on the table. “So you know escape is impossible. That dose is good for at least three hours, and I have several more where that came from. None of your friends know where you are, and I disabled your phone so that your human hacker friend won’t be able to track it. No one is coming for you.” She stepped in front of the table and faced me head-on. “This doesn’t have to be hard, Cobalt. You know I’m going to get what I want, sooner or later. How quick, and how painful, this is going to be depends on you.”

I smirked. “Is that your best opening? Take away all hope, make the victim think he has no options left, that you’re always one step ahead of him. If he has nothing left to cling to, nothing will matter to him, and he’ll be much more pliable to suggestion.” She blinked, and my smirk grew wider. “Psychological Warfare 101, hatchling. I’ve
forgotten
more about Talon mind games than you’ll ever know. If you think you’re going to out-psyche me, give it your best shot. I can do this all night.”

“Insightful,” Ava said, sounding reluctantly impressed. “You do remember your Basilisk training, after all. When we first met, I thought you were just a thug who kept getting lucky. I’d forgotten you were one of Talon’s best.”

“I was,” I agreed. “Though I must not rate
too
high on
Talon’s threat meter, if they’re sending hatchlings to do a Viper’s job. So, what’s your
real
name? If we’re going to go through the dance tonight, you can give me that much, at least.”

The girl regarded me for a moment, then shrugged. “I suppose it doesn’t matter now,” she mused. “My real name is Mist.”

“Mist, huh? You’re awfully young to be doing this with no backup.” I curled my lips into a sneer. “Is this your exam, hatchling, or are all the real agents off murdering defenseless kids in their sleep?”

She offered another faint smile. “Trying to anger me into letting information slip is not going to work, either, Cobalt. Besides, you know the answer to that as well as I do.”

I did know, which made the organization’s interest in me all the more insidious. Talon couldn’t send one of their real agents after me because I knew them all. If someone like Lilith or another Viper showed up in town, I’d be gone the instant I got word of it—unless I was trying to convince a stubborn, red-haired hatchling to leave with me, that is. It didn’t even have to be a Viper;
any
dragon from my old life, be they Viper, Basilisk, Chameleon or Gila, I was instantly wary of. Talon knew I’d never trust one of their agents. They had to send a hatchling, someone I’d never seen before and would want to help, to lower my guard.

I should’ve seen this coming. I knew Talon was getting irritated with my high jinks; losing even one or two hatchlings a year was a big thing when your numbers were small. I’d thought I could handle whatever big nasty Viper they sent to take me out. But Talon was also devious as hell, a master of manipulation, of finding your weaknesses and using them against you. They’d baited me with the one thing I couldn’t ignore: a couple hatchlings in trouble, and I’d fallen for it like a moron. I’d been overconfident and was paying for it now.

Fortunately, I had a couple tricks up my sleeve, as well.

“Pretty clever,” I admitted, looking at Ava, or
Mist
now, I supposed. “The soldiers of St. George were a nice touch. That ambush felt completely real.” Mist didn’t answer, and I sighed. “We can play these games all night,” I said, subtly reaching my fingers into one of my jacket sleeves, feeling around the cuff. “But I’m tired and sore and kind of cranky, so can we get on with it? What do you want from me? Or, rather, what does Talon want from me?” Mist raised her brows, and I rolled my eyes. “Don’t act so surprised. If the organization just wanted me dead, I wouldn’t be here now. They wouldn’t go through all this trouble to set me up. What does Talon want?”

Mist pushed off the table, serious now, her eyes hard and cold. “The location of your safe houses,” she said, making my stomach lurch. “All of them. Where they are, how many dragons live there and the number of humans you have working for you. Give us the information, and we promise that most of the hatchlings will survive.”

I barked a laugh. “Really?” I sneered. “That’s all Talon wants? Me to betray every dragon and human I spent years protecting from the organization? That’s not completely insane at all.”

“Think of what you’re doing to them, Cobalt.” Her voice changed, becoming low and soothing. “Think of what their existence means for us all. All Talon wants is for their hatchlings to return to the organization, where they belong. Where we can protect them. You can’t really believe they’re better off with you. Constantly in hiding, always on the run? Living in fear that the Order will come for them in the middle of the night? What kind of life is that?”

“A free one,” I returned, curling my lip in disgust. “One that isn’t dictated by the organization’s demands, or what Talon wants them to be. One where they can actually breathe without Talon looming over their heads, ready to pounce if they set one claw out of line. Where they can actually have thoughts of their own, and choose their own future, instead of being forced into the role that would benefit the organization.” I gave her a grim smile. “I’m sure
you
didn’t have a choice tonight. If Talon gives the order to betray, capture and interrogate your own kind, you don’t get to question why.”

Mist cocked her head, looking truly baffled. As if she couldn’t imagine how this was a bad thing. I sighed. “Not all of us want our lives run by Talon,” I finished, knowing I was wasting my time. Mist was too deep in the organization, fully indoctrinated to Talon’s way of thinking. She wouldn’t understand. “Some of us would rather be free. To at least be afforded that choice.”

“Free?” Mist gave me an incredulous look. “At what cost? Our extinction? Is this so-called freedom so important that you would risk the existence of our entire race? How many have you lost to St. George? How many hatchlings have died because you took them from the organization and threw them into the world with no experience, no knowledge of what they were doing? Without Talon and its resources, they’re exposed not only to the Order, but to all of humanity. Even you realize that we cannot let the humans know about us. Your rebellion is endangering us all. Something had to be done.”

“Why now?” I asked. “I’ve been doing this for years, and Talon didn’t seem to care much, other than a couple halfhearted Viper assassination attempts. Why are they so interested in me now?”

“I’m afraid you don’t get to know that.”

“Well, we’re at an impasse, then,” I said, leaning back in my seat as best I could. “Because I’m not giving up my nests to Talon, no matter what you say. Especially since I know you’re going to kill me right after. Doesn’t give me a lot of incentive to cooperate.”

Mist shook her head.

“I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this,” she said, turning to the table behind her. “I was hoping you would see reason, and realize this is for the survival of us all.” Leaning forward, she dragged a rolling cart out from under the table. It had been draped with a towel, and a shiver went through me as she pulled it into the light.

Mist walked around the cart and faced me over the toweled surface. “This is your last chance,” she said, fingering the corner of the cloth. “No one is coming for you. No one will hear you. I
will
get what I want, make no mistake about it. How long it will take depends on you.” She reached beneath the towel, drew forth another syringe and set it next to the Dractyl on the table, where it glimmered wickedly. My blood chilled at the sight of it. “This can be quick and painless,” Mist went on, “or we can drag it out, all night if we must. It’s up to you. What is your answer, Cobalt?”

I took a deep, steadying breath, feeling my heart pound through my veins. “I don’t think you have the stomach for this,” I said, looking her right in the eye. “What’s more, I don’t think you
want
to do this. It takes a certain mind-set for this kind of work, and you’re not like that. Not the girl I’ve seen tonight, anyway.” Her brow furrowed just slightly, and I pressed forward. “You can walk away, Mist,” I said earnestly. “This doesn’t have to be your life. Talon doesn’t have to control it. Come with us, and I can show you how to be free.”

For just a moment, she hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her face. I leaned forward, ignoring the cuffs digging into my skin. “You know you don’t want to do this,” I cajoled, my voice gentle, and she scowled. “Mist, listen to me. You don’t belong with them. You’re resourceful, quick-thinking and one of the most intelligent dragons I’ve ever seen, hatchling or otherwise. Your talents are being wasted. Think of what we could do for our kind if Talon wasn’t in the picture. Cut me loose, and we can leave together.”

“You’re wrong,” Mist answered, and a steely note had entered her voice. Straightening, she narrowed her eyes to icy blue slits and pushed the cart back. “I am what Talon requires,” she said, all hesitation gone. “The organization entrusted me with this task, and I will not fail them. I need that information, but if you refuse to cooperate, then you leave me no choice.”

She grabbed the second needle from where it lay on the table, turned and plunged it into my neck. I jerked, clenching my jaw as my fingers fumbled further with the cuff of my sleeve and the thing I was trying to get at slid away. Mist injected the syringe’s contents into my veins and stepped back, replacing the needle on the table.

“What was that?” I growled.

“Sodium thiopental,” Mist said, wiping her hands on the towel. “Only, this is a special version, produced in Talon labs, specifically for our kind. Our scientists have been mixing science and magic to great effect lately. It’s still in its experimentation phase, but the results have been very encouraging.”

Sodium thiopental. Truth serum.
Dammit. As a rule, dragons were fairly resistant to modern drugs and their effects. Much like alcohol, the amount required to get any kind of reaction from a dragon would kill a normal man. But we weren’t immune. Pump us full of enough shit, and we’d feel the effects, same as a human. “You’re very forthcoming suddenly,” I said, renewing my efforts with my sleeve cuff. Where was that stupid slit? I had to find it again before I got too loopy to do anything. “Sure
you’re
not the one who got stuck with the needle?”

Mist regarded me with a practiced blank expression. “I’m telling you this because I want you to know that fighting is useless,” she said, “and it would be better in the long run to give me the answers quickly. Holding out is only going to make it worse. I
was
going to interrogate you the old-­fashioned way, but I suspect you have a fairly high pain threshold, and Talon wants the information as soon as possible. We’ll give that a few minutes to work, and then we’ll see how you feel about cooperating.”

“I didn’t think Vipers did this sort of thing,” I said, buying time as Mist leaned back, regarding me blankly. “Isn’t your shtick more murder and assassination? Is Lilith finally deciding to branch out?”

Mist paused, the hint of a smile tugging at her lips, turning my insides cold. “What makes you think
I’m
a Viper?” she asked. “I was trained to be a Basilisk, just like you. Don’t worry, though,” she went on, and settled back against the table, crossing her arms. “I’m not the only agent Talon sent. The Viper should be finishing up shortly.”

Ember

“Drop your weapons.”

The human’s voice echoed in the empty space, low and commanding. I tensed, eyeing the men surrounding us. Not soldiers of St. George; they wore black business suits and no armor, looking more like bodyguards or FBI agents than military people. Their guns, however, were all too real, pointed unerringly at me and Garret. My heart seized with the realization.

Not St. George. Talon.

The man holding Faith cocked the hammer of his weapon and shoved it harder against her temple, making her gasp. “I won’t ask again,” he warned. “Put your weapons on the ground and your hands on your head. Now.”

“Dammit.” I glanced at Garret, who lowered his gun, looking resigned. Bending down, he set the pistol on the cement and rose, clasping his hands behind his skull. With a growl, I did the same, tossing the weapon to the floor and lacing my fingers behind my head. The half circle of men closed in, motioning us forward, keeping their guns trained on us. They also kept a safe distance away, I saw as we were herded toward the front. Wary and alert, offering no opportunity to be pounced on by a dragon. They knew what they were dealing with.

The man in the suit didn’t smile as we were brought before him, didn’t move a muscle. His grip on Faith didn’t lessen, though he kept his gaze trained on us. My mind raced. Talon was here for me. Not Faith or Garret. Just me. I didn’t know how I knew this, but I did.

Faith met my gaze, pale and terrified, her eyes pleading for me to do something. Setting my jaw, I took a step forward.

“Let her go,” I said, as all the guns came up, pointed at me. I stopped, keeping my hands raised, meeting the impassive stare of the human in front of us. “Leave both of them out of this,” I insisted. “They’re not important. Just a runaway and a human nobody. You’re here for me, right? I’m the one you want.”

The agent didn’t reply. He continued to stare at me, expressionless, and my desperation grew. “Please,” I continued, taking one more step toward him. “You don’t need them. Let them walk out, and I…I’ll come quietly. I’ll go back with you to Talon. Just let them go.”

And Faith started to laugh.

“Oh, Ember.” She chuckled and slid easily from the human’s grip, smiling at me. “You
are
naive, aren’t you?”