Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Dr. Fizzlewick motioned with his gnarled hands. “Let’s get her back to the lab and take a picture of her face once we clean her up, and go door to door. We have to identify her.”
Vero looked directly at Lyrica. “Return to your office. Cover both of ours in case somebody comes looking for a missing female. Once we send you a picture, you can meet with the rescued females and ask if anybody knows her.”
She hesitated.
“You’re needed at our offices now, just in case,” he prodded.
Gulping, her brown eyes wide, she turned.
He absolutely did not want her out in the cold for any longer staring at a fragile and broken human. One he hadn’t been able to protect.
Dr. Fizzlewick reached for the victim’s shoulder. “All right, let’s do this.”
* * * *
After a night without decent sleep, the sound of hammers and saws slowly drove Vero insane, even though he knew they had to get the lodge back up to standards. He began to turn away from his computer just as Paxton filled the screen from a country away.
“Morning,” Pax said. “Good to know that the computers have been updated and we can meet this way, even though I’ll be back in a couple of days. For now, I received your message about another dead body with the weird symbol. We need to find this killer.”
Vero paused. “Hi. I’m working on it. I saw Fizzlewick this morning, and his prelim didn’t provide any additional information. She was raped and strangled like the first victim before freezing. We don’t know who she is. How’s Realm headquarters?”
“Good. I’m reaching out to the Cyst leader today from the Realm, thinking that might make a statement. Tell me about General Waxton.”
Vero needed a sparkling water. Had the stash been replenished? “The general is smart and strong, and actually a decent guy. Has a level head on his shoulders, and while an excellent fighter, I believe he prefers the spiritual side of his job. Use reason and respect with him.” Vero had always liked that general. He didn’t pick on kids or females. “He has to be at least two thousand years old.”
Paxton whistled. “Impressive. Hopefully the news of our problems in the camp hasn’t reached him.” Paxton leaned closer to the screen. “Before I forget, are you all right after our fight the other night?”
“What fight?” Vero drawled. It had taken him a while to heal his spleen, but he supposed that was a good thing. He wouldn’t want his brother to be a wimp when it came to a good scuffle.
“Just checking.” Paxton scrubbed both hands down his face. “Back to the victims in our territory. I’ve been on the phone with various leaders around the world, as have the Realm leaders. Nobody has any clue what the circle with slashes through it means.”
Vero sat back and his chair creaked. “On one hand, that’s good news. It means there isn’t some coalition out there trying to take us down. On the other hand…”
Paxton stretched his neck. “We have no clue who would murder helpless human females. Is this a common thing in the Kurjan nation?”
“Absolutely not,” Vero said. “This is an anomaly.” He tried to sound casual. “How is Hunter doing?”
“Hunter’s doing well. Their doctors are the best in the world, especially his mom. The king said Hunter should be all healed up in probably a week, and he’s already talking a little bit. Didn’t see who jumped him and managed to dive through the ice and into the river, letting the current take him to where we found him. Guy was smart.”
Healing the damage in his neck that quickly was impressive. Reattaching cords and even vertebrae should have taken longer than that. Vero had always known Hunter to be tough, but this feat stood out as remarkable.
“Have you decided if you want our current location to be the permanent headquarters?” Vero asked.
“I think so. It’s a good strategic position and we’re close to the Realm, but not too close. What do you think?”
Vero picked up a pen to twirl between his fingers. “I like the position of it. If this is it, I will send orders for the complete computer hub to be sent here. I’m having trouble accessing the satellites. It should take about two days to get us up and running if we fully move here.”
“We’ll need to get going with digging an underground headquarters and some escape routes,” Paxton said.
Vero nodded. “I will start sketching up ideas. Back to the current problem. Lyrica checked in and none of the kidnapped females recognized the second victim.”
Paxton’s brows drew down. “Really? Not one of them?”
Vero shook his head. “No, and she wasn’t betrothed to any of the soldiers.”
Paxton threw a hand in the air. “She didn’t just arrive out of nowhere.”