Justice Keepers Saga - Books 7-9

Chapter 1-2

Dex backed away from his desk, standing in the warm sunlight that came in via the window. “You did a good job, Tanaben,” he said. “I knew bringing you onto this project was a good idea.”

Ben swiveled around.

Leaning back in his chair with arms folded, he frowned up at the man. “I still don"t get it,” he said, shaking his head. “You know everything I did; I was upfront about all of that…Why would you want me working for you?”

Dex looked down at his own shoes, deep creases forming in his brow. “You really have to ask?” he mumbled. “Tanaben, I believe everyone deserves a second chance, but more to the point, who better to strengthen our security than someone who used to break security systems?”

“I see your point,”

“We get that bug fixed,” Dex added, “and the app can be released to the Commons Review Board in less than three months. People will use our software to improve their fabrication units. Think about that.”

Ben grinned into his own lap, nodding his agreement. “I take your point,” he said. “I"m just glad I could help.”

“We"re glad to have you.”

Gratitude: that was a new experience. Even before Tyron exposed his actions out on the Fringe, Ben had worried that maybe one day, someone would find out about what he had done. What he had done…

What he had done was save lives, but try telling that to the arbiters who had passed judgment on him. Try telling that to Larani Tal. He could still remember the sting of her words when he"d asked Keli to read Isara"s mind.

Well…maybe life as a public servant wasn"t for him.

He slouched in his chair with arms crossed, tilting his head back to blink up at the ceiling. “It"s been rough,” Ben said. “After everything that happened…It"s nice to know someone is happy to accept my contributions.”

Dex performed a quick about-face and paced a line in front of the window. The man paused after a few steps, looking back over his shoulder. “A few of us are going to lunch in about an hour,” he said. “Join us.”

“Count on it.”

Yes, Tanaben Loranai was doing all right. Jack popped by his house at least once a week, and he often asked Ben whether there was any chance that he might be willing to work with the Keepers again. But no. That life was behind him. The danger, the fear, the boyfriends who turned their back on you when they found out about something you had done six years ago: all in the past.

For once, things were easy.

The air was warm and muggy on a beach where a twilight sky stretched on to the distant horizon. Waves lapped at the sandy shore in sprays of white foam, and the gulls were squawking in the distance.

A lovely setting, to be sure, which was why Jack wondered what had made Cassi call him all the way down here to Buenos Aires. Her message had just said that he was to meet her at these coordinates – she had used a GPS – with no explanation as to why. Was this Keeper business? He doubted it.

Larani had brought both of her aides with her to Earth, and Cassi seemed to want to take every available opportunity to go sight-seeing. Jack supposed he couldn"t blame her. This was his world, after all, and she was trying to get to know it. But it was all just a little too relationshipy for him.

wasHe wasn"t ready for that.

In sneakers, jeans and a tight gray t-shirt with a v-neck, Jack walked through the sand with his head down. “Lovely setting,” he called out. “You wanna tell me why you had me come down here?”

Cassi was sitting with her legs stretched out on a blanket, looking gorgeous in a strapless purple dress. The wind teased her pink hair, and she laughed as if it tickled. “I thought we might have a late dinner.”

Jack noticed the picnic basket that she had brought with her and the tiny candles she had burning in little glass jars. So, this was a date then. Summer was nervous about that; the Nassai was vocal in her opposition to Jack pursuing a relationship that he didn"t really want. He should probably just nip this thing in the bud.

Grinning like a fool, Jack stared down at his own feet. He rubbed his forehead with the back of one hand. “Yeah, I appreciate the effort,” he began. “But I think we both have a lot of work to do.”

“What work?”

“Reports for Larani?”

Cassi looked up to pout at him, soft candlelight casting flickering shadows on her face. “All of that is done,” she said. “Besides, we"ve been here for over a week, and we spent most of that time on the station.”

Jack dropped to his knees on the blanket, glancing toward the ocean. The dark waves lapping at the shore held attention for a little while. God, he really didn"t want to have this conversation. “Well, we"ve been busy.” That excuse sounded hollow in his ears. “It hasn"t exactly been an ideal week for touristy fun times.”

“Are you sure that"s it?”

My oh my, this was reminding him of conversations he"d had with Gabi less than one year ago. Always some excuse for why he couldn"t do whatever it was she wanted to do. Which, in this case, was meet his family. Cassi was in full girlfriend mode, and Jack Hunter was living in Avoidance Central. He had never thought he"d catch himself doing that particular dance.

It wasn"t that he didn"t like Cassi – God help him, he was physically attracted to her – but she seemed to be wanting an emotional commitment, and…Well, maybe that would sort itself out if he just gave it time.

physicallySummer was angry with him.

“What did you bring?” he asked.

He opened the basket to find a small container full of broccoli soup, and when he opened the lid, hot steam rose up with a delicious scent. Well…At least Cassi knew what he liked. But that just made his gut twist.

She was stretched out before him, resting on her elbows as she stared off into the distance. “Still thinking about her?” Cassi asked. “The woman who cut you to pieces? You know that moping won"t make it better, yes?”

Jack looked up to fix his gaze on her, then narrowed his eyes. “I"m well aware that I can"t simply will my desires into existence,” he said. “But even if I were "moping," putting me down for it isn"t helpful.”

“Just offering some perspective.”

Clamping a hand over his mouth, Jack shut his eyes and cleared his throat. “Yeah. A perspective that nobody asked for,” he said, letting his arm drop. “Cass, I know you mean well, but you have to let me sort this one out on my own.”

She tossed her head back, rolling her eyes. “As you say.” Instead of the fight that he had expected, Cassi just rolled onto her side and watched the waves lick the shore. “Your planet is beautiful.”

“So I"ve been told.”

“Why do your governments take such poor care of it?”

Jack fell backward with hands folded behind his head, smiling up at the night sky. “Wish I could tell you,” he mumbled. “I"ve been trying to figure that one out since I was nine years old.”

“Our world had similar problems with pollution,” Cassi explained. “But the fossil fuel deposits on Leyria weren"t nearly so rich as they were here, and we had to develop other technologies. We suspect it had something to do with the fact that the Overseers terraformed our world. Life didn"t have millions of years to develop naturally.”

“That makes sense…”

“So, you don"t want to do any sight-seeing?” she asked. “Might be your last chance to show me your hometown for a while.”

Crossing his arms, Jack sat up until he was hunched over, then shook his head. “At the moment, my hometown is covered in snow,” he said. “I did the obligatory visits: Dad, Lauren, Mumsy Dearest. I"d rather just get my work done.”

When he looked up, she was staring at him with flickering candlelight reflected in those purple eyes. “Jack,” she said flatly. “We"ve interviewed everyone on our list. What"s that phrase your people use? Zip, zilch, nada?”

“Well, sure…if you wanna be all 90s about it.”

“The point is you"ve earned a break.”

“You weren"t here these last four years,” he said. “Someone let Wesley Pennfield out of his cell. Leo kept hinting about knowledge from a source we couldn"t trace. If we have a chance to clean house here on Earth, I"d rather not pass it up.”

With a sigh of exasperation, Cassi shuffled about on the blanket until her back was to him. She sat there with her legs curled up, hugging her knees and watching the water. “You realize there"s a simple explanation for both of those things,” she said. “We know that Isara posed as Director Morane and leaked sensitive information to our enemies. It"s likely she was responsible for releasing Pennfield.”

It was plausible.

Jena had been on Earth in those first few weeks when Earthers and Leyrians were still learning how to talk to each other. Her presence would have provided Isara with an opportunity to do some damage. But it was just a little too simple for Jack"s liking.

hadGiving Isara credit for every security breach that had taken place over the last four years seemed like a very good way to ignore other potential threats. And why would Isara risk exposing herself by funneling information to Leo? It wasn"t like he could do anything with it, stuck in a cell as he was. Isara was extremely practical, focused and methodical; she wasn"t prone to leaving her mark just to prove she had been there.

Of course, there might be a way to find out…

He picked up the container of soup, dipped a spoon into it and began shoveling it into his mouth as fast as he could, ignoring the heat. “This is great,” he mumbled around the spoon. “Where did you get it?”

Glancing back over her shoulder, Cassi squinted at him. “Bleakness take me,” she said. “You"re gonna give yourself a stomach ache! Slow down.”

“Can"t,” Jack replied. “I"ve got me an idea.”