Page 13
Story: One More Chance
She frowned.
“You can leave in a minute.”
“What?” She would leave when she pleased, and he had no say in it whatsoever.
He lifted his chin. She looked in the direction he indicated and spotted two women walking toward them. Slender, wearing professional clothes. Completely out of place in a city park. Maybe they were on an outing on their lunch break, getting some fresh, extra-hot air before going back to the office.
Except they were headed right for her.
“Is there a meeting on the calendar I’m not aware of?”
“Hear them out.”
She glanced over at him, figuring there was no point in arguing now. Or making a scene by leaving. These two women gave her a vibe. “Members of the resistance?”
“I didn’t ask.”
Which meant he figured yes but wasn’t about to force them to admit it.
She got up, not wanting to remain seated and be at a disadvantage with them standing over her in their power suits with their professionally blown out hair. They hid their strength well, but she spotted telltale signs in the way they moved.
Signs that they could very well be the children that her enemy, the organizationDominatus, created in their labs. Crafting genetically superior children and implanting them in high-achieving women whom they had kidnapped for the purposes of breeding. The whole thing was an insane story that she would struggle to believe if it wasn’t for the fact she was one of those children.
She stuck her hands in her pockets, which drew up her shoulders and reminded her of that woman. The boy and his injured younger sister, Lila. Wishing his mother was dead so the terror and pain could be over.
She slid her hands out just as the first woman approached, sliding sunglasses to the top of her head. She carried a leather briefcase. The woman with her seemed to be an associate, or she was a bodyguard with a fantastic ability to come across as unthreatening.
The first woman stuck her hand out. “Lisa Romeo.”
“Kenna Ban—Jaxton.” Maybe she should double-barrel her name, so she could be Kenna Banbury-Jaxton. They shook hands.
The woman’s eyes widened. “That’s quite a grip you have.” She motioned to her friend. “This is my associate, Beth Potter. We’re from Hann, Anthony, and Associates.”
“Lawyers?” She glanced at Bruce. How had he found these women? Or had they found him? “What can I do for you?”
“Typically, we specialize in corporate law, but once in a while, we take on specific cases.” Ms. Romeo opened her briefcase and drew out a file. “Several years back, we were working one involving a medical research company and the cutting-edge work they were doing with genetic modification. Our client’s information will remain confidential. However, it’s pertinent that you know she was all set to testify against the company and disappeared the night before.”
“Disappeared?” Kenna would take a missing person case right now. Even if she had the cold case that Jax had given her this morning. Anything she could work from her laptop while she rested in bed sounded great. Like ordering a pizza and falling asleep halfway through the third slice while snuggling against Jax’s warm chest?—
She cleared her throat. “Do you have any idea who took her?”
There was a chance the witness got cold feet and left of her own volition, but if they were talking to Kenna, it was far more likely she’d been taken. Probably killed, since it had been several years.
Ms. Romeo continued, “Despite the fact she was under guard and at a safe house, our security was breached, and the guards were murdered. The witness has never been seen since.”
“And you want me to find her?”
Ms. Romeo shook her head and handed over the file. “Actually, we want you to testify.”
Kenna opened the front cover and found a photo. A grainy black-and-white image of a Caucasian man in a lab coat with no hair.
Her mind recalled events from just a few weeks ago. She was held captive by a senator, who had been part ofDominatus, until her friends killed him and rescued her, along with Jax’s sister and mother. She’d seen this bald man. For a few moments, she had woken up in a hospital bed with him standing over her, surrounded by other medical personnel.
“You’ve seen this man?”
Kenna lifted her head and looked at the woman. “Do you know who he is?”
“Everything we know is in that file.”
“You can leave in a minute.”
“What?” She would leave when she pleased, and he had no say in it whatsoever.
He lifted his chin. She looked in the direction he indicated and spotted two women walking toward them. Slender, wearing professional clothes. Completely out of place in a city park. Maybe they were on an outing on their lunch break, getting some fresh, extra-hot air before going back to the office.
Except they were headed right for her.
“Is there a meeting on the calendar I’m not aware of?”
“Hear them out.”
She glanced over at him, figuring there was no point in arguing now. Or making a scene by leaving. These two women gave her a vibe. “Members of the resistance?”
“I didn’t ask.”
Which meant he figured yes but wasn’t about to force them to admit it.
She got up, not wanting to remain seated and be at a disadvantage with them standing over her in their power suits with their professionally blown out hair. They hid their strength well, but she spotted telltale signs in the way they moved.
Signs that they could very well be the children that her enemy, the organizationDominatus, created in their labs. Crafting genetically superior children and implanting them in high-achieving women whom they had kidnapped for the purposes of breeding. The whole thing was an insane story that she would struggle to believe if it wasn’t for the fact she was one of those children.
She stuck her hands in her pockets, which drew up her shoulders and reminded her of that woman. The boy and his injured younger sister, Lila. Wishing his mother was dead so the terror and pain could be over.
She slid her hands out just as the first woman approached, sliding sunglasses to the top of her head. She carried a leather briefcase. The woman with her seemed to be an associate, or she was a bodyguard with a fantastic ability to come across as unthreatening.
The first woman stuck her hand out. “Lisa Romeo.”
“Kenna Ban—Jaxton.” Maybe she should double-barrel her name, so she could be Kenna Banbury-Jaxton. They shook hands.
The woman’s eyes widened. “That’s quite a grip you have.” She motioned to her friend. “This is my associate, Beth Potter. We’re from Hann, Anthony, and Associates.”
“Lawyers?” She glanced at Bruce. How had he found these women? Or had they found him? “What can I do for you?”
“Typically, we specialize in corporate law, but once in a while, we take on specific cases.” Ms. Romeo opened her briefcase and drew out a file. “Several years back, we were working one involving a medical research company and the cutting-edge work they were doing with genetic modification. Our client’s information will remain confidential. However, it’s pertinent that you know she was all set to testify against the company and disappeared the night before.”
“Disappeared?” Kenna would take a missing person case right now. Even if she had the cold case that Jax had given her this morning. Anything she could work from her laptop while she rested in bed sounded great. Like ordering a pizza and falling asleep halfway through the third slice while snuggling against Jax’s warm chest?—
She cleared her throat. “Do you have any idea who took her?”
There was a chance the witness got cold feet and left of her own volition, but if they were talking to Kenna, it was far more likely she’d been taken. Probably killed, since it had been several years.
Ms. Romeo continued, “Despite the fact she was under guard and at a safe house, our security was breached, and the guards were murdered. The witness has never been seen since.”
“And you want me to find her?”
Ms. Romeo shook her head and handed over the file. “Actually, we want you to testify.”
Kenna opened the front cover and found a photo. A grainy black-and-white image of a Caucasian man in a lab coat with no hair.
Her mind recalled events from just a few weeks ago. She was held captive by a senator, who had been part ofDominatus, until her friends killed him and rescued her, along with Jax’s sister and mother. She’d seen this bald man. For a few moments, she had woken up in a hospital bed with him standing over her, surrounded by other medical personnel.
“You’ve seen this man?”
Kenna lifted her head and looked at the woman. “Do you know who he is?”
“Everything we know is in that file.”
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