True
Page 91
“Safe and sound.” Breeze turned off the engine.
Jeanie opened her eyes when she lifted her face away from True’s chest and glanced around. They were in a well-lit area, parked near the curb in front of a single-story building. Two New Species in uniform stood with weapons drawn but holstered them and frowned.
“You’re a menace, Breeze,” one of them accused.
“Love you, too, toga boy.”
He snarled. “I told you to stop calling me that!”
“Be nice or I’m going to go say hello to your mate. I missed Beauty while you guys were at Reservation. I’m sure I could find a flag somewhere on the way and tell her how romantic it is to relive memorable moments by reenacting them and how capturing it on camera is really awesome.”
“You wouldn’t dare. I’m not posing for pictures.”
Breeze climbed out of the vehicle and snorted. “You’ll do it if your mate asks. Remember that, toga boy.”
True lifted Jeanie out of the Jeep and placed her on her feet. She glanced up at him. “What are they talking about?”
“I don’t want to know and you don’t either,” he answered. He clasped her hand. “Let’s go inside before they start fighting.”
She glanced at the tall Species woman facing off against the taller Species man as True led her toward the building. “Maybe we should stick around to make sure this doesn’t escalate into violence. He looks kind of mean.”
True chuckled. “They are like siblings. Besides, Breeze can handle any male in a fight and it would be for play. Feel sympathy for Shadow. She never makes threats unless she’s willing to follow through.”
Jeanie stared wide-eyed as another New Species used his card to swipe a reader and punched in numbers to open a steel door. She was amazed at the amount of security they used. The interior was a large room with a bunch of computers. Three more New Species worked inside, one of them Luna. She stood and grinned, waving them over to her station.
“I’m all ready for you to look at the records, Jeanie. These are the employee files for Homeland and all have pictures. Have a seat.”
Jeanie released True and sat. Luna leaned over her and typed in commands on the keyboard.
“Thank you.”
“I removed all female humans. Just click the arrow button to go to the next record. I’m sorry but there are a lot of them. Homeland was totally run by humans and built by them so there are quite a few males for you to look at. It’s going to take some time.” Luna smiled encouragingly. “I’m going to be right over there.” She pointed to another desk before indicating that True should take a seat next to Jeanie. “That’s for you. I knew you’d want to stay by her side.”
True sat and scooted closer. “I hope we find the bastards.”
“Me too.”
Jinx and the other New Species males who’d come with them hovered near the back of the room. Jeanie turned her full attention to the screen to stare at the first employee file. It had the person’s name, job title, a photo, and a lot of other information with click-on options. She studied the face and hit the arrow button. He wasn’t Agent Brice or the blond man who’d come after her in True’s apartment. She had to remember that their hair colors could have been changed and keep in mind that they might look different in these photos. She carefully studied each face.
Jinx brought Jeanie a cup of coffee at some point. She gave him a smile of thanks and sipped it. True quietly remained next to her. He reached over from time to time to rub her back. She appreciated the fact that he was there to give her moral support. The files were in the hundreds. Jeanie was tired of looking at so many faces almost an hour into the process but she kept going. The next file appeared when she hit the arrow and the face on the screen made her gasp as she stared at it.
True leaned in. “What is it?”
“It’s him.” Jeanie stared at the photo and her gaze slid to his name. Jerry Boris. “It’s him!” Her voice rose. “That’s Agent Brice!”
Movement in her peripheral vision caused her to tear her gaze from the monitor. Every New Species in the room converged on her location. True reached over and gripped her thigh, squeezing it.
“That’s Director Jerry Boris. He was in charge of Homeland when it opened,” one of the New Species growled.
“Oh man,” Jinx said, “are you sure, Flame?”
The redheaded New Species grimly nodded while pulling his cell phone from a pocket of his uniform. “I’m calling Justice and the Council. They wanted to be informed if the male was found.” Flame stared at Jeanie. “You’re absolutely sure he is the one?”
“Positive. I’m one-hundred-percent certain. That is the man who told me his name was Agent Terry Brice. He’s been meeting with me every other week since the beginning. There’s no doubt.”
Flame cursed and spun away as he dialed. He walked into a room off the main office and kicked the door closed. Jeanie stared at the employee file on the screen and soaked in the information. It had him flagged as a current employee. She frowned.
“What is it?” True pressed against her side to get a better look at the screen.
“He still works for you guys.” She pointed to his current status.
Luna bent forward from the other side of Jeanie and grabbed hold of the mouse. She clicked on a link and it popped open another window. They all read the information.
Jeanie opened her eyes when she lifted her face away from True’s chest and glanced around. They were in a well-lit area, parked near the curb in front of a single-story building. Two New Species in uniform stood with weapons drawn but holstered them and frowned.
“You’re a menace, Breeze,” one of them accused.
“Love you, too, toga boy.”
He snarled. “I told you to stop calling me that!”
“Be nice or I’m going to go say hello to your mate. I missed Beauty while you guys were at Reservation. I’m sure I could find a flag somewhere on the way and tell her how romantic it is to relive memorable moments by reenacting them and how capturing it on camera is really awesome.”
“You wouldn’t dare. I’m not posing for pictures.”
Breeze climbed out of the vehicle and snorted. “You’ll do it if your mate asks. Remember that, toga boy.”
True lifted Jeanie out of the Jeep and placed her on her feet. She glanced up at him. “What are they talking about?”
“I don’t want to know and you don’t either,” he answered. He clasped her hand. “Let’s go inside before they start fighting.”
She glanced at the tall Species woman facing off against the taller Species man as True led her toward the building. “Maybe we should stick around to make sure this doesn’t escalate into violence. He looks kind of mean.”
True chuckled. “They are like siblings. Besides, Breeze can handle any male in a fight and it would be for play. Feel sympathy for Shadow. She never makes threats unless she’s willing to follow through.”
Jeanie stared wide-eyed as another New Species used his card to swipe a reader and punched in numbers to open a steel door. She was amazed at the amount of security they used. The interior was a large room with a bunch of computers. Three more New Species worked inside, one of them Luna. She stood and grinned, waving them over to her station.
“I’m all ready for you to look at the records, Jeanie. These are the employee files for Homeland and all have pictures. Have a seat.”
Jeanie released True and sat. Luna leaned over her and typed in commands on the keyboard.
“Thank you.”
“I removed all female humans. Just click the arrow button to go to the next record. I’m sorry but there are a lot of them. Homeland was totally run by humans and built by them so there are quite a few males for you to look at. It’s going to take some time.” Luna smiled encouragingly. “I’m going to be right over there.” She pointed to another desk before indicating that True should take a seat next to Jeanie. “That’s for you. I knew you’d want to stay by her side.”
True sat and scooted closer. “I hope we find the bastards.”
“Me too.”
Jinx and the other New Species males who’d come with them hovered near the back of the room. Jeanie turned her full attention to the screen to stare at the first employee file. It had the person’s name, job title, a photo, and a lot of other information with click-on options. She studied the face and hit the arrow button. He wasn’t Agent Brice or the blond man who’d come after her in True’s apartment. She had to remember that their hair colors could have been changed and keep in mind that they might look different in these photos. She carefully studied each face.
Jinx brought Jeanie a cup of coffee at some point. She gave him a smile of thanks and sipped it. True quietly remained next to her. He reached over from time to time to rub her back. She appreciated the fact that he was there to give her moral support. The files were in the hundreds. Jeanie was tired of looking at so many faces almost an hour into the process but she kept going. The next file appeared when she hit the arrow and the face on the screen made her gasp as she stared at it.
True leaned in. “What is it?”
“It’s him.” Jeanie stared at the photo and her gaze slid to his name. Jerry Boris. “It’s him!” Her voice rose. “That’s Agent Brice!”
Movement in her peripheral vision caused her to tear her gaze from the monitor. Every New Species in the room converged on her location. True reached over and gripped her thigh, squeezing it.
“That’s Director Jerry Boris. He was in charge of Homeland when it opened,” one of the New Species growled.
“Oh man,” Jinx said, “are you sure, Flame?”
The redheaded New Species grimly nodded while pulling his cell phone from a pocket of his uniform. “I’m calling Justice and the Council. They wanted to be informed if the male was found.” Flame stared at Jeanie. “You’re absolutely sure he is the one?”
“Positive. I’m one-hundred-percent certain. That is the man who told me his name was Agent Terry Brice. He’s been meeting with me every other week since the beginning. There’s no doubt.”
Flame cursed and spun away as he dialed. He walked into a room off the main office and kicked the door closed. Jeanie stared at the employee file on the screen and soaked in the information. It had him flagged as a current employee. She frowned.
“What is it?” True pressed against her side to get a better look at the screen.
“He still works for you guys.” She pointed to his current status.
Luna bent forward from the other side of Jeanie and grabbed hold of the mouse. She clicked on a link and it popped open another window. They all read the information.
