House Immortal by Devon Monk Read Free Book Online Page B

galvanized.
    â€œI don’t think so,” Right Ned said. “I think he’s House Gray.”
    I ran through what I knew of House Gray’s and White’s current standing. Didn’t think they were at odds any more than usual. Maybe they were working together to reclaim him? Or maybe House Gray had loaned his services to House White?
    I was beginning to think Neds were wrong. This man wasn’t trouble. He was a lot of trouble.
    â€œI’ll go see what they want,” I said. “Neds, get him in bed. Hide the guns and everything else, in case they search. Do not kill him. Understand? That man is not to be killed. If they want him and get surly about it, they’ll get him alive.”
    â€œWe should hand him over now,” Left Ned said.
    â€œNo.”
    I had no love in me for House White. I remember too well what my dad had said about them, how they had turned against their own scientists to sell the youth and other regeneration techniques only to the rich. How Kiana White, head of that House, had used medical advancements as bargaining chips to increase her own wealth, while common citizens were denied medical treatments. There was rumor she had even used medical advancements as biological weapons to secure her place in the House rankings.
    In my memories, I still heard Dad waking in the night, screaming from the nightmares of his time among them and the things they had made him do.
    Right Ned reached over and took the gun from his right hand. “Understood,” he said. Left Ned cussed, but didn’t fight him about it.
    â€œGrandma,” I said. “You can come along with me, all right?”
    â€œIt’s time, isn’t it? Finally time to go?”
    I dipped my hands in the water bucket Neds had brought in. “Not far. Just the living room.” I took her gently by the elbow.
    â€œI thought we had somewhere to be,” she said.
    â€œWe do. The living room. All you need to do is knit.”
    â€œAren’t you smart?” she said.
    â€œI like to think so.”
    â€œWhat about the sheep, dear? We’ll need the sheep.”
    â€œDid you leave them in the kitchen?”
    â€œDid I leave who where?”
    Okay, that wasn’t going to work.
    I guided her over to the once-proud, now-thread-worn couch.
    â€œYou get comfortable right here,” I said. “I’ll get you the sheep.”
    I lifted the edge of the curtain and peeked out. Grandma was almost right about our visitors. There were two cars—both white—and a box van, also white but armored up with plate metal and reinforced glass that looked strong enough to keep the lid on a fission bomb. The wheels were heavy enough to get them through what passed for roads out here, and likely easily switched out for the smoother, more modernized highways.
    There was a driver in each car, both men, and one woman driver in the van. The van had a male passenger too.
    The sheep would have to wait. House White would be on my porch and through my door any minute.
    Not going to happen.
    I pulled a sweater off the hook by the door and tugged my sleeves down as low as they would go, then untied my hair so it would fall to hide my stitches.
    It had been a long time since I’d faced a city dweller. I just hoped all the blockers we had in place held.
    I opened the door and strode outside.
    Too late, I realized I’d forgotten my gloves. Stupid. If they were smart—and since they were flying Medical, I figured they weren’t dumb—they’d notice the stitches along my thumbs and palms.
    I quickly shoved my hands into the pocket of my overalls, and swore there’d be no reason to take them out again as long as I was in their presence.
    I strolled out to the edge of the porch and stood at the top of the stair.
    Two women stepped out of the passenger’s sides of the cars.
    â€œAre you the property owner?” The first woman asked. Her voice was strong but it was not