In this Night We Own (The Commander Book 6) by Randall Farmer Read Free Book Online Page B

when he wasn’t here in Houston with me.  Crows were just so fragile.
    “Carol, I’ve got some interesting news.”
    He had been on his way to case the Chicago area, on what I suspected was a fruitless kidnapped Focus hunt.  His voice trilled of success.
    “You found the lost Focus?”
    “Yes.  As Lori and I feared, the Hunters have her.  She’s part of Odin’s pack now, as withdrawal scarred as his other pack members.”
    Damn.  The Hunters were getting better if they could kidnap a Clinic Focus and make it look like backstabbing Focus politics in action.  This was not good news.
    “Worse, Joshua has one as well, a Focus with at least five years of experience on her.  I have no idea who she is, or was.  I also managed to have a sit-down talk with Enkidu, in Indianapolis, while he was eating at a restaurant.”
    I bit my lip, wanting to interrupt.  I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to praise Gilgamesh to the heavens for his courage or chew him out for unnecessary risks.  Enkidu!  In a restaurant!  I certainly couldn’t have done any such thing.
    “I know,” Gilgamesh said, answering my unsaid comment.  “I hadn’t planned on talking to him, but after hearing you and Keaton going on about not wasting unexpected opportunities I couldn’t resist.”  His words brought a smile to my face.  “I did manage to upset him by pointing out to him that his master is a Crow, which he hadn’t known.  He didn’t take it well, giving me a chance to prove to myself that my rotten eggs are good enough now to distract an angry mature Hunter.  I’ll give you the full report when I get back.  When I found Enkidu’s farm camp, I learned he’s got a talented student I’d say is no more than three months away from becoming a full Hunter.  Worse, I found out he’s got a Crow captive.”
    “That’s not good at all.  What kind of Crow?”
    “Messed up.  He’s old enough to do rudimentary dross constructs,” which meant older than Gilgamesh, “but his withdrawal scarring is extensive enough to reduce his metasense to worse than Beast Man capabilities.  Enkidu has this captive Crow cleaning dross off his pack Transforms.  This sounds stupid, but unlike the Nobles, Enkidu’s able to maintain a Focus-like two to one female to male Transform ratio, if you neglect the cost to the minds of the captive male Transforms from the rough treatment.  There isn’t much left in any of their heads.  I’m afraid, though, his pack women are in far better shape than the Noble’s Commoners.”
    “Incredible job, Gilgamesh,” I said.  He had done well, despite my misgivings over the insane risks he took.  “Terrible news, though.  I’m going to have to think about the ramifications.  Where are you heading next?”
    “Back to Houston.”
    “I’m going to be out east for a few days but I’ll be back by the beginning of next week.  See you then.”  I had to check in on Hank and tell him to get his workaholic ass into bed before I took off.  I had a Biggioni to bother in Philly.
     
    ---
     
    More than four months had passed since Biggioni destroyed me in the CDC, four months I spent recovering and getting my life back under control.  Only now did I finally find time to deal with the necessary payback for what she had done.  Her actions demanded recompense, and the need screamed at me from my toes to my short cropped hair.  I dreamed sometimes about what I would like to do to the bitch.  I still suffered nightmares from what she had done to me.
    Now, finally, my life gave me a chance to deal with her.
    Interesting place Biggioni had.  I contemplated arson for a few minutes and decided to save any Arm devastation for another day.  The Focus’s excuse for an office was deserted, the Focus herself asleep three rooms down.  Her current household was a construction zone and half of her people camped out downstairs, in unfinished rooms.  I smelled pulled pork barbeque, Carolina style, and my stomach