The Reckoning by Teyla Branton Read Free Book Online Page B

a desk that abutted the wall.
    “Can they target it?” I could just imagine a battle where the Emporium had a null with them that could weaken our strongest fighters. A massacre wouldn’t begin to describe the ending of that scenario.
    “Some can.” Ritter pulled a chair from the desk and straddled it backwards, laying his arms on the backrest.
    “How far is their range?” I hated the idea that Jeane—or anyone—could limit my sensing just by being near me.
    The others shook their heads, as if no one wanted to risk a guess, and then Cort said, “It’s one of those less common abilities. Range should vary with the strength of the individual.”
    “There’s a null with the Renegades in Italy.” Stella folded her arms over her stomach in a gesture that had become familiar since her miscarriage. “I’ll put out a call. But Jeane showing up here now worries me, especially in light of our discovery in Austin.”
    “Why don’t we discuss that now?” Ava said. “We can fill in the rest of our group later.”
    More chairs scraped the tile as people retrieved them from the corners of the room and brought them over. When we were settled, Ava looked at Stella. “Want to give them a rundown? I haven’t read all the documents yet, not like you have.”
    “The short version, please,” I said with a half smile in Stella’s direction. I’d photographed the documents, and I knew it would take days for me to read and understand them. Even channeling her ability, I couldn’t digest electronic documents the way she could.
    “And use short words,” added Jace. Mari giggled at that while Ritter gave him a hard stare.
    Stella winked at Jace. “I’ll try. Mr. Desoto has several US defense contracts. He also has been secretly supplying Iran with plutonium. Everyone’s heard the rumors about Iran, and apparently the fact that they have weapons-grade plutonium is true. Desoto has partnered with the Emporium, and they now have controlling shares in all Desoto’s companies, as well as several other companies who hold defense contracts.”
    “Once it gets out,” Dimitri said, “about Iran having plutonium, those companies will make billions.”
    “Only one thing could make them more money than the threat of war,” Ritter said, his voice nearly a growl. “And that’s war itself.”
    “Exactly.” Stella nodded, her dark eyes angry but her voice still calm. “And that’s why what we discovered tonight isn’t as surprising as it might seem on the outside. Desoto plans not only to supply more plutonium to Iran but has also agreed to help them use it on a target.”
    “That’s crazy!” This from Jace, but the same thought radiated from everyone present.
    “It is crazy,” Stella said. “Because they know that America and the other nations can’t sit back and do nothing. That’s why the plan is for Iran not to use the weapons themselves, but to set up a rebel faction of terrorists to take the blame.”
    “They’re going to wipe out Israel,” Cort guessed.
    Stella nodded. “Israel and several US targets in Iraq.”
    No one said anything for long moments, staring at each other with a mixture of dismay and disbelief. We knew the Emporium cared little for mortal lives except for the comfort they could lend to their supposed godhood, but this seemed to go beyond anything they’d ever planned.
    Ava stood up from the desk. “We can see that despite their failure in New York with our new president, the Emporium is gearing up to enact their ultimate plan to reveal their nature to the mortal world. If they succeed in Israel and Iraq, many people will die, including Americans living in the regions and the soldiers we’re bound to send later. There will no doubt be a lot of political changes here that we can only begin to imagine. I’m sure they’ve had this in the works for decades. This war must be their ultimate goal, but it’s possible that our upheaval of their plan to place one of their own in the presidency