She stared at their guns since their faces were covered with tinted full-face shields attached to helmets. They all wore NSO patches on their Kevlar vests. The helicopter lifted off and she moaned in response to the queasy feeling the motion caused. The entire thing seemed to sway back and forth for a few seconds. She looked out but regretted it as they lifted higher than the treetops.

Justice touched her arm and she started. She turned to him and he held out chunky headphones, motioning for her to put them on. She accepted them and watched him put on a matching set. He even showed her how to push the mic close to her mouth. She followed his example.

“Can you hear me?”

His voice came out clearly in the headphones against her ears. “Yes.”

“You look unwell. This mode of transportation is safe. Don’t look out the windows if you are bothered by heights or fast motions. Just focus on me.”

“Okay.” She kept her gaze locked with his. He had pretty eyes and the grim expression in them had faded.

“I’m Justice. Do you remember me from the hotel?”

“I do.”

“You don’t look well, Travanni. Do you need medical attention? We can have our doctors standing by when we land.”

“It’s probably just the makeup. I’m okay. Scared but okay.” She sealed her lips. She was nervous and didn’t want to babble. He was Justice North. Her fate was in his hands.

“There’s no need to be frightened. Can you tell me why you called us?”

“I was held against my will at Gregory Wood’s vacation home last night. They were planning to force me to say Smiley drugged me.” She let the story come pouring out. She babbled after all but it kept her distracted from the horrible way the helicopter bounced around. Her fingers dug in to the seat tightly enough that she worried she might do damage to the leathery material.

“I didn’t drug Smiley,” she swore. “They said they paid the bartender to do it. That Bruce guy put on gloves, withdrew a glass vial and forced my fingertips against it. They put it in a plastic bag so Gregory could frame me if I didn’t say what he wanted.” Tears filled her eyes. She really wanted him to believe her.

He scowled. “We ran background checks on all the employees. The bartender worked several shifts with other Species in his bar without incident. That’s why we assumed it was you. The team said you walked directly to Smiley when you entered the bar, as if you targeted him.”

“I didn’t even realize he was New Species until after I sat down. Gregory said you have graveyards full of bodies at Homeland and Reservation. Please don’t kill me.”

“We don’t kill females.” He reached out and hesitated before patting her knee. It was a comforting gesture. He stopped after two taps. “That male says a lot of things about us that aren’t true.”

“Gregory also said they paid some woman to sit by Smiley but she was running late or something. Instead, I showed up and interfered with their plan. It was just by chance that I chose to sit there. I wouldn’t ever drug someone. I need you to believe me. I hate the Woods Church and everything they stand for.”

“Why were you at the hotel with them then?”

“Carl told me he wanted to make it up to me that we weren’t spending any time together. He works a lot. I thought it was just going to be the two of us for a romantic weekend. Instead, after we got there, he lays it on me that his father is paying us to attend. I wanted to leave but I didn’t have my car. Carl tricked me and then I felt stuck.”

“Why would his father pay you?”

“The media was giving his dad grief because Carl and I never attend his church or go to social events with him. That was a good thing in my mind since Gregory and I never got along. I guess Gregory figured it would make them stop if we were his guests. Carl was fixated on the money and kept telling me we could have a better wedding if I’d just keep my mouth shut and smile for pictures. It’s been a constant argument with us since we started planning our wedding. It’s traditional for the bride and her family to pay and the groom springs for the reception. He wanted four hundred guests but the chapel I could afford only seats a hundred. I absolutely refused to get married at his father’s church. He offered that but it was a deal breaker for me.”

Justice opened his mouth as if he intended to speak but then closed it.

“Carl said his dad was going to pay us fifty grand to be at the hotel to take pictures with him. Carl started guilt-tripping me into just staying for a few days. I should have left. Let’s just say I got to see a whole new side of my ex and I didn’t like it one bit. I’m glad the engagement is off.”

He grimly regarded her. “Do you know why they drugged you too? It would have been more effective if they’d just heavily dosed one of our males. He would have attacked any female near him. That would have been horrific. You experienced a milder version of the drug but full dosage of even that drug would have made Smiley deadly.”

“Gregory said he wanted a victim to parade around in the media to keep the story active. He was afraid the NSO would sweep it under the rug otherwise by blaming Mercile Industries.”

“That male is deranged.”

“Tell me about it. I just got an up-close-and-personal experience with how nuts he truly is. His church members think he’s some kind of messiah who can predict the future. I’m still confused whether they just think New Species are going to take over the world or believe they plan to slaughter everyone. I don’t even think they can decide.”

“Why would we kill others? We lock ourselves behind secured gates to protect our people from the out world. They come after us, not the other way around.”

“I know. I follow the news.”

He grew quiet and she lowered her gaze to her lap. Mr. North seemed really nice and she hated to repeat any of the garbage Gregory or his members had shared.

“They plan to send us a vial with your fingerprints then?”

She looked up. “Yes. I swear I didn’t drug myself or Smiley. It was the bartender.”

“It makes sense. You were the only female to go near our male but the bartender was the one to mix the drinks. He had no criminal record and showed no hatred for us during his interactions with our group.”

“There’s always a first time, right?”

He cocked an eyebrow.

“You know, every bad guy was once good until he crossed a line. I don’t think they come out of the womb being assholes.”

His expression cleared and he smiled. “I like you, Vanni. I see why Smiley was so adamant about defending your innocence.”

That news surprised her. “He was?”

“Yes. He’s protested our assumption that you dosed him but you have to admit the circumstances made you appear guilty. You had no form of identification on you that night and you weren’t registered at the hotel. Then you escaped the SUV taking you for medical treatment at Homeland.”

“I was afraid I was going to be arrested for something I didn’t do. That’s why I ran away.”

“I understand. We’ll be at Homeland soon. I need to contact them so I’m switching broadcast signals to a secure one with the NSO. Just tap me if you need to speak and I’ll switch to the short-range one we use to communicate in the helicopter so our signals don’t travel.”

“Thank you.”

She made the mistake of turning in her seat and staring out the window. The helicopter flew high and fast, the ground far enough away to assure her they’d die if it crashed. It made the swaying sensation worse.

I hope we get there soon or I’m going to throw up. Good thing I haven’t eaten anything today.

* * * * *

Smiley paced the floor. The pilot had radioed in that they’d picked up Vanni and she seemed unharmed. Justice had not contacted Security though, and it drove him insane.

“Relax,” Fury ordered. “We knew he planned to speak to her.”