security covers only the building and the military will draw too much attention, besides not being trained for the work. Lore said he’d be here nights, which leaves me and Zag with her during the day."
Domino nodded. "Very well."
Chaffed by the unaccustomed bargaining going on over her head, Bali said irritably, "If you’re through, boys, I’ve got some work I may as well do. I assume it’s safe to walk up the stairs alone?" She didn’t wait for an answer before she wandered off.
Datsu waited until she was out of sight. "You’ll have to fight that mulish streak of hers. She doesn’t like being owned."
"She’s not."
The first humor he’d shown crinkled Datsu’s eyes. "That’s not what I see when she looks at you. She’s owned and doesn’t like it ... yet."
Lore winked at Domino. "You’ll have to work harder at that, Dom."
Domino just smiled.
Chapter 23
Bali stormed the mall and returned victorious with her loot. In spite of Datsu’s grim hovering, she’d enjoyed selecting a handful of books, a movie and a new jacket to replace Icki’s shredded one. She’d been so completely relaxed, so focused on cheering up her friend, that when she’d looked up and saw her reflection in the department store mirror, she flinched. For a moment there, she’d thought she’d seen something of Icki in her face.
Hours later, she was still troubled by the thought. Granted, her mother had been half Japanese, but she was long dead, and she’d never had any other children. Maybe it had been nothing more than an odd fancy.
Domino was still in the club’s office when she returned, and Icki was in his room. Knowing it was crazy, she sat down at her computer and looked up Icki’s birth records. Since it was in a restricted database, the search took a little time, but when she was done....
Bali sat back, stunned, and stared at the screen. Then her mind began to whir as events clicked into place. The attack in her apartment, the murder attempt in the plane--either they were aimed at her, or they were aimed at removing her. With her out of the way, the true target became vulnerable. If that were the case, then the question became ... who would want her brother?
One person came to mind. There was someone she’d publicly denigrated, one who’d have enough knowledge of genetics to know that the Draconian bite had rendered his experiments null. Only one who would care.
Was her father alive?
They’d never found his body. The explosion had left so little of the building, that hadn’t been a surprise.
Had he staged his own assassination? It wasn’t much of a reach, and if he were still alive....
Feeling grim, Bali pondered the possibilities, then called for Datsu.
Chapter 24
"You look a little moody this evening," Domino commented over dinner.
Bali picked at her food. "Just some business left undone. I’ll get back to it later." She was debating what to tell him. For one thing, she hadn’t confronted Icki yet. He’d sent her to Domino, set her free from her father’s curse. He’d saved her life. It wasn’t easy to confront him now and demand answers, but it had to be done. She wasn’t fool enough to let this go, and she wasn’t that good an actress. He’d know something was up, and he wasn’t the only one.
With a sigh, she rose from the table. "Domino, let’s go talk to Icki. I need some answers."
Icki was lying in bed with a book when they knocked. It lay face up on his stomach when they walked in. He blinked at them sleepily. "Yes?"
Bali stared at him a moment, then crossed her arms. "Why didn’t you tell me you were my brother?"
Icki’s mouth dropped open. The expression was at odds with his normally cool facade.
"Direct, isn’t she?" Domino said admiringly from his post at the foot of the bed. Despite his surprise, he looked raptly interested.
Shooting him a quelling stare, Bali looked back at her brother. "I saw your birth certificate. Don’t ask,"
she said, cutting him off. "All I want to
Domino nodded. "Very well."
Chaffed by the unaccustomed bargaining going on over her head, Bali said irritably, "If you’re through, boys, I’ve got some work I may as well do. I assume it’s safe to walk up the stairs alone?" She didn’t wait for an answer before she wandered off.
Datsu waited until she was out of sight. "You’ll have to fight that mulish streak of hers. She doesn’t like being owned."
"She’s not."
The first humor he’d shown crinkled Datsu’s eyes. "That’s not what I see when she looks at you. She’s owned and doesn’t like it ... yet."
Lore winked at Domino. "You’ll have to work harder at that, Dom."
Domino just smiled.
Chapter 23
Bali stormed the mall and returned victorious with her loot. In spite of Datsu’s grim hovering, she’d enjoyed selecting a handful of books, a movie and a new jacket to replace Icki’s shredded one. She’d been so completely relaxed, so focused on cheering up her friend, that when she’d looked up and saw her reflection in the department store mirror, she flinched. For a moment there, she’d thought she’d seen something of Icki in her face.
Hours later, she was still troubled by the thought. Granted, her mother had been half Japanese, but she was long dead, and she’d never had any other children. Maybe it had been nothing more than an odd fancy.
Domino was still in the club’s office when she returned, and Icki was in his room. Knowing it was crazy, she sat down at her computer and looked up Icki’s birth records. Since it was in a restricted database, the search took a little time, but when she was done....
Bali sat back, stunned, and stared at the screen. Then her mind began to whir as events clicked into place. The attack in her apartment, the murder attempt in the plane--either they were aimed at her, or they were aimed at removing her. With her out of the way, the true target became vulnerable. If that were the case, then the question became ... who would want her brother?
One person came to mind. There was someone she’d publicly denigrated, one who’d have enough knowledge of genetics to know that the Draconian bite had rendered his experiments null. Only one who would care.
Was her father alive?
They’d never found his body. The explosion had left so little of the building, that hadn’t been a surprise.
Had he staged his own assassination? It wasn’t much of a reach, and if he were still alive....
Feeling grim, Bali pondered the possibilities, then called for Datsu.
Chapter 24
"You look a little moody this evening," Domino commented over dinner.
Bali picked at her food. "Just some business left undone. I’ll get back to it later." She was debating what to tell him. For one thing, she hadn’t confronted Icki yet. He’d sent her to Domino, set her free from her father’s curse. He’d saved her life. It wasn’t easy to confront him now and demand answers, but it had to be done. She wasn’t fool enough to let this go, and she wasn’t that good an actress. He’d know something was up, and he wasn’t the only one.
With a sigh, she rose from the table. "Domino, let’s go talk to Icki. I need some answers."
Icki was lying in bed with a book when they knocked. It lay face up on his stomach when they walked in. He blinked at them sleepily. "Yes?"
Bali stared at him a moment, then crossed her arms. "Why didn’t you tell me you were my brother?"
Icki’s mouth dropped open. The expression was at odds with his normally cool facade.
"Direct, isn’t she?" Domino said admiringly from his post at the foot of the bed. Despite his surprise, he looked raptly interested.
Shooting him a quelling stare, Bali looked back at her brother. "I saw your birth certificate. Don’t ask,"
she said, cutting him off. "All I want to
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