to get your ass kicked, than by all means…” She glided out of the way and made an exaggerated gesture for them to continue.
The man came to attention, eyes on Stone and face in bitter lines. “Yes, sir. Hands off, sir. This way.” He spun stiffly and led them to a transport.
Regan walked between Mea and Stone, eyeing the man with severe distrust. She wouldn’t put it past him to grab her again—but then he’d just get his ass kicked. She ducked her head to hide a pleased smile and climbed aboard. The seats were long and plush, the windows tinted to dim the bright sun.
“Good of him not to put me in chains right away,” Mea muttered under her breath, but Regan heard and froze, staring at her.
Chains?
The woman grinned and ran a hand over Regan’s head. “I’m just kidding. It’ll be fine.”
She wasn’t sure if she could believe that. She sat down next to Mea with Stone across from them, while the official moved to sit in the front with the pilot.
Stone stared at Mea with raised eyebrows. “Partner?” he asked in a low voice.
She shrugged. “It’s in your best interest not to say otherwise until later.”
He snorted, folded his arms across his chest, and turned his face to the window.
Regan didn’t see much of the scenery on their way to Hunter Headquarters—she was too busy worrying about what was going to happen. She didn’t see much of the headquarters either, since they hustled so quickly into the building and up a lift. The other officials must have followed them in another transport, because they were all there, surrounding the three as they left the lift and walked down a corridor.
At the end of the corridor, they entered a waiting area boasting a few comfortable looking seats against the walls and soothing sea-side colors. An older woman sat behind a desk next to an office door, looking up as they entered. She shook her head, unsmiling. “Duck and cover, Mea. That man’s been in a snit all day, growling like a bear at the least little thing.” She paused, raising her eyebrows imperiously at the officials. “What are you still doing here? Go on, away with you.”
As they left, the intercom chimed. “Is that her?”
“Yes, sir,” the woman said politely to the rough, angry voice but rolled her eyes at them.
“Front and center, Hunter! Now!”
The office door opened behind the desk, and the woman gave them a sympathetic glance when they went by. Regan felt her stomach tangle in a painful knot when she got her first look at the man standing behind his desk. He looked like a bear, very large and formidable, glowering from under his lowered, bushy brows. His anger was a live thing, focused on Mea.
Regan pressed closer to Stone and gripped his hand tightly.
“You are in a load of shit this time, girl! What the hell were you thinking?”
Mea stepped in front of his desk, placing her hands in the small of her back and squaring her shoulders. She looked calm, but Regan didn’t know how she could be. The man’s voice was like the growl of a ferocious beast, deep and thunderous.
“Why? Because I saved you the trouble of tracking down a rogue?”
He waved a dismissive hand. “No, not that! Because of him!” One thick finger stabbed through the air, pointing unerringly at Stone.
Regan shrank back even farther, squeezing Stone’s hand in panic. He knew! How could he know? She was amazed to see Mea glance over her shoulder at them with what looked like a genuinely puzzled expression.
“Stone? Why?”
Her boss shifted that finger to Mea. “Don’t you play me, girl! I know what you did.” Placing his large hands flat on the desk, he leaned toward the woman standing calmly in front of him. “He’s a murderer, for Christ’s sake! What’s wrong with you?”
“Murderer? I didn’t see that on his record, Chief.”
Shaking his head, he sagged down into his chair. “Give it up, Mea. I don’t have the recorders on. Why the hell did you do this?”
“Do what? Uncle Mike,
The man came to attention, eyes on Stone and face in bitter lines. “Yes, sir. Hands off, sir. This way.” He spun stiffly and led them to a transport.
Regan walked between Mea and Stone, eyeing the man with severe distrust. She wouldn’t put it past him to grab her again—but then he’d just get his ass kicked. She ducked her head to hide a pleased smile and climbed aboard. The seats were long and plush, the windows tinted to dim the bright sun.
“Good of him not to put me in chains right away,” Mea muttered under her breath, but Regan heard and froze, staring at her.
Chains?
The woman grinned and ran a hand over Regan’s head. “I’m just kidding. It’ll be fine.”
She wasn’t sure if she could believe that. She sat down next to Mea with Stone across from them, while the official moved to sit in the front with the pilot.
Stone stared at Mea with raised eyebrows. “Partner?” he asked in a low voice.
She shrugged. “It’s in your best interest not to say otherwise until later.”
He snorted, folded his arms across his chest, and turned his face to the window.
Regan didn’t see much of the scenery on their way to Hunter Headquarters—she was too busy worrying about what was going to happen. She didn’t see much of the headquarters either, since they hustled so quickly into the building and up a lift. The other officials must have followed them in another transport, because they were all there, surrounding the three as they left the lift and walked down a corridor.
At the end of the corridor, they entered a waiting area boasting a few comfortable looking seats against the walls and soothing sea-side colors. An older woman sat behind a desk next to an office door, looking up as they entered. She shook her head, unsmiling. “Duck and cover, Mea. That man’s been in a snit all day, growling like a bear at the least little thing.” She paused, raising her eyebrows imperiously at the officials. “What are you still doing here? Go on, away with you.”
As they left, the intercom chimed. “Is that her?”
“Yes, sir,” the woman said politely to the rough, angry voice but rolled her eyes at them.
“Front and center, Hunter! Now!”
The office door opened behind the desk, and the woman gave them a sympathetic glance when they went by. Regan felt her stomach tangle in a painful knot when she got her first look at the man standing behind his desk. He looked like a bear, very large and formidable, glowering from under his lowered, bushy brows. His anger was a live thing, focused on Mea.
Regan pressed closer to Stone and gripped his hand tightly.
“You are in a load of shit this time, girl! What the hell were you thinking?”
Mea stepped in front of his desk, placing her hands in the small of her back and squaring her shoulders. She looked calm, but Regan didn’t know how she could be. The man’s voice was like the growl of a ferocious beast, deep and thunderous.
“Why? Because I saved you the trouble of tracking down a rogue?”
He waved a dismissive hand. “No, not that! Because of him!” One thick finger stabbed through the air, pointing unerringly at Stone.
Regan shrank back even farther, squeezing Stone’s hand in panic. He knew! How could he know? She was amazed to see Mea glance over her shoulder at them with what looked like a genuinely puzzled expression.
“Stone? Why?”
Her boss shifted that finger to Mea. “Don’t you play me, girl! I know what you did.” Placing his large hands flat on the desk, he leaned toward the woman standing calmly in front of him. “He’s a murderer, for Christ’s sake! What’s wrong with you?”
“Murderer? I didn’t see that on his record, Chief.”
Shaking his head, he sagged down into his chair. “Give it up, Mea. I don’t have the recorders on. Why the hell did you do this?”
“Do what? Uncle Mike,
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