Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Water trickled from the walls of the cave on either side as he walked through the pools of water. The colors and various formations seemed ever changing as minerals mixing with calcite changed subtly. The walls were thick with tubes of yellow. On the floor were enormous tubes resembling shawls. Some were pencil-thin while others were huge, round and fat. Pale blue stalactites hanging from the ceiling gave way to ones of royal blue. Large and thick, there were so many they appeared nearly impenetrable.
He spotted the narrow corridor that veered off from the main direction of pools of water. The tunnel was dark and foreboding. He’d been down that tight, shadowy passage that was really a wide crack in two giant slabs of rock.
This was Luther’s refuge when he was in bad shape and knew it would be difficult to protect himself. Those coming for him would have to do so in single file. He felt the older man ahead of him, pain coming off him in waves. The scent of blood permeated the air.
Diego gave the birdcall one more time as he hurried forward through the narrow, mud-slick tunnel. Then he called out.
“Coming in, Luther,” he announced.
Strangely, that well of healing energy stirred, drove him toward the old man’s hiding spot, the need to help him stronger than anything he’d ever experienced, even with the animals he loved so much. He’d never had such a powerful response to a human being in trouble.
It felt like déjà vu as Diego rounded one more bend to see the larger hollowed-out chamber where Luther lay, blood covering his clothing so it was impossible to tell where the wounds were until he got right beside him. An arm for certain, and the worst wound was on Luther’s left leg.
“Tell me what’s going on, fast,” Diego instructed as he ran his hands over Luther’s arm and leg.
“They came for the girls. My nephew Collin’s girls. I had no idea they existed. When Collin and his wife died in an accident, rather than bring the girls to me as their parents requested, Bridget was taken to Whitney, and Leila was sent to the lab with the people I work with.” Luther sounded grim.
“Whitney did that?”
Luther shook his head. “A man by the name of General Pillar oversees the lab in Maryland where volunteers are enhanced and trained. Pillar made the decision to take the girls when Leila was ten.”
“Which one is Bridget and which one is Leila?” Why knowing that was important, Diego didn’t want to dwell on, but he wanted to know which was Warrior Woman.
“Bridget was curled in the ball and Leila is the fierce fighter.”
Diego found himself turning the name over and over in his mind. Leila. He couldn’t be paired with her since she hadn’t been sent to Whitney for enhancement. But he was inexplicably interested.
“The lab experimenting on you does the same thing Whitney does to women and children?” Diego sounded mild enough, but he didn’t feel that way. He knew Whitney had many facilities all over the world. He had hoped the division responsible for Luther was different.
“No, to my knowledge the government lab only took soldiers who volunteered. They made an exception for the girls because they’re interested in natural genetics and what they can do with them. My fault. They knew I had psychic abilities and figured my kin would also. I didn’t think about family. I lost all contact with them after Vietnam.”
Diego understood what he was saying. The post-Vietnam years were a time of turmoil, and the returning soldiers weren’t treated in a respectful manner to say the least. Many became estranged from their families when they needed them the most.
“I had Lotty,” Luther said as if reading Diego’s thoughts. “She was my world and made everything I faced in my life worthwhile. I’d take nothing back, Diego. Not one thing, just to know I could have those years with her.” He looked up at Diego’s face. “Just heal the damn thing. I know you’re a doctor, but you can also do that mumbo jumbo your brother does.”
Diego drew back, deliberately lifting his eyebrow. “What makes you think that? Rubin is…” He broke off, trying to search for a word that would adequately describe his brother. “Elite. One of a kind. There is no one like Rubin.”
Luther gave a snort of derision. “You had everyone fooled, but you gotta remember who you’re talkin’ to. Spent a lifetime foolin’ folks myself. You can bet I spotted your game back when you were a little kid. You might be ten months younger than your brother, but you shoulda been twins. You’re exactly alike. Could be the same person. Fix the leg and arm so we can go after the girls.”
Diego was a little disgusted with himself. He should have known a man who ran a con his entire life would see right into him. “Rubin and I are alike in some ways; we share the same gifts, but he doesn’t have the kind of darkness in him that I do.”