Free The Cure by Teyla Branton

conditions.”
    He swallowed. “Any casualties?”
    “Not this time.” Unless you counted a woman’s broken heart. “In the future we’ll keep a closer watch on potential Unbounded.” At least the Hunters waited until Unbounded actually Changed. Unlike the Emporium. I was glad we didn’t have anyone coming of age right away, but then again, Ava didn’t tell me everything.
    “That’s not the only reason I came,” Keene stopped chewing long enough to say. “There’s something more the Triad is working on, and I didn’t dare talk about it even over the supposedly secure channels. There’s going to be an assassination.” He leaned forward, the edges of his overcoat hanging perilously near the plate. “They’re gunning for Greggory Bellers.”
    “Who’s that?” The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it.
    “A senator from Arizona. Very respected and active in the field of medicine—plus his sister is the deputy commissioner over medical products at the FDA. Bellers is one of the good guys who’s trying to do the right thing, red tape be damned. He’s been a thorn in the Emporium’s side for many years.”
    “I like him already.”
    Keene rolled his eyes. “I knew you would. Anyway, he’s been responsible for bringing lifesaving research from overseas to the FDA for testing and trial. He’s saved a lot of lives, and his connection to the FDA makes him a formidable opponent to whoever the Emporium has inside the organization.”
    Now he was making sense. “So he’s costing the Emporium money.”
    “Well, yeah, though it hasn’t been enough for them to worry about—at least not until now. The Emporium has enough overseas personnel that they’re beginning to control drug development in Europe every bit as much as they do here. But Bellars is personally connected with promising research in Mexico where they aren’t as active, research that will apparently revolutionize autoimmune diseases.”
    “Nanotechnology,” I said, half under my breath.
    “How did you know?” He permitted himself a tiny, slightly crooked grin. “Well, I guess everything’s about nanotech these days, isn’t it?”
    I shook my head. “I knew I’d heard his name before.” I waited a few seconds before adding. “We fund a research facility in Mexico. This morning we got word of some kind of attack. We haven’t been able to get through to anyone there since. That’s where your brother’s headed now. He’s probably already landed, or will soon.”
    Keene’s brow furrowed. “It can’t be coincidence.”
    “No. Not when I’m pretty sure this Bellers is our stateside contact with the FDA.” That would teach me to be more involved in what the others were working on.
    “Then he’s more important than I suspected.” Keene set down his fork, though his green eyes lingered hungrily on the food. From his pocket he drew out a plain white envelope and tossed it onto the table. “Look who the senator has for a new aide—as of two weeks ago.” His tone told me I wasn’t going to like it.
    I pulled out two photographs. The first was a face I recognized all too well, evoking a lump of regret and anger so large I couldn’t swallow: Tom Carver.
    Tom, my ex-almost-fiancé had been a stockbroker before my Change, and he’d had to follow politics to read trends, but the Tom I knew wouldn’t enjoy being the go-to boy for anyone, even an important senator. His feelings of inferiority already ran too deep, though I guess abandonment did that to a child. Whatever his profession, he wasn’t a murderer, or at least he hadn’t been before his Unbounded mother had gotten him involved with the Emporium. He looked good—better than when I’d known him. His brown hair had more highlights, he looked more fit, and his stance signaled self-assurance. He appeared ready to rule the world—and would if his newly returned mother had her way.
    Keene was pretending to scan the restaurant, looking everywhere but at me. When I