Free Unforgettable (Talented Saga #6) by Sophie Davis

against his
side.
    “ It’s okay, Tals. We’ll
find her,” he promised.
    It was a promise Erik had
no business making, since he had no idea whether we really would.
Poachers, these scum-of-the-earth slave drivers, were uncharted
territory. We knew nothing about their organization. Finding Kenly,
when we didn’t even know where to start looking, was going to be
impossible.
    Still, I appreciated that Erik always
knew exactly what I needed to hear. More than that, though, he
meant his words. Erik was no more knowledgeable than I about the
Poachers, and yet, he was ready to leave that very minute for
London. Ready to go on mission-impossible, simply because finding
Kenly was important to me.
    “ How Kenly came to be in
London is something the council and I would love to know,” Victoria
replied. “We are closely monitoring all international travel. No
Created should be able to leave the States. Period. Unfortunately,
many have slipped through our fingers. And we would love to know
precisely how that is. Perhaps Ms. Baker can enlighten us, though
that is beside the point at this moment.”
    “ You’re damn right it is,”
I said. “Right now, all that matters is getting Kenly back. I will
not let her be sold .”
    Erik rubbed soothing circles on the
small of my back, trying to calm me. It was an exceptionally sweet
gesture, considering that he was just as livid as I was.
    “ Not just Kenly, Agent
Lyons. The tipster indicated that the Poachers have taken a large
number of Created. Talented, too. But UNITED’s main concern right
now is the Created. We cannot allow them to fall into the hands of
private citizens.” Victoria paused long enough for her words to
sink in. “Which brings me to why I wanted to speak with you, Agent
Lyons. Because the young man asked for you by name, and you are the
most adept interrogator that we have, you are going to London to
question him. Find out what he knows, determine how much truth
there is to his claims, and report back immediately. From there,
the council can make an informed decision on how to move
forward.”
    “ Is there really any
question about whether he is telling the truth?” Erik
asked.
    Victoria hesitated just long enough to
spark suspicion. Finally, she sighed.
    “ No,” she admitted. “The
Poachers are very real. And I am not surprised to learn that they
are interested in the Created. With the upcoming Treaty vote,
however, the situation needs to be handled with care. We need to be
positive that the claims are legitimate. The Poachers’ clientele
are….”
    Victoria trailed off, searching for
the right words. There were a million that I could’ve provided to
describe them, but I exercised a degree of restraint, curious as to
what she’d say.
    “ They’re influential,” she
eventually concluded. “ Very influential. In many aspects of society, but
particularly within political circles. Some are even members of the
Joint Nations. Moving against the Poachers, when our place in the
world is so uncertain, is risky. An outright attack on one of their
auctions would cause an uproar. That will not do, since it could
ultimately garner more support for the opposition, for those
planning to vote against renewing the treaty.”
    Stunned by so much of what the
councilwoman revealed, I wasn’t sure where to start with my
questions. One thing she said stuck out more than the others and I
latched onto it.
    “ Wait, you knew about the
Poachers?” I demanded. “And haven’t done anything? How long have
you known, Victoria?”
    An icy glare was leveled at
me.
    “ You are new to this, Agent
Lyons. Therefore you do not understand that we, as the
international advocates for Talented, must pick our battles. The
Poachers are not to be underestimated. They have a very long,
illustrious lineage. One that is tied to the current monarchies of
several European countries. While we do not condone their business
practices, stopping them is an enormous undertaking that cannot