Free Planet Heist (The Dunham Archives Book 1) by J.D. Hale

touching them; the sole person that caused my IQ to skyrocket off the charts and into unknown territory. I haven’t seen her in a few years and now I’m eager to show her how my powers have progressed.
    A few moments later, my godmother, Hearthwood McKinley stepped out of a door at the corner of the room, one I had not previously noticed. That worried me. Lately I’ve noticed my sense of danger dulling. Anyways, she looked the same as she had five year ago. Her straight caramel hair fell down to her shoulders, long bangs falling in front of her gray eyes. Her ever smiling thin lips were coated with light pink gloss, making her look much younger than her thirty six. Her outfit was typical of an ND – knee length labcoat and green surgical gloves – even though they hardly ever had to do anything related to surgery. But, unlike most ND’s, Hearthwood was wearing a pair of spiky red heels that clicked on the floor as she walked to me.
    “Kairee!” She smiled at me, but then looked at the fractures in my leg, and grew somber. “I see things are urgent. I’ll get you in right now.” She offered me her hand, and I took it, leaning against her. As she had trained even me, I knew she was strong enough to uphold me for a few moments.

“Hello again, Hearth. Sorry we have to meet on these terms.” I told her as we walked – well, she walked, I hobbled – off towards one of the rooms I had so often studied.
    “What were you doing this time?” She grinned.
    “The usual: being chased by the intergalactic police. I tried to jump onto a building and fell through a skylight.” I informed her.
    “Just another day in the life of Kairee Dunham, I suppose.” She led me down a hallway, and into a large white room. I knew the process, as I had been in this room before. The room itself was not much, an octagonal space with some counter space towards the back. Around the center there was a hospital bed, surrounded by jars and vials of various liquids and gels.
    “You know that drill,” Hearthwood said, nodding towards the bed. She helped me over to it, and I calmly sat down, attempting to keep blood from rushing out of the gash.
    “Alright, Kai, relax.”
    While she was working, I thought about my mother and Hearth. She and my mother had been best friends all through their youth, growing up on Saize together. When each of her children was born, my mother chose one of her friends, in order of favoritism, for her children. My aunts are my siblings’ godparents, but Rowan and my godmother was mother’s best friend. It was odd, but wonderful as I had grown up with Hearthwood’s kids, and she was practically another mother of mine. More of a mother, really, than mine had ever been.
    Hearthwood stuck a needle into my arm, and I quietly drifted off into a drug-induced sleep, horrifying dreams quickly coming to mind.
     
    June 15 th 3:55 pm
    Ambrosine Lobby.
    Rowan was tense in the lobby, waiting for his sister to be fine.
    Thoughts raced around his head at a million miles per hour – thoughts of his sister, his family, his entire life. It was like Kairee and he were connected through a telepathic link. When she was hurt, Rowan became exceedingly on edge, and vise versa.
    “So…what’s Kairee really like? I mean, she probably hates me, but what is she like with you?” Salah asked.
    “Why do you care? She’ll never care about you like she cares about me.” Rowan replied angrily. Salah knew not to take it personally – Rowan had to be tenser than usual with his Kairee all banged up.
    “Because…I like her. And I-”
    “Listen, Salah,” Rowan snapped suddenly, “Back off my sister.”
    “What?” Salah laughed, “Is this one of those ‘you break her heart and I’ll break your face’ kind of things?”
    “No.” Rowan grimaced, “It’s one of those ‘If you lay a hand on her, I’ll kick your ass to the next millennium’ things. Got it?”
    “I think I could take you.” Salah told him.
    “In your dreams. If