Free Programmed To Protect (The Tau Cetus Chronicles) by Jenna Ives Page A

particular notice of them. As if to insure their cover further, Veraine raised his voice to be heard above the whine of the factory machines. “You wish to randomly inspect the soldiers? Certainly, agent Wyatt!”
    Veraine moved thicker into the midst of the rows of robots, then stopped. “Three-thousand-three.” He repeated the process with the soldier’s jaw, revealing more diamonds. Four-thousand-four and one-thousand-one were the same. Soldier number one was a bit trickier to examine, since it was in the first row, in full view of the factory floor, but Wyatt stood in front of Veraine to provide cover as the programmer pointed out the felt pouch in this robot’s mouth, too.
    So. Veraine was telling the truth. At least to this point.
    But Wyatt wouldn’t give Veraine the satisfaction of knowing what he was going to do with the information, if anything at all at this point. “I need to do my head count.”
    Veraine’s eyebrows rose in apparent surprise at Wyatt’s lack of response to the diamond cache, but he nodded and stepped aside as Wyatt made sure all five-thousand robot soldiers were accounted for. When he was finished, he turned to Veraine.
    “Just out of curiosity, why did you make them all male? Wouldn’t an enemy hesitate to fire on a female soldier, even if it was a robot? That extra moment might be all the advantage we’d need in a battle.”
    Veraine’s eyebrows rose higher, as he considered Wyatt’s question.
    “That’s a brilliant suggestion, agent Wyatt. I’ll have to bring it up with Mr. Carron. It’s too bad you don’t work for us.”
    Wyatt snorted. As if I’d ever throw in my lot with a double-crossing traitor who nearly killed my partner.
    He straightened to his full height. “Two military airships should be enough, if these soldiers can be stacked. That is, unless their sophisticated circuitry makes them delicate?”
    Veraine scoffed. “If they were delicate, agent Wyatt, they wouldn’t be able to go into battle. Or crush cement blocks with their bare hands.”
    “Right. No need to worry about their comfort on the planes, then.”
    “Not for anyone except you and me and Mr. Carron.”
    “And Callex Industries’ military strategist Zan Talesin. He’s been assigned to us by the High Council.” Wyatt waved a hand toward the silent robot army. “Since they’re ready, I’ll arrange for trucks to start transporting them to the airfield this afternoon. We’ll leave tomorrow morning.”
    “As you wish.”
    “Good.” Wyatt cleared his throat and purposely put a little hesitancy into his voice. “Now… if it’s all right with you… I’d like to go back to your lab to make the travel arrangements. It’s… quieter there.”
    And Ginger is there.
    The look exchanged between the two men told Wyatt that Veraine knew exactly what he was hinting at. But now that Wyatt had alerted Theus, he had no fear of falling into any trap that Veraine might set. In fact, he was looking forward to the trap. He needed to speak with Ginger. Sex would just be a perk.
    Right. Just a perk.
    Veraine gave Wyatt a knowing smile as the two men headed back toward the lab. Veraine obviously thought he had Wyatt in the palm of his hand where Ginger was concerned, but before they reached Veraine’s black door, Veraine unexpectedly steered Wyatt to a small side office. There was nothing in here but an unadorned wooden desk and a matching chair. The room was lit by a harsh overhead bulb.
    Wyatt gave Veraine a questioning look.
    “It’s both quiet and private in here,” Veraine explained. “I’ll give you an hour to make your preparations, and then I’ll come back to take you to Ginger. I’m sure you’ll want to say your personal… goodbyes …to her, since we’ll be leaving on our assignment tomorrow.”
    So. Veraine was attempting to increase Wyatt’s anticipation by delaying his sexual gratification for an hour. It was interesting to get a glimpse into the psychology of this man. The insight