Free INVISIBLE POWER BOOK TWO: ALEX NOZIAK (INVISIBLE RECRUITS) by Mary Buckham

more.”
    “I want nothing to interfere with the trial tomorrow. Cease administration.”
    The Doc turned his back to Van who kept his smile to himself. They were growing complacent, which he could work to his advantage.
    The Doc stuttered as he spoke. “W-without the drugs he can become violent. Hard to manage.”
    They had no idea how hard to manage he would be.
    “He might even break free.”
    That was the plan.
    “Then you must find another way.” Newcomer ordered, adding, “With no risk, there is no reward.” He stepped forward, close enough to raise Van’s head and stare with calculating brown eyes into Van’s own. But he spoke to the Doc as he said, “The trial must be flawless.”
    He dropped Van’s head then brushed his palms together as if removing the taint of Van from his cultivated hands.
    It took everything Van had not to snarl and betray that seventy percent of his weakness was being faked. He needed to lull them into a false sense of control.
    Newcomer pivoted and strolled to the cell door, speaking over his shoulder to the Doc who remained near Van, fear and anger sweating from his skin.
    “Till tomorrow Jean-Claude. No mistakes.”
    Then he was gone. Jean-Claude, the Doc, shook his head and shuffled after the first man, only stopping long enough to growl at the human. “Do as he says.”
    “But-“
    “Those are direct orders.”
    “And if he breaks free?”
    “Either way we’ll die.”
    The cell door clanged shut and the footsteps receded.
    Van didn’t have any idea what they’d meant by a trial but he’d be ready. A quick glance at the path of the light trail on the floor. It couldn’t move fast enough.

 
    CHAPTER 16
     
    I walked into the Hotel Le Meurice and knew I was in deeper trouble than even I could imagine. And at times I could have a very active imagination.
    It wasn’t Mandy and Jaylene silently flanking me like I was on the way to the gallows but they didn’t help. They’d been waiting for me outside Bran’s office building and “escorted” me into a waiting cab, neither saying a word. Jaylene gave me a headshake but it was Mandy’s smug look that was getting to me. I wanted to tell them that I hadn’t ditched them to slight them, but only because I needed to make sure myself, that Bran had not set us up back in the street. It wasn’t something I didn’t want my team aware of immediately if he had. Plus I needed to see if he knew anything else about Vaverek that he wasn’t sharing and thought he might be more open to telling me alone.
    That was a big fat no. The telling part at least.
    Now, walking through the lobby of a hotel that made frou-frou look pedestrian, I was actually glad for their presence. At least I wasn’t the only one glancing around me, expecting royalty or some VIP to brush past.
    So this was how the other half, and Ling Mai, lived.
    Sheesh!
    By the time we arrived outside her door and knocked my throat was bone-dry and my heart rate double-timing it.
    Jaylene must have heard Ling Mai say something from inside as Jaylene opened the door and nodded for me to step in. Alone.
    Chicken-hearts.
    Then she closed the door behind me.
    I was gobsmacked. Silks and brocades, that fancy French furniture with curly-cued legs and gold detailing, and a white with black veined marble fireplace along one wall. A real one.
    I wasn’t in a hotel room, I was in a palace. Even the bouquets in big glass vases were real and larger than life.
    This had to be the fanciest place I’d ever been in and, given I’d traveled with Bran for almost two weeks from one luxury spot to another, that was saying something.
    An intimidation factor? No doubt. Or was this just the way Ling Mai traveled? Yeah, with her timeless Amerasian looks and elegance that dripped from her fingertips, I could see where she’d feel comfortable here.
    Not me.
    But then that could be a good thing as I straightened my shoulders and braced myself to take her best shot. I had no doubt she planned to