“Evans is a scientist. Ramirez’s methods rely on various types of physical persuasion, and I don’t think those methods will work with Evans.”
Sinclair smiled. “And you’ve figured out what works, I take it?”
“Yes, Father. I appeal to his need for logic.”
“Fine, but I’m having two of my men accompany you.”
Gio barely resisted a frown, but he knew his father had spotted it—James Sinclair was very observant. His father continued. “I trust you to scope out the facility, son, but you’re new to this. Bodyguards will ensure both your safety and your success.”
Since there was nothing else he could do, Giovanni nodded. “Is there anything else?”
“No, just make sure to keep sending me daily reports.”
“Yes, Father.”
The screen went blank, and Gio stood up. He’d managed to convince his father to let him take charge; but there was still another obstacle that might prevent Gio from visiting the AMT facility on mainland China.
He needed to persuade Dr. William Evans to go with him.
Gio left his room and nodded to one of the guards patrolling the corridor. Since he’d been given a temporary access card, he weaved through the halls and soon arrived at Evans’s quarantine room.
Evans was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. At least he was no longer tied to a chair. That had to count for something.
Gio tapped on the glass, but Evans didn’t acknowledge his presence. Gio moved to the speaker box, pressed the button, and said, “Dr. Evans.” Still nothing. “Dr. Evans, since I know you can hear me, at least listen to my proposition.
“I’m going to leave soon for a different facility, one I hope to use for research. I know you were quite dedicated to eradicating elemental magic, but I think your skills could be used better on a different task.”
Evans moved a little on the bed, but didn’t take his eyes off the ceiling. Gio took the reaction as a good sign. “I want to set up a dedicated team to research these unusual abilities and devise ways to contain them, maybe even eradicate them. Is that something that might interest you?”
Evans still didn’t rise from the bed. Gio decided to make it more personal. “If you join me, you can find a way to eradicate your own, Dr. Evans, so you’re not constantly reminded of the Feiru who killed your fiancée. Unless you enjoy reliving what has to be the most painful memory of your life.”
The other man rose from his bed. His voice was quiet when he finally replied. “You know nothing of my life, Sinclair.”
Gio raised an eyebrow. “Then go ahead, correct me if I’m wrong.”
Gio kept mum, and after about sixty seconds, Evans finally spoke again. “Nothing could ever be worse than Leyna’s death.”
“Then will you help me?”
“For now.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
The world came back into focus just before Marco crashed down onto a cement floor. The combination of the impact, and whatever had just happened, dazed him. Before he could move, his hands were secured behind his back with plastic ties. Rough hands flipped him over, and Marco recognized the man’s face. “Who are you and what the hell just happened?”
The shadow-shifter he’d chased from the market a few days ago glanced out of the barred window above him, and then back to Marco. His reply was in Spanish. “First tell me if DEFEND is real, or if it’s just a rumor.”
Marco blinked. “You used some kind of weird shifter magic just so you could ask me that question?”
The shadow-shifter drew a long knife out of his boot and held the point between his fingers. “Let’s just say the answer is very important to me.” The man repositioned his hand and gripped the knife’s handle. “Now talk.”
Marco instinctively knew his hands weren’t pointing to the west. Keeping the man talking would give Marco a better chance of repositioning his hands. If he could just get a finger in the right direction, he could get free.
Even now, Cam could already be in Ekstrom’s custody. The timing of Marco’s capture was no coincidence—the shifter and Ekstrom had to be working together, and he needed to find out why.
He decided to walk the line of ambiguity and shrugged a shoulder. “I’m sure you’ve heard the same rumors as me. No one has any proof that DEFEND exists.”
The shifter swung his arm with the knife and embedded it into the wall two inches from Marco’s face. Thanks to years of training, he didn’t flinch.