Her eyelids drooped, but she blinked them open again. Before she could think better of it, she blurted, "Why?"
"Because I've looked at some of the recruitment videos and tactics, and I can see how they could influence someone. They're completely bullshit, but convincing. And if you can be persuaded to the truth, then maybe others could, too." Ivy opened her mouth, but Dr. Sid continued before she could say a word. "Right then, it's time for you to get some more rest. Tomorrow you're going to have someone move your limbs and get them used to a little movement. And it could bloody well hurt after so long of disuse. So, rest and conserve your energy."
Something about the dragonwoman's tone of voice made Ivy want to listen to her. It was strange since she'd never really experienced the feeling before, the desire to obey.
Maybe dragon-shifters did have some strange magic of their own.
However, she gave up the fight to keep her eyes open and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
Zain sat with his boss, Kai Sutherland, along with the two IT specialists who had been working on cracking Ivy's thumb drive data. He was more familiar with Nathan, who worked specifically with the Protectors. However, over the last year, Zain had come to value Lucien's input as well, even if he sometimes would unconsciously switch to his second language of French when he was working on a problem.
But given the male's mother was French, it at least somewhat made sense.
Kai finally spoke for the first time after Zain had revealed Ivy's role. "If she was a researcher, then she's more valuable than we thought. Everything needs to be done to help her recover and maybe work on her reversing her brainwashing, too, so that she'll talk to Nathan and Lucien. Shots of dragon-shifter blood should help speed up her recovery time as well, regarding her physical strength."
Zain grunted. "I agree, but anything medically related is in Dr. Sid's hands."
"Maybe," Kai stated. "Right now, Stonefire lacks a physical therapist, and Lochguard is busy using theirs with some injury I don't know the details of. Which means you're going to have to step up and help, Zain."
He frowned. "Yes, I helped with PT whilst in the army, learning all that I could on the job, but I haven't done any of that stuff for years."
Kai shrugged. "Regardless, you're our best chance. And before you mention the doctors again, I'll talk to Sid. She'll say yes. The trick will be in finding a volunteer to give her their blood on a regular basis."
Good luck, Zain thought. Few would want to help a human who had been hell-bent on eradicating their kind.
Zain raised his brows. "You sound pretty confident about Sid."
Kai replied, "She wants my mate's help with something to do with her dragon doctor alliance project. And whilst Jane would do it anyway, I may use it as leverage."
Kai's mate was a former human reporter named Jane Hartley, who had no problem matching Kai's alpha personality. He snorted. "Right, because that'll go down well with Jane."
Kai grunted. "My mate owes me a favor or two. So I'll collect."
Granted, Zain didn't know the first thing about having a mate, let alone a human one. However, he didn't think trading favors was the ideal situation.
Still, if Kai said it would work, Zain believed him. He replied, "I may have some PT training, but I know nothing about deprogramming someone who's been brainwashed. Who's going to help with that?"
Kai didn't miss a beat. "Serafina Rossi. She arrived on Stonefire last week. She worked as a psychologist back in Italy, and she should be able to handle the exit counseling side of things."
"I know she's Brenna's cousin, but how do you know we can trust her?" Zain asked.
Brenna Rossi had been one of Stonefire's Protectors before mating an Irish dragonman and moving there. Zain wished she was still around to help with Ivy. Brenna would've been much better at a fake friendly re
lationship than Zain ever would.
Lucien spoke up for the first time. "Trust me, I did the most thorough background check I could manage. Serafina was being told what to do with all the clan members, regardless if it was the best for their health or not, by the Italian clan leader. She came here for freedom and the ability to do her job without interference."
Zain frowned. "How the bloody hell did you get that from a background check? Did you call people up and interrogate them?"
Lucien rolled his eyes. "Of course not. But her uncle lives here, and he told us quite a bit. Hacking her emails and personal accounts confirmed most of what Gabriele Rossi told us anyway."
"Should you be hacking so casually, Lucien?" Zain drawled.
The male grinned, his teeth white against his light brown skin. "It's only a problem if you get caught. I'll never get caught."
He was about to say more, but Kai jumped in. "Lucien had permission, end of story. You and Serafina will be working together on this. Once Ivy is in a better place and is strong enough, Lucien and Nathan will join in, too. I don't doubt your interrogation skills—you've done a bloody good job watching over her and getting straight answers so soon—but Lucien and Nathan can probably speak to her in a less intimidating way."
He eyed the two males—one with pale skin and blond hair, the other with light brown skin and black hair, both as muscled as any dragon-shifter in their prime—and snorted. "Right, because they're so much less intimidating."