Read Online Age of X01 - Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Richelle Mead
Ads: Link
Panamanians had no technology to match that. Their computers always seemed clumsy and unwieldy to Justin, not to mention slow and unreliable.
Dents in the carpet showed the table had been moved to this position, which provided optimal viewing of the screen. Justin wondered ifthere was a presentation in his future. Cornelia wasn’t offering any guidance. She’d sat down again as well, crossed her legs, and seemed content to wait until “the others” showed before casting light on this situation. He had to give her points for staying true to herself. There was no awkwardness on her part, no gruff “sorry about the exile, you know how it is” or “glad you’re still alive.” Cornelia probably hadn’t lost any sleep over her decisions and wasn’t going to pretend otherwise now.
The door burst open, and a tall, gangly man entered. He was close to Cornelia’s age and had thinning gray hair. Upon seeing Justin, the man’s face lit up. He sprinted across the room, and Justin managed to get to his feet just in time for a frenzied handshake.
“Dr. March! At last! I am so, so, so happy to meet you. You have no idea. I’m such a huge fan of your work.”
I wonder which work that is, mused Horatio.
Me too, said Justin.
But again, Justin played it cordial and unassuming. “Why, thank you. That’s very kind of you to say, Mr….?”
“This is Director Francis Kyle, from Internal Security,” said Cornelia.
Just Internal Security. When no one assigned you a subdepartment, it meant you were high up. Very high up. Certainly higher than Cornelia, who was having a difficult time hiding her dislike for her superior.
“Please, please, just call me Francis. I want this little gathering to be as friendly as possible.”
At least someone does, Justin thought, casting another look at Cornelia. The circumstances of this meeting were still a total mystery, but one thing Justin knew at a glance was that Francis wanted to be here and Cornelia did not.
“We should order drinks then,” Justin told him. “I’m sure they have some sort of room service to—”
The words died on his lips as another person slipped into the room.
It was her.
She wasn’t naked or even in a mauve dress, but there was no mistaking Mae. She was dressed simply in blue-gray linen pants and a white cotton T-shirt. From the way her hands hastily tied her hair back in a ponytail as she walked, she’d probably only just finished taking a blowdryer to it. The makeup was gone too, not that her complexion had really needed it. She looked brisk and efficient in her sportier attire, though still devastatingly beautiful.
Also, devastatingly surprised.
She came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the room when she saw Justin. Her hands dropped to her sides, and her eyes widened. Justin felt his own face mirror her shock as he lost control of his casual façade. For a few seconds, he was almost able to grasp at some sort of explanation. She was support staff for a Gemman military attaché, so perhaps it wouldn’t be that unreasonable that she would be here for a—
“Ah, Prætorian Koskinen,” said Francis, beaming at her. “You’re back. How splendid. This is Dr. March.”
Mae gave a weak nod, her eyes never leaving Justin.
The words hit Justin like a slap to the face. “Prætorian?” His sluggish mind suddenly started working again as a terrible thought popped up. “Are you…are you here to kill me?”
After several more moments, she seemed to regain her own control too. Her astonishment vanished, replaced by a cool and composed face that was much frostier than the one Justin had gotten to know earlier that night. “Dr. March,” she said calmly, “if I wanted you dead, you already would be.”
CHAPTER 5
A BURNING BRIDGE
Even Cornelia seemed to find that comment funny, probably because it was something she wished had actually happened.
“She’s joking, Dr. March,” said Francis, taking a seat beside Cornelia.
Justin, studying Mae’s
Dents in the carpet showed the table had been moved to this position, which provided optimal viewing of the screen. Justin wondered ifthere was a presentation in his future. Cornelia wasn’t offering any guidance. She’d sat down again as well, crossed her legs, and seemed content to wait until “the others” showed before casting light on this situation. He had to give her points for staying true to herself. There was no awkwardness on her part, no gruff “sorry about the exile, you know how it is” or “glad you’re still alive.” Cornelia probably hadn’t lost any sleep over her decisions and wasn’t going to pretend otherwise now.
The door burst open, and a tall, gangly man entered. He was close to Cornelia’s age and had thinning gray hair. Upon seeing Justin, the man’s face lit up. He sprinted across the room, and Justin managed to get to his feet just in time for a frenzied handshake.
“Dr. March! At last! I am so, so, so happy to meet you. You have no idea. I’m such a huge fan of your work.”
I wonder which work that is, mused Horatio.
Me too, said Justin.
But again, Justin played it cordial and unassuming. “Why, thank you. That’s very kind of you to say, Mr….?”
“This is Director Francis Kyle, from Internal Security,” said Cornelia.
Just Internal Security. When no one assigned you a subdepartment, it meant you were high up. Very high up. Certainly higher than Cornelia, who was having a difficult time hiding her dislike for her superior.
“Please, please, just call me Francis. I want this little gathering to be as friendly as possible.”
At least someone does, Justin thought, casting another look at Cornelia. The circumstances of this meeting were still a total mystery, but one thing Justin knew at a glance was that Francis wanted to be here and Cornelia did not.
“We should order drinks then,” Justin told him. “I’m sure they have some sort of room service to—”
The words died on his lips as another person slipped into the room.
It was her.
She wasn’t naked or even in a mauve dress, but there was no mistaking Mae. She was dressed simply in blue-gray linen pants and a white cotton T-shirt. From the way her hands hastily tied her hair back in a ponytail as she walked, she’d probably only just finished taking a blowdryer to it. The makeup was gone too, not that her complexion had really needed it. She looked brisk and efficient in her sportier attire, though still devastatingly beautiful.
Also, devastatingly surprised.
She came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the room when she saw Justin. Her hands dropped to her sides, and her eyes widened. Justin felt his own face mirror her shock as he lost control of his casual façade. For a few seconds, he was almost able to grasp at some sort of explanation. She was support staff for a Gemman military attaché, so perhaps it wouldn’t be that unreasonable that she would be here for a—
“Ah, Prætorian Koskinen,” said Francis, beaming at her. “You’re back. How splendid. This is Dr. March.”
Mae gave a weak nod, her eyes never leaving Justin.
The words hit Justin like a slap to the face. “Prætorian?” His sluggish mind suddenly started working again as a terrible thought popped up. “Are you…are you here to kill me?”
After several more moments, she seemed to regain her own control too. Her astonishment vanished, replaced by a cool and composed face that was much frostier than the one Justin had gotten to know earlier that night. “Dr. March,” she said calmly, “if I wanted you dead, you already would be.”
CHAPTER 5
A BURNING BRIDGE
Even Cornelia seemed to find that comment funny, probably because it was something she wished had actually happened.
“She’s joking, Dr. March,” said Francis, taking a seat beside Cornelia.
Justin, studying Mae’s
Similar Books
