Do Or Die [Nuworld 4] (33 page)

Ana said after Meah left. “If it works out she’d probably be my commander as well.”

“I see.” Tara studied Ana for a minute then glanced at Jolee. Her first assistant

understood the unspoken request and gathered some papers before leaving the trailer.

“I’ve had some scouts traveling around Norther country for a while now and there is

definitely activity going on up there that I want stopped. We have Lara, but I’m not

convinced she’s the only voice of authority up there. We need some answers from her.”

“I agree.”

“I don’t think you’d be a good candidate to question her.”

“You’re right, I wouldn’t be.”

Tara raised an eyebrow at her daughter and the corner of her mouth went up. “I’m

impressed that you acknowledge your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Who do

you think would be a good person to question her?”

Ana stared at her mama for a minute and saw her mama’s knowing look. It was a

test. That’s why she dismissed Jolee. She wanted to make sure she wouldn’t allow

personal feelings to alter her decisions.

“I think Andru or Gilroy would be the best choice.”

“Okay.” Her mama nodded.

“Andru.” Ana decided.

“Contact him.”

Chapter Nineteen

Andru discovered that a Runner training facility was lodged in the far northern

part of Norther country. People of all races were recruited for various reasons and

brought to the facility to learn how to be Runners. As Gilroy and Ana sat in their living

room listening to Andru late the next night, he explained how Lara planned to create a

clan that she could lead. He told them she was completely delusional with hatred

toward Patha for abandoning her, and her ultimate goal was to destroy the Blood Circle

Clan and take over as the largest clan with the best military and lead the rest of the

clans. She planned to go down in Runner history as the leader who brought Patha’s line

to an end.

Ana paced slowly back and forth across the living room floor with Darien in her

arms, as Andru gave them details on how many people were trained to the point where

they could be viewed Runners. Another group was trained strategically, but still hadn’t

passed that fine line that Lara believed existed to qualify them to be compared to the

Blood Circle Clan warriors. She listened as Andru sat back, relaxed, one leg draped

lazily over the other, and calmly shared everything he’d extracted from their prisoner.

It was an effort not to imagine what Andru had done to Lara to get this much

detailed information out of her. But her mind allowed the most perverted and

demented thoughts to wander for her consideration. It was unfathomable that her

loving Andru was capable of such cruelty. Hadn’t she heard since she was a teenager

the vulgar things he and Gilroy did to some of the girls? And of course, she’d seen

Meah’s bruises for herself. The blow that turned her stomach one too many times was

when Andru added, as if talking about the weather, that Lara was dead. He’d tortured

and killed her. Ana excused herself on the pretense that she needed to change Darien’s

diaper.

“I think Ana sees her brother in a new light,” Gilroy commented, as the two men

watched her hurry up the stairs.

“The path she’s on won’t allow her to be shielded from this.” Andru sighed. “I wish

as much as you do, my friend, that we could protect her from all this.”

Gilroy nodded. “I assume you told Tara all this. What are her plans?”

“Final decisions haven’t been made, but the facility needs to be destroyed. No one

argues that point. I’m sure we’ll be involved.”

“I’ll prepare strategies. We spent a fair amount of today going over some of the

Gothman basics with Meah.”

Andru looked at his friend and raised an eyebrow. “How did that go?”

“There was an awkward moment or two but overall it went fine. That little lady is

trying to take on quite a bit, though. She may have been commander of the Red Star

Clan army, but she hasn’t been for long and she’s very young. I think she’s trying to

convince Tara and Ana that she can handle something, and she has no idea how to do

it.”

“Mama’s not stupid. If she sees potential she’ll train her, if not she’ll send her on her

way.” Andru shrugged and swallowed the remainder of his ale.

“No, she’s not stupid. She ordered Meah to prepare a report on the strategies of the

Runner and Gothman armies and how they compare to the Red Star Clan army. She

tried not to show any concern while talking to Ana, but I could tell she was sweating

over it.”

“You don’t think she’s got what it takes?”

Gilroy stood up and took their empty mugs to the dining room table to pour more

ale from the pitcher on the table. “She’s young and could be molded easily. She wants

to do it. And she knew she wouldn’t find a mentor in her own clan.” Gilroy handed his

friend one of the mugs and then stared up the staircase. “She’s a lot like Ana. They

might be a perfect team, but controlling Ana can be a job and a half all by itself.”

Andru gulped down over half the mug then stood. “I see. Well, I’ll leave you to

your family, my friend. Tell your claim that her brother is the same person he’s always

been.”

Gilroy shut the door behind Andru and then headed upstairs to find Ana. He felt

comfortable with the fact that Andru understood the message he’d relayed. But Andru

would have his work cut out for him gaining Meah’s trust. He’d seen the pretty young

lady turn white as ash at the mention of Andru’s name. She was terrified of him.

* * * * *

“Ana, do you think you can get away from Gilroy long enough to lead several

armies up to the Norther country?” Tara asked several mornings later when Ana and

Darien showed up at the trailer for coffee.

“I’ll see to it. I want to lead them, Mama.”

“Good. I want you to also. We’re going to take a few weeks to go over some

maneuvers we’ve worked up. I want a clean job. Go in there, destroy them and come

back. No lengthy battles. The Blood Circle Clan won’t tolerate being threatened like

this. Our message must be clear.” Tara took Darien from Ana and had to agree with

Darius that there didn’t appear to be any sign of Gilroy’s blood in him. He was pure

Bryon. “Why don’t you go over some of the maneuvers with Meah, and then the two of

you can spend time with the armies perfecting your own moves as well?”

* * * * *

Meah paced inside her trailer as she read over the printout in her hand. She

returned to her landlink screen and compared notes with the facts displayed there.

“I just don’t understand this,” she yelled at the landlink and slammed her fist down

on the table. “How are the Gothman able to do this?”

“How are we able to do what?”

Meah turned around so fast that she almost fell backwards into her chair. “How

dare you enter my trailer without knocking. Get the hell out of here.”

“If I’d knocked I doubt you’d let me in.” Andru shrugged indifferently, pulled her

door closed and walked over to one of her chairs and sat down.

“Damn straight I wouldn’t. Now get out,” she hissed and pointed to the door. She

glanced at her leather jacket and realized her laser was in her pocket. He was in

between her and her door. She was trapped and unarmed. Breathe, she thought to

herself.

Andru glanced at her jacket and then returned his gaze to her. “Don’t worry, I’m

not armed either. I don’t wish to hurt you.”

“Why? Already got your fix for the day?” She glared at him, feeling fury and panic

mingle within her. She fought to maintain her senses. “I don’t care if you have any

weapons on you or not…you are very armed.”

Andru’s expression didn’t change. “It seems to me you were able to take me down

once before with my laser pulled.”

She felt her face flush with anger. “Look, Gothman, get out of my trailer right now

or I’ll call Tara.”

“I don’t think it would help your future here if you tried to have me thrown out of

your trailer. What is it you don’t understand about the Gothman?” he asked after she

didn’t say anything to his polite threat. He stood up to move toward her, and she

stepped backwards hitting the wall.

“I don’t need or want your help. Please leave.” She felt fear overwhelm her anger,

but didn’t dare look away from him for a means of escape.

“You do need help. You can’t pull this off by yourself. You can come across as

experienced, but you’re not.” He reached for her hand and she slapped him away from

her. “You’re panicking right now. There’s no way you could defeat me in your current

state. You’re not thinking clearly. Even if you know your enemy’s potential, you should

never show fear. They will eat you alive.”

“How can it be that Crator works through you when you are obviously so evil?”

She shoved him as hard as she could and he moved backwards, although she could tell

that he moved willingly.

“Hi, you two, how’s it going?” Ana spoke cheerfully as she opened the trailer door

and stepped inside. She looked from her brother’s bemused expression to the look of

outrage and fear in Meah’s eyes. “I noticed your glider outside, dear brother, and I

thought I’d stop in and see what you were doing.”

She walked over to Andru and handed Darien to him. His expression softened at

the sight of his son and he cuddled the warm bundle into his arms.

“How is your report going for Mama?” Ana turned her attention to Meah. She

walked up to the young lady and could see how heavily she was breathing. She looked

pale and shaky. How could she convince Meah that Andru had the ability to be a

wonderful man?

“It’s coming along pretty well.” Meah stammered slightly and then noticeably

relaxed her body.

“Good. Why don’t you go over what you have with us and we’ll tell you if it will

pass Mama’s standards or not?”

Meah’s jaw dropped. “Ana, please,” she whispered and shot a glance over her

shoulder at Andru sitting with the baby on her couch. She couldn’t believe how

transformed he suddenly appeared. His expression was so soft, so gentle. His blond

curls fell around his tanned face and she could tell he was whispering sweet nothings to

the baby. At that moment, he appeared to be the gentlest of men she’d ever laid eyes on.