Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
“Oh, he is.” She motioned at the ring on Sky’s hand. “He told me he asked you to marry him.”
“It wasn’t a proposal as such. At the time, it was just something he brought up, I guess because of the circumstances. Everything was so uncertain and dangerous. I thought we’d never see each other again.”
“Bono always says what he means, but you’re allowed to take your time. You don’t need to feel rushed. I understand there’s much to consider. Depending on what you decide, Bono may even give up his job and stay in one place.”
“I’d never ask him to do that.”
“Whatever decision you make, you have our support. Bono is family, and that makes you family. I have a suspicion Cain will have his own proposal for you, but it’s not my place to say.”
When the kitchen was tidy, Clelia took Sky to the library.
Cain, Joss, Lann, Maya, Sean, Ivan, and Sara sat around a meeting table with a hologram in the middle. Cain shut down the image and got to his feet when they entered.
“How are you feeling, Miss Val?”
“Good, thank you.”
Her concern that the team would be hostile toward her because of her alliance with Godfrey was unfounded. Only friendly faces and encouraging smiles greeted her.
“Have a seat.” He pulled out a chair next to him. “We were waiting for you to brief us.”
She sat down, exhaling a shaky breath. “Where do I start?”
“At the beginning, and tell us everything.”
She clutched her hands together under the table. “Where’s Bono?”
“Working out in the gym. Would you like for him to be present?”
“That’s all right.” She felt calmer knowing he wasn’t far. She cleared her throat. “We met Godfrey when I was pregnant. He convinced Doumar I’d die in childbirth without a serum only he could provide. As payment for the serum, he demanded a partnership in Doumar’s business. Slowly, he infiltrated Doumar’s operation until he owned and ran it. By the time Doumar realized what was happening, it was too late. I didn’t understand Godfrey’s true intention for saving my life until yesterday.”
“He did it so he could use you to gain the power he’s always been after,” Joss said with an angry scowl, “and to kill us.”
“Worse.” She swallowed. “Yes, he wanted to wipe you out because you’re standing in his way, hampering his efforts. More importantly, he needed my DNA.”
Cain rubbed a finger over his chin. “What for?”
“It’s the seventh cell he needed to simulate a process of transdifferentiation.”
“Transdifferentiation?” Sean asked.
“It’s a process of reviving dead and damaged cells.” Lann pondered the information for a bit, and then sat up straighter. “He wants to make himself immortal.”
The team’s faces transformed with shock as the understanding registered.
“He hasn’t been after art practitioners to strengthen his army as we thought,” Joss said. “He’s been doing it for their cells.”
“Which is why he was willing to sacrifice the life of his practitioners in battle,” Maya mused. “He already harvested their cells.”
“That’s the research he did on Nicolas,” Sean said, his eyes wide. “It didn’t work because he needed your cell, Sky.”
“Holy fuck.” Ivan tipped his fingers together. “Why doesn’t he just turn himself into a vampire?”
“Vampires don’t age,” Sky said, “but they can die. With cell regeneration, he’ll be able to recreate himself. Indefinitely.”
“This is worse than we thought,” Cain said. “Much worse.”
“You should also know that his wife is holding the six cells in Brazil. He’ll be on his way there as we speak.”
“Brazil?” Cain typed something on his wrist pad. “We’ve been looking in the wrong place all along. We need to abandon our search in Canada and look closer to home. He’s not far.”
“He said the process will turn him into a quantumancist,” Sky said.
The room went quiet.
“The seven arts combined will result in the ultimate art of manipulating time, geographical space, and just about everything else,” Cain said with a tone of wonder as if he’d only realized it himself.
“We need to act fast.” Joss’s face was tense. “If he succeeds, we’re doomed. He’ll be indestructible.”
“He wants to wipe out the weaker race,” Sky continued. “Meaning humans.”
“Fuck.” Sean slammed a fist on the table. “Why didn’t we see that one coming?”
“We’re one step ahead of him,” Cain said. “We already have what he’s trying to achieve.”
All heads turned to Cain. He fixed his gaze on Ivan.
“I think I know how the quantumancist brought you back to life, Ivan.”
Ivan appeared startled. “Transdifferentiation?”
“You must be carrying the seven cells.”
“Wait.” Maya moved to the edge of her seat. “That makes him a…” Her lips parted in a silent gasp.
Cain completed the sentence for her. “A quantumancist.”
“I don’t have different powers,” Ivan said.
“Not yet.” Cain appeared thoughtful. “Godfrey is ahead of us in terms of research. We need to catch up and fast. What do we know about this process?”