Silver Silence
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Blunt and angry he might be, but Silver knew he was also right. As humans weren’t a homogenous entity, neither were the Psy. “Each individual makes their own choices.”
“Damn right.”
Releasing her hold on him when he pulled in his claws, she considered their options. “My family has the financial power to take much of what he values—and we’ll also make it clear to him that any further such acts will mean being subject to changeling justice. I don’t think he has the willpower or aptitude to defy us.”
“I’m going to keep an eye on the piece of shit, too.” Valentin’s eyes were still deeply bear, but his voice was becoming less deep, more human. “In fact, I think he’ll be moving into a building controlled by changelings so he can be closer to the bear business where he’s about to start work.” He took out his phone. “I’ll arrange for someone to take charge of him for now.”
Silver stayed silent, her hands at her sides, one holding the organizer, the other free. When Jai Shivani woke midcall, she calmly, coldly laid out his punishment. “You may, of course, attempt to fight our judgment,” she said. “In which case, Alpha Nikolaev will take you into bear country and challenge you to fight for your life.” That seemed a reasonable guess. “Do you think you’d win?”
The human male shook his head so hard it almost spun off. “I swear, I won’t ever do anything else bad. I’ll work hard, be law-abiding. I’ll think good thoughts.”
“Your thoughts are your own—no one will be scanning you,” Silver said, because constant fear of violation was too cruel a sentence: human, Psy, or changeling, the mind should be inviolate.
Two StoneWater bears arrived minutes afterward. Both greeted Silver with smiles and said they hoped her work would let up enough that she could soon move back to Denhome.
Erik caught a ride with them when they left with Shivani.
Silver got into Valentin’s vehicle instead. His primal anger vibrated against her skin.
“Akshay Patel,” he said. “Where the fuck is that man based?”
“Mumbai, but he has a house in Milan and another one in New Caledonia. The Conglomerate also has offices worldwide.” Silver had traced that data while they’d been in Shivani’s apartment. “According to media reports, however, he is currently utilizing his main residence.”
“Chert voz’mi!” His claws erupted again. “A tiger pack controls changeling access to Mumbai. They’re pissy with everyone—damn Bengal tigers, always mad about something. I need Akshay in my territory.”
“Having you tear off his head will hardly be conducive to getting him to divulge his motives and/or the names of any others involved.”
Amber eyes flashed to hers as the deep bass of his anger filled the vehicle. “He can still talk if I tear off his arms.”
Realizing she was attempting to have a rational conversation with a currently very irrational bear, Silver metaphorically threw up her hands. “Grandmother must be the one to have this meeting with Patel. You know it and so do I.” It was the only way to achieve balance, to heal that schism inside Ena.
Valentin gritted his teeth so hard she could hear it, his biceps bulging as he squeezed the steering wheel. She expected an argument. What she got was, “Your grandmother can be as scary as fuck.”
“So you agree?”
A nod.
“I need to talk to Lily first.”
When she did, the other woman said, “Screw it. I’m not asking the board. You break Patel, and you find out if he’s the reason why my brother is fighting for his life.”
“I’ll make sure we pass on any data,” Silver promised. “Bowen?”
“His heart’s failed.” Lily’s voice caught. “They’ve got him on a machine.”
“There are mechanical hearts that function as well as organic hearts,” Silver said. “If you need access to any cutting-edge medical intervention, call me. I’ll make it happen. The world needs your brother.”
“Thank you, Silver. I just . . . I need to wait a little longer. Bo wouldn’t want intervention if all hope is lost.”
After the difficult conversation with Lily, Silver contacted her grandmother telepathically, her range blinding. She’d gone up at least two Gradient points—to 9.5—since the operation. Either her audio telepathy had been utilizing part of her psychic “bandwidth,” or the strength it had taken to contain the Tp-A had used far more energy than she’d realized.
Ena’s telepathic voice was crystalline, her response to Silver’s revelation simple. I’ll take care of it.
Silver had the strong feeling she’d exchanged one dangerous predator for another. The one in the driver’s seat was still rumbling in his chest, a furious mountain about to erupt. Ena sounded like ice in her head, but that ice cut like a blade.
Grandmother, she said, we must know not only if he has other associates, but also if he is the head of HAPMA or if it’s connected to the Consortium.
I haven’t suddenly turned senile, Silver.
And I’ve just talked Alpha Nikolaev out of ripping off Akshay Patel’s head. You are sounding very much like him.
Valentin thinks like a predator. He fits well into our family.
Silver wondered how she’d ended up with an enraged bear on one side and an equally enraged—even if Silent—Psy on the other. Grandmother.
I will be circumspect, Ena said at last, but you must understand this man will not survive the interview. He tried to kill my granddaughter.
Silver wanted to reach out across the psychic void and hold her grandmother, tell her she was all right, that Akshay hadn’t succeeded. A very un-Psy thought, but Silver’s mind remained safely quiet. No audio from beyond the normal spectrum.
The final decision is yours, she said. But remember, Akshay Patel may have set in motion events far more dangerous than my attempted murder. Bowen Knight is currently on the verge of death, and there are major emergency incidents all over the globe where countless people are dying. I am not the only grandchild involved.
You are mine.
I am also the director of EmNet. Any lives lost because we didn’t fully debrief Akshay Patel are on my head.
You take too much on your shoulders, Silver, was her grandmother’s cool response. But rest assured, I will not make a final call until I have wrung him dry of all possible information.
You understand the critical need to get anything we can on the attempt to assassinate Bowen Knight?
Of course. We wouldn’t have Akshay Patel without the Alliance’s assistance.
Don’t go alone, Silver ordered. He may be human, but he’s ruthless and powerful.
I won’t be going anywhere. I think the family’s newest member will wish to offer his services to expedite this.
The connection severed.
“My grandmother is about to ask Kaleb to abduct Akshay Patel and put him in a cage she controls.” Silver tapped a finger on her knee. “I believe I talked her out of torturing him to death, but I’m not certain.”
The large predator in the driver’s seat smiled. “I’ve always liked your grandmother.”
Chapter 47
To kill to protect family is an act of honor and fidelity.
—Lord Deryn Mercant (circa 1514)
ENA HAD SURVIVED this long because she made it a point to know her enemies. So before she contacted Kaleb to organize a teleport for Akshay Patel, she did her research. What she uncovered was illuminating: Akshay Patel was forty-three and the head of his family group. That family group was a serious economic power. And, according to the records she discovered in what had once been Council-restricted files—not that it had ever stopped Ena—a large percentage of the Patel family had natural telepathic shields Psy couldn’t breach.
“Damn right.”
Releasing her hold on him when he pulled in his claws, she considered their options. “My family has the financial power to take much of what he values—and we’ll also make it clear to him that any further such acts will mean being subject to changeling justice. I don’t think he has the willpower or aptitude to defy us.”
“I’m going to keep an eye on the piece of shit, too.” Valentin’s eyes were still deeply bear, but his voice was becoming less deep, more human. “In fact, I think he’ll be moving into a building controlled by changelings so he can be closer to the bear business where he’s about to start work.” He took out his phone. “I’ll arrange for someone to take charge of him for now.”
Silver stayed silent, her hands at her sides, one holding the organizer, the other free. When Jai Shivani woke midcall, she calmly, coldly laid out his punishment. “You may, of course, attempt to fight our judgment,” she said. “In which case, Alpha Nikolaev will take you into bear country and challenge you to fight for your life.” That seemed a reasonable guess. “Do you think you’d win?”
The human male shook his head so hard it almost spun off. “I swear, I won’t ever do anything else bad. I’ll work hard, be law-abiding. I’ll think good thoughts.”
“Your thoughts are your own—no one will be scanning you,” Silver said, because constant fear of violation was too cruel a sentence: human, Psy, or changeling, the mind should be inviolate.
Two StoneWater bears arrived minutes afterward. Both greeted Silver with smiles and said they hoped her work would let up enough that she could soon move back to Denhome.
Erik caught a ride with them when they left with Shivani.
Silver got into Valentin’s vehicle instead. His primal anger vibrated against her skin.
“Akshay Patel,” he said. “Where the fuck is that man based?”
“Mumbai, but he has a house in Milan and another one in New Caledonia. The Conglomerate also has offices worldwide.” Silver had traced that data while they’d been in Shivani’s apartment. “According to media reports, however, he is currently utilizing his main residence.”
“Chert voz’mi!” His claws erupted again. “A tiger pack controls changeling access to Mumbai. They’re pissy with everyone—damn Bengal tigers, always mad about something. I need Akshay in my territory.”
“Having you tear off his head will hardly be conducive to getting him to divulge his motives and/or the names of any others involved.”
Amber eyes flashed to hers as the deep bass of his anger filled the vehicle. “He can still talk if I tear off his arms.”
Realizing she was attempting to have a rational conversation with a currently very irrational bear, Silver metaphorically threw up her hands. “Grandmother must be the one to have this meeting with Patel. You know it and so do I.” It was the only way to achieve balance, to heal that schism inside Ena.
Valentin gritted his teeth so hard she could hear it, his biceps bulging as he squeezed the steering wheel. She expected an argument. What she got was, “Your grandmother can be as scary as fuck.”
“So you agree?”
A nod.
“I need to talk to Lily first.”
When she did, the other woman said, “Screw it. I’m not asking the board. You break Patel, and you find out if he’s the reason why my brother is fighting for his life.”
“I’ll make sure we pass on any data,” Silver promised. “Bowen?”
“His heart’s failed.” Lily’s voice caught. “They’ve got him on a machine.”
“There are mechanical hearts that function as well as organic hearts,” Silver said. “If you need access to any cutting-edge medical intervention, call me. I’ll make it happen. The world needs your brother.”
“Thank you, Silver. I just . . . I need to wait a little longer. Bo wouldn’t want intervention if all hope is lost.”
After the difficult conversation with Lily, Silver contacted her grandmother telepathically, her range blinding. She’d gone up at least two Gradient points—to 9.5—since the operation. Either her audio telepathy had been utilizing part of her psychic “bandwidth,” or the strength it had taken to contain the Tp-A had used far more energy than she’d realized.
Ena’s telepathic voice was crystalline, her response to Silver’s revelation simple. I’ll take care of it.
Silver had the strong feeling she’d exchanged one dangerous predator for another. The one in the driver’s seat was still rumbling in his chest, a furious mountain about to erupt. Ena sounded like ice in her head, but that ice cut like a blade.
Grandmother, she said, we must know not only if he has other associates, but also if he is the head of HAPMA or if it’s connected to the Consortium.
I haven’t suddenly turned senile, Silver.
And I’ve just talked Alpha Nikolaev out of ripping off Akshay Patel’s head. You are sounding very much like him.
Valentin thinks like a predator. He fits well into our family.
Silver wondered how she’d ended up with an enraged bear on one side and an equally enraged—even if Silent—Psy on the other. Grandmother.
I will be circumspect, Ena said at last, but you must understand this man will not survive the interview. He tried to kill my granddaughter.
Silver wanted to reach out across the psychic void and hold her grandmother, tell her she was all right, that Akshay hadn’t succeeded. A very un-Psy thought, but Silver’s mind remained safely quiet. No audio from beyond the normal spectrum.
The final decision is yours, she said. But remember, Akshay Patel may have set in motion events far more dangerous than my attempted murder. Bowen Knight is currently on the verge of death, and there are major emergency incidents all over the globe where countless people are dying. I am not the only grandchild involved.
You are mine.
I am also the director of EmNet. Any lives lost because we didn’t fully debrief Akshay Patel are on my head.
You take too much on your shoulders, Silver, was her grandmother’s cool response. But rest assured, I will not make a final call until I have wrung him dry of all possible information.
You understand the critical need to get anything we can on the attempt to assassinate Bowen Knight?
Of course. We wouldn’t have Akshay Patel without the Alliance’s assistance.
Don’t go alone, Silver ordered. He may be human, but he’s ruthless and powerful.
I won’t be going anywhere. I think the family’s newest member will wish to offer his services to expedite this.
The connection severed.
“My grandmother is about to ask Kaleb to abduct Akshay Patel and put him in a cage she controls.” Silver tapped a finger on her knee. “I believe I talked her out of torturing him to death, but I’m not certain.”
The large predator in the driver’s seat smiled. “I’ve always liked your grandmother.”
Chapter 47
To kill to protect family is an act of honor and fidelity.
—Lord Deryn Mercant (circa 1514)
ENA HAD SURVIVED this long because she made it a point to know her enemies. So before she contacted Kaleb to organize a teleport for Akshay Patel, she did her research. What she uncovered was illuminating: Akshay Patel was forty-three and the head of his family group. That family group was a serious economic power. And, according to the records she discovered in what had once been Council-restricted files—not that it had ever stopped Ena—a large percentage of the Patel family had natural telepathic shields Psy couldn’t breach.
