Excerpt: Samantha Simmons

As usual, the young redhead appears before his desk--without having used the door. His appearance hadn't been registered at all. One moment the room was empty, and then there he is, standing before Tenabrous with a sly look in his sterling eyes.

"You're late," Phinnaes says, drumming his hands against the walnut surface of his desk. "I expected you here over an hour ago."

Juan raises an eyebrow. "You were busy, and I had something I wished to further investigate."

"I was waiting on you." He motions to a chair. "You'd better have news to compensate my wasted time."

"Fortunately, I do: some I think you might find very interesting." He sits and crosses one leg over the other before leaning in, spreading his hands and gesturing as he speaks. "Kaye and his group are planning something."

Phinnaes reclines against his seat. He places the heel of his palm against the butt of his gun, skeptical. "Planning what? Kaye openly defies me, and still I've crushed any rebellion he's ever considered. He is no threat, only a pain. I would have rid of him long ago, but he's of the same blood as you."

"I admit to not knowing the exact details of their plan, but Kaye slipped back into the past again. Slipped off my radar, then reappeared with an extra. That's why I'm late. I thought I should stop by and check up on him. Them." Juan straightens and folds his arms across his chest. "His companion is a young woman: Samantha Simmons, seventeen years. I got a taste of her mind, and Kaye defended her." He lowers his voice. "Tenabrous, this girl is special. I'm not sure how, but she has a purpose here. Not a purpose beneficial to us, not unless we take her and train her mind to our use. Her soul is modifiable, for now, and will be unless Kaye and his group get to her before we do."

Phinnaes swivels his chair back and forth. "You've caught my interest," he says after a time of contemplation. "This girl, I want to taste her mind myself. She could be useful, as you've deemed, if dealt with correctly. Especially if she's a part of this group Kaye leads. An inside spy--a betrayer." He grinds his teeth together and inhales the stale room air through flaring nostrils. "Whatever rebellion their plotting, it must be decimated. Make this happen, Dierre. Deal with it as you see fit, just do it quietly. I don't want the non-complacent catching on to their radical ideas."

"Of course." Juan grins. "I look forward to it. Should I bring the girl to you?"

"Her and Kaye, yes. Kill the others."