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Earth wrecking squad. At least he hoped that’s what Jeannie’s call had meant.
    He turned back to Havily and saw that her light green eyes were bright with curiosity. “So what else did Jeannie say? I have to know.” She was smiling.
    “It’s not all good news.” He hesitated telling her about the wreckers, but not to say anything was foolish. Havily was a helluva lot stronger than she looked and she would be involved at some point anyway. Marcus and Havily worked together doing worldwide PR for Endelle on a regular basis.
    So, he told her what he knew.
    “Oh, my God.” She put a hand to her chest. “Another Third Earth incursion? What the hell is going on? I thought with the portal to Third closed up again, we were safe from Third involvement. I don’t get it.”
    He was about to say something, but a weird dizziness hit him. As he looked at her, she telescoped away from him, fading father and farther from sight.
    He felt like he was losing her.
    Luken had that same otherworld feeling that had been dogging him for days. Something was on the wind and he was part of it.
    When he blinked, the telescoping disappeared and his vision was back to normal.
    He had the overwhelming sensation that this was an ending for him, for them. The sweet friendship that he’d always enjoyed with Havily would be no more.
    “Luken, you have a funny look in your eye.”
    “Hav, your friendship has meant the world to me.”
    “I know. We’ve covered that.”
    He moved close to her and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek.
    When he drew back, he heard a growling sound coming from the doorway. He turned to find Marcus glaring at him, his straight brows a hard slash above his eyes. “What the hell is going on in here?” he barked.
    Luken could feel Marcus bristling, but how could he explain? “Apologies, Marcus, I was just leaving.” He then tapped Marcus’s telepathy and pathed, I’m saying good-bye because something big is going on. Can’t explain it. Don’t say anything to Hav.
    You sure? Marcus’s shoulders eased back.
    Yes.
    I won’t say a word. Aloud, Marcus said, “There’s some kind of rumor flashing around the office that Duncan is back.”
    Luken relayed the same information that he’d told Havily. “But that’s all I know. And now, if I don’t get over to Militia HQ, Endelle will have my ass in a sling.”
    He meant to walk by Marcus, but the brother caught his arm. “Hey. I never meant to be a hardass about Havily.”
    “You weren’t.” But there it was again, a sense of something final happening in this room. He was grateful that Marcus had shown up when he did. “You were … incredibly gracious. But I … listen, I hope I didn’t—”
    Marcus suddenly slung an arm around Luken’s neck. He had at least twenty percent more muscle mass than Marcus, but the brother was big and the hug that followed wrenched something inside Luken’s chest and his eyes burned.
    Again, it felt like good-bye.
    When he drew back, he cleared his throat as did Marcus, a sure sign they’d both crossed the line of warrior-ness.
    Luken took one last look at Havily, then headed downstairs to the landing platforms. Security had tightened all around the Phoenix area, in Endelle’s Administrative HQ, at her palace at the McDowell Mountains, and at Militia HQ.
    But the same sensation was back. He had a pretty good idea he wouldn’t be visiting Havily anymore.
    ~ ~ ~
    At the same moment that Yolanthe received word that the wreckers had failed by a particle of a second to kill Rachel, Chustaffus had requested her presence in his library. She was severely disappointed that Duncan had somehow escaped her mind-link and that Rachel still lived. But as she took up her habitual seat in her father’s Chicago Three castle, she knew better than to let any of her emotions show.
    She held herself with a good two inches between her back and the very upright seat in which she sat. She remained as always, like a piece of statuary in her