The Firstborn Read Online Free PDF

slowly—then let his mind begin to work.
    The Lord’s Prayer.
    Nothing fancy, but it was like fresh air for his soul. Behind him he heard the door creak open softly. Someone stepped in. He raised a finger gently, indicating his desire for a moment.
    He finished then stood.
    “Devin?”
    Henry Rice stood just in the door, a worn old rancher—white hair, stocky build.
    Devin took a place at one of the pews, gesturing. “Have a seat.” Henry sat down. “What’s going on, Devin? Who took my granddaughter?”
    “I don’t know,” Devin said, reaching into his sport coat. “I was called to her; I can’t help that, you know that. But I found this…” He revealed the lapel pin.
    Henry looked the artifact over. “Where’d you get that?”
    “It was in the house where they were keeping her.”
    Henry went quiet.
    “Is there any reason one of the Firstborn would want to abduct your granddaughter?”
    A sigh escaped from the old man’s heaving body. “Overseer,” he said, shaking his head.
    “The leadership proposal?”
    “Yes. I’ve been opposed to any kind of central leadership since the beginning. I’m hardly comfortable with it within the orders…”
    “And you’re opposed to a governing body between the orders?”
    Henry shook his head. “I don’t know. I’m just not ready for that kind of change, but to go so far as to kidnap my granddaughter?”
    “You think someone is trying to coerce you into changing your mind?”
    He nodded. “I received a message the other day explaining that I would receive assistance in finding my granddaughter if I would agree to change my stance on Overseer.”
    “Were you going to change your stance?” Devin asked bluntly.
    The old man bowed his head. “I didn’t have a choice.”
    “Yes, you did.”
    “They had my granddaughter; I’d have done anything.”
    Devin considered for a moment. “Do you have any idea who did this?”
    “No.”
    “Do you have any hunches?”
    “No.”
    Devin stood. “Contact me if you come across any leads.”
    Henry’s head lifted. “You know it’s forbidden for us to talk. I shouldn’t be talking to you now.” The old man groaned. “Who knows what our own people might do to us if they found out we were talking.”
    “Well…” Devin opened the chapel door and paused. “You said it yourself: you’d have done anything for your granddaughter.” He paused a moment longer, then pushed through the door.
    Outside the chapel, he scanned the corridor for a bathroom. He felt grimy. He’d been in his suit all day, a day that had included a flight, a long drive, two major physical altercations, travel through snow, being shut in a car trunk, and shooting a man in the chest. Sweat had soaked his undershirt, and now faint dampness clung to his body with every step.
    He loosened his tie and headed down the hospital corridor. “Devin,” a voice said from behind.
    Devin stopped. He knew that voice. “Blake,” he said without turning, “how can I help you?”
    “We need to talk.”
    Devin turned around and tightened his tie again. “OK.”
    Blake Jackson looked as competent as Devin knew him to be. Blue jeans, work boots, down jacket, strong body. He was Henry Rice’s right-hand man, and he took the job seriously.
    “Look,” Blake said, tone already dropping a register, “I really appreciate what you did, coming to his granddaughter’s rescue—”
    “But?” Devin interjected, knowing the statement was conditional.
    “But you have to be more careful. Got it?”
    Devin nodded slowly.
    “It’s against the rules for you two to be talking,” he continued. “You know that.”
    “I do.”
    A male nurse walked their direction and the two of them stopped talking for a moment, staring into one another. A moment later the nurse was gone.
    “Normal contact between the orders will get you both into trouble. What you’ve done today will earn the Domani some respect, but people aren’t going to put up with you being around for