Veil of Justice, Shadows of Justice Book 3 Read Online Free PDF Page A

outlawed, you know. But a
month for you must be an eternity."
    Kristoff's brand of comfort only exacerbated
the agony. Nathan almost fell for the concern and exaggerated time
line. At least he hoped Kristoff was fabricating the time. Though
he recognized the tactic, he was ashamed at how hard it was to
resist. He fisted his hands, digging his nails into his palms. The
sting squelched the surge of gratitude that threatened to place
Kristoff on the liberator's pedestal. More, it depressed Nathan to
have slipped so far from the man he'd been. It should’ve been
effortless to hold himself apart from such obvious manipulations.
Instead, this meeting was another energy-sapping trial.
    "What do you want?" Nathan snapped. It was
all getting to him. Even with the light and the cleaner air, the
room was too small. The walls were starting to close in on him.
This was the contact they’d hoped for in planning the mission, but
after his time in solitary, he couldn’t remember how to capitalize
on the opportunity. This simple encounter overwhelmed his senses
and diffused his normally relentless focus.
    Kristoff’s head tilted, his brows drawn over
saddened eyes. "What did they do to you, son?"
    Nathan gritted his teeth, focused again on
the wall. "What do you want?" he repeated. Anything further would
reveal too much. Kristoff was the enemy.
    "I want to help you."
    "How?"
    "I got you up here didn’t I?" He spread his
hands. "Up into the light and air. Just what you needed. Here you
are, back among the living. That helps doesn’t it?"
    Nathan nodded, but for different reasons.
Being out of solitary would help Kelly, would ease the escape if
she was close enough. How far was she? He didn't dare reach out,
Kristoff was too dangerous. Yes, being up top helped, but he
wouldn’t give Kristoff the words.
    "I can take it one step further."
    Nathan’s gaze jerked back to Kristoff. The
older man’s eyes blazed with the excitement of a hunter closing in
on his prey. Kristoff was an expert at knowing which buttons to
push, how hard, and when.
    "I’m listening," Nathan admitted, though it
wasn’t necessary.
    "You can leave with me. Today. Right now, if
you’d like."
    If ? Hell yes he’d like. It was the
price that concerned him. He knew enough about body language to
understand Kristoff was leaving out too many important details.
Time to risk a little mental probing to determine just how
malignant the offer was. The doctor's reputation and penchant for
genetic research pushed the envelope and meant Nathan would have to
balance cleverness with caution.
    "Well, son. What’ll it be?"
    "What’ll it cost me to leave with you?"
Nathan used the quick and direct question to distract from his
mental prodding. His first impression was a mind guarding huge
secrets. No surprise there. He ventured further, vaguely listening
to Kristoff’s litany of the rigors of prison life while he searched
for clues to the man’s intent.
    A cold, vicious spike of pain in his temple
jerked Nathan back into himself.
    "I knew you’d try to poke around." Kristoff
tapped his forehead, then leaned across the table until Nathan
could feel his breath fanning his face. "And you should’ve known
I’d be ready for you."
    Nathan saw the plan unfold too late to move
or resist the hypospray aimed at his arm. He watched the room spin
slowly into a dark haze as his body slid into a strange
paralysis.
    He heard Kristoff summon the guards with a
concerned voice, heard the excuses given and accepted. He knew he
was being lifted and moved only because the view changed. He
stretched his mind through his nervous system, head to toe,
yearning for any of his muscles to obey. No response. He stretched
his mind again, this time reaching for Kristoff, a guard, even
Kelly, but there was no one. He saw what his unblinking eyes took
in, but his mind was in lockdown now. He was more alone than he'd
been in the hole.
    A hand passed over his face, lowering his
eyelids. He swore a blue streak,