The American woman. Here, now. The one who’d been searching for Nexus children, who’d tried to infiltrate her way into his home, who’d killed one of his men already… Who was she? CIA?

Shiva growled. It didn’t matter. They would not do this. They would not take these children from him, lock them up, dehumanize them, euthanize them.

It was time for another test of the code he’d tricked out of Lane.

Shiva Prasad reached out his thoughts to the American agent’s mind, activated the back door, sent the passcode.

And he was in. She was his to control.

Chapter 82: Friendly Fire

82

FRIENDLY FIRE

Saturday November 3rd

The guard shoved Kade against one wall of the kitchen. The second guard moved in to put the Nexus jammer around his neck.

NO!

[activate: bruce_lee full_auto]

Targeting circles appeared and he dragged one to the Nexus jammer in the guard’s hands, struggling as he did, then forced the mental buttons down, mashed them again and again.

His body twisted and for an instant he was free.

[Bruce_Lee: Escape Succeeded!]

His foot lashed out at the second guard and the man smacked it aside in annoyance.

[Bruce_Lee: Attack Failed L]

Kade’s good left hand used the cover of his kick, lashed out at the guard’s hand and the Nexus jammer in it. He struck the device, sent it flying across the room, into the far wall.

[Bruce_Lee: Attack Succeeded!]

The guard struck him in return. The two of them pushed him up against the wall, pinned him there as Bruce Lee tried vainly to free him.

[Bruce_Lee: Block Failed L]

[Bruce_Lee: Escape Failed L]

Then a sound like thunder filled his senses as something exploded through the apartment. A giant force smashed through the guards in front of him, smashed him back against the wall. Searing heat struck him. And he was falling, falling, falling…

Feng heard the explosion. Too close! Too close! That had struck the building!

“Missiles off course!” Nakamura whispered over their laser link, his voice urgent.

“What?” Feng shot back. Then something dawned on him.

No, no! So stupid! Not to capture Kade. To kill Kade.

All warfare is based on deception, Sun Tzu had written. The CIA man had deceived him.

Feng pointed his assault rifle towards Nakamura.

Sam screamed as the mind invaded hers, screamed in absolute horror. No sound escaped her lips. The invading mind had ruthless control of her body, absolute control. She reached out to issue the command to turn off her Nexus reception, found herself blocked. She tried to wave, to kick away from the wall, to move her eyes to choose a signal from the menu provided by her goggles.

No good.

She felt Sarai and the children recoil in horror, and she knew what mind this was. Shiva’s mind. Shiva who had these children here. Shiva who had her now.