Page 69 of The Syphon King

“I’ll send you a special number. You remember the codes we once used?”

“I do,” the doctor said, elated.

“Standby for it. Once I get your location, I’ll send your bird.”

“Really,” he said, sounding dazed. “Just like that.”

“Just like that, my friend.”

David filled the line with sporadic breaths. “Thank you, my dear Nidev. I will be eternally in your graces.”

“And you will work for every cent.”

David’s laugh made him smile. “You know my love for working all too well. Talk soon.”

THREE HOURS LATER,Nidev opened the King’s Guard while waiting for the roof to open and receive Hawkeye carrying their mysteriously MIA doctor.

He eyed all the Hatch Leader’s chat rooms not surprised to find it brimming with chatter since they’d completed their two-month work phase a week early. The Marsh Kings kept him informed on expansion progress and every leader had input daily progress without fail. He found it amusing how everything became a competition with them. His brothers were no different. It was a nice change being on the same team with them for once. The North and South Swamp pissing wars were directly responsible for their early completion. He’d enjoyed it since he was advised toloosen upby a particular female in charge of fixing their Reproductive Sciences Division. Andthough all academics had been placed on hold, personal progression had not.

He pocketed his phone as the roof opened to receive the bird on the helipad. The moment it powered down, he hurried forward as the door opened with a delighted greeting from the doctor.

“My favorite King in all the worlds,” he hailed with a big smile, his r rolling accent a pleasure to his ears.

“The feeling is mutual, dear friend.”

His big laugh echoed in the large space. “But I am no king, just a lowly servant of science.” He looked around him and aimed astonished eyes back at Nidev. “When you tell me you are covered, I know this is a fact, but I was expecting a more rudimentary hole in the ground,” he confessed, his flawless guffaw belting out as they walked. “Why I should think this?” he cried, still looking around in astonishment. “The Creole Kings have always had a love affair withflair.”

“Speaking of flair,” Nidev said, “I’ll take you to your apartment.”

“Did you have it carved out of my favorite gemstone I hope?” he teased with a hearty laugh. The man stopped abruptly and pulled Nidev into a tight embrace, patting his back roughly. “Thank you, thank you,” he mumbled, his sincerity soul deep.

Nidev hurried them along again, wondering what in the worlds brought a man like him to such emotionally charged gratitude. “I’ll enjoy this gratefulness while it lasts.”

“And you pay me with work on top of all this,” he marveled.

“Your love language has met its true mate here, I believe.”

“Oh, the things I hear in your tone, brother.” The man shook a finger at him as they walked. “Donotdisappoint me, Dev.”

Nidev allowed himself a smile at the moniker he’d given him after just one encounter. Initially, the doctor had surfaced on the wrong side of their protective initiative for the gifted, his research casting a long shadow of doubt. But a single meeting was sufficient for Alerik to discern that the doctor’s scientific pursuits were guided by a rigorous and honorable passion. They had forged an agreement to collaborate, granting David access to their students to both study and enhance their inherent abilities, aiming to unlock their utmost potential. But then, quite suddenly, he vanished.

“Just as soon as we get you settled, you can fill in the many blanks over breakfast.”

“Fantastic,” David said, looking like he hadn’t had one of those in a long while. “I feel as though I’ve died and gone to the fantastical part of heaven where God’s mostspecialcreations are.”

“And that is one passion we both share, dear friend.”

“I should warn you there may be pieces of my personal puzzle I cannot give. For your own safety,” he said when they arrived at his apartment.”

He nodded, not wanting to worry him. “You don’t need to give us anything you’re not comfortable with.” Zodak and Alerik would get him a full report. Security was not an item he compromised with. His biometric and cybersecurity scans were taken the moment he entered Hawkeye. Thus far, he was clean.

NIDEV WATCHED THE DOCTORstudy Zodak’s latest charts and current conditions with Zenith. “Dev,” he finally said, shaking his head and looking at him. “I have seen someveryremarkable things in my career, butneveranything like this.” A full minute of astonished headshakingcontinued.

“Can you help me?”

He snapped his gaze up. “It would be Dr. Harlow that wouldsurelybe more equipped to further your theory involving bio-engineered enhancements for his gifts. It’s his specialty.”

“We’ve given Zodak more control in siphoning and neutralizing, but finding some kind of mechanism that allows him to transmute these energies into something...useful?” Nidev wasn’t sure what other word to use. “That’s what I’m interested in.”

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