Page 82 of Dark Rover's Gift

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MAX

The tires of the van screeched as Jackson took a sharp turn, the unconscious Revolutionary Guard sliding across the floor despite Max's grip on him. In the middle row, Kyra's sisters huddled together like frightened birds, their earlier shopping euphoria gone.

"There is no need to rush," Max told Jackson. "Slow down."

The guy might be an exceptional entrepreneur, but he didn't have what it took to be a Guardian.

Not everyone did, and that was fine.

"I just want that filth gone from my van," Jackson grumbled. "I want to forget that any of this happened."

"Me too," Soraya said. "Where are we going?"

"We need to make a couple of stops," Max said, keeping his tone calm and reassuring. "Standard procedure when we capture an enemy operative or even when we save someone is to check them for tracking devices."

Soraya nodded. "I remember. The handsome doctor checked all of us before we were allowed into the village."

"These days, you can't be too careful," Jackson said from the driver's seat. "They might have trackers sewn into clothing, embedded in shoes, or even subdermal implants."

"That's why we are stopping at the warehouse first," Max said. "The next stop is the keep, where Jackson will drop Theo and me off with the prisoner, and then take you ladies back to the village."

"What's in the warehouse?" Fenella asked.

"We have equipment there like what Julian has in his van. Scanners and other things."

The guard stirred, a low groan escaping his lips. Without hesitation, Theo delivered another precise blow to his temple, rendering him unconscious again.

"How hard are you hitting him?" Rana asked, her eyes wide. "If you kill him, you won't learn anything from him."

Max stifled a chuckle. He'd thought she was asking because she was concerned for the man, but she was only worried about him being well enough to give them the information they needed.

Theo actually looked offended. "I'm a professional, ma'am. I know exactly how much force to apply."

Humans had soft skulls, so Rana's caution was justified. It had happened on occasion that they had unintentionally killed a scumbag that they'd only meant to keep unconscious.

"He'll just wake up with a killer headache," he murmured.

The warehouse was a nondescript gray building in an industrial area, surrounded by similar structures, and Jackson pulled around to the back, where a loading dock provided cover from prying eyes.

"Everyone, please stay in the van until we are back," Max said as Jackson parked.

"I'm coming with you." Kyra unbuckled her seatbelt.

Max caught her hand and squeezed it gently. "We're going to have to strip the dude naked for the scan. Unless you are keen on seeing a Revolutionary Guard's equipment, and I'm not talking about weapons, I suggest that you stay here."

Fenella snorted. "Count me out. I never want to see such a horror show."

Even Soraya cracked a smile.

"I've seen naked men before," Kyra protested. "What's the big deal?"

It was a big deal to him, and he tried to convey it in the look he gave her. "Trust me, you don't want to. From what I can see, personal hygiene isn't high on his priority list."

That got a chorus of disgusted sounds and snorts from the sisters, which was exactly what Max had intended—anything to break the tension and pull them out of the spiral of fear.

All that adrenaline coursing through their bodies wasn't good for them. They weren't immortal yet, and excess of fear and stress hormones wreaked havoc on the human body. Even he knew that.

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