Page 66 of Hunter's Game
“No.” Her smile matched Katherine’s for danger. “That sounds exactly like something a Mitchell would do.”
“That’s my girl.” Hunter’s voice held pride and possession in equal measure.
Eden squeezed his hand, letting herself feel everything she’d been holding back—the pain, the fear, the fierce joy of finally understanding her place in all this.
She was Sarah Mitchell’s daughter.
Katherine Romano’s ally and friend.
Hunter’s...whatever they were becoming.
And together, they were going to burn it all down.
“Right then.” She met their eyes steadily. “Let’s go destroy a shadow empire.”
Outside, sirens wailed as more federal teams moved into position. Somewhere in the world, powerful people were realizing their time in the shadows was ending.
And war torn hospital, three very dangerous people began planning a war.
Katherine and Eden were finally working together as her mother had always intended.
With their combined strength and determination, they were prepared to face any obstacle that threatened their newly forged path.
Power never sleeps, but sometimes it dreams. Eden felt the advanced neural interface activating beneath her skin as she moved through her grandfather’s Moscow compound, each step carrying her deeper into a legacy written in classified technology and shadow operations.
Two weeks of playing the prodigal granddaughter had taught her more about Mitchell heritage than years of investigation, though not in ways Alexander Mitchell intended.
“The artifacts in the east wing are active again.” Katherine’s voice carried quiet warning through their secure comms. “The quantum dot markers are responding more strongly every time we’re in range. The embedded nanotechnology seems to be adapting to our genetic signatures.”
“They’re always trying to tell us something.” Eden kept her movements casual as she navigated marble halls lined with priceless art, each piece hiding secrets in plain sight. “The question is whether we want to hear it.”
Through security feeds, she watched her friend working in the private gallery they’d discovered their first week here. Katherine movedwith grace as she documented each artifact’s particular resonance with their blood. Their grandfather thought she was just cataloging his collection. He had no idea they were documenting his technological systems—or developing their own strategies to counter them..
“Speaking of hearing things.” Hunter’s voice joined their conversation, carrying that dangerous edge that still made Eden’s pulse quicken. “Your grandfather’s hosting another ‘private gathering’ tonight. More artifacts being activated for potential buyers.”
“More like potential pawns.” Eden felt reality shift slightly as she passed certain displayed pieces. Ancient tablets pulsed with soft blue light, responding to her presence in ways that still took her breath away. “He’s not selling access to the artifacts’ power. He’s identifying bloodlines that might be compatible with his plans.”
“Compatible how?” But Hunter’s tone suggested he already knew.
“The same way Sarah figured out.” Katherine’s fingers danced across hidden keyboards as she documented the system responses. “By testing how different genetic markers interact with the technology. How various biometric signatures influence the system in specific ways.”
Eden’s focus sharpened as she reached the gallery’s hidden entrance. The security panel scanned her palm, reading the Mitchell biometricsignature that Alexander had programmed into the system.
Through their synchronized tactical systems, she registered Katherine’s coordinated interface activation as the specialized technology recognized compatible genetic markers. Years of complementary training under Sarah Mitchell’s guidance had prepared them for this moment—Eden’s expertise in direct tactical operations paired with Katherine’s mastery of long-term strategic intelligence-gathering creating the perfect operational team.
“Ready for this?” Katherine’s voice carried careful excitement. “These readings are stronger than anything we’ve documented so far.”
Instead of answering, Eden entered the gallery. The space looked like a museum storage room to casual observers—climate-controlled cases containing apparently random artifacts. But to someone with Eden's specialized knowledge and access codes, the true purpose of the collection was visible.
The quantum interfaces activated. Then synchronized.
The data feedback that flowed through their secure communication devices was unlike anything they'd experienced before. The monitoring equipment they'd set up responded as every artifact in the room activated simultaneously, their hidden indicators illuminating with blue-white lights as the technological systems established connections.
Through their tactical communication network, Eden sensed Katherine's excitement as they gained insights into systems Alexander Mitchell never intended them to understand.
“Energy levels are off the charts.” Katherine’s voice was tight with concentration as she monitored readings. “Whatever these pieces were designed for, they're definitely responding to our combined access codes. To our coordinated approach.”
Eden moved deeper into the gallery, studying how the security systems adjusted to her biometric signature. Each device activated in sequence, displaying data patterns that suggested sophisticated programming rarely seen outside classified military projects.
