Storm Front: NA Fantasy/Time Travel (Tesla Time Travelers Book 3) (3 page)

Penya supposed that is one good thing that’s come of Ilif’s time travel. All those wasted decades he spent dedicated to one of Telsa’s patents, the one least likely to fund our other endeavors. Nonetheless, he finally succeeded and to my benefit. I am now forever young. With his findings, I can forever fix mistakes, errors, oversight.
 

I hadn’t counted on that stupid bitch being so bullheaded though. I underestimated her.
 

No matter. She underestimated me. The girl has been far too long without a matriarch in her family. She forgets. She forgets how powerful a woman scorned can be. A woman who is due her birthright.
 

He stole it all from me. And that stupid, worthless, Rennae. I should’ve known better. Should’ve known that she could never separate her head from her heart where he was concerned. I’d fallen prey to him, as well. We both had. In the end it had cost us all. But no more. No more.

This time—this time—I’ll get it right. This time I have a blank slate in Tiana. Fresh DNA unhampered by decades of complacency. Evy’s generation didn’t understand that, nor several after. It took far longer than it should have for the research to capitalize on the body’s ability to repair and recode DNA. No one dies with the same DNA they’re born with.
 

I should have seen the value in Ilif’s time travel research earlier. But that is the benefit of time travel. There’s no such thing as
too late
. All we needed was a way to manipulate history.
 

Tiana throws a micro ball of red toward a target, but it doesn’t release from her boxing gloves in time, and the trajectory is off, sending it flying wide to the right. The countermeasures in the room account for the error and diffuse the red ball before it explodes. Tiana huffs and marches back to the other end, muttering encouragement to herself.

Back then they didn’t have enough measurements, thinking only that DNA was to stranded cellular I whatever the pocket is. It took decades of formulating new DNA and studying it over time before we realized how quickly the breakdown occurred. Now we know.

To have Tiana at such a young age. I watch her stride across the room with an unknown grace. That is one trait she shares with her sister—they both possess a confidence in their movements that I’ve seen but rarely. Though I would not reveal that truth to Evy, her physical confidence was what attracted me to her in the beginning, what made me see what she could become.

I was mistaken to think I could control her. But now I have her sister and I will not err the same way again.

Now I can accomplish great things, masterful things. I’ll need Tiana to lead me back to Tesla’s warehouse. But not yet. I’m in no hurry. After all, I have all the time and all the dimensions to get this right.

And Evy has no way to find us. Of that, I’m certain.

C
HAPTER
8

“T
HERE
IS
ONE
solution available to us, one we haven’t yet discussed. I can train your father.”

My stomach drops. “No. It almost killed him last time.”

“We know why the errors occurred. The dangers are no longer present thanks to your encouragement. With his own arcing activated, a repeat of that disaster on the river will not occur. All that remains is a mentor to train him in the nuances.”

Fear rages inside me. I should have gone straight to the warehouse. I should have traced Tiana’s residue. I shouldn’t have left her. I certainly can’t put Papi in danger because of it. “This is my fault. I need to fix it.”

“Evy,” Constantine scolds and wraps his fingers around my upper arm. Worry creeps into his voice and if I’m not careful, he’s not going to let us separate.

I shift my body into the protective curve of his to settle him while I finish grilling Ilif. His hand curls around my waist and his fingers splay wide, holding me tight against his side in a protective cage. “Can you make it work right or will he get stuck in New York? I won’t lose them both.”

“Your father can find Tiana. With the aid of her talisman.”

I throw my hands up. So much for that plan. “She didn’t have one. We never had time to get that far.”

He frowns in an uncharacteristic show of emotion. “That’s troubling. How did she initiate her own travel, then?”

“She followed
my
residue the first time—to Nikola’s warehouse. But the second time, when she was leaving to come home, Penya forced her to use her own lightning.” I punch my palm with my closed fist. “Knowing it would trigger an alteration.”

“Making it easy to follow Tiana and corrupt her arc.”

“I’m sorry.”

He touches the knot of his tie. “We will abide by what you know. Those details will aid your father in determining where Tiana’s alteration led her. I am able to coach him through this.”

“But it wasn’t a true alteration,” I say, frustrated again at my own stupidity. “It was what Penya wanted it to be. Tiana could be in Africa for all we know. Where would Penya take her?”

“Tell me where you encountered Penya last.”

“My house.”

“And?” His voice is strained. I don’t like that these details are upsetting him. His normal frustration with me is displaced by a concern and hesitation that bothers me.

“She went after Nikola's papers.” I take a breath and he waits expectantly. Telling him the truth might be a terrible idea, but if it helps find Tiana, I have to risk it. “I threw a ball of lightning past her to blow the trap I’d set in the room before it took her out, there was an explosion and when I arced, I ended up here. Alone.” I blurt the disaster and clench my teeth, hoping he’ll overlook some serious details in there. My trap didn’t have anything to do with losing Tiana. That was about keeping Nikola's work safe... Completely separate deal.

Ilif paces, hands clasped tightly behind his back. “I will avoid asking you questions about those new elements of your lightning.” He looks up with a stern glare. “For now.”

I’m not about to let him make me feel guilty for keeping things from him. I figured all that out on my own…well, with Constantine’s help… but not a damn bit from the guy who’s
supposed
to be my mentor. Until he proves he’s trustworthy, I’m revealing only what I must. Bad enough I’m at his mercy in this. If there were any other option I’d take it, but I’m trusting that he really does know more than I do about arcing, I know about mine, but my lightning behaves differently from Tiana’s and we know all too well that Papi’s arcing isn’t the same either. Whether I like it or not, he's better versed in areas I’m not.

Certainly about Penya and her capabilities.

And deceits.
 

I can no longer trust my feelings about that woman.

C
HAPTER
9

M
EN
RACE
PAST
, gathering weapons and armor. Shouts and clanks of metal on flesh permeate the stifling morning air. A cluster of horses fidgets by the far gate and their stomping impatience echoes off the walls and packed dirt.

The press of time is every bit as loud.

Constantine steps away to address a group of men who’ve come with questions. They hand him clothes, armor, and his weapon. His attention never leaves me while he readies himself and orders them about.

Ilif tugs his sleeve and crowds my comfort zone. “A moment.”

“We don’t have any.” Just because he’s trying to help doesn’t mean I have to be nice about it. Facts remain and he’s manipulated me from the moment we met. There’s still a high possibility he’s doing it right now and I’m too blind to see past the danger my family’s in. I hate everything about my roiling emotions. I hate having this uncertainty smashed up against a different uncertainty of my place with Constantine and how all our lives fit together. Just when I think I have one piece figured out, they all get dumped on the floor in another jumbled mess for me to sort through.

Like always, Ilif ignores my attitude and commands the conversation. “I am aware of the poor timing of my request, but Tiana’s absence does not impact the greater issue at hand. I am still in need of Tesla’s papers.”

Because his needs are always more important than mine, or who’s gone missing. “Tell me what you’re doing—” I hold up a hand to prevent his ‘classified’ bullshit. “We’re past what’s classified and what isn’t. We’re past what I’m allowed to know in order to complete my lightning rider portion of the mission.”
 

I step closer, stopping just before my chest brushes his image. The snap of ozone lingers on his clothes from traveling. There’s also a hint of starch, making me think he’s almost human. “I’d say this is poor timing. My sister is missing and you still pick now to bring up what you didn’t get? My family is in critical danger. You’ve already lost us once. Do you want to recreate Rafe’s death for Papi?” He flinches.
 

Good.
I jab the air beside his face with my finger. “Penya’s been in your lab, rifling through your papers, doing as she pleases. You say she escaped years ago, but she was there while you were galavanting about, doing whatever worthless tasks you do when you should have been in your lab. You want Tesla’s papers? Well,
fuck you.
I want my sister. Figure that out and I’ll think about getting you your damn papers.”

The lines at the edges of his eyes relax but I’m not about to let up. “
After
you tell me why you want them.”

“That’s class—” I poke his shoulder,
hard
and my hand slides through him. I grind my teeth and pull my hand through his image and take a step back, frustrated at my limitations when he’s like this.

He gets my intent and snaps his mouth closed.
 

Constantine bristles in his spot a dozen feet away, alert and aware of the rising tension, but stays put, confident I can handle myself. “Perhaps your colors will loosen his tongue.” He throws the comment as an afterthought as he straps on armor guards.

It’s not a bad idea. “Quid pro quo?”

Ilif doesn’t move.

“Green first,” Constantine suggests. “No need killing him before he gives over the information you seek.”

I pull a fine strand of emerald lightning from my fingertip, stopping when it’s six inches long. I hold it up and watch Ilif. Then laugh when his image doesn’t flicker; I should have tried this ages ago. “I’ve been testing a few things.” I shrug like it’s no big deal. “Green binds things, forces them to stay put.” I push it closer to him. “What do you suppose it does to holograms?”
 

“You think you’re the first rider to know colors? How do you think the information got to you?”

Oh, to be able to test red on him, maybe erase a few body parts.

“Fine. I will relent this one time because I’ve come to care for your father.” He clears his throat. “And you. I do not want a repeat of what happened with your grandfather upon Rafe’s death.” He looks away and I
swear
his eyes water like he’s overcome with emotion. He draws a thin breath and puts a foot of space between us, recovering his pompous stature. It’s almost comforting. His eyes flicker to my fingertips and the trembling green strand of lightning. “I will remind you that you have not been entirely forthcoming with information.”

I’m unable to contain the short bark of laughter. “You think?” I snuff the strand. “You have no right to those answers. Not yet.” Not until he’s proven himself. Not until he’s given me undeniable truths. And my sister. I need to send him off to train Papi, but I also want to know the order of his priorities so I’m equipped to battle him when we circle back to the matter of Nikola. “Like what?”

“You haven’t finished telling me of the men casing your house, men who were FBI or belonging to Morgan. Why do you think they wanted to get in your home? What makes you think they were FBI?”

“What men?” Constantine says loudly, settling more armor into place. The warrior in him misses nothing, even when he’s on the brink of walking into his own battle.

I rub my fingers against my temple and answer Constantine so he won’t worry while I’m gone. “I don’t know yet.” To Ilif, I say, “They’re not FBI.”

“How do you know?” His voice squeezes the question and there’s a new stiffness to his demeanor that puts me on edge. We don’t have time for this distraction. Why is he worried about the guys in black? Is that why whatever he’s working on is classified? Why he’s unwilling to talk about Nikola’s work and the papers? The last time he asked about them, he
did
act like he cared and then we got sidetracked by Penya. Like now.
 

I want to dig deeper but his answers will stress Constantine out. I need him to be okay with me taking off while he’s busy. For now, I placate Ilif with what I can. “I just know, okay? I have someone working on it. He says they’re not FBI.” I still owe Steinaman answers. I have to go see what he’s uncovered.
 

“We must tell each other the truth.”

I laugh. “That would be a first.” He’s so well-versed in lies. The only way to sort through a conversation with him is to bring comparison data. I need help beyond his. And right now I have the best leverage I’ll have, both to buy me time and to make him dish. “Tiana first.” I puff up and step closer. “Papi safe.”

“Fine.”
 

I nod. While he’s tracking Tiana I can find answers and figure out what I want to share and what to keep lying about.

“I’ll come find you,” he says and takes a step back. Without another word, he vanishes.

My heart pounds and I squeeze my fists together until the air stops vibrating. Please let him find Tiana. And keep Papi safe.

“What troubles you?” Constantine asks. His men have dissipated to other parts of camp, finalizing the preparations.

I laugh. “Where do I start?”

“I am aware of the pain you feel about your sister.” He seems so far away, still unmoved from his position, hands crossed over the hilt of his sword, battle-ready and imposing. “Something else weighs on you.”

I stare at him. He’s always so perceptive. I’m not sure I want to burden him with what comes next for me.