Forsaken Duty (Red Team #9)(100)

The man put his hand on Owen’s shoulder. “You did it, son. You did what none of us was brave enough to do. You ended King.”

Owen looked from his dad to Jax then back. “This mean you’re King now?”

“Fuck no.”

“So I don’t have to fight you?”

“No.” The man sighed. “I knew how I’d raised you, and I knew I was giving you over to my enemies to finish raising…but I didn’t know which side of this war you’d end up on. I should have guessed it would be the right side.”

Owen shook his head. “All those years, all that time, you were alive and in hiding. This could have been ended years ago if you’d just come forward.”

“We can’t always have the benefit of hindsight when we’re facing the future.”

“Whatever the fuck that means…”

Jax punched his shoulder. “O. Take a breath. I brought you your father. We’ve got work to do. The Omnis are down but not out. Now can I come in and say hello to my sister and nephews?”

Owen stepped back. “Everyone, my dad, Nick Tremaine. And Addy’s brother, Wendell Jacobs.”

Addy got up. She didn’t yet have the steam to run forward, so she just waited for Wendell to come to her. She hugged him tight. When they parted, Jax looked shocked as he stared at her.

“Whoa. Nick said they’d started you on the nanos, but I didn’t think they were a different kind than what he’d taken,” Jax said.

Addy nodded. “That’s why I was so sick.”

“How are you feeling now?”

“Considering the Omnis just cyberhacked her nanos and almost killed her…she’s doing great,” Owen said as he came to stand next to her. He held a hand out to Jax. “You staying for a while? We just realized we missed Thanksgiving. You’re welcome to join us.”

Jax smiled at him. “I’d like that. Can’t remember the last T-day I celebrated.” He looked around him, “Where are my nephews?”

Troy and Augie came over to hug him.

“Boys, this is my dad, Nick,” Owen said. “This is your granddad, Augie.”

Augie frowned. The kids who’d had anything to do with the Omni world had a keenly developed sense of suspicion. Owen regretted that, but respected it too.

“You don’t look like a granddad,” Augie said.

Nick wasn’t offended. “I don’t. It’s true. The world is changing, Augie, in unexpected ways.”

“I hope you’re going to be here a while, Dad,” Owen said. “I’d like to catch up with you.”

Nick gave Owen a long, hard look, then nodded. “I’d like that, too, son.”

Owen put his arm around Addy. “Dad, you remember Addy Jacobs.”

Nick took her hand and gave her a sad smile. “It’s been a long time, Addy. Jax has told me a lot about you. I’m so glad Owen found you again.”

“Thanks, Nick.” She smiled as she leaned against Owen. “I am, too.”



Kit sat on the sheriff’s doorstep, waiting for him to come home. His shift should have ended a while ago. A patrol car came around the corner and parked in front of the house.

The sheriff slammed his door shut. “Goddamn it, boy. I’m getting tired of seeing you.” He walked up to his porch.

Kit grinned. “It’s over.”

The sheriff’s gray brows lifted. “Is it?”

“For now.”

“What about that human extinction event?”

“On hold. That part’s not over.”

“So does this mean you’re clearing outta my town?”

Kit’s grin widened. “Not yet. Don’t know the plan, but the immediate threat has been terminated. Jerry still in your jail?”

“No. The FBI picked him up. How about that Jason Parker? You get him?”

“We did.”

“And that little gal Jerry tried to kill?”

“She’s back on her feet.”

“So I can breathe easy, then?”

“For now. Ivy sent me over to see if you’d consider joining us for a make-up Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. Seems with everything going on, we just passed it by. I’d like it if you’d come.”

Sheriff Tate slowly smiled. “Guess I could do that. What time?”

“Around one?”

“I’ll be there.”

Kit got up and went down the stairs to shake hands with him. “Thanks, sheriff. For everything.”



The wind was cold. Owen thought the temperature was supposed to warm up a bit, but right now, the damp chilly air cut to the bone. He was glad he’d had Addy put her coat on, but he was too nervous to grab his. He had a hand in his jeans pocket. At least one hand was warm. The other held a carved wooden box. Her freedom. His hell. He tried not to think of what he was about to do.

When he looked over at her, she was framed by the gray clouds behind her. Her nose was already pink.

“What did you want to see me about?” she asked.

He gritted his teeth. “Your freedom.” He handed her the box. It wasn’t heavy, and yet the weight it placed on him felt a metric fuck ton of lonely. “Here.”

She looked at the box but didn’t reach for it. What kind of life did they live that a gift was a burden? He wanted to smash it, but doing that was as good as putting her in chains. “Take it.”