As the glider’s engine turned off, Marthus motioned to open the door, but Halden grabbed his arm to stop him.

“You still haven’t answered my question,” he said.

“What question?” asked Marthus with a scowl.

“Why did you do it? She loved you like an uncle, for crying out loud!”

“And I loved her like a niece,” he said more gently than should have been allowed. Then his eyes hardened. “Do you think I would have done it if I’d had a choice? What kind of monster do you take me for?” He pointed over his shoulder at his house. “I have a family too, Halden. Tell me, what do you think would have happened to them if I had not done as I was told?” Halden frowned. “Exactly. Now let go of me and let’s go in before Lara starts wondering what’s going on.”

But Halden did not let go. Instead, he pulled the wiper out of his pouch. When Marthus saw it, he gaped.

“Don’t! Think of Lara and the children...”

Without a word, Halden slapped the device on his friend’s neck and watched as he went limp.

He had considered not using it. After all, Marthus had made clear none of this mattered now that they both worked for the same man—he refused to think of him as his ‘master.’ But he couldn’t trust his friend anymore. He thought it best to erase his memories, be damned the consequences.

Halden slid the wiper back into the pouch, then jumped out of the glider. He pulled the other man out, grabbed him under the shoulders, and dragged him to the house. He knocked and waited.

The door soon opened, and the smile on Lara’s face faded.

“My God! What happened?”

“I think he fainted or something. He just went unconscious on me.”

The woman blanched. “Oh my! Get him in, quick! I’ll call the doctor. There is one living a few doors down the street.”

Halden was not worried. Wipers left no trace. It always looked like the person had passed out.

He dragged his old friend to the couch and dropped him there as Lara made a holocall.

When she was done, he looked at her. “I should probably go. We’ll reschedule dinner for a time when he’s feeling better.”

“Yes, of course,” she said as she sat next to her husband, a look of concern on her face.

He waited a few seconds, then turned and headed back out. As he went to the glider, he saw a man running toward the house. Probably the doctor.

Halden went into the vehicle and flew it back to his house.

During the ride, he received a holocall.

The face of the visor appeared on his retina.

“Prof. Roche. I have good news for you.”

He clenched his fists and nodded.

“Is something wrong?” asked Olan Rash with a quirked brow.

Damn. He needed to be more careful.

He shook his head. “It’s fine. Just Marthus. We were supposed to have dinner together, but he fainted as we got to his place. He’ll be fine. I just don’t like sudden schedule changes.”

“I see. Well, I have something new you can add to your schedule. Those armors are ready for you and your team. You’re leaving tomorrow.”

“That is great news,” he said. “Thank you. About the team...”

“Yes?”

“Can I pick the people going with me?”

“You know your men better than me, so I would expect nothing less. Send me your list and I will take care of the rest.”

“What time tomorrow?”

The visor held a hand up. “Bide a moment.”

He turned his head to the side and seemed to be listening to someone talking to him, though Halden could not hear what they were saying.

Rash looked back at him.

“Something came up. Do you mind if we push this to the day after? Say, four in the afternoon?”

Halden nodded. “Sure. I’ll be ready.”

“Perfect. I’ll talk to you when you’re there.”

The call was cut.

His glider landed a few minutes later.

He got out, walked into his house, sighed as he closed the door, and reached to turn the light on.

That was when they came at him.

Two men wearing black cloaks with purple rims.

Before he could do anything, they pressed a syringe against his neck and everything went black.