Page 10 of Capture of Capricorn

“That is enough, Zora.” Crius spoke, his voice emerging from a speaker in the ceiling.

“Why not come tell me that to my face?” she grumbled.

“Place the sphere on his chest.” Crius ignored her challenge.

“Why? You hoping he’ll absorb it and become Relic Man?” muttered as she placed the orb on his belly.

“Pull down the sheet first.” Her captor huffed with exasperation.

“If you wanted him naked for it, then you should have said so,” she snapped, grabbing the orb, yanking the sheet, and then dropping it back on the stranger’s belly, flat and ridged with muscle. “Happy now?”

“Tell me what you see.”

“Other than a metal egg on a half-nekkid man? Nothing. Are we done?”

“Lose the tone,” Crius ordered.

“Or what?”

She shouldn’t have pushed so hard, because next thing she knew, her wrist monitor jolted and everything went dark.

CHAPTER 3

The womanwho’d been arguing with the voice in the speaker—her dark eyes flashing and her tone spitting with attitude—hit the floor fast and hard. Capricorn would have caught her if he’d not been manacled.

Yes, manacled. Like some kind of dangerous patient, he’d been strapped to a bed. Couldn’t really blame them. After all, a Zodiac Warrior was worth like a dozen regular men.

He craned to see the woman drooling on the floor but no sign of blood, although she’d probably wake with some bruises.

The door opened, and a man with graying hair, wearing a suit, entered, along with two men in uniform.

The suit pointed. “Put her in her cell. Apparently, someone needs to reflect on her attitude again.”

The soldiers grabbed hold of the woman and literally dragged her out of the room.

When the man in the suit glanced at Capricorn, Capricorn arched a brow. “Do you shock all your employees?”

“Only the rude ones, and she’s not an actual employee but rather someone we acquired due to her skillset and the fact she stumbled upon the final relic.” Speaking of which, it rested onCapricorn’s belly still. So close, and yet he couldn’t touch it and run.

“One does not simply stumble across them,” Capricorn pointed out.

“She did. Bought at an estate sale of all things.” The man grimaced. “It would explain why we couldn’t find it.”

“Who are you?” Capricorn asked.

“I am Adam Crius, owner and CEO of Cetus.”

“Ah, the devil himself.”

Adam smirked. “I prefer to term myself a revolutionary.”

“Pretty sure you’re not the first dick with delusions of grandeur who thinks he can kidnap and intimidate people.”

“You forgot the part where I execute those who no longer serve a purpose.”

Damn. The guy didn’t even deny his cold side. “I don’t suppose you’ll be a good villain and launch into a monologue explaining how your fucked-up childhood led to you having to murder and steal as part of some manifesto that only crazies would understand.”

Laughter burst out of the man. “Sorry to disappoint. Normal childhood. Loved by my parents. Good grades. Popular amongst my peers. I graduated college with a degree in climate science and worked for many years for nonprofit groups until I founded Cetus.”

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