Sepia Blue- Nameless: A Sepia Blue Novel- Book 4 Orlando Sanchez (good books for high schoolers txt) 📖

the procedure room, even the trained personnel would be performing the procedure remotely for their own safety.

Rafael headed to one of the small conference rooms close to the procedure room and closed the door. He traced a symbol in the air, securing the area around him in complete silence before pulling out his phone and dialing Anna.

“Director,” Anna said. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Rafael, please,” Rafael said. “Let’s not rest on formality. You have my deepest sympathies for your losses at the hand of Kala and his Black Hunters.”

“I witnessed the Dreadwolves tear Kala to shreds,” Anna answered. “His death was a small comfort for Lexa and the Sisters’ lives he stole with his Black Hunters. Shanti is still recovering from Dreadwolf venom. What do you want, Director?”

“Retribution,” Rafael said. “Regional has unleashed something worse than Kala.”

“I find that unlikely,” Anna answered. “Kala was a blight on humanity that should have been purged long ago.”

“They released Retribution to Velos and sent him after Sepia and the Hunters,” Rafael said. “He’s killed two Hunters and taken their blades.”

“I stand corrected,” Anna said. “Why does this concern me? My Sisters have been decimated. We are now down to a handful. We can’t help you. This is, as you say, Regional business. It would seem your internal politics are destroying the Order. Ask them for help.”

“I don’t want their help,” Rafael said. “I want your help.”

“No,” Anna said with finality. “You have no concept of what the Sisters have lost. We need to rebuild.”

“Sepia is a Sister.”

“Do you enjoy stating the obvious?” Anna asked. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Velos is killing Hunters, but he has a specific target.”

“Sepia,” Anna said. “He’s been tasked with eliminating her.”

“Yes,” Rafael confirmed. “After Sepia he will hunt you and the remaining Sisters, as well as the Order. He will start with the Hunters, but you will be next.”

“The Hunters and the Order are not my concern,” Anna said. “My first responsibility is to the safety of the Sisters, Sepia included. We will protect Sepia from any attack.”

“My apologies,” Rafael said, hating what he had to do next. “I was under the impression I was speaking to the leader of the Sisters. I must have dialed the wrong number, because you sound like Kala beat you. Is that what happened?”

“Director,” Anna said with thinly veiled menace. “Have you grown tired of living?”

“I was just about to ask you the same thing,” Rafael said, letting the threat in his voice match Anna’s. “You want autonomy? I will guarantee it. You help me with Velos and the Sisters are beholden to no one. You do as you see fit.”

“With no oversight from Regional?” Anna asked, now interested. “We select our candidates from wherever we choose and we answer to no one?”

“I’ll ask that you consider the Hunter candidates who fail the training,” Rafael said. “In addition to any candidates you seek to add.”

“Of course,” Anna said. “What kind of help do you seek?”

“The help I need is two-pronged,” Rafael said. “How recovered is Shanti?”

“She will be at full operational status within the week. Why do you ask?”

“I need your assistance in dealing with Sepia.”

“Dealing with Sepia?” Anna asked. “Why are you dealing with Sepia?”

“I fear she may have begun the transformation into the Jade Demon,” Rafael said. “That threat must be dealt with.”

“What have you done?” Anna asked after a short pause. “The Jade Demon was death unleashed. Are you saying there is another?”

“There is a strong possibility of it, yes,” Rafael said. “I also need to know who inside Regional sanctioned Velos receiving a dark blade. Can Shanti be inserted into Regional?”

“A dark blade,” Anna said. “You need Shanti to infiltrate Regional?”

“Yes. Can she?”

“She is a Sister,” Anna said. “She is more than capable of getting this information. The question is, what will you do with it once you have it?”

“Regional is rotting from within,” Rafael said. “It’s time to excise the rot from the Order.”

“Others have tried and failed,” Anna said. “The corruption within the Order has deep roots. What makes you think you can succeed?”

“I’m not indebted to the Order,” Rafael replied. “There is no leverage to use against me.”

“Every Director thinks this way, until they try to implement change. Then they discover they are sadly mistaken.”

“There is one more thing,” Rafael said, knowing this was the make or break point of Anna’s involvement. “The Nameless is in play.”

“The Nameless? I was under the impression that blade was lost to time.”

“It was. Velos found it and has procured it for someone.”

“Someone? You don’t know who?”

“I have an idea,” Rafael said. “If it’s who I think it is, Velos is the least of our concerns. I’m hoping Shanti can find out more.”

“That information is liable to cost her her life,” Anna said. “Are we to intercept this blade?”

“If at all possible, yes. I’d prefer to see that blade destroyed and gone.”

“This web you weave is tangled indeed,” Anna said. “It would sadden me to have to dispatch you, Director, but I would do it without hesitation if this is subterfuge.”

“Please use your extensive resources to confirm and corroborate,” Rafael said knowing she would do so regardless. “If it is artifice, I would rightfully deserve any judgment you pass. Will you help me?”

“If we do this, Sepia remains with the Sisters,” Anna said. “She will not be folded into the Hunters again.”

“You say that like you can control her,” Rafael said. “She may not even be Sepia any longer.”

“She is a Sister,” Anna answered, her voice iron. “That would be our concern.”

“Gan may have an opinion on that,” Rafael said. “He may want her to be returned to the Hunters.”

“It was Gan who sent her to me in the first place,” Anna said. “He forfeited his life for hers in the process. Gan has no voice in this matter. I am informing you, as the Director of Regional: Sepia will remain a Sister no matter the outcome, even if it means her death. Those