“Robot kids?” Haven mumbled, finding it hard to keep up her side of the conversation. If Iain’s womanizing had really been nothing but a disguise, why had he kept his relationship with Mia hush-hush? It didn’t make any sense.
Calum rolled his eyes as if the mere mention of the subject annoyed him. “Have you met many young people at the OS?”
“No,” Haven said.
“I call them the robots. Most of them take the Eternal Ones thing way too seriously. All they think about is their glorious future.”
“Yeah, it’s amazing how much the OS is changing,” Alex said.
“For the worse,” Calum groaned. “Can you imagine what it’s going to be like now that the little robots at Halcyon Hall are starting to graduate?”
“You mean the kids at the school Adam started? What are they like?” A wave of guilt washed over Haven. She had almost forgotten about Adam’s young recruits.
“They’re not allowed to talk to the likes of me,” Calum said. “But their leader is this guy named Milo Elliot. He’s a total tool. I bet he was shopping at Brooks Brothers when he was in the third grade.”
“Adam loves Milo,” Alex said.
“Yeah,” Calum agreed. “I suppose the rest of us should just face it. Adam has big things planned for his robot army. My guess is it starts with world domination.”
“World domination? What in the hell are you talking about?” Alex rolled her eyes. “The Halcyon Hall kids are just goody-goodies. They’re not evil.”
“That’s what you think,” Calum said solemnly. “My sources tell me otherwise.”
“You and your ‘sources’ have always been full of it,” Alex replied. “I’m not going to sit here and let you fill Haven’s head with this crap. Let’s take her to the fund-raiser and let her decide for herself.”
“Forget it!” Calum squawked. “I’m not going to be responsible for Haven dying of boredom.”
“Fund-raiser?” Haven repeated.
“What are you doing tonight?” Alex asked innocently.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
When Haven saw all the studious Society members filing up the steps of City Hall, she was glad she’d worn her most conservative dress. Alex’s plaid skirt and pearls made her look more like a kindergarten teacher than a movie star. Even Calum had buttoned his shirt and topped it with a crimson and navy striped cravat.
“You forgot to mention that the party was going to be here,” Haven whispered. Bathed in spotlights, the two-hundred-year-old landmark was breathtaking.
“Don’t be so dazzled, darling.” Calum was out of sorts. He didn’t want to waste an evening at a fund-raiser, and he’d complained nonstop until Alex had threatened to kick him out of the car on the way downtown. “This is just the mayor’s way of earning a few precious points.”
“You’re saying the mayor rents out City Hall?”
“If you know the right people, everything in New York is for rent,” Alex explained. “You could have a cocktail party inside the Statue of Liberty for fifteen points. If you ever decide to join the OS, I’ll throw you a midnight bash on the top of the Empire State Building.”
Inside, the trio flitted past the security guards in the building’s magnificent white rotunda, where the coffin of Abraham Lincoln had once been on view. Following the other guests, they then scaled the grand stairway and entered a bright green room, its walls decorated with priceless paintings framed in gold.
Despite the grandeur of the Governor’s Room, the atmosphere was somber. Unlike the other OS parties Haven had witnessed, this one seemed to be short on booze and scantily covered skin. The snippets of conversation Haven picked up as she and her companions traipsed through the crowd were too dull to lodge in her memory.
“Look. There’s the man of the hour,” Calum said, grabbing Haven’s hand and whispering in her ear. “That’s Milo. What’d I tell you? Is that kid a robot or what?” He pointed to a clean-cut young man in his late teens. Milo was blond and fair and unremarkable in almost every way. Even his off-the-rack suit was just a notch above the uniform favored by the Society’s drones. And yet Milo was clearly important. Haven recognized the bald man with whom he was chatting as the tycoon who ran the biggest bank in New York. Milo said something that made the man chuckle.
“I thought you guys didn’t give a damn about changing the world.” Haven spun around to find Owen Bell looking dashing in a conservative suit. He smiled at Haven. “It’s nice to see you again, though. I’m glad they finally dragged you out of that fancy hotel.”
“Thanks,” Haven said. “What are you doing here?”
“Yeah, what are you doing here, Owen?” Calum demanded, as if Owen had crashed the party.
“As you may recall, Calum, I’m employed by the Ouroboros Society. I get paid to be here.”
“That’s right. How could I forget? Owen has dedicated his talents to helping the robots seize control,” Calum explained. His tone was flippant, but his eyes were serious. “He’s a traitor to the human cause.”
“Who knows? Maybe I’m a double agent,” Owen quipped. “Maybe I’m protecting the human race from Milo.”
“Joke all you want, but I still don’t know why Adam wastes his time on that kid,” Alex said. “You’re the one with all the big ideas, Owen. You’re the one Adam really listens to.”
“Adam listens to you?” Haven asked Owen, trying not to show the disappointment she felt. Maybe she had been wrong about Owen. Maybe his soul was already too polluted to save.
“He humors me,” Owen corrected her.
“Owen’s just being modest,” Alex jumped in. “He has all of these great ideas for improving the OS. He told Adam about them, and Adam’s been making the changes.”
“You’re exaggerating, Alex,” Owen said, embarrassed.
“Am I? You convinced Adam to forgive debts for members under twenty-one, and you helped kick out the serious drug dealers.”
“Adam really agreed to do all that?” Haven asked in astonishment. If it were true, it was the first real proof she’d found that the OS was evolving.
“Yes, soon everything at the Society will appear completely dull and legitimate,” Calum jumped in. “We wouldn’t want rumors of criminal activity to jeopardize Milo’s career, would we?”
“My suggestions were never meant to help Milo,” Owen said. “I don’t like him any more than you do. But if Adam’s convinced that Milo’s the future, I’m going to do what I can to make sure that future is one I can live in. So if you’ll excuse me for a moment, it’s time for me to get the Society’s great hope to take the stage.”
“How long have you guys known him?” Haven asked as Owen disappeared into the crowd.
“Just a year or so,” Alex said. “Calum took one look at Owen after he joined the OS and decided to make himself Owen’s own personal welcoming party.”
“Didn’t work out,” Calum explained. “Apparently I’m not Owen’s type. Which is totally crazy—I’m everyone’s type.”
“Owen’s been a member for a single year, and he already has Adam’s ear?” Haven asked.
“He’s a talented boy, that Owen Bell,” Calum snipped. “I wish I could come off so sincere.”
“Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen!” An older gentleman in a tweed suit had stepped up to the podium at the front of the room. “May I have your attention, please?”
“Who’s that?” Haven whispered to Calum.
“Jeffrey Lemke. The new president of the OS. He replaced Padma. Lemke’s about as interesting as a ball of lint compared to the diabolical Ms. Singh.”
“Maybe that’s not such a bad thing,” Haven remarked just as Lemke started to speak.
“I’d like to introduce the young man you’ve all come to hear. At age nine, Milo Elliot was the first student accepted at Halcyon Hall. In May, he will graduate with top honors, and come September he’ll be joining the freshman class at Yale. Milo’s not only one of the Ouroboros Society’s brightest lights, he’s the future of our organiz
ation. Tonight, he’s going to give us a peek at what that future may hold.”
The crowd clapped politely.
“Thank you, Jeffrey,” Milo said. He looked down at his notes and then up at the portrait of George Washington on the wall above his podium. When he faced the audience once more, Milo had been transformed. Gone was the bland blond boy. In his place was a confident leader with a warm, winning smile. “When I look around the room at the faces gathered here tonight, I see this country’s best and brightest. Artists, businesspeople, philanthropists, inventors, scientists—there’s enough money, talent, and brainpower in this one room to change the course of history.
“That was, after all, what the Ouroboros Society was meant to achieve. Lasting change. When August Strickland started this organization in 1923, he brought the first Eternal Ones together with a purpose in mind. He had a vision of a world in which our unique skills and knowledge would make a difference. Unfortunately, over the last ninety years, that vision has remained unfulfilled. Ironically, as the Ouroboros Society has grown more powerful, our impact on the world has diminished. We’ve come to focus on our own petty needs and desires. We’ve forgotten that we were sent back to earth not to line our own pockets, but to shape the future and to lead those less fortunate than ourselves.”
Haven shivered. A figure in black had materialized only inches away from where she stood. Adam smiled down at her before returning his attention to the speaker. Haven sensed an invisible shield surrounding them both—a bubble that couldn’t be burst. It felt like nothing could ever threaten her while Adam was at her side.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Milo continued. “I believe that the time has come to devote our talents to a higher cause. The day I graduate from Yale, I intend to pledge my life to serving others. By seeking public office, I can do my small part to influence the future of our city, our state, and our country. And I’m not the only student at Halcyon Hall with such goals. The next generation of Society members knows it’s our destiny to lead the world. In a decade, we will be America’s politicians, its scientists, and its businesspeople. With your support, in the next twenty-five years, we will be its presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and CEOs.
“So I’ve come here tonight to ask for your help. This is your chance to use your wealth and power to begin shaping the future. Simply transfer as many points as you can spare to the Halcyon Hall Endowment Fund. We’ll be keeping records of contributions, and all donations will be much appreciated. Thank you, and enjoy the party.”
The applause this time was louder and more heartfelt.
“Good evening, Haven,” Adam said once the room had quieted down. “I didn’t expect to see you here tonight.”
“Alex and Calum brought me.” Haven gestured toward the spot where the two had been standing, but the couple had vanished.
“And what did you think?”
Haven glanced over at Milo, who was shaking hands with members of his awestruck audience. Calum and Alex were now standing to the side of the crowd, snickering at the scene.
“He’s a powerful speaker. I didn’t expect someone that young to be so charismatic,” Haven said. “But I’m a little confused by his speech. Milo just said he wants the Society’s members to start changing the world around them. Doesn’t that go against everything you stand for? I thought you wanted members so focused on the points in their accounts that they couldn’t change the world for the better.”
“I suppose you could say that my strategy has shifted,” Adam replied. “I’ve decided to take a different tack. The Society of the future will look quite different from the one you’ve come to know.”
“Alex says you’ve been working with Owen Bell. She told me that he’s dedicated to cleaning up the OS—and that you’ve been making all the improvements that Owen’s recommended. Is it true?” Haven still found it hard to believe.
“Yes. Owen is very talented,” Adam confirmed. “It’s always easier to have someone so gifted working for you than fighting against you. In fact, I’ve come to rely on Mr. Bell. Milo is only the face of the future. Owen will be its heart and its voice. He wrote the speech you just heard.”
“He did?” Haven searched for Owen and found him glaring at Milo from the far corner of the room. His arms were crossed, and he looked livid.
“I wish Mr. Bell could give the speeches as well as write them, but there are reasons he prefers to work behind the scenes.” Adam’s eyes landed on the young man in question. His gaze was that of a zoologist observing a rare and remarkable creature. “I’ve encountered Owen in several of his lives, and his way with words has always impressed me. But until recently, I considered him a waste of my time.”
“Why?” Haven asked.
“As far as I can tell, Owen Bell is incorruptible,” Adam said, almost sounding surprised to hear himself utter the words. “I can’t say I’ve ever met anyone like him. Owen has more than three thousand points sitting in his OS account. He’s never spent a single one, and I doubt he ever will. I’m pleased that you two had a chance to meet. Owen could use a good friend. It’s a shame you’ll be going away.” The final sentence seemed to trigger a thought, and Adam’s voice shifted from friendly to formal. “I shouldn’t take any more of your time, Haven. I only came over to offer my apologies. I’m sorry that we haven’t found Beau yet. Commissioner Williams has assured me it’s only a matter of days—if not hours—before we do. In the meantime, will you let my people at the Society know if there’s anything we can do to make your stay in New York more pleasant?”
“Sure,” Haven said, feeling more than a little confused. Had he given up trying to win her?
“Then please excuse me. As much as I would love to spend my evening with you, I must attend to my guests.”
“You’re leaving me all alone?” Haven heard herself flirting.
Adam nodded solemnly. He was even paler than usual, Haven noticed, and his eyes had lost their luster. He looked like someone in terrible pain. Was it possible to fake such suffering, she wondered. “I must leave. For your sake,” Adam said. “Yesterday, I had to face a terrible truth. For the past week, I’ve tried to ignore the fact that you’re not in New York to stay. I gave into temptation, Haven. I allowed myself to feel things that I promised myself I wouldn’t feel. But soon, Beau will be located, and I’ll lose you once more. If I don’t put some distance between us, the pain will be too much to bear. I’m afraid I may not be able to let you leave when the time comes. I know how that must sound, but I have to be honest with you. I hope you forgive me.”
“But . . .” Haven started to argue before she truly understood what he’d said. The Adam Rosier she’d once known would never have warned her. He wouldn’t have denied himself pleasure, even if it came at another’s expense. Until that moment, Haven hadn’t considered taking Adam at his word. She had allowed him to help her, of course. And she was grateful for his assistance. But it had never occurred to her that the love Adam felt might be completely sincere—or that her happiness could be more important to him than his own. Maybe it was all just a ruse—a new trick he’d dreamed up to lure Haven back into his arms. Or maybe—just maybe—the man standing beside her was a different Adam Rosier.
“Goodnight, Haven,” he said.
Haven watched Adam cut through the crowd, leaving her behind.
“What did you say to the boss, Haven?” It was Calum, with Alex in tow. “I’ve never seen him like that. And look at you blushing like a virgin in a sex shop! Are you still going to tell me you two are just friends?”
“What do you care?” Haven asked, suddenly annoyed. “Why were you watching me, anyway?”
“Oh, don’t mind Calum,” Alex advised with a roll of her eyes. “He may be nosy, but he rarely means any harm.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Haven thought of the days when her world had been simple. Iain was her soul mate. Beau was her best friend. The Ouroboros Society was hopelessly corrupt. Adam was evil. Just a few weeks earlier, she’d been blissfully una
ware that the Horae were watching her every move. And Mia Michalski had been nothing more than a name. In two short weeks, that world had been blown apart. Haven would have to piece the fragments together again. She’d start with one of the few things she still knew for certain. Beau was her best friend, and until she found him, nothing else mattered.
She fled City Hall Cinderella style, dashing down the stairs and heading toward the traffic circling the grounds. She never noticed the van parked on Broadway, and it wasn’t until she felt arms grab her from behind that Haven realized Chandra and Cleo had been waiting to ambush her. Cold and miserable, Haven was bounced around in the back of the Horae’s van long enough to build up a powerful rage. Finally the vehicle stopped, the doors opened, and Chandra hopped inside.
“Put this on,” she ordered, handing Haven a blindfold.
“Kiss my ass,” Haven snarled.
“Put it on,” Chandra repeated.
Haven complied, and her captors dragged her out of the van like a sack of groceries. Each woman grabbed an arm and guided her forward. Snow filled Haven’s shoes and brush slapped at her ankles. They were in the woods. Finally, her arms were released.
“Count to sixty before you take off the blindfold,” Chandra commanded.
Haven could hear them returning the way they’d come. When she removed her blindfold, she found herself in a dense forest. Between the trees, she could see a flickering blaze. She trudged through the woods and into a snowy opening in the middle of the wilderness. A campfire lit the center of the clearing. Seated on a log, a few feet from the flames, was Phoebe. She seemed perfectly at home, though her beige suit and overcoat were better suited for a boardroom than the boondocks.
“I can’t believe you just had me kidnapped! Where am I?” Haven demanded. All around her, a thick web of pine branches formed an impenetrable barrier.
“Try to remain calm, Haven,” Phoebe cooed as if pacifying an overwrought child. “You haven’t been abducted. This is merely a place where we can speak without interruption.”