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to be returning to the compact infirmary and tiny laboratories. Sevrin, on the other hand, had enjoyed the space and privacy her house had provided. Still, there was no point lamenting what couldn’t be changed.
    “Home sweet home,” Sevrin muttered as she turned toward the stairs.
    Falling into step behind her, Marat followed her onto the ship then melted into the shadows. It always amazed her that such a large man could move so soundlessly. He was her ever-present protector, a shield against external dangers, if not internal conflicts. Those she must battle on her own.
    The ship was divided into three decks, upper, central and lower. The upper deck contained the command center, while cabins, galley and cargo bays stretched out along the larger central deck. Engineering, the infirmary and both laboratories were situated on the lower deck. The entire ship was organized with an effortless flow that maximized its limited space.
    Sevrin found Dr. Porffer in the infirmary, studying images on a holodisplay Sevrin couldn’t begin to comprehend. The Team North deserter was restrained to a treatment table, despite his obvious sedation.
    “ I’ve done it,” Porffer announced without tearing her gaze away from the images. “This is the illusive hormone, except it behaves more like a compound protein. I extracted it from his blood twenty minutes ago and already I can find no trace of it ever having existed anywhere in his body.”
    “What are you babbling about?” Sevrin nudged the doctor’s shoulder, drawing the other woman’s gaze to her. “Explain it in civilian terms. I’m not a microbiologist.”
    Porffer sighed and slipped her hands into the pockets of her lab coat. “The deserter was so battered and bloody, I didn’t recognize him at first. As I cleaned him up, I realized he was the hunter who attempted to bond yesterday. It was a long shot, but I decided to see if the bonding agent was still in his system.”
    “The bonding agent is what triggers metamorphosis in the female s?”
    “Their nanites also play a part, but reproducing the change is impossible without the bonding agent.” Porffer’s gaze drifted back to the holodisplay.
    Sevrin could almost hear the ideas churning inside the doctor’s mind. “Have you identified the bonding agent or not?”
    “I have, but I can’t figure out where it came from and synthesizing the compound will be nearly impossible without a larger sample.”
    The doctor was still too distracted to look away from the display, but understanding made Sevrin smile. “We already have their nanites. If you can synthesize this mysterious compound, we won’t need those irrational men.”
    A shockingly cruel smile parted Porffer’s lips and she finally looked at Sevrin. “They are chaotic and unpredictable. Today’s setback was unacceptable. Wouldn’t it be nice to eliminate them from the equation entirely?”
    “You have no idea.” The Shadow Assassins were a necessary evil or so she’d thought. If they could… Reality intruded on her flight of fancy. They’d yet to produce a successful transfer with the Shadow Assassins’ cooperation. How did Porffer hope to accomplish the ultimate goal with a synthesized version of the bonding agent? Still, she didn’t want to discourage the doctor from trying. Control was the key to success in any project and the hunters were almost impossible to control. “Keep with it. I would love to dial back the chaos in this project more than anyone.”
    * * * * *
    “Is this supposed to be funny?” Angie wiggled out of Blayne’s arms and looked around. They were back in the desert. She’d had less than ten minutes with her sister and then Lor flashed out of sight with Tori, and Blayne brought Angie here—wherever the hell “here” was.
    “This is a quick layover. Our destination is much farther away.” One corner of his mouth quirked and secrets shimmered in his silver-blue eyes.
    She crossed her arms over her chest and glared. Why did