The Betrayed Series: Ultimate Omnibus Collection With EXCLUSIVE Post-Shiva Short Story by Carolyn McCray Page B

The only guarantee of a response from Jesus was to spread gossip as to who might have broken the Sabbath or sought comfort outside the sanctity of marriage.
    But today Judas remained silent, for Jesus seemed to be deep within a conversation of his own. His brow was furrowed. Even his lips pursed then relaxed as if he wished to argue, and then thought better of it. It was a strange day, but no day sitting next to Jesus could be called ordinary.
    “I know how I am to die,” his friend said, as if informing Judas of where he might settle once he married.
    Anyone else Judas might have scoffed at, but Jesus believed so deeply in his own words that he found himself believing them as well.
    So Judas asked the only question worthy. “Will you suffer?”
    Jesus turned his calm face away from the bright sky and looked into Judas’ eyes. “Greatly.” He then returned his sight to the heavens.
    Judas followed his gaze, for once glad that he could not see what Jesus did.

CHAPTER 2
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    Ecuadorian Rainforest
    Tok stood motionless at the center of the clearing, the scent of fresh blood and snake excrement thick in the air. It held a certain fragrance. Fear and anger. A tincture to brighten his foul mood.
    He had missed capturing the doctor by over six hours. Between the time that their mole had forwarded the SEALs’ orders and his own team were wheels up, they had lost those six hours. Someone was going to die for the delay.
    Adding to his annoyance, the constant moaning and screaming of the savages was becoming tiresome. After his recent surgery, he had barely acclimated to loud noises, let alone the high-pitched squeals from the tortured natives. Tok turned down his cochlear implant’s volume, but immediately missed the company of the jungle’s sound.
    Born deaf and mute, he had only known a cold, lonely, isolated world. A world where he had only himself and his fear. He had grown used to his soundless, barren life. But now, after the surgery to replace his deformed inner ear with microelectrodes, the wind was his constant companion.
    And now this rain forest with its insects, birds, and reptiles. Even the river murmured sweet nothings.
    The surgery had only been two weeks ago, but already he could not bear to be without this interaction. Slowly he dialed the implant’s volume up until his head was filled with the lovely buzz of the jungle. How different this Ecuadorian air sounded from the crisp Swiss air he had just left. This sensory cornucopia was worth the occasional tormented cry that sent a sharp lance across his brain. The acoustic enhancer was going to need some modifications for fieldwork.
    Fortunately, the natives seemed of inferior stock. They could not tolerate much more torture before they either capitulated or died.
    Someone tapped his shoulder before speaking carefully. “Master Tok, I believe we have found a way to extract the information.”
    “Petir, I don’t need to read your lips. I can hear you.”
    The older man smiled. “As I can you.”
    Tok was confused until he realized that he had been signing his words as he spoke, even though his new subvocal cord microphones transmitted into Petir’s specially designed earpiece. “Old habits die hard.”
    “For both of us,” his mentor agreed. “Would you follow me?”
    Tok followed, but at a languid pace. It was not that he did not wish to get the information and proceed with his mission. He was nothing if not diligent and efficient. It was that he did not wish to leave this place with all of its new sounds. The layers of amazing tones made him yearn to go home.
    Born deformed to a whore on the streets of Cairo, Tok had grown up terrified of the press of the marketplace. But what a wonder the crowded bazaar would be now. The shouts of the merchants. The loud bartering. Once they were rid of this troublesome doctor, he would head to Egypt and reclaim his birthplace, rather than let it linger as a