“Something similar happened to me...” Once again, she said something that completely caught Sam off guard. “But it wasn't water. There was an earthquake recently. The whole house was shaking, things were falling, but I could hear a voice...like someone was standing just below me, yelling up through the floor, through the ground. The pearl has always been able to make the ground shake when I wanted it to but this was different. It wasn't like that. It was doing it all on its own.”
That was news to Sam. This pearl also had power but its abilities were different than the one he possessed. It apparently could control tremors instead of water. Maybe the third pearl had its own unique power too.
At least she knew that he wasn't making any of it up since she had seen something similar firsthand, or at least heard it. That solved at least part of the problem. It might even make it easier for her to understand.
“Then you should know that the only way to stop anything like that from happening again—or worse—we have to take that pearl. We need all of them. Yours included.”
“And once again”—Erica put her fingertips up to her necklace—“that is not going to happen. I'm not going to give up a pearl that has been in my family for generations to complete strangers. I don't care how polite you try to ask. I don't even really care what your reasons for wanting it are. This has been in my family longer than most things have existed. Wrap your head around that. I'm not going to discard it.”
Sam tried to keep himself composed. It was frustrating to know that the pearl was so close yet they couldn't just reach out and get it. He couldn't bring himself to take it from her though, and if he did, security would probably ambush him and take the other pearl too. Then he would be even further behind. If he was going to get it, it would have to be from the heiress willingly.
“Look, if you don't let us have it, we can't get all three of the pearls together. If we can't do that and return them to where they belong, horrible—potentially world-ending things—might happen.”
“Because Poseidon says so?” Erica asked with a snicker.
Sam noticed the smirk on Daisy's face. She was enjoying seeing Sam have to convince someone else of all of this. He was probably seeming like quite the believer when it came to Poseidon, but he wasn't, but he would lean into that nonsense if it would help him get his point across.
“I don't know if it's Poseidon and I don't really think it is but it honestly doesn't even really matter if it is or not. I can tell you what I do know for a fact, and that is what could happen. I saw just a taste of it and it nearly ruined an entire building. It practically flooded the whole place in minutes. This power can turn water into a weapon. Do you know how much of the world is water? How dangerous that is?”
He felt a bit foolish speaking about that kind of power when the pearl of Poseidon that he already had was able to control water. He wasn't a complete hypocrite though since the pearl couldn't do anything on a massive scale on its own.
“All I am saying is that if anything catastrophic does happen when you had a chance to prevent it, how do you think you're going to feel?” He thought he saw her defenses lower just a little bit. She didn't seem quite as resistant as she had just minutes beforehand. “You talked about all of your charities that you contribute to, so obviously you like helping people. You like making a difference in someone's life, even anonymously, so I know that you're not completely heartless. That is...unless all of your donation work is just for show...to convince yourself that you're not just some insensitive rich woman that only cares about herself. Why not spare a few thousand dollars here and there to look like a better person in the eyes of others, is that how it is?”
Erica's face darkened. She had probably never been questioned about her charity work before. After all, the ones she was donating to weren't going to question it and her rich friends who all contributed to dozens of charities wouldn't have brought it up, since that kind of showmanship was probably how they did things.
Finally she spoke and sounded furious. “It's not for a show.”
“No? Prove it. Do you know how many people you could be helping by giving up that one pearl? That's worth the little sacrifice, isn't it? Hell, you could always just buy yourself a shinier pearl. You obviously have got the money for it.”
“It's not about the expense,” Erica said defiantly. “Were you listening at all? This pearl was my family's treasure.”
“No it isn't,” Daisy cut in. “It belongs to Poseidon. Your family just took it, stole it from its real owner. It's time to give it back to its rightful keeper. It's been with a bunch of thieves long enough.”
Erica looked livid from the remarks that Daisy was making but she didn't seem to plan on making any moves of retaliation against her. That was probably because Daisy had a point. Erica Diosa only had that pearl because she was descended from people who were fabled to be stupid enough to steal from a god.
“Forget about Poseidon,” Sam said, wanting to redirect the conversation back to the point he was making, since that point seemed to be getting through in some way to the heiress. “You have the chance to stop people from getting hurt. I get that pearl has meant a lot to you and has sentimental value but it can't be worth more than people's lives. You know that. We all do.”
Erica's gaze fell to the floor and she closed her eyes.
“Fine.”
Sam was stunned. That wasn't the response he was expecting. He was preparing himself to have to do a lot more convincing to get her to change her mind. Daisy looked just as confused as he was. This had turned out to be a bit less of a challenge than they were readying themselves for. Sam didn't know about Daisy, but the thought of stealing from the heiress did keep poking at his mind; desperation made criminal acts seem a lot more reasonable.
“So you'll give us the pearl?” Daisy asked, just for confirmation.
Erica shook her head and Purdue's excitement sunk. “I didn't say that I'm giving you anything, but you will have the pearl with you. It will be around my neck since I will be coming with you to bring all three pearls back to...wherever it is you're taking them.”
“What?” Sam exclaimed, now just utterly baffled. “I'm sorry but that's just not possible. You—”
“It's going to have to be possible,” Erica said firmly. “Since that is the only way you will have this pearl going anywhere. It's the only way you will have it with you. Also, if you refuse to let me help you, I will make sure you regret it. All I have to do is snap my fingers and my security team would be here in seconds to throw you out and to keep you out, and they're going to make it hurt. I'll also be sure that they take whatever valuables you have on you, as a tip for their good service. Oh wait, I guess that would include the pearl you have...and then I would have both of them. Two would look much better than one, don't you think? A matching set is always a good thing.”
“You are one seriously aggressive negotiator,” Daisy said, her jaw practically on the floor. “I might even use the word nefarious even.”
“This isn't a negotiation,” Erica said. “It is an ultimatum. The pearl isn't going anywhere without me so either let me come with you or I can make your life much, much more difficult.”
“It doesn't seem like we have much of a choice...” Sam said.
“You really don't.”
Sam still had to try to deter her from making a horrible decision. “I'm not sure you realize just what you might be getting yourself into. These jobs are dangerous; life or death serious sometimes.”
“I am a big girl. I can handle myself just fine, thanks.”
Sam looked to Daisy. They didn't have to discuss it. Despite constantly being on opposite ends of debates, they were very definitely on the same side on this one. They both knew that there wasn't much of a choice, especially with Erica's ultimatum that would put a serious wrench in the plans for their voyage and the search for the remaining pearl.
“Okay then,” Sam said. “You can come but you're probably not going to like it. The boat leaves tomorr
ow. Make sure you pack yourself enough things for the search.”
Erica balked. “I will have more than enough packed, I promise. I will see you tomorrow then. Don't you dare leave without me.”
Erica Diosa gave them a fake curtsy before walking away with newfound excitement in her step. She practically leaped across the gala's ballroom with a proud stride in her step.
Sam and Daisy were left alone, both unable to comprehend the conversation that just transpired.
“I like her,” Daisy blurted out, breaking the tension. “That girl has some serious moxie.”
“Purdue is not going to like this...” Sam said, already trying to figure out how he was going to explain all this to his friend.
“Probably not,” Daisy said. “But I know for a fact that he would want us to get all of the pearls. I really don't think he will care about the specifics of how we made it happen. He really doesn't even need to know the details.”
“It could be worse,” Sam said. “We could have been forced to rob a bank.”
“Exactly,” Daisy said. “I'm sure Purdue will understand why we had to drag a stranger along.”
It didn't sound as reasonable when it was phrased like that, Sam thought.
Purdue really wasn't going to like this one bit.
7
AN ALL-TOO-FAMILIAR FACE
Dr. Nina Gould was glad to have been given a much simpler assignment for the Order of the Black Sun this time. After the chaos of trying to find the sword of Julius Caesar, she needed a well-earned vacation, but since that didn't seem to be an option, she would just settle for an easier task. Her work for the new Order of the Black Sun usually had her frequenting exotic, faraway locations. They were usually places that were too remote and dangerous for tourists or most other travelers. That was usually just part of the job, something that simply came with the territory—but she was glad to be in a much safer environment this time.
All of that business in Rome and Egypt on her hunt for Caesar's sword had really rattled her. It was her first time leading an expedition and she nearly died about a dozen times. It wasn't an ideal start to her missions as a leader of the Black Sun. But since she was very good friends and a longtime partner of David Purdue, the new leader of the secret society, she wasn't too worried that her position would be jeopardized. Purdue seemed to be able to surmise that she needed something of a break, just a task that she could complete without fearing for her life for once.
Her new mission was simple. She had to check every bookstore in London for rare books that would be beneficial for the Order of the Black Sun to have for themselves; books that would just enhance their already impressive records. She didn't have to climb up a mountain or dig up a grave. She just had to go on something of a shopping trip. Usually, she didn't really care about shopping sprees but since she was exclusively going to bookstores and antique shops, it was turning out to be a rather pleasurable experience. She just had to remind herself that she was there for a purpose or she would risk losing track of time. She could so easily get lost among all of the binding and pages of old books.
Back in the day, she would have had Purdue or Sam push her out of a store like that. They wouldn't let her get completely lost in her own thoughts. That was one of the best things about them. They understood her well enough to know when it was best to give her some solitude and when it was best to get her away from it. As successful as the new Order of the Black Sun had been, she really did miss how it used to be, when it was just three of them taking on the entire world together. The previous Order of the Black Sun never stood a chance against them. That's why they won. She, Sam, and Purdue had been a phenomenal team that apparently couldn't be stopped. Now the trio seemed to have become obsolete. They had all kinds of allies to help them now; they didn't just need to rely on only each other anymore. But there were times when she wished it was still like that, long before they had legions of capable people willing to help them.
Taking control of the Order of the Black Sun was the smart thing for Purdue to do at the time. Was it sustainable? She wasn't sure, but she knew she would see it out until the end. They were already doing so much good for the world, she supposed she could sacrifice the more intimate moments with two of her best friends if it meant the world could be made better more easily.
Nina took a seat at a cafe, propping open one of the new books she bought. She was looking forward to a quiet morning of learning. It was the perfect way to start the day.
A tall and lanky man with a neatly trimmed beard and long black hair tied back behind his head suddenly slid into the seat across from her at the table. Without any sort of greeting, he tore open a bag of candy and poured some into his hand before eating them. He didn't seem to notice her at all, or if he did, he didn't care that the table was already taken.
Nina was about to say something but was too stunned by the display and couldn't exactly find the proper words at first. The weirdest part was that the man looked incredibly familiar. In fact, after another moment of watching him devour his candy, she realized that she really did know him already. Nina met him not too long ago in Rome—Inspector Donatello Amaro. He was a peculiar, quirky detective that had questioned her during her search for Caesar's sword. He seemed incredibly intelligent but that was often pushed to the background thanks to his eccentricities. He didn't seem to have ever quite grasped social norms.
Inspector Amaro nibbled on his candy before glancing up and catching sight of Nina across the table. His eyes grew wide with apparent surprise and he crumbled up the candy bag and shoved it into his coat pocket like he had been caught red-handed committing a crime and was failing at hiding the evidence.
“Is that you, Dr. Nina Gould? What a happy coincidence! It seems that the hands of fate would like to keep pushing us close together, doesn't it?”
“It seems so, Inspector...” It was strange that Inspector Amaro just happened to be in the same place as her, in a completely different country no less. No, it was more than strange. She was smart enough to know that this was cause for suspicion. “What are you doing here, Inspector Amaro? Shouldn't you be in Italy?”
“Ah, yes, usually but my work does indeed sometimes take me to different, sometimes even foreign places. Sometimes I find myself in exotic places filled with intrigue and excitement.”
“Like this cafe? At the same time that I am here?”
Inspector Amaro gave an awkward expression that unevenly curled his lips, like he was trying and failing to produce an innocent smile. “Like I said, coincidences. Sometimes they can be happy. Sometimes they can be peculiar. Sometimes they are just random meetings between two people who happen to be in the same place at the same time.”
Nina folded her arms. She knew Amaro's games. He enjoyed controlling conversations. She wasn't going to let him control this one this time. “I thought detectives didn't believe in coincidences.”
He craned his head and stared at her for a long moment, like he was analyzing every minor detail of her face.
“We don't, no,” Inspector Amaro finally said. That just proved her point and made her even more suspicious of his arrival. “Never.”
“So then you really think this was destined? Predetermined?”
“Perhaps,” Inspector Amaro said contemplatively. “At least predetermined.”
Nina looked around uncomfortably, suddenly anxious that she was being watched. “Did you follow me here?”
“What gives you that impression?” Amaro asked calmly.
“Everything, obviously,” Nina said. “Did you?”
“I will admit that I did indeed track you down, yes.”
The two of them hadn't exactly parted on good terms the last time they met. Inspector Amaro tried to convince her to give Caesar's sword to him and his police, after she spent so much time and sweat in her mission to find it. Amaro let her do all of the heavy lifting and then tried to reap the reward for himself. When Nina was almost killed by a group of masked thieves called the Third Triumvirate, I
nspector Amaro came to the rescue at the last moment, almost when it was too late. She didn't trust anything that he said or did. Unlike some people in the world that she met, Inspector Donatello Amaro wasn't trustworthy. What was happening now just solidified that belief. He had already seemed like a suspicious person and this sudden visit just amplified her unease around him.
“Why? Does this have something to do with the Third Triumvirate? Caesar's sword? The Colosseum? Something else? How did you even find me anyway?”
Inspector Amaro leaned back in his seat and laced his fingers together thoughtfully, as if he was trying to figure out the best way to answer her questions. They had only had a few conversations before but even just from those encounters, she knew the kind of tactical mind that Inspector Amaro had. He was very careful and deliberate with all of the words that left his mouth.
“It's admittedly somewhat complicated. But relax. I can assure you that there is nothing to worry about as far as your last visit to my country. The Third Triumvirate are taken care of. We've forgiven you for taking the sword of one of our greatest leaders and the coliseum is the wonderful tourist trap that it has been for centuries now. As for how I found you...well, we've been keeping a close eye on you. You are an impressive individual, Dr. Gould, with a lot of potential. People like you...well...they sometimes garner attention, even when they don't fully realize it.”
That was a terrifying prospect. She had no idea she was being followed or even for how long. And why would the police from Rome care about what she was doing? Her association with them ended after she caught the Third Triumvirate for them.
“Why would your police department be having me followed? Did I commit a crime in Rome that I don't know about? Am I on their most wanted list?”
Order of the Black Sun Box Set 11 Page 42
