She was a bad omen. Looking at her wild, curly hair and her big, brown baby-doll eyes, it wasn't obvious, but she was trouble. Trouble he didn't need. Several of the clientele were already eyeing her, scoping her out as she danced. She wasn't dressed for the club scene. But even without the flash, she was still catching eyes. And her height made it more so. Damn it, why was she here?
Leaving his office, he rounded the hallway, still scoping the club. As he slowly descended the stairs, he saw no sign of the twin. Maybe that was why Troy had come, to keep the twin at bay. Ellis was cool, but he didn't like anyone getting close to his sister. Which was fine with Granger, because his sister was hellfire--causing nothing but pain. His best friend could attest to that. Joc had never been the same after they split up. And Granger was in pain from hearing about it constantly. Whoever said time heals all wounds needed to spend a year with Joc.
He came through the mirror door behind the bar. Picking up a cognac flask, he walked over to Troy, who was staring into his glass. Granger topped it off. The guy looked up and nodded.
"Anyone who has to baby-sit deserves it, on the house." The look on Troy's grateful face turned into a knowing smile. Even the family knew she was untamed.
"How ya been?" Troy's rough southern drawl sounded raw, as if he had started early on the stuff.
"Fair. What's up?" He didn't want this to drag on. The quicker they were through, the faster she would be out of his club.
"It's Ollie who wanted to speak with you." Troy turned to the dance floor and waved his arm.
Granger cursed. He was hoping…
She rocked to the music as she made her way over to him. Her eyes locked on him. There was that look. The unnerving focus, as if all of her actions, even the crazy ones, were deliberate.
"Bring her up to my office," Granger told the thirty-year-old, then he turned to leave. Whatever she had to say wasn't for the public. He told the bartender to let them up.
As he made his way up the steps, they weren't far behind him. He stepped just inside the door, allowing them to pass into the office, and Ollie shut the door behind them. He caught a whiff of peppermint. Refreshing and clean. She still smelled of peppermint, a complete contradiction to her menace.
"Good to see you, Granger," she said, out of respect more than anything.
"Too bad I can't say the same." His tone was flat, and she laughed. The laughter of a seductress and a smile of pure sin. Completely menacing.
"Are you still holding resentment toward me?" She remained standing as Troy went to the glass and looked out on the dance floor, removing himself from the conversation.
"You broke my best friend's heart. And I should be happy to see you?"
"You should've warned your boy to stop screwing Tracy, Stacy, and Lacey, and we might still be somewhere." Her voice was warm and weighty. Hypnotic. It was laced with light wisdom and clear knowledge and silk, warming over Granger's skin even though her language seemed to contrast its warmth.
Actually, he had warned Joc. "Her name was Miranda, but I see your point." And she was the only one that had a name. But he was loyal to Joc, and Joc truly loved Ollie, in his own way. Then again, if Ollie had not broken up with him, Joc would be dead, because one of her brothers, if not all, would've killed him. So it was all for the best. "Seat?" He went over to his desk and sat down.
()()()
As Ollie took her seat, she watched the man shift in his chair. Elbows on his desk, he clasped his hands together in front of his face, peering at her with those silver eyes. He dressed like a millionaire in high-end suits with platinum cufflinks, and he did business better than a billionaire. She couldn't help but respect the man. Anyone who knew him respected him. He kept his mouth shut and his operation polished like fine silver. From the outside, he could've been mistaken for a stockbroker or CEO. But the man's reach was far wider than that of a mere businessman. In the Structure, he was a legitimate businessman, but outside he would be a mobster, if they could catch him or even name him. He dealt in what the underground called non-perishables--information, money, jewels, art, weapons, parts, transportation, anything that wasn't plant, animal, human, or chemical. In his own words, perishables were a messy business. The only organic substances he dealt with were food and drinks in his clubs and casinos, and it was all legal.
The man's dealings were tight, and everyone who worked for him was loyal, because if they weren't, Granger had a way of finding out and making them pay dearly. Knowledge was power for him, and he had a load of it: knowledge and power, the very reason she was there.
"I need to know about your political interests."
His eyes didn't move off of her. No sign of questions or answers. He was a handsome man--very attractive, actually. If it weren't for his stony expression, he would be gorgeous. But very mysterious. His skin was brown with a hint of red, his head was shaved, and he had a goatee on his square jaw that connected to his neatly trimmed mustache. It was said that he had played football in his younger days: a running back. But at forty, he was a force of nature in the underground and had power that football never could give him. He was House of Heart, a contender for the Grand House, an inspiration to his House. They loved him. And though he had complete loyalty toward his House, he had no interest in the Grand House. Maybe because he already had influence over those who were interested.
He finally leaned back in his chair and just stared at her, eyes like silver bullets. That was the stare that Ellis couldn't stand--the reason he wouldn't come and the reason Troy wouldn't look in on their meeting. Granger was reading her, stripping her until she was nothing but a naked woman in the chair, or not even that. He could see the deepest, darkest depths of her, but she would endure it until she got what she needed.
"I have none," he finally answered, eyes shifting as they dulled slightly. Those eyes always had mesmerized her. He mesmerized her.
But that was all she needed to know. He was an honest man of few words. What he said was enough for her.
He asked, "Does this have something to do with the arms movement underground?"
"Possibly."
He lifted an eyebrow. "You mean yes."
"If you already knew the answer, why ask?" She grinned at him, teasing.
His eyes narrowed. "I can tell you this." And that would be all he would tell her, too. "There is a political shift coming. One that could cause some problems for the Structure. What is that shift? I have some ideas. River and Flame are moving more than normal." He looked at her knowingly before he turned to Troy. "If you hear anything …"
"I'll let you know." Troy glanced over at him. They did business on occasion. There was mutual respect. It was understood that they kept each other informed.
"Thank you." Ollie stood to leave. Man, it wouldn't have killed him to smile just once when he saw her.
"I'll tell Joc you're well." He stood, clearly ready for them to leave. Or just her.
"Take care." Ollie nodded, not caring one way or the other if Joc ever heard her name. She wondered why she had chosen Joc in the first place, when Granger would have been the better choice. Granger was all business, and Joc was fun, at first. And Granger never seemed happy to see her. Then again, he probably saw everything about her with those eyes, and as a result, he was forewarned to keep his distance. Who the hell cared? But she did wonder what it was that he saw. He never said, and he never would. That was how he worked, never revealing secrets and never revealing much emotion. All business. He and Geo should have been best friends.
()()()
Rome, Italy
After spending two whole weeks at the House of Sun European headquarters in England, and the past four days in the House of Sun vaults in Africa, Demario Pezzoli, the Sun grand record keeper was finally back home for a few days of shut-eye. With the possibility of the Oracle's descent from the hierarchy, it was becoming a busy time for prophets, seers, historians, and record keepers. Being on call kept him in the airport and away from his normal life.
Thoug
h the Structure only consisted of approximately eight million people in a world of about six billion, this situation would affect the world on an epic scale. The Structure, in its superior wisdom and understanding, fueled governments, the military, and economics, among many other areas. With their leader dying, it could throw the unknowing world into an unfathomable chaos. Everyone inside the Structure was on edge and preparing. Even Blade was getting ready to control breaches in their Code of Silence. The same code that had kept them hidden for thousands of years. A code that kept them alive.
Demario rummaged through his laptop bag for his keys as he realized how each day it was getting harder and harder to conceal the Structure. The energy seals visible on the skin could be mistaken for tattoos or weird birthmarks. Yet if more seal-less humans saw how many seals looked alike, they would think they were a cult. However, the seals were easily covered with clothing, since most seals started on the chest area or back.
And concealing powers was going to be a little more difficult with the information age. While most energy-based powers could not be seen visibly, some were visible. Telekinetics and those who controlled environmental energy stood the biggest risk of exposure. That made House of Stone a liability to the Structure.
He was still amazed that some of the old Structure ruins had not been found out by the seal-less. They stood as magnificent and as durable as they had before Egypt's pyramids were built. He smiled, finding his keys. Were they truly that blind?
He paused, holding his keys. What about what Ameena had told him? His colleague had found some very interesting records about a past Oracle. Dietti, the only Oracle to be assassinated, had recorded some very interesting data. Specializing in seeing the past, the Oracle had seen exactly how the Structure had been destroyed the first time. She had even predicted that it would happen again. If the new information was correct, the current struggle for Oracle was in direct correlation with an even bigger problem.
Opening the door to his house, he walked into the quaint house of his family's name. Now belonging to him, he barely had time to keep it up, so his cousin did it for him. He flipped on the light switch and he noticed that nothing had changed since the last time he was home. She kept it clean, if nothing else. He walked toward the kitchen and picked up the mail to make sure all of the bills had been paid. Making his way to the office, he set his luggage outside the office door. Standing just inside the office doorway, he clicked on the light switch.
Instead of coming on, all of the lights in the house went out. Standing in total darkness, he sighed. He was too exhausted to consider the irony. Reaching in his pocket for his cell phone, he decided to call his cousin. Since she was just up the road, she could tell him if the power was off up there, making it a regional outage, or if he needed to check the circuit breaker. He hated waking her this early in the morning, but she needed to know he was in town anyway. This would kill two birds with one stone.
Before he began to dial the number, a strange sensation came over him, and his knees began to shake.
"Salve, e benvenuti casa." The voice shot sharp chills through his body, and he dropped to the floor.
His hands shook as he tried to get hold of himself. Fear was a cold rush through his veins, and he began to sweat large beads down his face. Cold sweat.
"You are the grand record keeper of Sun." It was a statement, not a question. The voice was a whisper in his head. Nothing was spoken aloud, and yet the being was in the room… somewhere.
Tremors passed through his body as sweat rolled off his skin, hitting the tiled floor. "Y-y-yes …" He felt the being all around him. Everywhere. The air was thick with its presence. A cold, heartless presence. His legs trembled as he tried to stand to confront whatever was making him fear, but he did not have the courage. Closing his eyes, he dropped his head to the floor, shaking uncontrollably, wishing for it to end. Shivering, he tried to form words. "Wh-what … d-do …"
"You know much. Too much. I need to know what you know. Then I will give you the release you craaaaave." As if he could see the being, it was smiling, laughing. And yet, there was nothing but the thick black chill of night. So cold.
()()()
4
Silver Spring, Maryland
The morning came as the Smoking Shaman watched the sunrise from her bedroom window. She eased out of bed, listening to the men and children hustling in the kitchen. Geo and Ric already seemed to have gained an understanding of the morning ritual, after one day. But then again, it had not changed much since they were children. She slowly made her way to the bathroom and took a long, hot shower to relieve some of the pain in her joints. It was a good thing Ollie didn't complain about the water bill. Such a good child. All of them. Making her way to the closet, she pulled out a plain, rust-red dress. She definitely was going shopping today, and her sons were going to take her. Ollie wouldn't be mad if Geo left to do that.
After dressing, she reached for her wooden cane that Jamali had given her years ago. The one with the carvings of twenty faces, all beautiful and all unique. She smiled down at it, remembering. How she missed him so.
She made her way into the living area, right outside her bedroom. Ollie and Ellis insisted that she stay away from the stairs if possible. And she didn't argue, because she hated the things.
"Mama." O-no came by her and kissed her on the forehead before grabbing his bag and making his way to the front door. The other two boys also came by and kissed her before they left for school.
"They are going to the movies after school," Ric informed her as he played with Scott on the floor.
"Good. Then we must be back by then." She grinned as they both looked at her, perplexed. Then Geo laughed as if he understood. He put a plate of eggs, sausage, and grits on the table for her, and she made her way to it. After sitting down, she looked at all the empty chairs. They were definitely going to need a bigger dining room table. And a bigger dining room.
"Geo, will you call Cee for me and tell her I want to see her?" She picked up her fork and looked down at her plate. "No toast?"
"You sound like Bones." Geo rolled his eyes as he began to clean the kitchen.
Afterward, he came to the table and sat across from her as she ate. He did not say a word, but he looked at her as if he wanted to. She wouldn't encourage it, because she could read what was on his mind. Chewing methodically, she could see the sadness in his eyes. The knowledge had hit him sooner than she'd thought it would. But he always had been a brilliant child. Her firstborn, to usher in the many. What had Jamali said? Oh, yes: He will be their inspiration. And he was. If he only knew.
She placed her hand on his face as she took another bite. She did not need to answer his questions. He already had the answers, whether he liked it or not.
"The plane will be delayed, so Ellis and Ollie will be late." She finished her meal and leaned back in the chair to savor it. He was not as good a cook as Ellis, but he was good enough.
Her heart began to ache as she thought of the twin. But then she smiled, closing her eyes, seeing him in her mind. So much weight he carried. If he only understood that there was no need. Yes, he would learn. He always did.
()()()
She recalled the chat she'd had with him early that morning when he called.
"Ollie told me to call you to let you know the plane leaves at eleven," he said into the phone.
He never let his emotions out like Ollie. He kept them bottled tight. Such a particular young man, beautiful and quiet.
"How are you?" she had asked him.
"Ma'am?" So polite.
"I asked how you were doing, son."
"Fine," he'd lied, knowing she would pick up on it. He never liked anyone to worry about him.
"I dreamed about you." She wasn't going to get him for lying. Because it wouldn't help. He was just not the kind to bear emotions.
"Really?" He didn't want to hear about it. "I'm sure you'll tell me about it when we get back."
"You had stars in your eyes. Sparkling
, dazzling, reflecting the brilliance in the world. Your being was glowing and beautiful. More beautiful than you are now."
"That's nice." He really didn't want her to continue. He never felt the things she said, unlike Ollie. He could never see past his sister.
"And I saw a shadow behind you."
"Mama …" His voice was a warning. Too bad.
"Dark, deadly, and looming, ready to devour you. It mocks you, taking your shine and dulling it--"
"Good-bye, Mama." Ellis hated when she spoke like that. He never let her finish and always shut her out. If he only knew.
"Mama, what time do you want to leave?" Geo brought her back into the room.
"Let me get my shoes." She eased to her feet.
"I'll get them. Which ones?" Ric bounced off the floor with Scott in his arms, giggling.
"Something that will match this dress." She smiled, reaching for her grandson.
()()()
Atlanta, Georgia
Ollie was behind the steering wheel, blasting neo-soul on the stereo system. Ellis didn't complain about the music for once, because she'd stuck his ass in the back seat. Troy appreciated good music. There were few who appreciated her tastes in variety. O-no had picked it up like a sponge and taken it to a whole new level. Though Troy was more selective, he was a lot more flexible than her rigid twin.
The thought of her little brother got her worried. O-no was a ball of nerves because Geo was hovering. Which meant big-brother-almighty figured something was up. She sure hoped O-no could keep his yap shut until she got home. Then again, Geo could sense a hair out of place, so it wouldn't take him long to figure out what was going on. Ollie cursed as she floored it.
Children of Sun (Oracle's Legacy) Page 6
