Children of Sun (Oracle's Legacy)

by R. B. Holbrook

Arthur agreed as he watched his number one agent pace a hole in his carpet. Elliot clearly was concerned about his team. He had wanted to go check up on them, but Arthur had sent another team to check it out from a distance. If something happened to Elliot's team, he didn't want Elliot getting involved directly. He was far too valuable.

  The agent was a tall man with an average build. His dark hair curled around his face like a frame. He wore glasses with thin, dark rims that gave him the appearance of a young professor or a young student in college. He had an inquisitive personality and looks to match. If he had a question about something, he made it a point to find the answer, and that was the main reason Arthur found him so valuable.

  "Arthur, can I be honest with you?" Elliot stopped pacing and turned his attention to Arthur.

  "Please."

  "You are digging into some heavy areas. That family that you wanted information on is not exactly the ideal family. They are connected to some very powerful people who wouldn't appreciate anything happening to them. I don't have a lot of conclusive information yet, but I can tell you that their connections run as deep as Preston Falco, Caitlynn Roylance, and Logan Brashire. I mean, these are not lightweights, Arthur. And the name that bothered me the most was Augustus Granger."

  Arthur grimaced. That was the last thing he wanted to hear. The very last thing.

  "Does he suspect our involvement or intentions?"

  Elliot looked stunned. "If he did, do you think we would be having this conversation?"

  That was true. Granger had already warned him once. If he suspected Arthur of anything else, then Arthur would become one of his puppets. Once possessed by Granger, no one ever questioned him or his authority; it was do or die. And death was the only way out. Even his death would kill all those he possessed. It was why he was so feared. His power was all-encompassing.

  After researching his abilities, Arthur had found that Augustus Granger had some disturbing abilities and potential. Not only could the soul possessor claim a person's mind and body; he could claim the powers as well. The possessed became puppets at the wielder's disposal. What really bothered Arthur was the full potential of the power. At full power, Granger not only would control the person fully; he could take in the possessed's own energy, power, and knowledge, claiming them as his own. And even after the possessed passed away, Granger would retain the power and knowledge of the deceased, if he so chose. And that meant the man could become more powerful than any Pillar, if one existed. Such a power would overrule any order set by the Structure, whether he was a leader or not. His reach was so great that he did not need to lift a finger to get what he wanted.

  "I have a feeling that if you continue with your pursuits, you will have to take sides. River is now ahead and destroying the competition. Breath, once our ally, will be bowing to River or Blade, depending on who gets to them first. The House has never been strong, so it will not be long before they are conquered."

  "They should have stayed in our shadow. Fools." Arthur laughed. Breath had always had dreams to be a front runner in the Structure, but they'd never had the necessary backbone, so they had sided with Flame and became the House's muscle in times of need. "But I have a feeling they will be crawling back."

  "As do I." Elliot began his pacing again.

  When Elliot's phone rang, he answered it immediately.

  "No. Wha …?" Elliot shook his head in disappointment. "Damn. Pull out and alert the area." He hung up the phone. Arthur sat on the edge of his seat as Elliot turned his attention toward him. Dread was like a banner on his face.

  "They are all dead, sir. Massacred. And whoever did it is long gone."

  "All of them?" Before he could get an answer, his office phone rang. When he picked it up and put it to his ear, the phone went dead. He pulled his head back looking at the phone.

  The office door opened slowly, and a woman with curly hair, a large black denim jacket, a gray T-shirt, and black jeans stood in the doorway. Though she had on sunglasses, there was no mistaking that the woman was Fire Eye. Elliot moved to take her down, but the woman moved faster, pointing a handgun straight between his eyes. Elliot stopped just short of the gun touching the bridge of his nose. The look on his face was a mixture of terror and exhilaration.

  Slowly she turned her head to look at Elliot. "I wouldn't," she said in a calm, seductive tone.

  ()()()

  If this man wanted to test Ollie, she knew exactly where to put the bullet in his olive hide. He was a tall man with dark hair and glasses. And even his eyes were dark. He looked somewhat intelligent, so he was smart enough not to try anything stupid.

  Closing the door behind her with her foot, she looked over at Arthur. Something didn't feel right. There was something in the room that tugged at her energy.

  Looking back at the man with the glasses, she frowned. The energy was coming from this buffoon. He wasn't as smart as she figured.

  "Whatever you're doing, I would cut it out." She pushed the gun into his nose as she made him feel the force of her power, like a wall. The force immediately made him shut off his abilities.

  He swallowed hard, nodding.

  "Please … please don't …" Arthur pleaded.

  "Who are you?" she asked the man in glasses, cutting off the coward's words.

  "Elliot, Flame operative," the man answered immediately. A tremble vibrated from the gun. Though he trembled, his voice didn't hold much fear.

  Ollie frowned, wondering. But she didn't have time to look into him further. Right now the focus was on Arthur.

  "Mr. Clifton, you are going to answer my questions. I suggest you not play with me, or I will blow your operative's head off and then yours. Do you understand?"

  "Yes."

  Arthur hadn't hesitated. That was good. She continued to look at the other man, making sure he didn't try anything. She wasn't concerned about Arthur. He was too scared to be a threat. But this man … She made Elliot experience pressure and weight enough to bring him to his knees and keep him there.

  "Where is my family?" she asked Arthur.

  "I don't know," he answered.

  "But you know who took them?"

  "Yes." Arthur nodded.

  "Who?"

  "Mary Alexander."

  Good. Honesty.

  "And how do you know this?" She turned her attention across the room to the desk, where he sat on pins and needles. He wasn't an impressive-looking man. He was thin, and he looked to be about the age of forty. He had reddish-brown hair and brown eyes, a narrow, clean-shaven chin, a thin nose. Not impressive. But he had an air that was all business, and very impressive.

  He seemed to calm down a bit. "I have been following her activity."

  "But you had no hand in her actions?"

  "None."

  "You've been pursuing me."

  "Yes, but for different reasons. I had no plans to use actions as drastic as Mary's." There was a hint of desperation in his voice.

  "Good boy. Now, where is she?"

  "River Hideaway in Michigan," he said. "I don't have directions."

  "I don't need them. But you have directions, Mr. Clifton, just like they have directions to Flame's. Don't lie to me again." She surrounded him in darkness that only he could see and feel. She made sure that the darkness was as cold and unfeeling as she was right now.

  After he gasped, she smiled, releasing her hold on him. "Mr. Clifton, I only have one more question for you. Do you value your life?" she asked.

  "Y-yes." His voice had heightened in pitch.

  "You don't sound so sure, Mr. Clifton." She laughed at his nervousness.

  "Yes, I value my life."

  "Then remember this--I don't have one to value. So be careful how you cross me again." She turned and left.

  ()()()

  Arthur sank in his chair as she disappeared right before his eyes, like she was never there. It scared him more than her appearance. The darkness that came from her, the evil intent, was so tangible that he could still feel it in the r
oom. Whatever power she possessed was far more frightening than any power he had come in contact with. In one instant, he had felt the urge to surrender everything.

  He inhaled the sweet air, grateful to be alive. He sat up, only to see Elliot on his knees, dumbfounded. It was as if the man expected more.

  "I thought she would kill us too." Arthur said.

  Elliot snapped out of it with a sigh before standing up. "Yes," he said finally. "But I believe we are only alive because she saw the truth of our involvement. Or it could be the fact that she made her point without our blood being shed."

  "That she did." Chills ran up Arthur's back. "She is dangerous, and her powers are formidable."

  "You felt the force of her power as well?" Elliot asked.

  "What I felt was more than force. Do you have any idea what kind of power that was?"

  "I have some ideas." Elliot looked back at the door, which was still closed.

  Arthur was surprised as well. She had come in through an open door and then disappeared. She had made him feel complete darkness, so tangible that he'd been paralyzed by it.

  "So what do we do now?" Elliot asked with an amused look on his face.

  "Well, we just dodged a bullet, Elliot. So we are going to have to look at other avenues to get what we want. Call Sebastian Crenshaw. I think he should know that Mary is in danger."

  Elliot cocked his head in a way Arthur had never seen the man do before. "Why?"

  "Because I want to slow Fire Eye down so that I can see how close Mary gets."

  "You want to use Mary to get what you want."

  "Exactly." And he wanted Fire Eye captured. Being Moon, she was far too dangerous to be left free. She needed to be contained.

  Elliot's laughter sent chills up Arthur's spine. "Arthur, I think you have been hanging around me too much. That is too diabolical."

  "You don't approve?"

  "Of course I do. In fact, I feel more at ease about what I wanted to tell you earlier. I wasn't sure if you'd like to hear it--"

  "Are you holding back on me, Elliot?" Arthur interrupted, wondering what Elliot had been keeping from him.

  "Yes. I'm not your personal assistant. You pay me to get dirty. Honestly, Arthur, you're cautious, and the information I have is far from safe. But if you want it, I'll give it to you and tell you how I think you should proceed with your plans."

  "I will listen and consider your suggestions." Arthur had every intention to use what information he got to his advantage.

  "I just wasn't sure we saw eye to eye. You are far more clean-cut than I am, sir."

  "Listen, if it weren't for you, I never would have gained the council's notice." For the past five years, with Elliot's help, Arthur had gained an immense level of respect that would have taken him longer to achieve on his own. If nothing else, Elliot was effective and very informative. Though Elliot's methods were less appealing, they were very beneficial. "So let's hear what you have found out."

  "I didn't want to get your hopes up, but I think you might have a seat on the Head Council. I have received word that at eight o'clock tomorrow evening, Elroy McGregor will be resigning from his post for family-related reasons. It seems your Flame competitor Natalya Kovonoff has been working to get some dirt on one or more of the House members so that she could open up a seat on the council."

  "Yes, I know. So she finally did?" Arthur frowned. How long had Elliot known this information?

  "I believe she found what she needed. Upon stepping down, McGregor is supposed to nominate her for consideration. But I happen to know that several faction members have hired assassins to kill her the moment she is nominated, because of her treachery or their own ambitions."

  "Elliot, how long have you known this?"

  "I've been hearing things. But like I said, it isn't conclusive, and I didn't want to cloud your mind with speculation. Plus you are in perfect alignment for the position. So not telling you was as good as telling you."

  "Good alignment? How?" Arthur did not see his reasoning.

  "Well if you gave Flame everything you have learned so far, showing the intel on River, Stone, Sun, Heart, Breath, and Blade--intel the others are lacking--then they have to see that you are the best man for the position. And you know the other two councilors already favor you, and their decisions have a heavy weight."

  Arthur was completely baffled. He had been so busy watching Mary that he had not seen how close he was to reaching his goals. But this was just a portion of his dreams.

  "How do you know for certain? Where do you get your information?" How could he be certain it was credible?

  Elliot gave a smug smile. "I told you already, it's not concrete. But you might want to be ready just in case they give you a call. We still haven't figured out how to guarantee that Flame has the next Oracle. That should be your focus."

  He was right. "I believe the other Houses are doing a fine job of eliminating competitors. But I am concerned about one thing."

  "Augustus Granger." Elliot nodded.

  "Exactly."

  "Sir, you're not the only one. It seems other Houses have that same fear. He could still be a contender. Some say he might decide to take the position once all the opposition has been eliminated. Some think that he will get so powerful that he won't need the position or will just possess the Oracle to gain the power he wants. I have gathered a little intelligence about him, but it is hard to get enough information without getting close, and he has eyes and ears everywhere."

  "I know. That is why I have been thinking …" Arthur did not like the thoughts that had been coming to him recently, but they seemed to grow bolder. As if this was the only way to handle the issue of Granger.

  "What?" Elliot waited.

  "I have heard it said that you cannot reach your goals without eliminating your fears."

  They looked at each other. The knowledge that connected them was so strong, nothing needed to be said, but Arthur spoke anyway. "We will have to eliminate Augustus Granger."

  Granger was the last one he wanted to cross. But how could Arthur get close to his goals with that cloud always hanging over him?

  Elliot nodded quietly. "Don't worry, I think I know how to handle it."

  Arthur felt somewhat relieved. But then he was disturbed by how casually Elliot seemed to handle the thought of taking out Granger. Surely he feared the soul possessor.

  "Are you sure you want to go up against Granger?"

  "I don't have the ability to go up against him, I don't know any who do, but I know a few ways to approach the matter. As I recall, the council has a safeguard against Granger, as does Blade. I'll send you the information. However, they might not be necessary, because Granger is far more conservative with his powers than most think. He hates to use them, for fear of becoming amoral. In truth, I believe the man knows little about his power and his potential. His hesitation could be his weakness. True, he is shrewd in business, but he still has a heart. If I can find the right moment …"

  Those last words were cold and calculating. It was becoming increasingly clear that Elliot had done more research than Arthur had known about.

  "Then Granger is your project. Elliot, I know you are reserved about what you tell me, worrying about what I may or may not want to hear, but I prefer if you tell me everything that connects to our goals."

  "Yes, sir."

  "So this is what we will do. Our first concern should be keeping order in the Structure. Keeping incidents down to a minimum while cleaning up messes that involve the public. Showing the Structure why we are the best for the job. While I look into going after Granger publicly, you work in the underground.

  "Keep your eyes on Mary and the old woman that she holds captive. Find a way to get to the old woman. I have a feeling she is very important. Find out any information about her that you can." And feelings were the key to Flame's energy.

  "I told you there was no record of her anywhere."

  "And that is the very reason I think she is essential. Now, let's ca
ll Crenshaw." Because Arthur had evil in the form of a curly-headed woman that he wanted contained.

  ()()()

  20

  Private airfield, Kansas

  Sitting in the plane with his mind open to receive the flow of information he usually limited, Granger tried not to think about Ollie. But it still burned under his skin that she had left him the way she had. She didn't even call to say she was okay or anything. She could be dead already. What was Ollie up to? Even with all his resources, why couldn't he find her?

  Waiting for Ellis, Granger found out a lot of information that didn't make sense. There was a lot of activity going on in Flame and a shakedown going on in River. Mary was making her move and clearing out all the competition. She had leverage and was using it openly. She had a chokehold on the Grand House that rivaled Granger's hold. Within a week, she would have the Structure eating out of her hand while she slid into place to have her Oracle candidate elected. Two competitors were already poised to step down or be assassinated. The bull had made her move. She had eliminated most of Stone's nominations for Oracle and two of Sun's, though no one knew it was her doing. And she still didn't know she had the Oracle.

  Mary was now so heavily guarded that no one except her most trusted people would get to her. He just hoped Ollie wasn't crazy enough to … Of course she was crazy enough.

  "Augustus, your guest has arrived." His young attendant smiled, coming into the cabin. She opened the door to the plane, and Augustus immediately felt the twin's rage.

  He was ready to pounce, blaming Granger for letting her get away. Sighing, Granger stood up and moved toward the opening, pulling his attendant out of the way so that she would not get hurt.

  He stood in the opening, as Ellis bolted up the steps, taking two at a time. Granger reached his energy out to one of the Blades he had recently possessed and channeled his power, making it his own, right before Ellis launched at him. Using the newly acquired power, he absorbed the impact, grabbing hold of Ellis's shoulders, bringing the man into the plane, locking Ellis's arms behind his back, slamming him into the wall, and pinning him there. Those few years of college football paid off.