by Zara Zenia
"Definitely doesn't sound good," Cat agreed.
"Now the full transmission." Agent Yadav pulled up a different file.
"And what do we do if the planet's leaders are hostile toward us and attempt to destroy us? Do you want us to return fire or leave?" Manzar's voice was clear as a bell on the transmission.
"That would be a worst case scenario, if necessary, we can just take the ones needed and then exterminate the rest of the planet. It would be horrible to do, but if they react that way toward a diplomatic offer, then we must protect the rest of the universe. They already have the technology to venture off their planet. We cannot allow them to bring harm to the rest of the universe."
Agent Yadav stopped the transmission there. "As you heard, she clearly manipulated the transmission and pulled that one piece of it out. When it goes to trial, we will share the full transmission to show she is motivated by her prejudice against the Trilyn."
I relaxed a bit more, feeling less anxious about it all now. "Thank you, Agent Yadav."
"I am just glad we were able to—" he stopped as his phone rang. "Excuse me, that's the UEG headquarters." He pulled his phone out and stood up, walking away from us to answer. "Yadav."
"I still think we may need to get in front of this, hold a press conference and explain before it goes to trial. I've seen how these powerful lawyers spin things to get their clients off the hook. And trust me, Nora has some of the best on retainer," Cat said.
"True," Ariana replied.
Agent Yadav returned to us looking pissed off. "None of that will be necessary now. It seems my agents neglected to thoroughly check Ms. Morse for, well, poison."
"What do you mean?" Laurie asked.
"Ten minutes ago, Nora Morse was found dead in her holding cell from a capsule of poison that she'd apparently had in a false tooth. Traces of it were found on her lips. It was cyanide."
"Are you telling us she's dead?" Darbnix asked.
Agent Yadav nodded. "Yes. Nora Morse is dead." He sat down in his chair rather hard. "It seems there will be no need to take this to the public or get in front of it. I'll destroy the manipulated transmission, though we'll keep a record of the original at the UEG just in case."
"What about the rest of the people you took into custody?" Laurie asked.
"Most of them were just computer techs working on her various V-R projects. None of them even knew about her vendetta against the Trilyn and we have no records of any of them being part of the Humans First organization or having anything against the Trilyn. We're letting them go."
"Well, that's good, I guess."
"One other thing, Miss Forrester. Since legally you are Ms. Morse's adopted daughter, and she did not leave a will, you inherit her vast fortune and all of her companies."
Chapter 26
Laurie
"I don't want it." I shook my head, denying the inheritance. "I don't want anything that woman created."
"Don't be hasty, Laurie, I know she was an evil bitch, but if you recall, her tech company owns your family's farm, it all still stands, they didn't develop it," Kelly commented.
I took a sharp breath. My family's farm had been in our family since the pioneer days. I did want it back.
"You don't have to decide right this moment, Miss Forrester. It will be weeks before we can get everything sorted and compile a list of properties and bank accounts for you."
"And you're sure she didn't leave a will, David? That doesn't sound like Nora." Cat frowned.
"Her team of lawyers told my agents she didn't. She did, however, leave a letter to be read upon her death. In it she basically said that she did her best to save the planet from the Trilyn, but if they were reading the letter she must have failed and taken her own life so she wouldn't have to live to see the planet destroyed by the Trilyn." He shrugged. "I suppose she didn't leave a will because she assumed the planet would be destroyed shortly after her death, or she would see the Trilyn defeated and have no need for a will because she would go on to live for however long."
"She always was a narcissist." I sighed.
"Miss Laura, if I may?" Colonel Weiss said from the corner of the room where he'd been standing.
"Yes, Colonel?"
"I think you should take over her assets. Almost all of her companies and properties are very tech defined. In the coming years, as our planet works with the Trilyn, her tech companies are the most advanced and with you in charge, the most able to get that tech out to the people the fastest. You can take what she built and turn it toward the greater good of humanity. Help Earth become as advanced as the Trilyn and other planets in the galaxy."
I glanced at Rawklix. "What do you think?"
He smiled. "I think Colonel Weiss makes a good argument. And we can make our home in many places."
"You mean we can see the worlds." I grinned, recalling our conversation from a while ago about him showing me the worlds.
"Exactly."
"Well, I'm going to get out of here, lots of paperwork to take care of." Agent Yadav stood up.
"Thank you so much for everything, Agent Yadav," Rawklix said, standing too.
"Bye, David. We'll call you later. Maybe Akrawn and I can meet you for dinner later this week. When you aren't so swamped at the UEG." Cat grinned at him.
He waved as Rawklix walked him to the door.
"Since everything is settled, I think Andi, the kids and I will head back to Trilyn." Manzar stood.
I gave them both hugs, and then hugged the rest of them as they all decided to leave. "Thank you all for being here," I murmured.
"Now, we'll see you and Rawklix soon. I have a feeling there will be another wedding in a month or two," the King said with a grin. "I am looking forward to having you as a daughter."
I hugged him tight. He'd been so kind and fatherly to me while we waited for word on Rawklix that it was hard to think of him as the ruler of a planet. "We haven't talked about when yet, he only asked me a day or so ago."
Lortnam chuckled. "Believe me, Rawklix won't wait long, he's the most impatient one of us!"
Kelly laughed and shook her head. "Call me, we'll set up a day to go wedding dress shopping."
"I will." I nodded and waved as they all left.
Ten minutes later, I sank into the sofa, my head reeling from everything. Regaining my memories and fusing them with my current memories, thinking of Nora as my mother, dealing with that in my head along with her death… it was all so much to take in.
Rawklix settled next to me and I put my head on his shoulder.
"Are you all right, my Princess?" he asked.
"Yeah. Just… my life is a mess."
He pulled me close and cuddled me to him. "It will get sorted and soon it will be better than ever."
I glanced up at him. "You think so?"
"I do. And I have a plan on how to start. Come with me." He stood up and took my hand, pulling me up from the sofa.
"Where are we going?" I asked as he led me toward our bedroom.
"We're going somewhere you need to go. Now, get everything you'll need for at least a few days and we'll pack a bag."
"We're going on a trip?" I smiled.
"Yes."
"What should I pack? Do I need a bathing suit?"
"Probably not for this trip. Just regular clothes should suffice."
I did as he asked while he gathered his own things. We put them together into a bag and then we went to find Fellnix.
"Sir? Are you going somewhere?" He frowned at us.
"Yes, Fellnix, we'll return in a few days. Please keep Colonel Weiss company, would you?"
"As you wish, my Prince, Princess. Have a good time."
We went out to the transport and Rawklix put out bag in the back. "Get in," he said, smiling.
Once I was seated, he put in new coordinates and then the transport lifted up. "Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise."
I shook my head and leaned back, enjoying the view.
Epilogue
Laurie
A little less than three hours later, the transport parked in the driveway of a two-story house with pretty flowerbeds lining the walk up to the front porch. "Where… oh my God. I know this house." Suddenly I couldn't contain my excitement. "This is my aunt and uncle's house!"
Rawklix grinned. "Let's go see if they're in."
I nodded. I couldn't get out of the transport fast enough. Grabbing his hand, I ran for the front door. I stood in front of their door for a minute, afraid to knock. "What if they don't recognize me?" I asked softly.
"They will. Knock." He smiled and gripped my hand.
I took another breath and then rapped on the door. My heart was racing in my chest and I bit my lip in nervous excitement. Slowly the door opened, and there she was. My Aunt Karen.
"May I hel—" her eyes grew wide, "Laurie?"
"Hi, Aunt Karen."
She came through the door and pulled me into a hug, squeezing me so tight I thought I was going to burst.
"We thought we'd lost you," she whispered next to my ear. "I can't believe it's you." She stepped back but didn't let me go. "The head of the UEG called a couple of days ago and told us they may have found you… but they didn't give us any details." Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Come in the house, let me get your brother, and Jim, they're out back…"
We followed her in, and I smiled as my gaze traveled over the mostly familiar surroundings. She took my hand and dragged us through to the kitchen.
"Sit, I'll get them," she said, wiping her eyes. She hurried to the back door as if she thought we'd disappear before she could tell them. "Daniel, Jim, get in here! Now!" She came back over to us, leaving the door standing open.
"I'm so glad to see you, Aunt Karen," I said, sniffling. "You have no idea…"
"What's going on, Kare? What do you… Laurie? Oh God, it is you, honey!" Uncle Jim picked me up in his arms and spun me around. "How did you get here?"
"Laurie!" Daniel grabbed me as soon as Uncle Jim set me down. "It really is you! What did you do to your hair?"
I laughed that my hair would be the first question out of his mouth.
"Who's this then?" Uncle Jim asked.
"Well, I don't rightly know, he came with Laurie."
"This is Rawklix, he's my fiancé." I grinned.
"You're getting married? Where the hell have you been and why didn't you come home sooner?" Daniel demanded.
"That is a really long story," Rawklix replied.
"Then perhaps we'd best have a seat. I'll get the coffee cake and coffee," Aunt Karen commented. "You all just settle down here at the table, and Laurie, you go ahead and tell us what's been going on. We've all got a lot to catch up on now, don't we?"
I laughed, feeling absolute joy in my heart. I needed this. I needed to see them, to hold them. To tell them everything. "We do, Aunt Karen." I began with my kidnapping and told them everything that had happened to me from that point on. How Nora had blocked my memories from my past, essentially stealing them, how she'd made me her adopted daughter and changed my hair color by having Dr. Ashford give me injections. That was something else Agent Yadav's team had discovered in Nora's files at the Castle. How I met Rawklix and how I escaped.
"So you're one of those Trilyn Princes?" Daniel asked.
"I am the youngest," Rawklix confirmed.
"So what, you bring Laurie back to us and now you're going to take her away to live on some strange planet?" Daniel looked upset.
"I would never take her away from you. Yes, we will have to spend some of our time on Trilyn, we do have a continent to rule over, but it is a quick trip there and back. I promise you."
I looked at Rawklix, I hadn't thought about us having to leave Earth and live on Trilyn. It sounded kind of exciting to me. "But first we're going to do some traveling here," I reminded him. "He promised me he'd show me the worlds and I'm taking him up on that offer. Being trapped in the Tower for four years has left me wanting to get out and see everything."
"I cannot even imagine what you must have gone through. Did they catch this woman? This Nora Morse?" Aunt Karen asked.
I nodded. "Yes. She, well, she took her own life rather than face prison. There is more… you know the farm?"
"Your family farm?" Aunt Karen said, "Oh, honey, it's gone. Bought up by some tech firm."
I smiled and gripped her hand. "No, it was bought by Nora's firm. And since she adopted me, and I'm her only living relative, it's now mine. Ours." I looked at Daniel.
"We own the farm again?" he asked, his eyes wide. "Didn't they tear it all down and build on the land?"
"No. She didn't care about the land. She wanted me."
"So what are you going to do with it?" Daniel asked.
"That depends on you."
"On me? Why me?"
"Well, I can't run a farm and be co-ruler of the Solarin Islands with Rawklix and run a multi-million dollar tech company too. It would be too much. I was hoping you would want it. I mean I'd help restore it, get it all back in working shape, better than ever shape actually… but only if you're interested in running it." I looked at him, gauging his reaction.
"Hell yeah, it's what I'm in college for, Agriculture, I mean. I thought I'd have to go buy my own little plot of land to start on, and it'd be way down the line after I'd saved up…"
I grinned. "You tell me what it needs, and I will make it happen. Of course, I have to wait until the UEG releases everything to me. Everything is frozen at the moment. I haven't even seen the property yet."
"That's our next stop," Rawklix threw in. "We can all go, if you'd like."
"Can we?" I spun to look at him next to me.
"Of course, plenty of room in the transport."
Aunt Karen frowned. "I hate that you'll be so far away from us," she commented looking at Daniel.
"Nebraska isn't that far, Aunt Karen, and you and Uncle Jim can always come with me. I mean it's your family land too."
She smiled. "What about this place?" she asked, looking around her house.
"Keep it, or sell it, if you want. I was hoping that you all might want to do some visiting with me wherever we end up." I blushed and looked at Rawklix. "Right now we're still in Miami."
"That would be nice in the winter, wouldn't it, Karen? Wintering in Miami?"
Karen laughed. "This is all just so much to take in."
"And, if I may…" Rawklix added, "You are always welcome to come and visit the Solarin Islands as well."
"On your home planet? Oh my… that would be an experience to tell the book club, wouldn't it!" Aunt Karen said.
After that we all got back in the transport and took off for Nebraska. It was a much shorter flight than our trip up from Miami and soon we were landing right in front of our old house. It was still standing, as if it were just waiting for us to go running through the door. It looked as though someone had been taking care of it at least. Not letting it go into disrepair. I found that odd and figured I'd know more once everything was released to me.
"It all looks the same. How is that possible?" Daniel asked, climbing out. He headed for the house, but when he tested the handle it was locked. He settled for looking inside. "It's empty."
"Of course it is, Danny, we packed it all up when we moved you to live with us," Uncle Jim answered. "Kept all of the memorabilia, and stuff in storage for you, sold what furniture we had to, but most everything is in storage back in Kansas."
We walked around to the barn and I pulled the big door open. "This is where we kept Bessie and Elsie." I turned and looked to the left. "That's the chicken coop. It goes out the side there, so the hens could go out and enjoy the sun. The pigs were over there…" I pointed to another area.
"I can still smell them," Daniel commented with a laugh. "We'll probably need to update the barn. I want to add a corral for some more horses, and of course there's all the equipment…"
"Anything you need, we'll get it." I smiled.
"I graduate in a few months. I just,
I can't believe you're back and we've got the farm back… I feel like I'm dreaming." Daniel hugged me. "I missed you."
I hugged him back hard. "I missed you too."
A truck pulled up to the house as we came out of the barn and an old man got out. "Mr. Shrouder?" Daniel asked as he moved toward him. "It's so good to see you, sir!"
"Daniel, it's good to see you too, what are you all doing back here?" he asked, looking us over and then his eyes stopped on me. "Laurie?"
"Hi, Mr. Shrouder."
"Found you then, did they? I hadn't heard. I'm glad to know you're safe."
"Thank you, Mr. Shrouder."
"So what brings you all back to these parts? Thought you went and moved off to Kansas City after the foreclosure."
"Well, we just got the property back, sort of, I mean Laurie did. At least it's going to be ours again soon."
"So you're moving back here?" Mr. Shrouder asked, his bushy brows going up into his hairline. "Well damn. I'd been holding out hope that tech company would come and buy my land too so I could move myself down to North Carolina with my daughter and grandkids. They put in an offer a while ago, but I turned it down. Guess I'll have to look for another buyer."
Daniel looked at me and we shared a silent conversation like we did as kids. "Mr. Shrouder, Daniel and I might be willing to buy your land. We're thinking of expanding the farm, your orchard would be a welcome addition."
He grinned. "You always did like my orchard, didn't you."
"I did. Once we have everything in order, I'll have Daniel give you a call with an offer. It just might be a few weeks. Does that work for you?"
"Well now, I think I can wait a tick. I like the idea of selling to you folks, knowing you'll take care of the land." His gaze went to the house. "Been takin' care of this place since you all left. Probably should have given you back the key, but then, figured the tech company was gonna tear the place down and it wouldn't matter. When they didn't do anythin' with the property after a while, I ran some squatters out and been keepin' an eye on it out of respect for your mama. She was a good woman."
