by Frank Carey
Lucien shook his head as he leaned over and hugged her. "Welcome to the family."
She let him go and turned to Nels, hugging him and kissing him. "You're OK?"
"We're all fine. All the neos and Tyens have been checked out and all are well. Welcome back, Brother. Congratulations on saving Earth."
Lucien dropped his head and sighed. "I panicked. I panicked at Simpson and I panicked at Segue Six. Thank God they both worked out."
Gren reached over and took Lucien's hand. "Sir, you did good. However you did it, you did good."
"I guess I did. Now, stop calling me sir. My name is Lucien and you can call me Lucien, or Brother."
"Yes, Lucien. What happened to Neresta?"
"Your brain never shuts down, does it?"
She shook her head and gave a self-conscious smile.
Lucien looked over at his brother and saw a blank stare, his eyes turning from bright blue to flaming orange. "Nels?"
"Tregga was strong, too strong for me to stop," Nels said in a voice not his own. "I merged with him to give you time to stop the overload. He and I have moved on. We will not bother you again." Nels shook himself as his eyes returned to normal.
"What the hell just happened?" Nels asked.
"Nothing important," Lucien said as he took Nels' pulse. It was normal. "I think you had a thought and got lost in the moment."
"Huh?"
"You're fine," Gren said before mouthing a silent, "thank you," to Lucien.
"As for Neresta," Lucien said. "I think she may have joined with Tregga in an attempt to slow him down, giving me time to have a panic attack."
Gren cuffed him. "Oh, forgive me, My Prince!"
"Ow. You elf girls are all brutes!" he stopped and smiled.
Gren smiled.
"Wuss," Nels muttered.
Royce, Losira, and Neta walked in. Lucien introduced Royce to Grendel. This induced another bout of Grendel freeze, but soon they were all talking about the adventures of the last few days.
"I thought Marta and Jewel were coming with you?" Lucien said.
"They'll be along." Losira said. "They had an errand."
"I can't believe Mars put a hit on his wife," Nels said. "I know he was playing the field, but to have your mate killed just to save some money is just not right."
"Unfortunately, we have no way to tie the hit to Mars," Neta said. "The assassin has lawyered-up and the only money trail was the token Royce found.”
Lucien's comm beeped. "Excuse me for a moment, he said as he walked out of the room.
"You found a token, sir?" Grendel asked.
"Affirmative," Royce said. He reached down and keyed some commands. A picture of the token appeared.
"By the Gods," Neta said as she took the keyboard and keyed in more commands. A pile of tokens appeared, each with the same face on them. "We confiscated these from the Adrestia assassins we arrested both on Earth and here. Most of the ones killed at Nico's either had the same tokens in their effects or hidden away at their residences. We think Adrestia paid them with these tokens. Our problem is our inability to crack their encryption."
There was a crash from the door. They all looked up and saw Lucien standing there, the remains of his drink lying broken at his feet. "Did I hear you right? Those tokens were used to pay assassins?"
Neta looked at Losira, then back to Lucien. "Yes, we think that is how Adrestia pays its professionals. Why, My Prince?"
"I recognize that image," Lucien said while a maintenance bot cleaned up the glass. It's part of an old crest from the days before the diaspora. The Irithyls and the Perearas go way back and this image--actually it’s a glyph--represents Mars and his family. According to some ancient texts, our two families had a pretty thriving business back in Atlantis."
"This is new," Royce said. "I knew we shared a crest, but nothing about a business. What kind of business are we talking about here?"
Lucien stared at the screen a moment before looking at Losira. "We found the texts in the Lunar Library after we took care of Nochmar in the prison universe. The texts were sort of yearbooks prior to the diaspora. They mention the two families in conjunction with what loosely translates into loansharking. The Irithyls were the money and the Perearas were the muscle." He tapped a few keys on the keyboard and the images of the tokens were replaced by a family crest of sorts. "This is the only known image of the complete combined crest, and only Tannith and I have seen it."
"How is that possible?" Gren asked.
"One of the researchers brought in a fungus which started eating the damn books, so Tanni and I had them sealed in a cryostasis unit until the boffins could come up with a way to eradicate the infection," Lucien explained.
"Oh. That makes sense." She squinted at the image. "What are those symbols beneath each family glyph?"
"The family's lucky number, if you can believe it. You think modern elves are superstitious, you should see the ancients. A good numerologist or soothsayer could make a fortune back then."
"Sir, what is the Pereara's number if translated into standard?"
Lucien thought for a moment, then took a pad and wrote something on it before handing it to the young agent. "What's up, Agent?"
"Maybe nothing." She took the keyboard and used it to access the R-Sec computer system. She brought up an application which could access a token if the user had the master password. She typed in the number Lucien had given her. "I'm in."
"What?" Neta said as she looked over her niece's shoulder. "By the seven holies, is that what I think it is?"
"A complete transaction history of the funds contained in this token. Someone forgot to turn off the trace function."
Gren typed in more commands. "Watch out, World, Gren is on a roll," Nels said as another app fired up.
"Many of the files we obtained from the nightclub were heavily encrypted. Let's see if Councilman Pereara left a back door." She typed in the number. "We're in."
Neta gasped.
"What's wrong, Auntie?" Neta asked.
"According to this, Mars created Adrestia. He's behind it all." She took the keyboard and initiated a series of searches. A document opened. "He even wrote a contract on Mira."
"He probably didn't want to risk the auditors finding all this encrypted shit," Royce said. "My Queen, what do we do now? One of our aristocrats just tried to blow up a planet."
"Lucien, I need help on this one," Losira said.
There was no reply.
"Lucien?" She looked up and saw he wasn't there. "Where did Lucien go?"
###
"Councilman, I want to extend my condolences to you and yours for the death of your wife," the reporter said.
"Thank you. I was shocked to hear she had been shot while on Earth," the councilman said with the appropriate amount of grief. The interview was interrupted by Lucien walking in and sitting down next to Mars.
"Prince Lucien..." the interviewer started to say.
"Get out," Lucien calmly commanded. "And don't even think of recording us from outside the room. I see any of this on the web, and I'll shut you down permanently."
The interviewer and his team hurried out, leaving the two elves alone.
"Lucien, what's this all about?"
"Mira is alive and well. She and Samuel are guests of OffSec at an undisclosed location where they are being interviewed by R-Sec, OffSec, and EarthSec."
"What did you say?" Mars asked.
Lucien reached over, took a glass of water from the table, and sipped from it. "This isn't poisoned, is it?"
"Poisoned? With all due respect, My Prince, have you gone daft?"
"No, I'm fine, but don't assassins use poison?"
Mars stopped moving.
"Mars, naming Adrestia after the Greek goddess of vengeance was an interesting choice. Using a lost glyph as the company's logo was another interesting choice. Have you checked your company bank accounts lately?"
A drop of sweat appeared on the councilman's forehead as he took out his com
m and typed commands into it. More sweat appeared as his skin took on an ashen hue. "What have you done?"
"Let's see... We saved your wife, saved earth, shut down Adrestia, and arrested all its assassins, including Alex and Hera. The only thing left is for me to decide is what to do with you."
"You have no proof I had anything to do with any of this."
Lucien reached into his jacket and removed a folded sheet of paper. He handed it to Mars. "We have you dead to rights for crimes against the state, crimes against Ventos Prime, crimes against Earth, attempted murder, twenty-five counts of murder, and an act of terrorism against the people of this city. By all rights, I should just shoot you and be done with it..."
Mars leapt out of his chair and ran to the door. He swung it open and found a spinning minigun pointed at his chest. Holding the weapon was a Marine in an armored EMEF suit with the name ROYCE emblazoned over the left breast. "Hey, Mars. I bet you're having a real bad day. Why don't you turn around and have a talk with Lucien? Otherwise, I'm going to have to shoot you. By the way, the building is surrounded, so I'd behave if I were you." Royce gently pushed Mars back into the room, then shut the door behind him.
"Lucien, let me go. Our families go back thousands of years. You owe me..."
"I don't owe you anything. Hell, you didn't know I existed. When I was Harmon, you wouldn't have even seen me. But now, we're bestest buddies." Lucien suddenly shifted subjects. "Why the hell did you hire those two nimrod assassins to kill Mira?"
"They're members of the family. Mira going to Earth was a stroke of luck. If Jaekle missed, then she would die with the world..."
Lucien was on him in a second with a knife at the councilman's throat. "Say one more word and I will open an artery."
"Lucien, let him go," Losira said from the doorway.
He stared at the councilman, anger, pain, and disgust filling his eyes and his hearts. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Lucien lowered the weapon and stepped away from the councilmember. He handed the knife to his sister as he silently walked out of the room.
Losira sat down in Lucien's seat and placed the blade on the table in front of her, its blade pointing directly at Mars. "Did you know that Lucien once killed a man to save the Cube? He still feels guilt over that. You are the first person to make him angry enough to repeat the experience. I have no such feelings on the subject. I will litter the ground with the bodies of my enemies if it means safety for my people." She reached into her jacket and withdrew a blaster, which she thumbed to full power as she pointed it at him. "As Queen of Ventos Prime and guardian of the Ventosian people, it is with great displeasure that I render summary judgment against you, Mars Pereara, on multiple counts of murder and the attempted murder of over seven billion sapients on the planet Earth. I find you guilty on all charges and sentence you to exile on the planet Alyson where you will live for the rest of your natural life. You will be shot on sight if you ever set foot on Ventos Prime again. Any questions?"
"Where the hell is Alyson?"
"You will be briefed. And since you didn't ask, your family will be taken care of. Now, get out of my sight."
The door opened and four members of R-Sec walked in. They helped him stand, then handcuffed him before walking out of the room with him. Losira had a sudden urge to take a long, hot shower. Finally, she stood up and walked out into the hallway where Royce and the rest of Team Eight waited. "Where's Lucien?"
"At the bar with Marta. They're talking."
Losira walked over and looked in on his brother. He and Marta sat at the bar, drinks forgotten as they held hands and talked like two people on their first date. Lucien's tail slowly waved back and forth as he enjoyed spending time with the woman he loved. Losira smiled before walking away, leaving the two to their moment of peace.
Chapter 27 - End of the Day
Lucien stood at the bottom of the driveway and stared at the building while his limo drove off into the evening. He was struck by a feeling of deja vu. Just a few days ago, he stood in this spot as his life was in the middle of unraveling.
"The door is up there," Jewel said. He turned and saw his sister standing there, smiling.
"You love startling me, don't you?"
"Of course. Marta sent me to find you."
"Let me drop my stuff off in my den, then I'll meet you upstairs."
"Ummmm."
"What's wrong?"
"Shenda's waiting for you in your office."
"I see. Is she ornery or distraught?"
"Inconsolable. Marta talked to her, but I think she needs Dad time."
"Is her crew here?"
"Crew and siblings and even a rambunctious niece and nephew."
"Ooooh, grandkids. I love it when they drag me around by the tail."
"You're a very strange elf."
"Yes, yes I am. I'll take care of the inconsolable daughter. We'll be up shortly."
Jewel nodded before disappearing in a flash of blue light.
Lucien walked through the back door into the house, stopping to put his coat in a closet before proceeding to his office where he found his daughter sitting with a box of tissues.
"Hey, kiddo, why aren't you upstairs enjoying the party?"
Shenda jumped up and grabbed him around the waist while burying her head in his chest.
"How can you forgive me?" she half-cried.
He held her for a minute, maybe two. Finally, quietly, he said, "You defended your mother. You can't know how proud that makes me."
She pulled back and sniffled. "Huh?"
"You made a choice and stuck with it. Of you and your sibs, you are by far the leader. You felt that I hurt your mother and that was enough for you. Make a decision and deal with the fallout later. You make your old man proud. All you kids do."
"So, you're not angry?"
"No, though I do wish I had the build that actor had. Man, was he ripped or what?"
She cuffed him, then hugged him. "I love you, you crazy elf."
"And I love you. Now, have you had a chance to talk to Chasm?"
"Yes. He said Nebulon and the twins are doing fine."
"Good. Everything I've seen indicates all neos and Tyens are recovering from their ordeals."
There was a knock at the door.
"So, we're good?" Shenda asked.
"Always, kiddo. Always."
Shenda walked over to the door and opened it. Standing outside was Marta, her eyebrow raised while she tapped her toe. "I'll see you upstairs," Shenda said as she hugged her mother before heading up to the party.
"Hey, elf, what's keeping you?" Marta asked as she walked into the room.
"Just putting on my comfy shoes," he said as he slipped off his work shoes then dug his loafers from the closet.
"Um, I just had a talk with John," she said while getting a couple of bottled teas from the fridge.
"Really, about what?"
"The beetlebots. He says the video feed from them showed you talking to someone on either side of you while you were disarming the laser."
"Really? Did he say who?"
"Well, that's the problem. You see, he only picked up your voice."
"What did I say?"
"Even with enhancement, he couldn't get much past Naresta and Tregga screaming, but he was able to pick up one word--Harmon"
He took a drink of tea then kissed her. "Like you said, lots of noise from two battling demons. It was probably just me cursing the machine."
"Right. So, you're OK?"
"I am surrounded by family. Ventos Prime is safe. Earth is safe. The League is safe. My wife has her usual worried look. I'm doing great."
She cuffed him.
"Ow! Why is everyone doing that tonight?"
"Wussy."
She took him by the arm and led him up to where his family awaited them.
Epilog
Alex and Hera stared out the window at the massive ship and the five pods that made up its structure, each pod labeled A through E.
"Hey, youze must be our leader," a short human said as she strode up and took his hand in hers. "The name's Aileen."
Aileen Winter, serial killer, Alex thought as memories of the colonist list flashed into his mind. "Hello, Ms. Winter. My name is Alex, and this is my second in command, Hera." Hera bowed. Alex noted the slight twitch in the muscles of Hera's right forearm as she suppressed the urge to grab a non-existent knife from her belt and throw it at Aileen.
"Damn, so proper and so cute. Ah, my turn," she said as she walked over to the processing table.
"These preliminary memory implants are incredible," Alex noted.
"That's one word," Hera said as she looked around the room. "No guards. We could..."
"Die. Only one way in or out," he nodded toward the circular airlock across the room. "And it leads into the Valera. These other locks open to space." He stopped as a memory popped up, unbidden. "We misbehave and the whole staging area is exposed to hard vacuum. A simple and effective deterrent."
"What about the people working the processing desk? We could..."
"They're Alue. They can just go non-corporeal and transfer into the ship's network. Hey, I've got a crazy idea."
"You thought of a way out?" Hera said, her ears swiveling forward.
"No. How about we try this idea? You know, we might actually pull it off."
She gave him a sideways smile. "Right. Why do you think we're really here?"
"And not dead? I honestly don't know. It's possible that Lucien is worried that his own past will haunt him, and this is an experiment to see if there is hope for him."
"What past? You mean Atmar?"
"Atmar was designed to be the ultimate assassin. I heard Atmar had killed a room full of mercs with a military knife while wearing hospital scrubs. At that time, Atmar was in control of Lucien's body. Lucien somehow exorcised him, but no one knows how."
"Your point is?"
"Maybe Lucien just wanted to be nice."
"You are such a fool."
Alex grinned. "I think they're calling your name." She walked away in a huff. "Sweet dreams, Princess."
"Are you bucking for a shiv in your back?" Arte, one of Hera's crew, asked.
"Maybe. Oops. My turn. See you on the other side."
