“Nothing more specific than that?” Avery asked.
“No. Someone from Andromeda will be close at all times. We wish to be protective, not intrusive,” Brigid said as if reading Avery’s mind. “If you see me, ignore me. Here in Paris Adelais is your contact for now.”
Avery looked at Adelais who seemed so young, but had not moved a muscle since sitting down. Avery was shocked at the resolve in her steadfast gaze.
Brigid continued, “Of course, in Italy you have Philippa and Reuben—and their people. Here is our contact information. Keep it well secured. And be sure to be especially vigilant at work.”
Avery looked steadily at Brigid, fighting back waves of anger and fear. “Thank you for the warning,” was all she could muster.
Abruptly Brigid and Adelais got up and left. Avery sat frozen, staring off into space. There were people in the café having intimate moments, enjoying meals, and she was trying to grasp a sense of both threat and order. And now she had to be vigilant at work. She shuddered. How do I do that in small villages in the depths of Brazil?
Chapter 28
You Are My Child
Paris, France
After Brigid and Adelais left, Avery resolved, with great effort, to have some peace for what remained of the day. She ordered a light lunch and another glass of wine. Then she pulled a chair over, propped her feet on it, and again opened her iPad to read. When her cell phone vibrated, she wanted to throw it in the street.
“Good afternoon, Avery. It’s Philippa. How was your flight?”
“How did you know where I was?” Avery’s tone was accusatory.
“Brigid told me she met with you.”
Avery sucked in a breath to contain her surging anger. Finally, she managed, “I guess you better tell me what this is about.”
Philippa said, “Brigid indicated…”
Avery cut her off. “Wait! Let me tell you. She told me I was in danger. I was being followed. I think I get it and I don’t like it a whole lot.” Then Avery softened and sighed. “It seems I have a new life and I need to get over it.”
Philippa said, “I’m sorry, Avery. I wish I could have talked to you first. Since you’re back in Europe, could we get together so we can talk? Perhaps I can answer your questions.”
Avery took a deep breath as she tamped down her anger. “I’d like that,” she said, managing to mean it. “I’ll be here another day. Where are you?”
“I’m in Rome and can be in Paris late afternoon.”
“Will you come into de Gaulle? I can meet you.”
Avery loved the sound of Philippa’s voice, but after she hung up, her mood collapsed again. How do they know so much about Beck and his company? The implications dawned on her. Of course, they’re tracking me and that means Beck, too. She took a large swallow of wine and tried to organize her churning thoughts, unable to return to her reading.
~~~
At Charles de Gaulle, Avery paced in the waiting area. With the creation of the European Union and no customs to deal with she didn’t have long to wait. She and Philippa exchanged ritual double cheek kisses and Philippa engaged her in amiable chatter as they walked to the baggage area.
“Where are you staying, Philippa?”
Philippa smiled. “At my armoire. That’s what Paolo and I call the small apartment we maintain here. It has two bedrooms. Will you be my guest?”
“That would be great. Can we swing by my hotel so I can check out? You’re doing me such a favor. My head is just not at this conference.”
Philippa steeled herself against the anger she could feel in Avery. “These are dangerous times. I apologize for how we’re intruding.”
Avery’s smile was forced. “It makes sense, but I don’t like the implications,” she said, feeling as if her life was spinning out of control.
~~~
Philippa’s apartment had a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower across the Seine. They had an early dinner on the small terrace. After chatting for a while, with Avery filling in Philippa on her current projects, they turned to family and recent events.
Avery’s eyes lit up. “You have to see these pictures. Beck enhanced them for me.” She brought up the first photo of the woman in the surf at Laguna. Philippa studied it intently. Then Avery brought up the one revealing the fish tail.
Philippa looked serious. “I’m assuming there is now no doubt in your mind.”
“This kind of evidence is unequivocal.”
“Avery, I understand your life has become so much more complicated.”
Avery lightened her tone. “I thought I had lost my family. And now I’ve found I have a new one. That means the world to me. But not having a choice—that’s hard to accept. It seems my life has led me to be involved in all this. I think I better listen up.”
Philippa smiled. “That’s wise. You’ll be safer.”
“I’m working on acceptance…and patience,” Avery said.
Philippa stood and walked to the railing of the terrace, looking out toward the Eiffel Tower where twinkling lights were beginning to appear. It was apparent to Avery that Philippa was suffering considerable anguish. Avery scanned the beauty that was Paris and waited.
“There’s more I have to tell you, and it’s deeply painful.” Philippa turned back toward Avery. “A while back you asked if I had children. The truth is, a long time ago I did have a child. But I had to give her up for reasons which are complex and you might not understand.”
Avery stiffened.
“For many years I regretted giving up the child, but told myself over and over it was necessary. Then circumstances changed and I was in a better position, but I couldn’t go back and reclaim a child from loving parents.”
Avery felt as though a storm was rushing at her.
Philippa clasped her hands in front of her as if in prayer. She took a deep breath. “You’re that child, Avery. For whatever reason, you’ve been brought back into my life.” Philippa’s voiced trembled. “Can you ever forgive me?”
Slowly Avery began to shake her head. She could taste the anger in her mouth.
“I can’t fucking believe this. Do I get no choice in anything? You dump me like an inconvenience and now you show up asking me for forgiveness. What the hell am I supposed to forgive you for? Maybe I should forgive you for being a Tethyan and throwing me into this mess.”
Philippa stood buffeted by the outpouring anger, knowing she had to withstand Avery’s reaction.
Avery was silent for a moment. “I finally found a guy I love, but we have to worry about these people called Overlords and from every side we’re warned of danger. Women called Andromeda tell me they’re watching me.” The anger in her voice was rising steadily. “What the hell am I supposed to think? Oh, suck it up, Avery. You have that family you always wanted. But be vigilant because there are people who want to kill you.”
Philippa could barely breathe. She reached her hands out in supplication. “Is there anything I can do or say?”
“Not a goddamn thing, Philippa. Now I’ve got a life of trash.” Avery hesitated again. “I can’t deal with this or you right now.” She walked toward the door, then whirled around. “And Andromeda better not dog my steps.” She slammed the door as she left.
Philippa sank into a chair and gave herself over to unspeakable pain.
In the hall outside the apartment, Avery leaned against the wall holding her throat as she variously sobbed and gasped for breath. Finally she was able to calm herself enough to walk down to the Seine. After a time, she sat on the steps of a building and watched as lovers walked by arm in arm. The sight of them calmed her. In the distance she could hear a street musician sending her soft love notes. Then it was Beck’s face which brought her strength, and she began to walk.
At last she found her way back to the apartment and raised her fist to pound on the door, but restrained herself and knocked gently. The Philippa who opened the door looked devastated.
Avery pushed past her.
“We’re going to work this out, Philippa. I don’t see any other way. I’d like to just stand here and shout at you. Do you know why I don’t?”
Philippa shook her head.
“Because I’m going to try to be an adult even though I don’t feel like one. I’m going to sit on my feelings, and ask you a question. Why? What happened? Why did you give me up? When you could, why didn’t you come get me? That’s more than one question, but I think you know what I need to know.” Avery went and sat on the couch with her hands folded and glared at Philippa.
Philippa took a deep breath and sat on a chair opposite her.
When she had control of herself, she began in a whisper. “Thank you for coming back.”
Philippa wiped tears from her eyes; Avery crossed her arms and waited.
“Your parents were Tethyans who chose missions in the Third World, as you know. The existence that Paolo and I chose was different. They worked in health and we worked in intelligence. We had nominal jobs helping people in Africa. But in reality, we gathered information on Overlord activities. It was dangerous work, and for us it could have ended like what happened to our friend Martine. When I found I was pregnant, it came at a terrible time and now a child was going to be endangered. I don’t think I can justify it to you, but Paolo and I found it extremely difficult to accept we had to give you up to the people who became your parents.”
Avery’s voice was barely audible. “How could you?”
“I can’t adequately explain it to myself and surely not to you. We might have left what we were doing and fled, but it was complicated and might have meant death for the people we were working with. All I can say is that it was a wrenching decision but something we felt we had to do.” She fell silent as she searched where to go next.
Avery leaned forward, her anger rising again. “But then you must have known my parents died.”
Philippa pursed her lips. “This is the hardest part. Yes, years later I heard of the death of your parents. I wanted to go to you and bring you into my life, but I was… warned off.”
“What the fucking hell does that mean?”
“It came in the form of the most terrible dream of my life. I was on the terrace of our home overlooking the sea. The entire area was shrouded by a numbing fog. Out of that fog a woman appeared. I wasn’t afraid at first. The woman was somehow familiar, not by appearance, but by her aura. She came forward and embraced me. There were no words, but I was overwhelmed by the understanding that I was not to seek out my child. Intuitively I understood a greater sacrifice was expected for a greater purpose.”
Philippa paused as she grasped for control. She drew in a deep breath.
“At last there were words. ‘The time of reunion is not now.’ It felt like a wall that I was not to breach.”
Avery scowled. “You didn’t come for me because of a dream?”
Philippa sighed. “I thought I knew who the woman in the dream was. I found my way to Thonis and talked with Nerissa, the priestess for that Tethys. We concluded it must have been Gaia intervening. And that is where the leap came in. I couldn’t know the purpose. I couldn’t ask Gaia. I simply had to accept it—and it was the hardest thing I ever had to do.”
“So this fucking goddess intervened for some greater purpose, and I was left on my own without a family. And now I’m discovering my ‘real’ family and discovering how really fucked up my world is. What the hell was the purpose of keeping me in the life I had?”
Philippa shook her head. “That’s a question I can’t answer for you or for myself.”
“This is making me crazy,” Avery said.
“For me, it’s been an enduring pain,” Philippa said. Her tone became harsh. “Here’s the view I’ve attempted to accept. Gaia rules a world where animals struggle for survival. And that includes us. While we work to accept what she gives us, and her rule, we can’t know for certain her intentions. And, at times, we recognize the direction isn’t final. So, sometimes we have to simply move forward.” Her tone was becoming more emphatic. “If you feel the victim, Avery, then all I can say is that I feel the victim as well. I’ve just have to accept that there’s a greater purpose.”
Avery thought for a moment attempting to grasp and mold her pain. “That helps. If you’re suffering, too, then I know somehow we were both victims.”
Philippa started to speak but Avery shushed her. “I sure as hell hope there’s a greater purpose. It better be a good one.”
They talked into the evening as the lights of Paris came on. Philippa moved between pain and relief, and Avery could feel herself slowly coming back under control.
Philippa returned to the large picture at hand. “My fears for you remain, Avery. The killing has started, and I think it will get worse.”
Chapter 29
Power at Question
Miami, Florida
When Evan regained consciousness, he couldn’t summon the strength to get off the terrace floor. Fragments of memories of the incident with Brigid assaulted him. Had he really been somewhere else? Who was that woman? Those terrible eyes! Nothing made sense to him. A dream in the middle of the day? Why was he on the terrace floor?
Slowly his mind began to clear and his strength returned enough that he was able to sit up. He stared at the blood on the floor and the cuts on his arms and hands. He pulled himself up so he could sit on one of the chaises.
Where was Brigid? He went into the bathroom and sponged off the blood. He was relieved to see the cuts were superficial and had already clotted over. After ministering to himself, he searched through the suite as if he expected Brigid to be lounging somewhere.
As he sank back into the couch, Sergey came to mind. Sergey’s security and he had reached the same conclusion. If it had been a stroke, Nicole would not have fled. Sergey had been poisoned.
He shuddered as he visualized Sergey sitting mute and unable to move or help himself. And then he came back to the present. Had he been attacked also? Fury swelled. Brigid must be found. Either there would be an explanation or there would be retribution. Something was very wrong and he needed help thinking it through.
Pulling himself to focus on the here and now, he recalled Antonio was due in Miami shortly. He picked up his cell. “Antonio Cipriano, please.”
Evan made another call to Jorge Ramos. He would be in Miami in two days.
He decided he would stay in the suite rather than return to his apartment. A meeting with Antonio and Jorge was desirable, but he wanted distance from the rest of his life. There was now a dim background threat that he could not shake.
At sunset two days later the three men settled in by the penthouse pool. Evan struggled not to display the weakness or vulnerability he felt.
Each man reported that their various enterprises were profoundly profitable. Antonio’s business was thriving. Jorge said that Central America was proving to be fertile ground for consolidation and shipment of drugs to feed the world’s growing appetite. And the chaotic political environments in Honduras and Guatemala were aiding his operations. He winked at Evan.
Evan could no longer contain himself.
“There’s another kind of business we have to be concerned about.”
Antonio looked up from his wine glass. “What could concern us more than our businesses?”
“I guess you haven’t heard that my partner Sergey was devastated by a stroke on his way back to Moscow.”
“Sergey?” Antonio exclaimed.
“He could not have been fifty!” Jorge said.
Evan said, “He was in excellent health. But the thing I found suspect is that his female traveling companion fled.”
“Nicole? What are you saying? Do you think he was attacked? That seems far-fetched,” insisted Jorge.
Antonio leaned forward. “It’s suspicious that the girl vanished.”
Evan took a deep breath to contain his anger. “I believe Sergey was poisoned.”
“Why do you think that?” asked Antonio.
“I talked with Sergey’s security people. Early reports don’t confirm that his symptoms indicated a stroke. Security followed Nicole. She was trying to leave the country. Shall I say she didn’t succeed.”
“So the matter is finished, then,” offered Antonio.
“That matter may be finished, but it doesn’t end there. There’s another matter. You recall my girl, Brigid.”
The other two nodded approvingly.
“I’ve reason to believe she tried to kill me two days ago.”
The other men put down their glasses. “What?” they asked in unison. “How?”
Evan fabricated a scenario involving a hallucinogen. “I believe we need to face reality. I think both women used some kind of poison. Gentlemen, not only are our businesses being attacked—we are being targeted.”
Jorge’s eyes went hard. “Then we must increase security. Our opponents are getting much too bold. If it’s the same people, they didn’t learn from the death of the woman in Paris. Perhaps the swift punishment of Nicole will teach them a lesson.”
“Unfortunately, Jorge, we don’t know nearly enough about the people we believe to be our adversaries. It strikes me that we’re seeing systematic attacks,” Evan said.
“What are you suggesting?” Jorge asked.
Evan leaned forward. “First of all, I’m noting that we need to pay more attention to our security. There is an emerging pattern. I had Brigid’s background researched, but it obviously wasn’t rigorous enough. I’m looking for suggestions about how we communicate with each other and share information.”
It was impossible to miss that Jorge was angry. “And then we will do exactly what, Evan?”
Evan leaned forward. “We identify adversaries and protect ourselves. We’ve been too complacent. We have to act.”
To himself Evan admitted he was not at all clear how they were going to approach the challenge. But he had to do something and he had to appear stronger than he was feeling.
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