by Ali Vali
“I can make something up if you want me to, but she’s everything her resume says she is. You can do whatever you want, but if you want my advice, don’t try to set her up. Mr. Palmer seems to like her, so if he finds out, it’ll backfire on you.” Tanice walked behind him and put her hands on his shoulders. “You’re so close.”
“Get back to your desk and take your advice with you.” He shrugged her off and waited for her to leave before picking up the phone. “Can I see you in my office?” When he hung up, he had five minutes tops to come up with something, so it startled him when Kai seemed to fill his doorway sooner than he’d expected.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Hawksworth?”
He glanced at his screen and noticed two of the wells off the Mississippi coast had been given the green light to start again. “We need you to head to Condor One and Two to check the structures before we start pumping again. The coast guard says the situation is fine, but I don’t trust that advice.”
“When do you need me?”
“I’ll have a chopper waiting within the hour.” He leaned back, glad this was going to be easy.
“Where are you going?” Franklin asked, a stack of folders on his lap.
“A little diving for the team, but I don’t mind,” Kai said, then laughed when Franklin moved past her and dumped his load on Steve’s desk. “Some blue water will beat the hell out of that.” She pointed to the stack.
“Stop by my office before you go,” Franklin said and closed the door when Kai left. “I believe at last count we have in the vicinity of fifty-six thousand employees.”
“Should I pay attention because there’ll be a test later?” Steve laughed at Franklin’s inadequacy.
“All those people, and you pick Kai to dive two of our smallest operations?”
“That’s her job, Frankie,” he said, throwing his hands up. “Or am I the only one who remembers that? Besides, she jumped at the chance. Maybe you and your sister aren’t as fascinating as you think.”
He laughed when Franklin left without calling him on the insult. It was time to chance a few things to get back on track. The door opening again with Winston coming for a visit was a first.
“You sent Merlin out to the Condor sites?”
The way Winston’s fists rested on his hips made him hesitate. “She volunteered when I told her about it.”
“Then I’m sure you wouldn’t mind doing the same with our Mexican assets,” Winston said, holding up a sheet of paper. “Here’s the list, and I expect progress reports.”
“Wait,” he said, not needing a printed list to know how long the damn thing was. He’d be out of the office a solid month if the weather was perfect that long. “What about all our pending contracts?”
“Franklin has all that covered, so don’t forget your sunscreen.”
“Winston, the board’s not going to like you exiling me to the Gulf while everything’s up in the air like this.” He moved closer with his hands outstretched, palms up.
“I’ll take my chances.” Winston slammed the paper against his chest. “And if that was a veiled threat, don’t push me. You do, and I’ll fuck you over so bad your mother won’t recognize you. Are we clear?”
He nodded automatically, somewhat shocked at the outburst. Winston had never spoken to him like this, and he quickly reviewed mentally where he could’ve gone wrong. The trip to Triton had started a change, and the only new factor was Kai Merlin, so it was paramount he bring her down before the damage became fatal.
“I asked if you understand me?” Winston stared at him.
“Yes, sir,” he said, crumpling the sheet in one fist. “I understand perfectly.”
Kai was going to pay for the humiliation one way or another.
*
“Have we narrowed the list?” Hadley asked the council members with the highest level of clearance. Natal had been added to the list, but Hadley had directed her question at Laud Mandina, the head of the royal guards.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Considering the information found, on the date it was found, we’re able to narrow the possibilities to forty-six individuals. It seems like a lot, but you have to consider the size of the queen’s staff.” Laud put her hands up when she took a deep breath, getting ready to express how unacceptable that was. Hadley had recommended this woman to Galen, and they both trusted her with Galen’s safety, since she and Laud had known each other for years and graduated together, but at the moment they didn’t have the luxury of blind faith in anyone. “I realize that number is too high so we tried to narrow it in other ways.”
“Don’t skip any steps, but that list is too long to be feasible,” she said as she tapped the table with the fleshy side of her fist. “If they divulged this information to some unknown entity, Galen’s in danger. We can plan for every contingency, but it’s hard to defend yourself against a surprise attack, especially if it’s someone with access to her. If something happens to my wife—”
“Hadley, I know,” Laud said gently. “The queen isn’t only my sovereign. She’s my friend. I know how devastating to everyone it would be if something happened to her. That possibility is immeasurable when it comes to you.”
“So where do we start?”
“I’d like to meet with you alone before we discuss that.”
Everyone rose when she waved her hand, except her mother Brook and Galen’s mother Sibyl. “They aren’t going and I’m not asking them to, so let’s hear it.”
Laud pressed a button on the table and five faces appeared. “When you found the boxes, they provided a good starting point.” Laud split the screen and brought up Galen’s itinerary. “Her highness’s schedule is both set and fluid, so there’s always the possibility of change if something comes up that needs her attention. The day you ran the information these were all the incorrect entries, and these four,” she pointed to them with a laser, “were the most recent changes. Because the staff is privy to the information, the forty-six on the original list would’ve had the incorrect information. These five, though, are the only ones with family who’ve raised doubts or open complaints to her majesty’s rule.”
“How close a family?” Sibyl asked.
“Of the five, the closest family tie is Bella Riverstone.” The system showed only Bella’s photo and information for now. “She’s been on the queen’s staff since her graduation from the academy four years ago. Her mother died about three years ago, and soon after that her birth mother remarried Francesca Yelter.”
“Are you talking about the ass who preaches the destruction of all human life on the planet, that Francesca Yelter?” Hadley asked.
“The one and only. Her birth mother Wilma served on the queen mother’s staff during her reign and briefly worked for the queen until her second marriage,” Laud said.
“Isn’t part of Yelter’s problem the ruling family itself?” Brook asked.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ve read her literature extensively, and it mentions the Oberons quite often. She and her followers believe the ruling family has strayed too far from the strength and leadership of the Oberons.”
“How in the hell did someone like that end up on Galen’s staff?” Hadley asked.
“Because Bella can’t be blamed for who her mother falls in love with. I’ve met Bella on numerous occasions so I don’t have any cause to doubt her,” Galen said as she picked up one of Francesca’s educational brochures as she walked in.
“This makes sense though,” Hadley said as she pulled a chair for Galen. “Bella might not have directly shared the information, but if she brought anything home or this fanatic broke into our system, we’ve got a problem.”
“One of many. What I’d like to know is where all these communication pods came from,” Brook asked, and Galen nodded. “I haven’t been able to work that out. Even if they were from the original batch, these account for almost their entire inventory.”
“Not to mention there isn’t that much genga on the planet. That stuff corroded so fast the archive has t
he only serious amount,” Sibyl said.
“We can dance around the truth all we want, but the only possibility that makes sense is that our system somehow missed the shipment coming in from outer space,” Hadley said.
“Actually I’ve thought about how that could’ve happened and how we could have missed it,” Laud said, and Galen lifted her hand slightly for her to continue. “If the pods came in all at once, we wouldn’t have been the only ones to notice, but if they came in small batches and not regularly, they would’ve just showed up on radar as an anomaly like a meteor crashing.”
“That’s totally possible, but you’d still need someone to attach them in the various locations,” Hadley said as she glanced at the map with all the pods they’d found so far. “If they came in batches, then no one would notice the absence of someone like Francesca and her followers as much if they were out placing them. We need to find out for sure, and we need to know if her stepdaughter had anything to do with this.”
“I’ve already placed surveillance,” Laud said.
“At the first sign she’s involved, bring Bella in, but keep it quiet,” Hadley said, taking Galen’s hand when she held it out. “If Francesca whips up her disciples, haul her in and I’ll show her a few things about my family and what happens to anyone who threatens them.”
“Behave, all of you,” Galen said. “I knew exactly who Bella’s family was when she came to work for me. Laud, do your job, but don’t be too heavy-handed, and let me know how it goes.”
The room emptied and Hadley moved to her knees in front of Galen. “I’ll do whatever you ask, but be careful letting people off too easily. Someone did this, and we need to find out why.”
“I intend to let everyone do what they’re trained to do, but we’re all entitled to our opinion. It’s the main premise this great society was founded on. Not everyone is going to love me, Mama told me that a very long time ago, and she was right, as usual.” Galen ran the tips of her fingers along her jawline, and as comforting as it was, she shivered from the sudden cold.
It was her fear of losing times like this that had dropped the temperature in the room. “I can’t lose you or Kai, my love,” she said, her throat closing at the sudden onslaught of fear and emotion. “I couldn’t go on if something like that happens.”
“I’m safe with you.” Galen put her arms around her and ran her hands up and down her back in comfort. “Until this is over, I’ll cancel all unnecessary meetings and let Laud deal with the staff. If we do that, though, we have to make an announcement of some kind.”
“As much as I want to isolate you, if you do that, it’ll drive whoever’s responsible into a deep crab hole. We need to flush them out, so get used to me traveling with you from now on.” She stayed in Galen’s arms a little longer before helping her stand. “Sorry I freaked out there for a moment.”
“I never want you to have masks to hide your true self from me, so don’t apologize.” Galen kissed her eyelids, then pressed her cheek to the top of her head. “Do whatever it takes to get this done,” she whispered. “I’ll have no one take what’s rightfully ours, especially what belongs to Kai.”
“I’ll gladly do your bidding, my Queen.”
Chapter Twenty-six
“You should volunteer for more stuff more often,” Vivien said as she stood behind Kai on the Salacia.
“Believe me, I’m thrilled to be out here with you, but this was more of a ram job than me volunteering for anything.” She laughed, really happy with Vivien and the salt water hitting her skin. Her mothers were right in that to get away from the water for too long definitely muted something essential in her soul. “But you, me, and the water are something I don’t mind being pushed into.”
“It could be worse,” Vivien said as she kissed her shoulder. “You could be Steve.” She laughed for a long while. “He should be really tanned by the time he gets back.”
“We’re going to work on our tan lines too,” she said, smiling at Vivien when she moved to the front of her.
She was planning to enjoy herself, but after talking with her parents again before taking off without her team, she’d agreed to have the protection unit move along with them under the water. The unit would keep enough distance between them to stay out of Vivien’s sight, but close enough to neutralize any threat. She knew Edil was personally heading up the security detail and had welcomed her presence as a way to help her get back in her mother Hadley’s good graces. She knew from experience that wasn’t always the easiest thing in the world to accomplish.
“We could do that.” Vivien ran her hands up her arms to the back of her neck. “Think we have time to check out the area you mapped out?”
“The rig dive should be easy, so sure.” She set their course and tied the wheel off so they could sit and eat. They’d be at least another three hours, but Winston had personally told her to take her time and invite Vivien. His matchmaking skills needed work, but getting Vivien to agree had taken none.
After lunch they both enjoyed light conversation and a lot of silence. And when they arrived at the rig, she convinced Vivien to stay aboard and study the rover’s findings. Underwater she headed away from the rig footings to the beacon Edil was putting out to mark their meeting spot.
Kai saw three swimmers ahead of her so she raised her hand to greet them, not concerned that she didn’t recognize any of them. She questioned their identity for only a second, but figured her mother had sent the best team available. Atlantis was large in scope and in residents so it was impossible to know them all, but whoever this was lifted some sort of weapon and aimed it in her direction. The two women who flanked the shooter seemed to be guarding the aggressor, so Kai swam down and to the right.
She cursed as she picked up speed, but the three didn’t have trouble keeping up. The idiot carried what basically was a spear gun, but if she’d poisoned the tip she’d die just as effectively as if it were a triton.
Edil appeared to the right of her and signaled her to the left. Just as she moved, her leg exploded in pain and she looked down to see at least six inches of the shaft sticking out of her thigh. The water around her crackled with the pulses coming from the tritons her protectors fired. Hopefully they were set to stun, but from the blood cloud behind her, that was doubtful.
“Your Highness, we need to move you to the ship,” Edil said as her team swam to whoever was now dead in the water. She had a communication square strapped to her throat so Kai heard her as clearly as if she’d spoken the words out loud.
“Take the tip,” she mouthed. “Vivien Palmer,” she said and pointed up.
“We’ll test it, but if we find anything we’re coming to get you aboard for medical help.” Edil snapped the tip off and placed it in a bag one of her team held open. “I’m going to report this, so you might have to pull out no matter what the results are.”
Kai turned and started back to her vessel, and once they were close she motioned for one of the command units the woman next to Edil had buckled to her chest. She opened a line only her mothers were privy to and tapped out a message before clearing the device and handing it back. “Guards every fifty feet, fifty yards out.” Edil gave her a thumbs-up and moved back, but Kai could see the hesitation in her movements.
The blood from her leg was flowing freely, but she didn’t feel any tingling or numbness, just pain, so she wasn’t worried yet. She tried to stay calm, but when she surfaced, Vivien was anything but. “What the hell?” Vivien yelled.
“Lower the ladder.” She pointed to the release button. “Someone shot me.” It was in so many ways surreal. Nothing like this had remotely come into her mind when she’d planned every facet of this assignment. Her overprotective mothers were about to skewer Edil, but she’d worry about that after putting Vivien at ease. Their time together like this was growing short.
“Who?” Vivien grabbed everything she could, but she’d have to make it aboard herself. “Did you see anyone, anything?”
“Viv, I need you to take
a deep breath, okay,” she said when Vivien started crying. “The first-aid kit is over my bunk—let’s start there.” She needed to get to her command unit that was cleverly disguised as an iPad and get in touch with her parents for a conversation. Being attacked by some of their own people meant there might be some plan in place that would go all the way back to the capital.
“Sit,” Vivien said, the kit pressed to her chest.
“Come here first.” She held her hand up. When Vivien sat next to her, she kissed her as she moved her hand to the base of Vivien’s neck. It didn’t take long for Vivien to fall limply against her, so she carefully laid her down. When Vivien was secure she sent a signal, so the team guarding the boat came aboard and tended to her wound.
“Who was that?” she asked Edil while the unit medic took the spear out.
“We’re still trying to make positive identifications, but they’re no one tied to the military group we have in the area.”
“Good to know,” she said, grimacing as the shaft came out. “Bring my comm unit up, please.” Once her leg was bandaged, she dismissed everyone back to the water and called for her mothers. They looked worried so she quickly explained what had happened. “You need to beef up the security in the palace.”
“Laud has that covered and I’ve limited my public appearances,” Galen said before taking a deep breath. “But we need to talk about your coming back. What happened could’ve been so much worse. We were lucky, but we can’t give them another shot at you.”
“I don’t want to run, so double the guards if you want.” She noticed the change in her mother Hadley’s face. Hadley’s anger was about to bubble out of her mouth in the form of orders, she was sure. “You didn’t raise me to hide behind the palace walls, and if I do, that’ll be my legacy no matter what else comes from my reign.”
