Maxwell’s Silver Hammer

by Ciana Stone

  “Indeed. We’ll remedy that, my friend. My gratitude.” He looked at Max and Nikki. “Shall we?”

  Max went behind Simon’s chair and pushed him from the judge’s chambers with Nikki and Ben in tow. Simon was already on his cell phone directing his security and his driver where to pick them up.

  “Now what?” Ben asked as Max steered Simon toward a side exit of the courthouse as Simon closed his cell phone.

  “Now we go home and make right what has been wrong far too long,” Simon replied.

  “Aren’t we going back to the hotel for our stuff?” Nikki asked.

  “I have people attending to that,” Simon answered and looked over his shoulder at Max. “Are you ready, my boy?”

  “Born ready,” Max said firmly.

  “Then let the next chapter begin.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  They arrived at the Weston estate to a media frenzy. Thanks to Simon’s directives, the press had been allowed to congregate in front of the mansion. As the limo pulled up, Nikki could see Mark Robinson and Helen walk out of the front door. A dozen reporters started shouting questions, while cameramen with video and still equipment focused in on the couple.

  But attention shifted as the limo rolled to a stop and the driver got out to assist Simon into his wheelchair. Max got out and steered Simon’s chair up the access ramp to the front door. Nikki followed behind him, trying not to look like the scared mouse she felt as reporters began calling out questions to Simon. Ben fell in behind her.

  Helen gaped at Max and Simon in complete shock as Max rolled Simon to the center of the landing and turned him to face the press. Nikki and Ben stood off to the side to watch. She couldn’t help but swell with pride at the self-confidence Max displayed.

  ‘Thank you for coming,” Simon said, bringing a hush to the crowd. “This is both a sad and joyous day for my family. The news of my son’s death brought great sorrow. But even in the light of sadness there is a balance of joy. Today, I am pleased to announce that Weston Enterprises will not, as assumed, fall to the leadership of those unqualified to run it. My grandson Max Weston, the majority stockholder, will assume the position of president of Weston. I remain chairman of the board.

  “It is with regret that we announce the resignation of Mark Robinson as head of security. But, in keeping with the tone of balance, we are proud to welcome Benjamin Marshall as the new vice president of security for Weston Enterprises.”

  He gestured toward Ben, who blanched a bit as the camera turned toward him.

  “Now…” Simon drew attention back to himself. “I am proud to present the new president of Weston Enterprises, my grandson Max.”

  A flurry of questions were shouted as Max stepped up beside Simon, keeping one hand on Simon’s shoulder. He raised his free hand to quiet the questions. “As my grandfather said, this is a sad day for our family.”

  Nikki watched Helen and Mark as Max spoke. The looks on their faces were of complete shock, mixed with a liberal amount of fear. She smiled and turned her attention back to Max.

  “I will be pleased to answer all of your questions at a later date,” he said. “But today is a time for family. So if you’ll please excuse us, we would appreciate some privacy until we’ve had sufficient time to mourn the death of my father. Thank you.”

  Nikki was stunned at the masterful way Max handled the press and the respect he commanded. There were no other questions asked. Cameras snapped and filmed as Max walked over, shook hands with Ben and gestured for the limo driver. As Ben walked to the car, Max turned, took her hand and together they walked over to Simon, following as Simon steered past Helen and Mark Robinson to enter the mansion.

  If looks could kill, Nikki figured they would all be dead, considering the way Helen and Mark looked at them as they passed. After a moment they followed. Once inside, Helen marched quickly to step in the way of Simon’s chair. “If you think for one moment that—”

  “Silence!” Simon virtually bellowed, earning a look of shock from Helen. “Max, if you please, let us retire to the pool terrace. That seems a fitting locale for a family discussion.”

  No one argued as Max wheeled Simon through the foyer. Louise and Osgood stood watching silently. Max stopped beside them and Simon reached out to grasp her hand for a moment. “Please see that we are not disturbed, my dear.”

  “Of course,” she promised.

  Max wheeled Simon to the pool terrace and parked him in front of a seating group to one side of the pool.

  “Please be seated,” he said as everyone filed in behind him.

  “I will not sit and I will not be ordered around by—”

  “Sit down!” Max’s voice held enough command to have everyone hurrying to find a seat. He pulled a chair over beside Simon for Nikki, then moved to the opposite side of Simon’s wheelchair, remaining standing, looking down at his mother and Mark while Simon took the lead.

  “You have twenty-four hours to vacate this estate, Helen,” Simon said. “You and Mark will leave this city, and this state, and never return. You’ll be provided with annual funding in the amount of two hundred thousand dollars for living expenses and are allowed to take any jewelry you own with you. But you will sign over all rights to Richard’s estate to Maxwell before you leave. And Mr. Robinson, you—”

  “I will do no such thing!” Helen cut in. “I’m entitled to Richard’s estate and not you or you,” she looked at Max, “will deny me what is rightfully mine.”

  “Oh, but you will,” Max said. “You see, Mother…” He put enough scorn in the word to cause her face to flush. “Not only do I remember what you did, I have proof. And unless you agree to the terms we offer, that proof will find its way, along with a videotaped confession of your guilt, to the state prosecutor by day’s end.”

  Helen’s eyes were round with surprise but narrowed maliciously. “I don’t believe you. There’s no way you can prove me guilty of wrongdoing and—”

  “Shut up,” Max ordered. “I saw you kill Lucien that night. And throw the artifact you used to bash his head in at Father. And you know I saw it because after I took the artifact you followed me to my suite and tried to kill me.”

  “That’s a lie!”

  “No, that’s the truth. I was lying across the bed, trying to decide what to do about what I’d seen, when you entered. You sat down beside me and stuck a needle in my neck, intending to kill me. I remember your exact words. ‘You’ll not ruin my life, you miserable bastard. You’ll never say one word about this to anyone. Not one single word.’ And the next thing I knew I was waking and couldn’t speak or remember what had happened. But I remember now.”

  “Lies!” she hissed and turned to Mark. “Tell them, it’s all lies!”

  Mark turned narrowed eyes on Max. “Nice story but there’s no proof.”

  “Oh yes there is.” Nikki saw an opportunity to help and chimed in. She pulled the device from her purse. It was still enclosed inside a plastic bag. She removed it from the bag. “We had it tested for blood and the blood contained on it matched to Lucien’s blood found at the scene of the murder. And there were prints on it matching Lucien’s, Max’s and Helen’s.”

  “Proving only that those three people had touched it. Not that she had used it to murder the man,” Mark retorted smugly.

  “But your confession takes care of that,” Simon said.

  Mark regarded him for a moment. “Another bit of manufactured evidence, Simon?”

  “Hardly,” Simon replied. “We installed equipment here for surveillance purposes and during a visit with Helen you and she discussed not only the murder but plans to kill Richard and Max. If,” he added, “you could manage to find him. I see that you succeeded in killing my son, but that will soon come to light as well. As we speak, Richard’s body is being autopsied. Whatever you used to cause the heart attack will be uncovered.”

  “Not to mention the horrific video footage we have of Abernathy’s death,” Max added.

  “That’s bullshit,” Mar
k argued.

  “Hardly,” Simon retorted. “We know you killed them. Just as we know that the maid, Deborah, did not commit suicide. We’re aware you murdered her as well in order to protect yourself.”

  “A string of murder charges to face,” Max said. “There’s no way you’ll walk. You’ll get the death penalty, or life without parole if you’re lucky. Be smart. Take the deal.”

  “I have a better idea,” Mark said at the same moment he pulled a handgun from inside his jacket and pointed it in Max and Simon’s direction. He stood, keeping his eyes on them. “Being the unbalanced individual you are, you attacked your mother. When I tried to stop you, you grabbed my weapon. We struggled and in the struggle the weapon discharged, killing Simon and Ms. Morgan. Sadly, in the end, you were killed as well.”

  “You’ll never make that lame duck fly,” Max replied without fear.

  “Oh but I will,” Mark said with a smile and his finger tightened on the trigger.

  Nikki had a flash in her mind. Max lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Simon slumped over in his chair, his chest blood-soaked. Suddenly time seemed to slow to a crawl. She knew what she had to do.

  She lunged from her chair a split second before Mark fired, diving over Simon and into Max. She felt a searing pain in her back. “Max,” she managed to gasp just before the world went black.

  Max saw her move and reached for her, trying to pull her out of harm’s way, but was a moment too late. He felt her jerk as she slammed into him. Her eyes went wide and she gasped his name then her eyes rolled back and she collapsed against him.

  Grief and rage filled his mind so completely that he had no thought for his own safety. He lowered her to the floor and before anyone could react, launched himself at Mark.

  The gun went off and he felt the air beside his head heat with the passage of the bullet. A moment later he slammed into Mark, taking him backward over the chair. Mark tried to get the gun pointed at Max as they hit the floor. Max had the advantage and grabbed Mark’s wrist to slam it on the floor. The gun discharged again and Helen screamed.

  Max slammed Mark’s wrist down again and Mark released the weapon. It skidded off a few feet to one side. Helen continued to scream hysterically, trying to make her way to the weapon on the floor.

  Max made a dive for it and grabbed it a second before Helen could. He threw it across the room and grunted as Mark pounced on top of him, grabbing him by the hair to pound his head into the tiled floor.

  Max spat blood, roared and bucked, dislodging Mark. He dove on top of Mark and rained blows on him. It was not until Simon’s voice filtered in through the red haze that clouded Max’s mind that he realized Mark was lying limp and bloody beneath him and Osgood was trying to pull him off Mark. He shook Osgood off and bolted to his feet at the same moment Helen reached the weapon. He grabbed her wrist and slung her as hard as he could. She hit the bar and crumpled to the floor.

  Max raced to Nikki. Simon had managed to slide out of his chair and was cradling her limp body in his arms. Louise knelt beside him, her arm draped protectively over his shoulders. “The device,” Simon said frantically. “Where’s the device?”

  Max looked around and spotted it on the floor. He snatched it up and gave it to Simon. “What good will this do?”

  “We’re about to find out.” Simon laid the device on her chest, grabbed Max’s hand and clamped it beneath his on top of the device. “If there are indeed gods, Max, pray to them now.”

  Max had no clue if it would work, but what other chance was there? She wasn’t breathing. Save her. Don’t let her die. Please, please, save her.

  There was a brilliant flare of light that blinded him. When it faded he found himself looking at Simon, sitting on the floor with Louise kneeling beside him. Nikki and the device were gone.

  They stared at one another in shock. “What do we do?” Max asked.

  “I wish I knew,” Simon replied. “I really wish I knew.”

  —

  Nikki woke with a scream. “Max!”

  Then blinked as the sight of Danu’s castle met her eyes. She bolted up, finding herself on the divan in the tower room, clutching the device to her chest. Danu sat beside her on a small stool.

  “Max?” Nikki asked in panic. “Is he…?”

  “He is safe. You saved him.”

  “Thank god.” Nikki slumped back, relief washing over her. Then it dawned on her what had happened. “Hey!” She sat up, feeling her back. “I was shot. Am I…Danu, am I dead?”

  “Hardly.”

  “But I was shot.”

  “Yes, but now you are healed.”

  “Did you bring me here and heal me?”

  “No, you were transported here by another means.”

  Nikki looked down at the device in her hand. “This? This brought me here? How?”

  “Though the power of Max’s mind. He wished for you to be saved.”

  “And I ended up here?”

  Danu shrugged, a gesture that was somehow elegant and graceful on her. “There are many mysteries, my dear. The implement transported you to a place where you could be saved.”

  Nikki nodded and blew out her breath. “Amazing. So what happens now?”

  “Now you give me the implement of power and return to the man you love.”

  Nikki looked down at the device. “I guess it is too powerful for man, even if it isn’t complete. I wonder if anyone will ever find the missing stone.”

  Danu rose and went to a cupboard in one corner of the room. When she returned she carried a small ornately carved metal chest. She sat and opened the chest. Inside a stone glowed with an unearthly blue light that flared brighter when she lifted it from its container.

  Nikki handed her the implement and Danu placed the stone into its designated position. The metal tightened around it and all three Stones glowed and hummed.

  “What exactly can it do?” Nikki asked.

  “What would you have it do?”

  Nikki considered it. “I don’t know. World peace? An end to hunger or disease or hatred or…I don’t know. Could it do any of those things?”

  “Perhaps that and more,” Danu said thoughtfully. “But not all wishes need be of such a grand scale. Let’s suppose you could wish for something smaller. What would be your wish?”

  “Would I get it if I wished it?”

  “Wish and find out.”

  Nikki opened her mouth then closed it. If she really did have a wish then what would it be? If she was going to be returned to Max, then her dream had already come true. He was healed and whole and maybe they had a future together. What more was there?

  Even as she asked herself the question, she knew the answer. Danu smiled at her and she knew she didn’t have to voice the wish. “Will it really happen?” she asked.

  “Return to your world and find out,” Danu replied.

  Nikki nodded and reached out to timidly touch Danu’s arm. “Thank you.”

  “It is I who should give thanks.” Danu placed her hand over Nikki’s. “You have become a true Hussy Warrior Hunter, my dear. Your warrior has been found and saved and your mission fulfilled. You are and forever will be a Sister in the Order of the Hussies and your name will be recorded throughout time as a member of that noble order. You have my eternal admiration, respect and thanks.”

  “I don’t know what to say,” Nikki admitted. “Except thank you for helping me find Max. And…”

  “Yes?”

  “Well, I just…I still don’t understand why he’s important to the destiny of humanity.”

  Danu smiled and patted her hand. “In a few years Max will write a book about his experience. How it felt to be a prisoner in his own body, unable to communicate and misunderstood by everyone around him. He’ll tell of his isolation, his anguish and his hopelessness. He’ll speak about the injustice we suffer upon one another because we fear people who appear different or abnormal, and the importance of acceptance and understanding. And he’ll tell of how he came to be saved. By
love.

  “In time, when you and Max are an old couple, enjoying your twilight years, a young man will find a copy of that book in a used bookstore and will be inspired by it. And that young man will grow to adulthood and become a noted leader, and through his efforts Earth will form a united government and the first act of that government will be to abolish all weapons of mass destruction.”

  “Oh my,” Nikki breathed in awe then brightened. “Wait! When Max and I are an old couple? You mean we’ll be together that long?”

  Danu laughed that musical sound so unique to her. “My dear, you and Max have traveled time together, finding one another throughout many incarnations. Your love is eternal.”

  Nothing Danu could have said would have made her as happy. She couldn’t wait to get back to Max.

  “Are you ready, my dear?” Danu asked.

  “Yes! No, wait. Wait. I am, but I don’t want this to be the last time I see you.”

  “Why, my dear, you’re free to visit any time you like.”

  “Really? But how? How do I get here?”

  “You’ll figure it out,” Danu said with a smile. “After all, you are a Hussy.”

  Nikki laughed and in the blink of an eye found herself back in the Weston mansion, with Simon and Max staring at her in shock. Louise was smiling knowingly at her.

  “Nikki!” Max grabbed her by the shoulders. “You’re alive.”

  “That’s kind of stating the obvious,” she said and looked around. “What about your mother and—”

  “Both unconscious,” Max interrupted. “I’m more interested in you. How did this happen?”

  “Remember me telling you about Danu?”

  Max hugged her to him. “I thought I’d lost you.”

  “Not today,” she replied, clinging to him for a moment then pulling back. “I’ll explain everything later, but right now, let’s get this mess settled.”

  “An excellent idea,” Simon said and pulled his cell phone from his pocket.

  While he placed a call to the authorities, Nikki let Max pull her to her feet and lead her a few feet away. “Danu saved you?” he asked.