by Mikayla Lane
Mir came around the corner with a huge grin on his face. He walked over to his sister and mussed her hair even more than it was before heading to the coffee pot. He was quickly followed by Trick, who did the same to his sister before they all sat down at the table.
Dree caught her brothers up on what Drago was doing and they set to work trying to help him find any connections between the history of owners of the new house they had found last night and Devon’s.
An hour later, Trick looked up at Drago and said, “John Rothfeller. Here’s a list of the other buildings associated with him,” he said as he used his comm to project a map onto the dining room wall behind him.
Drago looked in surprise at the twenty or so marks on the map that covered all eight neighborhoods in the DC area. Including one more that wasn’t far from them.
“How much do you want to bet we’ll find the other illusions in those houses?” Dree asked with a grin.
Drago ignored the siblings while he studied the map. The fact that the homes formed half of a square was not lost on him and he asked the Brazar about it.
“Is there an energy or illusory reason for them to be aligned in such a fashion?” Drago continued to study the map, searching for anything else that might give them a clue.
Trick walked up to the wall and traced his finger along the lines of homes. Suddenly the image came off of the wall and became flat on the table. Keeping his finger on the map, Trick slowly raised his finger and the image became 3D.
Dree stood as the illusion grew to Trick’s waist and using her hands she tapped one of the houses closest to her and all of the homes owned by Rothfeller lit up with a small beacon of light that reached a little higher than the buildings and homes.
Everyone stood back from the table and slowly walked around it, studying the scene from every angle, trying to see the pattern they all knew was there but had yet to find. The four were so wrapped in their own thoughts, they never heard Lara, Dread and Viper come in the door until Lara walked up to the table and with a wave of her hand she slanted the angle of the lights coming from the homes until they touched in the center.
The gasps were audible around the table as Lara explained. “He’s created a pyramid to magnify the energy of his illusions. It’s covering the whole city and centered here,” Lara said, tapping the center point of the pyramid. “If you expand the search to Virginia, on the other side of the Potomac River, you’ll find the other houses that make up the other half of the pyramid base,” Lara added.
Drago and Dree immediately expanded the search of properties owned by John Rothfeller and found that Lara was right. Dree flicked the rest of the homes and a few buildings onto the map that Trick had made and the full pyramid and its center was more clearly revealed to them all.
“Fuck,” Dread muttered, while Mir whistled low.
“Does that mean what I think it means?” Dree asked with concern.
Lara nodded her head as she stared at the center of the energy pyramid that Satalis had created with the mass of illusions. The Capitol Building. The scary part was that a lost of major federal buildings of the United States government were encompassed within the perimeter of the energy pyramid. The Pentagon, the White House, historical monuments and hundreds of thousands of priceless museum artifacts in the Smithsonian Buildings.
Lara smacked a hand to her forehead. “If we look deeper, we’ll find that John Rothfeller was a major contributor to the Smithsonian. He used them to help him find the relic and he’s probably continuing to use them to try and find the other relics as well.”
Dree’s nimble fingers pulled up the information on her comm and nodded her head. “It looks like the Rothfeller family is not only a major contributor but they have funded archeological digs around the world for over a hundred years.”
Not to be outdone, Mir added, “The family is extremely wealthy. It looks like they have been on the shady side of every single major war and financial meltdown this world has seen for the last several hundred years.”
Lara narrowed her eyes. “Are they part of the medical field as well?”
Without question, Drago pulled up the information. “The family are major contributors to various charities that provide medical care to the indigent and developing countries around the world. They are also very outspoken proponents of de-population and forced sterility. So he’s trying to kill everyone off? That doesn’t make sense. I can’t imagine he wants to just wander the planet alone,” Drago said in puzzlement, trying to figure out what the man was doing.
Lara snorted. “No, he’s not trying to kill them all, he’s killing off the ones he sees no value in keeping. The uneducated, the sick and weak. The most vulnerable. Those that he feels will serve him no purpose and only needlessly use resources he feels belong to him.”
“In his mind, everyone is expendable, but some have a higher value to him than others. I have no doubt that a major effort is being made to render those he deems unworthy sterile. It also explains the huge swaths of places across the planet where internal wars are causing major loss of life.”
Lara explained. “If you think about it, it’s brilliant. If the relics are still undiscovered, it stands to reason that they may be located in places where ancient civilizations once stood. The Middle East is not called the Cradle of Civilization for nothing.”
“The wars and bombings are probably uncovering a veritable tsunami of relics that are being sold to fund the wars. But if he is paying people off, he’s probably getting first pick of anything coming out of there. Are there any recent pictures of this John Rothfeller?” Lara asked, needing a face to put with the image she had formed in her mind of Satalis.
Dree sighed heavily. “What did the humans do to piss off the world God’s so bad they not only ended up with the damn Relian’s but this Satalis guy? Seriously, talk about screwed,” Dree said, feeling really sorry for the humans.
It was bad enough they were being systematically killed and hunted on the whim of the Relians, but now they were being subjected to genocide at the whim of a madman as well. That’s some serious damn karma, Dree thought.
Mir shook his head. “I’m not finding any pictures of the bastard anywhere. Not even a driver’s license or a passport photo. How is that possible?”
Lara sighed, wishing something would go right for them. This endless string of bad luck was getting old really fast. “Wealth can buy a free pass on anything. I’m sure it’s no coincidence that he is among those who like to call themselves elite. The same people who have bred apathy, disinterest and a lack of conscious into their offspring for centuries.”
“There’s got to be something on him though. A picture from a fundraiser or charity ball? Anything?” Lara asked, surprised that he wasn’t plastered all over the internet and magazines.
It would have been more in keeping with his delusional and narcissistic personality to flaunt his wealth and power. Mir, Trick, Drago and Dree all shook their heads, none of them finding any pictures of John Rothfeller.
“Wait,” Drago said. “Devon said that her boss was in town. If we have a name and we have a list of properties associated with him, why don’t we find his ass on our own? It can’t be too hard to figure out which property he’s using can it?”
Lara nodded. “It could work. But, there’s so many houses it’s going to take some time. Let’s get a list made and divide them up into quadrants that we can hit in teams.”
Dread paced the kitchen area. “Wouldn’t he be surrounded by security?”
Lara thought about it for a moment. “He really doesn’t need security, he’s dangerous enough on his own, but he would probably have it for appearances. We can use that to narrow down our choices though, it’s a good thought Dread. Let’s pray his place is as far away from the nation’s capital as possible.”
They spent the next several hours compiling a list of the most likely places that Satalis would be in and then headed out in teams.
*****
Devon paced her din
ing room, feeling more than a little bit claustrophobic from being in the house for so long. There was no way around it though, she had work to do and it couldn’t be done anywhere else.
Feeling a strange, heightened sense of awareness, she wasn’t surprised when the phone rang. Seeing the caller, she pressed the button on her phone to accept the call.
“Mikey, how are things progressing?” She asked before he could even greet her.
“They are going well. We’re nowhere near where we want to be on this, but we’re farther than we’ve ever come before,” Mikey answered without hesitation.
Devon smiled and sighed. Good news was hard to come by these days and she’d take whatever victories she could get at this point. “We need to stay on this. No mistakes. We can’t afford any more of them,” she said with a hard edge to her voice. Her frustration was getting the best of her and she tried to tone it down a bit.
“The last mistake was not mine. But, I will personally see to it that there are no more,” Mikey said with anger lacing his words.
“I wasn’t blaming you Mikey. I should have trusted you to begin with. This is turning out to be much more important than any of us realized,” Devon said by way of apology and explanation.
“Yes, you should have. But that is now water beneath the bridge. The reason I have called is that I need the names of my new targets,” Mikey said, anxious to get things started and completed.
Devon passed her hand down her face and thought really hard about what she was doing. Knowing there was no choice now, she was in too deep, she told him.
“Drago fle’ te’ Trugh, his two brothers, Dread and Viper. Viper’s wife, Lara and the fle’ te’ Brazar siblings.” Once she said the names aloud, she felt like a weight had been lifted and she sat down at the table feeling suddenly exhausted.
She heard Mikey whistle low through the phone. “Damn. So six Tezarian’s and a Prime. This is going to cost you,” Mikey said.
Devon put her elbow on the table and put her head in her hand. “It’s already costing me more than you can imagine, Mikey. I called you to make sure it doesn’t take any more than it already has,” Devon said, briefly wondering if she was doing the right thing.
“Are you all right?” Mikey asked softly, his affection for her coming through in his deep voice.
Devon snorted. “Yeah, I’m shitting sunshine and rainbows.”
Devon couldn’t help but smile when she heard Mikey’s deep, baritone chuckle on the other end of the phone. He’d always had one of those infectious laughs that could easily make things seem better. At least for a moment. She’d take what she could get though.
“You should probably stop taking the taste the rainbow commercials so seriously,” Mikey said with a chuckle, unable to stop himself.
Devon snorted again. “Ha ha, you’re so funny. Seriously, I’m ok. Just a little cabin fever at the moment. I’m sure I can handle it for a few more days,” Devon said with a grimace.
It felt like forever in this glorified tomb, she thought as she pulled her sweater closer around her to help ward off the perpetual chill in the place. She had the heat on eighty degrees one day and even though it was baking in the place, there was still a chill in the air. She didn’t understand it. She’d thought about moving more than once, but the boss wanted her in this house and this is where she would stay until he said otherwise.
It was Mikey’s turn to snort. “I will be surprised if you haven’t ripped all the paint off the walls by then. Will you need me when you go see the boss?” He asked, his voice turning serious.
Devon thought about it for a moment and shook her head. “No, I want you to concentrate solely on the Tezarian’s and the Prime. Believe me, I think you will have the harder task,” Devon said, preferring to deal with the boss rather than see Drago again. Ever.
He made her feel things that she didn’t want to feel. Things that she thought had died in her a long time ago. It wasn’t who she was any longer and to pretend otherwise would only get her killed. No, she thought, it was better this way. She had a job to do and she wouldn’t think about this anymore after she hung up the phone. She couldn’t afford to.
“Why don’t you tell me the truth of what is going on and maybe I can help you?” Mikey said, bringing Devon out of her own thoughts.
Devon shook her head, as if it could clear it of her thoughts of the sweet giant. His life would be in Mikey’s hands now. “There is nothing to tell you, Mikey. You should come by for dinner before you leave town,” Devon said, knowing that he would and hoping to distract him from his prying.
“You know I will. I wouldn’t miss it. You’re the best there is at ‘dialing for dinner’,” Mikey said with a chuckle, referring to Devon’s only cooking skill being that she could order it on her phone.
Devon laughed. “Yes, I am! So, I’ll see you in about a week. If you need me for anything, or if anything changes, call me immediately,” she said, turning serious again.
Mikey laughed heartily again. “I hardly think I will need anything, but I will inform you if circumstances change.”
Devon nodded, even though she knew he couldn’t see her head shake. “Ok. Stay safe Mikey. I don’t have many friends, so I can’t spare any,” Devon said, her affection coming through in her voice.
“I am always cautious, it is you, who needs to be careful. Promise me that you will,” Mikey demanded.
Devon chuckled at his bossy attitude. “I am unfailingly cautious.”
“Bullshit! Just try anyway,” Mikey said before he hung up the phone.
Devon paced the kitchen, her phone in her hand, trying to stop herself from dialing Mikey back and calling all of this off. She was squeezing the phone so tightly in her fist that she was startled when it rang and wondered if she caused it ring. Looking at the screen she sighed.
As usual, he spoke the moment the phone connected. “Ms. Sinclair, I trust that all is going well?” Her boss, John Rothfeller said, sounding irritated. That would have bothered Devon if it weren’t for the fact that he always sounded that way, so it was nothing new.
Devon cleared her throat. “Yes, sir. Everything is going fine. Is there something that you need?” She asked as politely as she could.
“Yes, Ms. Sinclair, there is. I expect your presence at my home in… two days. Thursday at eight pm. I will send a car for you. Please ensure that you are ready on time. I do not like to be kept waiting,” John said before the phone went dead.
Devon pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at the now blank screen. Letting out a little scream, she tightened her fist around the phone and shook her hand in anger. Damn that man was a fucking bastard, Devon thought as she began pacing again.
She knew she needed to make a phone call, but she just wanted a minute to herself to think. About everything and nothing. She’d spent too many years on this, stuck in a stagnant routine, and now everything was moving so fast. So many things going on at one time. So many new and unexpected players in this final play of the game.
She needed a relaxing bath, Devon thought, liking the idea the more she thought about it. A steaming hot bath with those lavender bath oils, a huge glass of wine and that book she’d been trying to finish for the last two months, in her spare time.
Making up her mind, Devon put her phone in her pocket, uncorked a new bottle of wine and grabbed a glass. She headed up the stairs and started filling the tub before she turned on the space heater she’d bought to combat the persistent chill in the house.
A few minutes later and Devon was sinking into the hot water with a heavy sigh of contentment. She drew her knees to her chest as she let the heat of the water chase away the chill in her bones. Almost absently, she grabbed her wine glass and gulped down the whole thing before refilling it and setting it on the ledge of the tub.
An image of Drago popped into her mind and she burst into tears. Putting her head down on her knees, Devon sobbed. She grieved for the loss of what might have been if things had been different. If she had cho
sen a different path.
Devon wiped angrily at her tears, pissed off that her happy and content life had been torn apart by the damn Tezarian. Until he had come along, she had been happy with the way her life had gone and the direction it was heading in.
Now all she could think about was a beautiful pair of blue eyes and the large alien who made her wish she had guarded her cold heart more carefully.
Chapter Eleven
Drago and Dree lay in the dead, overgrown grass and spied on the warehouse owned by John Rothfeller. It was one of the few buildings they had traced illusions to that wasn’t a house. Like the homes, the warehouse was occupied and by more than one lone female this time.
They had divided up into teams the previous morning and had been going to each of the homes. Drago and Dree stayed together, while Dread and Trick teamed up and Mir went with Viper and Lara. Once the Brazar verified where the illusions were coming from, they would pretend to be children and knock on the door asking the occupant to buy candy for their school.
It had been Lara’s idea, since no one really wanted to cut themselves a dozen times to pretend an injury. The main issue was finding out how many were in the house and if they were innocent humans, hybrids, Relians or what. So far, they hadn’t been able to tell anything more than that they were all female and they were only occupant in the home. Until Drago and Dree had come here.
They had known as they drove up the road that this place would be different. Following Drago’s instincts, they ditched the vehicle near the woods on the side of the road and approached the warehouse through the swampy woods.
Dree turned to Drago and smiled. “You’re pretty handy to have around. If we hadn’t pulled over, we would have driven right up to that damn guard gate. With the hardware they have, we would have been in some serious shit,” Dree said cheerfully.
Drago looked at her in disbelief. The crazy woman had been excited since they’d ditched the vehicle. “What the hell is there to be happy about?” Drago asked in exasperation, the excitement pouring though her energy was horribly distracting to him.
