The Black Guard: Book III: The Black Mamba (Black Guard series 3)

by CR Daems

  "Lieutenant Elijah, I'm headed to the palace to meet the queen. You and our detail will also be transported to the palace for introductions after her highness and I have talked. Leave the marines to guard the shuttle until we can make parking and security arrangements." After she acknowledged my orders, I entered the limousine. Both men were quiet during the short ride. The shuttle must have landed on palace property because the ground was well maintained: trees trimmed, grass green and cut, gravel raked, and several statues of men in armor standing or riding four-legged animals. The palace was a two-story structure in the form of a "T." The limo stopped in front of a ten-person-wide stairway leading to a five-person-wide veranda that ran the length of the building and two ornate double doors three-meters wide and four-meters tall. A hard building to defend against an attack with the large entrance and multiple two by three windows lining the veranda that undoubtedly led into rooms and, eventually, the inner corridor.

  As we exited the limo, the two guards immediately snapped to attention and saluted.

  "Why no saluting?" Colonel Mathaz asked idly.

  "Look at your guards," I said and waited as he looked toward them. "They are completely defenseless in that position."

  "But they can see it's me, a colonel in the Adalok military."

  "But the man next to you is armed. What if someone was in the limo with guns on you and minister Timoteh, or…?"

  "You are very paranoid, Captain," Timoteh said, frowning.

  "We are strangers in your country, unsure of the facial nuances which would indicate anger or aggression, or who may mean our client harm. So, it is better to be safe than end the contract." I smiled. The colonel nodded giving me another evaluating look. The minister choked in surprise.

  "Good, good," Timoteh said. "Just what we need. Guards who trust no one and are suspicious of everyone. Sorry, Colonel Mathaz. Your security is excellent but, like anyone, they are comfortable with the daily routine and therefore, susceptible to assassins. The Black Guard aren't. It could make the difference."

  Mathaz said nothing, but it was clear he and Timoteh were not in agreement, either because he didn't agree with Timoteh or because he felt belittled by hiring the Black Guard.

  We walked past two more guards at the doors to the entrance, who saluted and opened the doors for us. Inside was a vestibule with a round information booth with a young woman and two security guards. The vestibule was round. The floors and walls glistened with gold-veined white marble. At eye level, the walls contained recessed areas two meters wide. Inside each recess were a flag, a picture, map, and writing. Above each flag a name.

  "Those show each province's name, flag, a picture of the town and capital, and a short history," the minister said as we passed the reception booth and proceeded to turn left into the hallway. "The right wing is mostly administration. There is a level below this one, although this one is designated the first level. The lower level contains palace servant's quarters and housekeeping functions, including meal preparation."

  The young woman ignored us as we passed. The guards saluted. The corridor was wide enough for five people and lined with pictures of people in a variety of dress indicating royalty and senior positions. Each picture had a plaque below it with a name, date, position, and historical note. The walls looked to be white plaster and the floors wood, indicating the building was old although well maintained. Timoteh stopped a few meters before two guards and waited as one guard spoke into a handheld device he had clipped to his belt.

  "Minister Timoteh and Colonel Mathaz seek entrance," he said and several seconds later nodded and opened one of the doors. We walked past two more guards. When we reached a red carpet five meters from the throne both men went down on one knee. I gave a reasonably low bow without taking my eyes from the young woman sitting in the oversized intricately carved chair made from black wood. She looked an average height, about one hundred centimeters tall, thin but not athletic. Her long black hair was tied and laying across one shoulder. She had an angular face with a slight tan, a small straight nose, full lips, and intelligent eyes that were trying to read my mind. I stared back, evaluating her.

  "Rise, gentlemen." Her voice a low mezzo-soprano sound, confident and in command.

  "Your Highness, may I present Captain Sapir of the Black Guard?" Timoteh said, and she nodded, her eyes never leaving me. "Captain Sapir, may I present Queen Estelle, Supreme Ruler of Kosana."

  "I'm not sure I want you, Captain Sapir, as the person in charge of the Black Guard," she said quietly. I could almost feel Mathaz smile. "You have a very bad reputation as being ruthless. Actually, you are described as a heartless bitch," she held up a hand to stop me from responding, which was unnecessary, "and threating to demolish a ruler's entire compound with thousands of people."

  I stood debating her words, then said, "I heard Kosana would be better off without royalty."

  The room exploded into shouts and movement as the colonel and security guards drew weapons, and minister Timoteh loudly protested me talking to the queen in that manner. Ironically, Estelle remain impassive for a full minute as the guards closed in on me with weapons pointing in my direction.

  "Careful," I said. "If you miss you are going to be harming your queen and her minister."

  "She's right. Put those weapons away and return to your posts," Estelle said with a small smile. "You are a very perceptive woman and have nerves of steel. One of my loyal security could have shot you. Colonel Mathaz would have a good reason to want you…gone."

  "Your majesty, she–"

  "Timoteh, she was pointing out quite elegantly that it depends which rumor you are listening to. There are certainly people in the kingdom who agree with her remark, but I hope they are a small minority." She smiled. "Are you a heartless bitch?"

  "To those who loved or agreed with those I or my teams killed, we are heartless regardless of whether we were defending ourselves or our client. Bitch is just a derogatory word for female. So, to them I'm a heartless bitch. I doubt our clients have the same opinion."

  "What about Queen Isobel? You threatened to kill a thousand people to avoid a whipping," Estelle said in the same quiet voice while cocking her head to hear the answer.

  "It's in the contract. The Black Guard are not subject to our clients' laws. Isobel was not pitting herself against me. She had chosen to fight the Jax. If the Jax had let her, soon every ruler would begin to think we were subject to their whims."

  "Whims?" Estelle asked with raised eyebrows.

  "In Isobel's case, she wanted to punish me for refusing to let her go shopping without breaking the contract with the Jax. The rebels had already made one attempt to kill her while shopping. The king agreed with me. So, when the king died, she decided she would get even for all the days she was confined to the castle."

  "You appear to have been right, Captain Sapir. I heard she was assassinated while shopping." She was quiet for several minutes. "Let's retire to someplace more comfortable and discuss the contract." She looked to Timoteh. "Let's use the Klemen Room in thirty minutes."

  * * *

  The Klemen Room was an informal meeting room which could accommodate twenty persons with room for another ten security to stand out of the way against the walls. Couches and an assortment of comfortable chairs were arranged in a haphazard circle so that everyone was visual. The queen again sat in an oversized chair similar to the throne except this one had an assortment of pillows which gave a more informal appearance. She had appropriately changed into a black pantsuit with gold trim. Minister Timoteh sat to her right and Colonel Mathaz to her left. I sat directly across from her. No security guards were in the room.

  "The contract states you are in charge of my security to include palace security. Why?" Estelle asked without looking at Mathaz who was frowning and anxious to talk, but he remained quiet.

  "To reduce any ambiguity," I said but continued before anyone could respond. "I do not wish to command palace security or to interfere with their current duties. Ironic
ally, our responsibilities overlap but are not the same. Colonel Mathaz is here to serve you while I'm here to protect you–"

  "What do you think palace security is doing–" Mathaz said in a raised voice, unable to contain his outrage any longer. He stopped when Estelle raised a hand.

  "The Colonel has a point, Captain," she said quietly while never changing her relaxed posture.

  "Actually, he doesn't," I countered. He and any of your security guards would honor your request even if it increased your overall risk. For example, if you asked him to fetch something from the sideboard, he would. Neither my guards nor I would. Why? Because that would distract our attention from our surroundings. If at that moment, a person burst through the door with a weapon, the colonel or guard would be several seconds slower to respond, and you more likely to be harmed."

  "That's ridiculous," Mathaz said, but in a more normal voice.

  "I'm sure you can rationalize many reasons why that scenario and other minor distractions would not endanger the queen. We would rather think of all the reasons it would put her in danger."

  Estelle smiled. "So, what do you expect from Colonel Mathaz?"

  "I would like to understand palace security's routine and have the authority to change anything I feel interfered with our ability to protect you, and for security to coordinate with me if there are any changes in their routine. That is seldom necessary in my experience. However, security must understand if I or my team give an order it must be obeyed without hesitation. Colonel Mathaz knows that in the event of an emergency only one person can be in charge or chaos results."

  "What if they don't obey your orders?" Estelle asked.

  "That is the other way palace security and the Black Guard differ. We are extremely myopic. Our only concern is protecting you. We are not here to protect the building or vehicle you are in, other people in your party, bystanders, or palace security unless that helps us protect you. Therefore, anyone hindering us fulfilling that objective becomes an active enemy."

  "It's obvious why you are called heartless," Estelle nodded as if in agreement with herself.

  "Don't get me wrong. We hope our decisions save lives, but our contract is to protect you and you alone."

  "Do I become the enemy if I don't listen to you?" Her voice a bit sharper this time.

  "No. You cancel the contract, and we are no longer responsible for your safety," I said. "The seventeen Black Guard with me, and I, will die to the last person to protect your life. That is our tradition. But we are not suicidal. If you increase your risk against our advice, you will have to depend on your own security."

  "I'm not sure I want this kind of security," Estelle said, still weighting her options.

  "That is up to you, Your Majesty. Our rules are based on hundreds of contracts over several hundred years and designed to provide our clients with maximum protection."

  Estelle sat quiet for a long time, occasionally looking at Timoteh, who gave the faintest nod of approval, and at Mathaz, who gave a slight shake of his head. Eventually, she sighed.

  "I'm told your team is in the palace and waiting to be introduced," she said. "Minister Timoteh is an excellent advisor who I trust, and he's concerned about my safety. So, let's get the introductions over. Only time will tell if I can tolerate you and the extra security.

  * * *

  Queen Estelle, I would like to introduce my second in command, Lieutenant Elijah. She is experienced and more than capable of replacing me if I'm incapacitated or killed." I nodded to Elijah. "Lieutenant Elijah, this is Queen Estelle," I said, wondering how Estelle would react to all women in command.

  "Well, Lieutenant Elijah, how do you like working for a heartless bitch?"

  "You must have been talking to people who supported those who tried to kill her clients," Elijah said. "Captain Sapir is clever and caring, and my first choice for assignment leader." Elijah went on to introduce the two senior sergeants, who in turn introduced the individuals reporting to them.

  "I notice all the individuals in command positions are women. Was that for my sake?" Estelle asked, frowning. "Do you have a quota system?"

  "Every person in the Black Guard began their military training at age six. Four years later the best of the candidates went to the marines. Four years after that, the best of that group went to the Black Guard. The lowest ranking guard was not allowed on assignment until after four more years of training. Furthermore, each Black Guard, regardless of rank, must qualify for each new assignment with a perfect score. Individuals for assignments are selected from those currently available on station when a contract is approved. For this team, only one senior sergeant's position was filled by gender, only because men cannot go everywhere a woman may go. Each person here has earned the right to wear the black of the Guard." I decided not to add neither money nor birth nor gender mattered.

  "Six? And your service and rank are based on competition?" Estelle said sounding a bit incredulous. Even Mathaz looked shocked. Then Estelle gave a small chuckle. "I started my training at age four. But it was cut short a few months ago. I should have had thirty years to get ready for this assignment." She looked sad as she dismissed us.

  * * *

  Over the next week, Mathaz showed me around the palace and explained security's routine. It was similar to most palace security. They guarded entrances, exits, and rooms, and provided the queen with two to four guards during the day depending on her activities.

  I found we would be visiting five providences over the next month: Badahoz, Quitha, Dawar, Lesothe, and Zamara. He was unhappy that the queen would be traveling in a military shuttle, but I proposed he take the queen's shuttle along for special occasions and as a diversion in case someone planned an attack on the queen's shuttle. I further suggested we make it look as if she was riding in her shuttle.

  "Is this really necessary?" he asked when we finished discussing the transportation arrangements.

  "Not if you know the queen's shuttle won't be attacked with missiles, and the shuttle is capable of diverting or destroying the missiles if it is attacked."

  "You're making her a prisoner," he retorted.

  "Better a prisoner than a corpse." I understood his frustration was not so much with the arrangement, but the fact he wasn't in control. Consequently, I tried to convince him it was for the queen's safety rather than just order him to comply. I wanted his support even if grudgingly. I wasn't sure if Timoteh was right about the threat or not. If he was, the group or individual was an idiot. Why go to the trouble to make it look like an accident with the chance she could survive when killing her wouldn't produce much of an investigation? Everyone would be too busy fighting for power as there was no heir to the throne. On the other hand, Estelle's death would be an excellent opportunity to destroy the monarchy, and for someone to make a power grab or to create a new government: democratic, oligarchy, or autocracy.

  Of course, it didn't matter as I had to assume worst case.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Badahoz: Off to a Bad Start

  When the day arrived to leave, we loaded the queen into the Black Widow an hour after the royal shuttle had left with a look-alike queen.

  "This isn't as luxurious as the royal shuttle, but it is quite comfortable," Estelle said as I gave her a tour.

  "And the travel time will be less," I said, leaving off, and you will arrive alive. We planned to land at a remote area only several minutes out of Badahoz to rendezvous with the queen's shuttle and make the transfer so the queen could arrive in the royal shuttle. It was a risk, but I thought minimal since the Black Widow would be tailing the shuttle for the final five minutes. I insisted Minister Timoteh fly with Estelle while Colonel Mathaz chose to fly in one of the military shuttles protecting the royal shuttle.

  "Captain Sapir," Warrant Officer Izaak said, while peeking through the door to the front cabin. "Colonel Mathaz is reporting that the Royal Shuttle has crashed twenty kilometers outside of Badahoz."

  "Chief, get an exact location and ta
ke us there," I said, relieved in a way. Everyone would now consider the threat real and be more willing to cooperate.

  "That will put the queen in danger," Timoteh said, his voice several octaves higher in alarm.

  I ignored Timoteh. "Chief, keep us up high enough for reasonable safety, remembering you have the queen on board, and scan for life," I said while putting one finger to my lips for silence. Three minutes later, Izaak appeared again.

  "There are four men running toward the royal shuttle, which is on fire," he said glancing back into the cabin. "The Adalok military shuttle can't safely land in the area, too many trees."

  "Your call, Your Highness. We can kill them without risk." I looked to her, awaiting her decision.

  "Can I see them?" she asked while nibbling her lower lip.

  "Chief, can you put a closeup of the men on the cabin monitors?"

  "Yes, ma'am." A few seconds later the monitors lit with the four men who had surrounded the burning shuttle with weapons held at the ready. "They don't look like they are attempting to help any survivors."

  "Kill them," she said hesitantly.

  "Chief, you have permission to engage." The words had barely left my mouth when I could hear the ear-piercing staccato of bullets from the two fifty-caliber guns and see the four men and the earth, shrubs, and trees around them exploding. "Chief, keep an eye open for survivors."

  "Yes, ma'am."

  Estelle, Timoteh, and I watched the monitors until the shuttle exploded. No one had survived.

  "You were right, my dear friend. Someone wants me dead," she said while giving Timoteh a hug. She turned to me. "I guess after this, I'll have to put up with you whether I like it or not," she said and gave me a half-hearted smile. "What's next?"