Laura Jo Phillips (49 page)

She had been wrong about so many things.  So many important things.  After being so wrong on so much, how could she possibly trust herself?  The answer was as unavoidable as it was simple.  She couldn’t.

Chapter
51

Jasan, Dracons’ Ranch

High Prince Garen Dracon stood before the vid terminal in his office, watching the screen with a heavy heart.  When the message was finished he turned to his brothers, their faces mirroring his own.  The only time in his life that he had felt more helpless than he did at that moment was when Lariah had lay dying with a knife stuck in her chest.

“I confess, my brothers, I do not know what to do,” he said.  “I do not even know how to feel at this moment.”

“The news of the Owlfen is cause for celebration,” Trey said heavily.  “But it is so overshadowed, that it is difficult to care about right now.”

“We must ask Saige for help,” Val said. 

“Saige?” Garen asked blankly.  “How can she help?”

“She will be able to advise us on how to handle this,” Val said. 

“We must tell Lariah,” Trey said.  “There is no other choice.  We cannot keep this from her.”

“Saige will not be able to change that,” Garen added.

“Saige will be able to advise us on how to tell her,” Val insisted.  “Please, let us ask her.”

Garen nodded in agreement.  He did not know if Saige could help, but it was worth a try.  He turned to the vid terminal and quickly transferred the Bearens’ message to a memory crystal. 

“Let’s go now,” he said.  Before Trey or Val had a chance to nod, Garen was gone.  Val and Trey looked at each other for a moment, then they too disappeared from the room.

Seconds later all three Dracons stood outside of the Lobo’s home, waiting for someone to answer their knock.  When Saige opened the door she knew with one glance at their faces that something dreadful had happened.

“Do you need Faron?” she asked at once.

“No Saige, we would speak with you, if you don’t mind,” Garen said.

Saige nodded and led the way into the house, across the living room, down the hall, and into the meeting room.  Faron rose from his work at the table at their entrance and bowed.

“Please play this,” Garen said, handing the memory crystal to Faron. 

Faron took the crystal and inserted it into the vid terminal without asking questions.  He had known the Dracons his entire life, and it was clear to him that something dreadful had occurred.

A moment after the message began playing Saige gasped aloud, her hands flying to her mouth as though to hold her feelings in.  Faron guided her to a chair, urging her to sit, which she did without taking her eyes from the vid screen.  When the message was complete, Faron turned it off, removed the crystal and handed it back to Garen.  He never wanted to hear that message again.

“Saige,” Garen said softly, “we ask for your assistance in this matter.”

“What would you like me to do?” Saige asked, tears running unchecked down her face.  “I will do whatever I can for Lariah, and for you, you know that.”

“Thank you, Saige,” Garen said.  “We ask that you advise us on the best way to break this news to Lariah.”

“Where is Lady Anne?” she asked.

“Our mother?” Garen asked in confusion, uncertain why she would ask that.

“Yes, your mother,” Saige replied.  “Have she and your fathers returned from their trip yet?”

“Yes, they returned a few days ago and are currently at home in Berria,” Garen replied.

“Good,” Saige replied with obvious relief.  “You must bring her here.  Lariah will need her when you break this news to her.”

“Very well,” Garen replied.  “May I ask why?”

“Lariah adores Lady Anne,” Saige said.  “She is the closest thing to a mother Lariah has had in many years, and she will need a mother for this.”

“I will speed travel to Berria at once,” Trey offered.  Garen nodded in agreement and Trey vanished from the room.

“You should also get Doc,” Saige suggested. 

“Why will we need Doc?” Garen asked.

“This is going to be very difficult for Lariah,” Saige said.  “If she becomes too upset, she could very well lose the babies.  Doc may be able to give her something to calm her, should it be necessary.”

“You know drugs do not work on Jasani, Saige,” Garen said. 

“Yes, I know,” Saige replied.  “But I also know Doc.  If anyone can help her keep those babies, it’s Doc.  But he can’t do anything if he isn’t here.”

“I will find him,” Val said, then disappeared as Trey had.

“I will be there as well,” Saige said.  “Lariah will need all of the support possible.”

“We thank you, Arima Lobo,” Garen said with a bow.  “We will let you know when Lady Anne arrives.  We will tell Lariah shortly after that.  I do not wish to keep this news from her any longer than necessary.”

Garen disappeared as his brothers had before him, leaving tears in his wake.

Chapter
52

Earth, Phoenix II

Hope kissed Mattlan gently on the forehead, careful not to wake him, and left the nursery.  For the past three days she had been inside all day long, and she needed some fresh air.  As she took off the sterile gown, gloves, cap and mask that everyone who entered the intensive care nursery was required to wear, she considered going to the Captured Equipment Laboratory to speak with the Director about Harlan.

Jackson had told her that morning over breakfast that they were going to be working with the Director and a team of engineers, ordinance specialists and other experts on the ground-car, and other items taken from the compound.  He’d even given her directions from the hospital to the Captured Equipment Laboratory in case she needed them for anything, or just wanted to visit.

She put the sterile gown in the disposal unit and walked down the hall toward the elevator, wondering if the Director would get angry if she just showed up unannounced.  On the one hand, she felt she had a right to ask the questions she wanted to ask about Harlan.  On the other hand, she didn’t want to interrupt when she knew that they were all working. 

She shook her head at herself.  Why couldn’t she seem to make her mind up about anything any more? she wondered. 

She stepped into the elevator as she turned the problem over in her mind, and reached out to press the button for the lobby.  She saw herself reflected in the polished metal doors, and froze at the sight.

She was standing with her head bowed, her shoulders hunched, and until she’d reached for the elevator button, she knew she’d had her arms crossed in front of herself.  What the hell? she thought in surprise.  When did I become a shrinking violet?  She reached out and pushed the Hold button to stop the elevator, and stared at herself again.

She deliberately stood up straight, dropped her arms to her sides and raised her chin.  She realized that the past week had taken a toll on her; the kidnapping, the trek through the desert, Karma’s accident, Ellicia, Harlan, the babies, the Bearens.  There were a lot of reasons for her to feel weighted down, so she wasn’t going to beat herself up for it.  But it was time to remember who and what she was.  She was a strong woman, with a good head on her shoulders, and more than enough determination to make her Greek ancestors proud. 

She opened the elevator doors and stepped out into the hall, quickly found the stairwell door and pulled it open.  She felt the need for a little exercise to get her energy up after days of sitting with the babies.  She jogged down the stairs, enjoying the feel of her muscles stretching and warming up as she moved.  By the time she reached the lobby she was a little breathless, but she felt great.

She crossed the lobby and stepped outside into the sunshine, taking a long, deep breath of fresh air.  She cut across the lawn to the sidewalk, pausing when her vox began beeping.  She struggled to get the vox out of her pocket but it was small and difficult to grasp.  By the time she actually got a hold of it, the vox had stopped beeping.  She put it to her ear and requested a return call, knowing that it had to be Grace.

“Hey you, how come you didn’t answer my call?” Grace asked.

“Because I couldn’t get the vox out of my pocket,” Hope replied.  “How’s your sister?”

“She’s okay,” Grace said.  “She has a few emotional issues and needs attention sometimes.  I’m planning to come back tomorrow.”

“You sure?” Hope asked.  “I really would love to have you back, but I don’t want you to rush if you’re needed there.”

“Finding Aisling is more important than my little sister being needy right now,” Grace said.  “My cousin is here, and she’s promised to stay with Sissy for a few days and keep an eye on her, so she’ll be fine.  Do you want me back?”

“Absolutely,” Hope replied.  “I miss you.”

“I miss you too,” Grace said.  “Funny how we’ve only known each other for a few days, but honestly, I feel closer to you than I do to people I’ve known for years.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Hope said thoughtfully.  “Let me know what time your plane will get here and I’ll meet you on the airfield.”

“You got it,” Grace replied.  “See you tomorrow.”

“Take care, Grace,” Hope said.  She tapped the vox off and continued walking, thinking about what Grace had said.  Why was it that she accepted her quick, solid friendship with Grace without hesitation, but she doubted that such quick feelings for the Bearens could be real?

Following the directions that Jackson had given her earlier, she crossed the base to the laboratory where the Bearens, the Director, the ground-car and all of the items they had taken from the compound were being stored and examined.  There were two guards barring the entrance, but as soon as she gave her name, and they checked her ID with a portable scanner, they stepped aside and opened the door for her. 

The room she found herself in looked more like a spacecraft check-out bay than a laboratory.  The floors, walls and ceiling were all spotlessly white, and there were white counters and tables all around the room.  There were well over a dozen people bustling here and there, all of them dressed in white jumpsuits.  The only exceptions were the Director, who stood at a high counter against one wall, and the Bearens, who stood opposite him.  They were obviously discussing something important, and Hope hesitated.  Being confident was one thing.  Blatant rudeness was another. 

The Director looked up when she hesitated and waved her over.  With that invitation, she crossed the room to stand beside him. 

“Hello, Miss Strigida,” the Director said.  “How are you today?”

“Hello, Director,” Hope replied.  “I’m still worried about Aisling, but otherwise I’m good.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” the Director said.  “Jackson mentioned that you might want to talk to me today.”

“Actually, I want to make a deal with you,” Hope said, turning to eye the ground-car which was parked nearby.  There was a rope barrier set up all the way around it and nobody was going near it. 

“A deal?” the Director asked.  “What kind of deal?”

“The kind where I give you something you want, and you give me something I want,” Hope replied.

“What is it that you want?”

“I want to know what happened to my cousin,” Hope replied.

“Miss Strigida, you do not have to give me anything for that information,” the Director said gently.  “I will tell you what you wish to know.”

“No, you will tell me a sanitized version of what I wish to know,” Hope corrected, trying her hardest not to sound bitter or accusatory.  “I understand that, as an ordinary citizen, I can only be told certain things, and not others.”

The Director blinked, but did not otherwise respond.  Hope understood that she had hit the mark.

“If we make this deal, you won’t have a problem telling me all about Harlan’s death,” Hope continued.  “He was the only family I had left, Director.  I must know what happened to him.  I must understand it.  The reason for it, why it happened.”

“What is it that you have to deal with?” the Director asked.

“I know that you had no way of contacting me after Harlan died,” Hope said instead of answering the Director’s question.  “In fact, I know that in Harlan’s Will, he stated that he had one cousin, a woman, of my description and age, who would come forth and give you pertinent facts about him.  When I did that, you were directed to release to me his Will, and his personal effects.”

“Yes, that is all true,” the Director said.

“You must be curious as to why Harlan didn’t just give you my name and address.”

“Of course.”

“It’s because I didn’t want to be forced into working for the Directorate,” Hope said.

“Ahh,” the Director said softly.  “And what is your psychic talent, Miss Strigida?”

“Please, call me Hope.”

“Hope,” the Director said with a polite nod. 

“I can read objects,” Hope said.

“Reading objects can be a very iffy talent,” the Director said, suddenly enjoying this conversation far more than he would have thought possible.  There was something about this young woman that he liked and admired very much.  “Would you like to tell me a bit more about how your talent works?”