SWNOVELS Chapter 16 Allies of Enemies
A tall woman with dark green eyes sat in a comfortable office watching a video on something called YouTube. SHE smiled evilly at the end. SHE pushed a button. Bents’ assistant came in. SHE held up a tablet containing the information on Dr. Anneliese Winters-Dove.
“Brad, how quickly can you get me to a place called Galveston, Texas?” SHE asked the tall, thin man.
“Our southern division is based in New Orleans. I can fly you there in a few hours, then you can sail the company yacht there by the next evening. Or I can fly you to Houston and have you driven there in a few hours, I believe.” Brad knew SHE hated traveling by car. “Forgive me, my lady but I don’t believe Dr. Dove is going to Galveston. Mr.Bents is wrong.” He knew SHE liked to be called ‘my lady’ like she was royalty.
SHE frowned at him, “Why?”
“Her father once owned another beach house further down the coast, it belonged to his late uncle. I found out that her publisher from New York rented it under an alias according to a neighbor,” he explained.
“Are you certain?”
“Oh yes, my lady. There are very few platinum blonde New York socialites who would give up spending New Year’s Eve in the Big Apple for an empty coastal town in Texas. Dr. Dove is heading for her late father’s house in Matagorda,” Brad promised.
SHE smiled in her lupine way. He wondered if SHE would reward him the way SHE had when he had found Dr. Dove’s mother’s birth family’s retreat in the mountains near Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado. SHE had mocked Mr. Bents when his mercs had failed to capture Dr. Dove, the Admant, and his servants. It was gratifying to see his powerful boss humiliated by the woman from another world after he had spent the night with her.
“Make the arrangements, my pet. And let’s send them a surprise, a gift for the upcoming holiday celebration. Let Dale chase his folly. We have prey to pursue,” SHE purred.
Brad bowed and left. SHE smirked, such a loyal pet, so eager to please in every way, and so easily turned from his former Master. The creatures of this world were far easier to manage than SHE ever dreamed.
SHE looked back at the tablet, SHE would capture the Admant herself and possibly this female. SHE did find Dr. Dove to be intriguing. SHE did not understand all of the terms used in the ‘Rabbit Hole’ report but it didn’t matter to HER. Dr Dove had once killed several males in one night and then burned their compound to the ground, therefore she must be a singularly vicious creature. And now she was allied with Tal, who must not know of her deadly past as a killer of males, or he would refuse her company, unless there was something else. SHE wondered...
Humans used such strange terms describe things, they also used the word ‘redacted’ when they couldn’t explain something. Such as how a normal human female, like Dr. Dove, had suddenly been cured of a fatal dose of radiation by a strange light, according to an anonymous witness. But SHE knew. One of HER kind had saved Dr. Dove from death seven earth years ago and again a day ago. Her rival was a truly fortunate female, and SHE wondered exactly what it was that Anneliese Winters-Dove offered to secure such loyalty and protection. The undefeated Admant Vanth Tal was now vulnerable to death. In two days, he would be in HER bed, SHE would take a child from him, and his ink, then SHE would kill him HERSELF and drink his heart blood. HER plans were already in motion.
^..^
Annie woke up the next morning, it was New Years Eve. Sharon was sitting at her bedside, reading a printed editor’s copy of her latest ghost. Her best friend always looked so stylish, even in a simple sweater and jeans. Soft suede boots rested on the edge of the bed, Sharon sipped from a mug before turning a page.
“Hey, lady,” Annie whispered.
“Anneliese, you should write your real adventures into a book of your own, instead of ghostwriting other’s pretend adventures,” Sharon declared, hugging her.
“They are too crazy to be good fiction,” Annie sighed then asked, “Is everything ready?”
“Yep, starting on the morning after, we run the wild goose chase, my credit cards are buying things all over the place, probably driving them nuts. It is going to be a lot of fun.” Sharon sounded like she was looking forward to being bait. “But tonight New Year’s Eve New York Style, darling.”
Annie laughed, refusing “Omigawd, no. I lost three days last time. I got two tattoos and ended up filing for a restraining order.”
“How about I promise you only lose one day, no tattoos or TROs, and you tell me about these beautiful creatures you showed up with. Uncle Isaac says they’re cousins of angels or something like that,” Sharon whispered conspiratorially.
“Or something like that. I’ll tell you all I can, but it is a strange tale, stranger that some of the sci-fi you have me proof,” Annie giggled, shaking her head.
“Pretty as they are, who cares how bad their story is, Miss Sharon will make it all better...” Sharon winked outlandishly before she laughed aloud, Annie giggled again. As much of a cougar as Sharon pretended, Annie knew it was all a tease. Sharon had never gotten over her lost Shmael.
^..^
Pops waited for the secure call from his oldest muse, there was a lot they needed to discuss. Winston sat in a comfortable leather highback with a snifter of cognac.
“She really is holding it together well, but if what we heard out of Texas is true...” The retired JAG officer trailed off. “Any idea where she would head from there?”
“No, and I can’t reach Sharon,” the old writer sounded testy as he poured himself a Caskmates Whiskey.
“If this Pandora stuff is half as dangerous as what has been unclassified makes it out to be, I wonder what they aren’t telling the public,” Winston mused aloud.
“Annie said it could end the world, and from the documents on Rabbit Hole that I sent to Derick, it scares me that Bents is even playing with it. It could make the Manhattan project or Coral Atole look like a firecracker in a mailbox.”
“So she thinks it caused the tsunamis in India and Japan?” Winston asked as he shifted Gregory on his lap. Thousands had died in those ‘natural disasters’.
“She says she knows it did, the energy signature was unmistakable. The science of it is way above my pay-grade,” Pops added. Both laughed. In their active duty days, they did a lot that was ‘above their pay-grade’.
Pops’ computer chimed and he clicked a button, “Derek, old man, good to see you.”
A friendly voice laughed from the other end, “If this is about Utah, there’s no story here, I had nothing to do with it.”
Pops laughed back, “No, no, I already have the minnow on the hook with that story. I need to know everything you know about the Tsunamis that hit India and Japan.”
There was a pause, “India, huh? You know that’s where DJ lost Autumn.”
“We know. We might be on the track of the real cause,” Pops explained.
“We?”
“Winston and I.”
“I thought the causes in both cases were unusually strong earthquakes,” Derek replied cautiously.
Winston stepped into view of the camera, “We wish, but it looks like the earthquakes were triggered.”
“What in the hell could trigger an 8.0?” Derek demanded, he had lost his daughter-in-law and future grandchild in India that Christmas day.
“Omni-Energy Research.” Pops announced with finality.
The dashing, dark haired man with the beginnings of silver temples, rubbed his light green eyes before asking, “I read the file you sent. Does this have anything to do with Rabbit Hole and Not Alice?”
“Only everything.”
^..^
General Paul Fenton was not happy when Dale Bents walked into his office without knocking.
“You sent for me?” Bents looked put out at being ‘asked’ to come in.
“What the hell do you think you were doing in Texas?” The general growled.
“Following a lead on your little friend. Since her tracker ended up in the port of San Diego, someone had to find her and my prisoners.” Bents hissed, like the entitled snake he was.
The General’s eyes narrowed, tailored clothes and manicured nails, why should he be surprised that Bents can bitch like a woman too. “Well, if you hadn’t tried to kill her in Vegas, maybe she would have contacted me again.”
Bents flicked an imaginary speck of dust off his sleeve, “It was a miscommunication.”
“Hmmm, miscommunication between you and your private army, or between you and the fact that you are in the United States and can’t do the crap you pull overseas.”
Bents practically rolled his eyes, and Paul wondered just how many more off-book operations he was running in the states.
Paul changed tactics, attacking the other issue. “Dr. Winters-Dove seems to think Omni-energy research caused the tsunamis in India and Japan. The operation in Utah was supposed to be research only, and not actually building a Pandora generator, but you let that idiot Fritzgerald not only build one but run it long enough that fucking aliens came to shut it down. You have put me in a very bad position, Dale. And if I am in a very bad position, you are in a very bad position. I want Dr. Dove and the aliens alive. You will turn them over to me, if you catch them. If you harm them or if we get invaded because of you and your group...” he left the threat unfinished.
Dale Bents seethed with rage but he kept his face passive, his tone patronizing, “Of course, Paul. I know you feel responsible for her after what happened to her and her parents, but I assure you, it is not my intention to harm the last link to Dr. Basha Winters’ work. As for the aliens, I simply as curious about them as you.”
The General leaned back, eyeing him. The silence stretched, Bents forced himself to not shift on his feet. General Fenton was one of the few people in the world he could not read.
Finally, the general spoke, “That is good to hear. Update me as soon as your ‘employees’ acquire them. Have a good day, Dale.”
Bents forced a pleasant smile, “You too, Paul.”
He was on his phone before he got into his car. Paul watched the chauffeur nodding before closing the door and driving away. He buzzed his top team of investigators, “Gibson, I want to keep a government contractor named Dale Bents under simple observation... No, no warrants for taps or electronic surveillance yet. And I want everything on a researcher named Dr. Basha Winters-Dove and the names, status, and locations of everyone she ever worked with, start with a classified file called Rabbit Hole and work backwards. I want to know if anyone is still alive that can tell me why the hell Bents wants it so bad."
^..^
Downstairs in a Matagorda beach house, the two human men can’t hear what the women are saying upstairs, but they can hear them laughing loudly. Uri, Sharon’s driver and bodyguard, and Boaz are staring at the ceiling with worried expressions.
“Uh oh.” Uri groaned.
“What now?” Boaz asked.
“Mrs. Sharon wants to have a New York Style New Year’s Eve at the other house. It sounds like she might be talking Ms. Anneliese into it,” Uri explained.
“We tell her no.” Boaz responded firmly with a scowl.
Uri snorted derisively, “Oh, yeah, right.... I remember the last time you tried to tell her no, how did that work out for you?”
“That was different,” Boaz defended himself. Uri snorted again.
Tal asked, “Is there going to be a problem?”
“That depends on how easily you can say no to Mrs. Sharon. She can be very insistent and very persuasive,” Boaz explained.
“That’s only because I am a lonely widow, without children, who hates to spend any holiday alone. You make me sound horrible, Boaz. I just want everyone to come over for dinner and a few drinks to watch the ball drop in New York. They are two hours ahead of Texas time, so midnight there is 10 pm here.” She looked very sad, “I am a long way from my friends on New Year’s Eve, because my Annie needs me. It isn’t a big request.”
Boaz gritted out, “Oh really?”
“Yes, really, Boaz. You can always call your sons or grandsons. When I lost my Shmael, I was left alone. Tonight, I would like some company. Does that make me a bad person?” She pouted.
Tal felt bad for her, he looked as Vorn who shrugged and nodded, then answered for his master, “Lady Sharon, we would be honored to join you.”
Sharon smiled brightly at him, “Oh you’re so sweet. I’ll go shopping, now.”
“Do you require assistance preparing?” Vorn offered, it seemed to surprise her that he offered.
“Oh yes, that would be lovely. Thank you. I’ll ring when I get back,” She smiled brilliantly at Vorn, who bowed slightly to her. He thought she was very lovely female with her platinum hair and pale blue eyes. He held the door for her as she left and she rewarded him with another breathtaking smile.
Uri and Boaz just shook their heads. Tonight was going to be interesting, Sharon’s parties always were.
^..^
A little while after Sharon left, Annie came down stairs. She was still a bit shaky, she wanted nothing more than to stay locked in her room but she remembered her rules and make herself live by them.
Rule #3 for Daily Life : Pretend to be the person ‘they’ expect until you can be invisible again.
Bries was first to speak to her, he was sorting the bucket of shells he collected on the beach. He had never seen the ocean before yesterday morning. He liked it very much, and more than the sea, he liked all the cats who lived around the stone jetty and the one that had followed him home this morning. He did not want to leave this world and all its amazing treasures.
“Good morning, Lady Annie, are you rested?” He asked worried.
“Yes Bries, but I don’t remember anything after I was shot, and now I am not. Did Opir and Aji get away? Where’s Tal?” She was worried. She doesn’t exactly know what happened, her head was foggy.
Vorn had her sit, and served her breakfast, “The Master went for his morning run, and sword time. Your grandfather and stepbrother are safe, as are their people. Bries saved the children as you order him to do. The Master ended the attackers, and healed you. Then we came straight here, you have slept since we arrived yesterday morning. Uri chose this house because it is more defensible. Sharon is staying at the other house as a decoy, we are having dinner there tonight. And the Master’s gun skill has ‘gone viral’ as they say one your world,” he finished.
“Seriously?” she said surprised, “I don’t understand.”
Uri set a laptop in front of her, the video looks like a shaky cellphone video from inside an Arabian movie imitation of the Matrix. She watched Tal hop out from behind the table he was behind, and basically walk between a hail of bullets, targeting each opponent with a single bullet, his eyes glowing white. It is amazing. The sequence was run at regular speed then slowed down, the person speaking was thanking the Sheikh’s granddaughter for bringing this guardian angel to protect them all. There was a longer version from a different angle that shows the girls dancing and her getting shot, Tal defending them. Annie watched as he healed her, though the light made the video very fuzzy. Then it went blank. She could only gape at it.
“I...I... Vorn, what the heck was that!?!” She demanded. Vorn did not answer. She could tell the Cypher had not agreed with Tal’s decision to heal her.
“The master used his healing crystal to save you, Lady Annie,” Bries said quietly as if he is telling her a secret that he shouldn’t, “If he is seriously hurt here or at home for one year, Cypher Vorn can’t save him.”
“What!?!” Annie exclaimed. She started shaking. She may have just killed Tal. She gulped the cup of coffee quickly and ran upstairs. Moments later, she was back downstairs, dressed in sweats and a heavy hoodie.
“Bries, which way is he?” she demanded. “Where did he go?”
“Is Lady Annie going to yell at the Master?” Bries resisted telling her. He did not like it when they were upset with each other.
“I haven’t decided yet,” She answered honestly.
“The Master went east,” Vorn answered for Bries.
Annie went out the door. Uri shook his head, and Boaz let out a low whistle. Both of them knew Annie’s temper. Neither wanted to be Tal at that moment. She might kill him herself and save his enemy the trouble.
Annie walked quickly down the beach, it was cold. The wind was blowing the mist in off the water. She could see him on the top of a dune, he was moving in a pattern like she had seen at a Japanese cultural festival once. The deep red hoodie he wore the only color in the grey morning. The wind was blowing his pony tail around. His eyes were closed, but somehow she knew that he could sense she was there. So she walked up to him, in spite of the sword flying around him.
“I wish you wouldn’t do that,” he said over the sound of the wind and the waves as the blade stopped beside her cheek.
She felt like it cut the rope she thought she had on her temper. “Why did you do it, you dang fool!?” She demanded in nothing but angry Texan twang. She was so done! Everything she had gone through to keep them alive, would be for nothing if he died, she couldn’t have the death of someone else she loved on her soul, she couldn’t... so she raged.
“Do what?” but he knew what she was asking, stepping closer to her while her back was turned.
“Throw away the ability to save yourself from death on me for a whole year,” she yelled, pacing past him, frustrated and angry, “You’re too important! Someone could kill you now. Just like Truh! How could you be so... sooo...”
She turned to face him but he was right there behind her. His arms wrapped around her as he kissed her deeply as he had seen the men in the humans' media do to the females they loved when they were upset.