Secrets of New Pompeii (11 page)

“It will take days to identify the people on
the vids, but I hope to have a basic presentation ready sometime
tomorrow.” He crossed his arms over his chest, his expression
uncharacteristically dour. “I’ll run it all past legal then take it
to your father. He’ll have exactly twenty-four hours to take action
before the presentation goes live on the data stream.”

“I’m relieved that it wasn’t all for
nothing.”

“I am too, but these vids are chilling. My
people couldn’t stop anything that happened or they would have
blown their cover. That didn’t stop two of my strongest from
halting the abuse. It got that bad.”

Not knowing how to respond to the grim
revelation, she nodded. “Thank you for everything.”

“You don’t have to thank me. I was
inadvertently supporting this shit. I should thank you for
ferreting out the truth before I was destroyed by what my business
partners were doing.”

She terminated the link and sat back in her
chair, mulling over all they’d said.

“Do you believe him?” Max came up behind her
and rested his hands on her shoulders. “He became rich because of
Gladiator Games.”

“He was rich before his involvement with my
brothers, but your point is valid.” Max began to rub the tension
from her neck and shoulders. She groaned then sighed and rested her
head against his abdomen. “There is no reason for Stevon to indulge
me unless he had concerns of his own.”

“Is he attracted to you?” His hands
momentarily stilled.

“He might be trying to endear himself to me,
but I’ve made it clear that I’m not interested.”

He lightly cupped her breast, her thin shirt
no barrier at all between the heat of his palm and her sensitive
nipple. “You would never be satisfied with a man like him. You are
too rebellious.”

“And you can temper my rebellion?”

“I would never try to dampen your fire. I
savor the heat and bask in the light.”

She smiled and leaned her head back, looking
up at him. “Under all that ferocity, you’re a romantic.”

His brow creased and his eyes narrowed then
he pushed away from her chair. “I know nothing of romance. My life
is violence and death.”

He was clearly irritated by her comment, so
she didn’t push the issue. “I’m going to contact Elaina. Would you
like to speak with Theos?”

Max nodded but stayed to one side, out of
camera range. She smiled at his techno-anxiety. Eventually all
these gadgets would become natural to him, but that day was a long
way off.

She entered the access code for Rebecca
Tyndale, the name Elaina was using until the crisis was resolved.
It took a moment for Elaina to respond and then she only activated
audio.

“It’s Naloni and this link is secure, but I’m
really craving
valaspaberry
wine.”

Elaina appeared on screen as soon as Naloni
produced the rearranged password. “I can’t stand the stuff
personally, but I’m sure glad to hear you say that.” Her smile was
beaming and she appeared relaxed and happy.

“I don’t have to ask how you’re doing,”
Naloni grumbled. “Exile agrees with you.”

“No, life with Theos agrees with me. I still
miss my son.”

“Of course you do and hopefully you won’t be
separated for too much longer.”

“The festival was last night. Were the
journalists able to provide you with enough evidence to turn your
father’s head?”

“Stevon is still compiling the various images
into some sort of presentation, but—”

“Stevon Poliantus is helping you?” Elaina
sounded doubtful and her gaze reflected her concern.

“He was the only one I could find with an
invitation to the festival. I know it was a gamble, but I didn’t
have any other choice.” Elaina looked as uncomfortable as everyone
else who had learned of her choice in partners. Was she the only
one who believed Stevon capable of doing the right thing? “Every
indication points toward his sincerity.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“So do I. Is Theos there? Max would like to
say hi.”

It took nearly as much coaxing from Elaina to
get Theos in front of the camera as it did for Naloni to lure Max
into the desk chair. As soon as they saw each other, however, all
their reservations fell away. They extolled the wonders they’d seen
and expressed concerns about all the friends still trapped within
the energy barrier.

“We better go.” Naloni finally halted the
lively conversation. “The longer we maintain the link the greater
chance there is that someone will take notice.”

“I thought the link was secure,” Max said
after she terminated the connection.

“No one can tap in and hear what you’re
saying, but no signal is truly untraceable. I’m sure Captain Thrax
has made it extremely difficult to uncover the origin of the
signal, but there is always someone out there persistent enough and
skilled enough to unravel the misdirection.” He stood and gave her
back her seat. “One more call then I’m yours for the rest of the
evening.”

“And if I want you for longer than one
evening?” His gaze warmed and brightened, smoldering with blue
intensity. “Can I make a counteroffer?”

She kept the chair between them, not trusting
herself to complete her last task if they touched. “I’m always open
for negotiations.”

He sighed and his gaze focused on her mouth.
“I have so little to offer you. There is no way I can give you the
things you’re used to having.”

The hopelessness in his tone angered her. She
leaned closer, drawing his gaze back to her eyes. “Do you think so
little of me? The things I long for are not possessions and
luxuries. I’ve had everything money can buy my entire life, and the
only time I was truly happy was when I was pretending to be a
slave.”

“I want to believe that. I’m trying to
believe, but when returning to your ‘real’ life is no longer an
option, I know you’ll resent me.”

Emperor Sineth Olla strode along the line of
people kneeling in front of him. His boot heels snapped out his
agitation against the marble floor of Tarhee’s elaborate villa.
Sunlight streamed in through open archways and still Sineth could
barely focus through fury’s red haze. “Where is my daughter!”

“We believe she slipped beyond the barrier,
Sire.” Mikko Xyell’s voice was barely more than a whisper and his
head bowed respectfully. He was far more composed than Tarhee,
which made Sineth hate the ambassador even more. His son was a
disappointment on every level, and this man had enabled Tarhee’s
abominable behavior every step of the way.

“If she passed beyond the barrier, her GPS
chip would have become visible to my scanners again.” He felt as if
he were speaking with simple-minded children, explaining concepts
that should have been self-evident. “The city is surrounded by my
troops, and we have not stopped scanning the perimeter since I
learned she was in danger. Her abductors must have her hidden
somewhere inside this abomination.”

“We thought so as well,” Xyell went on.
“That’s why we minimized the intensity of the barrier until only a
visible facsimile remained. Then we scanned the entire city,
section by section.”

“Then where is she?” He rolled his eyes and
started back down the row. Imbeciles! He was surrounded by useless,
spineless shadows of Fedorans! The magistrate—handpicked by Tarhee.
Captain of the city guards. And… His gaze connected with the only
woman in the room. Laetif Xyell, the ambassador’s wife. Her eyes
shone with cunning and fear. Not the hopeless sort of a person
trapped by circumstance, but the fatalistic gleam of someone with
something to hide. “You!”

She immediately lowered her head, but he
strode to her and grasped her chin, raising her face until she
looked at him again. “Where is Naloni?”

“I don’t know, Sire.” Her tone was steady
enough to convince him, to a point. She might not know Naloni’s
location, but she knew a whole hell of a lot more than she had said
thus far. “I’m not even sure why you summoned me. I have little to
do with my husband’s affairs.”

Sineth snorted. “So my investigators tell me.
You’re too busy fucking your bodyguard to keep tabs on your
husband.” To her credit, Laetif maintained eye contact and kept her
mouth shut. “My investigators also told me you are likely a pivotal
member of the resistance.” Her husband glared, but it was obvious
he was not surprised by the news. “You have this one chance only to
earn my mercy. Answer me truthfully and I will not lump you in with
the rest of these fools.”

“Of course, Sire. I will help in any way I
can.” Her expression calmed and her head raised, her chin lifting
away from his fingers.

“Do you know the men who took Naloni?”

“I know one of them.”

“Max is my
doctore,
Sire. He
has—
”

“Silence!” Sineth glared at Xyell, and he
obediently bowed his head. He turned back to Laetif and said, “Tell
me about Max.”

“May I speak with you in private? The
information I possess is potentially damning to everyone involved.
I do not want to endanger—”

“It was not a request, young lady. Tell me
everything you know and tell me now.”

“Yes, Sire.” She licked her lips and
hesitated. Was she afraid for herself or was this protectiveness
somehow noble? Could she genuinely believe in this
“resistance”?

“Guards.” Sineth motioned toward the others.
“Take them all to Detention Center Three. They are all to be held
for interrogation.”

“Father!” Tarhee twisted away from one guard
only to be trapped between three more. “You cannot mean to throw me
in a cage like a common criminal!”

Sineth ignored his son’s outraged shrieks and
frantic flailing as he was dragged from the villa. The others left
with more dignity, leaving him alone with Lady Xyell. The room
seemed cold and artificial without its costumed occupants. Even
Laetif looked silly in her period garb.

“Rise.” He helped her to her feet and led her
out onto the balcony overlooking New Pompeii. The city really was
amazing, an architectural wonder, if nothing else. “Do you think
they’ll hurt her? Are they wise enough to realize I will not rest
until they are dead if they harm her in any way?”

“Do you want the truth, or would you rather I
put your mind at ease?”

A reluctant smile parted his lips. Laetif had
spirit. He had to give her that. “The truth would serve me better,
I believe.”

“I know Max quite well. He would never harm a
woman for any reason. The other man, Dario, I am not well
acquainted with him, but he has reason to lash out at your
family.”

“What happened?”

“His sister was one of the women captured in
preparation for the festival last night. We were able to free her
and several others, but I don’t think Dario was aware she’d been
rescued.”

The pounding of boot heels drew Sineth’s
attention into the interior of the villa. Firdose ran toward him,
his expression almost—elated?

“She’s on the com, Your Majesty,” Firdose
announced. “Come quickly. We have Naloni!”

Sineth’s heart lurched, the combination of
hope and joy nearly as painful as the fierce rush of fear that had
accompanied his first viewing of her abduction. He followed his
chancellor through Tarhee’s bedroom and into the small, concealed
room that contained the villa’s only technology.

“Father,” Naloni greeted with a cautious
smile.

“Where the fuck are you!” He hadn’t meant to
sound so gruff, but his emotions were raw and turbulent. “Are you
all right? Were you harmed? Where are those bloody bastards? They
will both—”

“Father, Max rescued me from Dario. Dario was
entirely to blame.”

“Max was an accomplice, not a victim. I saw
how it began.” He’d seen this before. Halfway through a crime, a
criminal found it more beneficial to turn on his mates, hoping to
escape prosecution. He would not allow any involvement in this
incident to go unpunished.

“It’s complicated and we have many things we
need to discuss. I just wanted you to know I’m fine and you need to
check with your military commanders. I believe one of them is
currently in possession of Dario.”

“When did my military become involved?”

“When they tunneled under the barrier
surrounding New Pompeii.” Naloni sighed and pushed back from the
screen. “As I said, we have a lot to talk about. But I’m exhausted
and cranky. I want a good night’s sleep before we even attempt to
sort through all the elements of this mess. I love you and I’ll
talk to you tomorrow.”

“Don’t you dare—” The link blinked off and he
spun on Firdose with all his pent-up frustration. “Where is she?
Please tell me you traced the link!”

“We tried to, Sire. It was encrypted and
scrambled. It’s virtually impossible to tell where it
originated.”

“I don’t believe this!” Left without an
outlet for his ire, he threw his hands in the air.

“She’s unharmed, Sire,” Laetif pointed out.
She stood on the other side of the open doorway and she’d obviously
heard every word. “Isn’t that what’s important?”

“You know Max!” He stalked toward her. “You
have both ‘rescued’ people before. Where do you take them? Where
the hell is she! Don’t bother pretending you don’t know.”

“Give her some time to recover from the
upheaval. I’ll tell you tomorrow morning.”

He gasped, mouth gaping at her audacity. “I
am your emperor! You will tell me now!”

A secretive smile parted her lips and the
cheeky wench blew him a kiss. “She’s safe and needs a little space.
It’s a reasonable request. I’ll tell you in the morning, Sire.”

“Are you sure that was wise?” Max had
remained back from the desk while Naloni spoke with her father,
carefully remaining out of sight. Much to his delight, she’d
defended him every step of the way. “We need him calm and
reasonable tomorrow, not defensive and stubborn.”