Tarizon, The Liberator, Tarizon Trilogy Vol 1

by William Manchee

18

  Detection

  Lorin rushed to her father's office as soon as she received the summons. The message had been marked urgent. She wondered what it could be. Had it happened? Had the Chancellor been assassinated? She hoped that wasn't the case. They were nowhere near being ready for civil war. A rush of dread suddenly hit her. Was it Leek? Had he been discovered?

  When she stepped through the door her father's assistant told her to go right in. Her father was seated at his desk looking pale.

  "Father, what is it?"

  He looked up. "Lorin. Thank God you're here. We've got a serious problem. Videl has discovered that Leek is the Liberator."

  "How do you know that?"

  "I know," he said running a hand through his hair, "because my intern has been murdered!"

  Lorin let out a gasp. "Oh, Sandee, no!"

  "They found his body a little while ago. He was stabbed in the staff locker room. There was a lot of blood."

  Lorin gave her father a thoughtful look "So, they found out you were protecting the Liberator and now they think he's dead. That is good, right?" Lorin muttered. "Where is the body? We can’t let them have it.”

  "It's too late. Someone discovered it right away and summoned the body takers. By sunset they will know they killed the wrong man."

  "Father! What if they try to kill you? Videl will know you're the one organizing the Loyalist movement to resist him."

  "Don't worry. I've got plenty of security, and besides, if I were murdered everyone would know it was Videl and it would give the Chancellor an excuse to arrest him. It would be a stupid move to try to kill me before he legally succeeds to the Chancellorship."

  "All right," Lorin said tentatively. "Promise me you'll be careful and not stray away from your guards. I couldn't stand to lose you."

  "Don't worry. I'll be fine. It's Leek who you should be worrying about."

  "Yes. We should get him a message. Videl will soon figure out he went to Pogo Island and try to kill him there. It will be easy—just another training accident."

  "You're right," the Councillor said. "It will be risky but we have no choice. Send him a message and warn him; we can't let them kill him."

  "Maybe we should pull him out of there? Take him somewhere else for his training?"

  "No. There isn't time. He must learn all he can about the TGA and there’s no better place than at their top school and from their most knowledgeable instructors. I've got a friend at the base who I'll have keep an eye on him."

  "Sgt. Baig?"

  "Yes, it will be hard to kill Leek when he's under such close scrutiny by so many military officers. Sgt. Baig can make sure he's never alone."

  "But what if one of those very officers tries to kill him?"

  "Videl wouldn't take such a chance yet. He's not ready to seize power. He wouldn't chance getting involved in a murder investigation at such a critical time. If he tries to kill Leek it will be an outsider who he employs for the task—someone he can disavow."

  "All right. I'll get a message to him at least, so he will know of the danger."

  "Good. . . . Now tell me. How is your intelligence network coming?"

  "Very well. I've had my staff discreetly inquiring as to who in the Council of Interpreters will stand behind the Supreme Mandate should Videl assume power. Of course, a lot depends on how he becomes Chancellor. If there is an assassination over fifty percent indicated they will support you in leading a loyalist movement. If the assassination attempt can be connected in anyway to Videl then you'll have nearly unanimous support as every Councillor has given oath to the Supreme Mandate."

  "So, how many have agreed to provide us intelligence when the war breaks out?"

  "Two hundred and twenty-seven so far are on board. Many are already sending us data."

  "Good. What about Jake? How is his communications project coming?"

  "He thinks he's discovered an outdated satellite network that was abandoned by the TGA about ten cycles ago. He's put together a team of communications experts who should be able to get it on-line and functional again. It won't be as good as what the TGA has but it will be better than working in the dark."

  "All right. Go write your letter to Leek. Tell him our prayers will be with him."

  "Yes, Father," Lorin said hurrying off.

  Lorin was sick with fear. If it was so easy to kill the Councillor's aide, how much more difficult would it be to kill the Councillor himself? She wished she hadn't supported the Liberator charade. Now her father's life was in danger. Videl knew that her father had been harboring the Liberator. He'd be angry. Why not kill your most potent rival when he is weak and it is unexpected? Her father would be an easy target despite his protests. Instead of going straight back to her office to write the letter to Leek, she went to see Colonel Tomel about her father's security. After all, Leek was a nobody, just a pawn in the war against Videl, but her father was blood and would some day be, Sandee willing, the Chancellor of Tarizon.