* * *
The guards push Zodiac to his knees next to Silver in the middle of the large throne room. Soldiers line the walls with their weapons at the ready. He can't hear what they are whispering to each other over the sound of his own pounding heartbeat. Where is Nova?
Evans stands from his throne and claps his hands together as he walks up to them. "Jarred and Zodiac Cunningham. It's so touching to see father and son reunited after so long. But I wonder . . . how strong is that bond between you two after years apart? Will that bond help you or harm you when you are put under pressure? Shall we test that?" Evans snaps a whip in the air. "How will you hold up when you watch your son be whipped until he bleeds, Jarred?"
He growls. "It's Silver. And I don't give a damn what you do to him. He deserves a good spanking. Teach him a lesson. Hell, I'll even help you if you want."
The building shakes as the roof shatters, sending rafters and stained glass plummeting down around them and littering the floor. The guards begin firing at the two archons who fly inside the room, unleashing their own nanobots at the line of soldiers. The soldiers quickly fall to the floor, writhing in pain as the nanobots eat away at their skin.
Zodiac gasps. "Nova! Gabriel!"
Nova tears off her helmet and tosses it at Evans, knocking him in the head and stunning him. "You two just stay there and don't do anything. Let us take care of this."
"Release us so we can help you!" Silver shouts at her.
"No. This is my fight. I will avenge Troy." She leaps into the group of guards and spins around, knocking them to the floor with her heavy wings. "Gabriel, go outside and hold off any reinforcements while I finish up in here."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Nova scoops up a machine gun and flies up in the air as she unloads the clip, spraying bullets into the soldiers until it's empty. She tosses it down and screams as she holds out her hands. A ball of purple dark matter crashes into the remaining men, disintegrating them almost instantly.
Where did she learn to fight like this? Zodiac notices his mouth is open as he watches his sister take out highly trained soldiers like they were nothing. Then there's the blazing rage in her eyes that he has never seen before. She means business. If she wasn't his sister, he would be so turned on right now.
Nova punches at Evans, hitting him in his nose and sending blood spraying onto the white walls behind them. He draws a pistol in his shaking hand, but quickly drops it when Nova kicks him in the stomach. She pushes Evans down on his throne and stands over him. "You hurt and slaughtered my people. I know about the bombs on those space transports you loaded the impure Nymphs on. I know you killed all of them in Athens except for the ship my brother hijacked. If it wasn't for his bravery, those Nymphs would be dead too. Who gave you the right to play a god? Genocide is never the answer. Not only that, but you have been sending innocent citizens to the arena to fight to the death for your own sick amusement."
Evans squirms in his long velvet robe trapped under Nova's metal-clad foot. He looks insignificant and pathetic. "Please have mercy, Nova. I'm just an old man. Have mercy."
Nova's bloodlust is reflected in her laughter that echoes in the throne room. She sweeps her palm over the display on her archon armor. Her hands glow with a bright white light. "Mercy? What mercy did you show to Troy? Answer me! Even when you found out he was completely innocent, you made him fight. You don't get any mercy. The only mercy you'll get from me is a quick death. I hope you're cold because hell is warm this time of year."
"No!"
Nova places her hand on his forehead and there is a loud explosion as blood and brains fly in all directions, hitting the ceiling, the floor, and the windows. Bits slide down the rafters, leaving jagged stripes of red behind. Breathing hard, Nova steps back and holds up his microchip. "Now he'll never come back to life again in any form." She closes her hand around it and with a single pulse of light, it disintegrates, leaving nothing but a tiny clump of fine grey powder behind.
Gabriel opens the doors and claps his hands. His gold wings are speckled with blood and dirt. He's thin, but seems to be doing as well as he can be, all things considered. "Good work."
Nova comes over and begins removing the handcuffs from Silver and Zodiac. "Where's Blice?"
"I couldn't get to him." Gabriel says. "They apparently found out about your visit and locked down the arena. No one gets in, not even more guards. The coliseum is surrounded by Evans's soldiers. We'll have to deal with Blice later."
"And what about you? Are you okay?"
"Be thankful my bones are titanium and my skin can regenerate faster than a human's."
Nova sounds concerned. "You're covered in cuts."
"Yep. Don't worry about me. We archons can take a lot of abuse. Once we're all done here, I'll have Isidore run some diagnostic scans to ensure that nothing is severely damaged."
"How do you know about Isidore?" She asks.
"In the few minutes every week that I wasn't chained up, I was able to find a program on a computer in the guard station nearby where they kept me that Isidore had installed to hack into Evans's security cameras. I managed to send a message back to him at one point."
"I see."
Gabriel walks around the room, examining the carnage. "That's how you were able to unlock the electronic padlocks on those chains. Isidore unlocked those almost a week ago. I've just been waiting for the right chance to break free. Well, I say we gather whatever information we can find from this place then get back to Himmel."
"Leave now!" An archon in a grey and purple suit with white pearlescent wings flies down through the hole in the ceiling and lands next to the bloody mess sprawled out on the throne. He touches the mutilated corpse and shakes his head. "What a shame."
"Uriel! Where is Paris?" Silver asks, his anger still very much alive and thriving. "I know you have him!"
Uriel wipes Evans's blood on his pants. "Leave this place immediately. Go back to Himmel and stop interfering. This is my planet now. It's not Evans's. It's not the IGR's. And it's sure as hell not going to be Hector's. So if you don't want that crazy camel loving bastard to take over and enslave everyone here, then leave and let me seal up the leaks. I'll fix this government and get it functioning again in a few years."
"You didn't answer my question, robot. Where is Paris? So help me God, if you hurt him, I will cut you down right here."
"Paris is safe. But he won't be for long at the rate things are going here."
"What are you saying?" Silver asks.
"I have Paris locked away at a secret location where only I can reach him. If you do not leave and let me take power here, then I will kill the brat and have his body delivered to your precious Eremos Excavation Guild headquarters."
Silver glares at him. "Are you threatening us?"
"Yes. My men are awaiting my return in four days with good news and plans for setting up our forces here in Athens. They have already been given very specific orders to dispose of the boy if I do not return safely. Choose your next moves carefully. If you value Paris's life, then go back to Himmel and never come back."
Nova steps closer to him. "You wouldn't harm a child."
"I have already killed more children than you'd care to know about."
"You're bluffing." Silver says.
"Is that a chance you're willing to take? I have very specific plans for Paris and I won't let you or anyone else foil them. But, if you won't do this the easy way, then I'll just call them now and tell them to shoot Paris in the head and be done with it. He's not worth the trouble." Uriel dials a number into the golden communication sensor on his arm. "This is Uriel. Kill the kid."
"No!" Silver shouts at him. "Stop. We'll leave. We're leaving."
Uriel grins. "Never mind that. False alarm. Carry on." He ends the call and stands on the throne. He kicks Evans's bloody body away and sits in its place. "I'm the ruler here now. You will be lucky if you ever see that boy again. Now, leave before I make the call."
"Can you make me on
e promise?"
Uriel chuckles darkly. "Already asking for favors? I didn't think we were friends, Silver."
"Don't hurt him. Paris has suffered too much already."
"I will only hurt him when it's necessary. Bye bye!"
* * *
The parlor of the tea house is filled with women wearing high-collared dresses and petticoats with corsages and large brimmed hats decorated with pastel ribbons. Some carry parasols as they come inside from the flower garden where the fountains and sculptures of cherubs sparkle in the morning sunlight. Soft flute music is playing as the groups of women gossip between themselves. Others sit at the dainty tables covered by crisp white tablecloths and lace doilies. Servers in long-tailed tuxedos with slicked hair carry golden trays of fine porcelain teapots and thin cucumber sandwiches.
Nova gathers her flowing pink skirts as she steps through the vine-covered archway and into the dining room. She spots the frilly yellow dress at the back corner table by the window and goes to the woman. "Good morning, Daddy."
Silver adjusts his ruffled hat and pats the chair next to him with his elbow-length black gloves. "Join me, will you?"
"Of course."
"And sweetheart, I'm undercover. So call me Amelia."
"With humorous pleasure, Miss Amelia." Nova sits next to him and begins fanning herself with a white lace fan from her handbag. She gently strokes the glowing petals of the pink lotus resting between the tops of her breasts. "You've always loved me, Dad. I knew it all along. I never gave up hope. Thank you."
"Hey, now. No sadness. Look at me. You can't look at me without giggling."
"True. I see you shaved for this role."
"Don't remind me. Though, I might keep the mascara. What do you think? Does it bring out my eyes?" Silver pouts and bats his eyelashes.
"Dear gods, no. I can give you makeup tips if you like."
Silver sips his tea. "I might take you up on that offer. This corset is about to kill me, though. I miss my red velvet one I had many years ago. Jayce liked it. Wait. Forget you heard that."
Nova covers her mouth with her hand. "You . . . you wore a corset before? More undercover work?"
"No. Well . . . under covers, not undercover."
Nova giggles and tucks her bangs behind her ears. "You are hilarious."
"I try."
"So, if you're undercover, where are your guns and knife? You never go anywhere without your weapons."
Silver discretely points down below the table. He lifts his ruffled skirt to reveal a red garter holding up his fishnet stockings. His combat knife is hidden there. "Shh. Don't tell anyone."
"Who are you working for dressed like that? Wait. You're smiling. You're not actually on a job, are you?"
He shrugs his shoulders. "You caught me. I just wanted to play dress up and have tea with my little girl like I missed out on doing when you were younger."
"Awe, Daddy. You're so sweet."
Zodiac pushes through the crowds of women in his rough leather armor and combat boots, looking painfully out of place with his bow on his back and black paint on his cheeks below his eyes. He shakes his head at them. "You mean confused? What the hell are you doing in here, Silver?" He reaches over the table and scrapes his combat knife along Silver's jaw. "Most women don't have a five o'clock shadow."
"You're just jealous because I have the figure to pull off a gown like this."
"Sure. You look just like a lady." Zodiac slips his knife back on his belt. "If that lady was a body builder on steroids." He tosses a thin rectangular piece of black plastic on the table. "There. Happy?"
Silver picks it up and smiles as he turns it in the light. "Oh? What's this?"
"You know what it is. Nova and Gabriel already got theirs. You're back in the guild."
"Thanks. You don't sound happy about this, son."
Zodiac glares at him. "I'm not. Enjoy your little perverted tea party. I'm going to go be a real man and shoot things."
"You scared the targets are gonna shoot you back?" Silver asks mockingly. "Still wearing that bullet proof vest, I see."
"No. I wear it in case you go psycho again." Zodiac waves as he goes to the door. "Farewell, princesses."
Nova leans close to her father. "Who is he calling a princess?"
"Who cares? Let him say what he wants. I happen to enjoy a nice cup of Darjeeling and chocolate scones."
"Indeed."
They clink their teacups together.
* * *
The rains finally came. It started with a few sprinkles that dotted in the sand one afternoon and a fierce lightning storm that lit up the sky like a strobe light for hours. The thunder echoed far to the haziest view of mountains in the distance. Then the downpour began, soaking everything that wasn't under the waterproof tents. The temperature quickly plummeted, leaving everyone in Delphi hunkering under blankets and animal furs for any warmth they could manage.
Now, Orion is sitting outside in the slowly falling rain before nightfall. A dense fog is rising from the turbulent surface of the river that is still rising with the floodwaters from upstream. He's shivering and he's completely drenched, but he doesn't care. He holds his head in his hands and listens for any sign of life from the tent where the healers have been working on Troy for a week straight. No one has given him any word on his condition and none of the healers have left that tent for more than ten minutes to bathe every other day. The only person they speak to is Chief Seri.
Orion hasn't started his job of populating the village. He simply can't bring himself to do so with his friend injured like he is. Everything for him has been put on hold. Even daily life seems to drag on forever. The most troubling thing is not knowing. Why won't the medics tell him anything? It can't be that bad, can it? Troy has recovered from worse than a few scratches. When he sees Alix enter the medical tent then exit a few minutes later looking worried, Orion knows something is terribly wrong. If the healers won't tell him anything, maybe Alix will.
Orion wades through the sticky mud as the rain continues to pelt him. "Alix!"
"Ave, Orion."
"How is he?"
Alix rubs his eyes. "We managed to stitch him up and the healers applied some herbal salves to his back. Luckily, the claws missed any major organs. Barring a serious infection, he should make a full recovery. However . . ."
"What? What is it?"
"With the rainy season upon us, there is a real risk that he could develop pneumonia. That's as good as a death sentence out here. I'm originally from Pax so I know more about modern medicine than most of the others here. Troy is already running a fever and the herbs aren't bringing it down."
Orion can't stay out here feeling useless. "Can I see him?"
"It's best if we leave him quarantined just in case he has caught something serious. There are a lot of bad viruses out here."
"So you're saying you don't know what's wrong with him?"
Alix pulls Orion over behind one of the tents and whispers to him. "I didn't want to say anything, but Chief Seri thinks it might be Ebola."
"Oh gods, no. I thought it was eradicated completely."
"In the cities it is. Out here, it's not. We lost a member of our tribe a week before you came here who we suspected of having Ebola. He might have transferred it to someone who gave it to Troy. That man had come from a village miles from here."
"I can't lose him."
"It's far too early to tell anything, but Troy is developing symptoms." Alexi says. "Ever since getting hurt the other day, he's been going downhill fast. Initially, after we bandaged him up and gave him some pain medicine that the healers made, he was talking and we almost brought him out for some fresh air. Now he's silent. All he does is groan and struggle to breathe. If he does have the Ebola virus, the odds are severely against him surviving. If it's confirmed, we can't take any chances. At that point, we will move him out away from the village and leave him to die."
"Isn't there anything we can do?"
"No. Not out here. The
cities have a vaccine, but there's no way to get it here."
Then that's what he has to do. "I'll go get it."
"You can't."
"I'll do whatever I have to do to save him. I signed the paperwork making him my slave. In that moment, I took a vow that I would protect him and provide anything he needed. If he needs this vaccine to survive, then I'll find a way to get it."
Alexi grabs Orion's arm. "It's over five hundred miles in any direction to the nearest city."
"I guess I'd better start walking."
"No one will give you directions. You'll be lost out there. Not only that, but once you leave Delphi after becoming a member of our tribe, you can't leave and come back. You're here for life. Even if you managed to get to a city and bought the extremely expensive vaccine, Chief Seri wouldn't let you back in to give it to Troy. There's nothing you can do."
If they won't let him go get the medicine, then he'll do what he can. "I have to see him. He's my friend."
Alix leads him to the tent. "Make it quick."
As Orion enters the tent, the two healers with their blue beads around their necks exit, leaving him alone. The strong smell of medicinal herbs fills the air as a small fire burns on a smooth stone altar. Rain drips down into a bowl through the top of the tent, the only sound in the silence.
"Troy?" Orion kneels down beside the pile of blankets and bandages. He takes Troy's quivering hand in his. "I'm here for you, buddy. You're gonna be okay. The healers are gonna make you all better. They know what they're doing and we have to have faith in them. I know you're hurting, but I'm here." He gently pushes Troy's sweaty white bangs out of his red face. "Can you open your eyes for me?"
Troy doesn't move, except for the heaving of his chest from his labored breathing.
"I need you. We came here together . . . so you can't leave me alone here. Don't give up. You hear me? You can't give up. You've come too far to give up now. Don't let this defeat you. You're the Phoenix King, Troy. Rise above it."
Troy
Paradise Forgotten
Book Three
Paradise Forgotten Trilogy Page 40