Maria quickly got to her feet. "Be grateful that's all that was broken." She turned her back to him and began to walk toward the jungle stopping beside Tobor.
Toby looked directly at Nathaniel. ”Young master, I must remind you that secretly observing as well as directing violent behavior against any member of another Spire house while attending these gatherings is a violation of agreed upon norms and can result in significant punishment being issued against the house of the offending party."
Tobor turned to her. “We should depart."
Maria nodded, pulling up the front of her shirt and wiping her face. She hope it was moist enough to remove Chen’s blood from her flesh rather than just smear it. She turned and followed alongside Tobor toward the tree line.
Nathan began a nasally laugh, ”Keep hiding behind your toy Maria, cause he won't be there for you the next time we meet and when that happens I'm going to enjoy taking my time with you.”
Maria shook her head as she walked away doing her best to ignore the insinuation. Tobor however had stop dead in its tracks. She looked at it. "Come on Toby let’s get out of here."
Tobor looked at her for a second, then turned, and strode toward Nathan as he knelt in the soil. "What the hell do you want Tin man," Nathaniel said and then spit on the robot's face plate.
With speed she had never seen before, Tobor had Nathan’s right forearm in a firm grip and with a sharp movement of its thumb snapped both the radius and Ulna bone sending one of them protruding out the skin. Nathaniel let out a savage howl and fell to the ground cradling his wounded arm.
Tobor knelt over him and stated, "If you ever harm Miss Patterson again, I will terminate you."
Standing straight, her guardian walked back to Maria who stood still, watching, her jaw hanging open in surprise at the brutality. "Toby, you might have just started a war."
Tobor stopped in front of her. "I have 98.7% certainty that he will not report my actions to his father as he is aware that I documented the entire event, including his assault on you. Such information, if released, would turn the other families against his house."
Tobor extended its arm toward the tree line. "We should leave now."
"He's a bastard, but I'm not going to leave him here. He's bleeding pretty heavily, and I doubt he'd survive without help." Shock finally giving way to caution and compassion.
"He will receive assistance soon. I programmed his drone to signal for a medical transport as well as to show that it malfunctioned and collided with him."
Maria looked back at Nathan as he lay on the ground whimpering, curled into a fetal position. She never liked him and part of her was glad to see him like this. She was certain he deserved it at some level, but it still didn't stop her from having sympathy for him. She nodded at Tobor. "Less explaining if we were gone when they showed up."
Toby nodded and led the way; however, as she walked through the jungle behind it, she noticed they were returning to the resort. "Toby, we still need to talk to the two love birds."
Toby kept walking. "That would be inadvisable. You likely have suffered a concussion."
She stopped. "I'm fine Tobor, and I didn't go through all that to come out empty handed. Scan my head if you want to."
Tobor stepped to her and placed both hands gently upon the sides of her head. Its black face plate staring directly at her. The robot nodded its head and stated, "I have detected no signs indicative of a concussion."
She smiled, "Then let’s go find them."
It nodded and followed. "One day Miss Patterson you will learn to heed my counsel."
She smiled even larger, "I am."
Tobor looked at her, even with a smooth face plate, she could see a quizzical nature in its stance as it cocked its head to the side. She laughed, "You're the one who taught me to maintain the initiative and never let my enemies dictate my actions."
Tobor nodded its head and kept going.
___
The muscles along her shoulders and back began to slowly unwind as she listened to Fitz’s steady and strong heartbeat. His fingers ran through her hair, almost in rhythm with the beat of his cardiovascular system. She let it drown out the sound of the conversations around the fire and of the teens further down the beach, immersed in their alcohol induced passion. Maria smiled and enjoyed the feel of the simple soft white cotton t-shirt he wore over his firm chest. She shifted and looked up at him, the wry smile stretching across her face, “You’ve been working out since last month haven’t you?”
His white skin flushed red in the light of the bonfire. “Ummm… maybe a little bit,” he admitted.
She shifted upward. “And why are you doing that? Trying to show off to the rest of the girls?”
His eyes shot open, the concern he felt clear. “No, I…” he stammered for a moment, trying to find the right words.
She laughed and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Relax Fitz, I know who you’re trying to impress.”
He gulped and smiled in relief.
She arched an eyebrow deciding to screw with him a little more. “It’s me right?”
He nodded, a quick and nervous response erupting from him, “Of course."
She flashed him another smile, not sure if what she was doing was playful or torture. Her head went back down onto his chest only this time his heart was racing. The ocean waves lapped against the beach, and she focused on that instead, while he slowly began to calm.
“It’s just that… well, I never thought I’d be able to,” he stopped, putting a great deal of thought into his next words, “spend time with a girl like you."
The waves and his heart beat forgotten she turned her head and looked at him in bewilderment, “You know that you aren’t bad looking right?”
A large grin emerged, his freckles becoming more pronounced as his cheeks expanded, “You think I’m good looking?”
“You going to start hitting on all the other girls now?”
“The only one that matters is right here.”
She rolled her eyes. “For being so nervous around me you sure just acted pretty smooth.”
“It’s easier to say it when it’s true.”
She kissed him again, this time longer. Breaking away and caressing his face as she did, his stubble biting into her palm some. She laid back down, staring into the fire as it consumed the logs that served as its fuel, changing from one form to another.
“I know it’s stupid for me to bring up, but I never thought you would go for a guy like me. After you dated Philip, I thought that he was the kind of guy you were interested in."
She sat up and arched her eyebrow, “And exactly what kind of guy did you think I was interested in?”
He sat up, clearly worried he had upset her. “I just meant, you know. He was this tan statuesque guy…smooth talking and in really good shape. Hell, I’m pretty sure you could have grated parmesan on his abs. The kind of guy people want to be around.”
“I know you don’t have a lot of experience with relationships, but it’s usually a bad idea to bring up a girl’s dead ex-boyfriend.”
“Sorry it’s just that, I’ve always asked too many questions…” he responded.
She pointed toward the orgy happening out on the beach. She could barely make it out from the light that was being reflected off the moon. It depressed Maria to think that those photons had been created a hundred thousand years ago in a breathtakingly powerful process, only to now illuminate a bunch of horny teens as they made another in a series of mistakes.
“Guess what kind of person I’m looking for.” she ordered.
He took a moment, squinting into the distance, clearly not wearing his contacts. “The kind that won’t get literal and metaphorical crabs?”
She desperately wanted to be serious at that moment, but a smirk pulled at the corner of her mouth. “Yes… and someone who isn’t going to let sex and a constant need for instant gratification control their every move.”
“Was that Phil?”
“Phi
lip was an asshole who wanted one thing… and when I foolishly gave it to him, he proved to me who he really was. I’ve grown a lot in three years.”
He smiled, “Well, I’m glad you don’t think I’m an asshole."
She nodded. “Oh, I did my research and let it decide. You are definitely not an asshole,” she stopped and traced a random pattern in the sand next to them. “As much as I hated him, I feel bad for the way it ended."
Fitz bit his lip. “Yeah, no one should have to go that way. Do you know if they ever figured out how it happened?”
“I doubt it. When the Sao Paulo Spire’s reactor melted down, it produced a lot of radiation, too much for any kind of in-depth investigation into the system itself.”
They sat there in silence not knowing where to take the conversation from there. Fitz looked at the fire and laughed. He leaned in close to her and whispered in her ear, “Speaking of assholes." He motioned across the bonfire to the other side.
Across the fire sat Nathaniel surrounded by a gaggle of girls who he regaled with the story of his life-threatening adventure in the mountains when a rock slide had broken his arm as well as nose and how he easily hiked back to the beach oblivious to the pain. Maria wanted to laugh but instead repressed the urge. Let him rewrite history if he needed, so long as he got the message not to mess with her.
At the end of his story the girls squealed with delight and began to talk among themselves. At that moment his eyes locked on hers, the flickering flames and heat disrupted air distorting her view of him, but she could swear he was smiling at her as a predator would to its prey.
Maria rolled her eyes and then patted the ground. Fitz smiled and laid back down, and she placed her head back on his chest. He ran his fingers through her hair, the awkwardness from a moment ago forgotten.
“I want you to visit Berlin,” he said.
Her pulse began to pound, she looked into his eyes. They told her that he was earnest. She opened her mouth to speak when the sound of adult voices drew the attention of the young people. The leaders were exiting their meeting; their conversations very animated. Many were rushing to retrieve their children from around the fires. Those that went toward the beach hurled insults at their currently occupied offspring.
Something was wrong. The meeting had ended before it should, and the parents seemed stressed. Fitz's mother called out to him and he stirred beneath Maria. The older woman came into view and called him over. He turned to Maria and quickly stole a kiss from her. He got up and walked over to his mother, she gripped his shoulders and spoke into his ear. She looked upset and then so did he. Both looked at her and she could see the sadness in Fitz's eyes. His mother looked beyond Maria and concern flashed across her face.
Maria began to worry, her pulse quickening. What had happened and how did it involve her because it clearly did? A hand gently fell on her shoulder, startled she turned to see the black face plate of Tobor starring at her. The fire reflected from its visor and gave the impression that she was in some other worldly and demonic place. "We must go Miss Patterson."
"Toby, what's going on?" she asked, her voice betraying her concern.
"Your parents will inform you once we arrive at the air pad."
"Air pad? We aren't supposed to leave until tomorrow."
Tobor nodded and stood. "The situation necessitates an earlier departure. Your father wishes to err on the side of caution."
Maria stood up and dusted sand from her legs. Something was wrong and she needed to find out what. Tobor was told to let her father bring her up to speed, and she knew it was useless to try and pry the information from the robot so she began to make her way to the landing area. As she left she looked over the fire one last time, there sitting by himself now was Nathaniel Chen. Eyes fixed upon her as if a part of some advanced targeting system and that smile, unnerving and knowing. Maria had the sudden feeling that she had been outmaneuvered again, this time not by someone who loved her but by a person with completely different motivations toward her. Since Nathan was as insightful as a horny dog, she doubted it was his doing, but there was another who was an intellectual match for her and her parents.
___
Fifteen minutes later she was walking up the ramp of the transport. The engines were already powering up, tossing her hair about and blowing dust into her eyes. Upon entering the passenger compartment, Tobor wirelessly communicated with the craft and the ramp raised. Her mother and father came out of the cockpit and before either could get a word out Maria immediately demanded information, "What did Jeffery Chen do and what part am I playing in it?"
"You don't need to worry, baby. Your father is going to take care of it."
Tobor walked past and into the cockpit and the craft began to rise upward. They all reached out and grabbed a hand hold on the ceiling. “Yes, I will."
"You'll take care of what?" Maria asked impatiently.
"The Hong Kong Spire has arranged an alliance with over half of the others. They are threatening war if we don't give in to their demands," her father stated.
“Such as?”
“They want our Pacific and Middle Eastern holdings,” he hesitated, clearly wanting to say something but not being able to get it out. “They also want access to resources in South America…”
“Damn it Jacob, tell her!” Mother shouted.
At that moment standing right there, looking at the mask that her father had on over his emotions and the anxiety that washed over her mother, she put it all together.
"They want me to marry Nathaniel," her voice trailed off at the end, and she lowered herself into a chair.
Her father shook his head vigorously. "It will not happen."
"The very demand signals that they know that they aren't guaranteed victory over us; otherwise, they wouldn't need you as a means of staying our hand militarily," her mom reasoned.
Maria nodded her head. "You and Dad wouldn't dream of going to war with them if I was in Hong Kong." She placed her face in her hands and marveled at how similar her situation was to that of the long dead Catherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry the VIII of England. That marriage too had been born of political convenience between weaker England and powerful Spain. Toby always told her that history repeated itself. She just never thought it would be with her.
"Who’s a part of this new alliance?"
"The Moscow, Mecca, Tokyo, and African Spires," her dad listed off.
Maria huffed, "Mecca and Africa double the size of the Chen army. They aren't the best but could tie up considerable amounts of our forces while the Hong Kong army takes on our critical infrastructure throughout South East Asia and the Pacific."
Maria looked off into thin air as she further analyzed the situation. "Moscow and Tokyo are the tough ones. Moscow’s air power and lift will enable Chen's shock troops access to anywhere in 24 hours and Tokyo's naval power would be enough to shield the region from invasion."
She looked at them both. "Like Mom said, they know they can't guarantee victory over us, but our victory isn’t assured any more either."
For a brief instant she was sure she saw a flash of pride in her father's eyes. Her mom sat next to her and said, "Don't worry Jita, your father and I will solve this. We already reached out to the European families with an offer of alliance."
Maria nodded her head, but she already knew what her mother was in denial about. The Europeans would not step in. Her father's monopoly on power had long disturbed the other Spire families, even those in Europe. This way they were able to check the growth of the North American Spire at no risk to themselves. She even for a brief moment contemplated a marriage between herself and Fitz. His family would benefit from such a strong ally, and she wouldn't have to bear children to a psychopath. In the end though, it would be too much risk to the German Spire for them to offend this new Chen-centered alliance. After all, her family had two vast oceans to make invasion difficult. The German Spire shared borders with the Russians. There would be no alliance.
She c
ould feel the color drain from her skin. She was going to have to marry that narcissistic ass. No one would be there to protect her from his violent temper, not even Tobor could reach her. Then it struck her, she was going to have to let him touch her.
She threw up over the floor of the transport. As her mother tried to wrap an arm around her, she pushed her away and stumbled to the lavatory.
She stood over the sink for several minutes spitting bile into the basin, taking deep breaths, and collecting her thoughts. She looked up into the mirror and was disgusted by what she saw. Red puffy eyes, hair astray, and flushed skin with a sheen of sweat.
She shook her head. "No."
She needed to develop a plan. She needed time to think and a place where she could do that. She brushed her teeth, washed her face, and straightened her hair. She left the washroom and saw her father sitting across from the door. Her mother was finishing cleaning up Maria's mess.
"I would have taken care of that.”
Her mother shook her head. "No baby, you have enough to deal with."
She looked at her dad and asked, "How long?"
He looked to her side, not able to make eye contact. "We have two weeks to get everything in order."
"But it won't happen Maria," her mother interjected.
Maria knew that it would though. To be honest, she was surprised that they were being given that long. Had she been the one making the demands, she wouldn't have allowed any additional time as it invariably would have led to planning on how to avoid it as her parents currently were. Unless, of course, Jeffery Chen had determined that the Pattersons had no options available to them and thus showing some compassion would cost him nothing but earn him points with the other families.
Maria took a deep breath. "I think once we get back home I'm going to head out on my kayaking trip."
Her mother looked ready to refuse, but her father gently placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke before she could, "You've more than earned it."
Mom looked ready to protest but then thought better of it and nodded her head, a weak smile on her face. "Yes, she has."
The Spire Page 17