Edward

by Marcus LaGrone

Edward poked Tazo playfully, “Remember, you volunteered!”

  “Yes indeed! It does sound like quite a fun challenge!”

  Edward rolled his eyes; it was supposed to have been a joke. There was a time when he would have been giddy as well. Maybe he was getting old.

  “Rebecca Ravenswell’s fan club: some of you may have heard bits and pieces but the RRFC, as Takru likes to call it, appears to be the original source of our problems and why we were contracted. Between our own work, and the coordinated work of the local police, we have five people in custody facing formal charges and another two pending. What makes this group difficult to track is there is little to no overlap in those people’s normal lives or routines. They have two things in common: they love Rebecca Ravenswell, and they believe that Tatiana’s concert must be canceled for their favorite diva to rise again. This is not a rational business discussion; it is not as if there are any producers lining up to put on a live show of Rebecca’s. Instead this is more of a cult following. Yet someone has to be organizing them; their actions show a great deal of planning. Many of the people were involved in aspects of the planning that were finished months later by a different party. Someone is running the show, and we need to find who that is or, at the very least, snatch up all their puppets before they cause any more problems.”

  “Oh yeah, I almost forgot…”

  That got a laugh out of everyone. Trevor never forgot anything.

  “We still have no solid connection with the gunman with either of the two parties. The gunman has been cooperating, but he does not know who hired him. Very professional. Just in case things were looking too cut and dry! Well, that is about it. If you have any questions, text ‘em in and I’ll post a giant response to all of them later today. Good day and good hunting!”

  “And all of this is complicated as Tatiana likes being in and among her fans,” observed Tazo to Edward. “I can see why having an exceptional Silver was deemed paramount to success. Who else could work that close, with that little warning, and still protect the client?”

  Edward blew a raspberry, “Flattery will get you nowhere.”

  Tazo smiled, “If that constitutes flattery, you would be deeply embarrassed to hear Kadu talk of you. She calls you ‘little brother’?”

  Edward laughed, “I can’t escape from her, can I? Yeah, I’d started calling her ‘big sister’ not too long ago. I guess it struck a tone with her.”

  “She has no biological brothers,” Tazo beamed.

  “I didn’t know that. Quite honestly, I’m embarrassed how little I knew about her after having served together for almost a year.” Suddenly Edward’s comlink chirped. He looked down at it with no small amount of dread before finally clicking on it. “Edward here, what blew up?”

  The sound of Trevor laughing came in over the link, “Well I don’t think it is that bad. Calling to see if you are up for having a guest over for a day later this week.”

  “Um, do I get to know who, or do I just have to say ‘yes or no’ in the dark?” asked a confused Edward.

  Trevor laughed again, “Sorry about that. It’s your brother Llewellyn.”

  That threw Edward for a loop; Llewellyn was hardly ever off planet. What could be up? “Why is he out and about?”

  “You could ask him,” suggested Trevor.

  Edward laughed, “Okay, sure. All else fails that will be the most secure day ever.”

  “I do hope no one tries anything when he shows. I’m not sure the governor wants any new parks in the middle of town,” murmured Trevor. “Well, I’ll pass that back up the chain. Out.”

  “Out,” replied Edward.

  “I do not mean to pry, but are you and your brother on uneven terms,” asked Tazo carefully.

  Edward smiled, “No, no. That is a fair question; we are generally on good terms. He keeps trying to get me to resign and start a family, and I want to keep pushing myself.” Edward paused as he thought a bit, “That’s odd, I haven’t really given much thought to the whole ‘High Silver’ thing in some time.”

  “Is that good?”

  Edward laughed, “My brother would say so. I’m not sure. I’m going to have to do some serious thinking about that. Am I wasting my time? Have I lost my focus? Have I gotten distracted?”

  “From what I have read of the after-action reports, you seem to be operating at top form. It does not appear that you are ‘slacking’ in any sense of the word.”

  “I appreciate that, but have you ever read the reports of my brothers in action?”

  “You have multiple brothers, yes? Which one?”

  Edward snorted, “Any of them.” No, Tazo deserved better than bitter sarcasm. “Pull the after action review of volunteer mission for the rescue and reprisal following the murder of Ambassador Helen of the Highlands. Both of my brothers were involved in that; it will give you a rough idea of what it means to be a ‘High Silver.’”

  Tazo nodded, “I will indeed look into that.” He stared across the crowd of performers, “They have stopped. Is there a problem?”

  Edward looked up and laughed, “Nope, just the fourth number coming back to bite their tails. It is a difficult piece. They keep getting better, but the closer they get to opening day, the closer to perfection Gillian expects!”

  “That seems reasonable. So the principals are into rote repetition while the others recuperate?”

  “Correct.” Edward scanned the group. Sure enough Zoë was sitting on the sidelines. “If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to go talk with someone.” Edward didn’t wait for a response; he quickly made his way over to the side and next to Zoë. “Hello, Zoë. Can we talk?”

  Zoë beamed back at him, “Of course! What is on your mind?”

  Edward fidgeted with his tail as his color started to slowly cycle.

  Zoë grinned broadly, “Oh, this is about Tatiana, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, but… Actually it is about all three of us.”

  Zoë giggled, “I was curious who was going to bring that up first. Tatiana wants you to dump me?” she asked, suddenly concerned.

  Edward shook his head, “She hasn’t said a thing. I’m just trying to figure out what the heck we are all doing. I mean, back in the Highlands this wouldn’t be much of anything to speak of, but…”

  “We aren’t in the Highlands,” chuckled Zoë. She reached over and beeped him on the nose and laughed as his fur stood on end. “You are the nicest person I’ve ever been with, ever. That is a simple fact. This is also the strangest relationship I’ve ever been in, bar none!” Zoë smiled. “But you know what? I don’t care. Maybe I’m channeling some Highland ancestor from five hundred years ago. Maybe it’s just because my own ‘traditional’ family I grew up in was such a horrid mess. But I’m comfortable with our current arrangement. You appeared to be comfortable with it. Someone comb your fur backwards about it all?”

  “Mom just wanted to make sure I thought things through. And she’s right: I hadn’t thought much about it. Kinda normal for Highlanders, but as you both pointed out, you two aren’t Highlanders and this isn’t Afon.”

  Zoë laughed, “Yeah, well Mom is trying to look out for everyone. And she is correct: I’m not sure any of us have thought this through very well.” Zoë stared Edward square in the eyes, “Would you be willing to give up the Highlands for us?”

  Edward grinned, “That’s a big step. A few months ago the thought wouldn’t have even crossed my mind. Part of me hopes I wouldn’t have to make that choice. I know that is selfish. But I’m beginning to think that I might just be willing to do that.”

  “I really like you. I want you. But I think Tatiana needs you. She has crap for friends; most of them are sycophants. Her mom has been dead for years, and while Gillian is doing a great job, it’s never the same. And when is the last time you heard her talk about her father? You come from a strong family. Strong and focused. She needs that. I don’t want to let go of you, but it may be that she needs you more than I do. Now that is me being selfish.”

&n
bsp; “Ouch. Um, well I don’t want to let go of either of you.”

  “It’s all a big mess, eh?” grinned Zoë.

  “Yes, ma’am.

  “It’s okay, we’ll work it out together. Just promise me one thing.”

  “Sure. What’s that?”

  “Just be honest. To her, to me, to yourself.”

  Edward smiled, “That sounds like something Kadu would have said.”

  “Does it make it any less appropriate?”

  “No, maybe more so.” Edward nodded, “I’ll do my best to be honest to all of us.”

  Zoë smiled, “Good! Now go! Tazo is looking confused.”

  Edward turned to look and sure enough, there stood Tazo. He looked like a dog that had just heard a high pitched noise that he couldn’t locate. Edward laughed, “I better go rescue him. Thanks Zoë.”

  “Thank you, Edward,” smiled Zoë. “Your fur is still on end!” she whispered back. “You might want to do something about that!”

  Edward scampered back to Tazo as he fought to get his fur under control, “Are you okay Tazo?”

  “Yes, indeed. I was worried about you. You were showing all the secondary characteristics of someone under great stress, in great fear, yet the source of the emotional turmoil appeared to be the young lady. The same young lady… that was with us this morning.”

  Edward gritted his teeth, “I was hoping my nervousness was not quite so obvious. I guess I failed at that.”

  “Did she threaten you?”

  Edward lost it on that one, “Not hardly.”

  Edward nervously bided his time for the lunch break and then did his best to thread through the throngs of hangers-on and sycophants to approach Tatiana. Gillian caught sight and interceded, “Okay, move people. Security needs to brief the client.” It seemed obvious to Edward from Gillian’s grin that ‘security’ wasn’t exactly the point of the discussion.

  “Um, you have time to talk?” asked Edward nervously.

  “Sure!” responded Tatiana all aglow. Suddenly she soaked in Edward’s nervous state and became nervous herself, “Oh crap! I saw you talking with Zoë earlier; she didn’t dump you did she?”

  Edward was taken aback, “Huh? Oh, no! Nothing like that!”

  Tatiana relaxed visibly, “Good, good! Made me nervous there! So what is on your mind?”

  “Um, I’m trying to figure out what is going on with us. As in all three of us. Back in the Highlands this would be no big deal…”

  “But we aren’t in the Highlands,” finished Tatiana with a laugh. She stared at the ceiling and thought a bit, “Every boyfriend I’ve ever had has ended up cheating on me. I’ve never been dumped, just cheated on.”

  Edward was more than a little confused, “So this is sort of cheating to start with?”

  Tatiana grinned, “I was curious if that was what I was doing, just picking out who was cheating with whom to save me the trouble and embarrassment from finding out later. Nope. I wasn’t setting myself up for failure. I’m just more comfortable with both of you around. You are more than a little intense as a person. I’m not sure I’m strong enough on my own. Heaven knows I’d like to, but as much as I’d love to be with you, Zoë needs to be with you. Her family is dysfunctional at best, she has to fight at every corner to stand on her own, and she busts her furry tail just as much to care for her brother as her family won’t. She could really use a strong person like you. Someone with a strong sense of family. My problem is, I’m too much of a diva to hand you over; I want you too!”

  Edward stared square into Tatiana’s eyes. “Less than an hour ago, I got to hear that exact same speech just worded the other way around. But she didn’t use the word ‘diva’.”

  Tatiana giggled and stared at her toes as she wiggled them like a school girl, “Yeah, well, I guess my own family isn’t sunshine and roses either. The short of it is, I don’t know what to do. I like the current arrangement and am loathe to change it.”

  Edward smiled, “That makes three of us. But that is just putting off difficult questions.”

  “Like questions about families and things. And who moves where… The little Gruaer kid, Moira, her parents move back and forth from the Highlands all the time…” Tatiana wrinkled her nose, “No. On second thought, I think that is just dodging the question.” Tatiana shrugged, “I don’t know what to do, but I have an idea.”

  “And that is?”

  “We talk about it together.”

  “That sounds like an excellent plan,” interjected Gillian.

  Tatiana stared over at Gillian in horror, “How long have you been listening in?”

  “From the start. Moms do that,” Gillian grinned.

  25

  “Gigi is already in place?” asked Edward over the comlink. They were less than two minutes out from a “private” dinner party being thrown by a visiting music mogul, Clarence York. While Gillian was producing Tatiana’s current show and was her agent as well, if she wanted to make a splash off planet, Mr. York was definitely capable of making that happen. The dinner party itself didn’t bother Edward so much in itself; indeed, most of the talking was going to end up being between Gillian and Clarence. The problem was that it had been announced in the local media. That meant fans and lots of them. It also opened the possibility for the RRFC to strike.

  “Mr. York invited her along for drinks,” laughed Trevor. “She is in deep cover. We also have two people in as staff; try not to make eye contact. Paul is covering the front of the building. Jake is ten minutes out; he’ll be watching the roof and adjacent buildings. Lucas and Alex are both casing the crowd outside the building.”

  Lucas. Edward had only met him in passing. He was new to the group but was a Highlander, a Silver, and Takru spoke for him; that was plenty well good enough for him. “Tatiana wants to work the crowd, so I’m hanging close to her. Can we get Alex in close?”

  “Will do. Anything else? I see you in front of the building.”

  “Nope, thanks. Out.”

  “Out.”

  Edward nodded to Tatiana, “Mingle, have fun. But if there is any push at all, we cut it short. Okay?”

  Tatiana nodded. She was getting used to the seriousness of the situations, but she still didn’t like them.

  “Gillian and Zoë, stay close to Tazo and link up Alex and Meeka. Tazo, once they are well inside, then and only then, come back and link up with me. I’ll have Lucas to help in the meantime.”

  “Aren’t you glad you don’t have screaming fans?” Gillian asked Zoë.

  “I think they’d be really cool, for about five minutes. And then they’d creep me out,” replied Zoë with a grin. “I’m not quite the people person Tatiana is.”

  Tatiana beamed honestly, “But it is so much fun!”

  The door to the armored car opened and Edward had to work hard to make sure he was out before Tatiana. She was in high form and soaking up the crowd. The reception had been delayed a week, and she was making up lost time as she waded into the crowd. Edward pressed tight against her as he strained his senses to keep up with the ebb and flow of the crowd. It seemed like ages before Tazo finally returned, and Edward took some amusement that the Shukurae, even at almost three meters in height, had a hard time wading through the crowd. Tatiana could have easily spent an hour out front, meeting people and signing autographs, but Edward kept her slowly moving forward, and eventually they made it to the doors of the restaurant.

  Edward was glad to link back up with Zoë and Gillian, and he was amused to notice that Tatiana actually had to stop and catch her breath. Working the crowd was harder work than he thought! She quickly caught her breath and the four of them, with Tazo following discretely in the distance, presented themselves to the waiting maître d’.

  They were quickly led past a great long sparkling dining hall to a large private room in the back. Great glass doors swung open as they approached to reveal a lavish room with a long central dining table and a series of smaller tables and chairs comfortably set to the side.
Mr. York was waiting for them while Gigi giggled, sucking down a cocktail and hanging off his arm. A stern looking lady stood at the far end of the table and watched them with unwavering eyes and her tail swished suspiciously as they entered.

  York quickly approached and shook hands with Gillian, “Good evening, Gillian. I’m glad you and your client could make it on such short notice.”

  Gillian smiled broadly, “Glad to meet you again! We are glad you could take time out of your busy schedule to see us. I do believe the last time you were here was what, three years ago?”

  York smiled and nodded to Tatiana, “And my, has she grown since! No longer the novel young girl with the magic voice; now you have the figure and stage presence to go with it.”

  Tatiana ear’s flushed and her fur stood on end, “Thank you, Mr. York.”

  “I don’t think she had noticed the transition,” joked Gillian.

  “And these other two are?”

  “This is Zoë Sylva,” began Gillian formally. “She sings duet, plays piano and violin, and is also Tatiana’s flatmate.”

  “Duets don’t do well. People come to either see a band as a unit or a solo artist,” snapped the stern lady in the back.

  “Then we will be blazing new territory, now won’t we,” Gillian fired back.

  Mr. York smiled, “You must forgive Mrs. Thatcher. She is practical to a fault. But I do confess, I have never lost money following her advice.” He stared square into Tatiana’s eyes, “So where do you stand? With Zoë or Mrs. Thatcher?”

  “Mrs. Thatcher can go politely hit the roof,” replied Tatiana evenly.

  “Excellent pun, young lady. But youthful spite is best put behind you. If you want to make it big off world, you would be advised to listen to your elders.”

  “Gillian is my elder.”

  Mr. York smiled again, “Touché! Gillian, you have a live wire there! If cultivated, that can work well.” He wrinkled his nose as he looked over Edward. Edward was sharply dressed, but his attire was obviously out of fashion with the rest of room, “And you are, sir?”