“We will speak further on this in a moment, Gabriela,” Gaul said wearily. “For now, I’m afraid that duty calls you away, Alistair.”
“Of course it does,” Alistair said. “What do you need me to do, boss?”
“Chandi Tuesday is presently in Emily Muir’s hands, at the Far Shores,” Gaul said. “She is perhaps the last talented precognitive available to interested parties.”
“Yes.”
“I do not expect you to bring her here, because I have foreseen that happening of its own volition. What I want you to do is to occupy the Auditors for a suitable amount of time, while I am otherwise engaged.”
“All of the Auditors single-handed,” Alistair mused. “You do have high expectations, don’t you?”
“I expect more still. Egill has rather rashly gone after Miss Tuesday, though I assured him that another opportunity would present itself. I wanted you to make sure nothing happens to Egill. In order to preserve the illusion of your loyalties being with the Anathema for as long as possible, I expect you to act as if you are representing John Parson. You will oppose Egill credibly, while of course refraining from inflicting any serious injury.”
“Wow, boss. Fight the Auditors, fight your nephew – but don’t hurt him – convince Emily Muir that I’m working for our mutual former employer…that’s a tall order. I’ll do all of it, of course, but I will expect this to be considered in my favor.”
Gaul considered him for a time.
“Gabriela?” Gaul called out. “Come here, please.”
She approached obediently.
“Yes, Uncle?”
“Alistair is not appropriately attired as a member of the Thule Cartel,” Gaul said. “I have always despised his habit of foregoing his tie. I believe you will find the tie we provided him in his breast pocket. Please assist Alistair, would you?”
Gabriela hesitated only a moment, but Alistair noticed it, and that recognition thrilled him.
He grinned as she took the tie from his pocket, and then flipped up his collar, fitting the tie on him from behind. Each of her movements was deft and considerate, and her chest scraped against the back of his neck as she worked.
“You’re good at this,” Alistair remarked as she finished the half-Windsor knot. “I like that.”
She said nothing as she finished.
“You look the part, now,” Gaul said, as she stepped away. “Do I have my distraction, Alistair?”
“Whatever you need, boss,” Alistair said, winking at Gabriela. “Think nothing of it.”
Twenty-Two
Day Five
Lord North led the way through the brush, his gun resting on his shoulder, stomping through the high grass and glossy shrubs with an unlit cigar clamped between his teeth. Kevin Morales-North kept pace just behind his father, a gun bag in his arms, his ample frame making a broad path through the scrub. Nathan Drava brought up the rear, panting a bit at the pace, a scoped rifle slung over his shoulder.
“This way, boys,” Henry North said jovially. “The creek is just down there.”
The path down the slope was little more than a faint track in the dirt, frequently blocked by bushes or swollen tree branches, and the grade was steep. Henry bounded down the hill without regard or incident, his son Kevin following at an only somewhat more thoughtful pace, though with similar grace. Nathan had more trouble, sliding down a gravelly patch near the bottom of the hill and taking the skin off one of his palms.
Fortunately, Lord North and his son were far enough ahead that they did not seem to notice, though Nathan nearly had to run to catch back up with them, punctured by thorns and scratched by branches the whole way.
Henry kept that pace until they reached a noisy little brook, and then, mercifully, he called a halt.
“It’s just ahead,” Henry said, taking a swig from his canteen. “On the other side of those trees. We can rest here for a few minutes. We still have a little time.”
“Your wife’s prescience seems like an almost unfair advantage,” Nathan said, lowering himself gratefully onto a flat rock. “It feels like cheating.”
“A hunt is no different than a war, young Lord Drava,” Henry said, amused. “All is fair.”
“Of course, sir,” Nathan said hurriedly. “I meant no offense.”
“None was taken. You are right, of course. I owe much of my success to my wife’s support,” Henry said. “Each member of my family plays a crucial role in my operations.”
Kevin smiled, but said nothing, continuing the process of setting up a small camp stove on level ground not far from the creek.
“That’s part of why I invited you boys to join me shooting today,” Lord North said. “The North Cartel and its allies are in ascendance, gentlemen, and I’m not done yet. Not by half. By the end of the month, we will be in firm control of Central. You see, I had a conversation with the Director this morning.”
“I saw her come in,” Kevin said, lighting the burner. “What was that about?”
“Ms. Levy is in difficult situation, and requires my assistance to resolve it,” Henry said, taking Kevin’s lighter and using it on his cigar. “In return for a consideration or two, of course. I’m the new Chief Administrator of Central, effective at nine in the A.M. tomorrow.”
Henry grinned at their confusion and disbelief.
“Are you serious?” Kevin spilled the water he had collected in his tin cup back into the creek. “Dad, that’s crazy!”
“Congratulations on your new position, Lord North,” Nathan said. “I can hardly believe it.”
“As you mentioned yourself, being married to a precognitive tends to leave one forewarned and forearmed,” Henry said, puffing on his cigar and feeling in remarkably good humor. “My new responsibilities are vast, and my position precludes me from playing a direct role in cartel affairs. There’s room at the top, boys, and I plan to see if you can fill it.”
Kevin and Nathan looked at each other openly for the first time. It was obvious to Lord North that Kevin did not like the new Lord Drava or appreciate his presence here. It was clear that Kevin considered Nathan a threat, in the way that he squared his shoulders, and carefully interspersed himself between the stranger and his father.
Nathan was more difficult to read, given his unfamiliarity and general air of uneasiness.
Still, they did not immediately try to kill each other.
That was a good enough place to start.
“There are big things in store for all of us, gentlemen. I’m aware that you don’t know each other well at all, but you will have to trust my judgement, and therefore trust each other, because you will be working together, and more than that,” Henry explained, mystifying his audience. “Let’s start from the top, shall we? I’m expecting you to take charge of the cartel, Kevin. The alliance must hold a vote to confirm your appointment to the office, of course, but I have the votes to assure your ascension.”
“I will of course cast my vote for you,” Nathan said, bowing slightly to Kevin. “Congratulations, Lord North.”
“Thanks. I mean that,” Kevin said, his eyes huge. “I…I don’t know what to say, Dad. Thank you! I’m overwhelmed.”
“Not as much as you are about to be,” Henry said, his expression becoming somber. “It’s not all good news, son. You are to be the head of a Great Family. The office comes with all sorts of responsibilities, and first among them is matrimony. This isn’t a job for a single man.”
Kevin straightened up and balled his fists, summoning his courage, and Henry felt a bit of parental pride mixed in with the frustration.
“You know that I’m in love with Collette Higgins,” Kevin said, his cracking voice betraying a lack of maturity. “I request permission to…”
“Denied,” Henry said quickly. “I very much like Collette, son. You know that.”
“Then why can’t I just ask? I’m certain she’ll accept, and you know she’ll do a good job.”
“Collette is the third daughter of a minor house that has b
een allied to the North Cartel for decades,” Lord North explained, doing his best to be gentle. “Your marriage to her does nothing for the cartel, and if you want to be Lord North, then you need to put the cartel first. In everything. You know that. I warned you, when I first became aware of your relationship.”
“Yes, but this isn’t fair,” Kevin said, clearly distressed. “You can’t ask me to do this!”
“I can and will. You are free to refuse, of course,” Henry said. “You will also be refusing the office, though, if you choose Collette. I have another marriage in mind for you, son. One that will benefit the North Cartel, and yourself as well, though I’m certain you can’t see that right now. A match befitting the Lord of a Great House and my heir.”
There was no mollifying his son with praise or promises of power and glory, but Henry knew that it couldn’t hurt, either. Kevin was listening and controlling himself, though he nearly shook with agitation. Henry was proud of his son’s self-control, and accordingly dampened his frustration.
“I’m not agreeing to anything,” Kevin said. “But who do you have in mind?”
“Emily Muir,” Henry said, enjoying the stunned silence for a moment before continuing. “There will be a period of courtship first, of course, and steps will be taken to improve her public standing.”
“You must be kidding,” Kevin said, eyes bulging with disbelief. “The Muir Cartel has been dissolved in disgrace! What could she possibly do for us?”
“Miss Muir has organized a not-inconsiderable force of her own, and is in material control of the Far Shores,” Henry explained. “I plan to make that situation official, once I become Chief Administrator, as well as allowing her the resumption of her family’s title and estate.”
“This is insane,” Kevin said. “I won’t do it.”
“You will be in control of the Hegemony, while she has the Far Shores,” Henry explained patiently. “With myself as Chief Administrator, we will have Central almost entirely under our control, save only the Academy. Can you imagine it? The Black Sun will not even have a foothold.”
“What are you talking about? Emily Muir? She’s nothing, dad,” Kevin said angrily. “What does mom have to say about all of this?”
“Perhaps I should leave the two of you alone,” Nathan suggested. “I could take a short walk, while you work this out.”
“You will stay, Nathan, and help us through this,” Henry said mildly. “It is important to stand by your family.”
The boys exchanged another look of bewilderment, and Henry almost laughed.
Sofia and Madison had warned him not to, during a family telepathic conference the previous night, so he did not. It was a close thing, however.
“I’m not certain I understand, sir,” Nathan said, eyes darting from father to son. “What do you mean?”
“You are both to advance, Lord Drava, yourself and my son alike. There are two offices at stake, today, and two marriages to be planned.”
Kevin’s eyes widened.
Nathan just looked confused.
“Sofia has very firm ideas on her daughter’s development, so marriage will have to wait until Madison is sixteen,” Henry said, putting out his cigar on the rock beside him. “The engagement, however, will take place this afternoon. A formal courtship is to be expected between her debut and her sixteenth birthday, but the arrangement will have already been made. You will continue to hold the office of Lord Drava, of course, but you will join the North family and take our name alongside your own. You will second my son Kevin when he ascends and act as his lieutenant and representative in the Assembly.”
The boys considered each other, reassessing each other in light of the new information.
Lord North permitted himself a smile.
“Once we have settled the matter of the Thule Cartel, the Hegemony will naturally fall under our control,” Henry said. “That will require still more change. You will not be head of our alliance long, Kevin, as you will be voted into a new office just as soon as I can organize the vote. Which means that you will advance yet again, Lord Drava. When the Hegemony elects Kevin as its first unified leader, our alliance will require a new leader as well.”
Kevin was still lost, but Nathan was an ambitious young man, and had already made up his mind.
“I would be honored to request your daughter’s hand in marriage,” Nathan said, lowering his head reverently. “I assure you that I will be the very model of the ideal husband for Madison.”
“Dad, she’s just a kid!” Kevin was shouting, advancing on his father with a distraught expression. “You can’t do this! Mom would never agree, and Madison…”
“Your mother has already approved of both unions, as you must know. Sofia and I act in concert in this,” Henry said, curbing most, but not all, of his annoyance. “As for Madison, I spoke with your sister this morning. She is her mother’s daughter in every way, Kevin. She agreed immediately, without argument or complaint.”
Kevin hesitated, filled with unfocused anger.
“What about Emily Muir, then?” Kevin demanded. “What will she think of all of this?”
“Officially, Miss Muir has declined to state her opinion until a sincere attempt at courtship is made,” Henry said approvingly, remembering the polite and surprisingly challenging telepathic negotiation he had completed just that morning. “Unofficially, she is amenable to the arrangement, assuming you do a sufficient job of publicly wooing her, to enhance and endorse her new position.”
“This makes no sense,” Kevin objected. “The Far Shores is an Audits facility and a science base under the direct control of the Administration. If you are the Chief Administrator of Central, Dad, then you’ve already got it!”
“Not without a fight, I’m afraid,” Henry said. “Miss Muir is quite entrenched in her position, and she has cultivated a number of valuable allies and subordinates. An alliance with her is preferable to a conflict. The Black Sun is enemy enough, I think.”
“I…I don’t know,” Kevin said, gnashing his teeth. “I’ll have to talk to Collette.”
“No, son,” Henry said, being as gentle as was possible. “I believe you when you say that you love her. Madison has confirmed as much. I also know that Miss Higgins has feelings for you. Accordingly, you will not see each other again. Your mother has already spoken to Miss Higgins. She is to be transferred and promoted. She’ll be better off than she was before, I promise.”
“No! I at least need to talk to her!” Kevin wailed. “What will she think of me if I just disappear?”
“Miss Higgins has always impressed me as a professional, and your mother shares that opinion,” Henry said. “Miss Higgins has agreed to the arrangement and offered her congratulations on your impending engagement – though she has no idea who the bride will be, of course. That’s not information to share until we have established Miss Muir a bit more. Miss Higgins understands that she has a place in the world, and that it differs from your own. I think that there is a lesson for you to learn from her wisdom, Kevin.”
“This is mad,” Kevin said, sitting down heavily. “Utterly mad.”
“I have more to offer,” Henry said. “It’s highly irregular, I understand, but Miss Muir’s father was cruelly murdered, and she is alone in the world, as is the young Lord Drava, so I will be providing a pair of dowries, to ease you both on your way.”
“I am grateful, Lord North,” Nathan said smoothly. “You are too kind.”
“What dowry?” Kevin asked. “What are you talking about, Dad?”
“The Thule Cartel holdings are extensive,” Lord North explained. “Half of it will be used to make restitution with Anastasia Martynova, among other concessions. The remaining portion will be split evenly between your brides in perpetuity, on condition of continued marriage, and therefore added to your extensive portfolios.”
He listened to the creek while they let that sink in.
The Thule holdings were truly considerable, after all.
“What do you thin
k?” Nathan extended his hand to Kevin. “Will you have me as your brother? I swear that you will not regret it.”
Kevin regarded Nathan soberly, and Henry’s heart swelled with pride.
After long consideration, Kevin took Nathan’s hand, and then pulled him into an embrace. He pounded his back, staring at Henry the whole time with furious eyes.
Lord North smiled at his son, soon to be Lord North in his stead.
“We did not come just to talk,” Henry said lightly. “Would the two of you care for a little light recreational shooting, to commemorate the occasion?”
He led the way, paralleling the slope, crossing the creek and then winding around scanty elms and blighted oaks, the ground littered with brown leaves kissed by white mold. Experienced hunters all, they made little noise as they advanced through the dying wood, afflicted with borer beetle and withered by stream diversion.
There was a final line of trees, green and living, and then they turned left and went up the ridge hard for a hundred meters, Nathan red and gasping for air by the time they reached the crest.
There was a blind waiting there, prepared quite recently, though the smell suggested some animal occupancy in the interval since it was built. Henry slid into the blind without a second thought, and the boys followed more reluctantly. There was enough space in there for twice their number, and four shooting slots to choose from.
They took position and readied their guns.
The wait was not long.
Their view was entirely unimpeded, and they arrived slightly before the cars pulled into the drive that the blind overlooked. Guards emerged from the first car and secured the area, but they paid no attention to the ridge above the house.
The remainder of the convoy was empty.
Peter Weathers and his wife, Victoria, supervised the unloading of the vehicles into their country home, while their son stood guard, along with a handful of armed security.
“They evacuated their estate this morning,” Lord North said. “They plan to hide their noncombatants here for the duration.”
The Church of Sleep (Central Series Book 5) Page 59