Jorge sat saying nothing, nursing his anger.
Antonio’s mouth tightened as he stared off into space. And what of my Luisa? Have I been a fool?
Chapter 30
World View
Paris to Miami
Avery was waiting for her flight to Miami at Charles de Gaulle Airport. She looked down at her hand luggage and for a moment felt like a homeless vagabond. It clashed with the reality of how her life was developing. When she recognized the feeling, she wondered if it had something to do with having a new family—one still in discovery.
It had been a breathtaking few days. She had come to Paris for her work and found herself in conversation with women from an organization called Andromeda. She’d been forced to recognize she had security guards at her heels or lurking in the shadows. And, of course, she had been made aware that there might be entirely different people lurking in those shadows, as well.
And then she found she had a birth mother she hadn’t known existed which unleashed a flood of bewildering emotions she was trying to contain. It felt like her life was no longer her own.
She shut down her mental meanderings and pulled out her tablet to tour the news channels. It was a distressingly busy day. Some of it was old news. There was more and more data about climate change and the usual crowd of deniers.
More alarming were stories about an array of crises. One reporter commented on the similarities to the period before World War I when interlocking and conflicting alliances had led to an eruption no one intended. The Middle East was still in crisis, populations were fleeing brutal uprisings in Africa, and Asia seemed bent on confrontations over minor territorial disputes.
But what really caught her attention were the stories that on the surface looked more pedestrian. Many had a business element, which made her think of the Overlord enterprises and economic manipulations. In contrast, formerly powerless workers in large corporations were striking and standing up against what they saw as their servitude. Wage demands were being issued.
She saw another theme in the spiking of commodity prices, which seemed to be speculative and based in events that couldn’t be assessed. Huge profits were being made, even as the poor of the world were suffering. Riots in Third World countries were becoming commonplace and threatening governmental stability. Now that she was attending, she could see that the disorders were spasmodic. They would spike and then subside for a time. An inherent instability was slowly becoming commonplace. Even the stability of the European Union seemed to be threatened. The financial world was at risk as yet another crisis with derivatives was revealed.
She also noted a more hopeful theme. Women were demanding their rights, and finding sisterhood and success across the world. They were experiencing resistance, but the stories of stirrings of demand and successes were inspiring.
At last her flight was called. She snatched up her bag and ran to the line.
Once on the Air France jet, she put her noise-canceling earphones in place, tucked her legs up under her, burrowed her head into a pillow, and fell instantly asleep.
In Miami, outside of customs, she caught sight of Beck. Her first thought was a longed-for embrace. The second, What now?
Chapter 31
Portent
Miami, Florida
Avery sat bolt upright in bed—terrified. In a dream, she decided to return to the waters off Alexandria. She felt she was being beckoned. There in the distance were the pillars and waiting for her was the woman with the luminous eyes. But this time, rather than the woman holding the child, the child was gamboling about in the water, full of life and energy. To Avery it felt like a reunion. The woman’s eyes conveyed a welcome and Avery anticipated a grand adventure. Then came a deep moan, similar to what she had heard at Laguna, but more intense. The woman’s eyes bulged in terror, and she and the child were torn apart by a black boiling tide. Avery’s heart was pounding as she awoke.
Her movement awakened Beck. “You okay?”
“No! I had a terrible nightmare.”
Beck tried to hold her and reassure her, but she could still feel the relentless energy of the boiling tide.
Finally she got up and watched the sun peek over the horizon. Most mornings it would have been a welcome sight, but this morning her eye was drawn to a thunderstorm to the south. The lightning illuminated the clouds in a way that evoked a sense of terrible power. A waterspout materialized and dipped into the ocean. So much energy. For what?
She turned around to Beck, who was lying in bed watching her.
“Is there something I can do for you, Avery?”
Her hands had been at her throat and now she threw them down, palms out. “I hate this! I feel like I’m in a shower of portents or something. And portents don’t come with written instructions.” Tears welled in her eyes.
Beck tried to quell his own fears. “Come sit with me. Let’s work on this together.”
She ran to the bed and his arms. “That helps, Beck. You listen to my outbursts and don’t dismiss me or them.”
“I hope you understand how much you mean to me and how happy I am I’ve found you.”
“I feel the same way.” She circled his neck with her arms. “I’ve come to trust you so much.” She smiled. “Thank you for being who you are.”
“We’re in this together, Avery. And, you’re right, there’s no manual. We’re going to have to figure it out on our own.”
Avery laughed. “That’s an understatement. Our former worlds aren’t just gone—they’ve been replaced by who knows what. You being here helps more than you can know. Thank you for putting up with my little volcano.”
Now it was Beck’s turn to laugh. “You often express for both of us. Your volcano, including your passions, enriches my world.”
“Well, enjoy the ride because I don’t think I’m going to become Miss Quiet Complacency anytime soon.”
“Deal.”
“What disturbed me was that the dream didn’t feel like a dream. It felt like a premonition.”
“With what you’re finding out, I think all bets are off. I believe in your intuitions. And then there’s Covel. Evan’s hardly at the office lately and we don’t know why. So I’m going to use his absence to poke around. Almost everyone at work is preoccupied or in hiding. Without direction they don’t know what to do. It’s a good cover for me.”
“Please be careful, Beck. I really, really, really don’t want to lose you.”
He wanted to reassure Avery, but inside he was wondering how much longer they could continue their lives as they had been. What Beck wanted more than anything was to make them both secure. He reached out and she fell into his arms.
“Let’s skip breakfast,” she said. “How about dessert?”
Chapter 32
She’s Not Stupid, Antonio
Rome, Italy
When Antonio returned from Miami, he threw himself back into work, but some things that Evan had said kept coming back into his thoughts. He began to evaluate the resources at his disposal to seek information on the people who were interfering with his business. His goal, he decided, was to find out who they were first. He believed a planned attack on known adversaries was more effective than simply trying to build a defense.
He made phone calls to his contacts in several businesses. They would pass on not just what they knew but also what they suspected.
Then Luisa came to mind. She had lulled him with her innocent ways, but what he had learned from Evan demanded his attention. She had been gone a lot on what she claimed was family business. Then the obvious felt like a punch in the gut. There was a relationship between Luisa and the two women who had attacked his colleagues. Could he be in danger? As much as it pained him, in view of the attacks on Sergey and Evan, he concluded Luisa needed to be removed. He tried to convince himself he was getting tired of her anyway. Although she was endearing, he could easily find another attractive and eager playmate.
In Paris Brig
id was preoccupied with Adelais and Avery when it struck her. Her plan for Evan might have an effect she should have anticipated. Evan was close to Antonio and that put Luisa in danger. She picked up her cell.
“Kitten. Normally I would be more discrete but there’s no time. I’ll accept no questions and I’m deeply embarrassed. There’s been too much going on and I should have thought of you sooner. You’re in danger and must leave Rome at once—for good.”
Luisa knew better than to question the woman whose voice she knew so well. She began to assemble her core essential belongings. Just the basics.
Shortly after Luisa had ended her call with Brigid, Antonio summoned her to his office. “Luisa, I have some important papers which I need taken to Florence. I would appreciate it if you would take them yourself.”
He handed her a well-sealed packet.
“As you wish, Antonio. I have friends there I can visit.”
Brigid’s call had been timely and Antonio’s request was unusual. While finishing her packing, Luisa stopped and looked out across the gardens she loved so much. She would miss the villa and the gardens. It was clear she would be traveling light and would not return. Still curious, she decided to get confirmation and picked up her cell to make a call. A few minutes later, a return call came in. The person merely said, “No such address.”
Luisa loaded her things into the Alfa and focused on a swift trip up the autostrada.
Her choice of vehicle pleased Antonio. He considered the Alfa expendable, since he preferred his Ferrari.
As Luisa entered the autostrada, she noted she was joined by a large van with dark windows that stayed at a discreet distance behind her. After a while they entered a section with tight curves, and the van overtook her at high speed. It cut in sharply. Fortunately, Luisa was a skilled driver. She braked severely and spun the Alfa to escape the van. Another van behind her shot in on the tail of the offending vehicle. From the side, it rammed the other van in the rear. Spinning around, it flew off the road, cascaded down the hill, and burst into flames. Both the remaining van and the Alfa accelerated and disappeared.
“It’s always nice to have an escort!” Luisa shouted in triumph.
Near Florence she pulled into a Grillade rest stop. Her companion van idled nearby as she exited the Alfa, taking Antonio’s packet with her. A dark-red Maserati pulled up next to her. A woman motioned her inside. One of the women in the van went to the Alfa, entered it for a moment, and then returned to the van. The two vehicles pulled back onto the autostrada, accelerating to breathtaking speed. Once Luisa was settled in the car, she ripped open the packet. She was not surprised to see nothing but blank paper.
She turned to the driver, her eyes alight. “I’m glad I called you.”
“Looks like we need to arrange for your disappearance,” came the reply.
Luisa thought about the Alfa. “Nice car. I’ll miss it.”
A few minutes later, the Alfa burst into flames in the Grillade parking lot.
To her driver, Luisa said, “I would love to see the look on Antonio’s face when he tries to figure out what happened.” To herself she said, It’s a message, Antonio. See how nice I am? I could have taken your beloved Ferrari.
Chapter 33
Mobilization Needed
Viareggio, Italy
Philippa’s travel in behalf of her work for women’s health care was often exhausting, and now she had new worries which kept her preoccupied. Home at last she was relaxing in the morning sun by the pool, looking out across the Mediterranean. It was a lovely peaceful day without a cloud in the sky. She was thinking about Avery and was hopeful for her relationship even as fraught as their meeting in Paris had been. She knew there might be difficult days ahead, but at least they had a beginning.
Her cell chirped. With misgivings she picked it up. “Pronto?”
“Good morning, Philippa. I hope I’m not disturbing you.”
Philippa could easily read the tension in the voice. She lied, “Not at all. I have nothing on my calendar for today and was wondering what to do with myself.”
“I can solve that problem. I want to meet with you as soon as possible.” The caller’s tone was firm and Philippa could tell this was not a social call. Such calls from someone in the Andromeda were never to be taken lightly, and the nature of the issue was never to be discussed over the phone.
Luisa arrived late in the afternoon. Philippa could not read the look on her face. It did not suggest the Luisa she had known. She took her to the room overlooking the pool.
“You don’t look yourself. Is there something I can get you? Anything I can do?”
Luisa sat bent forward for a moment with her hands clasped. Then she took a deep breath and straightened. She looked directly at Philippa.
“Antonio tried to have me killed.”
Philippa’s heart contracted, and then she felt a studied intensity rather than surprise. Events were moving fast.
“How? What happened?”
Luisa detailed the attack outside of Florence.
“There’s other background. You know what happened to Sergey Volkov.”
Drily Philippa responded, “Less than unfortunate. We heard of his activities.”
“And about Nicole?” Luisa asked. “His people connected her to his ‘illness’ and tried to murder her on the train she was using to flee Russia. There was another mission to remove Evan Covel. Brigid is currently ‘unemployed’ in Paris. Fortunately she thought to warn me.”
Philippa paused. “This is a disturbing report. I hardly know what to say.” She stood up and walked away a few steps.
At last she turned around. “Luisa, I think we have been more than a trifle naive. With what happened to Nicole and with Brigid, we should have been more concerned with your safety sooner.”
Luisa looked stricken. “Brigid recognized the danger in time. I came merely to consult with you, not to upset you. But yes, I think we’ve been naive.”
“I’ve been feeling that some changes were needed, “ Philippa said. “We had to know this day would come.” Anger flashed across her face. “Gaia has prepared us to expect a major crisis someday. I always thought it would be a different kind—perhaps environmental or some summation of human error. This is clearly a battle among people, and fortunately we at least have some defenses in place.”
There was silence for a moment. Philippa raised her head and looked directly at Luisa. “I assume you didn’t come just to give me news.”
“I’ve had communications with Brigid, and we agreed this is not a matter for the Andromeda alone. You and Paolo are a key Primal family and can be of assistance.”
“I agree, Luisa, all Tethyans have a role.” She stopped. “But that’s not to the point, is it? Our day of purpose and reckoning has arrived.”
Luisa stood and walked over to look down into the pool.
Philippa frowned. “There’s something else, isn’t there? Why didn’t you just go to Brigid?”
Luisa lowered her head. “I’m embarrassed to admit that coming face to face with death has shaken me.”
Philippa put her hand on Luisa’s shoulder. “An understandable reaction.”
“I need to share something else.” She fell silent. Finally Luisa lifted her head and looked directly at Philippa. “It’s embarrassing. I had gotten to the point where I cared about Antonio. He could be tender and was a wonderful lover.”
Philippa took Luisa’s hand. “I think that might be called an occupational hazard. What the Andromeda women do is dangerous, which includes danger to their own emotional lives. Do you really believe you can be intimate and believable with these men and not risk yourself? You have a critical secret mission, but must become a companion and partner of sorts. I truly don’t know how you do it.”
Luisa shook her head as if clearing it. “I just went ahead with what I had to do.”
“That’s a strength and a talent, Luisa.”
Philippa could s
ee that Luisa had shed much of the tension she had come with. She continued, “So this is not strictly an Andromeda matter. “
Luisa said, “You and Paolo are important among the Primal families. Their security is at issue. They must be involved in planning for what’s to come. And the security of the Tethys must be attended to. Brigid and I believe ‘house guests’ would be in order here for the near future. Brigid is coordinating with Reuben.”
“I’ll call and confirm. You stay here and rest.”
As soon as she was around the corner from the morning room, Philippa sank back against the wall as fear welled up. What about Avery? Then she collected herself and went to the office to call Reuben.
By the time she returned, Luisa had moved to the pool deck and seemed to be asleep on a chaise. But then she stirred.
Philippa said, “I reached Reuben. He will be here in the morning. You go back to sleep.”
Philippa sat for a while, thinking. It was time to involve the Tethys. Her friend Celeste had a home base in the Hellenia Tethys in the Atlantic trench off the Turks and Caicos Islands. Celeste had been positioned in a land home awaiting an assignment. It was time to summon her.
Chapter 34
Assembly for Action
Viareggio, Italy
Paolo was due back early that evening, and Philippa was restless in anticipation. Luisa seemed absorbed and went to bed early. Philippa either paced in the drive or sat to the side wringing her hands. At last she heard Paolo’s car. She rushed out to him and held him so tightly that he knew his wife was in turmoil. Finally, he lifted her head.
“I didn’t know I was this upset,” Philippa said as she poured out Luisa’s arrival and what she had learned. They moved to the privacy of the pool and talked long into the evening. While there was little they could do now, they needed to keep each other company.
First thing in the morning, they heard another vehicle scratching the gravel in the drive and soon three young women were at their door. They introduced themselves as Andromeda sent by Reuben. Philippa showed them the cottage below the pool, then brought them back to the house.
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