Bethany Anne put a hand to her chest. “Me? No. If I run out of space, I just find another planet to expand to.”
Mahi' shrugged. “You have the resources to do that.”
Bethany Anne nodded. “I do. But there are more ways to expand. What’s the deal here, Bor’Dane? I get that Lu’Trein is hesitant to make a move against you, but how does his rule affect the rest of the population? You mentioned prisons?”
“One prison in particular. You will see,” Bor’Dane told her wearily. “Speaking against Lu’Trein is dangerous for most, but it doesn’t stop them from protesting. Our people are stubborn, and they won’t sit still long enough to be held down. But once they’re arrested, that’s it. We never see or hear from them again.”
“You haven’t freed them?” Mahi’ spat. “Why not?”
Bor’Dane growled. “What can I do? Ask my people to die trying? The prison is defended by technology that looks to be magic, including weapons that shoot lightning bolts from the walls. Lu’Trein keeps the prison well-guarded, and there’s no way for a Baka to even get close without getting fried.”
Bethany Anne pressed her lips together, clamping down on her emotions once again. “I want the location of this prison. My effort to empty it of the innocent won’t be met by so many obstacles.”
Bethany Anne’s good mood had degraded fully by the time they got back to the main house, her mind filled with stories of Bakas being dragged out of their beds in the middle of the night, families torn down the middle by mixed beliefs, and children left as orphans because their parents were political prisoners.
She opened the comm as she stalked to the large room at the rear of the property. “Team leaders, dining hall. Now.”
Michael was the first to arrive. He took one look at the hard lines of her face and came over to embrace her. “What has you so angry?”
Bethany Anne forced the words between her clenched teeth. “Fucking. Politics.”
Michael kissed her temple and went to take a seat. “Ah, I see.”
“Do you?” Bethany Anne asked. “Because I don’t. Why is it never as simple as ‘kill the asshole at the top’ anymore? Half the people here are just fine with worshipping the Seven, the other half are forced to find someone powerful enough to protect them from the fucking Inquisition.”
Michael indicated the door with a finger. “The others are here.”
Bethany Anne narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t pretend you’re cut up about it.”
He wasn’t, but he certainly wasn’t about to offer himself up on the altar of his wife’s temper. The old adage that behind every angry woman is a man who has no clue what he’s done was not about to apply to him.
John and Peter hesitated at the door.
“Want us to come back?” John asked.
Bethany Anne raised an eyebrow but waved them in instead of frying John for interrupting like she wanted to. “Sit your asses down.”
They came in, followed by a nervous-looking Kel’Len.
Bethany Anne took her seat when Mahi’ and her brothers arrived to complete the meeting. “We’ve had a couple of days to read the situation. It isn’t what we thought. Mahi’ and I took a stroll through the middle ring today and what I heard didn’t please me one bit. I’m talking Gestapo tactics being used on civilians, political prisoners, and families torn apart by the fake fucking religion the Seven are pedaling.”
John grunted. “So we wipe out the cult. What’s the problem?”
“The problem,” Bethany Anne ground out, “is that taking out the cult doesn’t do anything to open the people’s eyes to the fact that they’ve been lied to. I’m not here to make martyrs.”
The tap-tap-tap of her nails on the table was the only sound in the room for a few moments.
Da’Mahin broke the silence. “I apologize, my Empress. I have to say that the belief is theirs to choose, even if it dishonors us as a people.”
“That’s fine,” Bethany Anne replied, “since the decision to act isn’t yours. Leadership is about much more than acting on your opinion, especially when your choices affect millions. Mahi’? Where is your thinking going on this?”
“I agree with neither of them,” Mahi’ decided. “As you say, this is not a situation that can be remedied simply. The issue I see is with gathering the evidence to present to the people.”
Bethany Anne grinned. “That’s the part we don’t have an issue with. Even if your brother’s keepers have him tucked away behind a nano-curtain the next time Michael and I call on him.” She sat back and crossed one knee over the other. “The issue I see is the potential for civil war once we light the fuse. I’ve been reckless before. It didn’t always end well for the people.”
“I would hazard it wouldn’t take much.” Michael steepled his hands on the table. “The balance in the outer ring is at the tipping point already, in my estimation.”
“War is coming whether you act or not,” Mahi’ continued. “Only, without you to intercede, my people might not make it through intact.”
Bethany Anne laced her fingers together and looked around the table. “Then it’s a good thing I’m here.”
Qu’Baka, Citadel, Middle Ring, Prison (the next day)
Bethany Anne’s feet barely disturbed the thin layer of dust that coated the side street that ran from one end of the prison to the other.
Invisible to the scanners swiveling on the walls, she crossed the street and headed for the mouth of the street opposite the prison before speaking into the open comm channel. “Team leaders, confirm your positions.”
She pressed her lips together in disapproval at an audible scuffle over the comm.
“Sorry,” the culprit mumbled into the channel.
“You will be if this operation goes tits-up because you got us made doing a damned two-step,” Peter reprimanded in a low voice. “Pick your damn feet up, Guardian.”
Bethany Anne waited a beat longer for the teams to finish getting into position. “Everyone good?”
“Check,” Peter came back.
John grunted in the affirmative.
“We are ready,” Mahi' answered for the Bakas.
“Wait for the signal.” Bethany Anne pulled on the Etheric and fed the energy into the space between molecules in the aggregate holding the stones together. “Michael, coordinate.”
“I’m at the back wall,” Michael replied. “Ready on your word.”
“Meet you in the middle.” Bethany Anne fed the energy around the wall until she felt it connect with the energy Michael was pouring in from the rear. “Three, two, one, pull!”
The prison walls collapsed outward, falling into rubble in the streets with a resounding crash that shook the ground and rendered all of the mounted defenses useless.
Bethany Anne strode over the crushed rock and straight into the prison yard, where the guards were pouring out of every entrance with their weapons hot.
A wave of her hand cleared the way for her forces to make their entrance.
The indignant cries of the guards Bethany Anne tossed aside like ragdolls provided an almost musical backdrop that complimented the war cries of the Bakas and her Guardians, with the explosions Michael was causing with his lightning adding to the sudden crescendo.
It was down to her to bring the thunder.
Four brave souls blocked the entrance to the inner building. So brave, they fired upon the apparently unarmed human woman walking toward them through a pull-down grill in the door.
Bethany Anne read their thoughts as clearly as spoken words. Sure, she was smiling. But those long teeth? Her red eyes? They were safe behind their door. Killing one human would be easy.
The naivete. It was almost painful.
Bethany Anne smiled coldly as they raked the area around her with a hail of kinetic fire. She walked toward the door through reverse showers of permacrete dust, shedding blunted kinetics as harmlessly as raindrops.
The guards slammed the grill shut when Bethany Anne emerged from the dust cloud with an energy ball in
each hand.
“You can run.” She lifted a boot and kicked the door into splinters.
The four guards inside took one look at the fearsome, red-eyed face their mothers had told them would come for bad Bakas who didn’t go to sleep at bedtime—and ran.
Bethany called after them in Baba Yaga’s voice, “But you can’t hide from ME.” She bowled them over with a fast energy ball and pinned them all high on the wall with a flick of her finger. “Now, what can you tell me?”
The guards squirmed in terror as she burrowed into their minds for information on the prison in general, the warden, and Lu’Trein.
Three knew nothing but the desire to be in a better position than others. They didn’t care who they hurt to get there. They had no power, and no connection to the top, just a knack for toadying. Those died instantly, their bodies falling to the floor unnoticed after Bethany Anne snapped their necks.
Bethany Anne wrinkled her nose as the sour tang of urine hit it. “Gross,” she told the remaining Baka. “But appropriate, yes? Seeing as you how were happy to cause fear in the prisoners here.”
She lowered him, forcing him to look her in the eye. “So, you enjoy torture. Not a pastime for everyone, but hey, who am I to judge?”
The Baka gaped in confusion—until Bethany Anne waved a hand and his spine contorted. “I-I…”
“You what?” Bethany Anne demanded. She had seen every nasty deed this poster male for evil had in his grubby mental trophy case. “You like to be the one doing the torture? Tough shit. You disgust me.”
The Baka's eyes went wide as she opened his throat with her nails.
“Fuck you,” Bethany Anne told his corpse. “I know where your boss is. I don’t need to dirty my hands any further with you.” She left the corpses and made her way farther into the prison in search of the warden.
Bethany Anne wasn’t interested in small fry. She wanted the big fish. Bars were no obstacle, and neither were the guards who popped out at every opportunity as if she were walking through some awful video game.
Peter spoke over the comm. “Um, BA? Did you expect a Pod on the roof? Because there is one, and it’s taking off.”
The warden.
Bethany Anne cut through the Etheric, arriving on the prison roof just in time to see the open Pod take off.
The warden, she assumed, leaned out and raised a fist triumphantly.
Bethany Anne decided she was done with all of Lu’Trein’s lackeys if the only model they came in was arrogant suck-ass. She leapt for the Pod and grabbed the lip of the open door as a counterbalance for swinging feet first into the warden’s bodyguard.
The bodyguard tumbled out the opposite side.
The warden gasped at the casual removal of his personal protection.
Bethany Anne rolled her eyes at the peashooter her quarry aimed in her direction. “Really?” she asked as she slapped it out of the warden’s hand. “Don’t be stupid.” She shoved him out of the Pod and stepped through the Etheric to catch him an inch from the rooftop. “Don’t try anything else a dumb shit like you would.”
The warden dropped to his hands and knees and vomited roughly on the rooftop.
Bethany Anne covered her nose and mouth with one hand and dragged the warden to the other side of the roof to get away from the mess. “Michael, on the roof. I’ve got a plaything for you.”
The warden fought to get to his feet until Bethany Anne quieted him with a flash of red from her eyes. He fainted at the realization of who had hold of his throat.
Bethany Anne rolled her eyes as she lowered them back to the roof.
Michael arrived a moment later in Myst form. The warden, I presume?
You presume right. She handed the unconscious Baka to Michael and headed for the edge of the roof to get a view of the battle in the prison yard.
It was impossible to tell which of the Bakas were freed prisoners and which were the rescuers. The guards were easy to spot, and their uniforms made them easy targets. Looks like the prisoners are all free. We should wrap this up and get back to the house.
“I have what we need,” Michael informed her. “This Baka has met regularly with Lu’Trein.”
The warden woke and panicked when he saw Michael. His eyes slid to Bethany Anne, and he began emitting a high keening noise.
Michael’s lip curled when he made out the name the warden was repeating. “You are expendable,” he told the warden bluntly. “Your protector doesn’t care enough to save you. How does it feel? To meet with the consequences of your actions?”
He caught Bethany Anne’s eye, seeing her minute nod. “Time to pay the price.”
The warden squirmed to get free right up until the moment Michael held him suspended over the yard below.
Michael dropped the warden over the edge of the roof without another word.
Bethany Anne caught the warden and spoke into his mind as she lowered him into the middle of the largest group of prisoners. I can be a bitch, but Saint Payback can’t be beaten—unlike you.
Bethany Anne and Michael turned away as the warden screamed for mercy from the people he had kept like animals.
Bethany Anne spotted a convoy in the distance. “Time to wrap this up. The prisoners are free now. We don’t need a massacre when Lu’Trein’s backup gets here.”
Michael tilted his head at the sound of the approaching vehicles. “I’d much rather play with cars than dolls.”
Bethany Anne snickered as he Mysted away. Sexist much?
See if I care, Michael replied, spreading his arms wide as he ascended to the clouds above. I only wish Gabriel was here to enjoy this manly moment with me.
Bethany Anne chuckled as the air above the convoy darkened and began to crackle. You just like to make a statement. She hopped off the edge of the roof and lowered herself to hover above the brawl in the yard. The fighting was tapering off, and the prisoners were beginning to take their anger out on the building.
“Time to go,” she thundered into the comm, raising her voice to be heard over the clash. “All teams to transport.”
Bor’Dane's people swarmed the streets around the prison in their vehicles as planned.
Bethany Anne hit the ground running and joined the effort to get everyone aboard the hastily formed convoy.
There was a scramble to exit the scene, and the extraction went well by Bethany Anne’s standards. A hundred or more vehicles swarmed out as quickly as they’d arrived, slipping into traffic with their passengers.
Lightning struck over and over in the near distance, Michael protecting them from above.
Bethany Anne joined him in the sky to add her effort to his. They’re pretty determined to get to the prison. Pity there’s nothing left of it.
Michael frowned as he blew another guard truck into smithereens. The building is still standing.
Bethany Anne chuckled. Oh? Let me fix that. She sent out Etheric energy and gathered the rubble into a huge ball.
Michael shook his head in amusement. You complain to me about mess?
Bye-bye, building, Bethany Anne replied airily. She dropped the ball of compacted rock onto the prison.
Finally, the dust settled, revealing a crater where the prison had been a moment before.
Bethany Anne’s mouth turned up at the corner. That was almost too satisfying. She held out her hand to Michael as he reformed from his Myst state. Come on, we’ll pick up your armor from the Etheric.
Michael winced and pointed at the crater. There may be a small issue with that. I didn’t store my armor in the Etheric. There wasn’t time.
I don’t want to be you when Jean finds out you left it unattended in the middle of a battle. Bethany Anne chuckled at the look of horror that passed over his face. Don’t sweat it. I’m sure she won’t stay mad forever.
I wouldn't be too sure about that, Michael countered. The woman has the memory of an elephant when it comes to grudges.
Bethany Anne grinned. I was trying to make you feel better. We both know she’s going t
o take every opportunity to remind you about it for the rest of forever. A thought too delicious to ignore occurred as they streaked through the clouds. You think she’ll come up with something like that string we used to keep the twins’ mittens on? Armor that follows you around? That would be hilarious.
Michael shot Bethany Anne a dark look. She’d better not.
They flew above the Citadel, reaching Bor’Dane’s land as the first vehicles were spitting out their passengers in the yard.
Bor’Dane stood on a large rock in the ornamental garden, calling instructions to his people and the new arrivals.
He had his hands raised, shooing Bakas in the direction of the main house with his strange semaphore. “We need to know who we have here. Give Kel’Len’s group your name.”
Kel’Len waved an arm above her head to show her location.
Bor’Dane continued, “Once we’ve got your name, make your way through to the house to get cleaned up. Everything but dinner can wait until tomorrow.”
Bethany Anne and Michael skirted the crowd and made their way into the house.
Mahi’ pounced the second they reached the hall. “We need to move now. Lu’Trein will have called on his masters for help. They could be there already, and we wouldn’t know it.”
Bethany Anne held up a hand to calm Mahi’. “I would know it. Tomorrow, Mahi’. Rest from today’s exertions.”
Mahi’ was about to argue when the door burst open and the rescuees began filtering in.
“If anything changes, I’ll tell you,” Bethany Anne promised. “But you need to remember, that’s not your brother on the throne. I don’t know if he’s even Baka anymore. He would kill you outright.”
Mahi’ closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. “Then you will act as my champion. But Lu’Trein dies the second after the Kurtherian.”
17
Qu’Baka, Middle Ring, Bor’Dane’s house (late the same night)
Bethany Anne activated her light armor, smiling at Michael’s continued admiration of the fabric’s appearance of being alive. “You’re next to get this model. Or you were before we had to tell Jean you lost your heavy set.”
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