by L M Lacee
Melody, bet the bitch had something to do with this, she had often taken the woman to task about rumors she suspected she spread about Peyton. Melody had decided not long after the woman arrived at Runnerdale that Marta had a fascination with Peyton that was in no way healthy. She thought about having the woman banished from town but after careful consideration decided to allow her stay where she could monitor her. She would be unsurprised to find the woman had been spying on Peyton or lying in wait for her to arrive here, either way it was creepy.
Like Melody, Peyton neither liked nor trusted Marta Aude. She eyed her now with a feeling of exasperation, it was never good when Marta appeared out of the blue like this. In truth she and Peyton seldom spoke since she had rebuffed Marta’s friendship. It seemed she had quickly discovered after arriving at Runnerdale that Peyton ran the towns. Then she had made it her business to be wherever Peyton was, offering advice, criticizing people in her hearing, insinuating herself into situations and conversations. Peyton had even found her in the kitchen of her home once, much to Melody’s fury.
Marta was the exact opposite of Peyton in every way possible; she was a tall, slim, dark haired and dark eyed French beauty, with a smooth unlined face. It was not genetics or age that had given her a youthful look, even though she let people believe it was. There was a lot of cosmetic surgery involved to make her appear as young as she did.
In truth she was closer to seventy-five than the twenty-five she purported to be. Peyton had no problems with that, seriously who cared what age she was or how she maintained her looks, other than Marta it seemed.
Both secrets had been published on the Undernet a few weeks after her arrival, thanks to one of Darby’s unnamed cyber-hackers, who they believe Marta angered. Melody and Marta clashed over Darby’s unwillingness to supply a name. Marta wanted Darby jailed or banished from Runnerdale unless she told her who had posted the information.
Melody had laughed and told her the only one to leave would be her. The woman had then stupidly threatened Darby’s life, only to retract the threat when she had been dragged forcibly by Melody to a jail cell for three days.
Unfortunately, the woman had been the favored spokeswoman for the Government in the early days of the Virus. A fact she often told anyone stupid enough to listen to her and because of her fame in those days, she decided that was enough to warrant her special considerations. Marta’s sisters and cousins were on Darby’s recommended list of scientists and had only been at Runnerdale for the last three months. Her cousin told Peyton, Marta was their older cousin, and it seemed she had been offered huge rewards to go off world, but had avoided leaving the planet so far.
She apparently felt she had not been adequately offered the right incentive to go to another world. Her cousin had confided the real truth to Peyton. Marta was unable to have children, due to a requested not medically required hysterectomy in her teenage years. She made it clear to Peyton, she and her sisters had very little love for the selfish woman. The only reason she was here was she happened to be hiding with them, when Melody’s soldiers had retrieved them and they feared what she would have done if they had not brought her with them.
Marta walked farther into the room and cooed to the Warriors, purring in a throaty voice. ‘Well hello gentlemen!’
They stood totally unmoved, which had Trina trying to control her laughter. She had volunteered for the army and been accepted as a Warrior by Melody. Due to the fact she desperately wanted to be a soldier, and she had taught herself Coalition without a translator in three hours. She was now in the process of learning other languages from the Indorino universe, it was not uncommon to see her in Peyton’s guard.
Marta kept her temper, losing it now would not accomplish anything more than getting her jailed again and that did not mesh with her long-range plans.
Marta was no fool, she knew as far as the Government was concerned she had no commercial value, and because of that had decided very quickly after the agreement was signed, to find a world she could rule or at least find a man she could influence. That was until she had come to Runnerdale where she had taken a look around and realized she had a whole new game to play.
Unfortunately, it had not run as smoothly as she had hoped for. No one was enamoured by her beauty, wealth or status. Even being associated with her clever cousins did not endear her as she thought it should to Peyton or her weird sisters. This Marta found to be a very strange dynamic, and one that had proven impossible to break into.
Now as she heard the snicker of laughter her cheeks turned pink from temper rather than embarrassment, her eyes narrowed as she spied a smiling Trina. Who nudged Lukkas whispering in Coalition knowing Marta would not have learned the language. ‘Touchy that one.’
Lukkas nodded, then whispered. ‘She hates Madam Peyton!’
‘Yep, that she does but to be fair she hates any other female, especially Melody.’
Lukkas agreed then said. ‘Madam, more so, this female is not right in the head. I think!’
‘You are right Lukkas.’ Trina agreed with him, thinking if someone did not like Peyton or Melody they were not in their right mind.
Marta swished her layered skirts and giggled in what she thought was a girly manner, which really wasn’t, again Trina snickered.
Marta ignored the sound and affected surprise at seeing Peyton an obvious fake response, everyone who had been around town in the last few days, always knew when Peyton was about, due to the guards with her.
‘Oh Peyton, I didn’t see you there, which is strange really, as you are such a chubby little thing, aren’t you?’
A growl erupted from behind Peyton, Melody it seemed was unamused. Marta smirked and quizzed.
‘Is that you Melody James, all dressed up playing soldier. You know chère you won’t attract a man like that.’
Irritated Melody made to move but Peyton’s hand on her arm stopped her, she hissed out a breath instead. When she was sure Melody would not move, Peyton crossed her arms and feigned boredom as she addressed the woman. ‘I have no time for your games this morning, Marta. What are you doing here?’
Smiling she moved over to a table that four women were sitting around. When no one immediately vacated a chair, her lips tightened into a straight line of annoyance.
TWENTY-EIGHT:
Esther Lioni, was of medium height and medium weight for an American Italian woman of seventy years. As far as she was concerned she was not even middle-aged yet. When she noticed Peyton’s swift appraisal, she gave her hair a quick pat. She was still getting used to her new hairstyle.
Peyton hid her smile at Esther’s self-conscious reaction to her glance. She had been a little surprised to see her long black hair had been cut, but she liked what she saw. Esther was a very beautiful woman and Peyton thought the stylist had captured that well by framing her unlined face and emphasizing her bright blue eyes. She thought the woman had nothing to concern herself with, the new style suited her.
Esther ignored Marta’s attempts to get her to vacate her seat and frowned at the other three women when they made to stand up, stilling their movements.
She sipped her tea as she eyed Marta with dislike. Now Peyton and Melody were here and Esther knew the little French viper would be unable to get away with her bullying tactics. If Brenda had given the word, she and Helen would have seen to. ‘Miss better than everyone,’ weeks ago, but soft-hearted Brenda had not wanted to cause Marta’s family distress or make trouble for Peyton.
Giving up on the intimidation, Marta’s voice was a little sharper than she wanted as she smirked at Peyton over her shoulder and snapped out an answer to her question. ‘I need food; this is where you come for food, isn’t that why you are here chère?’
Peyton grinned in return. ‘Kitchens closed, the ladies are leaving.’ She frowned as a thought occurred to her. ‘Marta, have you been telling people the women are too old to travel with us?’
Marta turned around and smiled pityingly at Peyton as Helen came to stand bes
ide Melody. ‘Why of course I did. Honestly Peyton, it makes sense. Why would we take women like them, who can add nothing to this venture? Seriously at their age, what value would they have on our new world?’
Peyton started to glow softly as she said. ‘That’s a bit rich, isn’t it coming from you?’
‘What do you mean chère?’
‘Well, you are older than most of them, are you not?’
A red blush of outrage, swiftly colored her high cheekbones as Marta snarled. ‘How dare you, I am in the prime of my life unlike these sows? They have no right to even expect to come with us!’
Melody wanted to say that unlike her, all the women she scorned were going. Peyton had drawn up the list days ago of all the women who would remain behind. It had upset her, Melody knew but the women she placed on the list did not care how many they hurt or killed to get what they wanted. Every woman had been investigated and found wanting. Before Melody set her cyber-investigators, the task of researching the women she told them. ‘Life was going to be hard enough for us all, having to adapt to a new universe with all its challengers. Taking women who would make it harder, seemed stupid.’
Peyton sighed as she hid the revulsion and anger she felt for the woman in front of her. It was not only Marta’s attitude of entitlement and constant grab for power and control, which barred her from leaving with them.
Peyton had discovered Marta had paid someone a large sum of credits to make sure Darby never reached their destination. She had not told Melody about the threat against Darby’s life, in fear of what she would have done. Thankfully Willian had told her before he told Melody or Hawk, who she was positive would have killed them both instantly. Instead, she had dealt with the assassin and would now deal with Marta.
Trina said softly to Lukkas. ‘You will notice, she did not deny the age thing, though?’
Lukkas nodded. ‘She did not, what is a sow?’
She whispered back. ‘I will explain later.’
Peyton calmly asked Marta. ‘Who gave you the right?’
Marta leaned back against the table crossed her legs at the ankle and affected a bored attitude as she inspected her nails, as her smirk grew. ‘Oh, I have an understanding with the délicieux Commander Roeah, he and I are well… how can I put this délicatement... we pillow talk.’
She looked at Peyton through half-closed eyes and just knew she desired the gorgeous Commander Roeah, just as every red-blooded woman did. Even his name sent delicious tendrils of desire hot and heavy through her veins, she would have the Commander in her bed or wherever she wanted him. Then she would have Peyton St. Hill and her weird sisters and friends all right where she wanted them, under her thumb.
She laughed silently as she thought about how these people were imbéciles, they had a wonderful opportunity to rule Earth and were squandering it. All these Warriors under the Command of one man was a gold mine, a man she was determined to control. She knew the Earth soldiers would be no match for the Warriors, she had seen them in training. Marta had come to the conclusion very quickly after the Commander had arrived at Runnerdale, that together they would rule the world.
Well, she would rule and he would do as he was told, in her world had been a logical plan. Now all those magnifique plans were destroyed, she had woken this morning to an almost empty town. It appeared as though an evacuation was taking place, they were really leaving Earth, so over her breakfast she had devised another plan.
She and the Magnifico Commander, would now rule this new world they were going to. It was a much better idea, the new world, would worship her as the star she was. With her Commander and his Warriors at her command, there was no telling what heights she could reach. Now to make sure she set in motion her plan to take over from Peyton, she laughed as she offered.
‘It is called amour, chère, not something you Peyton, will know anything about.’
Peyton glowed a little more as the Warriors now moved away from her, she asked the smiling Marta.
‘Let me get this straight, you are trying to say you and Commander Roeah are having sex and he told you…’ She stabbed her finger at her for emphasis. ‘That Esther, Brenda and Helen along with all the other members of the Ladies club are not worth taking. Is that what you are saying Marta?’
Marta brushed imaginary fluff from the sleeve of her red silk blouse, completely missing the glow coming from Peyton as she straightened. ‘Rather crudely said, but yes, that is what I am saying.’
Peyton’s face became thoughtful as Marta mentally applauded herself. Yes! Any minute now she will realize I have won.
Suddenly the glow faded from Peyton as she grinned. ‘Seriously Marta, I am disappointed in you. This is all you could come up with. I call you énorme menteur!
For those of you who do not know French that means a big-fat liar. How you thought you could dictate to anyone here or anywhere astounds me!’
Marta’s outrage turned her face red as she stuttered trying to speak. ‘I… I… how… how…’
Staring, pass her, Peyton spread her hands in bewilderment as she asked the older women.
‘What astounds me more, is that you ladies believed her. She who knows nothing, has not contributed one frigging thing to our departure and has done nothing but bring trouble wherever she goes. Please explain to me why?’
Peyton was truly confused, none of these women should have allowed this to happen. Especially Esther, she was a no holds barred, take no prisoners kind of woman with a heart of gold. Peyton admired her greatly for what she had endured and the loving heart she kept hidden under a heavy dose of attitude.
Esther and her husband Harry, raised her young cousins, when their parents had died in a vehicle accident. The girls had taken the place of children she and Harry were never able to have. When an outbreak of the Virus decimated their town, Karen, Amelia, Harry and Esther were the only ones left of their once large family. Sadly a few years later, they lost Harry to another small outbreak of the Virus.
Brenda told Peyton it had taken enormous strength for Esther to carry on without her husband, they had been together since they were teenagers. For all three of them to survive alone in the world without the one person who protected and kept them safe was difficult.
Without Esther’s determination and strength it could have been impossible.
Peyton often thought the loneliness she lived with, must be a constant ache and yet she was a strong and determined woman. So she could not fathom why Esther had allowed this to happen, it seemed out of character for her.
Peyton’s estimation of Esther was correct she was a strong, determined and resourceful woman, life had made her that way. Sadly, fear was an ugly friend that every woman, young or old had lived with for far too long. Truthfully these days not much scared her but the thought of not leaving with Peyton and the others frightened her tremendously. Worse was the thought her dear girls, Karen and Amelia could be forced to remain behind because of her. This thought over the last weeks had sent her into a panic every time someone voiced the possibility, they were staying behind.
She like many of the women of her age and older did not want to upset anyone or jeopardize their family’s chances of leaving. They worried that Peyton, and the Warriors could make them stay. If they caused trouble or were quarrelsome, as one woman put it.
It was as simple, as Nelly one of Brenda’s friends who said only that morning. They did not know Peyton or the others very well, so the chances were good the rumors about them being left behind were true. Unfortunately, they never thought to ask Peyton or one of the others, how the selection process was done.
Esther watched the hurt come over Peyton’s face and realized they had made a terrible mistake. She most of all, by not following through on her first inclination and confronting Peyton. She could see now that by not doing so, she had allowed Marta to feed into their insecurities, with her sly manipulation of words.
‘Oh girly, don’t do that. Don’t go thinking you did something wrong, you and your friends
did nothing to be ashamed of. We let ourselves be bullied into not thinking that is all.’ Esther’s voice wobbled a little as tears gathered in her eyes. ‘Fear... fear is a terrible mistress, there isn’t a one of us that does not remember what it is like to be alone, to be abandoned to fear.
Girly, when you reach our age, the memories take longer to be replaced by new and good ones. Dear sweet girl, we just lost our good sense, is all.’
Brenda clasped Esther’s hand and said with a shake of her head and in her voice. ‘It is harder, especially for those of us that are older and suffered so much to believe we are wanted and we have value. This all happened because some of us are very worried about being a burden on all of you. We worry we will not contribute to the success of this brand-new world.’
Peyton threw her arms around, first Esther then Brenda stating. ‘Esther, Brenda, ladies. I am so sorry, this is our fault. We should have realized and made sure it didn’t happen. You are never a burden and will never be one.’ Softly she said to them all. ‘Believe me, we all have our wounds. Some are deeper and harder to escape than others. Forgive me ladies please. I’ll fix this!’
She made sure she hugged each woman, passing on a little glow of calmness and serenity as she did. When she had finished, each of the women looked ten years younger. The tension and fear they had been carrying gone from their shoulders and faces.
Marta scowled. ‘This is unbelievable, you are all pathetic. No matter what the short dumpling says you are…’
Peyton cut her off by saying sharply. ‘General James, if you could please take Marta Aude, into custody and remand her in the jail beneath the court house until further notice.’
Melody muttered. ‘About time!’
Marta jerked at the tone of Peyton’s voice, which went from her normal slightly amused tones to powerful and commanding. When hands grabbed her, she screamed and slapped at them. ‘Do not touch me! How dare you?’