Passions of New Pompeii (15 page)

“He needs someone more empowered than that
old drunk.” Theos recognized Laetif’s voice, but he didn’t open his
eyes. “Take him to Doctor Thrax. I take full responsibility for the
decision. Do it now.”

“Yes,
domina
,” Max replied. “I will
see to it myself.” He dragged Theos off the ground and pulled his
arm across his shoulders. “Stagger, but let’s get out of here.”

Leaning heavily on the trainer, Theos
stumbled and swayed until they reached the bottom of the hill and
were out of sight of the guards. “What the blazes was that
about?”

“I will explain when we reach the clinic,”
Max promised. “I must be sure we’re not being followed.” They
ducked into alleyways and zigzagged down side streets until Max was
satisfied that they were alone. “Felicia is able to send messages
mind to mind. She asked that I bring you to the clinic as soon as
possible.”

He had sensed something different about the
priestess the day they’d met on the street. “Her thought sounded
inside your mind?”

“Yes.” Max looked at him and smiled. “She’s a
remarkable woman.”

He had no idea what the high priestess wanted
with him, but was curious enough to follow without argument.

The clinic was small, well-organized—and
occupied. Felicia hurried them past the two patients and the staff
members attending them. She led them into her husband’s office in
the back corner of the building. Aiden sat at a small table, his
green eyes sharply watchful. The doctor seemed rather unremarkable
given his wife’s beauty.

Then Elaina stepped into the room and
thoughts of the Thraxes abandoned Theos entirely. He swept her into
his arms and kissed her, not caring what anyone thought of his
exuberance.

“You two can finish that as soon as we decide
what to do about tonight,” Felicia told him. “Mikko has issued a
challenge we can’t ignore. I’m just not sure how we should
respond.”

Max closed the door behind him as he asked,
“What’s the nature of the challenge?”

“According to the message Quade intercepted,
Mikko is taking Arllo and the other three girls to a colonial
slaver tonight,” Felicia explained.

“You say that with disbelief in your voice,”
Elaina pointed out. “Is something else going on?” Anxious energy
vibrated through the office. This was closer than any of them had
ever come to open rebellion.

Felicia nodded. “Arllo and her friends are
the passengers I told you about yesterday. We located where Mikko
is keeping them and planned to move them to safety tonight. Now
we’re wondering if we’ll encounter Mikko if we proceed, or is his
message nothing more than bait, meant to draw us out into the
open.”

“We have to risk it,” Max insisted. “We can’t
abandon those girls to Mikko and Tarhee.”

Elaina understood the distain in his voice,
but something else bothered her as well. “If you knew where Arllo
was, why did you bring her younger sister to Theos? Why not let the
poor girl know you had plans to rescue Arllo?”

Felicia shook her head with a patient smile.
“Have you ever known an eleven-year-old who could keep a secret?
Her mother was told about the rescue, in very vague terms, but we
couldn’t risk telling Lavinia.”

“That’s all beside the point,” Max insisted.
“What are we doing tonight? What exactly did the message say?”

“It gave the time and location for Mikko’s
meeting with the slaver,” Aiden told them. “That’s our only
advantage. Mikko will expect us to respond to the message. He
doesn’t realize we know where the girls are being held.”

“So we snag the girls before they’re
scheduled to be moved and get them out of here,” Elaina
suggested.

“He’ll know the message was intercepted,”
Theos predicted. “Nothing is that coincidental.”

“He’ll rant and rave and look for someone who
seems especially guilty,” Max predicted.

“So we’ll give him someone on which to focus
his anger,” Felicia put in.

“Someone who will steer his attention away
from the truth,” Max agreed.

“Someone far beyond his reach,” Aiden
concluded.

“You’re talking about a decoy,” Theos
realized. “But what is this decoy protecting?”

“Our ‘exit strategy’,” Felicia said with a
secretive smile. “Ever since we came here we have been intercepting
potential victims, whisking them away from danger and out of
Mikko’s reach. If he discovers exactly how we do it, he’ll shut
down the only defense these people have against his tyranny.”

“Your ‘exit strategy’ isn’t working anymore,”
Elaina cried. “Maybe it never did. This entire city is corrupt and
debauched.”

“That’s not true.” Felicia left her husband’s
side and came around the table. “The people are not corrupt and
debauched, just the Fedorans who have turned a profit off our
misery!”

“You’re being dramatic,” Aiden warned. “A
good many of the Pompeiians are willingly participating in the
debauchery. Look at the brothels and orgies. Credits are often the
only motivation people require.”

Elaina stood her ground, unwilling to soften
her position. “It needs to be shut down. All of it.”

Felicia smiled, her gaze warm and engaging.
“You and your friends have the power to make that happen. We never
did. Why do you think Laetif recruited you?”

“Laetif is part of this?” Elaina shook her
head. “Of course she is.” Elaina had wondered if her sister-in-law
were an abolitionist. Now she had her answer. “If Theos and I play
decoy, what exactly do you want us to do?”

“Will Mikko come and check on him?” Aiden
asked Elaina.

“I’m not sure. He is very careful with his
investments, but he has also set a trap for someone who betrayed
him.”

“Well, we better cover all bases,” Aiden
decided. “Max, return to the
ludus
and report that Theos has
been stabilized, but I’ll need to keep him overnight.”

“If I return to the
ludus
, who will
escort the ‘passengers’ to Caleb?” Max objected.

“Theos and Elaina. It works to our advantage
if the guards recognize them. We want Mikko to think Theos is the
spy.” Aiden looked at Theos and smiled. “Can you take out two
Fedoran guards?”

“Preferably without killing them,” Felicia
quickly added.

“I believe I can accomplish the task.” Theos’
mouth curved in a grim little smile.

“The women have been told to be ready at any
time. It was too dangerous to give them specifics,” Aiden went on.
“Caleb will be waiting at the private party exit to the Visitor
Center. He’ll have clothes for the women and he’ll provide
transportation.”

“Who is Caleb?” Elaina asked.

“My brother,” Aiden told her. “He’s a
starship captain and an invaluable member of our team.”

“So we take the women to Caleb and then
disappear? That’s all there is to it?” Then why was her heart
thudding in her chest? She felt downright jittery.

“You need to update Princess Naloni before
you disappear,” Max reminded her. “The Festival of Venus is next
Friday night. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to uncover the
location. If Naloni is going to make a move, it needs to be at the
festival. She should be able to gather all the evidence she needs
at that one event.”

“Tell the princess everything you’ve learned
and then go far, far away,” Felicia suggested.

“It’s easy to get lost in a colony outpost,”
Aiden’s gaze locked with Theos and the doctor nodded. “Something
tells me you’ll like it there.”

Max escorted them out of the clinic and
clasped arms with Theos. “The worlds beyond the barrier are vast
and marvelous. Do not lose yourself in the wonders.”

“I will not.” Theos glanced at Elaina and the
now familiar warmth filled his heart. “I have Elaina to anchor
me.”

Despite his doubtful expression, Max didn’t
comment on the strategy. He slapped Theos on the back and wished
him well. “It might be years from now, but I believe we will meet
again.”

“I would like that.” He didn’t always
understand the
doctore
, but he liked and respected him.

“The women are being held in the storerooms
beneath Jupiter’s temple.”

Theos nodded. “I know the place.”

Max seemed reluctant to depart. He looked at
Elaina then back at him. “Strike fast and hard. They must not be
allowed to sound an alarm.”

Theos chuckled. “You have nothing to fear. I
have trained with a fine
doctore
.”

Max finally relaxed enough to smile. “Take
care of each other.” He kissed Elaina on the cheek then took his
leave.

“He seems really nice,” Elaina said as they
headed for the temple.

“Nice?” Theos chuckled. “I’m not sure he
would welcome that description. He is fierce and fair, skilled and
honorable.”

“He and Naloni used to be lovers,” she
whispered.

“Really?”

“It was a long time ago, but she’s not over
him. I could see it in her eyes.”

It was an interesting thought but also
distracting, and they couldn’t afford to be distracted right now.
“We need to focus on our mission.”

“I know. It’s none of our business anyway. It
was just fun to meet him, knowing how much he means to my best
friend.”

The Temple of Jupiter had been built in a
position of honor for the king of the gods. The front overlooked
the forum and the building backed to the energy barrier. They
skirted the forum, careful not to draw the attention of the small
group gathered there.

Elaina crept along at his side, silent and
agile. He led her toward the back of the building, pausing before
he turned the corner, unsure what they would find. A lone guard
stood by the secluded entrance. He dug in the dirt with the toe of
his sandal, obviously bored.

“I’ll get you close enough to strike.” Before
he could agree or disagree with her plan, she slipped past him and
walked directly to the guard. “I’m not sure I’m in the right
place,” she said in a soft, silky voice. “Is this the Temple of
Jupiter?”

Theos hurried after her, remaining half a
step behind.

“Mistress Xyell, what are you doing here?”
The guard snapped to attention, sparing Theos only one hurried
glance.

“Mikko asked me to talk with one of his
captives.” She insinuated herself between the guard and the wall,
slowly maneuvering his back around toward Theos. “I guess she’s
been less than cooperative.”

Easily reading her signals, Theos smoothly
slid the guard’s sword from its scabbard and slammed it against the
side of its owner’s face. The guard crumpled to Theos’ feet with a
groan then lay still and silent.

“That wasn’t nice,” Elaina whispered.

“It was efficient,” he countered with a
smile.

He ducked his head inside the door and made
sure it was safe before motioning Elaina to follow him. Blinking
repeatedly, he waited for his eyes to adjust to the dim interior.
Beyond the semi-enclosed back room spread the cavernous main
chamber, empty and derelict from obvious neglect. It was sad that
such a beautiful building was being allowed to decay. The founders
should have found a different use for the structure rather than
squander the resource.

“This way,” he urged.

“Sorry.” She dragged her gaze away from the
empty temple and followed him toward the stairwell in the back
corner of the room.

“Mistress Xyell.” She was greeted by three
additional guards as they reached the bottom of the stairs. They
jumped up from the table where they had been playing cards, looking
suspiciously guilty.

Theos took stock of their weapons and
anything in the room that could be used as such. Elaina offered
them a bland smile then moved out of his way. Without warning,
Theos grabbed the two standing side by side and slammed their heads
together. One obediently collapsed while the other only staggered.
A swift upper cut convinced him to join his friend on the
floor.

The rapid attack warned the remaining guard
that he was in trouble. He frantically withdrew his weapon, but it
was not a sword. His hand wrapped around the handle of the stout
object, which was aimed at the middle of his chest. Not waiting to
see how the object worked, he batted it out of the guard’s
hand.

The guard yelped and the object ejected a
small burst of light. The light ball zinged past his hip and
connected with something behind him. Theos kept his focus fixed on
the guard.

“Guns are illegal inside the barrier and you
know it!” Elaina snapped.

“Not all of us can afford gladiators!”

Taking exception to his disrespectful tone,
Theos sent him sprawling with a well-placed punch. Then he turned
and gasped. The light ball had blasted a hole bigger than his head
through the stone wall. “How is this accomplished?”

“I’ll explain later. Someone was bound to
have heard that blast.”

She was right. They had to move and move
quickly. The frightened women were more than ready to leave. Elaina
found a tunic for the one who identified herself as Arllo while he
spoke with the other two. He explained that a skyship was waiting
to take them to safety, but they had one final obstacle first. They
had to cross the city square.

Apparently the light ball blast had not been
as loud as they thought. They reached the Visitor Center without
incident and found the private party exit. A tall, dark-haired man
with sharp eyes and classically handsome features stood to one side
watching everyone who approached.

Elaina walked up to him and smiled. “Are you
Caleb Thrax by any chance?”

He shook her hand and returned her smile. “I
was expecting someone a lot less attractive.”

Warning him back with a look, she indicated
the women. “We’ve brought your passengers.”

Mikko reclined against a pile of pillows,
savoring the sensations gathering within his body. Anticipation was
addictive. Most people focused on orgasm, the rapid burst of
pleasure that quickly faded away. He preferred the steady climb,
the escalation.