Survival -Guardians of Vesturon [1] (29 page)

Thorgar prayed his partner wouldn’t see through his ruse. He did place those data files in the Yarrister system, but he made it appear as though an amateur had done it. He wanted no part of this scheme, but had been coerced to do it. Thorgar knew it was a risky move, but he knew he had no other option.

“So, you think it is fail safe?”

“Yes. I would not have done it had I thought otherwise,” he lied.

“And all of this was completed, when?”

“Yesterday.” The man started to worry, as the questions were much more introspective than he thought they would be. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, and he hoped his companion didn’t notice. To show fear was a weakness he couldn’t afford.

“How were you able to infiltrate the Command Center so easily?” The authoritative man was demanding information that was unexpected.

“I have my connections, and let’s say someone owed me.”

“How many others have you involved in this?”

“Since when was that your concern?”

“Answer me! This is a treasonous activity, and the fewer that know the better. How many others?” he repeated.

“Two, besides me.” He could feel the sweat starting to run down his neck and arms.

“Who are they? I need names,” he demanded.

“I promised anonymity.”

“That was not yours to promise. I need their names. Now,” he growled.

“Yes, my lord. They were Lucaren Sartorious, and Dergan Calderon. They both owed me favors and had access to the Command Center.” Now he was truly concerned for his friends. He never anticipated the one giving him orders would get so deep into the details.

“They are trusted?”

“Yes, my lord. I would trust them with my life.”

“How much of what you entered into the system were they aware of?”

“Not much.”

“Too vague. When I ask you a question, I desire a specific answer. Now, how much?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“They both knew I was embedding encrypted data files, but they did not know where.”

“Did they know what was in the files?”

“Some of it. They had to do some of the entries because of DNA recognition.”

“Is it possible for us to use them as scapegoats?”

“My lord! I could not do that!” This was much worse than he could ever have imagined. Now he began to fear for their safety. If his blackmailer would bring harm to his family, he had no doubt his friends were in danger as well.

“Since when did you develop a conscience?”

“I…I thought…”

“I am not paying you to think, only to execute my orders. Is that clear? Now answer me.”

“Yes, it is possible. Now, I need to leave here. When can I expect my payment?” His voice shook with trepidation.

“And, I gave you permission to ask
me
questions, when? You are to carry out instructions when I deem it necessary, and no questions. You will get paid in due time. Now, we will meet again when I have proof that all is as you have said. You will be paid at that time and not before. You will speak of this to no one, and if anyone should come for you, you will deny any knowledge of it. Are we clear?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Good. I will contact you when I need you.”

Seconds later, he vaporized into a beam of energy and disappeared.

The lone figure stood there, unsure of where to go. He had involved more people than he had confessed and now he feared for his life. He was involved with a very dangerous and powerful male. His conscience weighed heavily upon him. He could always turn in his blackmailer to the Guardians. Wouldn’t that turn them upside down when they realized it was one of their own that had sabotaged the Great Leader’s Firstborn Son? Greed and jealousy will make many an individual do unspeakable things. Money will make others do almost anything.

He turned around and slowly made his way home. He had a lot to think about, mainly about how to handle telling his friends. He was so immersed in his thoughts that he never saw the dagger arc down and plunge into his throat, severing his carotid artery. The only thing he did see was another robed figure, much like himself. He knew he had mere moments before he bled to death. With his dying breath, he knew writing the letter had been the right thing to do. The darkness came, and he knew no more.

Maddie woke up and looked at the clock. It was seven a.m. and she had promised to meet Sharra downstairs at seven thirty to go out for a run. She’d better get moving if she wanted that cup of coffee before she left. She quickly dressed in her running pants, long sleeved shirt and shoes, and padded down to the kitchen where Zanna was putting the final touches on one of her famous breakfasts.

“Maddie, dear, may I fix you a plate of pancakes?” she asked,

“No thank you, Zanna. Sharra and I are headed out for a run, but I would love a cup of coffee.”

“Here you go, dear,” Zanna said, handing her a steaming mug of her favorite brew.

“Thank you. You’re the best, Zanna!”

Grinning, Zanna asked, “Do you want me to keep some breakfast for you in the warming drawer?”

“Only if there is any left over. Thanks, Zanna. You sure do know how to spoil us.”

Maddie made her way to the foyer to wait on Sharra. Minutes later, Sharra traipsed down the stairs, and they both headed out the door.

The early morning air was crisp in their lungs, as little puffs of steam escaped with each breath as they ran. The night temperatures had dipped into the 30’s so the ground was covered in frost, crunching beneath their feet as they quickly moved up the mountain. This had become Sharra’s favorite form of activity, one they often joked about. Sharra could run circles around Maddie. Given their physiological differences, Sharra had Speed on her side. Maddie could hold her own though. While not anywhere near as fast, her endurance impressed Sharra.

As they ran through the forest, Maddie reveled in the scents of the pines. It gave her the distinct impression that Rayn was right next to her. She let her mind wander to a time when they could do this together. She didn’t like to think that far ahead because it often caused her great concern. “What if” was the phrase that literally drove her nuts. What if they couldn’t get him out…what if the Council decided he couldn’t return here…what if his parents disowned him…what if they never saw each other again…what if they never held each other again…what if…what if? It was a path she hated to take, but one she was helpless to avoid.

Sharra interrupted her thoughts, “Do not continue with those thoughts, Maddie. You will only succeed in upsetting yourself and ruining our run. It is a perfect morning. Look at the present. You will kill yourself with the ‘what ifs.’”

“You’re right, although sometimes I just can’t help myself. Like right now, I was thinking how much I love the forest because all the scents in here remind me so much of Rayn. And then, next thing I know I’m at the ‘what if’ part. I hate it, but it seems I always end up there.”

They moved gracefully together, leaping over logs and roots, veering past rocks that could make them stumble. If an outsider could see them, he would be captivated not only by their beauty, but by their pure athleticism. They would remind him of two gazelles, flying through the Serengeti.

“He is well, you know. He telecommuned with Therron last night.”

“What? And you didn’t you tell me, why?”

“I was going to. I figured it would make for great conversation while we ran.”

“Okay, do tell, sister!”

“Well, he is doing fine. Misses you insanely, thinks of you constantly, blur, blur, blur.”

Sharra’s incessant tendency to butcher colloquial slang was not improving, and try as she might, Maddie was dismally failing at successfully teaching her.

“Shar, it’s ‘blah, blah, blah.’ Not ‘blur, blur, blur.’”

“Whyever, Maddie.”

“It’s ‘whatever,’ Sharra. Anyway, what else did he say?” Maddie could not give up correcting her.

They continued to wind their way up the mountain. The streaks of golden sunlight were peeking their way through the trees, casting the forest in an unearthly appearance, creating a radiance that was breathtaking. Maddie was lost in Sharra’s words, however, about Rayn and wasn’t paying much attention to her surroundings.

“He said that he is bored. They are not letting him do anything except for take exercise, and it is running him crazy.”

“Driving him crazy. What else?”

“Well, if you would stop interrupting me, I would tell you. So, he is fine really. The thing about Rayn is, well, you know this; he is always in control of things.”

Maddie expelled a loud snort. “Ya think?”

“He always has his hands on something, keeping busy with things. So I can see how this is bothering him. He asks for audiences with Council Members every day. But they are not granting any right now. He is relentless and will not give up. He is insistent on seeing our parents too, trying to convince them of things. We truly thought our mother would bend his way by now, but she has not. Anyway, he is still waiting for the word on when his trial will be. They have not yet set a date.”

“Sharra, is that normal for it to take this long?”

“Oh, yes, Maddie. It can sometimes take more than six months.”

“Oh no. How will he endure that?”

“He will find a way. You must have more faith in your male, Maddie,” Sharra admonished.

“I do have faith in him, Sharra! Much more than I can tell you. But I am so worried about his state of mind. I don’t want him to become depressed or anything.”

“Do not worry about that. If anyone can come out of this unscarred, it is Rayn. Did I ever tell you about the time when we were young, and he helped a friend of his with his studies? No? Well, Rayn had this friend who always struggled with his sciences. And Maddie, you know that Rayn is brilliant, right?” At Maddie’s nod, she continued, “I don’t mean intensely smart; I mean absolutely bloody brilliant. He was levels ahead of his age. They kept propelling him forward in his education because he would get so bored, but finally, Mother made them stop because he was so young. It would be like a twelve year old graduating from college here.”

“You’re kidding, right? Why didn’t you ever mention this before? He was like a prodigy, right?”

“Exactly! This is precisely what Rayn is, or was: a child prodigy. And, Maddie, it was not only his schooling; it was everything. Music, sports, anything. Have you heard him play any of his music? You must ask him to play for you. He is quite talented. Anyway, I digress.”

“So Mother refused to let him advance anymore, because it was difficult for him socially. So there was this one male who befriended Rayn. I think he may have felt sorry for him because he was out of his element due to his tender age. This male struggled in school with everything, and many of the other students made fun of him. Rayn did not like that one bit, so the two of them became close. Well, they were in the sciences, and they had all of these experiments they were required to perform, and Mejerey, Rayn’s friend, just could not get his to work out. So, my brother did it for him. Rayn did it all from the actual experiment to the written work. Mejerey turned it in. But it was so exquisitely done, the instructor knew immediately what had happened.

“Well, you can probably figure where this is headed. My parents were called forth, and it was not very pleasant. Rayn refused to confess and swore over and over he had nothing to do with it. He outright lied about it.”

“That does not sound like Rayn. He abhors lying.”

“Yes, well on this occasion, he would not stop lying. They confined him to his quarters at school, and he was not permitted to partake in any social events. They would allow him daily exercise, but that was all. The only entertainment he had was his school texts. The punishment lasted for six months.”

“Six months! That’s awful! Especially for a twelve year old!” Maddie exclaimed. She couldn’t imagine a punishment that harsh.

“It was. Mind you, I was young at the time, so I do not remember much of it. But, as you can imagine, the story has been told repeatedly throughout the years. Anyway, they never broke him, Maddie. They expected him to admit everything, and he would not. He held his own, which is why I am telling you all of this.”

“You see, after many years passed, Rayn finally told the whole story. It seems that Mejerey had struggled with school for so long that his parents had placed him under a great deal of pressure and threatened to remove him from their family…disown him. He was a very good male and a very good friend to Rayn, so Rayn, being the loyal male that he is, could not stand the thought of Mejerey having to deal with all of that. That is why Rayn did his experiments for him. Maddie, what I am saying is that Rayn is much stronger than you and I can ever imagine. He will come out of this just fine and most likely stronger too.”

“Just the thought of him being caged up though drives me crazy.”

“I wish I could tell you more about him, but I feel like I am boasting. There are many things about him you have not even begun to understand.”

“Tell me, Sharra. Please! I want to hear everything about him.”

“Well, some of it you probably have already figured out. He is absolutely the best at everything. Maddie, I am not exaggerating either. All Vesturions are relatively intelligent and strong and so on, but Rayn is light years beyond anything you can imagine. His mind is fascinating. He is the greatest of problem solvers. That is another reason why I think he will get himself out of this. Although he can be demanding and overbearing at times, he is also kind. He is very stoic and proud but also can be extremely funny. He takes much teasing from us because of his serious temperament. My brothers are constantly playing tricks on him. We are unforgivable when we taunt him. It is very difficult to understand him at times. He does carry the enormous burden of being Firstborn, and he takes that role very seriously.”

“Sharra, you speak of him with such pride,” Maddie noted.

“Oh, yes, I could not be prouder of anyone than I am of him. He is a most extraordinary male.”

“Has there ever been anyone one else, you know, another girl in his life?” Maddie couldn’t help herself from being curious about this.