The Secret Weapon (11 page)

“Sergei is not involved. He has no idea what we’re doing. But once he’s in power, he’ll change the current government. We’ll become a democratic nation like the United States.”

“Malie, you make
this plan sound so easy to pull off, but it won’t be. You’re trying to change an entire government, and there are people who prefer for it to stay like it is.”

“
The Senator will be able-”

“
You will meet resistance. It won’t go down the way you think.”

“
That’s all I need to know is whether you are willing to do the job.”

The stakes were
too high. If Coraset got caught, she’d be put to death. The Elite Guard will kill her immediately. Was it worth the risk? The only thing she could gain from accomplishing the mission was getting out of Erato and living outside the dominant society, living beyond the rules and the political iron hand.

But on the other hand, Coraset couldn’t think of one bad thing in her life because of the totalitarian state. She was working
. She didn’t have any demands made on her. She wasn’t being bothered by anyone. She had a roof over her head, clothes to wear, and food to eat.

Even though, Barbados sounded wonderful, she decided not to get involved. Whatever political environment Xavier and Malie was trying to attain wasn’t worth her life. She was the only one going into the fire.
Coraset didn’t see any positives coming from trying to kill the Chancellor of Erato.

“Malie, I know you and Xavier are dedicated to helping society. I get it, but
I’m not going to do this. You have to find someone else.”

They stared at one another, but Malie was the first to turn away. Her expression showed her clear unhappiness with Coraset’s decision.

“Brecco said you wouldn’t do it.”

Coraset didn’t answer.

“You’re not leaving me any choice, and I hate going this far with you. I was hoping to avoid it.” Malie stood and signaled for one of the soldiers from her protection team.

He stepped out into the path in their view
from behind a tall wall of vines and flowers. The soldier had on the same black camouflage uniform, and he held a pistol in his hand.

Coraset didn’t move from where she sat. She asked, “
What is this? Are you going to kill me now?”

“No, but I will have
your stepfather pulled from the labs he works in, and I will see to it that he goes to prison for stealing highly classified documents.”

“You’ll have to do more than just make up lies in the computer to hang him with those charges.
”

“
I can tip off Federation Constabularies that he has lab reports belonging to Erato in his apartment. Taking his work home is forbidden, Coraset, and he could get in a lot of trouble. They might even sentence him to death.”

“You would do that
to him because I refuse to help? He believes in this so called cause you and Xavier have created.”

“
We’re willing to make whatever sacrifices there is to exact that cause including sacrificing Brecco.”

“Sacrifices,” Coras
et scoffed. “You and Xavier aren’t making any. It’s me and my stepfather you’re asking to step into the fire.”

Malie asked
ignoring her last statement, “What is your answer, Coraset?”

She approached Malie in a calm manner and
said, “I’ll do as you want.”

“I thought you might,” Malie remarked
with satisfaction.

Coraset walked passed
Malie into the house, leaving her and the soldier outside in the garden. She rushed into the hallway leading into the foyer and out the front door. Brochudo’s car was still parked in front of the house, and she tried to get into the car only to discover it was locked. Brochudo appeared in the front door of the house.

“You need a ride?” He asked as he smacked on an apple.

“Please,” Coraset responded.

Brochudo reached in his pants pocket, pulled out the remote to unlock the car doors, and he strolled over. He asked where she wanted to go, and Coraset requested for him to take her back to the Barat Region. She needed to see her stepdad.

Coraset stood at the window staring down at the city
. Brecco Jefferson relaxed on the sofa with his pipe. His thick white hair was combed back, showing an aged pale face with blue eyes, a wrinkled medium size nose, and thin lips. He was a tall man. His legs looked like bent sticks, with one resting on the other. He rotated his ankle as he looked straight ahead. He considered what Coraset told him about Malie’s plans, not really having a reaction to the news.

He pulled the pipe from his dry lips and
noted, “I have warned Xavier of his visions. He is convinced that if the head is removed, the body will die. He fails to realize there are others who believe in the totalitarian government, and that body will continue to fight for the current state. He won’t be able to set forth what he wants so easily.”

Coraset turned slightly, catching a quick glimpse of Brecco, and returned to her view. No one was on the street below. The identical building across the street was dotted with lighted apartments. Some
was as dark as night, like no one ever lived in them.

“
Malie told me you believed in their cause.”

“
I do believe in it, but that doesn’t mean I’m blind to the reality of trying to attain the goals of democracy. America had to fight for freedom in its beginning. The act of freeing slaves almost ended the United States during the Civil War. They forget that change is made through blood.”

“
Maybe, they don’t remember or don’t know.” Coraset remarked.

“
They remember, Coraset. They haven’t forgotten about American history in the least.”

“
Malie threatened to kill you if I didn’t agree to help them.” Coraset joined him on the sofa. She crossed her legs and leaned against the back of the couch.

“
She did, huh?” Brecco chuckled inwardly. “Her threats are empty.”

“I’m
not taking that chance with her.”

“This is absolutely crazy.
If Dominic Erato figures out what you’re trying to do, he’ll kill you.”

“I’m very aware of the danger.”

Brecco continued to drive the point home, “They will not arrest you. They will not take you to trial. Your sentence will be played out immediately.”

“I know,” Coraset commented.

“Go into hiding,” Brecco stated in a low voice.

“
I can’t. Malie will take you away from me, and I’ve lost too much as it is.”

“I’ll deal with the consequences
.” Brecco remarked.

“
No, you’re not going to deal with anything. I’m going to do this and hope I get out of it alive.”

Brecco ask
ed sadly, “If you succeed in the mission, will you come back to Barat?”

“
If my life is in danger, no,” she answered.

Brecco nodded, accepting Coraset’s
decision. He stood from his seat and went to his desk. He opened the top drawer and brought out a flat blue canister. Brecco returned back to the sofa and placed it in her hands.

“
Is this it?” Coraset held it gently.

“
Yes,” Brecco answered. “It looks just like the insulin vial Dominic takes for his diabetes.”

She op
ened the canister. Inside were three needles and three vials. She closed it back up and set it on the sofa.

“
Coraset, I wish you would reconsider.”

“You’re my only family. I can’t let anything happen to you.” Coraset patted
his hand gently.

“There’s something else on your mind,” Brecco noticed.

“Malie says that you’re not yourself. What’s going on?”

“
I’m fine,” Brecco managed a quick smile, but it faded quickly. “I work. I come home. I live like always.”

“
Please, don’t keep secrets from me. If you’re not feeling well, I need to know.”

“
No secrets, Coraset,” Brecco remarked as he threw his hands up in mock surrender.

“Are you going to be alright?” Coraset asked. It almost sounded like it was a final question.

“I’ll be right here. I’ll be alright.” Brecco tried to hide his tears. He was afraid for Coraset.

She leaned over and kissed him gently on the cheek
, took the canister from the sofa, and rushed out the door without saying good-bye. She entered the elevator. Once she was enclosed inside, she leaned against the back mirrored wall and closed her eyes.

When she got back to the car, she told Brochudo she was ready to leave
. She sat in the passenger seat this time. Her thoughts consumed her as he drove them out of Barat to Bel Air once more.

Xavier
knocked and waited patiently for Coraset to open the door. He knew she wouldn’t be very happy to see him after her discussion with Malie. Coraset swung the door open after he knocked again. She appeared refreshed and well rested.

With a guarded smile, Xavier greeted her, “Good morning, Coraset. May I come in?”

“Of course, you can. This is your home.” She moved out of the way.

He stepped into the room. His focus was mainly on Coraset. He wanted to come to an amiable understanding with her. He worried about
her being angry with him and holding a grudge. She was all so important to him and his cause, and he didn’t want to move forward on a bad note.

Xavier adjusted his tie and said, “I hope your stay has been comfortable.”

“You like to threaten your guests and their family members?” Coraset asked as she went around him and sat down on the sofa.

He shifted his shoulders, feeling the discomfort of the conversation and said, “
Malie is very zealous in her belief of the cause. She means no real harm.”

“Yes, she does, Xavier, and you’re a terrible liar. If you were against the assassination plot, she’d find a way to get rid of you.”

“You may be right about that.”

“You know I’m right.”

“Anyway, beside all that, I just want to make sure you’re entirely aboard with this plan.” He slowly sat beside her and continued, “I know I’ve made your life much more difficult than it should, but I promise after you do this job, I will set things right.”

“I don’t believe you
.” Coraset spoke frankly. “Your actions and lack of has proven that you are selfish and a coward. I can’t depend on you, and I won’t.”

Xavier
exhaled with defeat.

Coraset
shifted away from him and revealed, “I will try to do what you want, but only to keep Brecco safe. I’m not doing this for you or your cause.”

He smiled with relief
.

“Have you ever thought about the possibility that killing Dominic Erato won’t change the government?
”

“This is simply the first step. Once he’s out of the way, we can move forward more easily with the necessary steps to form a democracy.”

“I don’t think it will be as easy as you think, Xavier. You will not be able to change the government simply by changing the person in charge of it. The Erato Government was set up by more than just her Chancellor. There are others that believe in it and work hard to keep it going.”

“I know you’ve been educated in international studies-”

“It’s common sense, Xavier.” Coraset threw up her hands and remarked, “You know what, it doesn’t even matter. I don’t know why I even try.”

“Everything will go as planned. You watch what I tell you.” Xavier asked in an upbeat tone of voice, “Did your Brecco give you the vial?”

“Yes, he did.”

“
That’s all you have to do is replace one vial.”

“I
know what I need to do, Xavier.” Coraset remarked impatiently.

“After the job is done, you will need to get out of the palace. I’m not sure how the Elite Guards will react to his death. So, you might want to p
lan an exit just in case it gets hectic in there.”

Coraset shook her head and said, “You act like I’m some kind of expert in this. Plan an escape, are you serious?”

“It’s in your best interest-”

“It’s in my best interest if I’m not in there at all!” Coraset screamed angrily. “Get the hell out, Xavier. Just go away and worry about yourself like you always do.”

Xavier tried to say more, but Coraset walked away. She went to her bed and sat down, not even bothering to look in his direction. He got the message and walked out. Xavier was on edge, not really sure if he made the right decision to send Coraset into the fire. She was tough, very capable of taking care of herself, but she was no operative. She wasn’t highly trained to infiltrate a dangerous environment and find her way out of it safely, but Xavier didn’t have much of a choice. She was a black woman, beautiful, single, and she didn’t have children. She fit the perfect bill that Dominic Erato was looking to be in his harem. The plot was simple in planning, but in action, he was depending upon an amateur.