Hathor Legacy: Burn (3 page)

"Set? Who would do that?"

"She said it was a Service House for people with PSI abilities. It doesn't make sense. If trainees can't be developed, they return to their families. We don't put them in houses. There's something strange going on," she replied.

"A Service House? You mean like a meet-up club?"

"I don't know. Brant said we can't help them, but that's never stopped me before." She stood up and wrapped her arms around him. "How did things go today?"

He groaned. "You don't want to know."

"Don't you want to tell me what happened with your meeting?" she asked.

"Sure. Afterwards."

"After what?"

"You know what." Jonathan nuzzled her neck, as he ran his hands across her back. Her body molded against his, pressing against him so tightly that he thought he'd explode. Right now her fingers were squeezing his bare hips, and driving him to desperation.

Drawing back from her, he looked into her gold-flecked brown eyes and felt himself being pulled deeper and deeper. He wasn't in the mood for conversation. Not when all he could think about was running his hands over her body, savoring the taste and smell of her. Freeing her supple, golden brown body from the restricting corporate grey suit was his only priority right now.

How did she have so much power over him?

"Jonathan," she whispered.

"Hmmm?"

"You can tell me about the meeting later."

4
Elder Dakar

Dakar, the leader of the Guardian Elders, lived in a cozy home that bordered the Nova City park, a wide expanse of greenery, ga
rdens and lakes that stretched over forty kilometers.

Similar to a lot of the other houses in this area, it was shaped like a set of rectangular boxes, up to three levels. But instead of the clear walls that were so popular on the office and residential to
wers, Dakar had a simple, large window next to the front door.

Nadira stepped out of the transport and headed up the stone walkway to the door. Before she could press the fingerpad, which would've alerted him that he had a visitor, the door swung open.

Standing there in the sun, he held his large hand above his eyes to block the light. Her memories of him had been of a powerfully-built man, sturdy like the trees that dotted the park. Even now in his sixth decade, he barely looked older than when she'd seen him sixteen years ago. Other than the deep furrows across his brow, and the grey fuzz of hair on his head, he was unchanged.

She greeted him in the traditional way, holding out her hands so that she could show the half-moon shaped line in her left palm. It was the mark that identified Guardians to each other and to ev
eryone else on Hathor. "It's been a long time," she said.

"Yes." He returned the gesture and led her over to a seat by the window. From there she could see
pink and red flowers that grew on lush, green bushes that Dakar kept trimmed down to a manageable height.

"How have you been?" He squinted his bluish-green eyes at her.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

He waved her off. "The bright sunlight hurts my eyes at times. It's a blessing and a curse, it seems. I'm more used to the conditions in the North."

"There's sunlight there too."

"I meant further North in the Cold Towns." He squinted again. "But I enjoy this room with the sunlight, so I don't darken the wi
ndows. Is it too bright for you?"

"I'm fine," she said. "Dakar, there's something I want to ask you about.  Can we talk about that first?"

"Of course. What is it?"

She rubbed her hands together. Why was she so nervous? "Ye
sterday I was called to the scene of a fire at a Service House. Several people were killed. The security officer said the people who lived there were called Deshtu."

Dakar frowned. "Guardians have more important duties than investigating every house that burns down."

"The officer thought the Guardians could help with the investigation. It looks like it was arson."

"Service Houses are not under Guardian control." Dakar rubbed his forehead, his eyes downcast. "They're registered with the co
mpany."

"This house wasn't," she said. "Who are the Deshtu?"

"Nadira, I will not discuss them."

"But they're humans, like the Guardians."

"And surely you know that the company people say we're not really human either." Dakar sucked his teeth. "Guardians have to look after our own."

"We have to do something. You could have some of the Watchers work with me."

"Watchers are busy protecting Novacorp assets and keeping our planet free of criminal influences. Now is the time for us to concentrate on our strongest people, Nadira. There is no time to help those who will hold us back." Dakar reached over and tapped the table next to the couch. The windows became opaque, blocking out the sunlight.

"You have no way of knowing how things were for us decades ago," he continued. "Our people were attacked and rounded up to be used against our will. And I have reason to believe that those times might be coming again."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"There's a Gathering in a few days. The Elders will be there, and so will some of the Protectors. I want you to attend."

"A Gathering?" The last one she'd attended, she'd been twelve years old. Her official introduction into the Guardians. "Why only the Protectors?"

"With their skills in reading thoughts, and mind interrogation, it's important that they meet with the Elders first. We may need them to help defend us." Dakar folded his hands in his lap. "I rea
lize I shouldn't have kept you separated from everyone else. But there were reasons why it had to be done."

"Just as there were reasons for me to be separated from my mother?" Nadira asked. Even after all these years, her anger still boiled beneath the surface. She'd been forced to put it aside, but it had never been easy.

"As I've said in the past, your mother was misguided. She incorrectly thought she was protecting you by taking you and fleeing the city. Without guidance you would've been a danger to yourself and others."

"There's no reason to take children from their families, Dakar."

"The Guardians are your family, Nadira. Nothing must stand in the way of your duty to us." Dakar pressed his index finger against his temple. "Forgive me, I've had a headache for a couple of days now."

Nadira watched as he ran his finger from his temple to his for
ehead, his eyes closed and his breathing heavy. "Are you all right? Should I call someone? Where's your assistant, Akita?" she asked.

Dakar groaned, as he slowly opened his eyes. "You haven't heard. It happened three months ago. She was travelling to the Cold Towns and her aircar went down over the sea."

"No, I didn't know." Nadira still remembered the last time she'd met Dakar's assistant at the Administration building four months ago--the day of her first encounter with Jonathan. As a child, Akita had also been introduced to the Elders at the same Gathering with Nadira. "Why was she headed up there?"

"The District Manager of the Cold Towns insisted she had to meet with me personally over some urgent matter. I couldn't go. I sent Akita." Dakar sighed and leaned back against the cushions. "Unfortunately her loss was for nothing."

"Why? What happened?"

The Elder shook his head. "Nadira, would you mind if we stepped outside for a few moments. I think it would help relieve me of this pain."

"Certainly," she said, as she watched him slowly come to his feet.

He led the way to the rear the house and out the back door. Twisty brown vines ran along the trellis that arched over the doorway, their silvery spikes sparkling in the sunlight. 

Out in the garden, it was a riot of color, rimmed with lush green shrubbery that formed a semi-circle border. In the middle of it all, tall stalks bearing bright red and blue flowers towered over everything else. While below, yellow and purple blooms were like a carpet across the garden floor.

"Where are your roses?" Nadira asked, as she scanned the garden.

Dakar shoved his hands into the pockets of his long, embro
idered vest. "They died, I'm afraid. Around the same time that Akita was lost. I think her presence helped them to grow. She enjoyed the garden. Not many others share my obsession." He winced, as he eased himself down onto one of the benches.

"Dakar, are you sure you're all right?" Nadira asked. Sitting next to him, it was obvious he wasn't as healthy as she'd thought.  Even his skin, normally a rich heartwood brown, was dull with a grayish cast. There had to be more going on with him than hea
daches.

"It will pass, as it always does."

She sat next to him. "How long has this been happening to you?"

"Several weeks. The first time, the ache was so severe I consi
dered calling a healer. But Mikal assisted me. He took over as my assistant and he lives here now. It's much easier to have him nearby in case I need him."

"Mikal?" She hadn't seen him since her introduction to the El
ders. "I wasn't aware that he had abilities as a healer," Nadira remarked.

"It surprised me as well. He didn't exhibit those qualities as a child. It does require a great deal of empathy."

"Zina's also an empath, and look at her."

Dakar patted her hand. "Zina regenerates her power by taking energy from others. A healer regenerates the sick in the same way."

"But healers don't siphon off healthy energy, do they? They give it. They're willing to expose themselves to the illness to heal it."

"You are correct," he admitted. "And most people don't have the desire to open themselves up to those risks.  Or the courage."

It was quiet for a moment. She felt awkward sitting there, not sure what to say. Dakar had never seemed so vulnerable to her before. 

"Did you ever find out why the DM wanted to see you?" she finally asked.

"Unfortunately, no. When I talked to her afterwards, she said the matter had been resolved. I should never have sent Akita. I'm still not sure what the DM thought was so urgent. We don't find many Guardian trainees in the Cold Towns." 

"But you came from there and your powers are very strong, if not the strongest of all of us."

"At times, I don't feel that way." A pot of fiery red flowers sat next to him. The long, thin petals were curled at the ends. Dakar placed his finger into one of the curls and unfurled the petal like a ribbon. "I know you don't agree with me about the Service House fire. But you must trust my judgment."

She waved off an insect that buzzed by her ear. "We've never denied requests for help from security before."

"When it comes to protecting company interests, no we have not denied them. We can't. It's why the Guardians exist." Dakar released the petal as an insect flew over to the flower and lighted in the center. "Our ancestors brought these creatures from Earth. I love to watch them."

Nadira glanced over at the small yellow insect, its transparent wings flapping as it hovered. Only the Elder would find a bee fa
scinating. She could've cared less where they came from. Not getting stung by one of them was her only concern.

"I know about Jonathan Keel," he said, his attention still on the flower. "He resides in your apartment and you've been tracked through the city in his company."

"No one has the right to track me, Dakar. My personal life is my own." 

"Hathor is the most protected planet in this system. Between Novacorp security and the Guardians, do you believe that anything can be hidden?" Dakar dropped his hand back to his lap. "How did you encounter him?"

"Four months ago when I was investigating the robbery on Demeter, he came here looking for his father. I had to protect him."

"You could've turned him over to security."

"Did you see my report? He was attacked and almost killed at the Emerald Club. I thought it best that I watch out for him from that point on."

"That doesn't explain why you had to form a connection. Only Guardians can read thoughts. Surely you had no reason to protect him from other Guardians."

But she did have a reason to protect him from Zina. Only there was no way to let the Elder know that without revealing why. "Dakar, at the time, I didn't know who was after him. I made a decision to keep Jon safe and undetected by anyone with PSI abilities."

"I see." Dakar's gaze burned into her. 

It wasn't likely he'd read her thoughts without permission. But just in case, she strengthened her emotional shields, and kept her feelings as suppressed as possible. "Jonathan and I are connected, Dakar. That's not going to change," she replied.

The Elder's shoulders slumped. "Now I see you are your mother's daughter. Like her, you are rebellious, though I hope you aren't as reckless. Perhaps that is my fault for letting Zina become your mentor. She's ruled by self interest, a trait you would be wise not to copy."

"You feel that way, yet you let her train me."

Dakar rubbed his chin, his fingers playing over the light grey stubble. "I had my reasons. But unlike Zina, you have a role to play that is much larger and more important. One day you will become an Elder."

"There are others who are older with more experience than I have."

"Elder does not designate age, it designates strong abilities and awareness. Unlike what happens to most of us, your powers will magnify over time. We must seize this opportunity now," Dakar said.

"An opportunity for what? I'm not following you."

"Brant will be stepping down as Sentry Leader soon. You will assume that post."

"He spends most of his time dealing with company bureaucrats. Why would I want that? I'd rather stay as I am."

"But that is impossible." Dakar watched as the bee flew off t
owards another flower. "As Sentry Leader you will have access to the highest levels of Novacorp. It will allow you to move among them without revealing your true intent."

Dakar's words were sending chills through her. "Tell me what you're planning."

"You'll find out at the Gathering."

"Jonathan's coming with me. I want him to meet the others."

"No, Nadira. That would not be acceptable. Surely you must understand that any emotional connection you feel with this man is only because of the psychic connection you created," he said. "It can't possibly be anything of substance."