Phantom of the Wind (27 page)

“So why would they want him that badly?” Drae asked. “This was planned, gentlemen, not something done on the spur of the moment.”

“I agree with Drae,” Cosaint put in. “Is there something in Quinn’s background other than his involvement in the smuggling that would make this man at TI want him this much?”

“Quinn has sporked this man’s company over many times,” Ayo said. “Isn’t that reason enough to want the Phantom stopped?”

“Sporked?” Drae questioned.

“Fucked,” several men said at the same time.

“Ah,” Drae said, filing the word away in his memory.

“There’s more to it than we are able to see,” the Burgon said. “There has to be.”

Paton turned his head and those viewing him on their Vid-Screens saw him frown. “Kendall, you shouldn’t be here,” they heard him say.

“I can’t keep sitting in our quarters, fearing what might be happening to him,” Kendall said as she took a seat beside Paton. “Please fill me in on what you’ve been discussing.”

“Are you all right, Kenni?” Breen inquired.

“I will be when I have my husband back,” she replied.

“I don’t think you should be—” The Burgon started to say but the admiral interrupted him.

“We were asking what there could be in Quinn’s past that might have caused O’Shay to come after him like this.”

Kendall had been sitting there with her hands folded atop the table in front of her, her eyes not really focused. At the mention of O’Shay’s name, she lifted her head and her eyes opened wide. “O’Shay?” she repeated. “Riordan O’Shay?”

“Aye,” the admiral acknowledged. “He owns Tappas Industries.”

“He’s not a Fleet Command officer?” she asked.

“He was, but that was before his father married Irena Tappas and the company needed a man to run it. Irena’s husband Klaus had suffered a heart attack two years before and she all but ran the company into the ground trying to keep it afloat.”

“Do you know this O’Shay, Kendall?” the Burgon asked for he was studying her face closely.

“Aye, I know him,” she said. Her fingers clenched around one another. “We were lovers.”

The men on the segmented screen—each in his own box—stiffened at that news.

“When was this?” Cosaint asked.

“A year or so ago,” Kendall replied, her face crinkling with even more worry. “Do you think he is the one who has Quinn?”

“We know he is,” Leveche answered for them all. “We just don’t know where the
Raptor
is at the moment.”

“But I believe we now know why Quinn is being held on Morrison’s ship,” Drae put in.

“It isn’t Morrison’s ship, Taegin,” the admiral corrected the Tiogar. “It is and always has been O’Shay’s ship.”

“Quinn has an ally on that ship but whether or not she can be of any help to him we don’t know,” Ghrian told her.

“She’ll do what she can,” the Burgon stated.

“There has to be a way to contact Riordan,” Kendall said. “If I could talk to him—”

“I don’t mean to hurt you with what I’m about to say, Lady Kendall,” Cosaint broke in, “but this is looking more like a spurned lover going after his rival and that makes for a dangerous situation all the way around.”

“Aye, I agree with Ruan,” Leveche said. “Men aren’t ever fond of their lady’s former loves, and since you are now Quinn’s legal wife, I would venture to say O’Shay is now even less fond of the Phantom.”

“A situation I might be able to defuse if I could talk to Riordan,” she suggested. “Even if it means trading Quinn for me. I could do that without a thought.”

“You forget I have reason to want Riordan O’Shay for myself,” the Burgon told her. “He was responsible for the deaths of my wife and sons.”

“They have found your other son?” Admiral Ben-Alkazar asked softly.

“Aye,” the Burgon said, his voice breaking. “What was left of him.”

Kendall’s lips trembled. “Your Excellency, I am so sorry, but Quinn might die if we don’t do something.”

“He may already be dead,” Ayo said.

“I disagree,” Ghrian said. “If he were, there would no longer be any need for the
Raptor
to remain in stealth mode. It would be hightailing it back to Riezell or
an Ghearmáin
.”

“Cair’s right about that,” Leveche said. “I think those of us who are of the Order of Taibhse would know if one of our own had passed.”

Cosaint nodded. “Aye, Gabe, we would.”

“And I don’t have any sense of him being tortured,” Leveche added. “Although I feel a great sense of turmoil and fear about him.”

“You exchanged blood with him?” Drae asked.

“Once, and quite by accident,” Leveche said, tossing out a hand in passing. “We’d had a few too many snifters of plum brandy and we became bloodbrothers.”

“Oh for the love of Alel,” Cosaint snorted, rolling his eyes.

“Boys will be boys, Ruan,” the admiral said with a chuckle.

“Well, since they shared blood, you should be able to find Quinn. Aren’t Reapers just as good at being a bloodhound as we Tiogars are?”

“We’re better,” Leveche snapped, “but though I can sense him, I haven’t been able to locate the ship. It’s out there. We know it’s out there, but finding it is proving to be the challenge.”

“It’s like pollen in the air, Taegin,” Ghrian said. “Your nose tells you it’s there, you know it’s there but you can’t see it. We could have passed that ship several times and not known it was there. Apparently that’s how good this new stealth technology of TI’s is.”

“Can’t we at least send a message out?” Kendall asked.

“To whom?” the Burgon asked.

“Anyone! Everyone!” Kendall responded. “I don’t care who hears it. I just want to contact Riordan, try to make him see reason.”

“A universal message,” the admiral said, rubbing his chin. “It might work. Hell, for all we know, he might be listening to our conversation right now.”

The Burgon shook his head. “Not possible. I have blocking on all the transmissions.”

“Aye, but TI might know how to bypass that blocking,” Ayo said.

“No,” the Burgon stated emphatically. “Trust me. They don’t.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to try Lady Kendall’s suggestion,” Cosaint said.

General Reeve came into the picture behind the Burgon and bent over to whisper something in the emperor’s ear. From the look that passed over Ryden Bakari’s face, it was not good news. He looked at the Vid-Cam before him, his expression filled with concern. “We have received a transmission from the
Raptor
,” he told those assembled. “O’Shay will exchange Quinn for the Lady Kendall and my assurance he will not be brought to justice for the attack ordered by General Morrison on the Aduaidh Prime palace.”

“We know gods-be-damned well Morrison didn’t order that attack!” the admiral barked. “Who is this little bastard trying to kid?”

“He is saying Morrison is responsible but we’ll never know for sure if he was or not,” the Burgon said. “Morrison apparently felt so bad about what he’d done to my family, he walked out of the airlock and is now floating around somewhere out in the megaverse.”

“That’s a bunch of
kenyesi
,” Ayo snorted, “and it stinks!”

“All
kenyesi
does, Taborn,” Ghrian quipped.

“I don’t think mine does,” Leveche said with a straight face. “Just ask my lady. She’ll be happy to tell you.”

Everyone, including Kendall, laughed at Lord Savidos’ joke. It relieved the high tension but not the look on the Burgon’s face.

“I have great affection for Quinn,” the emperor said, “and I would even go so far as to accept a portion of the liar’s bargain, but I cannot and will not allow Lady Kendall to place herself into O’Shay’s hands.”

“I’ll do so gladly if he will give Quinn back to us unharmed,” Kendall said.

“We know you would, sweeting,” Ayo said, “but we cannot trust this man’s words.”

“And Ryden deserves satisfaction from the man who killed his family,” Cosaint put in. “There are too many stipulations here.”

“Aye, but I can always get my revenge after Quinn is safe,” the Burgon said.

“Not if you give this coward your word of honor,” the admiral reminded his old friend. Though they had fought on different sides of the war, they had remained close over the years.

“If the pledge comes from the Emperor of the Alliance, but not from Ryden Bakari, I could go after O’Shay and make him atone for his crimes. Honor would be satisfied in that way.”

“Are you suggesting that you step down from your office?” Ben-Alkazar asked, his expression one of shock.

“At least temporarily,” the Burgon said. “I no longer have sons to whom I can pass the title but I have friends here who might take on the responsibility for me for a short time.”

“Say just time enough for you to go after Riordan O’Shay and lop his head off?” Cosaint asked.

“Perhaps a little longer than that,” the Burgon said. “I am tired, Ruan. I need some time and I won’t get that if the burdens of my office stay on my shoulders.”

“Who would you choose?” Ghrian asked. “Most of us have our own burdens, Ryden.”

“Tev doesn’t,” the Burgon replied. “He’s retired and according to Rutheen is getting under her feet. Perhaps he needs something to occupy his time.”

The admiral’s eyebrows shot up. “Getting under her feet?” he repeated.

“Will you do it?” Cosaint asked. “Would you be willing to take over the office until Ryden can rest and regroup?”

Ben-Alkazar shrugged. “If I am needed, aye, but why would the woman say I get under her feet? Just because I make a few suggestions here and there and move a few things I’ve always thought should be in a different location, she says I am getting under feet?”

“Such is retired life,” Ayo commented. “Or so I’ve heard, Admiral.”

“Then it’s settled.” The Burgon took off the signet ring that was the Great Seal of Aduaidh Prime and handed it to Reeve. “Transport this over to the
Gehenna
immediately.”

“Aye, Sir!” Reeve agreed, and disappeared from his place behind the Burgon’s chair.

“Tev, as soon as you put that ring on, you’re the new Burgon. Use your power wisely,” the Burgon said, his lips twitching.

“As my first decree, I will make it a class-five felony for my wife to complain about what I do,” Tev said, and as he spoke a hand was extended toward him. With reverence, he took up the ring of the Great Seal and slid it onto his finger.

“All Hail the Burgon!” Ayo called out and those gathered echoed the cry.

“Perhaps I will make that a class seven so I can jail her wide-load ass if she gets under
my
feet!” Tev mumbled, looking at the bulky ring.

“What now, Ryden?” Cosaint asked.

“I still don’t think Kendall should be handed over to O’Shay,” the Burgon said.

“She’s a big girl and can take care of herself.”

The voice came from under the table at which Kendall and Paton were sitting. Everyone heard it but no one commented. All were honored to have heard the voice of an Elfinish, annoyed as it might have been.

“Munchkin is right,” Kendall said. “I can handle Riordan. The important thing is to get Quinn off that ship.”

“All right,” the new Burgon said. “Reeve, contact the
Raptor
and tell O’Shay the Burgon will accept his proposal. Tell him the proposal will be drawn up and the Great Seal of Aduaidh Prime will be fixed upon the agreement by the Burgon himself. Tell him Lady Kendall has agreed to come to him and that the Burgon has agreed reluctantly to allow her to do this. Make sure he understands the Burgon is the one making this decision.”

“He likes using that title, doesn’t he?” Leveche asked wryly.

“Do not disrespect your betters, Lord Savidos, or for my second decree, I will order you to Seabhac for an extended duty among the tribes there and without that lovely lady of yours to accompany you,” Ben-Alkazar said with a sniff.

Leveche held up his hands in surrender. “I am at your command, Your Excellency,” he said quickly, his lips twitching.

“Insolent prick,” the new Burgon sniffed.

“I feel as though the greatest of weights has been taken from my shoulders,” Ryden said.

“Let’s hope whatever is causing Rory Quinn to tremble is taken from his shoulders soon,” Leveche said quietly.

* * * * *

The blade had descended to within two feet of Quinn’s body before O’Shay came back into the torture chamber. Sweat was glistening on the Phantom’s bare chest as he dragged in gasping breaths. His dark curls were damp from the perspiration yet chill bumps peppered his flesh. He had forced himself to lie perfectly still so the wires banding his wrists did not cut through the arteries though blood was seeping still from the injuries.

“Have you decided to sign the papers?” O’Shay asked in a pleasant voice.

Quinn cut his eyes over to his tormenter. “Go fuck yourself, you shit-eating prick!”

“Oh my, but the Phantom is not a happy camper, is he?” the Sceirdiúillian quipped.

Swish.

Clink.