The Ring Bearer (11 page)

“What about Cori’s loyalties?” Belus asked. The question stopped Ethan’s crunching boots.

“What about her loyalties?” He asked. They all turned once again to face each other. For a moment, the question hung between them.

“She did all of this to save them, Ethan,” Belus said in an even tone that Danato couldn’t have faked if he tried. “As stubborn as she is, don’t you think she’ll be a little perturbed to find out you just handed them over to their executioner. Why do you think Danato and I are bickering so hard over this?”

Danato perked up at the question. He was curious about the answer himself. 

“Neither of us gives a shit about them. Honestly, they are a huge burden on the facility and I would be happy to be rid of them. But for reasons not entirely clear to us, Cori feels obligated to help them. We in turn feel obligated to help her help them. Everything she’s done up to this point is putting us at odds with a simple conclusion.”

Belus paused glancing at Danato. “Cori’s behavior warrants a full demotion. The fact that she didn’t actually release the elementals isn’t going to work in her favor, since it was just another layer of deception to keep them out of our custody. When this is all over, neither one of us is going to want to punish Cori.”

Danato couldn’t help but stare blankly at Belus telling him exactly what he was feeling.

“It’s my job to blame the entire night on Danato’s reckless use of funds, so we claim Cori as a victim of circumstances beyond her control. It’s Danato’s job to blame me for negligence, so we can’t hold her responsible for my errors in judgment.”

Danato glanced at Ethan and he could see he wasn’t the only one surprised by Belus’s insight.

“You see Ethan, we are all after the same goal. We want Cori to be safe and happy. If you turn the elementals over to Clark, it will be you she’s aiming daggers at, not us.”

Ethan looked down at his feet. He didn’t take Belus’s lectures well, he never had, but once in a while they could see eye to eye. It wasn’t usually about Cori, but there was a first for everything.

“Watching her in there has to be ten times easier than watching her through a transmorph,” Belus added when Ethan didn’t concede right away. “If you could keep your cool through that, you can keep your cool through this.”

Ethan nodded, finally offering some modicum of retreat from his previous statement. “I just need to fix this.”

“Ethan,” Danato chimed back in. “I want to remove her from that cell with every fiber of my being. I’ve even considered it.”

“You don’t show it,” Ethan mumbled snidely.

“I can’t fall apart. It’s easy to get angry, because everyone is used to that from me, but the control I exert through that anger is what is important. So, with a heavy heart and an extremely tight grip on my anger, I implore you not to disobey me on this. I want Cori in that cell, and the elementals hidden until I get full permission from the board to do otherwise. Then all hell will break loose and you can save your damsel in distress with me as your sidekick.”

Ethan sighed. He didn’t want to comply, but he was still Ethan, and as much as he wanted to have Cori back, he still couldn’t bring himself to break from his self-defined character. “Yes, sir.”

16

After Ethan calmed down, Danato suggested that he go back in to see Cori. Even if he couldn’t save her, he could at least comfort her.

There wasn’t any discussion between him and Belus prior to deviating from the path back to the prison entrance. It went without saying that they needed to check up on their missing residents in the greenhouse.

The fans in the greenhouse hummed loudly in the humid building. The smell of dirt, fertilizer, and vegetation reminded him of Cori. She had been in and out of this building so much, it had become her signature scent.

The aroma brought on a twinge of guilt, but he wasn’t sure why. Perhaps he blamed himself for this happening more than he realized. When it boiled down to it, Danato was responsible for all of this. If he had been doing his job properly, the elementals would never have been accepted as prisoners. Everything up to this point including the death of so many guards could be blamed on his blind grief.

“Efrat!” Danato boomed over the fans. He couldn’t see any of them, but he knew they were there. The hairs on his arms were standing on end. “It’s time to talk.”

“Just talk?” Danato turned hearing Efrat’s voice behind him, but he wasn’t there. “I wasn’t sure you were capable of that.” His voice was muffled by the fans, but it echoed through the space.

“Not usually, but we both know how persuasive Cori can be.” Danato waited for an answer. Behind him a pair of boots landed on the concrete path. Danato looked back and then up at the rafter Efrat had dislodged himself from. 

Efrat’s hands danced with electrical threat as he emerged from his crouched position. Danato noted that his sleeves were covered in blood. Transfer from the victims or Cori, he wasn’t sure which.

Belus turned away. Garr and Remi must have come up the rear, but Danato didn’t take his eyes off Efrat. He wanted to see what Cori saw, but he couldn’t. This man was cold and calculating. He would never be able to forgive him for almost killing her, even if she could.

“I don’t understand it,” Danato said not making any sudden moves. Despite his indignation, he knew how dangerous Efrat was. Cori hadn’t begun to fathom the degree of his power. The fact that he did show a modicum of control when attacking his men was the only reason Danato hadn’t demanded his execution long ago. It was the only leniency he cared to offer him.

“Don’t understand what?” Efrat asked already uninterested in the conversation.

“I don’t understand what redeeming quality she sees in you.”

Efrat lowered his hands and directed them backward as a gesture of good faith. He looked like he was skiing without poles, but given Danato’s new understanding of his predicament, he understood that he didn’t have the option to just pocket his hands. The others must have done the same, because he saw Belus relax.

“She’s just a princess trying to make this place a pretty pink palace.” Efrat smiled.

“That princess is risking everything to protect you. You might want to show her a little more respect.”

“Is she…protecting us?”

“We’re unarmed and without guards, or Clark, so what does that tell you?”

“It tells me that you’re stupid. It tells me that you’re wrapped around her little finger.” Danato narrowed his eyes at the suggestion of weakness. He wanted to prove his strength, but once again muscles didn’t necessarily beat lightening. “It also tells me we have a chance.”

“What do you want Efrat? And I only ask so that we understand each other. I’m not opening this meeting up for negotiations.”

Efrat looked behind him to his partners. “We want asylum from Clark and United States military. We will agree to stay confined, for now, as long as we are given proper care.”

“What does, for now, mean?”

Efrat took in a breath. “When this is all over? When you’re satisfied that all is well. I would like to discuss…options.”

“Options for what, your release?”

“That will be part of the discussion.” Danato waited seeing Efrat’s reluctance to speak, as if he were ashamed of the humility he had to express in asking for what he wanted. “We would like to discuss medical options.” His jaw clenched like he didn’t want to say the rest. “We—some of us, are considering amputation.” The word made his face distort with disgust.

Danato finally afforded a look back to Garr and Remi. Garr looked unexpressive as usual, but his head was low. Remi was standing tall and proud like the military had taught her, but her eyes were streaming with tears. In a different moment, he might have been inclined to feel sympathy, but at that moment, he was still focused on the task at hand.

“I assume that would alleviate the powers?” Danato asked turning back to Efrat.

“Yes,” Efrat said glaring, “the hands are all that control the power. That’s why we can’t shut them off. They have no connection to our natural minds. We have virtually no control other than high and low.

“Removing your hands would prevent you from being a danger to society, but I can’t overlook the death of so many of my men.”

“You can put us on trial for that if you like. All I can do is refer back to my previous statement: virtually…no…control.”

“As you said, we can deal with all of that once we get through this melee. I assume you can continue to hide here while we sort things out. It may be another day.”

Efrat nodded. “That’s it? Just like that? I ask for asylum and you grant it.”

“No, of course not,” Danato furrowed his brow. “Cori asked for your asylum. I couldn’t give a damn what you want, but as you said she has me wrapped around her finger. Good thing for you.” He couldn’t help but snarl as he walked past Efrat, with Belus only slightly behind.

“Is she alright?” Efrat asked as they reached the plastic curtain.

Danato turned back to look at him, but Efrat didn’t offer his face. He considered walking out without offering him the satisfaction of relieving his conscience. “She’s fine.”

“Any more episodes?” He asked.

Danato exchanged a look with Belus. “How do you mean?”

Efrat turned back his face painted with something that might have been sympathy if it was on someone else’s face. “She didn’t take Hirem’s death well.”

“Cori isn’t particularly fond of seeing people die in front of her. It’s a little thing she has,” Danato offered more sarcastically than he intended.

“Yes, but Jill’s knowledge…” Efrat’s eyes searched them like he was trying to find something. Then he suddenly dropped his search and shrugged. “I just wouldn’t advise leaving Cori alone in a room with Clark, especially if he’s unarmed.” He smirked slightly and let his eyes fall away in thought. “Though that may not matter,” he mumbled and turned around.

Danato couldn’t tell if Efrat was manipulating them or if he really knew something they didn’t. He hoped that it was just the details he witnessed last night and not another deception from Cori. 

17

As soon as Daniel had hung his coat up, Nevia set a glass of water on the island for him to drink. He felt naked without his shirt, but he found it over the head chair at the dining table and slipped it on. He didn’t bother buttoning it before guzzling down the glass of water. For the most part the water made it into his mouth, but since his ass was already wet, he didn’t care how much he dribbled on his shirt.

When he finished the glass and sat it down Nevia handed him a new glass full to the brim. He took about half of that down, before his thirst was quenched enough to sip on the rest. Nevia filled the first glass again and stared at him. He glanced at Heaton who was on the opposite side of the island, sitting on a stool. He was also watching him.

“Are we doing an intervention or what?”

Nevia crossed her arms, which gave her otherwise unobtrusive cleavage a boost. He did his best not to enjoy the view too much, but he already had her on his radar for her display with Danato. There wasn’t a lot of hope for gentlemanly behavior.

“Are you going to tell us what happened in there?” She asked.

“His finger’s back on, isn’t it. I’ll fix the scar later.”

“No, not that,” Nevia scowled like his daftness was diminishing her patience. He didn’t think that was quite fair, since his brain was probably just as overheated as his body. “The thing with Frederique.”

“Oh, that.” His interest dimmed.

“What did you do?”

He opened his mouth wide and leaned over the island. Nevia naturally lowered herself with him, like he was about to reveal a big secret. “I have no idea.” She scoffed and straightened up. “Don’t be haughty about it. I don’t exactly come with an instruction manual.”

“Do you remember what you did?” Heaton asked.

“Yeah, sort of, I mean I could duplicate it.”

“Why didn’t it make your temperature change?” Nevia asked. “You seemed fine afterward, apart from being thrown across the room.”

“I think it was because I used both sides of the power simultaneously,” Daniel said as he started to search the fridge for edible food.

“You did it? You used both?” Nevia’s eye widened as if she might jump for joy if he gave her the right answer.

“Look at her.” Daniel nodded to Heaton. “It’s like fecking Christmas for her.”

“What was it like? What did it feel like?”

Daniel pulled out the fixings for a sandwich and set it on the island. “You saw what it did. It felt like somebody punched me in the chest. Heaton you want a sandwich?”

“Yeah, man.”

“Daniel,” Nevia whined.

“Calm down, I’ll make you one too,” he said knowing full well what her whine was for.

“No, that’s not…”

“With cheese or without.” He waved a plastic wrapped cheese in her face before she could continue.

“What…no.” She ripped the cheese from his hand and set it down on the counter. “Tell me what you did?”