The Dreams of Andromeda (The Imperium Chronicles Book 4) Page 14

  Roland spread his feet apart, holding his left arm and fist close to his body while his right arm stretched in front of him. Although the boy knew the stance was impressive, even he was surprised by how quickly the two chem junkies stopped in their tracks. Roland saw the terror in their eyes and watched the one man drop his wrench to the ground.

  That was easy, Roland thought.

  The Lotus eaters ran in the opposite direction, dashing down the alley and out the other end. Roland smiled, relaxing his stance before turning back toward the street. When he did so, he came face to face with a man standing behind him.

  Wearing a dark leather coat, the man carried a blaster in his hand. His hair was shaved to a fine stubble. Seeing the man's icy stare, Roland felt his blood turn cold.

  Chapter Twelve

  Magnus Black sized up Jack Groen, the boy standing alone in the alley. As Lady Veber had warned, the boy was young, but Magnus had killed young men before. He motioned for Jack to move farther back into the alley, and he complied.

  "What do you want?" Jack asked.

  "There's a powerful woman who wants you dead," Magnus replied dryly, "and I'm here to make sure that happens."

  Confusion crossed the boy's face. "Why would some lady want you to kill me?"

  "I can't say I understand it myself," Magnus replied. "But a contract is a contract. It's nothing personal."

  This was usually the point when the target said something like "this seems kinda personal," but Magnus gave the boy credit for keeping that to himself. If anything, the young man stood straighter and faced his assassin with a steady gaze.

  Magnus raised his blaster and fired, but instead of seeing a body slump to the ground, the smell of burnt flesh in the air, he saw the beam go wide and strike a garbage container down the alley. He fired again, but again the beam missed. This time, however, Magnus also noticed a darkened line running across Jack Groen's chest and another, similar line across his back. A whiff of smoke came off the boy's clothing where the bolt of energy had singed it.

  Did he just dodge both my shots? Magnus wondered.

  Before he could consider further, the boy lunged forward and rolled into a tuck before unfolding like a flower in bloom. Jack's flattened palm struck Magnus' blaster, sending it flying somewhere into the trash bins. The movement was so fast, Magnus barely saw it, but his own reaction was nearly as swift. He thrust his fist into the center of Jack's chest, sending the boy staggering backwards.

  "Who trained you?" Magnus asked.

  "My mother!" Jack replied and launched a flying kick through the air. This time it was Magnus' turn to dodge, leaning his body to one side as the boy sailed by.

  Magnus charged, striking Jack several times before he could land and recover. The boy toppled over from the blows, but then jumped to his feet, kicking Magnus hard in the abdomen. The assassin groaned but tightened his muscles before another kick landed.

  At the alley entrance, an orange general-purpose robot appeared, one of his arms hanging loosely.

  "I just want to check on you—" the orange robot started, but Magnus grabbed the loose arm, tearing it from the socket in a shower of sparks. The robot turned and ran away as Magnus began hitting Jack with the mechanical arm.

  The boy snatched a greasy wrench from the ground and used it to block the assassin's attacks. The metal casing of the arm dented against the heavy tool with each strike.

  "Enough!" Magnus shouted, dropping the appendage while springing forward. Burying the crown of his head into the boy's sternum, Magnus sent Jack off his feet and onto his back with the killer on top of him. The wrench went spinning across the pavement.

  Pinning him down, Magnus wrapped his hands around Jack's throat, his thumbs pressing into the boy's airway. Magnus felt Jack struggling beneath him, but the killer's weight was too great.

  A gurgling noise came from Jack's mouth as Magnus leaned his face closer.

  "I told you," Magnus said, "it's nothing personal."

  Watching Jack's eyes roll back into his head, Magnus saw his face turn pale.

  Just let go, Magnus was thinking when something hit him fast and hard. He rolled off the top of the boy and into a garbage can, the lid clattering on the ground. Looking up, he saw a woman of Asian heritage standing over them both.

  She did not look amused.

  "Lucy?" Magnus asked.

  Coughing and struggling to breathe, Jack got to his feet while holding his throat. Magnus stood as well. Both stared at Lefty Lucy.

  "What are you doing here?" both men asked simultaneously.

  Magnus and the boy looked at each other.

  "You know her?" they said together.

  Lucy's eyes glanced upward at the sliver of sky above the alley.

  "This is Lefty Lucy," Jack said, his voice raspy.

  "I'm aware of that," Magnus replied. "How do you know her?"

  "She's my mother," Jack said. "Well, I mean she raised me..."

  Magnus gave them both a hard look before realization flashed across his face.

  "How old are you?" he asked Jack.

  "Sixteen."

  Magnus and Lucy's eyes met and he finally understood.

  "I'm Magnus Black," he told the boy. "I'm the one who brought you to Lucy when you were a baby."

  For a few seconds, it was Jack's turn to process what was happening, but when he did, he lunged at Magnus again, only to find Lucy between them.

  "You killed my mother!" Jack shouted.

  Magnus nodded. "Yes, I did."

  "But why?" Jack asked.

  "It was a job," Magnus replied. "It wasn't—"

  "Personal," Jack said bitterly. "Yeah, I heard you the first time."

  All three remained silent until Magnus spoke.

  "I need you to come with me," he told the boy.

  "What the hell for?" Jack asked.

  "Lady Veber has a contract out on your life," Magnus explained. "We need to pay her a visit and convince her to cancel the contract."

  "And what if she doesn't?" Jack said.

  "I can be very convincing," Magnus replied. "Now, go pack a bag and meet me at my ship, the Starling, in an hour."

  Lucy glared at the assassin.

  "I'll take care of him," Magnus said.

  Her eyes only narrowed.

  "And I promise I won't kill him," Magnus replied.

  The representatives of each of the Five Families arrived once again on Lokeren. This time, Lord Tagus III brought Burkebot to ensure someone was there to record his inevitable victory.

  After freshening up, each representative entered the dining hall of the Veber estate and took their seat at the round table in the center. As before, Prince Richard sat directly across from Lady Veber. To Richard's left, Lady Olivia Montros occasionally cast her eyes in his direction but mostly stared at the rings on her fingers. To the right of the prince, Tagus and his ally, Lord Vincent Groen, were seated while Burkebot stayed out of the way in the corner of the room.

  For her part, Lady Veber wasted no time opening the proceedings.

  "I declare the Imperial Conclave reconvened," she said.

  Tagus, who had entered the room already smiling, snickered in apparent glee.

  Lady Veber rolled her eyes. "Calm down."

  Tagus coughed and composed himself, but remained grinning like a boy about to open an enormous birthday present.

  "Before we vote on the nominations," Lady Veber continued, "I will call them out, one by one, and have you reaffirm them.

  "Lady Montros?" she asked. "Are you still content with your nomination?"

  Olivia nodded.

  "Lord Tagus?" Lady Veber said. "Are you as well?"

  Tagus scoffed. "Of course!"

  Lastly, she looked at the prince, her eyes imploring.

  "And you, Prince Richard?" she asked.

  "Yes," Richard replied without hesitation, drawing a collective sigh from most of the others at the table.

  "Very well then," Lady Veber said with resignation in her voice
. "Let us vote, starting with Lord Groen and ending with me..."

  "Me?" Vincent replied. "Alright then, my vote goes to Lord Tagus."

  "What a surprise!" Tagus joked, patting him on the arm. "And, to the astonishment of no one, I vote for myself as well."

  "That means you now have two votes, Lord Tagus," Lady Veber replied, barely able to contain a groan. "If you gain one more vote, you will be the winner."

  Tagus nodded at Lady Veber, his eyes trained on her face as if to say, A deal is a deal. Instead of returning his gaze, however, she turned to Prince Richard.

  "I vote for myself," Richard said.

  "And what about you, Lady Montros?" Lady Veber asked. "A vote for Tagus will give him victory. A vote for Prince Richard would give both of them two votes. Or you could—"

  "I vote for myself!" Olivia said and glared at the prince.

  Tagus laughed. "Good for you!"

  "Then that means Prince Richard and Lady Montros have one vote apiece," Lady Veber said, "and Lord Tagus has two votes."

  Tagus squirmed in his seat, ready to jump up at any moment. Lady Veber knew what he was expecting and knew what he might do if she failed to cast the winning vote in his favor.

  "Go on," he said, daring her to defy him. "Correct your family's mistake. Don't let history repeat itself."

  All eyes were on Lady Veber, even Burkebot's electronic ones as the robot took a few steps closer to get a better view.

  She cleared her throat.

  "I vote for Lady Montros," she said.

  "What?" Tagus asked.

  Lady Veber leaned over Vincent, getting as close to Tagus as possible.

  "I will never vote for you," she hissed. "Not even with my dying breath!"

  "But that means nobody has a majority..." Vincent remarked, grasping the obvious.

  "Yes," Lady Veber replied, sitting back in her seat. "The Imperial Conclave is again adjourned."

  The Starling hurled through hyperspace with Magnus Black in the cockpit. After double-checking the course, Magnus climbed down a ladder into a narrow corridor leading to the galley where Jack Groen was waiting. A table and chair, normally stowed when not in use, were folded out so Jack had a place to sit. With nowhere else to take a seat, Magnus leaned against the wall.

  The boy stared at him.

  "You don't have to look at me like that," Magnus said. "I already promised your mother I wouldn't hurt you."

  Jack scoffed. "As if you could."

  "As I recall," Magnus went on, "your lights were about to go out when Lucy came to your rescue."

  "I'm not afraid of you."

  "Well," Magnus said, "you should be."

  The assassin reached over Jack and removed a ready-made meal from a dispenser in the wall. He dropped it on the table in front of the boy.

  "Hungry?" Magnus asked.

  Jack examined the packaged meal dubiously. "You spoil me."

  "Only the best for royalty," Magnus remarked.

  The boy opened the meal which began heating itself almost immediately. A pair of plastic utensils were attached along the side.

  "What is it?" Jack asked.

  "No idea."

  The boy took a bite.

  "I think it's beef," he said.

  "Mystery solved," Magnus replied, turning back toward the cockpit.

  "Wait," Jack said.

  "What?"

  "I wanted to ask you about my mother," the boy said. "I mean, my real mother."

  Magnus raised an eyebrow. "Is that a good idea?"

  "I never met her," Jack said, "and you were the last one to see her alive... before you killed her..."

  "Listen, kid," Magnus said. "I already told you it was a job and nothing more than that. If I hadn't killed her, somebody else would have. Sometimes, it's just your time to die."

  "But who decided that?" Jack asked. "Who wanted them dead?"

  Magnus didn't answer.

  Not waiting, Jack asked, "And why didn't you kill me too?"

  Magnus leaned against the wall again, this time crossing his arms.

  "My parents were colonists on one of the outer worlds," he began. "One day raiders landed and started killing everybody. My mother, nine months pregnant, was lined up in front of a ditch and shot, along with the other surviving settlers."

  Jack's mouth opened to speak, but said nothing.

  "Anyway," Magnus went on, "after the raiders left, a group of pirates came to pick over whatever was left to salvage. They found me in the pit next to my mother. Her last living act was to give birth to me, and so when I saw you lying there in your mother's dead arms, something made me stop. I just couldn't kill you."

  "And you gave me to Lucy..."

  "That's right."

  "Do you regret it?" the boy asked.

  "Saving your life?" Magnus asked. "Or being a killer?"

  "Either, I guess."

  "No," Magnus replied.

  Jack was silent, studying the food in front of him.

  "This is terrible," he said finally.

  "Yeah," Magnus agreed. "It usually is."

  Burkebot was named after a human, but watching Tagus III throw small furniture around his suite at the Veber estate, Burkebot could not fathom his employer's human behavior. A chair sailed across the room, striking a dresser and splintering into pieces.

  "If this is an attempt to redecorate," Burkebot said, "I find it highly inefficient."

  "I'll kill her!" Tagus shouted, scanning the room for more furniture.

  "Who?" the robot asked.

  With eyes wide open, Tagus faced the robot. "Lady Veber!"

  "That seems unwise," Burkebot replied.

  "Why not?" Tagus asked, picking an expensive vase off a table. "She killed my father!"

  "True, but perhaps you should give it more thought before you do anything—"

  The vase smashed against the wall.

  "—rash," Burkebot finished.

  "Once I'm emperor," Tagus snarled, "I'll eradicate the whole Veber family. I'll string them up and stick their heads on spikes!"

  Humans, Burkebot had observed, were often irrational, letting their emotions run away with them, especially rage. It dominated their daily lives from the moment they read the news in the morning to when they lay down to a fitful sleep at night. Like toddlers in dire need of a timeout, humans erupted into tantrums, stomping and shouting until their tempers cooled. Their unpredictability was what bothered Burkebot the most.

  It made him nervous.

  "We had a deal!" Tagus said, though his heavy breathing suggested he was running out of steam.

  "Did you intend to honor the deal?" Burkebot asked.

  "That's beside the point..."

  "Perhaps Lady Veber sensed your duplicity," the robot said, "and that's why she chose to vote against you?"

  Tagus stopped.

  "What are you saying?" he asked. "I have a very honest face!"

  "Humans are constantly lying," the robot replied. "Frankly, I'm astounded any of you trust each other."

  "I'm the head of the Tagus family! It's an outrage that someone wouldn't take my word, whether I mean to keep it or not!"

  Burkebot had no need to breathe, but he felt compelled to take a breath and exhale it forcefully.

  "Yes, sir," he said. "What will you do now?"

  Instead of finding something else to throw, Tagus seemed to be genuinely thinking for a change.

  "For one," he said finally, "I'll demand that everyone remain on Lokeren."

  "Why?" the robot asked.

  "We can't let the outside world know their leaders can't reach an agreement," Tagus replied. "We'll stay here until we can."

  Although Burkebot was not entirely sure what his master said was feasible, it was still the most rational thing to come out of his mouth all day.

  On one of the patios surrounding Lady Veber's estate, Lord Vincent Groen was watching the sunset fade on the horizon like the last embers of the day, extinguished by the turquoise sea. A glass of wine was balanced
on the stone balustrade.

  A pair of double doors behind Vincent swung open and Lady Olivia Montros stormed out, her red dress swinging in the ocean breeze.

  "What's got you in a huff?" he asked with a wry grin.

  "It's Richard," she said, joining him by the rail while eyeing his glass. "Do you have any more of that wine?"

  Vincent handed her the glass. "We could share."

  Olivia took it and downed the remainder of wine before handing it back to him.

  "Well, so much for sharing..." Vincent remarked.

  "I've been talking to Prince Richard nonstop since that disastrous vote," she said. "He simply won't listen to reason!"

  "Still refuses to withdraw his nomination?" Vincent asked.

  "What else?"

  Vincent scratched the stubble on his chin, gazing at the empty wine glass.

  "Of course, you could withdraw your own nomination," he said.

  She scowled at him. "Absolutely not!"

  "Suit yourself," Vincent went on, "personally I can't imagine why someone would want to be emperor..."

  "It's my family's turn," she replied. "It's expected of me."

  "But do you really want to be empress?"

  Olivia stared at the sea and considered the question.

  "Empress Olivia has a nice ring to it," she said finally.

  "And you'd wear the crown beautifully too," Vincent replied. "However, the throne doesn’t come without a price."

  "Like what?"

  "The constant public eye for one," he said. "And the endless criticisms of everything you do."

  Olivia flashed a devilish smile.

  "I'll poke out the public's eye," she said, "and execute anyone who criticizes me!"

  "You're joking, I hope," Vincent replied.

  "Of course!" she replied. "Probably..."

  They watched the last ray of sunlight drown in the sea, the horizon turning from orange to shades of purple.

  "Well, the crown is not for me," Vincent said. "I like my freedoms, thank you very much, and nobody's tried to assassinate me so far..."

  "The day's not over yet," Olivia replied.

  "Barely."

  "I suppose you'll vote for Tagus no matter what?" she asked.

  "A vote for Tagus is a vote for Groen is practically the family motto," he said, half mockingly. "Anyway, it's worked pretty well so far."