Chrono Inquisitor (Gods Be Damned) (30 page)

“Is that what you really intend to do?” she asked.

“You could always join me,” I said, before my rational mind could tell my dick-head to shut the hell up.

To my utter amazement, her disposition changed. “I was wondering how long it was going to take you to proposition me,” she said with a seductive smile, stepping towards me. She reached out with her left hand and grabbed my right.

I started to pull away, but she managed to keep a firm grip. She moved my hand like I was a puppet on her string, and placed it on her right breast. “Isn’t this what you want?”

A battle of wills broke out in my mind. Way, way, back in the day, I’d often uncontrollably thought of being with both Sam and Lillian in a ménage à
trois. I’d never really cared for Lillian personality wise, but damn, she
is
a knockout.

Between my two heads a battle was won.

I opened my mouth to voice the winner’s position when Lillian’s right hook caught me by surprise in the jaw. Unprepared for the blow, my head jerked violently, causing my mind to short circuit.

I came back to consciousness thirty-seven seconds later to the sound of Kali’s voice.

‹You have suffered a mild concussive blow. There is no internal bleeding detected, though there is a slight swelling of the brain. I will continue to monitor for further symptoms and make medical arrangements should the need arise.›

“What the hell happened?”

‹You were baited and hooked, so to speak, by Ms. Park.›

The memory of what had essentially occurred returned to me.

I put a hand to my jaw. “Serves me right I guess, allowing my dick to even voice it’s opinion when the alarms were already going off in my head. I should have known better.”

‹Yes, you should have. In the future would you like me to voice my analysis of the situation?›

“So I can have one more voice adding their opinion? No, I’ll continue to think for myself and either learn from my experiences or die in the process.”

‹I will remind you that your death, means mine as well. I will not allow that to happen. And, since you seem not to care about your life, I will have to care for the both of us. In the future if I assess you are unnecessarily putting our lives in danger, I will make it known and do everything in my power to remedy the situation.›

“Good luck with that,” I said, pulling myself up using the railing.

Back on my feet, I rubbed my jaw where Lillian had made her true intentions known.

“Kali, locate Sam’s quarters for me, or wherever it is I can find her without running into you know who.”

‹Her quarters are in the shareholders building, second floor, suite 204, though it is unlikely that you would find her there at this moment in time. Due to recent events, she is either in; the main security office, the resorts security server bunker running diagnostics, or making rounds. However, each place has a high probability of Ms. Park being there as well
.
›

“So, what you’re telling me is Sam and Lillian will most likely be together.”

‹Not necessarily, but there is a high probability that wherever Ms. Matsuzaki would be, Ms. Park has an equal chance of being there.›

“Thanks for your lack of actual help.”

The first thing I needed to do was restock my weapons supply back in my room. That way if Lillian was keeping an eye on me remotely, it’d at least initially look like I was following her command. It was highly unlikely she’d be able to keep a permanent eye on me with everything that was going on.

I made it to my room without further incident. I quickly showered though I wanted to take a longer one, changed clothes, donned my vault, restocked my weapons.

I opened the door to leave, to go find Sam for some answers, and found Quentin coming down the hallway towards me.

“Ze’ev, I was just looking for you,” Quentin said.

“I think you know by now that isn’t my real name.”

He shrugged. “I know, but I like it. I think it suits you.”

“How can I help you, Quentin?”

“I’m actually here to help you,” he said with a wide beaming smile
. “By the way, I heard what happened to the robots. On behalf of the entire staff, thank you. I hope the news I bring is in some way compensation for the blessing you’ve bestowed upon us. I’ve made arrangements for you to meet with the owner of the painting you wanted to purchase.”

I’d completely forgotten all about the painting. It made me feel guilty, as if I were dishonoring my mother by how quickly I’d forgotten about something that meant so much to my memory of her.

“When?” I asked.

“Right now, if it’s convenient.”

Well, it’s not exactly like I was in a rush to face Sam.

“Now will be just fine. Lead the way.”

I followed Quentin to the first floor to a private dining room within the Wild Hare Bar & Grill.

He opened the door and I stepped in. I found Sam sitting at a table sipping what appeared to be either tea or whiskey. Both had an equal chance.

She wasn’t all dolled up like she had been at the banquet. Now she was in her everyday garb. A short, black and white, floral print skirt, with a simple, yet elegant, white blouse over a black form fitting body suit. She didn’t look like she was any sort of a threat, but she was.

I stepped back out into the hallway. Quentin was halfway down it already. I looked back at Sam, who was just sitting there, staring at me with a slight smile as she continued to sip her drink.

“I was expecting someone for a business matter,” I told her, stepping fully into the small but cozy private room.

“So am I,” she said, and took another sip of her drink.

“Then I think one of us has the wrong room.” I turned to leave.

“You’re in the right place,
Enki. I’m the owner of Lightning Strikes.”

I closed my eyes. I should have expected that curveball.

“I don’t go by that name,” I said, slowly turning back to face her. “And I’d prefer to never hear it again.”

“You’ll always be
Enki to me,” she said, obstinately.

Enki
was my first middle name. My full name being Travis Enki Ryker Yan. I’d never really cared for either of my middle names, and generally kept them secret.

When Sam and I began dating, in what felt like eons ago, she’d discovered my name at that first Thanksgiving we spent at my dad’s. She had playfully insisted on calling me
Enki after that night. It had initially infuriated me to the point that I went so far as to end the relationship.

Years went by until fate saw fit for us to meet again at a party. By that time I’d matured enough and didn’t mind so much anymore. One thing led to another and we rekindled our relationship. She of course continued to call me as such, though she was the only one I ever allowed to do so, other than my dad.

The last time anyone had used that name had been my father, the day before he died. Sam’s use of it then brought back memories of that time and a feeling of loss. The fact that she was the owner of the painting only heightened the feelings stirring within me. It reminded me of all the family I’d lost over the years. Her included.

My vision went cloudy.

“Are you all right?” she asked with what sounded like genuine concern. She even got to her feet and came towards me.

I threw up my hands, as if that would stop her. Surprisingly it did.

This wasn’t how I’d wanted my reunion with Sam to be.

A tidal wave of emotions threatened to wash away all my composure. I shook my head trying to toss my memories away. It didn’t work. So instead I motioned for Sam to sit back down, hoping I still had that ability to control her movement. That didn’t work either.

“I suffered a concussion a little while ago,” I said with as much manliness as I could muster, which didn’t seem like a whole lot.

“I know,” she said solemnly. “I saw what Lil did to you.”

“In hindsight I guess I got what I deserved.”

“W
ere you actually going to?”

“Would you believe me if I said I wasn’t?”

“I might.”

I nodded. “I won’t lie to you. Not anymore. I can’t say the thought hasn’t ever crossed my mind, but it didn’t today.”

She nodded.

“So there’s the matter of your roundabout request to purchase a certain piece of artwork.”

I steeled myself. “How much?”

“It’s yours, all you have to do is ask.”

“And I’m asking. How much?” I said obstinately.

“I bought it for you a few years ago. It’s always been my intention to give it to you. I just didn’t know how or when to do it.”

Something tugged at my heartstrings. My jaw clenched in response, which still hurt. The pain helped me redirect what I was feeling.

“Thank you,” I managed to say, but with a shaky overtone. It made me want to keep my mouth shut and leave.

“Please sit,” she said, almost begging.

A knock sounded on the door and Quentin stepped in carrying a tray with two glasses of water and another drink for Sam. He even had some menus underarm.

I tugged at the vault, attempting to straighten it. I pulled out the seat opposite Sam, we both sat.

Quentin handed us each a menu and then excused himself, saying he’d give us some time to look them over.

“I see you’re still wearing the jacket I made you,” she said with a smile that felt both warm and welcoming, while also feeling like it was a slap in the face.

“It was custom made for me, and it’s the finest jacket I possess,” I said with a little more pride and attachment than I’d wanted to convey. I kept my eyes focused on the menu trying to avoid looking at her. Damn she was beautiful.

Sam had designed the vault and given it to me as an anniversary present two years before we separated. The fact that I still wore it almost constantly, spoke volumes psychologically, if only I’d read one of the books.

“You should order the Guinness marinated bison steak sandwich, it’s really good,” she offered.

I wasn’t really hungry, but I had just been looking at that very thing. Her suggestion of it made me want to dismiss it altogether.

“You eat here often?” I asked, not knowing what else to say that wouldn’t cause things to take a nosedive into the past.

“When I’m staying at the resort. They really do have the best food.”

She took a sip, which made me wish I had a whole bottle of 18-year-old Yamazaki whiskey in front of me.

“How often are you here?” I asked, and took a sip of water.

“Not often. I’d say on average three weeks out of the year. It feels like such a waste having my residence empty for the majority of the time.”

“So why don’t you rent it out when you aren’t here?”

“I thought of that initially, but I like having a place that I know is solely mine, and that no matter how long I’ve been away, when I return, it will be exactly the same as how I left it.”

I thought of the condo I owned, which I hadn’t been to in over a year, but which I still kept for that very same reason. To me it was the equivalent of the house I grew up in. Made me think of when I went off to college and how sometimes when things got crazy, going home always made things better. The home I’d grown up in no longer existed. Even if it had, it wouldn’t have been the same, with all my family now dead.

“I completely understand,” I said, and took a sip.

Quentin knocked on the door and entered.

“Have you decided what you’ll be having?” he asked.

Even though I’d wanted to order something else on principle, I hadn’t really focused on the menu in the last few minutes, so I ended up ordering the bison sandwich, telling myself that it had nothing to do with Sam’s recommendation.

Sam ordered a roasted beet, quinoa, and kale salad, along with a side of parmesan crusted acorn squash.

“Still a veg-head, I see,” I said as a friendly jest.

“You must be glad to be back in Texas, where you can eat all the meat your carnivorous heart desires.”

I nodded. “Do you have any idea what kind of crap the other Republics are trying to pass off as food these days? It’s criminal.”

“You always were such a critic.”

“Someone has to keep standards alive, otherwise the world would fall into degradation.”

“Well aren’t we all just so lucky to have you looking out for us?”

We continued talking, the food arrived, and we forgot the happenings of the world around us, transported back in time as if the last decade hadn’t occurred. We smiled, flirted, and laughed at each other’s stupid jokes, which only we would have found funny due to our history together.

Over an hour passed before Sam made the mistake of saying, “Did you have any intention of seeing me, or were you planning on leaving without a word?”

“I went back and forth, but, I think would have slipped away.”

“I understand you were investigating Julius,” she said, changing the subject.

“What was your relationship with him?” I asked.

Her demeanor changed and she leaned towards me. “Are you
inquisitioning me?” she asked.

I leaned closer as well. “It’s what I do.”

She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “I was wondering how long it’d take you to get around to me.”

“Like I said, I had every intention of leaving, especially once I learned you were mixed up in this, but the people pulling the strings compelled me to stay, and now it’s out of my hands. Though I did want to see you without my partner tagging along.”

“And where is this partner of yours now?”

“Well, we aren’t really partners anymore, now that the Horsemen are here.
However, he’s either still getting his broken wrist repaired, no thanks to those psychotic robots which tried to murder us just a couple of hours ago, or, he’s in bed. Like I should be.”

Looking down and seeing my empty plate, I said, “You know, I wasn’t even hungry, but damn, that was a good sandwich.”

“Glad you liked it. I’m sorry about the robots. I voted against them, but others felt differently. I didn’t find out what happened until after the situation had been taken care of.”

“And here I thought you were head of security,” I said before I could stop myself. As I expected, she gave me a hurtful glare because of it.

“I’m not capable of knowing every minute detail that goes on at this resort. I’m not omniscient.”

I sighed and relaxed my shoulders. “We’re getting off topic. What was your relationship with Beit, Sam?”

“Who’s asking, Enki, or Inquisitor Yan?”

Her acting as if I were two different personalities occupying the same host, irritated me to no end. The surprisingly pleasant past hour disappeared from my thoughts completely.

I slammed my fist down on the table. “There’s only the one me, Sam, so please answer the damn question.”

Sam didn’t even bat an eye at my outburst. With calmness she said, “My company was contracted through Julius’s to be the security firm overseeing the design and building of the future capital.”

“I already know that. What I want to know is, what was your relationship with him? How long have you known him? What did you think of him? What do you think he thought of you? Did you get along? Shit like that.”

“I don’t know, what you know, so cease the shitty attitude, or kiss your wishes goodbye.”

I gave her an exaggerated close mouthed smile.

She continued despite it. “For starters, I wouldn’t really use the term
relationship
. Second, I’ve known about Julius, Nora, and their company for almost thirty-five years. I was introduced to them approximately thirty years ago, but it’s only been in the last nine that I’ve had dealings with them, when my company put in a bid for the security contract for this resort. Something you would know if you ever paid attention to me.”

I took a drink of water and kept my mouth shut.

“As far as business goes,” she continued. “I’ve really only dealt with him when it pertains to this resort, and then recently in dealing with the capital. Privately though, I ended up becoming friends with Nora during the resort design.”

“Just with Nora, not with Julius?” I asked.

“He was an egotistical asshole who loved to run his mouth. We didn’t always see eye to eye. Nora and I, on the other hand, became quite close. She’s become the sister I always wished Sariah was.”

I thought about asking how her sister was but decided against it. We’d never liked each other anyway. “I understand Julius wanted to go with
Shep’s company over yours.”

“Julius and Shepard go way back. They’re old friends, and Julius tended to let things get personal when it came to business. Nora though, she’s the real brains of the company and everyone knows it. Her and most of the other board members saw reason and chose my company.”