Hathor Legacy: Outcast (15 page)

He was right. Here there were no houses filled with staff to trim back the growths. So the trees grew wild, their limbs twisting, bending and linking together, forming an impenetrable living wall that stopped them from travelling any farther.

"You're right. Let's get back on the road." Nadira said.

A narrow gravel path led them away from the beachfront. Here the grass was growing just as wild as the trees, with fronds shoo
ting up past her knees. A few of the taller shoots lashed at her arms, stinging her through her thin shirt.

The hill was steeper here, and the sand-covered incline made it difficult to get her footing.

"Get hold of the stems," Jon suggested, as he grabbed a bunch of fronds. "Pull yourself up."

Following his lead, she did so, managing to haul herself up the hill and onto the road. Jon climbed up after, but not without yan
king out a handful of the shoots.

"At least that grass is good for something." He threw them on the ground and wiped off his hands.

Nadira brushed off bits of fuzz as she scanned their surroundings. So far so good. No aircars, no security and no Zina.

"What's that? I think I see a building behind those trees," Jon said.

Across from them, set back from the road, stood a grove of trees. These weren't bent and twisted like the ones along the shore, but standing erect, their limbs shooting straight up and loaded with small red thorns. Beyond them she caught a glimpse of a large, slate grey house.

"That looks too big to be a house," she said. "Maybe it's the shuttle station."

"No, that wouldn't be over here. Where would they take off from?"

"Let's check it out."

She kept her awareness open as she weaved in between the trees. A place like this had to have a security force.

"Look at that," Jon said.

Balconies stretched across each of the four levels, each with a set of glass double doors. The windows flanking the front door were two-stories high and were trimmed in gold. In fact, all the trimmings were gold, even the pointed spires that capped the corners of the house. No one could mistake it for just another Novacorp standard-issue seaside home.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

Nadira turned to see a security guard approaching. Dressed in a one-piece, dark grey uniform, her face was partially obscured by a shiny helmet.  As the guard got closer, she realized the oval-shaped object in her hand was a stunner.

She'd allowed herself to become so distracted, she hadn't sensed the guard's presence.

"We're looking for Matt Bento," Nadira replied. "Is this his house?"

"Yes. Where did you come from?"

With a quick glance at Nadira, Jon responded. "We're with the company. I'm Jonathan Keel. This is my associate. We're expected."

After what they'd been through, both of them probably looked like they'd washed up on the beach. Reading her emotions, Nadira could tell that the woman wasn't sure, but didn't see them as a threat. 

The guard lowered her weapon.  "We'll see about that. Come with me."

20
Homecoming

Walking into Matt's house was like walking through the Nova City shuttle term
inal--oversized and overwhelming. All around him, Jon saw signs of Matt's enormous wealth on display. From the jewel-encrusted, pink marble floor, to the gold railing across the upstairs landing, to the matching marble staircases that led to the second level. 

"What the hell is this?" Jon asked, as Nadira joined him in the middle of the e
ntrance foyer.

"It makes the Emerald Club look like a mining installation," she replied, staring up at the clear glass roof.

"This way." The guard motioned to a set of open double doors on the left. "Wait in Mr. Bento's office."

Jon entered the room, his feet cushioned by a furry white ca
rpet. Matching chairs and couches trimmed in gold were placed around the room. Matt's gold-trimmed, black desk sat opposite the door.

"Jonathan!" Matt rushed into the room. "What are you doing here?" He m
otioned for the guard to leave them.

Jon was shocked at how terrible Matt looked. His grey hair hung, scraggly and greasy. His dark red shirt was stained on the front, possibly from sweat or having something thrown on him, and his pants were ripped at the knee.

"Matt? What happened to you?"

"Why did you come here?" Matt's eyes were glassy. "You have to leave now!"

"Where's Ilana? Why are you protecting her?" Jon asked.

"I have to, Jon. or she'll turn me in. I'm not going back to the mines."

"Going back? But you worked in the mines--didn't you?"

"I was sentenced. Five years for embezzlement." Matt sta
ggered over to one of the plush couches and fell back on the cushions. "When I was released, I met your father and Catherine. We worked together here on Hathor. Your mother and I were friends too, Jon. And I wanted her to--"

"Matt. That's enough."

What the hell? Jonathan spun around. Standing in the doorway was his father, Brandon. Wearing a dark blue pullover jacket and matching coveralls, he looked more like a miner than an executive.

"Dad!" In two long strides, Jon was gathered into his father's embrace. "Cat told me you'd been killed in the explosion!"

Brandon pulled back, his powerful hands gripping his son's shoulders. "They found me in one of the caverns a couple of days ago."

"But why didn't Cat tell me?" Jonathan asked. As usual, his f
ather's chin was covered with short stubble, but a long, thin scar on the left side of his face was red and blistered.

"She had her reasons. And this is the Guardian who's been pr
otecting you?" He extended his hand in greeting. "Thank you for protecting my son."

"Dad, this is Nadira. She was investigating the robbery."

"How did you get here so quickly?" Nadira asked, as she shook Brandon's hand.

"The freight shuttle from Demeter is faster," Brandon said. "Son, when you called Catherine earlier, we were on our way here. She couldn't tell you the truth."

"Cat is here too? Where is she?" Jonathan asked.

"Upstairs with Ilana. They had some business."

"If you had settled it sooner, we wouldn't be in this shit." Matt sneered.

Brandon gave him a look of disgust. "You've made your share of mistakes. And that's why we're here."

"Jonathan, I have to talk to Ilana," Nadira said. "There's something wrong. I can feel it."

"I'll come with you," he replied.

"No. I'll be all right. I'm prepared for her this time."

Jonathan waited until he heard her going up the stairs, then turned back to his father. "When I called Cat, she knew Nadira was with me. She wouldn't tell me how, but it makes sense now. Matt told her.  Dad, what are you all involved in?"

"Well, let's see…I've violated about four or five Novacorp directives…and if security finds me here with the…" Brandon shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. "It'll be enough to condemn me to hard labor in the mines."

"You're not the only one who'll be going," Matt grumbled.

Jonathan felt like he'd just been punched in the gut. "Tell me what's going on."

Brandon sighed. "All right. I'll explain it to you."

*****

Nadira found Ilana in one of the upstairs bedrooms. All the fu
rnishings were gold, down to the tables and chairs. The room practically glowed in the light of the setting sun, the red-gold rays flooding through the two oversized windows. Over the bed hung a huge mirror fitted into a thick, wooden frame.

Lying on the bed, Ilana seemed dwarfed by her ornate su
rroundings. Her dark hair pulled back from her face. With no trace of makeup, she looked washed out and much younger than Nadira remembered. Threads stuck out where her shirt was ripped at the shoulder. Ilana gripped the handle of a small, black case sitting on the bed next to her.  

"Who are you?" A short, trim woman jumped up from her chair next to the door, her blonde hair cropped close to her scalp. Her green, company-issued jacket had the half-moon Novacorp logo and "Security Chief Mantee" stamped on the front.

"My name is Nadira. I'm a Guardian."

"Show me your hands," she ordered.

Nadira complied. "You're the one who brought the payment, aren't you?"

"It's right here." Ilana patted the case.

Giving the woman a look that was sharp enough to cut through stone, Mantee whipped out her stunner. "You're lucky I don't use this. If I'd known you were at the mine, I would've."

"I want to speak to Ilana alone."

She pocketed her stunner, her blue eyes like frost. "Why? What are you two up to?"

"It's not your concern," Nadira snapped.

The Chief's eyes narrowed, her hand still in her pocket. Her energy flared, hitting Nadira's awareness like hot sparks off a drill. Casting a glance at the woman reclining on the bed, Mantee walked past Nadira, making sure to leave enough space to avoid touching her.

Ilana's forced laugh echoed through the oversized room.  "Well, at least I'm not the only one she hates." 

*****

"Jonathan, I'm sorry for putting you through this." He motioned for them to sit on one of the couches in front of Matt's imposing, stone desk. "You have every right to be angry."

"What about Mother and the girls?"

"Your mother knows all about it." As he pressed his fingers against his temple, Jon conce
ntrated on the tongues of flame tats encircling his father's wrist. Mining was his life, but he'd been ready to throw it all away for what?

Cat ran into the room. "That Guardian is upstairs with llana. Who knows what they're pla
nning."

"Go to hell, Cat," Jonathan snapped. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Give me a reason to blast your ass." She whipped out the stunner and waved it in his face. "I should've done it before you left Astarte."

Brandon held up his hand. "Can the two of you please stop bickering?"

"Dad, there's not much time. I'm being tracked by another Guardian. You've got to tell me what's going on."

"Are you serious?" Cat asked. "Why didn't you tell us when you first walked in?"

"There's an alert out for me. I tried to tell you, but you were so pissed about Ilana you weren't listening. We saw the aircar a couple of kilometers back. It won't be long before they track me here."

Brandon looked over at Matt, who was staring straight ahead, oblivious to the activity around him. "Catherine, go find that sec
urity guard. Tell her to call out the rest of them so they can patrol the grounds."

"And then what? We're talking about company security here. They'll blow this place apart if they have to," she protested.

"I know that. Just do it!"

21
Control

"What do you want? Revenge for what I did to you?" Ilana rasped. "I've used up my energy. Do it and get it over with."

"Show me your hand."

A grimace passed over Ilana's features. "I'm not a Guardian, but I still have this." Keeping her right hand on the case, she showed Nadira her left palm.

"Guardians don't use their powers against each other." Nadira sat on the edge of the bed. "Who trained you?"

"No one."

"Don't lie to me." Ilana energy was waning, but she still had enough to keep Nadira from reading her. It was like trying to see though a granite wall. There was no way around it or through it.

"I'm from the West. My abilities didn't develop until ten years ago, when I was 18." Ilana se
ttled back against the headboard. "My family wanted me to use my power for their profit. When I refused, they threw me out. I had no where else to go, so I went to Nova City."

"To find the Guardians?"

"No. I never wanted this power. I wanted to hide it. In the city, I thought no one would be able to tell. But I was wrong." Sighing, she wiped her eyes. "When I got there I had no credits. No place to stay and no family. Finally, I got work at a meet up club."

"A meet up--what were you doing there?"

The clubs were filled with workers hired to entertain wealthy executives and businesspeople. Some worked there by choice and others out of necessity.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Ilana asked. "I was nonahli. So, I did what I had to do."

Nonahli. Without family or shelter. An outcast.

It was a word Nadira hadn't heard in many years.

"I was involved in…an altercation. One of the execs tried to force me to do something and I refused. He ended up in a medi-evac and I was thrown into detention." She wiped away a tear with the back of her hand.  "They discovered I had abilities and contacted Zina. She got me out and told me I'd be trained as a Guardian."

"Zina? But your powers are strong, Ilana. She would've been bound to have you brought b
efore the Elders. It's required."

"Required." Ilana laughed. "You are very naïve. Do you think the Guardians never put self i
nterest first?"

"We have a duty." It was what she was brought up on, from her first days of training.

"When Zina found out I wasn't a Sentry, she had no interest in training me. She already has you. With two Sentries, she'd have leverage over the Elders. Instead she had me track Matt Bento. She suspected he was stealing from the company. My job was to get proof. But, as it turns out I found out much more than that." She patted the case.

"She's the one who gave you the company ID," Nadira said.

"She didn't mind breaking a few rules to do it. But she wanted to catch Matt herself. Novacorp would reward her and the Guardians would have to give her a place with the Elders," Ilana said.

"Did you report back to Zina?"

"When I found out what Matt and Keel were doing, it gave me control over the wealthiest man in Nova City and the CEO of the richest mine in the system. Why share that with Zina? But Keel wouldn't give me what I wanted, so I had to show him I was serious."

"
How did you leave Hathor. No one with abilities can leave."

"Do you still believe that old story?"

"Answer my question," Nadira said. She wanted the truth. And yet, she didn't want it.

"Isn't it time you stopped believing everything the company tells you?" Ilana shook her head.

"You're lying." Swallowing, she tried to ignore the pounding in her chest. Stay calm. Don't react.

"You know it's not a lie, Nadira. Admit it," Ilana said, a faint smile on her lips. "It's what you've been told to keep you from leaving the planet. Haven't you ever wondered if it was really true?"

Yes, she had wondered. But she'd forced it from her thoughts. If it was true, she and her mother could've escaped. Shaking, she fought to contain the feelings exploding inside her. An image of her mother formed in her mind. She was crying as Nadira was pulled away.

"I don't want to hear anymore!" She jumped up and blasted the mirror over the bed. It flew across the room and smashed against the wall.  Her chest heaving, Nadira fell to her knees. They could've left Hathor together and been safe.

"Now you know how it feels," Ilana said, her voice just above a whisper. "To be powerful and powerless."

"Nadira! What's going on up there?" Jonathan called out.

She pulled herself back up and wiped the tears from her face. When she got to the doorway, Jonathan was halfway up the stairs, his face flushed.

"It's all right." She folded her arms across her chest, as she tried to stop her body from shaking. "Nothing's wrong."

He didn't move. "Come downstairs with me."

"Not yet. I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Are you crying? What did she do?"

"Jon, please."

He turned, as if in slow motion and headed back downstairs.

She had to pull herself together. Now. There was work to do and she couldn't let her emotions get in the way. Dropping her arms to her sides, she walked back into the bedroom.

"What did you mean you had to show Brandon Keel you were serious?" Nadira asked.

"You recovered quickly," Ilana smirked. "But you have to in your position as the all-powerful Sentry."

"You robbed the mine for someone. Was it Keel? Is your payment in that case?"

"That's why she took you from your mother, isn't it?" Ilana asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"Zina told me about it. When she discovered how strong your powers were, she destroyed your entire family to get to you." Ilana lips twisted into a cruel smile. "Oh, that's right, Zina was your mother's cousin. That's why Guardians renounce their families once they're trained. No feelings about anything but duty. I feel sorry for you."

Gritting her teeth, Nadira held back a wave of revulsion that threatened to engulf her. She wasn't going to be baited into reacting again. "Zina's on her way here."

"Good. As soon as my energy is fully restored, I'm leaving Hathor. I was going to contact Zina and tell her everything once I was far away from this planet. But this will be better. I'll be here to see Keel and the others dragged off to detention in restraints."

Nadira lunged across the bed, grabbing Ilana by her shirt and yanking her up. "You're not going anywhere!"

"The company will put them all in the mines. What do you care?" Ilana grabbed Nadira's wrists. "You think Jonathan cares about you? Do you know how the company execs use us?"

"Why did he pay you?" Nadira wrenched herself out of Ilana's grasp.

"Just like your mother, there are many people who'd rather leave Hathor than turn their chi
ldren over to the Guardians. Keel helps get them off world on the shuttle to Demeter. From there, they can go wherever they want." Ilana sat up on the bed, her voice gathering strength." Matt's in it too. So is that bitch, Mantee."

"How much does Keel get from the families?"

"Nothing. Can you believe it?" Ilana leaned back and closed her eyes. "He paid me with crystal from the mine so I wouldn't expose them. If the company finds out, they'll seize all his assets and throw him in the mines for life."

The crystal and Ilana's testimony would be proof of Brandon's involvement. CEO or not, he'd be punished. But how could Zina cover her own duplicity with Ilana? She was in violation herself.

"You said you have the power. Then why would you help Zina? Instead of training you to be a Guardian, she used you for her own gain," Nadira said.

"Everyone uses everyone else, don't they? Novacorp runs this world, Nadira. We belong to them. And when Jonathan tires of you, you'll find that out."