The Dragons of Men (The Sons of Liberty Book 2) (24 page)

“A symbolic destruction,” Lukas said with a jubilant beam. “One more step in the quest to remind the world of what is no more. Well then, shall we eat?”

Maria nodded with an uncertain smile. They departed from the Truman Balcony on the southern face of the White House and worked their way toward the dining room in the West Wing. As they walked, new guards and drones moved about everywhere, installing and programing new security measures. It was all part of Lukas’ new Imperium Guard he had told Maria about when he arrived an hour earlier.

“So many diligent hands,” Maria said, nodding to a guard with a smile. “It’s a wonder we were safe before.”

“We were safe,” Lukas began as he opened a door for her, “but soon we will be invulnerable.”

Maria entered the tiny room ahead of Lukas and hesitated. A small table stood as the centerpiece—a table that was curiously set for three. Four slightly yellowed walls that still had the rectangular spots from where pictures had recently been removed surrounded it. The paintings had been on a rotation of many that consisted of Abraham Lincoln discussing the course of a broken nation, George Washington crossing the Potomac, or the towering cliffs of Yosemite beneath a setting sun. Like the Washington Monument, Lukas had destroyed them and every other scrap of art dedicated to the memory of the United States of America.

“Are we expecting company, my love?” Maria asked softly as she took her seat.

“Yes,” Lukas replied. “As always, duty never rests for the man who wishes to rule the world.”

Maria nodded as a tiny army of men in white tuxedos entered the room. They poured wine for both Maria and Lukas. A month prior, Maria had been forced against her will to betray her husband as their new world order crumbled through his fingers. Now—after she and her father had helped save Lukas from Sigmund and establish the Imperium—she couldn’t help but think back to his fingers and hands on her throat, choking the life out of her. She knew Lukas had gone through an unfathomable torture and that she had helped bring it upon him, but at the time she had been given no other choice.

Now that Lukas had seized his throne and begun to dismantle the old world brick by brick, she wondered if he would destroy everything and everyone that had once wronged him, including her.

Jamie Rowe entered as the men finished filling the glasses, causing Maria to sip her wine in an effort to hide her displeasure. The younger woman had remained distant after Sigmund’s revelation about Jamie’s feelings for Lukas. Though Maria had felt sorry for Jamie’s complete humiliation, she had taken solace in the fact that a woman like Jamie wasn’t likely to be seen around him anymore. However, that comfort had vanished like a single flame in a forest fire as Lukas refused to remove her. He said they all had secrets they wish would have remained buried and Sigmund’s harsh assault on her was no reason to remove such a skilled intelligence agent. Still, Maria couldn’t help but hope that a woman who had once been infatuated with her husband wouldn’t remain close by for much longer.

Jamie paused, looking back and forth between Lukas and Maria as Lukas smiled. The younger woman then smiled back at Lukas and nodded her head.

“I’m sorry, Lukas,” Jamie said, glancing down at Maria. “I thought we were supposed to be meeting with the others to discuss this morning’s developments. I was told—”

“You’ve been avoiding me, Miss Rowe.” Lukas cut in with a smile. “I know what was said by Sigmund must have been mortifying, but that is no reason to break your service to me and the Imperium.”

“He had no right to say those things,” Jamie said defensively. “I don’t know if I can—”

“I know how you feel,” Lukas said.  “I know the humiliation of having your deepest secrets revealed to those you’ve struggled to hide them from. I do hope we can all be mature adults about the situation, accept that what was said is now in the open, and move on. So please, have a seat. I’d love for you to join us for dinner. I personally spoke with the chef earlier and he has quite the exquisite course prepared for us.”

Jamie nodded with a smile and sat down. One of the servants poured her wine and she quickly took a not-so-small sip. Jamie was clearly nervous, causing Maria to smile.

Maybe tonight won’t be so bad,
Maria thought as she drank lightly from her own glass.

“I am glad you’re here with us tonight, Miss Rowe,” Lukas said. “You’re an intelligence officer, trained to look at the situation and analyze the facts at hand. Tell me, what have you learned about the intrusion we had when Sigmund hacked our meeting two weeks ago?”

“Nothing concrete at this time, my Sovereign,” Jamie responded.

“But you’re a speculator, as you said,” Maria said. “That is what you do best, is it not?”

“Well, yes,” Jamie replied.

“Then speculate.”

Jamie paused, setting the glass down on the table before taking a deep breath.

“I can only conclude that for Sigmund to be able to hack into such a new system, he must have someone working for him on the inside. Someone who would have been at that first meeting.”

Lukas smiled—glancing over at Maria with a nod of approval.

“And who do you suspect?” Lukas asked.

“Maybe Warren Anniston,” Jamie replied. “He did create the Farsight technology. Still, it could have been anyone.”

“With all due respect, Miss Rowe,” Maria began, tipping her head back and donning a very English smile, “My father is a careful man. He was far too cautious in choosing our friends to let someone slip through the cracks.”

“And with all due respect, what about him?” Jamie asked.

“Excuse me?” Maria said, her voice rising. “That is quite the bold claim.”

“I didn’t say I thought he did it,” Jamie said defensively. Her cheeks reddened as she took a deep breath, her discomfort clear in her fearful eyes. “I’m just saying that if anyone were to pull it off, he would be the best candidate. I truly mean no offense.”

“And why would he be the best candidate?” Lukas asked. “You do know he is across the ocean. If we’re looking for someone on the inside, he has a pretty good alibi.”

“And that’s why I can’t help but suspect him,” Jamie replied. “I didn’t say I knew how he could be doing it, but he’s far enough away to avoid suspicion which naturally makes me suspicious. On top of that, he’s the only one who had contact with Sigmund the week between your capture and the battle of DC.”

“What of you, Miss Rowe?” Maria interjected coldly. She was trying to remain composed, but a deep anger was rising inside as they casually drug her father’s name through the mud. “Maybe you’re the one sent here to spy on my husband.”

“That’s absurd,” Jamie argued. “You claim your father is innocent and to be trusted, and yet you question me—the very agent he recruited.”

“You did have Sigmund’s eyes and ears,” Maria replied. “I’m sure he could have hidden something on you if he wished.”

“I was scanned for transponders four times before getting anywhere close to Lukas,” Jamie countered. “Everyone else only had to pass a walkthrough test once.”

“Perhaps they missed something,” Maria replied. “As you said, anyone avoiding suspicion should naturally make us suspicious.”

Jamie shook her head and looked at Lukas. “You’re more than welcome to search me yourself.” Jamie’s face turned bright red as Lukas choked on his wine. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“I’m sure you didn’t,” Maria interjected with a touch of anger on her voice.

“I’m sorry,” Jamie said as she raised her eyes to look at Maria. “I only want to serve as best as I can.”

“I believe you,” Lukas said. “Let us forgive and forget.”

“Speak for yourself,” Maria said, mustering as much posh as she could. “I am not overly fond with letting a man as great as my father—”

“You
will
forgive her and you
will
forget what was said,” Lukas said, his voice low and dangerous. “I am your Sovereign and what I say, you must do. I will not have infighting among those I trust. I would ask…no, I
command
you both to focus your energies and hunt down our betrayers. You will work together as mature professionals and I will accept nothing less than your full cooperation in this matter. Do I make myself clear?” Jamie nodded her head, though Maria paused, cocking her head back defiantly as she met Lukas’ gaze. She wanted to continue, but to disobey would be to undermine everything she had helped him become, while to agree would be to acknowledge herself in the wrong. Still, she nodded her head slowly. There was far more she could do in the coming days to protect the Brekor name.

“Good,” Lukas said, before turning to Jamie. “You’ve heard of the restructuring?”

“I have,” Jamie said. “I agree with most of it.”

“And what do you not agree with?” Lukas asked.

“I don’t like having so much resting on one man’s shoulders,” Jamie replied. “And I don’t mean you. I mean Eli Kane.”

“I have full faith in the Battle Lord’s abilities to do what he has spent a lifetime doing,” Lukas countered.

“And what if he fails?” Jamie said. “What if the one man guiding your armies fails on the day of battle?”

“You think that likely? You heard him. He is a product designed for war. He is doing what he does best.”

“I am not saying that Kane will fail or that you will fail. I’m just stating the fact that you must be ready if rapid adjustments are needed. You have been to war and you know how fast the winds can shift against us.”

Lukas slowly nodded his head in agreement. Maria gazed back at Jamie, the wisdom in her words unable to cool the anger in Maria’s core.

“Well, well,” Maria said. “First you question my husband’s choice to govern Europe and then you question his own Battle Lord. Who’s next? Perhaps you will question his ability to choose a wife?”

“I said enough!” Lukas bellowed as he slammed his fist down on the table. Maria jumped in her chair as silence dominated the room. It was the first time he had yelled at her since the day they nearly lost everything. She stared back at him, humiliation and fear growing deep inside. Pain quickly filled his eyes and he sighed. “Forgive me. I—”

“No,” Maria said quickly, wanting to change the subject. “I am the one who must ask forgiveness. Here I am berating Miss Rowe for doing the very job she is supposed to do. Please accept my apology and let us move on.”

“I took no offense,” Jamie said. “There’s no need for an apology.”

“Good. Now let us continue a bit more cordially.” Lukas eyed Maria, his sharp gaze telling her there would be little cordiality between them when they were alone.

Very well,
Maria thought bitterly.
Anger is your bane and words are my weapons. You want an argument later…so be it.

Lukas looked over at Jamie, the smile returning to his face. “Tell me. What did you think of this morning’s developments?”

The daily report given every morning had caused quite the buzz around the White House a few days ago. The Patriarchs had emerged from beneath their digital canopy on the Gulf Coast, moving West toward Texas and North into Alabama. Though they had initially expected to be wielding an army of drones as they occupied America, satellite imagery estimated it to be a manned army of thousands that were supported with tanks and armored vehicles.

No one had a clue where the men had come from so quickly. Some had suggested sympathetic American soldiers were behind the surge in troop numbers, though Sandra Bowie indicated that most of the soldiers who had escaped the bases Lukas bombed had fled east to seek refuge and food in the Imperium. While they struggled to pinpoint the source for Sigmund’s men, the morning’s SITREP had brought alarming news. Sigmund’s army was drastically increasing their numbers every day, recruiting thousands at each town or city he passed through. At that rate, if the Imperium didn’t stop them short of the lands they controlled, they would be knocking on DC’s door with an unstoppable force.

“I truly don’t know what to make of it all,” Jamie said as three men entered with silver trays. They paused before lifting the lids from the platters. In front of Maria, a bloodshot Lobster sat atop a white plate of moist lettuce. Lemon wedges, a loaded baked potato, and a side of melted butter rounded off the meal. Maria frowned as she stared down at her plate. She had never particularly enjoyed seafood—the idea of eating sea dwelling bugs had always disgusted her. Nevertheless, she picked up her tiny fork and began to quietly eat, unwilling to cause another scene.

“And what do you suppose the correct course of action should be for dealing with an army that grows exponentially as it marches for us?” Lukas asked Jamie as he raised the fork to his mouth and took a bite.

“I’ve spent the day analyzing what we know and speaking with the others. I think…Lukas!” Jamie shouted, causing Maria to jump and drop her fork to the plate with a harsh ping. “What’s wrong with your lobster?”

Maria glanced over at Lukas’ plate and nearly gasped herself. The lobster—broken open with steam rising from its core—was as white as the china beneath it. Lukas smiled, took his fork and dug out more meat from the snowy lobster. He raised it before his eyes, turning it over and examining it.

“An albino lobster,” Lukas muttered with a grin. “They are so rare that they usually make national headlines and are taken to a museum of some sorts when they are found. Some say that one in a hundred million lobsters are like this, while others say they are far less common. They are one of the rarest creatures we know to exist in the wild. But you see, it tastes no different than what is on your plate. This meat looks no different on the end of my fork than your lobster looks on yours. Strip this creature of its white hide and it would be indistinguishable from the billions of crimson siblings it has crawling around the ocean floor. Still….” Lukas grinned, dipping the meat into a side dish of butter before eating the succulent meat. He chewed for a few quiet moments, bliss masking his face as he swallowed. “I can assure you with an utmost certainty that it is
very
different.”