The Mandate of Heaven (37 page)

“Thank you,” Jessica breathed.

“You’re welcome.  I wish you every success in all your future endeavours, Lady Hadley.”  Bowing deeply, demonstrating all the respect due a Lady, the eldest daughter of a High-Lord, Alex turned round to leave, for the last time, when she called out after him.

“Alex!  I cannot forget what you’ve done in the past,” she explained hurriedly.  “And it’s not my place to forgive, but I’ve seen your scars, both inside and out, and recognise that you’ve also suffered.  You saved my life once and I never repaid you for that—”

Alex was about to comment that the kiss they had shared was more than recompense enough, but curious to know what else she wanted to say, remained quiet.

“So I want to return something to you.  You gave it to me to save my life, so now I want to return the favour.”

Turning back to face her, Alex was astonished to observe his fusion pistol in the palm of her hand.  Even more surprised to realise that it wasn’t pointed at him, instead glowing a muted yellow, to signify that she’d released her control over it.

“You might still need that,” Alex pointed out, uncertainly.  “Your symptoms are likely to quickly return without it.”

“I’ll have my own back, soon enough,” she reassured him.  “But I don’t think you can wait that long.”

“I’m fine,” he hurriedly reassured her.

“Really?” she asked sceptically.  “So when was the last time that you slept—two, three days ago?”

“I don’t really need much sleep,” he refuted.

“Your hands are shaking, did you know that?”

“If you give it back to me, it doesn’t change anything between us.  I’m still going after Stanton.”

“I know,” she replied simply.

Reaching out, Alex tentatively took the pistol from her hand.  As soon as he touched it, the weapon came alive.  To Alex it felt like a glass of crystal clear water on a hot day, instantly quenching his thirst and for the first time since giving her his pistol, his head felt clear and the trembling in his limbs subsided.

“Thank you,” he said, dazed.  “For everything.”

“Now we’re equal,” she reminded him.  “Neither of us owes the other a thing.”

“Understood,” he said, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with her.  Instead he reached out with a finger, brushing a strand of her hair that had come loose, back behind her ear.  Staring into her sky-blue eyes for a moment longer, he let himself imagine the emotion that he thought he saw, the same as he felt inside him.  Refusing to name it, he spun around marching from the room.

Stanton and Hadley would have to wait, as first he had something he urgently needed to do.

*****

The door to Granville’s office slid open, not so much with a
bang
, as a whimper.  It was very much like the sound a human body would make, if slammed with great force, against the aforementioned door.

“Your guard dog, who
was
outside, informed me that you were currently indisposed,” Alex snarled savagely, as he strode, unannounced, into the room.  “So I apologise in advance for the interruption, but I don’t apologise for his broken arm.  It was his fault for not getting out of my way quick enough.”

“Alex, this is a surprise,” Granville said nervously, taking a step back when confronted by the younger man’s palpable fury.

“No, it’s not,” Alex corrected him, brushing aside a high-backed chair.  The force of the blow threw it halfway across the room, where its further progress, impeded by a bulkhead, caused it to shatter into tinder.

“I can explain,” Granville stammered slightly, upon observing the heavy piece of furniture explode against the wall.

“Yes, you can and will,” Alex agreed heatedly, as he picked up Granville by the lapels of his jacket.  With apparent effortless ease hauling him from the floor, slamming him against the wall and leaving his feet dangling several inches in the air.  “What the hell did you tell her?” he barked.

“The truth.”

“The truth?” Alex echoed sardonically.  “What the hell is the truth anyway?”

“That you almost killed Stanton!”

“And I lie awake, every night, regretting that I didn’t finish the job, so what?”

“Hundreds, maybe thousands, died because of your actions.”

“I have a photographic memory, so I hardly need you to remind me who died, but this isn’t about them, or even her, this is between you and I.”

“No, this is about your arrogance.  You brought his wrath down upon everybody, and for what, a pretty face in a short skirt?  Go back to Angela’s if you want a girl, she’s got plenty—”

“What if it had been your daughter?” Alex shouted, shaking him furiously.

“What!”

“You heard me.  You weren’t there, you didn’t see the expression on Stanton’s face, he was enjoying hurting her—and you have the gall to call me a sick bastard?”

“He’s a High-Lord, he can do whatever he likes.”

“While he might have had that luxury, I did not.  My sworn duty was clear, to protect the men and women under my command, no matter the personal cost.”

“He’s a God!  Can’t you get that into your thick skull?  We’re nothing to him.  Just autonomous, walking, talking, company machines.  He cares for us no more than one of his ships, probably less, as they’re worth far more than us.”

Staring at Granville contemptuously Alex released the grip on the man’s jacket, dropping him back onto the floor.  “What happened to you Granville?” Alex asked rhetorically.  “You have just as much reason to hate the High-Lords as I.  Wasn’t it them that forced you to flee?  Threatened by your very success.  Just how many billions did they owe you?  In the end it was just cheaper for them to drive you from your home, to take everything that you owned, to declare you a thief and liar, rather than simply pay what they owed.  They still talk about the dinner party, you know, that they hosted to celebrate your departure.  In your own home, that put their own to shame, using your golden cutlery, while theirs’ was nothing but bronze, as they drunk your wine and dined on your food.  How they laughed after you had gone.”

“Things are different now.  I’ve got a family, a daughter, a grandson.”

“I see.  So instead you just sold out to them, is that what you mean?  You know what that makes you?  A coward.  Just like everybody else.  How easy it is for you to sit here, the king of a castle floating between the stars, so far away from the real world.  Yet, when asked to actually do something, to take a stand, to make a difference, you hesitate.  It’s easy to make promises, but far harder to make sacrifices.  Just remember what you promised, when I agreed to find your daughter a husband.”

“I haven’t forgotten.  I’ll keep my side of the bargain.”

“For your sake I hope that you do,” Alex shrugged.  “You’ve already betrayed me once.  Do it again and next time it’ll be your head that I’m coming for.”

The Nova-Class Dreadnought was the largest, most powerful class of warship ever constructed.  One third larger than a Mercury-Class battleship, capable of taking on two to four other capital class ships simultaneously, or assaulting a major ground target.  She was mankind’s greatest accomplishment, and most abject failure.

—From the journal of
Lord Alexander Greystone
.

Elysium Fields, Nova-Class Dreadnought, decommissioned.

“You!” Jessica exclaimed furiously.  “Where have you been?  What took you so long getting here?”

“It’s good to see you too,” Sanderson said dryly.  “Nice dress by the way, who’s getting married?”

“Nobody,” Jessica snapped.  “Not if you had gotten here earlier at any rate.  You at least might have been able to talk some sense into the man, as by the High-Lords, he never listens to me, but now it’s far too late.”

“Shame,” Sanderson replied.  “For a minute there I thought the Colonel had actually taken my advice, literally a first, and told you how he really feels.  Too late for what?” he added, puzzled.

“This situation, everything, Stanton.  I mean High-Lord Stanton is here.  He and Alex are going to kill each other.”

“Oh that,” Sanderson replied, looking relieved.  “That’s what took us so long, we had to take a brief detour and pick up some supplies.”

“I can’t believe that you can think of food at a time like this.”

“Food?  I’m talking about heavy artillery.  If we’re going up against a High-Lord we need some serious firepower.”  With that he tapped the breastplate that he was wearing and it made a dull thud each time he rapped it.

It was only then, that she realised that he was wearing some sort of black combat armour, for it covered almost his entire body, leaving only his hands free.  They were sheathed in form fitting gloves, leaving just his fingertips visible, which were wrapped around the largest gun she had ever seen.

“An automatic shotgun; twelve-gauge, magazine loaded with Flechette cartridges.  It can clear a room in seconds.  I like to call it the widow-maker.”

“I’m not married. Yet,” Jessica added gloomily.

“Always be prepared, that’s what I say.  Anyway Stanton, he’s a slippery one.  I warned Alex about him, like playing poker with the very devil himself.  He would steal the deck of cards, prize, along with the table and chairs you were seated on.”

“Then why go through with this?  Let me go and the rest of you can just walk away.”

“Because if I was forced to bet on a card game between the two, I would put my money on the Colonel every time.  For Stanton would still be considering his cards, while the Colonel had played every possible hand in his head and would instead be thinking about where to donate the prize money.  Don’t be so quick to discount him, he has saved all of our lives, yours included, many times over.”

She just couldn’t reconcile how a man like Alex could commit such heinous crimes, yet instil such loyalty in people that knew him well.  Wondering if she also counted herself as part of that select group.

*****

The location of the exchange was large, dark and foreboding.  The room seemed to continue on upwards for several floors, before vanishing entirely into obscurity.  With balconies overlooking the main arena, surrounded on all sides by discarded crates, benches and chairs, it was obviously some sort of long abandoned auditorium.  The solitary chandelier, hanging from the ceiling, swung backwards and forwards like a pendulum.  It didn’t so much illuminate the massive room, as spread the gloom.  Casting long shadows in all directions, they were like ghostly phantoms, observing the proceedings beneath them.

What sort of events took place here, Jessica dreaded to think, as the floor was covered in a fine powder—sand, sawdust or something similar.  Darker patches were clearly visible in places, blood she very much assumed.  An ominous start for such an encounter, yet somehow perfectly fitting Alex’s mercurial mood.

“You ready?” he asked, stepping from the shadows.

Jessica was momentarily taken aback at how easily the darkness seemed to engulf him, two constituent elements that made a whole.  One glance in his direction and she understood how he could appear like a wrath.  He had donned a similar suit of combat armour to Sanderson, combined with the black cloak that he’d wrapped himself in, he was more shadow than man. “Do I have a choice?” she replied.

“There’s always my other alternative,” Alex reminded her.

“I don’t think so.  I wouldn’t want to miss my own wedding.  Let’s go,” she ordered, striding into the weak light in the middle of the auditorium.

“Then lights… Camera… Action… Let the show begin,” Alex murmured, following close behind.

*****

“Jessica,” a relieved voice called out from the gloom, as High-Lord Hadley took a step forward, appearing from amongst the shadows.  “Is that you?  My darling, are you safe and well?”

“Daddy,” Jessica’s voice broke slightly as she automatically took a step in his direction.  Her progress only impeded when Alex caught her by the elbow, drawing her back, close to his chest.

“Not yet,” he whispered into her ear.  “But very soon, I promise.  My Lord,” he called out in a loud, clear voice, that echoed throughout the room, giving his tenor a ghost like quality.  “Thank you for observing the terms of our agreement and coming alone.”

The sick look on High-Lord Hadley’s face indicated that perhaps he hadn’t followed as closely to the terms as he might have liked, for beside him, stepped out another figure.

“High-Lord Hadley is an honourable man, and insisted on coming alone.  However, as Lady Jessica’s fiancé, I insisted on accompanying him.”

“Stanton,” Alex said in a voice that would freeze water.  “What an unexpected surprise.”

At the sound of Alex’s voice, Stanton peered closer, a look of astonishment crossing his face.  “As I live and breathe, Colonel Grey, but what are you doing here?  I thought that you would be dead in a gutter by now.  After all it’s probably where you were conceived, in some dank, back alley, up against a wall.”  Suddenly his eyes went wide, as realisation struck him.  “It was you all along, wasn’t it?  You took Lady Hadley, but why?  I understand now, the money.  Well in that regard you haven’t changed a bit, have you?  Still overreaching and underachieving, surely you must have realised by now that you are an abject failure at everything you put your mind to.  Why don’t you just save everyone the trouble?  Release Lady Hadley and just roll over and die, quietly.”

“You know this man?” Lord Hadley asked in shock.

“He used to work for me.  A traitor, my lord,” Stanton demurred.  “One that I should have dealt with many years ago.  An oversight that I’ll soon correct.”

Jessica tensed, as she observed her betrothed, Lord Stanton, step from the shadows.  She could feel Alex’s arms tense around her at his appearance, yet her initial fears, that Alex would impulsively leap forward and try to strangle him, appeared unfounded.  She wondered who was actually holding up whom, as Alex was wound so tight around her she could scarcely breathe.  But he gave no other outward indication that he was in the least bit bothered by Stanton’s presence.

“If Lady Jessica was betrothed to me, I likewise would do everything in my power to see her returned, safe and well,” Alex replied to Stanton, before dismissing his person completely, turning back to face Lord Hadley. “The payment my lord, and I’ll return your daughter, unharmed, as promised.  Unlike some, I’m a man of my word.”

Stanton snorted at this, but otherwise remained silent, obviously prepared to wait and see how events played out.

Lord Hadley unclipped a large pouch from his waist, hefting it in his hand, as obviously it was full and weighed a considerable sum.  “I’ve brought the pearls, exactly as you stipulated.  Now release my daughter.”

“Go.  Take the pearls from your father and bring them to me.  Once I’ve got them, you and your father are free to go, safe and sound, just as I promised,” Alex breathed into her ear, before releasing his arm from around her waist.

Hesitating for a moment, as Alex had made no mention of her intended, Jessica decided to play along, but only for the time being.  Up until now he had made no overt move against Stanton, so perhaps he’d changed his mind?  Taking a few steps forward, she stopped just in front of her father.  Carefully she took the bag from him, giving him a gentle squeeze on the hand and a reassuring smile.  The pouch was indeed heavy and she tightened her grip around it to secure it in her hand.  Turning around, she made her way back towards Alex with the pouch in hand, keeping her eyes downcast watching her step on the filth covered floor.  The last thing she wanted was to slip and fall, as the consequences could be disastrous for all involved...

Finally, she arrived back in front of Alex, only an arm’s length away from him and looked up.  Only to have all the blood drain from her face and her vision waver.  For clearly visible, on top of the dark cloak that he wore, exactly where his heart beat in his chest, was a single, solitary, red dot.  She didn’t need to guess what it was, as she’d seen many before—the laser-sight of a rifle.

He had lied!

The thought chased in circles around her head. Her father had looked her in the eye and deliberately lied to her, as he’d promised that he would abide by the terms and conditions of the exchange and come alone, with the money.  Still frozen in place, with a stricken look on her face, Jessica observed another red dot appear, this time on Alex’s temple, and another, and another, until she could count over thirty in total.  They were all around him, like a swarm of fireflies, yet still he didn’t move, just standing there, alone, giving her a quizzical stare.  Obviously confused by her hesitation.

A quick glance over her shoulder cleared up one misconception, for her father was still there, frozen in place, with a traumatised expression on his face, his gaze locked on her in absolute terror.  Yet, it was the expression on Stanton’s face that most drew her ire, for he was casually standing beside her father, with a knowing smirk on his face.  So it wasn’t her father, but Stanton, who was behind all of this.

If you care for someone, love them, then you’ll do everything in your power to protect them.

Alex’s words came back to haunt her.  How could Stanton’s actions in any way protect her?  Alex was obviously no threat to her.  He’d had a dozen opportunities when he could have harmed her, but done nothing of the sort.  Quite the opposite in fact, as he had repeatedly put his life on the line for hers.  She, in turn, had threatened him, calling him, out loud, the worst names imaginable and wished him dead, but never like this.  Not by her own hand, for if he died here, now, his death would forever be on her conscience.

“Jessica, my payment,” Alex interrupted her internal monologue, raising his hand to take the pouch from her.

She immediately snatched her hand, and the bag back, out of his reach.  Her thoughts in a whirl as she tried to think how to extradite him from this situation, without making it obvious that she was aiding him.  For if she did, her marriage to Stanton would be over and her family would be destroyed.  Forever.

“Give me my money and leave, now,” Alex snapped, more forcibly this time, taking another step closer.

In the face of his advance, she refused to retreat.  Realising that the closer he got to her, the safer he would be.

“Don’t move,” she urged him.  “You’re in great danger.”

“You have only just realised this?” he asked, rolling his eyes in astonishment.

“You don’t understand,” Jessica whispered back in frustration.  “They’re going to kill you.”

“And you never change,” Alex growled.  “Always getting yourself involved in situations that you don’t understand, and have nothing to do with you.  Give me my money and go.  Otherwise your fiancé and father are going to be treated to the surreal sight of me, putting you across my knee, and thrashing you.”

“You stupid, arrogant, fool,” Jessica scolded.  “They’ve got dozens of guns trained on you this very instant.”

“And you didn’t stop to think for a minute, that I might have likewise?” Alex snarled.  “What the hell do you think Sanderson, Templeton, Baracoa and Murdoch are doing here?  Sightseeing?”

“Oh,” Jessica blinked, following his gaze.  She glanced around comprehending what she’d failed to observe earlier, as dotted around the room, in a loose semi-circle, was Sanderson and the rest of his team, weapons raised, trained outwards.

“Now give me my damn pearls, then take your father and get out of here.”

“That’s all you care about, your money?”

“You really want to discuss this.  Here? 
Now?
” Alex’s voice was tinged with anger, disbelief and a sort of wry humour.

But before she even had the chance to reply, Stanton took a step forward, clearing his throat.  “You might be interested to learn that you’re completely surrounded and escape is impossible.  Lady Hadley has obviously not been mistreated, hence I’ll make this once in a lifetime offer—surrender and I’ll spare you your life.”

“I’ve already taken you up on that offer, once before,” Alex muttered.  “It didn’t work out too well for me.  I’ll make a counter-offer,” Alex instead shouted back.  “Call off your troops, give me my money and leave, and in return I’ll let
you
live.”