Chapter Twenty-Seven
Orin
“Adin, have you gone completely mad?” asks Jayden.
“No, it’s just —”
“They tried to kill you!” continues Jeshua.
“Maybe they didn’t…”
“What do you mean?” asks Orin sharply.
“I’m just saying —”
“Yes, I know what you’re just saying! Tom held a gun to your head and you’re saying maybe we’re jumping to the wrong conclusion?”
“We had guns at their heads! Does that make us murdering psychopaths too?” asks Adin in exasperation.
“But, Adin, you saw the recording…” begins Jayden.
“I know, I know.” Adin throws himself into a chair. “But I was there; nothing would have been easier than putting a bullet in me. They didn’t, in fact…”
“In fact?” prompts Dagny.
“I just don’t think any of this adds up,” he shrugs.
“Mr. Orin?” The unfortunate lackey receives the peeved attention of the gathered men.
“What is it?” asks Orin.
“Lady Mari is here, she wishes an audience with the council.”
“Better let her in, Orin.” Is Cayden’s advice.
“Bring her in, Lester.”
There is a moments silence as the assembled half-brothers wait for Mari’s entry.
“This isn’t the best time, Mari.” Is Orin’s greeting.
“I know, that’s why I’m here.” Mari’s face is worried and pale. “I’ve heard a rumour that Tom and Ryder are in some sort of trouble?”
“That’s no rumour, Mari, Tom and Ryder are responsible for the deaths of many, including Dax.”
“Who told you such a lie?” asks Mari, horrified. “They were just boys at the time.”
“It isn’t a lie, Mari, and we have proof that it isn’t,” answers Orin.
“How could you possibly have proof for a lie?” returns Mari angrily.
“They abducted Dec, Mari,” interjects Blake.
“Another lie!” announces Mari.
“What do you mean?”
“Who told you Tom and Ryder kidnapped Dec?” counters Mari.
“They told us themselves.”
Orin presses a button and the recording begins to play, Mari watches it in silence.
“You see, Mari? I’m sorry but it’s the truth,” Orin’s voice is soft.
“Tomasz was the only one of his brothers that Dax trusted fully; he trusted him with everything.” Mari’s eyes are softly unfocused, but they sharpen as they fall on Orin. “You wouldn’t know the truth if it jumped up and bit you on the backside! Who gave you that tape?”
“Jimmy Brook—”
“Jimmy?” Mari’s voice is incredulous, and she slides into the seat she is standing next to. “Jimmy?”
“Yes, he found —”
“Orin! You have to send someone to find him, to fetch him here… quickly before it’s too late!”
“Calm down, Mari, why —”
“Orin, it’s him!” Mari is almost hysterical. “It’s him! He killed Dax, and Roland, and Rothe — all of them!”
“Mari, get a hold on yourself, you don’t know what you’re saying,” reprimands Orin.
“You don’t understand!” Mari tries to quell the shuddering breaths that rack her small frame. “Dax sent Dec to live with Tom. He was afraid that if he didn’t Dec would die, he was so fragile and vulnerable. Dax said keeping him was like signing his death warrant ourselves. He said the only way of keeping him safe was to send him away with Tom. We couldn’t tell the council for fear that we would tell the very person who wanted to kill him!”
As Mari finishes, her breathless sobbing is the only sound that can be heard in the silent room.
“You knew? All the time you knew and you never told us that Dax’s son was safe?” Val’s voice is soft.
“How could I? I hardly believed it was true at first. After Roland died and Dax insisted that it wasn’t an accident; I didn’t believe him, I thought that it was the grief talking. Then Rehu died, and Dax got scared and sent Dec away.” Mari’s voice wobbles, and tears course down her face. “And then Dax… how could I not believe then? How could I trust any of you when I found it impossible to mistrust one of you?”
“You called, Mr. Orin?” Lester re-enters the room.
“I called you.” It’s Adin that answers. “Take a patrol and have Jim Brook brought here at once.”
Lester leaves the room looking slightly bemused, and the brothers assembled all turn to Adin.
“That recording could easily have been altered, to say that the moon was cheese if that was what Jimmy wanted it to say.” Adin spreads out his hands. “I need a heck of a lot more than that to give my own brother a death sentence!”
“Ryder destroyed the recordings,” points out Jeshua.
“He had to; they showed that Deeta, Jan, and Tom were from the tribe that had Dec,” explains Mari. “Ryder couldn’t have the killer knowing that Dec had been with Tom the whole time and twisting the facts to incriminate him.”
“But Jimmy did see and do just that,” Val mutters, sinking his head into his hands.
“And we believed him!” Jayden groans.
“Jimmy seemed pretty sure that Tom wouldn’t kill Adin,” Val remarks slowly. “If Tom and Ryder were trying to kill us one by one, Adin would be dead.”
“So would Dec,” Mari’s voice is husky.
There is a small disturbance at the door and Lester walks in.
“Excuse me, sir, but we can’t seem to find Jimmy.”
“What do you mean?”
“The records show that he left the compound fifteen minutes ago, sir.”
“He knew we were on to him!” Val’s fist crashes on to the table in exasperation.
“No, wait; how could he?” asks Cayden. “Tom and Rye didn’t exactly protest innocence, in fact quite the reverse.”
“If Jimmy didn’t expect us to twig what was happening, why leave? He could have done a lot more harm if he had stayed,” Blake reasons.
“And where is he going anyway?” asks Jeshua.
“I don’t know; but I’d bet a packet that something’s going to happen. Something not good,” answers Adin.
“Then we should make preparation, forewarned is forearmed,” states Orin. “We’ll put the guard on high alert.”
“I think it’s going to need a bit more than that,” Adin’s voice is serious.
“You don’t think… not a bomb?” Val whispers in horror.
Adin shakes his head slowly.
“What if…” He pauses before beginning again. “Jimmy’s father was a Lewis.”
“What are you saying?” asks Dagny.
“That he has no reason to kill us; he has no position on the board that can be strengthened with us out of the way.” Adin’s voice is slow and calm. “That means he needs help, and the Lewises would be only too willing to offer their services.”
-------
Jimmy
Jimmy leans against the wall trying to get his breath back. Who was it that had said revenge was sweet? They had seriously understated the matter! This feeling of elation and power, the gratification of seeing his plans fall into place after so many years, was so much more than sweet.
All those years of sucking up to the council and being slighted by everyone. Of being used by everyone as a means to get close to the brothers; his brothers! He wonders vaguely how he has stood it for so long.
Paul Andak had tolerated the son of his third wife’s first marriage, realising that Jimmy was part of the deal. He had been brought up with Paul Andak’s sons, but he was not one of them.
He had no place in Paul’s kingdom.
He was no heir, and yet he wasn’t a subject either. He was… a complication.
His appeal to others had been that he was, in a way, close to the brothers. He had been around them so much that they accepted his presence, hardly even noticing he was the
re. It had been his strength and their weakness.
He knew everything that had happened, the decisions the council made. He’d seen tribal issues discussed, but he had been allowed no say in them. The brothers had treated him with a certain amount of familiarity, but at the same time he had been their lackey.
He hated them for it.
He despised all they stood for, yet all the while he had coveted their position and all they had. For years he had bided his time, scheming to take everything from them. Now finally here was the opportunity. With Tom and Ryder framed and the brothers divided, they were at their most vulnerable.
He had contacted the Lewis tribe and had told them to prepare for attack. By the time he reached his father’s tribe, all would be ready.
He had no illusions about the Lewises. They’d been fighting the Andak since the breakdown and coveted the Andak’s power the same as he did. When he had gone to them with his proposition they had promised all he asked.
They’d promised too much.
He was sure that they had no intention of honouring their side of the bargain. They’d probably decided to kill him, but he was prepared for that. He knew how easy it was to eliminate a mark in the heat of battle when no one would see. All he would have to do was wait until the Andak were almost defeated, then he would take out the joint chiefs of the Lewis tribe, along with any Andak brothers that might still be alive.
He would reign over two tribes and two cities, from there who knew? Jimmy smiles to himself; maybe he would take over the world!
------
Deeta
We enter the outer reaches of Marshall territory at dusk.
Long ago I ceased to be anything but numbed to the aching coldness that envelops my body. Tom’s arm around my shoulder and my left side down to my waist, shares his warmth.
There is nothing about Marshall territory that I recognise. Most of the buildings have been reduced to rubble, and the general surroundings have the appearance of a war zone. In the distance I see the compound, its blackened walls only just discernable in the half light.
Tom says we’re headed to war. He says that now he knows that Jimmy is behind everything, he has a pretty good idea of what will happen next. Not that Tom has spoken much. All through our journey he has been preoccupied and silent, a grim frown darkening his features.
“You look worried, Tom.”
For a moment he is quiet, staring at the ground.
“I’d be a fool if I wasn’t worried, Deeta.”
“Will it be that bad?”
“When this ends, if we don’t win, the Lewises will destroy every tribe in the City. They will kill anyone that tries to stop them.”
For a moment we walk on in silence.
“How likely is it that they’ll win?”
“If we’re to have a chance, just a chance, we’ll need the help of every tribe.” Tom turns to me suddenly. “They don’t care, Deeta! They just don’t care how many people are killed in their pursuit of power, they only care about winning. How do you fight someone who would willingly sacrifice a thousand men to kill one of their enemies?”
I’ve never seen Tom like this before, never thought that it was possible for him to be so riled.
“I’m scared,” I admit nervously.
“There’s nothing wrong with fear, Deeta, it’s healthy. You’ll find that the fearless are fools who never live long. If you have no fear, how can you have courage and bravery?”
We walk in silence for a while. It has never occurred to me before that we might not succeed. Surely we won’t lose this battle that’s been forced upon us? Good always triumphs over evil… doesn’t it?
As we get closer to the Marshall compound I see the figures on guard in the entry way. One of the guards straightens and runs to meet us. I fall into Nella’s arms.
“Deeta!” Her eyes are brimful of tears, and we clasp each other wordlessly for a moment. “Heck, Deet, you’re sodden!”
“So’s Tom, and he’s been shot. We need to get him inside and seen to; he wouldn’t even stop long enough for me to bind the wound.”
“Has Jan, Keya, and Dec arrived yet?” asks Tom.
“They’ve been here for half an hour.”
Tom’s large frame relaxes on to my shoulder.
“Quick, Nell; get the other side of him, we have to get him inside.”
We lurch into the building under his weight, and Jan cannons into my arms, tears streaming down her face.
“Deet! Thank goodness!”
“It’s okay, Janny, don’t cry.”
Tom is still leaning on me, but with my free hand I smooth the hair back from her face. I look over at Ryder questioningly.
“We weren’t sure if you made it out; we never saw a pod,” he explains.
“We didn’t use one.” Tom laughs softly. A film of moisture covers his flushed features. Ryder’s face registers shock and he comes over to take Nella's place at Tom’s side.
“Jan? Janny, listen to me! I need a first aid kit —”
Jan pulls away from me, looking over me anxiously.
“If those swine’s have hurt you —”
“Not me, Janny,” I interject swiftly. “Tom’s hit. Now quick get me the first aid box.”
“No worries, Deeta, I’ve got it here.” Nella hands me the box. “Do you need to dig anything out?”
“No, it’s a clean wound; the bullet passed straight through.”
I reach up and place my hand on Tom’s forehead, feeling him lean into the coolness of my fingers with a sigh.
“Heck, Tom, you’re burning up! Janny; go and find Tom something dry to put on… be quick!”
I begin to propel Tom towards the stairs and then check. His weight on my shoulder is gradually increasing, and I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to keep him upright on my own.
“Rye, can you help me? He’s so heavy! Robin, can we still heat water?”
Robin nods his head in affirmation.
“Can we manage a bath full?”
“I’ll see to it.”
It’s Ryder who manages to get Tom up the stairs and into the bedroom, without him we would probably have ended a heap at the bottom of the staircase. We stagger into the nearest bedroom, and sit Tom on the edge of the bed. His breathing is laboured, and his eyes is bloodshot. I manoeuvre his right arm out of his leather jacket, and then carefully ease it over his left arm and shoulder. The dark blue crew neck jumper that he’s wearing will not be so easy.
“I’d cut it off if I were you.”
Ryder pulls a knife from his belt and hands it to me. With the sodden jumper discarded, it’s easy to get rid of the shirt and tee shirt Tom is wearing underneath.
The wound is ugly, the surrounding skin red and hot, but thankfully the bleeding is sluggish. I wash it carefully, watching his face for any sign of pain. He doesn’t flinch, just sits with his eyes closed and his head bent. When I have finished bandaging his shoulder, Robin knocks at the door. He and several other men have brought the hot water up. They walk through the bedroom and I hear them emptying the contents of their containers into the bath.
“Hadn’t you better…” Ryder signals to the door and I flush.
“Oh… yes… I’d better change before I catch a chill.”
I move to the door, aware of the amusement in Ryder’s eyes and wanting to get as far away from it as possible.
“Deeta?” Tom’s slurred voice calls to me as I reach for the door handle. “Thanks, Deeta.”
I smile at him before leaving the room.
-------
Ryder
Ryder bends down to undo Tom’s boots.
“So; you want to tell me what’s going on?”
“With what?”
“You and Deeta; what’s the deal?”
Tom laughs faintly.
“You always were a cad, Rye. Only you would wait until I’m in high fever to give me a mini inquisition!”
“That’s not an answer, Tommy.”
/> Tom remains silent for a minute.
“Help me to the bathroom, I won’t need your services after that, and then I’ll tell you about it.”
“Sounds fair.”
It’s a few minutes later when Ryder, sitting with his back against the door jamb and staring out into the bedroom, calls through to Tom, reminding him of their bargain.
“What do you want to know?”
“I just can’t figure it out; you give her the locket and go around being some kind of hero to her. Dec tells me that she looks after you and all your brats; and yet you do nothing about it. What’s the game?”
“No game, no deal, no nothing.”
“Yeah, right; you’re just friends.” Ryder allows a large helping of scepticism to colour his voice.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“I understand that she risked her life to keep you safe, Tom.”
“Deeta would risk her life for anyone she thought needed help, it isn’t personal.” Tom’s voice becomes bitter. “That’s a novel idea isn’t it? Can you imagine Nova risking her pretty neck for anything, except perhaps power?”
“But we weren’t talking of just anyone, we were talking of you.”
“What do you want me to say, Rye? That I like the girl? I do, if things were different I’d marry her.”
“If what was different?”
“You just don’t stop, do you?” Tom sounds incredulous.
“I’ve been told I resemble a stuck record before now,” reminisces Ryder with a smile.
“Too right! If I wasn’t Andak, I guess.”
“Sounds like a get out to me.”
“Maybe, but I can’t take the chance that she’ll get hurt.”
“By who?”
“Me I suppose.” Tom pauses. “You know how they’ll treat her, and I won’t always be around. What if I can’t protect her from them?”
“She can take care of herself. Trust me; I’ve seen her,” assures Ryder.
“But what if she can’t?” Tom’s voice is quiet, giving Ryder pauses thoughtfully.
He had imagined that Tom had some plan; that he wanted Deeta, but he wanted her on his own terms. He’d never even considered that it might be like this; that Tom loved her too much to risk taking her to a place where she might be unhappy. Or worse, where she might be forced to metamorphosis into something different, something commonplace in their world, and something that Tom had no tender feelings for. If he had wanted a woman like that, Nova would gladly have filled the position for him.
Ryder knew better than anyone the disdain in which Tom held the women of their tribe. Ryder found their blatant hunger for power, and their willingness to use their charms as a means to an end, amusing in a pathetic sort of way. Tom was different: he hated their calculation and manipulation. He despised them for their willingness to sell themselves to the highest bidder, all in pursuit of power. The man that came with that power could be a raving lunatic, and they wouldn’t care.
Ryder hadn’t known Deeta for very long, but a few things were abundantly clear about her. She was loyal to the point of putting herself in danger for others. She was courageous in the face of her fears, and all without any expectation of gain of any sort.
She was so impossibly naive, pure and untainted by the world they lived in. She was so kind that Ryder hadn’t been able to believe she was real. He’d thought it had all been an act, had never even considered that she might actually be everything she seemed to be.
Nothing could have been more attractive to Tom. Ryder suspected that even in her own world she was unique in her lack of selfishness.
Tom appears in the doorway, dressed in the clothes that Robin brought up. He staggers across to the bed, casting himself full length across its softness.
“I’ve thought about it, Rye; ever since she was fourteen, and I realised it was changing between us. I tried to think of a way that it could happen. I’ve had six years to think about it, and it always comes back to one thing: what if she can’t handle it?”
“She could —”
“But what if she can’t?”
Ryder found himself silenced by Tom’s words and the look of resignation on his younger brother’s face.
“Exactly: I can’t risk it.” His weary voice is roughened with emotion. “Besides; we have more important things to talk about.”
“Jimmy,” states Ryder.
“Jimmy.” Tom’s eyes are closed, dark smudges stark against the paleness of his face. “I never thought of Jimmy.”
“No one did, that’s why he managed to stay alive for so long.” Ryder’s voice is, even now, disdainful. “He won’t live for much longer.”
Tom moves his head restlessly on the pillow and tries to get up.
“We need to move quickly.”
“What do you mean?” Ryder’s voice is sharp, his out stretched arms hold Tom to the bed. “You have to rest, Tommy.”
“Rye, you’re a tactician; think about it. In Jimmy’s place what would you do?”
“Come on; we’re talking about Jimmy!”
“Yes, that’s right! You have to stop thinking about him as a nonentity! He’s clever. A clever man would know that now is the time to attack, while we’re in disarray and unsure. I’d bet anything you like that he’s back with his father’s tribe even now, mobilizing Lewis troops against us.”
“You don’t think…”
“Yes I do, I’m positive; and at the moment their chances are better than ours.”
“We have to activate the sleepers.”
“It should be our first move,” agrees Tom. “We haven’t a chance if we can’t get the other tribes on our side, but we also need our tribe on our side.”
“And how are you proposing to do that?”
“Mari will have explained that Dax sent Dec to be with me and that I didn’t kidnap him. That will cast some doubt on our guilt.” Tom moves restlessly. “And Jimmy will know that he has to strike fast; he’s probably left the compound already. When the council finds out he’s gone, putting two and two together will come easier than you’d think.”
“What makes you think that they’ll suspect him? He could make up a reasonable excuse to leave the compound.”
Tom shakes his head slowly.
“They’ll find it a lot easier to suspect him than us.”
Ryder leans back against the wall.
“I still don’t relish walking into the compound, bold as brass, and trying to talk them round.”
“Whether you relish it or not, that is precisely what you’ll find yourself doing tomorrow morning.”
“Tomorrow? Wouldn’t tonight be better?”
“No, let them sleep on it.” Tom’s smile is tired. “Besides, I’m not brave enough for that. I’m not really relishing the idea of talking them round either!”
“Are you sure you’ll be up to it? It’s a fair way to the compound…”
“I’ll be fine,” dismisses Tom.
“Maybe… on the other hand you’ll be about as much use as a stiff if you’re delirious and weak with fever.”
“And if I don’t come and the Lewises win, I’ll be a stiff. I think I’ll take my chances.”
Some time elapses before Ryder speaks again, his voice a little hesitant.
“How sure are you that the council won’t just shoot us on sight?”
Tom is silent, not appearing to hear.
“Tommy?”
Ryder leans forward over Tom’s still figure to find him fast asleep. He straightens, shaking his head, a wistful smile on his lips.
“You’re unbelievable, Tommy... but I envy you your assurance.”
He leaves his brother to the oblivion of sleep, careful to make no sound as he leaves the room.