19
(Fenjaday, cont.)
Hailu, X’lea
.
Another vehicle pulled right up to the old burnt-out factory shell.
Getting out, Belmara instantly felt the familiar leya imprints of Yewan Avicent and Marosio Muran. Silently, she shared the information with Fashi.
“The doors shut a couple of months ago – as a result of the restrictions. Almost immediately after the bill was passed, investors pulled out, and jobs losses were huge. Finally, we had to close completely,” Loti obliviously explained.
She followed the traitor into the factory shell. The signs around her were obvious. Forensics classes had been amongst her favorites. “So why did you burn it down?” Belmara asked him bluntly.
“It was the riots,” Loti replied. “I wasn’t even here.”
“Yet, you had explosives stored here. In the open, unprotected. Why?”
“I...I … I had taken shipment of some hazardous chemicals.”
“After the factory closed?”
“I … I thought it would open again in short time and wanted to be prepared.”
“What kind of fool do you take me for, Loti? Mirach, lock this fool in the hoverbil. I want him out of my sight,” Belmara commanded.
Mirach obeyed as Belmara and Fashi continued looking uninterrupted. “Child’s play,” she said scathingly. “You and I could do better. I still don’t know why he did it – unless he was trying to hide something else.”
“You could be right, my dear.”
Belmara looked at the shell. “It will all have to come down – there’s nothing left to work with. Had the fool not blown a big hole in this floor, it might have been workable. But it’s not.”
“The Curator has already promised whatever money is necessary to make it worth while,” Mirach said as he joined them again.
“It’s still my job to work out whether this scrap of land is worth her investment,” Belmara replied.
“This scrap of land is available,” Mirach retorted. “The family are desperate for help, especially the Dellans.”
“Then maybe I should be talking to the Dellans, not that stupid treacherous son of the Savints!” she shouted. “When I talk to the Curator, she will be most displeased to hear about Loti’s actions. He is untrustworthy in the extreme. I won’t take him under my wing for any reward. Now leave me alone for a few minutes while I discuss this project with Fashi.”
Mirach wandered away.
“You don’t mince your words, my love,” Fashi crooned, taking her hand in his and leading her down to the water’s edge.
“But don’t you agree with me?”
“Yes. I do. And not just to agree with you. I can’t see trusting someone like that who will sell out his own family. He’s not worth our time. Is Mirach any better?”
“No. But he’s powerful. It’s best to stay on his good side. Loti has no power and has made himself disposable,” Belmara said. “Now, what do you think about this site. Do you think it will be good for our casino?”
“I’m worried that it may be too far from the rest of town,” Fashi said. “No one can just walk here. But if we were to make sure there was transportation from town – free for patrons – then it might just work. We build up a community with it. It could really become the flagship for all future Neví projects.”
“Better than Joton?”
“Much better. They had to work within the existing city plan. Okay, they razed the Shadow District to the ground first, but they built the housing project there and the casino several blocks away. It works, but it’s inelegant. Ours will be so much more,” Fashi said.
Belmara stood there watching the water flow past. Listening to Fashi as they made their plans together warmed her heart. He was really growing on her, she realized. She had already realized he would make a good business partner and had allowed him to father her children, but she was almost surprised to realize that she actually loved him as well. It was an emotion she wasn’t used to. Maybe it was just because of the surge of maternal hormones throughout her body. It was a nice feeling, she admitted.
Fashi’s arm came around her. “What are you thinking about?” he asked, kissing her neck.
“I think you already know,” she said, turning towards him.
“I didn’t think you’d ever love anyone,” he said.
“Me neither,” she admitted, kissing him.
“Let’s go home and look at our plans. We need to clear them with the Curator as soon as possible,” he said with a purr that let her know he was thinking about more than just the casino. They turned back up the hill towards the hoverbil where Mirach waited with an incensed and impatient Loti.
“The site will do. Arrange for us to meet with the Dellans.”
♥
The luxury hoverbils pulled to a stop near the docks.
Marosio wondered at them driving into the main part of town.
<Anyone who can afford to drive a Spider and a Phantom doesn’t care about a fine,> Yewan’s response came. <Plus, this is an emergency.>
<Except they don’t want attention.>
<And it’s time critical. We can discuss it later if necessary. Focus on the task at hand!>
Marosio regained his focus moments after hitting the wooden docks. He wandered quickly along, looking for the imprints they had felt in the factory. <Tarja!> he called, wondering if he could send well enough to her, forgetting how impossible it should be. Possibility dwindled in importance, only saving two lives mattered right now.
It was the warehouse at the end that caught his attention. Small, of poor repair, but just enough recent activity to gain his attention. <This one,> he sent to Yewan.
<How do you know?>
“Siji keep watch,” Yewan commanded.
The man nodded.
Marosio tried the door, which was locked, but just a conventional lock, he noted with surprise. He opened it with ease and entered, Yewan following closely behind. The others crowded in afterwards, only Siji remaining outside.
Marosio froze and sent his senses out – looking for other imprints. The only ones he could feel were the two downstairs, both much weakened. He gestured to Yewan, and pulling out his shaze, headed downstairs, knowing how Yerdua could hide themselves in the leya. He gestured to the others to wait. He wouldn’t risk other lives if he could help it.
He opened the door at the bottom of the stairs, unsure what he was about to find. It was very dark. He flipped a light on and looked around cautiously. Seeing no adversaries, Marosio informed the others in the stairwell that it was safe. Then he turned his attention to the others in the room. There was a man in the corner, secured to the wall magna-port with magna-cuffs. He quickly disabled them.
“Junior!” Yuri Senior cried, hugging the man.
The Dellans were already attending to the woman, whom he presumed was Melia. She was very pale and holding a blanket around herself, unable to reach her filthy clothing. With a wave of a hand, Yewan detached the cuff from her ankle.
“Melia needs some privacy,” Yuri Junior explained as he reached her with a kiss. “Kallen, hold one end of this blanket for me, please. We can let her get dressed.”
Kallen turned away as he helped hold the blanket as a privacy curtain.
“Was she hurt?” Yewan asked Junior.
“Loti drugged her then raped her,” Yuri informed, looking ashen, tears of fury barely held back.
Her brothers looked shocked at this information. Yuri Senior had a grave expression on his face.
“She’s with child?” Yewan asked cautiously.
Marosio realized that he’d also sensed the extra leya imprint. He also knew that his maqla was desperately hoping it was the result of what they’d accidentally observed on the videos.
“Baby?” Jekkan asked, looking at Melia who blushed the answer.
“Loti gave her drugs to try to hurt our baby, but it doesn’t seem to have worked,” Yuri Junior replied. “And with the way X’lea law works, it’s unlikely he’ll ever see a trial, let alone serve any time.”
“We’ll take her to be seen all the same,” Yewan insisted. “Make sure he hasn’t done any unseen damage to her or the baby.”
Kallen took Melia’s shaking arm and assisted her towards the stairs. Yuri Senior helped his son similarly. Both patients were in a state of shock in addition to the hunger and thirst they were suffering from. Marosio knew that Yewan was right, it was essential they both get further treatment.
“We have company!” came Siji’s shout from upstairs.
“Wait until we give the all-clear!” Yewan ordered as Marosio ran up the stairs in about three leaps.
♥♥♥
If you have enjoyed this book, I would be grateful if you could put your thoughts as a review on [Goodreads](coming soon) for me.
Buy at: (coming soon to Books2Read, Scribl, LBRY and Lulu - paperback.)
Other Chapters of this set
Birth of the Neví - coming soon on Whaleshares - otherwise, scroll way back on Steem (like summer 2018.)
Name of the Neví - Chapter 1
Mind of the Neví - Chapter 1
Maps and Guides
- Terrenden Atlas Page - Hailu, X'lea, Kranisis
- Terrenden Atlas Pages (six maps of Almara and Kranisis.)
- Character Guide and Image Credits
- Calendar and Glossary - for Name of the Neví but these two parts are true throughout.
Writing and artwork copyright myself 2005-2019 – all rights reserved.
If you are interested in helping me publish these works, please contact me on Facebook or Discord, viking-ventures#2883.
Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
find me on Twitter
blogging on: Steem, Whaleshares, WeKu, Hyperspace
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