The Rise of Io (36 page)

S
hura stood
before the wall-screen, head bowed, eyes on the floor. Standing a few meters away, Rurik was in a similar pose. Both appeared properly chastised. The only difference was Shura was smirking inside. Hovering in front of them, appearing larger than life, Weston ranted as he paced back and forth in the air.

“Let me get this straight. The Prophus rescued the prisoners directly from under you. They killed our handpicked operative who we were grooming to be the future prime minister of India. You riled up the local population to the extent they're now in full revolt. And, to top off this gross display of incompetence, you didn't even capture Cameron Tan. Is this correct?”

“Yes, High Father,” said Rurik. “We believe Cameron Tan is still in this country. I am confident we can still locate him. As for the regional upheaval, this problem is isolated–”

“Isolated?” Weston roared. “Kloos had to call up two more divisions to quell the revolt. All of Surat is now under martial law. The prime minster of India called me in the middle of the night demanding answers.”

Shura considered raising her head and saying something. She peeked at the Russian. To his credit, he was only sweating a little.

No, not a word. Let this play out. Do not get caught in Rurik's crossfire.

“High Father,” Rurik gulped. “There have been some issues with the local populace, but the project has made significant gains as well. The Bio Comm Array facility is ready to begin tests this week, putting us a month ahead of our original schedule.”

“Do not play loose with the facts with me, Rurik. The only reason the project is ahead of schedule is because I sent Shura to save the sinking ship.” Weston pounded a few keys in the air. “There is also the matter of the cost that the Indian government is billing me. What happened?”

“I exercised what I considered proper judgment in containing the Prophus,” said Rurik.

“Yes, according to Shura, you required eight hundred additional police and four hundred military just to keep the populace from descending into riots, and then you were tricked into taking most of them to the opposite side of the slum while Cameron Tan strolled into the site and rescued his people, and probably took his time walking the grounds and gathering intel for the Prophus.”

Rurik looked as if he were going to respond, and then thought better of it. He bowed his head.

So undisciplined.

“Indeed, Tabs.”

Rurik tried to recover. “There have been setbacks, yes, but Shura's report has only highlighted the negatives.”

“Highlighted?” Weston stopped pacing and stared Rurik down. He switched his gaze to her.

“Shura, do you factually stand by your report? On your status as a vessel?”

She lifted her head and raised her chin. “I do, High Father.”

“Have you embellished anything in order to paint a more negative narrative, providing anything other than the facts?”

Say you do not believe so. Give yourself some space to maneuver.

Now was the time to be bold. “No, High Father,” she said clearly. “On my continued status as a vessel to my Holy One.”

The die is cast now.

“What did you tell me, Tabs? Standing must be seized.”

Weston turned to Rurik. “Do you challenge Shura on the facts of her report?”

The challenge hung in the air. As Adonis vessels raised in the Hatchery, there were codes to live by. Rurik had painted himself neatly into one with his life on the line. “I… No, High Father.” Rurik shot her a look of death.

Weston turned to her. “Shura, can you fix this mess? Can you quell the locals, push the project forward, cut the cost bleed, and complete India's integration into the Genjix?”

Weston was demanding a lot with his simple question. A dozen caveats popped into her head. The entire region was unstable; no amount of money could buy off the local government. The Chief Minister of Gujurat had already petitioned the prime minister to shut down the entire site. Not to mention the Genjix no longer had anyone in power to operate on their behalf in an official capacity.

Shutting or moving the site was not an option. Not only would it be catastrophic in terms of time, cost and manpower, it was actually unfeasible. There were few locations on this planet more suited to the Bio Comm Array's purpose than this one. In fact, the Genjix would likely rather go to war than lose it. There was also the risk of these problems cascading across all of India and loosening the Genjix's grip on the country.

In the end, Shura kept her answer brief. “Absolutely, High Father.”

Weston nodded. “Very well. India and all of its responsibilities are yours until you fail me. Succeed and you may contest for a seat on the Council. Fail and, well–” he glanced at Rurik, “–you had better watch your back.”

The screen went blank and left the two of them alone in awkward silence. Rurik rounded on her. “You've stolen from me, daughter.”

“I don't think so, brother.” Shura emphasized that last word. “Our standing in the hierarchy is now equal. You're right about one thing though. We were never on equal footing. I don't need my family to stand taller than you.”

He took a step toward her. “Don't think for a second I'll let you get away with this.”

Shura met him halfway. “Are you sure you want to make your move here? Now? Without the authority or your bodyguards at your back?” She leaned in until their noses nearly touched. She could feel his hot breath on her face. “Do you remember when I nearly drowned you to within an inch of your life? Just because I could. Afterward, all you did was cry and run to the safety of your family name. Well, this should be a familiar sight then. Go on, slink back home.”

For a second, Shura thought Rurik was going to actually attack her. She shot him a contemptuous smile and dared him to throw the first blow. His face had turned crimson red and his nostrils flared. His chest heaved up and down, and the veins on his neck bulged. Then, with a snarl, he took a step back. “I'll make you pay for this.”

“You're playing out of your league, Rurik. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of cleaning up to do. Someone made a mess. You had best return to Russia to make sure you still control it.”

Shura watched as Rurik stormed out.

That was inelegant. There may have been a moment of reconciliation between you two, but you have made a permanent enemy. There were several ways you could have approached taking control over India. Russia is a much more powerful and influential region than India. Wresting the last Council seat from him will be difficult.

“It wouldn't have mattered. I made an enemy of him twenty years ago at the Hatchery when he spoke ill of my father and I sent him to the infirmary.”

I warned you at the time not to make an unnecessary enemy. You just cannot help yourself. It has come back to haunt you.

“You were right then, you are probably right now. Personally, it was worth it. For now, let's worry about the problems we have on hand. We have an uprising to quell, a high profile facility to run, and a country to subjugate. We can worry about the future later.”

Shura walked back to her desk, put her hands on the table, and studied the map of the site and of the surrounding city.

E
lla
, wake up.

As if on command, Ella opened her eyes and watched as the sleek black plane approached the highway. The top of the sun was climbing in the east, and it glazed the land with just enough morning glow to see the aircraft descend from the sky. In the distance, a line of burning sparklers blocked the road. Thank gods there weren't any cars on the road at this time.

The small group had fled east along the Tapi River for the past twenty hours on a small craft Hamilton had obtained. They had hidden under a canopy in the sweltering heat, and through a combination of bribery and luck, had managed to evade the patrols going up and down the river. Dana had also managed to make contact with the Prophus, and an extraction team had been dispatched.

Now they were hiding in a small grove of trees just south of the river along Highway 16, and waiting for their rescue to pick them up. Ella didn't know how to take everything in. It was so surreal. She had never even considered leaving Crate Town, let alone India. The future ahead was terrifying.

“I'm really leaving my home, aren't I?”

Yes.

“What happens now? Will I ever come back?”

That is up to you. Consider it a fresh start. You can do whatever you choose.

“All right. Hey, Io? You helped me last night, I probably wouldn't have made it without you. Thank you.”

You are welcome.

“I won't be in Crate Town anymore. I have a feeling I'm going to need some help moving forward. How about a truce?”

Our last truce did not last very long. How about a fresh start?

“Depends. Are you still going to try to join the Genjix?”

I do not know anymore. Maybe. I can be convinced otherwise. It depends on what our future has in store for us.

“I'm glad you're being honest at least. You know I won't let you.”

Why not take our relationship one step at a time? You keep my secret. I will keep you alive, and we can try to be on the same side.

“I'm on the Prophus's side.”

No, Ella. You are on your side. I am on mine. Let us be on ours. Just like we were back in Crate Town.

“All right.”

Jax appeared a second later. “We have to hurry. I don't know how long those flares will stop traffic.”

“I want that transport up in the air in sixty seconds,” Cameron added.

“Come on,” Dana said, helping her to her feet. Ella groaned as a sharp pain shot up her chest. She looked to either side of her. Lam and Hamilton were supporting Nabin. Jax was helping Cameron to his feet. Bijan and K2 were carrying the gear. Everyone looked positively half-dead.

Hamilton noticed her looking, and nodded. She nodded back. She still had a lot of making up to do with her auxiliary. Was he still her auxiliary?

That depends on him. If you end up training at the academy, he will probably roll off to someone else.

Ella wasn't sure how she felt about that, but she was pretty sure she'd feel bad. She hoped this wasn't the last time they'd work together. In the end, she couldn't have survived without him.

The group, all eight survivors, left the cover of the forest and hobbled across the mustard field to their ride home. They were greeted halfway by Prophus agents who escorted them to the plane. Ninety seconds later, they were airborne again.

They were met by an intense-looking Asian man with a disheveled black beard and long graying hair tied up in a samurai bun. He was shorter and barrel-chested, and his wrinkly raisin-face sported a stern demeanor. No, not stern, pissed. He had his arms crossed and eyed each member of the team as they passed.

He nudged Lam in particular. “You were supposed to take care of him, not let him do dumb shit.”

“You know how he gets when he's on one of his kicks. It's your fault, anyway,” she replied.

“Hi, Dad,” Cameron said.

Ella gave a start. “Io, that's his dad?”

Roen Tan. Prophus liaison to the allied governments, and husband to Jill Tesser Tan. And Cameron's dad.

“It's like a family business. Shoot, I really could have ransomed Cameron for a lot of money.”

You blew your big payday.

“I did raise him, I guess,” Roen conceded. He scowled at Cameron. “You're supposed to be on vacation.”

“I'm having a blast,” Cameron said. “Can't you tell?”

“Mom got wind of your spending spree. She's put a hold on your account, and says we're both grounded until your fortieth birthday. Somehow, it's my fault too.” Roen grabbed his son in a rough embrace and the two sat down. “You look awful, by the way. Who kicked your ass this time?”

“Alex.”

Roen's eyes widened and he whistled. “Really? You finally run into her, eh? I take it the reunion didn't go too well.”

Cameron pointed at his busted up face. “What do you think?”

“Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Yeah, we got the guy who caused Seth and Yang's death in Greece… a decade ago. By the way, he happened to be a high-ranking deputy minister. Tell Mom she may be getting an official complaint from the Indian embassy any minute now.”

“Damn it, Cameron. I'm in enough trouble as it is.”

“Also, we found something else. It's called the Bio Comm Array facility. We don't know what it is, but it's big. I sent Jax to gather intel. We're uploading to Command now.”

Roen took a quick headcount. “You're missing one.”

Cameron's face fell. “Lost Dubs in an ambush.”

“His body?”

“Stowed in a bath house. Can we retrieve it? He's got a wife and kid, and five dogs.”