The Few (The Abductions of Langley Garret Book 2) (12 page)

'I don't give a fuck about what it could lead to. Chara is dead. Now both of you, get your fucking arses out of my sight and get to work on finding answers,' I shouted, as I stood and pointed to the door, feeling my entire body filling with rage and resentment. They stood and moved quietly towards the door. 'I want to see you both at ten tomorrow morning. Here, and with answers.'

'Yes,' Marcus said, and I read a little of his ingrained military obedience on his face, along with a hint of understanding in his eyes that I was accepting the challenge placed before me. Ellen however, wore a look of total uncertainty. Her hazel eyes that could have killed, now tamed to doubt. I wasn't sure though if she doubted me, or herself.

'Meet me here an hour before the Grand Council meeting. I haven't forgotten,' I told Ellen. She nodded on her way to the door.

As the door closed behind them, I felt my shoulders collapse, along with my self control. My tears for Chara started rolling slowly, but then they were soon cascading down my cheeks. Perhaps I had loved her.

Riposte

With thoughts of Helen, Chara, and fleeting mental glimpses of my mother whirling through my mind, I wandered my suite, pausing at windows. My tears slowed, and then finally decided that they were at an end. The bathroom mirror was unkind, as always, but after having washed my face; I looked again at my reflection. The lines in my brow, furrowed as always, and the recession of my hairline, continuing its slow backward creep, were not new, but there was something in the reflection of my eyes in the mirror that held my gaze. My stomach entered the debate with my mind and added its concern. There was something intangible yet disturbing in the eyes reflecting from the mirror, and staring at me. I grabbed a towel to dry my face, and in doing that, lost the game. I was the first to blink.

Back at a window, I looked down onto the terrace, where I had shared a beer with Nelson. The long table, half in shadow as it had been when we sat there, and I recalled how I had chosen the sunny side. I dialled nine. 'I'm going down to the terrace. Could you arrange a cold beer for me please.'

The house seemed deserted as I walked the long halls and then down the staircase to the entry hall. The sound of my steps was all that I could hear as I made my way across the vast marble floor towards the terrace doors. When I opened the door, I saw the cold glass of beer on the table, with Giovanna sitting next to it; in the shade where Nelson had sat. She turned her head at the sound of my opening the door, and looked over to me, saying nothing, yet offering comfort. I walked over towards her and sat down in the sun opposite her. Her eyes fixed on me.

'Thank you,' I said, as I took a sip of the beer. She nodded. I waited. It was some minutes before she spoke.

'Are you strong enough to fulfil your destiny Soter?'

'I don't know. How else can I answer you?'

'All that has been taken from you is what will give you the power and strength you need.'

'And what about what has been taken from you?'

'Chara and Kratos have merely been taken in body, and yes, we will both mourn their loss for a short time. But Soter has died before too, many times, yet he sits in front of me now.'

'And, what do you expect of me?'

'That's not for me to decide, only you can do that now. Keep your thinking clear.'

'With no one left alive to care for?'

She looked at me, and her eyes hardened and formed into slits. 'Did you ever really have anyone to care for Soter? Really?'

I held her stare for as long as I could, thinking about what she had asked me. A mother I had never held, a wife who I hardly knew, a few fleeting hours with Chara, and then a father who entered my life and left within hours.

'You have nothing in your heart to stop you. Use that power wisely,' she said.

'For revenge and retribution?'

'No. Use it to maintain the balance in all things and ensure that Cleito and her ten sons endure through you. But you are new, and it is only right that you should be challenged and that they have endeavoured to expose your weaknesses.'

'The Few?'

'Our world only works if there is balance. If you are weak, they will want you replaced by someone who is not, and then the natural order would be restored.'

'If I am weak, surely the Sons of Cleito would replace me first.'

'The Son's of Cleito rarely kill their own.'

'Not when The Few can do that for them.'

'I'll get you another beer,' she said, and stood slowly to leave.

As I watched her waddle back slowly into the house, my mind was oddly calm. In a few words, Giovanna had set out my future extremely clearly. Be strong, or die very quickly. The words of Nelson came back to mind with clarity. 'In fact, to keep the balance, I would kill you myself if it were absolutely necessary.' I took the last mouthful of my beer, thinking about his words, and of Giovanna's. I could avenge Chara's death with another, probably quite easily, which would surely be a sign The Few would recognise. But perhaps it wasn't the ideal response, as it wouldn't necessarily deliver balance, other than being a killing for a killing, and nor would it send a clear signal of my strength and resolve. If I was going to live for any length of time, I knew I needed to find a more telling response. One The Few would clearly understand, and be in no doubt that my strength was a balance and an equal for theirs.

Giovanna reappeared at the door with a fresh beer in her hand and walked over. She placed it in front of me and sat back down.

'You must think I'm thirsty. Thank you.'

'Nelson liked to drink his beer here, when the sun was shining.'

'Like father, like son?'

'I hope so.'

I took a sip of my beer, and hoped as well.

'That's one matter I need to discuss with you,' she said.

'Yes?' I asked, not understanding what she meant.

'You must ensure that the spirit of Soter lives on, and it is my responsibility to decide who will lie with you now that Chara cannot.'

I must have looked at her with shock written all over my face.

'You must. It is your duty.'

'But there will be time for this later.'

'No,' she said, very firmly. 'The decision of who will lie with you is mine to take, and I have done so. And you must have the courage, determination and desire to accept my choice.'

'I don't know how to answer you. I can't just forget about….'

'You may not forget, but you cannot refuse. I have decided on a fertility goddess to help you. She is one of the three Charites, daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, and she will bring you good cheer, charm, creativity and fertility. Her name is Thalia and she will lie with you from tonight.'

'You don't expect me to….'

'Yes, I do. She will lie with you tonight, and you are to accept her.'

'I can't believe this. I really can't.'

'You are Soter, the Strategos of the Sons of Cleito, and no longer who you were before. And you will never return to being Langley Garret again, so long as you draw breath. You will accept Thalia, for I have pledged her to you in the name of creation and the spirit of Soter. This is my duty and right, and you must swear to me now that you will lie with her from this night on, and ensure that your eternal spirit is planted within her.'

'Do I have any say or choice in this?'

'It has been foretold, so therefore decided,' she said, and stood. 'So?'

'You want my acceptance?'

'No. I want you to swear to my face that you will fulfil your duty.'

'All right!' I said, and stood up abruptly, spilling the glass of beer across the table. 'I will. I swear I will lie with her. As you have demanded!'

Giovanna looked at me squarely in the eyes. I felt my face reddening in anger as she stared at me; her eyes were fierce, determined and hard, which didn't match the rest of her matronly appearance. It was as if for these few moments, she was possessed. Then, within a few short seconds, the frightening look in her eyes started to fade away. She looked down at the table.

'Thank you. I'll fetch you a fresh glass,' she said, without looking up at me, as she took the empty glasses in her hand, and then turned to slowly walk away back to the house.

*****

The sky was grey and menacing the following morning as I drank my coffee and looked out through the window from what I had decided was my living room. That there were four to choose from made it difficult, but this one was the closest to the kitchen, so it felt more comfortable and homely for me. I'd left Thalia, who at least I had discovered was actually a young woman named Beth, before we had both rather awkwardly abided by those who had designed our fate, sleeping, and perhaps spending the morning digesting her fate. I wasn't sure if I felt more sorry for her or for me. Either way though, we had both done what we had to do. It helped I suppose that she reminded me just a little Chara. Well, she was blonde and young. Maybe in her mid twenties.

'Fuck, I need coffee,' broke my thoughts. I turned to see Beth, still half asleep and wrapped in a light yellow flannelette dressing gown appearing through the door to the kitchen.

'Did you sleep well?' I asked, thinking I could have come up with something better.

'Fine thanks,' she replied, as she stretched her arms and yawned.

'I'll make a coffee for you.'

'Thanks. Um, look, I'm sorry about last night.'

'There's nothing to be sorry about at all. It was just, well…..'

'Fucking awkward?'

'You don't like to mince your words, do you?'

'Sorry. It's just that I wanted to please you, and well, do what I'm supposed to do and I know I didn't. I promise I'll …'

'Take it easy. I'll make you a coffee,' I said, and I headed for the kitchen. I felt Beth following behind me but said nothing. As I found a cup and fiddled with the coffee machine, I still didn't look.

'You loved Chara, didn't you?'

'I still didn't look up. I focused my concentration on making the machine produce a cup of coffee.

'It's ok. Really.'

I watched as the machine filled the cup. Then overflowed. I'd clearly pressed the wrong button. 'Fuck!' I shouted, as I grabbed the cup and poured it down the sink. The coffee machine, still ejaculating happily into its trough as I rinsed the cup. I felt her arms wrap around me.

'I'm so sorry.'

I didn't turn to her. 'There's nothing to be sorry for.'

'I swore that I would please you. And that I would carry the spirit of Soter. I will do that.'

I finally turned to face her. 'I think I'll try again. If nothing else, I'll master this coffee machine.'

Her eyes looked up at me, and I could sense her tears welling. My arms wrapping around her slender shoulders, without thought, but by reflex. 'I have to lie with you. You know that.'

'Yes, I know.'

'Um, perhaps I can try to master the coffee machine for you.'

I smiled, and kissed her forehead. 'Yes, a very good idea,' I said, as I let her free from my arms.

I watched her as she made her coffee. I felt sorrow for her, yet, there at the same time, a sense that we were equals. She turned and smiled.

'Oh it's so easy. Would you like a fresh cup?'

*****

It dawned on me, just before ten as I waited for Marcus and Ellen, that I didn't have an official office. Well, not one that I knew of as yet anyway. There were a few meeting rooms in my suite, but none of them had the feel of an office. It was something I needed to rectify, and I decided I would attend to that first, before starting on other matters with them. During the morning, the plan I had in my mind firmed. I knew exactly how I would respond to The Few, and how I would avenge their taking Chara from me. And at the same time send a clear signal to them that I would not only be a formidable balance, but also a foe worthy of respect. Well, that was what I hoped. The knock at the door stopped my wondering.

'On time then,' I said, as I opened the door to find Marcus and Ellen, both looking serious, and tired.

'Yes, we are,' Ellen said.

'Right. Let's get to work then. But before we get to that, perhaps you could show me to my office. It seems to have been an oversight,' I said, as I stepped through the door and closed it behind me.

'Oh, yes, of course,' Ellen said, almost flustered. I enjoyed her discomfort.

'I'm sorry. It was an oversight. It's this way,' Marcus said, as he led the way down the corridor, with Ellen in tow behind us, and then stopping after only a short distance to open an unmarked door. 'It's in here,' he said, holding the door open for me.

'Thank you.'

Two desks sat vacant inside, and between them, a door, which I presumed was to my office.

'Your assistants don't work on Sunday. And I'll arrange for your office keys,' Marcus said, as he unlocked the door and let me through.

'Right. This is far more appropriate,' I said, and then moved towards the large oak desk that was positioned in front of a wide window. The positioning was astute, as those sitting on the other side of the desk would be fighting the light streaming through the window. I headed immediately for the deep red leather chair behind the desk.