The dour expression of Captain Dexter had become a permanent fixture in my living quarters for the past hour. He had shown up about thirty minutes after a very alert and serious team decked out in Ethian versions of tactical vests and heavy weaponry had stormed the chalet.
I didn’t know what most of the silver cylinders, the half a dozen golf ball things, and almost double that of odd gadgets hanging off their dark brown vests were for, but I certainly knew guns when I saw them. Each of the eight men had two smaller fire arms about the size of Glocks strapped to their sides, while they each held the same sleek silver rifles I’d seen the guards to the entrance of the College holding.
They had only allowed me to come out of Dur-rele’s room after completely sweeping the entire residence, and one of them giving me a good once over with a health scanner pronouncing me in full health and capable of walking on my own. I could have told them that, and did, but they didn’t seem interested in what I had to say about the matter. Once it was clear I was secure and not in need of a Remaker, the eight had stationed themselves around my living area in hyper vigilance of anyone entering the residence.
That pretty much set the tone for the next hour and a half, while grim faced men, and some women, had entered and left the living area. Some had come to talk to Dur-rele and I, asking questions about what had happened. Others, carefully scanned every inch and surface of the living area and each of the bedrooms. One group had come solely to scan and capture the gruesome scene of Haxley’s murder, while another came to place him in some white oblong case before carefully carrying him away. And then Captain Dexter showed up and the room almost became too small to handle all the people that followed him in. Thank god I wasn’t claustrophobic or had enochlophobia.
It was difficult to count how many times I had to recount my tale of waking up to finding poor Haxley with his throat cut, and then Dur-rele activating the alarm. No matter how many times I told it, I don’t think anyone quite believed what happened. Yeah, neither did I. But that’s what it was.
A careful investigation showed that somehow the power to the entire chalet had simply been turned off forty-six minutes before dawn. Two minutes after that, the transporter to my floor had been activated. Apparently, transporters had reserved power so they could still work even in a power outage. There was usually enough reserve for a dozen trips or more stored in case of an emergency evacuation.
The real interesting thing the investigators had noted was the transporter had been activated four different times. Why four, and not just two? Great question, and one that had the grim looking men standing around in my living area scratching their collective heads the last twenty minutes after the report had been given by a jittering looking technician.
Another great question was why had the intruder only killed Haxley? Why go through all the trouble of breaking into an incredibly high security building and kill a Pledge who could be found in far less secure places any other time? That had been Dexter’s exact words and he looked ready to kill someone himself when he said them.
That, of course, led to the main assumption that it had been someone trying to make a move against me. Maybe even someone making some kind of statement. But if the intruder had time to kill Haxley, why not kill me or take me captive? Or make it obvious the kind of statement they were making besides I-can-get-to-you-at-anytime-anywhere-but-I’m-not-going-to-kill-you-yet. And that happened to be my contribution in the conversation, which had earned me a few side eyes from the crowd, including Dexter.
The main running theory so far was that the intruder had gotten spooked somehow. Maybe by a second person’s arrival? That would explain the other two transports. Why else use the transporter four times unless wanting to move in and out more than six people. That happened to be the max capacity of the transporter at one time by the way. If seven or more people had been traipsing around my living area, I would think I would have woken up to that. Though, how I had missed even two people and a murder was hard for me to swallow. It wasn’t like I was a super heavy sleeper or anything.
One person suggested a second or third person had come just a little later in the second transport, and then left in separate transports again. Another suggested that maybe something or things had been taken from the residence and needed several transports, but a quick searched showed nothing missing. Another person suggested something or things had been added. So, of course, that started a whole new round of searching this time it included the suite a floor below mine and the roof of the chalet. That search came back empty too.
After that, Dur-rele made the suggestion that maybe there had been one person using the transporter all along, and then added in the other two to get the investigators to be doing exactly what they were doing––scratching their heads and second guessing everything.
I actually laughed at that suggestion. Again, I got some nasty looks, so I decided to just keep to myself after that. These fellows obviously had a way of going about doing things and they were taking their jobs seriously.
Honestly, it made me feel better. I was still pretty shaken about the whole thing. It was bad enough that Haxley had been killed, but then there had been the implied threat to myself. No matter how it shook out, someone had died here today, and I may have very well been a second. I shivered like someone had walked over my grave, and perhaps they had. I couldn’t shake the feeling that by some weird twist of fate, I’d been able to wake up this morning. Maybe I would never know what really happened. I, for one, was simply glad to be alive and well.
And even more glad to see Master Kiev as he materialized from the transporter, took one look my way, and immediately rushed over.
“Highness, I would have been here sooner, but I had an early training with some four years, and I literally just heard. I am so glad you are alright.”
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The man finally came to a stop before me his face red and looking a little winded like maybe he had run the whole way to the chalet. Several of the group around me had to step away to make room for him. I smiled at the man. For some reason having him here made me feel better than I had all morning.
“Me too. It’s been crazy. I am sorry about Haxley. That was a tragic loss.”
A solemnness came over Kiev’s face. “Indeed. He was a good student and would have made a mighty fine Protector.” He then turned to Captain Dexter who had been talking to yet another tech during our exchange. “Do we know who did this?”
The Captain’s already surly expression deepened. “Still to be determined, Master. It seems whoever breached the chalet knew what they were doing, is well connected, and well trained if he overpowered Haxley. We suspect he must have had use of a mex-slicer to do what he did.”
This was news to me. “What’s a mex-slicer?” I asked.
Dexter looked like he might respond, but Master Kiev cut in. “It’s a small device that can be carried on a person. It can be used to control the power source to turn it off and on. It’s only used by a short list of authorized personnel, and, of course, those up to no good. They aren’t easy to come by though. They are quite expensive and require the exact coding to access specific buildings, which is only available to a specifically cleared individuals.”
Exact coding. That made me pause. My first thought––inside job. Okay, I’ll admit, the possibility had come to me almost right away. How any outsider could have done this seemed impossible the way they had the College locked down, but I thought perhaps it was someone low in status. But if Kiev was saying what I thought he was saying, that meant someone very high up had to be involved. I tried not to look around me in suspicion, keeping my gaze firmly on Master Kiev, but my heart skipped a beat. Fuck.
Master Kiev as usual was way ahead of me. “I’m sure there’s an explanation of how the person got the codes, isn’t that right Captain Dexter?”
The Captain’s expression darkened even more than it already had been. “I am looking into it, and as soon as I know more, you will be immediately informed, Highness. I also want to reassure you of your safety here at the College. This sort of thing will not happen again.”
Won’t it, though? I mean, this had kind have been a running theme for me since I stepped foot onto Vang’s ship with the first attack toward me on his ship and two more at the White Palace. How could this man guarantee me anything of the sort? And what was worse, it had the appearance that maybe someone high up at the College was gunning for me.
Hell, for all I knew Captain Dexter could be in on it, or, god forbid, Master Kiev. How much did I know any of these people, even Master Kiev, who’d I’d known just over a week? I paused that thought right there. I realized that I did need to trust someone, and I might not have known Kiev long, but he had this vibe about him I could not deny as friendly and genuine. I felt like I could trust him at least, so that was something.
“I think His Highness is tired and would like some time to himself and to possibly clean up.” Master Kiev said when I took too long to respond.
Bless that man, and his incredible ability to read the room, or maybe just me. I then looked down at myself as his words registered. I was still in my night clothes and my feet bare. There was even a smug of blood on my right big toe. Well, maybe I was a little bit of a mess––in more ways than the obvious.
“Of course.” Captain Dexter said as if embarrassed he hadn’t suggested Kiev’s offer first. “We will move you to the other elite suite. I’ve already had someone move your belongings, Highness. We will still keep on here, and I will inform you if we find anything else. And I will send four of the assault team with you for now until we decide how best to move forward with your security.”
“Thank you,” I muttered.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about going from one guard to four. Granted, considering what had happened a few hours ago that should make me feel safer, but that also meant that as I crossed the room to the transporter, I had four heavily armed men following. Was it strange that I felt better at seeing Master Kiev following me than them?
I let one of the more burly guards step into the transported first, then the six of us gathered into the small space, while Master Kiev selected the correct circle. A moment later, we were all transported, and I found myself standing in an identical room to what I had just left, minus the room full of people and a very perturbed Captain Dexter.
For the first time since waking up this morning I was able to let out a large exhale that I felt all the way to my toes. My god, what a day! And it had barely started.
I felt a steadying hand on my shoulder. “I hope you don’t mind me taking some liberties, Highness, but it seemed like you needed a break from all that excitement.”
I grunted. “Yes, and then some.”
A dark look crossed his features. “I know you are concerned about your safety as you should be, but I wanted to assure you I will do what I can to make sure you get people you can trust. And I know you have no reason to trust me. We haven’t known each other that long––”
I stopped the Master right there, “I have to trust someone Master Kiev, and you really do seem like you genuinely care. So yes, just so you know, I do trust you.”
The look on his face lightened and I thought I could see a ghost of a smile on his lips. “I appreciate your confidence in me, Highness, and I will try my best to live up to it. Then I ask you to trust me when I say that I know each of these men here guarding you personally. They can be assured to do their duty to you.”
That helped lessen up some of the tightness in my chest as I nodded and watched the four fan out from the transporter. They moved through the main room, and then each of the bedrooms with methodical expertise to make sure it was secure, while Kiev and I still stood in the entry of the room.
“Yeah, but does that mean I’ll have a bunch of people following me everywhere I go?”
“For today, yes, but I will talk with Captain Dexter to see what other arrangements can be made. I am also afraid that, at least for today, our tour of the College will have to be canceled. I will talk with Dexter about your futures movements in the College as well. You still have your quat-lo assessment, and it simply would not be appropriate to keep you holed up in the chalet the rest of your time here.”
“So what am I to do in the mean time?”
At that moment the transporter activated and a few seconds later, the form of Dur-rele materialized.
I scoffed. “Never mind, I’m sure Dur-rele will make sure I don’t get bored.”
The aide perked up at his name. “Well, I was hesitate to mention it after all our excitement, but I thought it might be a good distraction if we did some more lessons.”
I groaned. On the inside, so Dur-rele couldn’t hear it. But I think Master Kiev picked up on it. A little smirk came across his face just in that moment. Damn. I knew Kiev was Mind Bender. But I had to wonder if that meant being a mind reader too? Or maybe I was just that obvious.
“Then I will leave you to it while I get back to see what else the Captain has to say about all of this. I will get back to you as soon as I can.”