Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
The room was a hall with an arched ceiling and the width of a school gymnasium. On either side were rows of tables, though she spotted no kitchen facilities. In fact, the far end had a dais built into that wall, a raised platform with the curtains drawn across where the stage would be visible.
She didn’t want to know what went on here, but back in the day, it would have been a place for performers to entertain the troops.
Just in front of the stage, a buffet of platters was set up on a long table covered with a white tablecloth. And she spotted carafes and mugs. Actually, it kind of smelled like hashbrowns in here.
Jax shifted to stand slightly in front of her, on her left side.
Behind her, Zeyla said, “Get off me,” then came to stand in front of her on the right-hand side.
Kenna whispered, “I think they found my Kryptonite.”
Jax twisted his entire body around to look at her, alertness in his gaze. “What’s that?”
“Breakfast.”
Zeyla jerked as if trying to contain a laugh. She cleared her throat. “I think we’re late.”
A man emerged from a side door on the far left. The uniform of a high-ranking soldier, dark hair with a little gray. In his sixties at least.
“The Count of Shadows.” Zeyla breathed out the words like a threat.
Kenna wasn’t sure if her cousin planned to be the threat, or if this man was.
“Come in, come in.” The man waved them over, but it wasn’t a request. These were orders, and he was accustomed to being followed. “There are enough seats for all of you.”
Kenna called out, “I’d rather not eat tainted food today or any day.”
“Nonsense.” The general waved over a couple of his soldiers, who stood against the wall at intervals wearing fatigues and boots. Standing at attention. Mostly men, but a couple of women.
Two stepped away from the wall, and both men came over, taking a plate from one end of the table and selecting something from each platter as if they were at a buffet.
One of them spoke to the general, but Kenna was too far away to hear it. Their commanding officer nodded. “Of course.”
The soldier set his plate down and poured two cups of coffee.
Zeyla turned her head slightly toward Kenna and Jax and spoke in a low voice. “Is this supposed to convince us it’s not poisoned?”
Kenna wasn’t sure about this display, but didn’t want to stand by the door all day. “Let’s go.”
“You think we should hear him out?” Jax asked.
“He seems to have gone to a lot of trouble.” She could see the general heard her, but that was the point.
“No trouble at all. My staff are happy to provide for distinguished guests.” The general settled into a chair on one side of the table, a single place setting on that long side.
There were two place settings on her side, but Zeyla dragged over a chair from another long table with no cloth and no food, and made a big noise about scraping it over to sit by Kenna.
She shifted and pulled out a gun everyone seemed surprised to find her in possession of, holding it loosely in her hand on her lap.
Pointed vaguely in the general’s direction.
The general held up his hand to someone behind Kenna. “We aren’t here to fight. No one is going to harm anyone.” He looked at Zeyla. “This is just breakfast.”
Zeyla said, “You could’ve sent us an invitation.”
“You and I both know it would have been ignored.” He stared at her.
Zeyla set the gun on the table, reached forward, and grabbed two strips of bacon that stuck together.
She folded them and shoved them in her mouth, then grabbed a piece of toast from the pile on a platter.
She spoke around her mouthful. “If you don’t plan to murder us, and this isn’t about torture, what do you want? ”
On Kenna’s other side, Jax shifted in his seat. His head had to be killing him, but he seemed okay.
The general looked from Zeyla to Kenna.
Something in his eyes she didn’t like struck a chord, and she decided that at best this could be a negotiation. “Years ago, I met a man who took a baby and raised her. Before she was twelve, he married her and called her his wife. He tormented her and tortured her. Is that the kind of man you are?”
Jax looked like he was about to jump out of his chair.
“I believe I’m more of a…visionary,” the general replied.
Zeyla scraped the chair forward, close enough to the table that she could pour herself a cup of coffee. “Like posing dead girls in display cases for your sick friends to enjoy. That kind of visionary?”
“I’ve discovered there’s a market for everything. Some businesses are more lucrative than others.” He paused. “But what my double chose as his hobby had nothing to do with me. His businesses did well, but they were niche.”
“And you didn’t stop it.” Zeyla scraped her chair back and crossed her legs, drinking her coffee. “Because you needed the money?”
The general turned to Kenna. “You’ve destroyed my team. If you want to continue, I’ll take yours as replacement.”
Behind her, the doors crashed open.
Kenna twisted to look over her shoulder and saw several of the gunmen shove Ramon and Bruce in the door. They forced the two men onto their knees and stood behind them, rifles pointed at the back of their heads.
Zeyla said, “Let them go, and I’ll stay. I’m worth at least four of your guys.”
Ramon’s head whipped up and he glared at Zeyla, but even from where she sat, Kenna could see there was fear in his eyes.
“We’re not part of your war,” Jax said. “If your soldiers came at us, we only defended ourselves.”
“That’s how Simon ended up dead,” Kenna added. “He left me no choice.”
The general sneered. “You’re the one who suggested an invitation.”
And that was what Simon was supposed to be? The general’s attempt at inviting them here? Kenna shook her head, but there were no words.
Jax said, “We’re not part of your war. None of us.”
“Our lives have nothing to do with you.” Kenna lifted her chin.
The general studied her with the assessing gaze of a scientist staring at a lab rat. “Many years ago, I provided my DNA to Dominatus for the advancing of the next generation. That DNA was used to create exactly one of our offspring.”
Don’t say it.
“I’m your father, Kenna.”
Her stomach clenched. I don’t think so. “That sounds familiar. Where have I heard that?” She tapped her chin with one finger. “Right. You tried to kill him with that limo bomb so you could take over as Imperatoris. Which I believe is against the rules, isn’t it?”
“I make my own rules.” He spread his hands, indicating the kingdom he reigned over. But she spotted a slight question in his gaze.
Which made her wonder who really set the bomb. “Sometimes the best thing we can do in life is realize how small and insignificant we are. In the grand scheme of the world and all human history, we’re just a speck.”
Zeyla had reached for another piece of toast. Probably cold now, which Kenna thought always tasted nasty. She frowned at Kenna, as if astounded by her statement.
“That is not the way of Dominatus,” the general said. “We are all of human history. And your grand scheme.”
Kenna shook her head. “We aren’t going to play along with whatever this is. You people need to stop trying to ruin my life.”
“You don’t know what you are.” His gaze drifted to Zeyla, as if she was responsible somehow. “You still fail to understand the significance this child represents.”
“I don’t care who you think she is.” She looked from him to Zeyla. “Any of you.”
The general said, “That child will start a war. But it’s one I am prepared to fight.” He slapped the gold buttons on his chest.
“Fight amongst yourselves,” Jax said. “It has nothing to do with us.”
Kenna nodded. “All of you need to leave us alone.”
She wanted desperately to walk out of here.
With all of them—Jax and Zeyla, Ramon and Bruce.
Where was Amara? If Kenna, or one of them, could get to a computer terminal and enter a back door for Maizie to hack their system, they could spill all of Dominatus’ secrets on the internet for the world to see.
Exposing everything would allow people with integrity to eliminate those in power for their own selfish gain.
Charges would be brought, corruption extinguished, and the world would move on in the fallout.
A young man, probably midtwenties, strode in wearing a crisp uniform. He bent and whispered in the general’s ear.
“Excellent.” The general nodded, and the man gave a salute. “Our other guests are here.”
People around them cleared plates, bringing additional chairs to the table. Zeyla hopped up and picked up another mug. “Jax, want some coffee?”
“Fine.” He sounded about as happy with this situation as Kenna.
Outside she heard the heavy beat of helicopter rotors, although the sound was much quieter in here than it would be if they were in the open air. She wanted this to be the cavalry. Were they about to get rescued? Should she excuse herself to the bathroom and find a computer?
Jax slid out his phone, his breathing choppy. She couldn’t imagine how much his chest and his head hurt. He tapped on the screen, then looked at her and mouthed, No signal.
Kenna prayed that wasn’t a hurdle for Maizie, or anyone else looking for them. Then she prayed Amara would be victorious in whatever she was doing, imagining all kinds of sabotage that made Kenna feel better.
Moments later, with additional seats at the table, the doors opened again.
When Kenna turned in the chair, moving her knees to the side, she spotted Ramon and Bruce on one wall sitting on the floor. Both of them looked unhappy to say the least, but they were standing down right now. Letting this situation play out.
Two Secret Service agents entered, took up flanking positions on either side of the door, and stood at attention.
The president came next, followed by Petyr and his entourage of people in office attire.
Their footsteps echoed up to the ceiling as they walked down the aisle to the table.
Secret Service agents fanned out, and a couple of aides stood to one side.
One had an iPad—did it work here? That might help.
“Major General Schnell.” The president seemed annoyed, but she pulled out her own chair and sat on Jax’s left.
Petyr went to the right and found a chair on the other side of Zeyla.
“My esteemed colleagues,” Schnell began.
“Just get to the point,” Petyr cut in. “We’re here to sign the treaty, not listen to you drone on.”
“Very well.” Schnell stood.
Kenna glanced between them, leaning forward in her chair to look at the president. Then, turning to Petyr, she opened her hands. “Why are we here?”
President Tetherton said, “The treaty requires witness signatures. Yours and mine.”
Jax frowned. “I thought the treaty was between the US and Croatia.”
Tetherton shook her head, sitting straight in her chair. Poised and unflustered. Kenna wanted to shake her. “It’s between Europe”—she pointed to Petyr—“and the US.” Then shifted to the general.
Kenna’s jaw clenched. “This is a Dominatus treaty?”
“As the mother of the first offspring of the next generation, you have a part to play in history.”
I hate everything you just said. Kenna nearly got up and walked out the door. “I see you didn’t take my advice.”
Schnell said, “If the two of you are finished, we’ll get down to business.”