Chapter 10
"Sir, I know it isn't my place to question you…
" Yreta stood by my side as we stared down through the large window of the former owner's office.
The Prince had moved fast, and he had already seized control of the zoo, including the main office.
The security team was waiting for him to arrive so he could personally go through the documents no one had the time or warning to destroy.
He'd find the evidence of the illegal sale of sentient beings approved by the conglomerate, and he'd use that to take them down.
They had no idea what was coming. Because technically, they had nothing to do with this.
They had a lot to do with other things, but they weren't this careless. I didn't feel bad about framing them. If I didn't give the Prince some way to challenge them, they would eventually manage to kill him quietly.
I was just handing him the tools to sharpen his claws.
He was the one who would have to connect with his inner predator and cut the heads off his enemies.
"Speak your mind," I commanded.
"Is this worth your time?" Yreta asked. "I can handle this operation and see it to completion. This is just one Prince on one moon."
I watched from the window of the main office that towered over the zoo, offering a view of many of the facilities and enclosures as the Prince in question escorted the two hoomons through the small crowd that had already gathered to see the overly advertised hoomon enclosure.
They were soon surrounded as people realized that the hoomons were walking loose in the zoo, rather than being tucked away safely behind their high security predator enclosure.
My little hoomon, Lorelei, was lifting both of her hands, all her fingers down except for the two middle fingers that she prominently displayed. She turned, making sure everyone got to see them as her mouth moved to express something.
They slowed down to a stop.
I turned to address Yreta's concerns.
"You are skilled, and I know you are fully capable of handling this, which is why I am entrusting you with most of the logistics," I said.
"I have not stayed because I have any doubts in you, but because I have an additional interest I am pursuing that must be handled personally. Now, I expect the very best from you."
I nodded toward the group.
"Yes, sire," Yreta bowed and took the dismissal and non-vocalized order as she left the office.
Moments later, she emerged from the bottom of the building I was in with more of my security team that I had installed into both the zoo security and the on-call team for the Prince's protection. He was surrounded by men loyal to me at every turn.
As were the conglomerate, the regents whom he had to challenge to take his power.
Yreta specifically had been working for the Prince for a while now, operating as the head of his team. Yreta’s team joined the Prince. The whole group with the hoomons vanished into the building. Soon, they would be in the elevator on the way up to the office I was occupying.
Yreta’s reports on the Prince were why I was so determined to give him an advantage here.
He was loyal to me. The conglomerate was not.
I moved to the side of the elevator doors, standing by like a security guard would. They opened, and the Prince, Yreta, and the hoomons walked in.
My little hoomon was still dressed in a towel.
For a moment I was disappointed in the Prince's care of them, but then I realized that the other hoomon was dressed in his shirt and absolutely reeked of him. It didn’t change the fact that he hadn’t taken proper care of my little hoomon, but at least he didn’t dress her in his shirt.
It was a good thing my little hoomon didn't smell like that.
The Prince's eyes flicked to me, widening slightly in recognition, but he made no other outward expressions. He knew better than to out me. I was dressed like a guard, so he'd treat me like a guard, though it was unlikely he would try to give me orders.
"Wardrobe should be arriving shortly, as well as some food," he said to Yreta.
"Make sure they both get here. Also, if these teenagers come to the zoo, send them up here.
" He made a flicking gesture on his wrist unit, indicating he was sending something to her, likely the pictures of the teenagers in question.
She tilted her head, indicating she was listening to an incoming message.
"Sir, there is a problem in the hoomon's night cage," she said.
It was the cage that my little hoomon would have joined her friend in if she hadn’t been so badly injured.
"One guard unit comes with me," he ordered. He glanced at me again. "You and the other two stay with the hoomons and protect them."
"You want me to keep them here?" Yreta asked.
"They are free to go where they want. Just stay with them," he said. "And update me with any change of location."
Yreta glanced over at me.
I nodded.
"Understood, sir," she said to the Prince.
She began tapping on her wrist unit and quietly issuing orders to the team. There was one other guard in the room, other than me, a short grey fellow who excelled at long-distance marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat.
My little hoomon walked up to Yreta, her entire body tense and her shoulders almost up to her ears.
"My name is Lorelei," she said, her pronunciation just barely understandable.
"Yreta," Yreta responded.
"My name is Zale!" I grinned at her.