Kian
That small gesture was enough to brighten his day, and he was still smiling because of that kiss, but to be honest, that wasn't the only reason he was in such an exceptionally good mood on this Monday morning.
The three senior leaders of the Brotherhood were dead, and Losham's rule of the island had no other contenders for now.
"Good morning, boss," Onegus said from the doorway.
"Don't mind if I do." Onegus poured himself a cup.
Kian pulled out a chair and sat. "We have reasons to celebrate this morning, and I was thinking of getting the whiskey, but it's really too early for that."
"I wouldn't mind." Onegus grinned over the rim of his cup. "Three toasts. One for each brother."
"Perhaps later," Kian suggested as he refilled his mug.
Sipping their coffee, they waited for the other team members to arrive and take their seats at the conference table. Turner, Toven, Lokan, and Kalugal, who'd been a last-minute addition.
All of them had been informed of the developments and were here to discuss the next steps.
"We are in unfamiliar territory," Turner said.
He didn't sound as if he viewed the elimination of Losham's main adversaries as a good thing.
"What do you mean?" Kian asked. "Without the brothers breathing down his neck, Losham can do what we tell him to do without any impediments. We can actually manage the island remotely now."
"It's not as simple as that," Turner said.
"The brothers were a thorn in Losham's side, which limited what he could do, but that doesn't mean he's free to do whatever now that they are gone.
He will have to promote others to take the place of the three he eliminated. He can't manage everything himself."
Onegus put his cup down. "That's one of the reasons we are assembling this morning. Losham might need our guidance to keep control of the island."
Turner looked at the chief for a long moment as if expecting him to continue, but Onegus was done.
"Losham didn't tell us about his plan to kill his brothers," Turner said.
"We assume we control him because he has to do what we tell him, but unless we compel him to run by us every plan and every decision, he can still do a lot of damage all on his own.
The problem is that we can't really do that without paralyzing him and therefore hastening his end.
If we cripple his ability to take immediate action when needed, he will not last long before another upstart gets rid of him. "
Leave it to Turner to cast a shadow on every ray of sunshine.
"So, what do you suggest?" Kian asked.
Turner shrugged. "For now, I'm just listing the limitations." He shifted his gaze to Toven. "Unless you have some creative ideas as to how we can manage Losham better."
"The compulsion is a tool, not a leash," Toven said.
"I can command Losham to do or not to do specific things.
You are right that I cannot compel him to run every decision by us.
Even if I did, he would find cracks to slip through.
Losham has spent two thousand years working with Navuh's leash around his neck.
He will identify any gaps and exploit them.
"And while we are on the subject of compulsion, it has occurred to me that if we do have to employ the EMP, it will disable Losham’s phone and, at least temporarily, will leave us with no way to communicate with him. I need to instruct him to keep the same number when and if he replaces his phone."
“Good call.” Kian leaned back in his chair.
The plan was to keep Losham in place as a puppet for as long as possible.
It wasn't enough to control him just for a few weeks until the chests were recovered and the scientists, soldiers, and the women they took from the Dormants' enclosure were extracted.
They couldn't allow the Brotherhood to descend into chaos, even though that would have weakened the organization long enough for the clan to build the military capacity it needed to engage it directly.
There were thousands of innocents on the island that would fall victim to an unruly army of immortals without a clear leader to rein them in.
"Losham doesn't know the first thing about running an army," Lokan said.
"He's a great political and economic strategist, but he is no general.
The army has been Kolhood's responsibility for the past three decades, and the chain of command flowed through Kolhood to the senior commanders to the junior officers and down to the rank and file.
With Kolhood dead, the senior commanders who reported to him will now be looking for instructions from Losham, and it will become clear very quickly that he's not the right brother for the job. "
It was clear that Lokan had someone in mind for the position.
"Who do you suggest that Losham nominate for the position?"
"There are steps that he needs to take even before that," Kalugal said.
"The senior commanders will be looking for three main things.
" He lifted a finger. "Acknowledgment of the loss.
" He lifted a second finger. "Clarity about the chain of command.
" Third finger. "Reassurance that their positions are secure.
" He put his hand down. "Losham needs to do all three as soon as possible.
Otherwise, they will try to take advantage of the situation during the period of confusion. "
Lokan nodded. "First order of business is to assemble all the senior and junior leadership and address them in person.
Losham needs to confirm the deaths of his three brothers, officially attribute them to our father, and establish that the chain of command now runs through him as our father's designated regent.
He should also acknowledge the senior commanders by name and reaffirm their positions.
That is the acknowledgment, the clarity, and the reassurance, all delivered in a single communication. "
"He needs to appoint a new head of the army," Turner said.
"And it can't be him. He is not a military man, and the commanders will not respect him in that role even if he claims it.
He needs to elevate one of the senior commanders, ideally someone who was close to Kolhood but who wasn't a fan of his.
Such a person would be seen as a natural successor, and it would reinforce the fiction that Losham had nothing to do with Kolhood's death.
It also places a familiar face at the top of the chain of command, which preserves continuity.
" He looked at Lokan. "Any suggestions?"
"Bertram," Lokan said. "He's been Kolhood's second for over a decade. He's young, and Kolhood promoted him because he's competent but not overly ambitious. He wouldn't have challenged Kolhood, and he won't challenge Losham, but the senior officers know him and respect him."
"Good." Kian lifted his coffee cup and took a sip. "That's what we will suggest when we talk to him next."
Onegus cleared his throat. "Losham doesn't know that we know, and we don't want to expose the Eight who told us about the assassinations. We can claim to have spies on the island just to mess with him, or we can wait for him to brag about it."
"He won't," Lokan said. "Losham will try to keep it a secret for as long as he can."
Kian put his cup down. "I like the idea of letting him think that we have spies on the island." He looked at Lokan. "Anything else that Losham should do?"
"He needs to lock down all communications between the senior commanders and any external parties for the next forty-eight hours.
The Brotherhood has plants in various intelligence agencies, criminal organizations, and political bodies around the world.
Some of them were no doubt reporting to Kolhood.
With him dead, those channels are vulnerable to exploitation by enterprising upstarts. "
"That kind of work is what Losham excels in," Kalugal said. "He can teach us a thing or two in that regard."
Lokan shook his head. "He might be overwhelmed right now.
Losham is used to operating in the shadows, where he can take his time and think things through.
Being at the top with everyone looking to him for direction will stress him out.
We should suggest that, even though he will probably figure it out himself. "
Lokan straightened in his chair and continued, "If I were Losham, I would convene a council of the senior commanders.
Not a council of the remaining brothers, which is the structure Navuh established, but a council of the military leadership.
The six senior commanders of the major divisions and every commander answering to them, with Bertram as the new chief of staff. "
It seemed like Lokan had given that a lot of thought, which he probably had since he'd dreamt for years about being in Losham's position and ruling the island.
With Navuh and his three senior so-called sons gone, this scenario was more feasible now than ever before, but not yet.
Lokan was considered a traitor, and his defection was very recent, so replacing Losham with Lokan now was not possible because he would be executed on the spot; but perhaps in the future.
For now, they needed to secure Losham's position and use their hold on him for as long as it lasted, which reminded him that they were there not only to celebrate but to talk to Losham.
Kian glanced at his watch and turned to Onegus. "It's time for the call." He caught Toven's eye and said, "Be ready to step in and take care of the instructions about the phone."
The chief pulled out the device they were using to contact Losham and put it on the conference table. "Are we going with the spy story?"
Kian nodded. "It will keep Losham on his toes."
Onegus activated the speakerphone and placed the call.
The phone rang twice before Losham picked up.
"Yes," he said.
"Hello, Losham." Onegus leaned back in his chair, and a bright smile bloomed on his face. "I understand that congratulations are in order."
There was a long pause, then a muffled exhalation. "Congratulations on what?"
"Your brothers' demise, of course," Kian said.
Another pause. Longer this time. Kian could almost see Losham on the other end of the line, sitting in his office and weighing how to respond.
"How do you know about that?"
Kian exchanged a smile with Onegus. "We have eyes and ears on the island, Losham."
"What did those eyes and ears report?"
"That Lord Navuh executed his sons in a fit of rage because they'd come uninvited to his harem."
If they had spies other than Dave, that would have been what they'd have reported.
"You know that is not what happened. You have my father."
They had never confirmed that Navuh was their captive to Losham, but he had guessed it a long time ago.
"We don't care about how you did it as long as everyone on the island believes the story."
There was a long exhale of breath. "Why haven't you mentioned having spies before?"
Kian chuckled. "Why would we show our hand when there was no need?"
"And now there is?" Losham asked.
"Yes. We want to make sure that your position is secure, and we are going to guide you through what you have to do."
"I don't need advice from you. I've been Lord Navuh's strategist and advisor for nearly two millennia. I know what to do."
"I'm well aware of your strengths and weaknesses," Kian said. "You've never been part of the military operation, and the army needs a leader. That should be addressed as soon as possible."
"I can hold the position until I find someone suitable."
Kian had expected that response. "The army will not accept your authority. It needs a military commander to replace Kolhood, and you have to appoint someone the army will accept."
Another brief silence. "I will go over the possible candidates tomorrow morning."
"There is no need," Toven said. "We’ve chosen the best candidate for you. You will appoint Bertram." The command was infused with compulsion.
"Bertram," Losham said flatly. "Why him?"
"He's the obvious choice," Kian took over again.
"And that's precisely what you need right now.
The army needs stability, and the senior commanders will accept Bertram without question.
Tomorrow you will call a meeting and address the senior leadership of the Brotherhood, explaining what happened. I hope you are a good actor."
"I am an excellent performer. Just ask my father."
Kian ignored the taunt. "I'm glad you are experienced. After you tell them the sad tale of the three disobedient brothers and their fate, announce Bertram's promotion."
“There is another issue that needs to be addressed,” Toven said. “If you lose your phone or it becomes inoperable, keep the same phone number.”
“Closing loopholes?” Losham chuckled. "And here I thought that the end of days must be near if the clan is helping me run the Brotherhood. You just want to ensure that your puppet is the one who pulls the Brotherhood’s strings."
Kian smiled. "What we want is to prevent the island from falling into chaos, and you are the only one reasonable enough to do it. That’s why we are helping you. Good luck, Losham."
"Thank you." The line went dead.
Lokan shook his head. "He said thank you. That's a first. I wonder why."
"Perhaps he appreciates our help," Kian said.
"Or he might be just happy to be rid of his brothers.
He didn't even ask about new instructions regarding the chests.
Now that his brothers are no longer a problem, he must assume that we would want him to speed up the excavations, pull out the chests, and load them on the first ship leaving the island. "
"Losham is overwhelmed." Lokan rubbed a hand over his jaw. "He's usually thinking ten steps ahead, and the fact that he's not thinking now says a lot about his state of mind."