Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 69909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“This is a coup,” Hildebrand says.
Girard leans toward him. “It is the right course of action. It is the only course of action. And you know it. The event will be streamed live. Given the number of views on the first video, I am expecting an excellent showing to a flawlessly executed, pardon the pun, event.” Girard turns to us. “Gentlemen. If you’ll excuse me. I must ready myself.”
Soldiers come to stand guard at the table where the three of us remain.
“Did you know about the bribes?” I ask Hildebrand. “They go back all the way to Councilor Augustus’s grandfather.”
He takes a deep breath in and exhales. He nods. “I began to suspect some years back.”
“And yet you did nothing.”
He looks from Jericho to me. “We all have blood on our hands, isn’t that right, Ezekiel?” This man is hard as nails. He sighs. “Reparations will be made. Preparations are already underway. However much I do not like being made a puppet it appears as though my strings will be pulled tonight.” He looks at Girard who is outside discussing camera angles by the looks of it.
Hildebrand stands. He takes a deep breath in then walks out to meet Girard. We can’t hear their conversation but Girard smiles, pats Hildebrand’s shoulder.
“Looks like he’s getting that blessing.”
As night falls, Girard and his men prepare for the macabre events to come. Hildebrand rejoins us. I wonder if he feels any guilt for his condemnation of his colleague. I don’t think they are friends. Hildebrand is a practical man. Augustus will lose his hand tonight. That’s happening. The army collected outside will ensure Girard has his way. Hildebrand simply chose the path of least resistance. In taking control of the narrative, he will save himself, save order within IVI and remain in power. Perhaps he will become even more powerful than ever.
“So, who will replace Augustus?” Jericho asks, taunting the Councilor.
“That’s premature, isn’t it?”
“I don’t think so,” Jericho makes a point of looking out at the audience being ushered toward the staging area. They’re Augustus’s men. Their clothes are in tatters, their hands are still bound behind their backs and on their foreheads is the burnt mark of the coda.
Hildebrand turns away with a look of distaste which is surprising, considering the sentences he hands down.
A sound at the front of the house draws our attention. It’s out of place and when I look out of the floor to ceiling windows beside the front door, I see why. A tired looking work horse is dragging a small carriage. On top of that carriage is a cage big enough to hold a large animal and inside it are two men. One is crouched looking around wildly, the other seated, taking in the scene with a keen eye, but giving away nothing of the dread he must feel. They’re Blue’s father and Councilor Augustus.
Girard enters from a bedroom where he was apparently getting changed into his executioner’s robe, the pointed hood hanging at the back of his head. He looks at the caged men. I watch his expression. It’s probably the most sane I’ve seen him look.
“Animals will be treated as such,” he says to no one in particular. He tugs to adjust the sleeve of his robe.
Following the horse drawn carriage a Rolls Royce pulls up. The soldier on the passenger side climbs out as soon as the vehicle comes to a full stop. He opens the back door. He extends his hand and I watch Ines Augustus step out. Emerging from the other side is Blue.
My heart hammers against my chest. She’s here. She’s alive and she appears unhurt. Relief floods my system.
But this isn’t over. Not by a longshot.
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Jericho tells me. “He has an army. We have to let this play out.”
I don’t answer because I can’t agree to that.
Both women are dressed in red gowns, Blue obviously wearing one of Ines’s. Ines’s eyeliner is smeared like she’s been crying and the red lipstick she applied is thick and crooked. She was elegant the first night we met her. There is no elegance now. Only truth. Blue isn’t wearing any makeup. The scar on her cheek is visible, a thing she detests but seems wholly unaware of at the moment.
She looks around, spots her father in the cage. She’s ushered inside before she can react.
“You look lovely, my dear,” Girard says, taking Ines’s hand. “I didn’t get to say so earlier.”
She smiles up at him and I look at them together, the strangeness of them. There is something off about both.
Blue sees me as soon as she’s inside. She gasps and Jericho sets a hand on my shoulder. As soon as she takes a step toward me, a soldier grabs hold of her arm and my brother’s hand presses tight to hold me in place.