Page 49 of The Lost Empress

The guard, his eyes narrowing in suspicion, scanned the rooftop for a long moment. But as his gaze fell upon the billboard and its uncanny doppelgangers, he shook his head in confusion, as if doubting his own senses. With a shrug, he turned back to his post, leaving Gen and Emperor to exhale a silent sigh of relief.

As they took to the skies once more, Gen’s mind churned with questions. She knew that she would need to delve deeper into the mysteries of the city, to peel back the layers of history and intrigue that lay hidden beneath its glittering surface. But for now, she had a new mission, a new purpose that burned bright within her like the eternal flame of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The game was afoot, and Gen and Emperor were ready to play.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

AFTERNOON TEA AT THE BEAUFONTS’

Beaufont Residence, West Hollywood, California, United States

“When can we give a baby their first sword?” Liv asked speculatively across the table.

Rose looked on the verge of spitting out her tea. “Aunt Liv, babies aren’t supposed to have swords or run with scissors or play in the street.”

Liv took a sip of her own tea, waving Rose off dismissively. “Don’t be silly. Of course they are. I didn’t childproof a single thing and look how Paris turned out.”

Rose picked up a cookie from the arrangement of fruit and goodies that her father had set out on the dining room table, with the tea and shook her head. “Paris was raised by John, my husband’s father and your best friend because you and Stefan got stuck in another dimension.”

Gen leaned forward, pushing her own teacup aside, not wanting to dip her braid into the hot liquid. “Details. I need all the details on this story.”

“Oh, it’s not that interesting,” Liv replied with a pursed expression. “We were hunting down this evil spirit trying to consume Paris because of her halfling blood and powers. We got ourselves trapped in another dimension, where we thought we were for a day. When we finally got back through, fifteen years had passed.”

Clark strode in from the living room carrying a vase of fresh daffodils that he set on the table, making the afternoon tea even more festive. “And that’s why Liv looks so much younger than me even though we’re only a year apart.”

“Also, because I worry about nothing and you, brother, worry about everything,” Liv teased.

He cut his eyes to her. “You worry about things…”

“Like how to get demon blood out of Stefan’s clothes,” Liv retorted, glancing sideways at Gen. “That stuff is impossible. Damn demons are even a pain in the ass after they are dead.”

Clark leaned down, putting a hand on his daughter’s shoulder, giving her a thoughtful expression. “Are you comfortable? Do you need anything else? Can I get you a softer chair to sit in?”

“She’s one month pregnant,” Liv stated dully. “And she’s having a baby, not suffering from hemorrhoids.”

Rose laughed, smiling up at her father. “I’m fine, Dad. Just sit down and relax. Join us while we pick out baby furniture.” She tapped the stack of magazines on the table that the ladies had been browsing through. Gen had been working on reviewing the reports from her rogue police officers when the two women joined her with their project. Gen had been grateful for their company, enjoying the distraction of Liv and Rose’s conversation. She also could use their input to help put together all the pieces of the puzzle.

“Your father doesn’t relax,” Liv said, pointing to the chair next to Gen. “But she’s working so you can do her homework, Clark and that will make you happy.”

Clark smiled at Gen, taking the seat beside her. “I’m always here to offer any input on things. What are you working on?”

“I’m piecing together all the materials I’ve compiled on the various happenings in Los Angeles,” she answered, spreading out her notes. “Along with the data on the restructuring of the police force, I’ve investigated the new patrol routes.”

“What did you discover?” Clark asked, reading some of Gen’s notes.

“Well, the main area that’s devoid of any assigned police forces is a set of city blocks in downtown,” Gen explained. “Strangely, there were some uniform officers there but they weren’t policing. They seemed to be supervising some construction being done to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.”

“Interesting,” Clark mused, sifting through the various pieces of information.

Gen nodded. “Then the reports from my rogue officers state that this list of items is in high demand in the city, being stolen at an alarming rate.”

Clark’s eyes widened as he looked over the page Gen handed him. “You know what these things are used for, right?”

“My officers say explosives,” Gen answered.

“She called them her officers,” Liv said fondly, patting the surface of the table between her and Rose.

“Also, we’ve learned that some unknown big criminal wants to supercharge a fleet of vehicles,” Gen continued. “Whatever they are trying to carry, well, it’s apparently got to move fast and would be pretty heavy.”

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