Page 66 of The Lost Empress

Oh, hell.

With a burst of speed, Gen closed the distance between them, her footsteps silent. When she slipped through the hanging sheets of plastic, she saw the captain. He and the Chief of Police, Barry Fer, were the only two with the detonation code generators. The man’s back was turned as he stood in front of a solid wall, oblivious to the fate that had befallen his men.

Maybe sensing Gen approaching, or seeing her shadow dancing on the dark wall in front of him, the captain spun around at once. He was a large man with dark hair and a boxy jaw. She instantly didn’t like him, just based on the untrusting look in his eyes as they widened in shock and fear as he saw the figure emerging from the darkness like a vengeful wraith.

Before he could react, Gen was upon him, her hand closing around his wrist, spinning him around with a force gifted to her from her dragon. She twisted his arm around his back, fumbling for his free one, holding the detonation code generator. It clattered to the floor when she slammed him into the wall, pinning his arm there, keeping him in place. He was strong though and she knew that she couldn’t hold him long, no matter what strength the chi of the dragon gave her.

She had the advantage due to surprise and needed to buy herself just long enough for Emperor to help. Therefore, she pulled the man back a couple inches, holding onto his wrist and shoulder and then slammed him into the wall again with a force that knocked the breath from his lungs. She leaned in close, her eyes gleaming with a fierce, primal intensity.

Do you have control over him? She asked her dragon in her head.

Yes, he answered with a growl.

Gen loosened her grip on the man, wanting to put as much space between her and him as she could. He smelled like sweat and tobacco and felt wrong to touch. However, as soon as her hands were releasing, she felt him do something he shouldn’t have—move.

No! Emperor yelled in her mind. I don’t have control over him yet. I thought I did.

It was too late and the captain whipped around, pulling his gun out of his holster and yanking it up, pointing it straight at Gen.

She backed up immediately, cycling through her options. Bellumferrum was probably her only hope, but she hadn’t thought to retrieve it, too startled by this turn of events.

“Who are you?” the captain asked, releasing the safety from his gun, narrowing his eyes at her. “And how did you get past my men?”

“I-I-I…” She stalled, thinking of what she could say. How she could buy some time. Gen didn’t want to get shot. Not ever, but not like this, so soon after starting her new life. Adrenaline and fear raced through her as she looked down the barrel of the gun, wishing she hadn’t released the man, but knowing that she couldn’t have held him long.

Then quite unexpectedly, the man started to lower his gun to the floor, a confused look on his face. He seemed like he was being operated by a puppeteer as he stood back up and blinked robotically at her.

I’ve got him, Emperor cheered in her head. Sorry about that and almost getting you shot. But he’ll do whatever you want. Simply command him and he’ll set the stage for act two of our plan.

Gen grinned with relief and triumph. She nodded to the man and pointed to his pocket. “Pull out your phone. I need you to make a call and you’re going to say exactly what I tell you, no less and no more.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

BARRY’S BOILING POINT

Commissioner’s Ball, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Downtown Los Angeles, California, United States

“This better be good,” the Chief of Police whispered into the phone through clenched teeth. He had waited to take the call from his Captain until he was safely out of earshot of the party.

“I-I-I can’t do this,” the captain stuttered on the other end of the phone, his voice aching with fear.

“Are you crying?” Barry Fer’s eyes widened with sudden rage. He started pacing, stomping across the thick carpet in the abandoned hallway along the busy ballroom. “What is going on there? What’s happened, you moron?”

“My team of men,” the captain said, sniffling. “One of them panicked in the corridor behind the vault. They pulled a gas grenade and dropped it by accident. When I came out to see what was happening, they were all passed out.”

Barry felt his heart palpitate in his chest. He knew he should have been there tonight to supervise the heist, but the Commissioner was adamant about them having an alibi. Now, look at what had happened. “Are you telling me that your team poisoned themselves? Are you all drunk or just stupid?”

“I-I-I can’t do this,” the captain stammered again, like a recording of himself.

Thankfully, this wasn’t the worst thing that could have gone wrong. It was just a result of having a bunch of idiots under his employ. Barry had to admit that the officers he fired were much more competent but they were also snitches. They would have never gone along with robbing the Federal Reserve. “Look, that’s why I have another team ready. Just radio to them and they’ll be your backup. We aren’t out of options yet.”

“There’s more, sir,” the captain went on, really sounding on the verge of tears.

“What is it?” Barry asked, tensing when someone came around the corner of the hallway where he was stationed. He blew out a breath of relief at the sight of the Commissioner. However, Charlie Sloane looked madder than hell, like he knew something was going wrong with their bank job.

“Officer Taylor says there’s a hold up with the trucks,” the captain answered on the other side of the phone.

“What?” Barry barked. “What kind of hold up?”

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