Page 15 of Dark Island: Rescue
Rescuing one person had worked flawlessly, but how could they possibly manage it with four?
Areana took another sip of the tea, turning over the possibilities in her mind. No one would believe four people had decided to commit suicide together. Perhaps they could stage an accident? A portion of the cliff crumbling during an evening walk, all four tumbling to their deaths in a tragic mishap?
She shook her head. That would look super suspicious. The cliff edge had been solid for over a hundred years. Why would it start disintegrating now?
The earthquake, perhaps? It could have weakened it, created fissures in the rock. But they would need explosives to make that actually happen, and even if they couldsomehow get them, explosives left a residue that would be easy to detect.
The success of the operation depended on Navuh believing it was either an accident or a suicide. The clan's involvement had to remain a secret. If he suspected that they had a part in it, he'd also suspect her.
Suddenly, stealing Navuh's escape submarine seemed like an easier solution than asking for Annani's help.
Perhaps Elias could obtain the activation code from Navuh through a vision?
The movie continued playing, but Areana had lost track of the plot. The protagonist had somehow survived the helicopter incident and was now racing through narrow streets on a motorcycle. It was ridiculous, over the top, nothing like the elegant solution the clan had devised for Carol's extraction.
Perhaps Annani had people in her clan who specialized in such operations. They'd certainly proven their creativity with Carol's infiltration and extraction. Could they devise something equally clever for four people this time?
A knock at her door interrupted her circling thoughts.
"My lady," the guard's voice carried through the heavy wood. "Lady Tula requests permission to enter."
Areana clicked off the television and set her teacup down, smoothing her silk robe as she stood. "Let her in, please."
The door opened and Tula entered, looking pale and drawn. The guard pulled the door closed behind her.
"Tula, my dear." Areana crossed to her, taking her cold hands in hers. "Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm a little frazzled," Tula admitted. "Can you give me some of that calming tea you gave me on Friday? It helped so much."
The lie was transparent, but Areana played along, aware that even without surveillance cameras on this level, guards could overhear conversations through the doors.
"Of course, dear. Come, sit with me while I prepare it." She guided Tula to the couch. "You look exhausted. Did the pool tire you?"
"It did." Tula sank onto the cushions. "I haven't been sleeping well ever since the rebellion," she said loudly enough for the guard outside the door to hear. "I'm too agitated to fall asleep, and I wake in the middle of the night because of bad dreams."
"You poor dear." Areana gave her a pitying smile. "Wait here. I'll make us both some tea."
She walked into her private kitchen, a luxury afforded only to her and Navuh on this level. The maids typically handled all food preparation, but it was nice to have access to snacks, tea, and coffee.
As the electric kettle heated, she arranged a tray with two china cups and her special blend of calming herbs. From the refrigerator, she selected a variety of cheeses—soft brie, aged cheddar, and a mild goat cheese—and added clusters of red grapes and sliced pears.
The kettle clicked off, and Areana poured the hot water over the loose tea leaves in the porcelain pot, watching the steam rise and curl. She carried the ladentray back to the reception room, setting it carefully on the coffee table before resuming her seat beside Tula.
"We should let it steep for a few minutes," she said, arranging the cups. "Have some cheese while we wait."
Tula obediently took a small piece of brie and a few grapes, though Areana could see she had no appetite. They sat in silence for a moment, unspoken words between them.
Tula set her plate down. "I've been thinking about what Liliat said in regard to wanting to make her own choices and go on adventures."
Areana poured the tea, the familiar ritual helping to keep her calm. "And?"
Tula leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear, "Could you ask Annani to rescue all of the ladies?" Her eyes were bright with a desperate hope that made Areana's chest ache. "Liliat would come. I'm sure of it. And maybe if the others knew there was really a chance, a real opportunity for freedom, they might choose differently than they did with my hypothetical aliens."
Areana set down the teapot. "Tula, my dear." She kept her voice so low that Tula had to lean closer to hear her. "Arranging a rescue for four people is going to be extraordinarily difficult. Perhaps impossible. Every additional person will exponentially increase the level of difficulty."
"But Carol?—"
"Carol was one person," Areana interrupted. "She staged a believable suicide. Think about it logically. How would we explain four people disappearing at once? No one would believe that you all decided to jump to yourdeaths together. An accident would trigger an investigation that would unravel everything. The clan's involvement cannot be revealed."
