Keys tapped, the cursor blinking on a darkened screen. Music blared from the speakers behind us, but I’m not sure that any of the three of us were listening. What had happened first in Serbia and then the whole incident with my father had introduced a side of archeology and relic hunting that I had previously not seen a reason to delve into. Now I had seen firsthand the misuse of the mystical powers that could be held within objects; and I knew that there were some that were far too powerful to be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. Not that I wanted to possess them, rather I wanted to find them and learn how to destroy them. To that end, I had restructured the former covert ops side of Myers Worldwide to be treasure hunters of sorts. Leading this new division of La Hérissonne would be none other than Dr. Alexander Spencer, who I had learned was also affiliated with MI6. Would wonders never cease? Probably not soon.
My searches brought results and soon what we wanted came up, another relic with reported powers that was up on an auction block. This one made me whistle low as I read the mythos surrounding it; it was a nasty bugger. One of my brothers would be sent to do the initial recon and determine whether the stories surrounding the object were anything more than hype. Nothing could escape them, and they had already eliminated several objects that had originally showed up on our radar, as well as identifying more that were already safely in museum collections that could be problematic if they were ever to fall into the hands of someone with nefarious plans.
Lists had been made, contacts established, surveillance begun, and in some cases plans were being developed on how to switch out the originals with duplicates that would allow for the destruction of anything that could give power to the wrong people. If we were interested in these objects, there was no doubt that there were others out there that were as well. Not everyone would have altruistic intentions; hell, I’m not even sure we did. What we did have was a plan of action and the resources to make it happen.
Within just a short time of my return to Louisiana and getting my head back firmly on my shoulders, a small network had been built by my brothers and others like them who were far older than their visage would indicate, and who knew the dangers that could be posed by these types of artifacts and relics. Working together we would ensure that those like Adama and my father could never again attempt the type of domination he had hoped for by means of the supernatural. Beau and Alexander rounded out the top tier of the team. Those who had been with me in Serbia and the Caribbean, and whose loyalty I trusted implicitly, held positions near the top as well. For the time being, I did have a private security detail at almost all times, Ambrose and Dominic Meyers disappearing did leave a power vacuum in certain circles and there would be those who would try to lure them out of hiding by coming after me. Seeing as I’m the one that made them disappear, I wanted backup to make sure that anyone that had that plan also disappeared. So far, none had, but I was not so naïve as to believe they never would.
As Beau sent the details to Dontanion on our latest find, I was sitting next to him and making his travel arrangements through the network of properties and employees that the combined resources of Beau and I afforded. Private jets, helicopters, vehicles, staffing, we had it it all covered and nothing was ever left to chance. On the other side of me, Alexander was building a backstory for Dontanion to conceal his true identity while doing the recon. Documents would soon be created by the best in the business and they would never be questioned by anyone. They never were. All of our fingers were flying over keys and the light tapping was the only sound other than the music that filled the room. We were a real team and a force to be reckoned with.
With one last keystroke everything I was arranging was complete. Elbow on the desk, my hand was held out towards Alexander expectantly. I wasn’t looking away from the screens though, I was still reading some of the newer intel that was coming in.
“Pink or Purple?” Alexander’s voice asked over the music. “Pink.”
A moment later, I felt the cool can land in my hand and didn’t still didn’t even look as I moved the can in front of me to pop the top and then sip the watermelon energy drink. I probably had drank a few too many of them, but I wasn’t too worried about it. Now that things were in motion for this operation, I could sleep tonight. Till then, I had to have the caffeine to keep from crashing, and crashing hard at that.
As I drank what had to be my third, or maybe it was fourth, Ultra Watermelon of the day, I watched all that the men on either side of me were doing. Each piece of the intricate puzzle we were constructing was falling into place and it was glorious. Soon we’d know if this artifact was one we wanted. If it was, there was not anything on this earth that would keep me from having it. I had a whole plethora of tricks up my sleeve to employ to get what I wanted, and I was not afraid to use any of them anymore. This last year had shown me fear was for the weak and I was not going to be the weak one ever again.
My position at LSU and La Hérissonne? Those would just be covers for what was really going to be going on. Not that I wasn’t going to at least enjoy being at LSU, and it would certainly help me in my endeavors to obtain artifacts. Alexander’s background in archaeology and anthropology made him the perfect choice to head up the team; his ties to MI6 just made it all the sweeter. After all I’d found out that Beau had done from the moment he’d found out what Ambrose and Adama had done till I was safely back with Francois and Dontanion proved to me what I’d always known about him, our friendship ran deep and true.
It had taken me a little while to get my feet back under me, but I had once again found my center and no matter how much the sands shifted, I was solid. The doubt and fear that had so gripped me when I had returned from the Caribbean was almost completely gone. Once more I was the leader that I had been born to be. As I had been described in the past, I was again going to be a “force of nature”. **Coming in like lightnin'.**
**Ready. Set. Let's go!**
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