Page 41 of Empress of Savages

“Okay,” the Mastermind’s eyebrows go up and he sighs. “Let’s get on and get it done.”

I stand. “If you’re all through talking about me like I’m not here, are you going to tie me up again?”

I stick out my wrists defiantly, hoping they’ll all be shamed into leaving my hands free. It nearly works, too. Until the Warrior slings a sideways look at both of the others. Then he says, “Pack an overnight bag. Just in case.”

“Oh, I’ll be careful to pick a few stylish wardrobe items.”

“I was meaning a toothbrush.”

I flounce to my room as he draws a heavy-duty cable tie out of his pocket.

Before we set off, there was talk of putting me in the box at the rear, but the Emperor’s decree was that I should be able to see the road, the driveway, and the house.

I ask, “Where are we going?”

From the driving seat, the Emperor lets out a dry chuckle. “You’ll see. I’m really hoping you’ll recognize the place.”

The warrior says, “We’re taking big risks, going there.”

“It’s a risk, us going anywhere,” the sullen Mastermind chimes in.

Shaking his head, the Emperor says, “We were taking bigger risks sitting around with our fingers up our asses while our world is getting swallowed up in wildfires out there.” He turns to look over his shoulder. “If we don’t get back in control of things and fast, there’s not going to be anything left.”

Black tinted windows go all around the passenger part of the Escalade. I’m sat in the far back seat, between Mastermind and the Warrior. We drive down, off the mountain, then windthrough townships and agricultural suburbs for a while, before we turn up another incline.

As we start up the steep mountain road, the Emperor says, “While I drove back from dropping the doc, I made a call.”

Mastermind’s eyes flash and a trace of a smile pulls at his lips.

Warrior stiffens. “You mean…”

“Yup,” the Emperor tips the mirror to look back at us. “She said she’ll meet us at the house.”

“Who?” I look between the three men.

“You’ll soon see.” The Emperor moves the mirror back to the driving position as he negotiates a series of twists in the road. He calls back, “Looking familiar? See anything you recognize yet?”

“Me?” I say, “Not so far.”

After some time ascending, we pull off the road between two stone gateposts and up a long, wide drive. We rise up to a turn and then, in front of us is a wide, sleek, modern house.

Graceful proportions, and natural wood and stone finishes make it seem like it belongs in the wooded landscape.

We park in the garage and enter the kitchen from there. The house is as gorgeous on the inside as it is from the drive.

The Warrior spreads his arms open in the kitchen. “Remember this?”

I shake my head. The Mastermind leads me upstairs to a sumptuous bedroom suite. As I peer into the fully tiled shower and bathroom, with a spa bath and movie-star mirror, he says, “Recognize it now?”

“Should I?”

His disappointment is obvious. “You put enough time and money into building it.”

“Ibuiltthis?”

“You had an architect and a project manager on site, but you pretty much ran the building crews yourself.” His eyebrows steeple. “You spent the best part of a year on it. You threw a huge Christmas party as a housewarming.” He sniffs a long, slow breath in. “This is your baby,” he blinks. “So to speak.”

I’m shaking my head. How could I have done this? But, even more, how could I have forgotten?

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