Page 99 of No Time Off

“So, what’s going to happen to Maivia and the police officers who sided with him?” Lexi asked. “There’s bound to be a public backlash against them.”

Petra sighed, her expression betraying the burden she carried as a leader. “There’s a lot of anger in the country right now. People want them to pay for what they’ve done. The three of us and my family included. But, as you might imagine, there are still some who sympathize with their position. There are even some in Parliament who believe their actions were justified. There is no easy solution.”

“And yet, you can’t just let them off the hook, can you?” I asked, balancing the coffee mug on my knee.

Petra shook her head. “No, I can’t. But I also don’t want to create martyrs for the opposition. That’s why I’ve made arrangements with the New Zealand government. We’re sending Maivia and a few of his deputies there. They’ll be ‘hosted,’ as it were. A house arrest of sorts.” She raised her hand slightly. “As part of the deal, they’ve agreed to surrender their passports and not leave New Zealand. It keeps them out of the political spotlight here, and they’ll be monitored closely.”

“That’s one way to handle it,” Lexi said, but I heard the reservation in her voice. I felt it myself.

“What about the rest of the police?” I asked. “Those who participated but aren’t seen as a threat?”

“They’ll be monitored,” Petra confirmed. “I’m leaving it to loyal officers to keep an eye on them. The last thing we need is another uprising. But we’re not letting those thugs who supported Maivia get off without penalty. We’ve arrested all but a few of those who have been identified as supporting the coup, including my attempted assassin. We are printing posters and looking for the rest. We intend to send them to prison for a long time.”

“Good,” Lexi said, and I was in full agreement with her.

“You’ll handle this, Petra,” Rangi said. “The people believe in you.”

“Thank you for your confidence, Rangi,” Petra said, her voice softening. “But I can’t do it alone. We’ll need everyone’s help and cooperation to heal from this.”

“Well, don’t count on me,” Manny interjected good-naturedly. “I’mnotcoming out of retirement again.”

We all laughed for a moment until Lexi spoke up. “I have a question. How are Ari, Sefina, and Amiri doing? Are they okay?”

“They’re fine,” Manny replied. “Amiri and Sefina were found by the Chinese, still tied up near the truck shortly after we escaped. They were questioned, but the Chinese cut them loose and left. So, Amiri and Sefina simply drove the truck back to the store, cut Ari free, and that was it.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “What did Ari have to say about it?”

Manny chuckled. “Well, Ari was happy to hear you got away safely, and Shi got what he deserved, but he’s disappointed the Chinese left, because he’d charged them twice the going rate and they never complained.”

There were more chuckles and Petra said she had already assured Ari she’d order produce from his store for the next state function.

Petra then leveled her gaze at me. “I’d ask about Jiang Shi, but my people tell me he was whisked away this morning by American officials.”

“He was,” I confirmed.

“Then I consider the matter closed—he’s all yours.”

“We appreciate that, Prime Minister,” I said, dipping my head.

Petra hesitated for a moment before continuing. “There’s one more thing. Chen, Shi’s chief of staff here at the compound, supposedly handed over all of Shi’s illegal accounts this morning. But we noticed something suspicious. There were some transfers just before the accounts were turned over.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Well, that’s something we can investigate. You’re sure all the accounts were transferred?”

“No, I’m not sure,” Petra said, frustration edging her words. “That’s why I need you to verify it. I want to ensure that all the illegal accounts are shut down.”

“Leave it to me,” I replied. “I’ll confirm everything and get back to you.”

Petra’s gaze softened, and she sighed, a weight seemingly lifted from her shoulders. “Thank you, Slash.”

The prime minister set her coffee mug on the table and pressed her hands together in her lap. “I want you all to know, I will be awarding medals and commendations to certain individuals who have helped preserve the integrity of our country. Iona, the king’s representative, and the young policeman in front of the television station who laid down his weapon first will receive special commendations. Tane, his news crew, Ari, Sefina, Amiri, and those police officers who stayed loyal to me will also be commended. And, of course, Manny and Rangi, I will be recognizing you both for your personal courage and resourcefulness in defense of our island and me.”

Lexi and I smiled and clapped as Manny and Rangi tried to convince Petra the recognition wasn’t warranted.

“I insist,” Petra said. “Now, both of you be quiet, because I won’t change my mind. Besides, awarding medals and commendations is one of the perks of my job.”

Then Petra turned to us. “You two will be presented with the Queen’s Medal for Courage for helping in the defense of the Cook Islands. It’s an honor we bestow on foreigners who come to our aid and defense in time of great need.”

“Wow, Petra, I don’t think that’s necessary,” Lexi protested, holding up a hand. “It’s okay to just say thank you.”

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