Page 96 of Gates of Rapture
“Aw fuck.”
Fortunately, Endelle showed up and ended what would no doubt have turned into one of those really awkward moments.
Casimir greeted Endelle but then made his excuses and left.
Leto watched him leave, thinking that he didn’t know what to make of the man.But it was getting harder to stay mad at him when he admitted he should never have gone after Grace, and even apologized for it.
When he turned back to Endelle, he did a double take and he couldn’t help but laugh.For a while, Endelle had actually worn a flight suit and a weapons harness, showing that her warrior side was ready to do battle.
But the other side of her that had fully embraced the spectacle aspect of their plans had clearly taken over.She wore some kind of strange spotted-fur bustier that looked similar to leopard but the spots were too small.Civet cat came to mind.Probably.A large red pendant bounced against her breasts.
She wore black-and-white-striped, and very snug, leather pants.
When she reached him, he said, “Thought you’d given up your fashion sense for the duration.”
Endelle smiled.“Are you kidding?We’ve got a spectacle to put on.This is just the beginning.I have my seamstresses working on a coat with several trains, perfect for flight.”Endelle was leading the review.Unlike Greaves, who had waited ceremoniously in his concrete grandstand, Endelle meant to be the opening act.
For some reason, he found her enthusiasm comforting.Endelle had always taken the war with Greaves in stride, something necessary for a conflict that went on for centuries.Her pleasure in her absurd clothes had no doubt been a tremendous release for her, perhaps even a passionate avocation.
“How’s the army-hunting going?”
“Good.Real good.”
She met his gaze and, for a moment those ancient lined eyes filled with compassion.“Damn, I missed you Leto.You and Marcus had been with me longest, and for decades both of you were AWOL.But now you’re here.And you’re bringing me an army.I’ll bet James’s announcement wrenched your heart.”
“More than you’ll know.”Leto was moved.He would never have believed that his service to Greaves would have taken this turn.
Endelle added, “And you know that if any of the other generals had built the army, this couldn’t have happened.”
“I’ve been thinking about that.I think you’re exactly right.Greaves’s generals are almost as power-hungry as Greaves is.They won’t have treated their Division and Section Leaders well.”
“So, what do you think Greaves’s strategy will be?You probably know him better than anyone.”
“Thorne and I have talked about Greaves a lot.Over the decades, I heard a number of scenarios discussed.However, because I’m in your camp, he’ll probably change things up.One thing I’m convinced he’ll do is attempt to eliminate the hidden colonies, because he has no idea what threat level the colonial militia presents.By now, he’ll have learned that I trained the militia force and he’ll do what he can to neutralize it.”
“How do you think he’ll do it?I mean what’s your take on it?”
“At some point, he’ll attempt to move his death vampire force into place all over Mortal Earth, burn the mossy mist away, and attack all at once.And trust me, I know this because that’s how I would have advised him.He doesn’t do anything without measured thought.That’s why he’s still around.”
“Have you got any idea about how to handle the colony sitch?”
“Every colony has a militia force ready to fight, but you know the odds: one death vampire against four militia warriors.He’s been building his death vampire force for decades, feeding them from his blood slave facilities, so that they are a very powerful force.Our effort must be to keep him from burning away the mist.The death vamps can’t get in otherwise.”
Endelle nodded.“You’re thinking the triad will have to help.”
“Facing Greaves on multiple fronts when the time comes will absolutely require that the triad protect the colonies.And it makes the most sense.Grace is like Alison.Neither is built for straight-on battle.Tell me you know that.”
“Yeah, I do.”She sounded resigned.
Endelle released a deep breath.She rubbed her chest.“Wish I had my weapons harness back on.As hot as that damn thing was it gave me more comfort than I realized.”
He glanced at the oversized red pendant.“What’s that made of?”
She looked down and flipped the pendant up and down with her index finger.“Dead ladybugs.Don’t worry.Kaitlyn, who’s been working with me, is into all that organic shit.She actually went to a ladybug farm and collected some dead ones.Fucking waste of time if you ask me, but, hey, it’s her time.Besides, this pendant rocks.”
***
Grace stood in the desert beside Thorne, looking at the warriors the triad had been moving from place to place, just to practice the mass-folding skill.Everyone was taking a break.Marguerite had headed to the rehab center to check in on her Seer teams, to make sure they kept blocking every aspect of the spectacle event from Stannett.Fiona sat in a camp chair talking quietly on her phone to one of the blood slaves she’d been counseling for a few months now.The warriors were rehydrating.
