The Phoenix Crisis by Richard L. Sanders Page B

peace
among the different interests that’d allied themselves with him, he
had to manage a very delicate alliance with alien interests—which
he knew were extremely dangerous and self-serving—and he had to
achieve a certain level of results. Otherwise his brother would not
be able to successfully wrestle away the throne and all would’ve
been for naught.
    Lately they’d had some success, via bribes
and extortion, identifying key members of the opposition, the
so-called Organization. It was a group of blind would-be patriots
who defended the status quo and acted as unknown pawns of the
military-industrial complex that had grown so enormous inside the
Empire. Their leader, White Rook, remained as elusive and
mysterious as the Phoenix Ring itself, but Zane knew better than to
underestimate him or her. Which was why it was so important that he
root out the rest of the Organization’s assets on Capital World and
eliminate them. The time of ascension was fast approaching and,
when the Empire was finally reborn, it would be reborn here. Here
at the center of everything. When that time came Zane wanted to be
sure that the Organization had no more resources to tap and no more
cards to play; they would be out of the game. Too distant and
dispersed to intervene in time.
    Success had been slow and steady, but a few
variables remained that gave Zane concern. One of them was the
elusive Calvin Cross, a one-time asset that had been apparently
recruited by the Organization. Making him a threat. His talents and
resources were formidable, despite their practical limitations, and
Zane would not have a rogue further jeopardize their plans. He
didn’t know what information White Rook, or Asari Raidan, or
someone else in the Organization, had fed Calvin, but Calvin had
been sighted in Remus System. Just as the isotome weapons deal was
about to go down between the Organization’s fake Enclave agent and
the Rahajiim. Zane hadn’t yet gotten a full report on what’d
happened—as it had yet to be determined—but based on reports from
Intel Wing operatives, communicated to Zane through Director Jack
Edwards Prime, Calvin and his ship had been present in Remus. That
was around the same time the Phoenix Ring’s operative, who’d been
down on the surface, had stopped maintaining contact with the
Phoenix Ring. The way Zane saw it, only a few things were possible.
Calvin and his crew abducted, killed, or recruited the agent—all of
which were potentially quite bad. Especially if the agent, who was
a replicant himself, revealed how the Phoenix Ring was acquiring
replicants and which people had already been replaced. Or else the
Rahajiim had abducted, killed, or recruited the Phoenix Ring
operative. Perhaps they had something to offer that the replicant
wanted, or maybe they’d learned of the deception and knew the
replicant wasn’t a true Enclave agent. Perhaps the Enclave itself
had ceased to be fooled. From Zane’s perspective there was no way
of knowing, but if Calvin had taken possession of the replicant,
Zane wanted to know. He had to have some sense of what he was up
against.
    “ Well if it isn’t my
favorite prisoner,” said Zane as he walked into the basement
dungeon. The guards escorting him stepped aside so he could get a
clear view of the prisoner. A tall, somewhat lanky man was chained
to the ceiling and floor, his arms raised uncomfortable above his
head.        
    The prisoner raised his head and a look of
disgust and recognition came over him as he spotted Zane. He spat
and lowered his head.
    “ He still isn’t
cooperating,” said the guard nearest the prisoner. Next to him was
a table with a variety of instruments of
persuasion and by the look of things, the
prisoner had already been tortured significantly. His clothes were
removed and bruises and cuts decorated his body. There was also a
pool of dried blood at his feet.
    “ Come now, Rafael, it
doesn’t have to be like this,” said Zane. He stepped closer