We last read Chapter 12, in which Beth and Conner Bennett, the OCO investigator, pay a visit to Chief Irvin Biggins of the Mountville Police Department, as they try to arrange a meeting with the officer who investigated an earlier shooting near the nuclear power plant. Biggins tells them the officer is on leave, and won’t return for several weeks. Both Conner and Beth believe the chief is not being straight with them, and decide they will find the officer on their own.
This is the second story, so if you want to start from the very beginning, you can jump over to book 1, and begin with the Prologue of Sapphire Angel, Superheroine. Or to start at the beginning of book 2 (this story), click over to the Prologue of Power Play.
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Xavier Wheldon squeezed the phone in his hand, closing his eyes as he spoke through gritted teeth. "Yes, it's a difficult balance. Things have changed since the first one. You need to keep people away, not kill them."
"But if we don't kill them, they might go to the police," his security chief protested.
"The police up here won't be a problem, but additional deaths will be. And the people you tried to shoot are with the state government," Wheldon said, before pausing to compose himself. "You're doing fine. Just use a bit more discretion."
Without waiting for a reply, Wheldon returned the phone to its cradle. He didn't look up at the woman sitting in the chair across the desk from him. Instead, he ruffled through the papers on his desk, for no other reason than to make her wait.
After almost a minute, he looked up at her. She was not the typical StarPrime Energy employee. In fact, he was sure StarPrime employed no one like her. StarPrime, one of the largest energy companies in the state, was modern in its use of technology, but had never embraced the casual ways of the modern world. Its executives showed up for work every day in neatly pressed suits and starched shirts, and its offices had a cold, sterile feel to them. Wheldon fit that description himself, with his expensive suit and his dark hair slicked back on his head.
Raven Tristan was the exception. Tristan was the exact opposite of Wheldon's typical hire, and it wasn't just the tattoos on her arms, the goth attire she wore on her pudgy build, or the piercings in her lip and in one eyebrow. Her attitude also set her apart. While other employees were proper and stiff in their mannerisms, Tristan exuded an aloof attitude and kept others at bay.
He tolerated her because she was good at getting what he needed — information about people. Wheldon liked to know people inside and out, whether it be a competitor, a future employee, or an important politician. Tristan was his instrument to get that information, using methods he didn't want to know.
She sat across from him, looking about the room. Her face didn't betray any emotions, and she didn't say a word. He finally broke the silence.
"You did a good job getting us helpful information on Bud Tanner. It has proved quite... helpful. I have another job for you, though."
She met his eyes, with no expression on her face. "Go on."
"This one could be tricky. Her name is Beth Harper."
"She's trouble?"
"She's a writer for an online magazine," Wheldon replied. "She's investigating things she shouldn't. And now she's working with an OCO investigator. The OCO has final say over our purchase of Echo Energy
He noticed Tristan's raised eyebrow.
"Yes, it's a strange match," he said. "I have some of my allies to thank for it. They wanted to keep her close, so they invited her to tag along during the OCO investigation. Their reasoning sucks. The OCO wouldn't give a shit about us if she weren't pushing it. And she wouldn't be able to find much of anything without their help. But we have to deal with it, so it's time I put your talents to use."
Wheldon slid a slim folder across the desk toward Tristan.
"Here's Harper's photo, and a bio with very basic information. She's only been out of college a few months. Young girl, early twenties. Smart. Very pretty. Petite. Went to college down south. That's about all I have, aside from the fact she's written two moderately successful stories, one involving StarPrime, in a short time. I need you to find more about her."
"Not a problem," Tristan remarked flatly.
"Raven... this one is important. More important than most. Since I can't shut this girl out, I need to control her if she gets too close. Do you remember when you got me information on Dale Hall, the leader of that environmental group trying to block one of our expansions?"
Wheldon knew there was no way Raven would forget. Hall had stood in the way of an important deal. Worse, his people had caught Wheldon's security chief red-handed breaking into their headquarters. When it looked like a scandal would engulf Wheldon, Tristan had brought him evidence of Hall's proclivity for underage boys. Wheldon had used that evidence to get Halls' group to back down.
"I still don't want to know how you got that information," Wheldon continued, "or whether you were behind Hall's disappearance shortly after that. But that's the kind of thing I need with Beth Harper. Something to get her under my thumb. And I need it before August 31. That's when the OCO will make its decision on the plant."
Tristan nodded, still keeping silent.
Wheldon weighed his next response. "One change to this assignment from normal, Raven." She raised on eyebrow, and he knew why. He never deviated from his standard procedure.
"Change?" she asked.
"Yes," he explained. "I need you to keep me in the loop on this one. I can't wait until you're done. After you've put together a basic profile on Beth Harper, I need you to report back to me."
Tristan stared at him, her lips pursed. Wheldon ran a risk changing procedures with Tristan. She could walk away from StarPrime if he pushed the wrong buttons. But he paid her well, and she seemed to enjoy her job and the freedom it he afforded her. He was willing to take a chance.
Wheldon sat back, which was his signal the meeting was over. Tristan held his gaze a moment longer before gathering the folder, slinging her mini backpack onto her back, and strolling out of his office without so much as a farewell.
After Raven Tristan left, Xavier Wheldon rose from his desk and strode to a door in the corner. Opening it, he stepped into a large, rectangular room, with glass cases lining each wall. An odd assortment of paraphernalia filled the cases. Documents, clothing, jewelry, paintings, photographs, a shotgun, pens, computers, and other odds and ends were present.
Xavier Wheldon was an addict, but he wasn't addicted to tangible objects. Xavier Wheldon was addicted to affecting the lives of others. To ruining their lives. To controlling them. He was addicted to the power it represented.
This room was a tribute to that. He looked around at the variety of objects displayed in the cases. Each object shared one thing in common. Each object represented the ruining of someone's life, at his hands. Some of the written documents were the contracts people had signed to turn over their family businesses to him, after he had crushed them into submission. Some of the jewelry and paintings had once been the most prized possessions of other people who had dared to stand in his way. He had brought them down, often using Raven Tristan as his tool, forcing them to give up what they cherished the most. He had a smaller display at his lodge, but this display was his pride and joy.
He would create one more space in his display when his current plans came to fruition. One of his most hated enemies would contribute an item to this wall, after Wheldon had destroyed him. But now he wondered if he would need another spot. If Beth Harper became too much of a thorn in his side, Xavier Wheldon would decide what item she would contribute to this wall to symbolize the ruination of her life.
The ringing of his cell phone interrupted his thoughts. He glanced at the screen and saw his secretary's number.
"Yes, Ann," he answered.
"I'm sorry to bother you Mr. Wheldon, but you told me to reach you any time something relating to the Echo Energy deal arose. I just received a call from the Office of Corporate Oversight. Two representatives, Conner Bennett and Beth Harper, have requested a meeting with you. What should I tell them?"
The corners of Wheldon's mouth turned up in a smirk at the timing of this news. An idea came to his mind.
"Ann, please call back and let them know that I would be most glad to see Ms Harper. By herself. Understood? Shoot for Saturday. Bennett's a state worker so he won't have an interest in meeting on the weekend."
"I'll get right on it, sir," Ann replied.
Wheldon ended the call and gazed out upon his trophy room. He would know soon whether Beth Harper would make a contribution to one of his trophy cases.
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Power Play — Chapter 13
(shakes head vigorously) Uh uh. Nope. No. Nah. Absolutely not. Negatory. Nyet. I’m really hoping Beth does not take this meeting by herself; either she insists to bring Conner along, or at the very least keeps her transformation device at hand so she can defend herself at a moment’s notice. Otherwise.....Wheldon’s likely going to be able to get his way with her, and I can’t imagine it’ll be good.