We last read Chapter 23, in which Beth almost slips up, stopping just short of revealing information to Conner that only Sapphire Angel should know. Conner, coincidentally, raves about the superheroine a moment later, unaware that Beth and Sapphire Angel are the same person. Meanwhile, Xavier Wheldon joins a video conference, promising the other attendees, including a United States senator, that he is getting closer to success. But success at what? When the men ask Wheldon about his plans to deal with Beth Harper, he tells them of the plan to keep her close, so they will know if she learns anything she shouldn’t. Mark Bishop, the U.S. Senator, tells Wheldon to keep her even closer, by inviting her to the group’s gala the night before the “big event.”
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.
Thanks for reading!
The shelves of the refrigerator looked lonely and empty as Beth surveyed them, trying to find food for dinner. After returning home from the OCO, she had spent the day online, digging into information about Xavier Wheldon and his land. As she stared at the refrigerator, resigning herself to takeout or a trip to the grocery store, her iPhone rang.
She looked down and saw a number with a 202 area code on the screen. It could only be Ben Edwards, her friend at the Pentagon. She had tried reaching him two hours earlier, with no luck.
"Hi Ben," she answered.
"Hey Beth, great to hear your voice. How are you?"
"I'm doing well. Up to my ears with work."
"What are you doing these days?"
"I write for Radiance."
"The website?" he asked.
"Yep, the website," she answered. She sensed this call would turn into a long conversation, where they caught up on old times, if she let it. "Ben, sorry to email asking for a favor, but if you can help me out, that would be huge."
"That's why I'm calling you back."
"Were you able to learn anything about Xavier Wheldon?"
"His service history is locked up like a vault. I found normal stuff, like you found when you went digging."
Beth's heart sank. "Nothing at all?"
"Not on him. I did learn that he served with his brother. The brother's records weren't as buttoned up."
"I didn't know he had a brother."
"He doesn't, not anymore. He was killed in the line of duty in the Middle East several years back."
"Oh," Beth said, taken aback. "How?"
"No details anywhere in the files — it only says enemy fire."
"Interesting," she murmured. "Anything else?"
"That's it," he answered. "Or at least that's all I could get into with my clearance, and without risking my job. Sorry."
"That's okay, Ben. I really appreciate you sticking your neck out for me."
"You can pay me back by letting me take you to dinner next time you're down this way."
"Deal," she said. She wasn't sure when she'd be in the D.C. area, but she enjoyed spending time with Ben, even if she wasn't romantically interested in him.
"Anyway, great talking to you," he said. His voice was tentative, as if he were looking for her to continue the conversation and extend the call. Beth bit her lip, feeling bad for plying him for information, but not wanting to string him along. After a moment he spoke again. "I need to wrap things up and get out of here. Keep in touch."
She ended the call and dialed Stanley's number. He had told her to call at the end of the day, after he had time to research Wheldon's land.
"Hey Stanley," she said after he answered.
"Check your secure account," he said. "I sent you some interesting photos."
"Photos of what?"
"Better aerial photos of Wheldon's land, inside the fence. Not too far from his lodge, but beyond the clearing around the lodge."
"I thought there were too many trees for the satellite images to show anything except the clearing?"
"You're right," he confirmed. "All the standard satellite photos don't show anything, because of all the trees and because of the date they were taken. But I took a chance and sent my drone, and got some photos from a better angle."
Of course Stanley had a drone. Since it was Stanley, the drone was probably military-grade. "And what did they show?"
"What you were approaching, before you got shot at, is a tower, with a pond near it."
"A tower?" she asked. "Like a building? Or a monument of some sort?"
"Hard to tell exactly. I didn't want to get too close and risk detection, and the trees still obstructed it a bit. It looks to be made of steel or some kind of metal. Stairs wrap around the outside. Pretty thick, and maybe 100 feet tall, give or take. It tops out at just below the top of the surrounding trees."
"I think Sapphire Angel needs to get a closer look at that tower. Can you help me get closer, without being detected?"
"Let me work on it," Stanley said.
The call ended, and she hurried to retrieve her iPad from the kitchen table. She logged into the secure account and found the photos waiting. They depicted what Stanley had described. A metal tower, hidden among the trees, and looming up to a point just below the tops of the surrounding pine trees. She saw the stairs he had referenced, circling the structure. Light shone off the water of a small pond on the northeast side of the tower.
Beth studied the photos for a few moments and glanced down at her phone sitting on the table next to her shoulder bag. She hesitated, before rooting around in her bag. She found the business card Conner had given her the day before, studied it, and picked up her phone. She dialed Conner's number.
"Conner Bennett," he answered.
"Conner, it's Beth."
"Oh, hey. How's your research coming?"
"I have more info on what we were approaching in the woods, before getting shot at. Someone who works with me dug up some aerial photos showing a tower in the woods inside the fence on Wheldon's land."
Conner was silent for a moment as he processed this information.
"I'd love to see the photos," he said.
"I'll bring them tomorrow."
"I have a better idea. Have you had dinner yet?"
At the mention of food, Beth's stomach growled. She put a hand to her flat stomach and hesitated.
As if reading her mind, Conner said, "This isn't a date or anything. I just want to see those photos. And I have even bigger news to share about the investigating officer."
Beth's hesitation disappeared. She couldn't stay at dinner long if Sapphire Angel wanted to get a closer look at the tower tonight, but she couldn't wait to hear about the officer.
"Okay, sure," she said as her heart beat faster.
"Okay. Meet me downtown. Do you know where the Blue Room is? It's that newer place on North Street. The tables are private, so we can discuss this."
"Yes, I've been there."
"Good. Meet you there. 30 minutes?"
"Make it an hour."
"It's a date," Conner answered, and then stammered. "I mean, not a date. It's ah... hell, you know what I mean."
"See you then," Beth said. As she ended the call and set down her phone, she was surprised to find she was smiling.
Thanks for reading! I publish a new chapter every Monday and Thursday. If you’re reading this on the website and enjoyed it, please hit the like button or leave a comment — or, better yet, sign up to get future chapters delivered to you via email. Every bit of feedback helps me figure out what people like, and motivates me to keep going. If you’re reading via email, feel free to reply and drop me a line. Thanks!
Okay, it’s clear Beth and Conner have to get together; I’m shipping them SO hard right now. If Conner loved Sapphire Angel that much....imagine how much more he’d like Beth if/once he realizes they’re one and the same. It’s not even one-sided, either; it’s implied Beth likes him, too.