We last read Chapter 27, in which Beth Harper, hungover from her dinner with Conner, travels to the Pegasus Club, near the nuclear power plant, for her meeting with Xavier Wheldon, CEO of StarPrime. After a trip on the highway and back roads, her journey continues past a guard shack and a winding lane through the woods, under the watchful eye of numerous surveillance cameras. Beth is blown away when the majestic Pegasus Club, Wheldon’s mountain lodge, comes into view. She also spots the tower from Stanley’s photos, sitting a distance from the lodge and rising as much as one-hundred feet into the air. She spies a chain-link fence on the far side of the tower. After she pulls to a stop in front of the lodge, Wheldon’s bodyguard, who Beth defeated as Sapphire Angel, greets her, oblivious to her dual identity. The man leads her through the spacious and rustic lodge, taking her to a room where Xavier Wheldon waits.
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!
After lowering the shade to block the morning sun, Raven Tristan held a spoon to the old woman's lips, gently sliding it into her mouth. The woman's face was as dry and wrinkled as an old raisin. Her eyes were vacant, as if she watched something interesting off in the distance. But Tristan knew the woman saw nothing, or at least didn't register what she saw. Her mother had been this way for two years now, and it would only get worse.
Her mother possessed a moment or two of lucidness each week, but those moments paled next to the sharp wit she had possessed during the prime of her life. Tristan hoped for one of those moments during each of her frequent visits to the nursing home. Her mom was the only family she had left, so she held tight to what remained of her.
The woman turned toward Tristan, and Tristan's heart fluttered for a moment. But after only a moment the woman turned back away, lost in her own world. Tristan frowned and returned the spoon to the empty jar before looking down at her watch. It was time.
She rose after setting the jar on the table, and leaned to plant a gentle kiss on her mother's cheek. Her mom didn't even register the contact. Tristan blinked back a tear, as she did every time she said goodbye, and turned toward the exit. When she reached the door, she entered the exit code into a keypad on the wall. The double doors opened, and she walked numbly through the foyer and out into the parking lot.
She found her car, climbed in, and turned the key to the ignition. The car sputtered, but wouldn't start. Damnit. It was time for a new car, but she had poured her own sweat into the old Dodge Charger and wouldn't part with it. Her father had been a car enthusiast, and cars were their only bond before his death from cancer when she was in her early teens. He had taught her the ins and outs of car repair and maintenance, and she had taken to it quickly, even at a young age.
With another curse, Tristan popped the hood and climbed out of the vehicle. She walked around to the front of the vehicle and peered in at the engine. She poked and prodded, checking off the possible problems in her head. Then she spotted it. A broken timing belt.
With yet another sigh, she went to the back of the car and opened the trunk. The inside was littered with every piece of junk imaginable, including many car parts. She rummaged through the mess until she found what she was looking for. A timing belt. A few minutes later she had it in place and she drove off toward Beth Harper's home.
With his slicked-back hair, expensive suit, and chilling smile, Xavier Wheldon projected the easy confidence of an experienced businessman. But for all his swagger, he didn't intimate Beth. She was on to something with his company. Something big. And if he wanted to meet her so soon, he knew it.
StarPrime's CEO rose from one of two plush leather chairs across from a sofa. As Wheldon rose, he sized her up, like a lion judging its adversary. He approached her as she stepped forward.
"I'm Xavier Wheldon," he said, smiling. "Nice to meet you."
"Beth Harper," she said with a thin smile, and extended her hand. He took it, firmly but not harshly, and shook it. He flashed his white teeth in a smile that made her skin crawl.
He turned to the bodyguard. "Jake, you can leave us now." Jake nodded and strode from the room, closing the door as he left. Wheldon turned his attention back to Beth.
"Ms. Harper, so nice of you to agree to meet with me, and to come all the way up here. You sure take an interest in my company, don't you?"
Between his creepy smile, his overconfident demeanor, and the exaggerated emphasis he put on words, Xavier Wheldon oozed smarm. Beth's opinion of him wasn't helped by how he watched her intently as he spoke, as if his words were so important he wanted to make sure she was hanging on them.
She forced a smile as he gestured for her to sit. She nodded, moving to sit on the sofa so she would face him. She pulled a folder of papers from her bag and set the bag on the floor by her feet. He sat in the chair closest to the window, folding his hands in front of him.
"How do you like my place?" he asked, still holding her in his gaze.
"It's very nice. It must be relaxing here."
He nodded as he glanced out the window, as if he were thinking of something else, before turning back to her.
"Yes, it is. As you can imagine, I have a hectic job. This is my refuge."
"It seems like quite a bit of space for one person," Beth noted. In her research, she had learned that Wheldon was a single man, having divorced twice. She chose her words to let him know she had done her research.
This brought a smile from him. "Ah, yes, of course you know of me. I should have guessed, based on your first story on StarPrime, that you would have done your homework," he said with a chuckle. "Well, I do entertain here," he said, before leaning toward her, a twinkle in his eyes. "And, believe it or not, I have friends. So it's not just me."
She forced another smile in return, but was becoming more uncomfortable by the minute.
"Yes, I saw the child's doll on the floor in the foyer. I assume that's not your toy."
He raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh, yes, my niece must have left it here when she was visiting."
"I imagine you know many of the locals, too," Beth said. She was testing the waters, curious whether he would admit to knowing Chief Biggins.
"Oh, some," he answered. "It was a bit unavoidable when I built this place. That project pumped some money into the area. They like me up here."
"So why all the security, then? Fences, cameras, guards."
Wheldon cocked his head, narrowing his eyes for just an instant. "Well, a place like this can be a target, as you can probably imagine. Important people visit here. And when my guests come, I want them to feel safe."
Beth nodded, but said nothing.
"Ms. Harper, I agreed to sit with you for your story, because I have nothing to hide. I know you've somehow gotten the ear of the OCO, so I want you to see that my company's purchase of Echo Energy is a good thing. We can make the nuclear plant reach its full potential."
"Was it just coincidence how you ended up building so close to the plant you're trying to acquire?"
"I've had my eye on Echo Energy for years," he answered. "While doing due diligence and checking out the plant, I visited and fell in love with the area." He gestured with his hands toward the window to his right. "I'm sure you can imagine why."
Beth didn't bite. "Actually, that leads to my next question," she said. "You were a huge opponent of nuclear power for many years. So much so, in fact, that StarPrime doesn't own any nuclear power plants."
Wheldon studied her again. "You're not just a pretty face. Your research is very thorough. I like that."
He stood and paced to the window near the chairs. Looking out over his land, he spoke, almost as if he were addressing his empire and not her. "It is true I opposed nuclear power for many years. No other source of energy, if handled improperly, can cause harm on such a cataclysmic scale. The world has seen that. But there were economic reasons, too. My company is heavily invested in other energy sources. We placed our bets elsewhere, and I do not lose my bets."
He turned back to face her, putting his hands on the back of a chair. "But the future marches on," he continued. "Nuclear power has gotten safer, as a byproduct of some foreign catastrophes. Its potential can't be ignored. And my company can't be left behind." He moved to the front of the chair and sat, before leaning toward her with a question.
"So, Ms. Harper, tell me, how did your editor pick you to dig into my company's business again?" he asked with a hint of condescension in his voice. "Don't they make you play second fiddle for several years before dealing with big shots like us?" The way he smiled revealed his reasons for asking the question. He was trying to play upon any insecurities she might have.
She responded with a smile of her own. "We're expected to earn our way," she said. "But my prior story on your company was a nice stepping stone for me."
Wheldon's jaw tightened, but only for a moment.
"Ms. Harper, I welcomed this meeting because I wanted to meet you, and assuage any concerns you and the OCO had. I had no idea you intended to grill me. I sense an undercurrent of suspicion in your questions, sweetheart, as if I have committed some wrongdoing. There is nothing out of the ordinary here."
He spoke with condescension in his voice, and Beth's temper flared. Sweetheart?
"Out of the ordinary?," she said, her hands trembling. "Mr. Wheldon, someone was killed on your land. I was shot at along with an investigator for the OCO. And it is interesting that a witness who might know something about this deal, and maybe everything else, has disappeared. And that's just the tip of the iceberg."
As the words left her mouth, Beth wanted to lunge forward and pull them back. Her emotions had gotten the best of her, and she had revealed too much.
Wheldon narrowed his eyes and leaned forward even further. His face tightened and his eyes bored into her, as he transformed into a different person in front of her. She could almost picture the devil's horns extending up out of his head.
"Ms. Harper, are you accusing me or my company of wrongdoing, or any involvement in any of those criminal actions? If so, please tell me exactly what it is you are referring to, and what evidence you possess," he hissed. "Otherwise, I don't appreciate what you are suggesting."
Beth had not expected him to be so direct, and was taken aback, but only for a moment. She cleared her throat and spoke again, her voice steady. He would not intimidate her.
"I said no such thing, Mr. Wheldon. While I'm sure many people would draw conclusions from such amazing coincidences, I haven't. But I'm sure, since you have nothing to hide, you will want me and the OCO to get to the bottom of those unfortunate events."
He held her in his gaze for a moment before leaning back as the tension in his face evaporated. "Of course. I would do the same thing in your shoes. But I can assure you, you will find this project to be on the up and up. Those events have nothing to do with me or with StarPrime. I will provide you with anything you need, including any documentation you can't get from the OCO. I simply ask that you help the OCO do a prompt and thorough investigation, so the OCO can give the deal its blessing and the sale can go through as scheduled."
"I'm here to write a story and don't control what the OCO does. But I won't hesitate to give my opinion, one way or the other."
Wheldon smiled as he stood. "You may underestimate your influence, Ms. Harper, but I won't. I want to make sure you see this the right way, so how about we sit down the Friday afternoon before the Labor Day weekend? You'll have done more research by then, I'm sure, and I'll want to address any final concerns you have. You won't want to publish something that doesn't align with the facts. I'll even come to you this time, at the OCO offices."
"Very well," Beth said with a nod, doubting he would ever follow through with the meeting. By his tone, she knew further questions were pointless.
"Great. My secretary will get it on both our calendars. And then you will be my guest at our celebratory gala the next day."
"Gala?" Beth asked.
"Of course. We don't let a major acquisition go by without celebrating."
As he replied, she heard the chirping of a text message on a cell phone. He pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at it before frowning.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Harper, but I really need to attend to this. My secretary will send you the details of both our meeting, and the gala."
And with that, the meeting was over. Beth let it end, knowing she wasn't going to pry any smoking guns out of Wheldon's mouth. He rose, and she did the same. He shook her hand, and his bodyguard strode in, almost as if summoned by magic.
"Thank you for coming to see me," Wheldon said, his phony smile on his face. "Please call if you have any questions, and I'll see you in six days. "
"I'll see you then," she replied with a fake smile of her own. The bodyguard walked her from the room and toward the front door.
As she followed him, she pondered the meeting. She hoped she had not made a mistake conveying to him her intention to keep digging. Men like him could be dangerous. But so could she.
Wheldon sat back in his chair, pondering Beth Harper. He had met with the young woman to keep her close, and one thing had become clear in the meeting. The little blond was poking her nose where it didn't belong. She didn't know the details of his plan yet, but her naiveté, eagerness, and optimism could be dangerous. She was pushing and digging where others might give up. He couldn't have that. Tristan would find something on the girl. He needed something jarring to shove into Harper's face, to persuade her to back off this story. He needed it by their next meeting.
This was business as usual for Wheldon, although the stakes were higher on this one. He wasn't worried. These things always worked out for him, especially with Raven Tristan on the job. Beth Harper had no idea what she was facing. The next time he sat down with her, he would hold all the cards.
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!
Also, I had no idea Raven had such a tragic life......I really feel sorry for her. Her father passing away of cancer must have been really devastating. A minor---yet still impactful---character in one of my future novels also ends up dying the same way.
Okay, that.....actually didn’t go as bad as I thought it would! Looking forward to this pre-Labor Day meeting, but I’m excited about the gala even more!