The Twelve Zenati Pt. 27

"Well," she paused for dramatic effect. "If I have understood your friends properly," again she paused and looked around at them noting that they looked on silently unsure of what she would say. "You're an uptight bastard boarding on control freak who never dates the same girl twice. The current conjecture is that I made it to girlfriend status because I don't fit your usual dating profile. It seems I don't have the tits for it." She laughed and looked down at her cleavage.

"Sounds about right," Konrad nodded unfazed by what she had told him. "Would you like another glass of wine?"

"No, I've seriously had enough for tonight," she laughed at his admission.

"Sparkling water then? It's almost time for the show, and you will want something to toast with once its over," Konrad mused as he watched a large screen roll down from the ceiling to partially cover the far wall of the room.

"A show?" she asked, confused by the hush that settled over the room as the music stopped and everyone retook their seats.

"Indeed. Did you think we would be content with the idea alone? We will watch the final downfall of Remington's organisation and the people who allowed him to reign like a king over the underworld of the northern reaches of this land," Konrad asked.

"I didn't think about it," she frowned. "I guessed you had people on the ground there to relay the details to you."

"We do, but this will be more fun, I believe," Konrad chuckled as the lights dimmed. The screen lit up with a hazy greenish image of the house with smaller pictures from other camera's lining the side of the sides of the screen. "The Zenati did well bringing in outside help for this raid as far as we know no word has leaked from any of the Suebi sympathisers inside the AFP base in this city."

"How will we know what is happening inside the house?" Marcella asked.

"We have a man on the inside. He will relay as much as he can before he is arrested along with the others. It will be some time yet before they make their move as the teams get into place to cover all angles and exits," Konrad explained casually. "What will you do once you have the evidence to free your sister from suspicion? Will you stay in the north or return home to the job you abandoned for Olivia?"

"Honestly, I've been thinking about that a lot today while I was stuck in that room downstairs," Marcella said softly not answering the question directly. Her sister would be fine with Genesis; she could see that now. It was where Olivia wanted to be. She'd walked out on Noah, and he had gotten shot trying to find her and his cousin, her heart lurched every time she thought about Zanto being shot in the chest because of her. It couldn't be good no matter what spin Noah had put on it. She'd been a wrecking ball in the lives of the Zenati men. Her attempts to protect her sister and in some ways Vivienne had turned their lives upside down. She wasn't so sure she would be welcomed back after she had walked out on Noah that morning. Even if she wanted to go back and make sure Olivia got everything she needed and deserved from Remington's estate to make her an independent woman, she couldn't be sure of the Zenati's acceptance.

"And what did you come up with after all that thinking?" Konrad tilted his head toward her and looked into her eyes.

"I have a small nest egg saved, and I thought I might travel a bit. Maybe, see a little more of the world. I've barely left Perth before coming here. I'd like to see the Great barrier reef and some of the islands I have heard about," she shrugged. "I haven't thought much beyond finding these pricks, though," she indicated the screen. "I wasn't even sure I could pull this off, so I hadn't thought beyond tonight until this afternoon. If for some reason it doesn't work out, I guess I will keep looking for the evidence Olivia needs to prove her version of events."

"Will the men of your family not track you down. The Tables men are not known for giving their children the freedom to choose their own lives and paths," Konrad asked still using the casual tone that made him easy to talk to as if he genuinely cared about her answers.

"My family isn't close to the table. We are less than a twig on that family tree. I doubt that I even rate on their radar even with the publicity surrounding my sister. Once things calm down with Olivia, I will be able to fade into obscurity again. As I said, I have a little nest egg stashed away. I'm sure I can stay under the radar from anyone looking for me for a little while at least," she smiled and turned back towards the screen biting her tongue from spilling any more of her plans to this man. He was far too easy to talk to, and the small amount of wine she had drunk seemed to have loosened her usual tight hold on her interactions with people she barely knew. She picked up the sparkling water she had been given noticing a slight orange tint to the water.

"It is one of those waters with a hint of peach, I believe. Could be mango," he said smoothly, taking it from her and sipping it. "Peach, definitely peach," he handed the glass back. "Perhaps I could be of assistance. I have a property in Airlie Beach, which is seen as the gateway to the reef and the Whitsunday Islands. It is beautiful there. I was planning to return there myself after my business is concluded with the northern clans is concluded. You could return with me," he offered.

"You would let me stay at your home? Why? You don't know me," Marcella asked startled by the offer.

"I have found myself enjoying your company immensely tonight. I will admit that I know some of yours and your sister's story and I would not blame you for never returning to your family in Perth, so my offer is genuine. No strings attached, you can come and hang out at the beach or visit the islands as long as you would like," he offered. "I would even assist you to hide your identity for a time while you decided what you would like to do next," he offered. "The Tables are not easy places for women to belong. Especially one as highly intelligent and beautiful as you are."

"That sounds like just the break I need," Marcella sighed wondering what had gotten into her that she would be so forthcoming with this man. She went to speak again to ensure he knew she wasn't just going to accept his offer without giving it some serious thought. Then, an excited voice broke the tension in the room.

"Here we go ladies and gentlemen!" the voice called. Suddenly there was noise and movement in each picture on the big screen as the team conducting the raid moved in unison. Shouts from both sides of the melee could be heard as well as distorted cries of alarm and pain which rent the air.

Marcella couldn't take her eyes from the screen finding all the action hard to follow. She began listening carefully to Konrad as he spoke with his friends about each of the intended targets, making sure they were all accounted for before they celebrated the final destruction of Royce's Empire. She was strangely comfortable with this group of people. She felt accepted even though she was a woman from the Tables and they were all Suebi or at least Suebi Allies. Maybe it was because she too had a darkness inside her that drove her to bend and even break the rules when necessary to get what she wanted and where she needed to go.

Cheers began to go up as men and women were led from Hermione's house by the authorities. Marcella could hear the people around her, referring to their lists to ensure the people they needed to be taken out of the public domain were among those arrested. The names Marcella needed to hear she knew by heart and she sat quietly ticking each of them off in her mind as the cheers went up. She could barely follow the various fuzzy green views of the house and found herself relying on Konrad and his friends to help her distinguish what was happening more and more. She closed her eyes, feeling a fuzzy in her brain. She worried that this was more than the effect of just a few glasses of wine at dinner causing her to feel so mellow about what was happening around her. Still, she couldn't seem to find her voice to raise her concerns to Konrad.

Then suddenly it was over, and only a few of the men who had been part of the raiding teams remained to sort through the debris and aftermath of the event. At the same time, everyone down to the chef's and waitresses from Hermione's were driven away in a convoy of vehicles. Chatter rose once again in the room until the beautiful woman the Marcella now knew to be Bea's daughter, Madonna, stood clinking her glass with a sizeable gaudy ring adorning her right hand.

"Friends," she said, raising her voice to gain their attention. "Tonight has been the final victory over the usurper Remington Royce and his cronies. Now the Empire built by Maddox Kottmann and his son in law, my father, Eliah Schwann, can be returned to the rightful heirs of the Northern Suebi Empire. This has been a long time in the planning and execution, but at last, the territory is ours once again." A big cheer went up at her words.

"My mother, Bea, my cousin, Landon, and I are the last of that proud line of Suebi chieftains. As such, we feel a duty to each of you to recover all that we have lost and make our clan a formidable force once more. It is with great anticipation that in the morning, we will take possession of the promissory note to our family home from the bastard's slut and her Zenati captors," another cheer went up. She waited until they all quieted again before continuing. She waxed eloquently thanking all of her supporters for keeping her secrets and supporting her to stand firm against the evil perpetrated against her family. She thanked those that had helped set up each step of their vengeance against the man who had murdered her grandfather, father and brother.

Marcella was shocked by the way Madonna spoke about the demise of the Remington Royce and his men. She was even more surprised that she spoke of Olivia with the same hatred in her voice. Not once had she used Olivia's name, referring to her only as Royce's little bitch or slut as if Olivia was just as guilty as Remington had been for the crimes he had committed. She stiffened in her seat each time Olivia was mentioned and felt the gentle hand of Konrad touch her leg under the table unseen by all but the those sitting the closest to them as he leaned close and murmured in her ear.

"Now is not the time to react to her uneducated diatribe. It will do you more harm than good, no matter what she is saying about your sister. This is the reason the Suebi Princess was never considered a true contender for the mantle of the chieftain of the northern clans," Konrad said simply. "Madonna is uncultured and uncouth and quite possibly insane. Her mother indulges her whims now just as she always has and this is just one more demand she has made from the people who kowtow to her tantrums. If it were Queen Bea taking the reigns of the northern realms, we might have allowed it, but these rantings cannot be tolerated. Remain calm she will not be allowed to lead this clan any further. She was a necessary evil to ensure the entire Suebi Clan was crippled beyond repair."

"Who is left to stop her? I helped her destroy those who would have stood against her," Marcella was horrified by the part she had played in this woman's plans even though her reasons were sound. She would do it all over again to save Olivia from further distress and heartache at the hands of the authorities who were still considering charges against her.

"We are," Konrad said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It is fortunate that you agreed to accept my offer of sanctuary from this world and that of tables or you would share their fate. Now stay right here while we end this reign of madness here once and for all and install our chosen people to pick up the pieces of the broken Empire." With no further warning, Konrad nodded to Zander who stood and drew his gun shooting the Princess of the Suebi in the head.

Marcella sat in dulled shock as people screamed and attempted to flea around her. She didn't dare move as Konrad moved partially in front of her and one of his men moved to stand behind her effectively closing her in so she couldn't move even if she wanted to. In the protective shell of their bodies, she saw very little of the carnage that was happening in the room. The men and women, Madonna had thanked for their allegiance in her speech, effectively betrayed those that had trusted them and extinguished the remnants of the Northern Suebi clan. It was over in a matter of minutes; each murder was carried out with the efficiency and precision of a special forces squad. It was as if the outcome of this dinner party had been planned far in advance and those who had been chosen for the new regime moved around the room, ensuring no one from the former power-houses remained.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you all know what to do," Konrad announced and turning to Marcella took her by the hand and led her from the room as if nothing untoward had happened at all. Marcella knew she should fight him; he was a killer without any remorse. She knew she shouldn't go anywhere with him, but what choice did she have? They held the guns, and she did not believe herself less dispensable than the others in that room.

She was in shock at what she had witnessed. She followed Konrad with lead feet and a massive pit of doom opening in her belly swallowing any hope she had for a future free from men who sought to control her life. She had watched this man who now held her hand so gently order the death of a woman and not blink an eye as it was carried out. Even now, he seemed calm and at ease as he led her to the foredeck of the yacht where a helicopter sat. She knew at that moment that if she left with him, he would never release her to tell her story to the authorities.

*****

Noah leaned against a wall opposite to the Post office he and Zanto had discovered as the last pace Marcella had been the day before. He needed to see her, hear her and feel her next to him again to know she was safe. He hadn't heard from her after that brief call to tell him that it was not the Suebi that had targeted him and his cousin. As the night wore on with the raid and arrests, he became more worried about where she was and the people who held her.

Noah's anxiety increased as the time crept on, the post office opened, and regular customers came and went in the busy hustle of a workday morning. The longer he stood there, the low his spirits sank. She wasn't coming back. She'd done what she needed to ensure her sister's freedom and security, and she had left. He closed his eyes, willing the dark thoughts of her rejection of their growing relationship from his mind. He would give it another hour, and then he would let the watchers take over the surveillance of the post office.

He still needed to talk to Gianni after Zanto's revelations yesterday, and if possible, he needed to find Imelda. He concentrated, trying to remember her advice to him the last time he had seen her. The warning to leave the markets sooner rather than later which he hadn't heeded stuck in his mind more so than the words about Marcella. Still, he had vowed to her that if she left, he would go with her or follow her and that was exactly what he intended to do. He had no plans to be yet another man who let her down and left her to fend for herself. His phone rang, and he answered it immediately.

"Marcella?" he breathed into the phone.

"Noah, its Orlando. I need you at the marina now. The black suits will stay and watch the post office," he voice was clipped as if holding back curse words or something worse.

"You found her?" Noah asked warily, unsure of the feelings he was getting from Orlando and not entirely trusting his abilities as an oracle to rival Dominic. He knew Orlando was holding back something though, and the sooner he got to the marina, the sooner he would find out what. Marcella had been on a boat, out at sea, she had said. Maybe they had found Bea and all of her associates with their guards down.

"No, just get down here," Orlando said abruptly and ended the call. When Noah looked up again, a black-suited man moved alongside him with a barely noticeable nod of his head. Noah turned to head for his car, the sinking feeling in his stomach growing worse as he walked away from the one real clue he had to where the woman he loved would be at some point today.

He drove as if on automatic pilot. The closer he got the further down his stomach sunk and as he got out of his car and saw the police and crime scene barriers he froze in his tracks. She had still held the original document as collateral why would they have killed her. It can be her; it had to be something else. He straightened his shoulders and began walking forward again. In his head, he tried and failed to remember Imelda's warnings of the day before.

"She not here," Orlando said gruffly as approached Noah his face grave.

"Then, why am I here?" Noah asked frowning. "What's up with the crime scene?"

"Dominic isn't up to this stuff yet, and you're the next best thing. It's going to be hard but just listen to the whole scenario before you react. Absorb the scene for what it is and try to take Marcella out of the equation," Orlando counselled.

"I doubt I can take her out of any equation," Noah grumbled but followed Orlando to the scene. He said nothing as he immediately recognised Bea as one of the many dead. The known Suebi within the room had been taken out. Some of the men and women had obviously been taken by surprise, and others seemed to have been cut down as they tried to escape the room. Seventeen bodies scattered the large room that looked like it may have held twice that number during the evening.

"Where are the others?" Noah asked. "There were at least double this number here last night.

"Nobody else was found onboard not even the crew," Orlando said. "We had been watching Madonna Schwann since Zanto located her two days ago, and she hired this yacht for a week. When the boat came back to dock no staff were seen leaving during the early hours of the morning. The cleaning staff arrived as requested this morning and found this."

"They searched everywhere?" Noah demanded.

"She's not here Noah, but you should know that because she was known to be with these people last night and in her own words out at sea, she is the Police's prime and only suspect for the murders," Orlando said and before Noah could say anything held up his hand. "This could work in our favour if the police are looking for her as well as us. If there is a media response that she is a person of interest in this case, anyone who knows where she is could contact the police."

"Fuck," was all that came out of Noah's mouth for the longest of moments. "You know she couldn't have done this, right?" He looked to Orlando for reassurance.

"That Noah is why you are here to try and find some of the missing pieces of this puzzle. Dom can't do it this time. And let's just say you are more motivated than anyone else to discover who did this and what happened to Marcella Gambaro. Once Oscar and Nathaniel find out, not to mention the Battaglia and Apollo, this will become the business of the Thirteen. That isn't including what will happen if Severino was telling the truth about Jessa Farnese and the other women," Orlando warned.

"See if anyone can find Imelda," Noah instructed. "Dom is probably the most likely to be able to locate her," Noah said stiffly. Then he stepped further into the room to start his assessment and scan of the last place he knew for a fact Marcella had been.