3.49 A Dirty Little Secret

Bakkon's disappearance was news to Halki too, but soon enough, the gods learned it wasn't just Bakkon and Mel that were missing, the Panthers were missing too. Difficult questions were now arising.

         "Do you really think it's a coincidence they both disappeared the same time the Lunies left?"

         Halios frowned, the insinuation was difficult to imagine.

         "You think Bakkon and Mel went to Hellias?"

         "Who stole the Panthers? Who has Unlimited Access to the Underworld beneath the temple? Think about it! What if Vikkar was a two-faced dog secretly vying for world domination? Wouldn't he want to kidnap our Top Astronomer and the Hottest Breeders Ever?"

         Halios was growing uneasy, these last minute mysteries were accumulating, something was going down that he wasn’t aware of. He eyed the inventory scrolls laying on the table.

         "And there was nothing out of the ordinary going on up at the storage bunker today?"

         Halki shook his head. "Everything went smoothly up there. Maybe the Lunies legitimately just invited them to party for a few days. Maybe Bakkon went to avoid being trapped in the Royal Residence with Atalon."

         That the Panthers were gone was an ominous development. Troubled by the possibility of having been robbed by the Lunies in broad daylight brought Torus back to ground zero. He stopped at the courtyard gates and looked inside, no longer such a grand courtyard. The dogons were still feeding off the few that wouldn't break their Oaths, there were still plumes of smoke and pocket fires dotting the post-apocalyptic celebration grounds.

         "Hellias…" He chuckled under his breath, he had seen enough to be convinced. There was a reason he had to develop the New Dogon race in Fomora. Six dogons had obliterated an entire community. Twice now! He was feeling better about his assignment as he made his way up Main St, rehashing the climax in his mind when out of the corner of his eye he noticed an array of lights, bouncing off the bead curtain in Dion's Salon, as if someone just walked through them.

         "Any news?" Atalon snapped as Dion and Nolan arrived at the Villa, dressed and coiffed for the Final Feast.

         "Still no word" Dion replied, ruefully. "We think they went to Lemuria."

         "There’s blood in the temple" Nolan reported the one and only clue, explaining their theory. "We think Mel fled there for safety and Bakkon helped her leave with the Lunies."

         "Maybe they eloped?" Seton joined in, mocking, highly suspicious of the latest drama. "Given the Lunie Solstice traditions."

         "Maybe they went to colonize Lemuria!" Nolan offered. "Start a new Panther race!"

         "Panthers aren’t a race you idiot!"

         "Shut up!" Atalon snapped, he hadn't even thought about such a scenario, regardless of jest. Seton had a point, however. The two of them missing together was quite a coincidence, but it couldn't have been more than that. "Bakkon would NEVER betray me like that!"

         "Are you sure?" Dion challenged. "He's been working with those Panthers and all that Crystal research in virtual secrecy. They've been doing all kinds of research that no one gets to see down there, how can we be so sure they weren't up to something? Only Neter could have saved Mel like that, do you think it's a coincidence he showed up like that? What a surprise, the cargo ship was empty!"

         "Dion's right" Nolan agreed. "It's not a coincidence that the Lunies came and hauled all the aribu away."

         "I SAID SHUT UP" Atalon exploded, foam spitting out his mouth, fists clenched, pupils slit like ice, he glared at Nolan. Nolan tried to move away but he was already up against the wall.

         "And why weren't YOU ready to catch her?" He pointed his finger at his brow. "You lame... Assed... SERPENT… FUCK!" Nolan felt his face heat up with shame, he wasn't proud of his genetic makeup. "Now there's NO BLOODY FINAL FEAST! Thanks to King Nolan!"

         Like a punished child Nolan struggled to fight off the feelings of embarrassment, being told off like a child in front of all the VIP guests was devastating, suddenly he realized how relieved he was in being sent to Ebar. He glanced at Dion in search of support as Atalon stormed off, but the god of Beauty had already sparked up a conversation with one of the Golden Goddesses as if nothing had happened.

         Seton sensed his distress and stepped closer to ease his nerves, it didn't take much to convince him to have a chat.

         "Come" Seton put his arm around the now skittish puppy. "Never mind Mel" he advised, leading him out onto the balcony. "There have been many Mel's in the past, and there will be many more to come." Doctor Seton led Nolan outside to the balcony rail from where they could see the glowing embers in the courtyard below. "I hear you made quite a hefty sum with your little fundraiser?"

         Shocked, Nolan froze, reeling from the direct confrontation, Out of the Blue. "What's that?"

         "I said, I hear you made quite a hefty sum with your little fundraiser."

         Nolan's thoughts raced, should he confess or deny? Seton knew? He felt the floor evaporating beneath his feet, he couldn't get busted at a worse time, was he really going down?

         Seton studied the frown lines transforming his face. "Torus tells me you had a whole crew working for you."

         Nolan felt the guilt swallowing him whole, his blood rushing to his face was blowing any chance of denial.

         "Tell me" Seton urged. "Are these rumors or is it true?"

         Nolan ran his fingers through his hair, hair was falling out, everything was falling apart, he obviously couldn't trust Torus. Why had he been so stupid?

         "Yes" he confessed, humbled to the core. "It's true. We made a killing but it paid for the gravel and the renovations! Torus was in on it too, you know."

         "Torus set you up" Seton clarified. "However, you're the one who carried it out."

         Nolan felt his life sinking beneath the waves as he realized what was next. The big E. A train trip to Hellias in a golden cage. There was no escaping an expiry, he could hear the words already, he knew he was going down, he could envision the headlines on the Tabloids of the New Empire already... NOLAN, GOD OF DESIRE, CROWN PRINCE OF EBAR, EXPIRES BEFORE EVER REACHING THE THRONE. He wanted to die, if only he hadn't been such an idiot!

         "I'll tell you what" Seton put his hand on his shoulder. "I see a talented young, good-looking god with good intentions that just got caught up in the temptations of convenience. Is that a fair assessment?"

         Nolan wasn't sure now, was the doctor really going easy on him?

         "Sure" he offered, resisting the temptation to feel relieved prematurely.

         "Good" Seton patted him on the back. "Ebar needs you, and I need you to make sure the transition into the New Empire goes as smoothly as possible."

         Nolan couldn't believe his luck, obviously Seton had seen his true potential. Seton confirmed his hunch with a smile.

         "I see some potential for your Soloha business in the New Empire and I can help make it happen for you... Can you keep this a little secret between you and I?"

         "Really?" Nolan's heart leapt with joy, suspecting now that Seton wanted in, with Seton's help his business could really expand. "Of course I can!"

         "It's a deal then!" Seton offered his hand. "I'll keep your dirty little secret if you'll keep mine."