“Is there a problem, sir?” I have the docking fee ready to pay. The money is in my hand, but he looks at the paperwork once more.
“Is this real?” He asks. He looks at me, at Ezra, at Hayden, and finally at Fiona. His eyes stop at her. “Are you really here? Is it really you?”
“Um, yes?” She asks, looking confused.
“Don’t move!” The man yells excitedly, then begins speaking into a communication device. Before we know what’s going on, before we can do anything else, a group of official-looking people appear around us.
“Fiona Morlaneaci?” One of the women asks.
“Yes, that’s me,” Fiona looks just as confused as the rest of us.
“Oh, thank goodness,” the woman smiles and steps forward. She wraps her arms around Fiona and pulls her into a tight hug. Then she steps back, but keeps her hands on Fiona’s shoulders. “We’ve been looking for you for a very long time, young lady. Please, come with us. We’ll explain everything.”
I’m about to protest, about to say they need to explain themselves here, but Ezra stops me in my tracks.
“They’re government officials,” he whispers. “And really high ranking ones, too. Let’s see what they want with your girl,” he says. “Then we’ll deal with Mom and Dad.”
We follow the little group away from the port and down a boardwalk that stretches out over the open water. It’s incredible, really. I look down and can see for what feels like miles. The water is so clear and crisp and clean. A fish swims by and it’s so close I could reach out and touch it.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been on Mi
rroean, and I wish we were visiting under better circumstances, but I’m a bit confused as to why everyone is so excited to see Fiona. The idea they’ve been looking for her is good, though. It means they actually noticed she was missing. It means they care.
Fiona was worried her parents had explained away her disappearance in a way that made sure no one was looking for her, but it doesn’t look like that’s what happened.
It doesn’t look that way at all.
After walking in silence for about fifteen minutes, we finally reach a large, official-looking building.
“What’s all this?” Fiona turns to the woman guiding her. “The Ocean Building?”
It’s the hub of Mirroean. It’s where the most important planetary decisions are made, where the president of the planet works, where anything big and important and political happens.
“Step inside, please,” the woman says, and brings us into the building. We go through a quick security check before we’re guided to a large room with a huge conference table. We all sit down and then a man with graying hair and a big smile joins us.
“President Alexander,” Fiona says nervously, and I know that shit just got real for all of us.
“Miss Morlaneaci,” he nods, taking a seat at the head of the table. “I am so happy you made it back to Mirroean,” he tells her. “And thank you,” he looks to me and my siblings. “For ensuring her safety.” I nod politely, but don’t speak.
“What’s going on?” Fiona asks. “Why am I here?”
“Unfortunately,” President Alexander says. “I am the bearer of bad news and there’s no real way to soften it.” He takes a deep breath, steeling himself. Then the president speaks again. “Your family is dead, my dear. They were killed shortly after their return to Mirroean.”
Fiona breathes an audible sigh of relief and reaches for my hand. I take it, thrilled she’s looking to me for comfort. I shouldn’t be happy, but I am.
“Interesting reaction,” the president says. “Would you care to tell me why?”
Fiona looks to me and I nod. I squeeze her hand, giving her the comfort she needs, and she launches into the story of her kidnapping. She leaves out the bits about Hector LeBlaie and visiting Sapphira, instead choosing to focus on the fact that I rescued her. She explains my ship was in disrepair and we had to fix it up before we were able to get back to Mirroean. She thinks quickly on her feet. I hadn’t even thought to come up with a cover story as to why we were gone for so long.
When she’s finished with her story, the man nods.
“Your family arranged to have you sold to this man,” he presses a button on the table and a hologram appears. I gasp as I recognize the VIP bidder from the auction, the one who wanted Fiona so badly. “Their plan was to have him purchase you and then hold you hostage. They wanted money from the government of Mirroean and planned to sacrifice you in order to get it. The plan was that we would pay this man and he would split the money with your family.”
“But why?” She whispered.
Ignoring her question with a sad shake of his head, the president continues speaking.
“Unfortunately, when the man was unable to acquire you, he still expected your parents to pay him as promised. They didn’t. They also chose not to pay the kidnappers they had hired, at least not in full. This put quite the bounty on their heads. It didn’t take long before they were tortured and killed.”