Page 25 of The Echelon (Spy Girl 7)
“Regardless,” Maximillian says, mimicking Ares, “we have measures in place that warn us if the treasure
is disturbed. You’re bluffing.”
“Who do you think built in those measures?” Ares asks with a laugh. “Me. And I know how to override them. It seems the current king of Montrovia, who should have been a part of this group since his ancestor started it, feels that such a great treasure shouldn’t be kept hidden. He’s giving it to the people. His people. And the people around the world.”
“He’s an idiot then,” Zayn Kipling states.
“King Lorenzo Vallenta, that so-called idiot, happens to have sent us with a parting gift for each of you,” Malcolm says as he and Aleksandr set an exquisite leather-tooled case in front of each man. “But you must take off your rings first.”
Each man complies, setting down his ring on the table in front of them.
Maximillian picks up the case and studies it. “I’ve seen these in the treasure vault. If I’m remembering my history correctly, they each held a fine writing tool, gifts for members of The Echelon.”
“I stand by my idiot comment earlier.” Zayn laughs haughtily. “Surely, Lorenzo the Not So Magnificent doesn’t think he can take control of the group, offer us a present, and make us go quietly into the night.”
“Maybe you should take a look at what’s inside, Zayn,” Ares says to him, a grin on his face. “It’s not the option I would have chosen personally, but it does have a poetic justice to it.”
Zayn flips open the lid, finding not the expected pen, but rather a syringe nestled in the gold velvet interior. The smile falls from his face in realization.
But Maximillian Olivier doesn’t seem to get it. “What is this?”
“The vaccine. You could say that it’s a pacifist’s way of getting revenge,” Ares states. “For you will do the honors upon yourself.”
“Let’s start with you, Zayn,” Malcolm says, “and work our way around the table.”
Of course, Zayn Kipling refuses to give himself the shot. He shakes his head, pushes the box away, and crosses his arms in front of his chest.
“I guess I should mention that there is another option for cowards like you, Zayn,” Ares says. “If any of you prefer not to cause your own death by injecting yourself with the vaccine you tried to give the world, you can walk out the door right now. Just know that, when you do, it’s out of our hands, for you will be met by a team of Italian Special Forces who will detain you before extraditing you directly to Montrovia. Once in Montrovia, you will be publicly charged, put into prison, and tried for crimes against the state. If you are found guilty of such charges—and make no mistake about it, you will be—the penalty is death. Also know that, if this is your choice, Montrovia—with the help of, well, the rest of the world—will be freezing all of your assets, shutting down your respective companies, and seizing your properties in order to provide restitution to the country of Montrovia and the families of those who died at your hands. Up to you to decide how you would like to proceed.”
With a collective sigh, the men go around the table, one by one, giving themselves the vaccine that would have wiped out the majority of the world’s population.
“And that’s it,” Ares says to them. “You’re now free to leave of your own accord. Go home, get your affairs in order, and spend your precious remaining days with your loved ones.”
The men all stand up, looking around, forlorn, at the stone room with its circular table and ten chairs, wondering how their brilliant plan went astray.
The answer is simple: Huntley Von Allister.
The three former Echelon members leave the room, escorted by three very dangerous-looking men who allow them to bypass the Italian Special Forces, who were indeed present, and get into their respective cars.
“That was easier than I’d thought it would be,” Ares states, flopping into one of the chairs.
Malcolm sits down next to him. “I will admit, I was sort of hoping they would put up a fight.”
“They were cowards at heart,” Aleksandr says. “It’s easy to hide behind power. A whole other thing when you have to face it.”
“And you think we’re powerful?” Malcolm teases.
“Heck yeah,” Aleksandr replies with a grin, rubbing his hands together like a nefarious character. “The three of us together are unstoppable. Now, we control the world.”
Malcolm and Ares break out into laughter.
“We did good, didn’t we?” Ares asks. He gets up, finds a bottle of rare scotch and some glasses on a tray behind him, and pours them each a glass.
“To us,” Ares says after he’s distributed them.
“And to the future of The Echelon,” Malcolm adds.
After they have enjoyed a toast and a moment of reflection over their journey, they do the final task Lorenzo asked of them.
Ares takes a phone out of his jacket pocket and sends out an important text.
To all Society members: The vaccines you received were nothing more than a saline solution filled with vitamins. If you are sick, you will get better in a few days. If you had taken the vaccine that was sent to the militaries across the world, you and hundreds of millions would be dead, reducing our world population by over 90%. Fortunately for humankind, the king of Montrovia and his secret services uncovered this plot to destroy our world as we know it. You can leave your vaults. We suggest, instead of hoarding your gold, money, and supplies for doomsday, that you share it with those in need. That will be the focus of our group, going forward.
MISSION COMPLETE:DAY TEN
On the tenth day after Huntley’s mission ended, in a secret room in an old part of a church in the Montrovian countryside, King Lorenzo Giovanni Baptiste Vallenta V stands in front of a worn wooden table encircled by ten chairs. On the table in front of each chair, but his own, is a box bearing a centuries-old emerald ring. And behind each chair are his nine chosen ones, blindfolded and standing still. Those that he hopes will agree tonight to join his inner circle.
“Throughout history, the country of Montrovia has flourished due to the group I’m about to ask you to join. A group with one goal and one goal only—to use our power and influence to gently guide the world toward peace, prosperity, and stability while holding the welfare of Montrovia dear to its heart. This group was started by Lorenzo the Magnificent, the first king of Montrovia, and membership was passed down from one generation to the next. Some of this group’s former members forgot that with great power comes responsibility. Our goal is not to obtain power. We simply want to work together to create a better world for all.
“Your name will not be spoken aloud, so when I tap you on the shoulder, if you do not agree to keep this group a secret or cannot uphold its expectations, you are free to leave with the promise to never speak of this group again. If you agree, please remove your blindfold and take the seat in front of you.”
He moves to his left, tapping a man’s shoulder. Malcolm Prescott smiles, removes his blindfold, and sits down.
Lorenzo moves to the next man and taps his shoulder. Aleksandr Nikolaevich removes his blindfold and takes a seat.
Lorenzo taps the next man’s shoulder. Ares Von Allister removes his blindfold and sits down with a grin. Lorenzo smiles, too, knowing that having these three men at his side would have made his father incredibly happy.
And so, Lorenzo continues around the table until all nine have agreed.
Lorenzo takes his seat among his carefully chosen few—those who will not only help him keep Montrovia safe, but will also control the treasure and its care.
These are the men and women who will advise him during his life and rule.
Lorenzo pondered for days over what to do.
Should he disband The Echelon that his ancestor and namesake had started? Or should he continue it with a renewed effort and goal?
In the end, he couldn’t allow something with good intentions to be put to rest because of a few power-hungry men. And it is with a mind toward this that Lorenzo then chose.
He looks at those now gathered around the table. To his left is Malcolm Prescott, whose ring will ev
entually be given to his son, Peter. Next is Aleksandr Nikolaevich, whose ring will someday pass to his son, Viktor. There is Ares Von Allister, whose ring will go on to his son, Aristotle. The retired Judge Spear is next. He’s a brilliant and fair man who raised the current president. Lorenzo loves the idea of his ring being handed down from the judge to his son, Ryan Spear, and then later to Daniel.
Crown Prince Kresten of Denmark has always been a close friend and confidant, and Lorenzo takes comfort in knowing the Danish royal line, which has actually been in existence longer than Montrovia’s, will be a part of this group for years to come.
Sitting next to him is the Duke of Burmingshire, Welford Windsor. He comes from a noble family whose ring was stolen when Hillford came to power. He’s the father of Wesley and Isla and a man of much social and political influence.
There are three others here who would have never been allowed entrance to the group in the past simply because they are women, but Lorenzo felt that women needed to play a role in the group, going forward, as their temperance and love knows no bounds.
Lorenzo’s eyes move to Natasha Elingston, Rutherford’s daughter, who is the sole heir to her father’s vast fortune after he passed suddenly just four days ago. Natasha didn’t attend her father’s funeral yesterday, as they’d had a falling-out years ago, her father wanting her to take over the family business when all she wanted to do was work as a philanthropist, traveling the world and helping those in need.
Next is Gabriel Lavon’s sister, Leah, who is married to the Italian rapper, Alfredo “Freddo” Ricci, and is well known throughout the world on social media as a design entrepreneur as well as for her work in supporting international charities.
His eyes come full circle around the table and land on the love of his life, Huntley Von Allister. Her Echelon ring—for which he traded pieces of the treasure to a British museum—will someday pass to their second-born child so that he or she will never feel like just a spare, therefore securing two seats at the table for the Montrovian royal family from this day forward. He doesn’t want The Echelon to ever pit heirs to the throne against each other again.
