Gabriel Tam stirred from an uneasy sleep, not only because of the faint sound of the perimeter breach alarm, which was again clambering, but also because he did not like this new pillow or this new mansion. He could sleep through any alarm with his old pillow. It didn't feel like a 'ta ma de' brick. But this pillow was worse than concrete and this mansion was nothing like home.
'If I had know that the Finance Minister never slept.' He thought. 'I would have thought more before accepting the job.'
They had moved into this new, gated compound on Osiris because it was supposedly safer, but this was the fourth times in the past week the alarm had gone off. When Prime Minister Jacobs offered the position he had mentioned challenges. Still, Gabriel had thought them to be more job related. The least they could have done was allow him the time to collect his favorite things before whisking him off to this posh prison he now called home. His desk, his favorite chair and most of all – his pillow.
Reagan, who slept soundly beside him, told him that he accepted this burden when he accepted the job. As always, the practical answer to the most important questions in life. That was why he married her and that was why she was still there next to him. She kept him focused on what was important. He chuckled now, as he leaned up on his elbows. With her by his side he wouldn't care how many protesters tried to break into his house or how many killers the Black Lotus and Dust Devils sent to kill him. And if he had his pillow he'd be sleeping in blissful slumber like her, while the captain of the guard handled it.
"Urh, what is it, dear." Reagan mumbled through her more than comfortable pillow.
"Another damned alarm." Gabriel grumbled as he sat up and slid his feet into a warm pair of slippers.
"Come back to bed." She moaned. "Let the captain handle that 'bao you gong ju'."
"I'll be right back – the fresh air will probably do me some good."
"Then open the window more and come back to bed."
"I'll be back soon enough." He insisted.
"Ugh." Was all she could muster as her husband left the room. The room settled back into its dark stillness. The distant beeping of the alarm wafting in through the window on a gentle breeze that was soon drown out by the soft rhythmic breathing of his sleeping wife. He closed the door gently behind him.
"Sir!" The guard to the left of the door barked, startling the new Minister to full awareness.
"Where is Captain Conner?" Gabriel said in hush voice, encouraging the guards to do the same.
"At the front gate, sir." Replied the one on the right, in a far quieter tone.
"Take me to him – is it Edwards?" He requested politely.
"Gibson. Sir." The guard corrected. "Night detail.
The middle-aged financier, as he still thought of himself, followed diligently behind the alert guard as they descended the steps and proceeded to the front door. Though Gabriel was not yet used to the position of Minister, having only had it for a week now, the guards were quite used to the alarms and incessant attempts to breach security at the compound. They took some pride in the fact that the previous Minister had been assassinated – but not here. Though things had generally settled down on the assassination front, since Minister Loe's coupe was put down and minister Jacobs had become the new Prime Minister, the protesters, terrorists and Black Lotus still seemed to be active in some special cases. Gabriel Tam seemed to be one of these cased, though for the life of him, he didn't understand it.
They were half way across the compound when the gunfire broke out, to their left, in a grove of Mandebeaux trees. A scurry of feet, a plethora of orders and numerous commands followed, as the perimeter guards encircled the area. Gabriel's guard physically stepped in between the Minister and the commotion, holding him in place with his left hand while brandishing an automatic weapon in the right. A large man in uniform emerged from the woods ahead.
"Minister?" The Captain's voice snapped. "What are you doing out here?"
"I know I got him." Came another voice from the grove. "Here – here's the blood trail."
"You need to return to the house." Conner ordered. "It's not safe out here."
"I will not be intimidated by these thugs, Captain." Gabriel persisted.
"It is my job to make sure that they do not kill you Minister." The captain now addressed the guard directly, ignoring the petulant minister. "Take him back to the house – now!"
"Yes Sir!" He responded immediately. "This way Minister."
Gabriel followed the guard back to the residence and waited for Conner in the front hallway. Within a few minutes the captain returned with four other heavily armed men in tow.
"Did you find the culprit?" The waiting minister asked.
"One of them." He replied. "You two! – right. You two! – left. Gibson! With me."
"Captain?" The minister queried at Conner's continued concern. "What do you mean one of them?"
Gabriel followed the head guard up the long stairway as he explained. Their footsteps and voices echoed in the huge entrance chamber, making it difficult for him to gather all of the implications this chief of security was trying to impress upon him. A litany of barks shot up from the searchers below. Clear! Clear! Clear! Conner tried hard to be informative and concise, but he did not slow down for the minister.
"We followed the blood trail to a dead protester."
"So?"
"No GSW. His throat was gut." The officer explained. "He'd been dragged to the perimeter, away from the compound."
"I don't get it?"
"Sir, it was a ruse – we have an assassins in the compound after you." The captain snapped. "Cho!"
"Secure Sir!" The guard at the door confirmed.
"Open it!"
The door opened. Still dark and quiet inside, a sweet fragrance wafted from the door on a cool breeze. Lotus flower, Gabriel thought, she must have opened the window. Gibson and Cho entered, followed by the captain, however, when Gabriel tried to enter Conner physically stopped him.
"What? – What are you doing?"
"You don't want to come in here, sir. Not right now."
"Reagan? - Reagan!"