that bastard get away?”
“It appeared that he had a small, private ship hidden under a false lawn just inside the mansion’s outer limits,” Sylvan explained. “We tried to shoot him down but he was too fast, regrettably.” He frowned. “Though if we ever find him, I intend to make him pay for all the misery and grief he caused. When I think of all the lost years his prisoners endured working and living in that Compound…”
“You don’t know the half of it,” V said darkly. “Did you see the inside of the Breeding and Conception Center? Did you see the baths and the recycling room?” He hadn’t seen them himself, of course, but Penelope had described them in great detail, horror in her big brown eyes as she talked and V had to hold and comfort her for a long time afterwards.
“I did.” Sylvan’s face was serious. “The entire center and all its equipment has been razed to the ground now. The NeverBreeders—the ones who were left after the battle—begged to stay in the Compound rather than go back to the Mother Ship as prisoners.”
“And you let them?” V asked, raising his eyebrows.
Sylvan nodded.
“On the condition that they never try to make more NeverBreeders and that they stop the cannibalism.” He shrugged, his broad shoulders rolling under his pale blue uniform shirt. “And since we destroyed their facilities, they really don’t have a choice about keeping their end of our agreement.”
“Well…” V nodded reluctantly. “I guess that makes sense. What else were you gonna do with them? Though I hate like all the Seven Hells that the ‘Glorious Leader’ got away. That bastard is the one who started it all!”
“Yes, I know.” Sylvan nodded. “We are still looking for him, but he seems to have disappeared.”
“Well, we were more successful in our hunt down here on Yown Beta,” V informed him.
“The Eye of Ten’gu?” Sylvan sounded hopeful.
“It’s locked away in my safe right here aboard my ship,” V told him. “And we were careful to keep it out of direct sunlight when we brought it out of the mountain, so I guess it’s still ‘asleep,’ if that makes you feel better.”
“It does.” Sylvan nodded in relief. “Thank you, V’rex—you’ve done us a great service.
“You might not be so happy when you find out how much I paid for it,” V told him. “Penelope and I had to barter for it with the Chieftain of the local tribe and it was not cheap.”
“Whatever you paid, I will be happy to repay you,” Sylvan said gravely. “No price is too great to destroy the Eye before it awakens and causes the death and destruction that are foretold.”
“I don’t know about death and destruction, but whatever’s inside it, it’s an evil fucker,” V growled. “The local Chieftain’s wife was wearing it as a necklace and it was messing with her fertility.”
“The force that created the Eye hates all life,” Sylvan remarked. “Unless it is evil life he created himself.”
“Yeah, I know about the Cruel Father,” V said, nodding. “My Sire used to tell me stories about him to scare me right before bed.”
“Speaking of your heritage…” Sylvan began and then stopped.
“Yes? What about it?” V asked, frowning.
But the Kindred Commander was shaking his head.
“I’d rather speak to you about it in person, if you don’t mind. Can you and Penelope meet me in the Hell’s Gate VIP lounge?”
“Sure.” V shrugged. “Don’t much go there. It’s a lot of money to pay just to park your ship in a fancier part of the station.”
“It’s a secure area,” Sylvan pointed out. “Which I prefer for the transfer of the Eye of Ten’gu.”
“Oh, right.” V nodded. “I understand. Sure, we can meet you—just tell me when.”
“Tomorrow morning at o-eight hundred hours,” Sylvan told him. “We should be done mopping up the mess on Yown Alpha by then.”
“We’ll be there,” V told him. “Penelope is going to be so excited to see you again. She’s found about a thousand ancient Kindred artifacts she wants to show you.”
“Has she?” Sylvan’s face lightened. “That’s fascinating! We weren’t sure from the ancient scrolls if our ancestors lived under Mount Ra’gar or if it was simply the place where they chose to hide the Eye.”
“Oh, I’m pretty sure they lived here,” V said. “Penelope has found all kinds of things. From pots and pans to…well, I’ll let her tell you about it—she’s the archeologist, after all,” he ended.
“And an excellent one at that. We will always be grateful to her—and to