The Shape of Things to Come (Hypernaturals 15)

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Helen's expression was priceless as she read the documents from the packet.

"You got the La Cour family... fucking Sylvie La Cour... to sell... For this price?" Helen held up the sales contract, rotated it to face us, pointed at the number. "For THIS?"

The three anti-blight specialists took a visual victory lap with each other. Then I said to the waiting Council and Crew members here to scold me: "Sorry Victoria. Jacqueline. Fire me in a minute: I need to explain that document to Helen. As you can see, a rare event has occurred. Helen just met a number she does not understand how it came to be."

"This number, from Sylvie La Cour is impossible." Helen stated flatly. "What the hell did you do now?"

At Fiona's silent signal, more coffee was issued from the house, trays were taken and refilled. Denise, Fiona, and I took turns relating the situation that led up to the document in her hands.

At one point early in the tale, Helen looked stricken and she glanced in horror away and over to where the vineyard was poisoned. not that she can see it from here, but she knows where it is. "They... Did ... to my vineyard?"

I have always known this place is down deep, still Helen's. Five hundred years does not get erased in a gift, however loving.

"Do not worry my dear." Fiona reassured Helen. "The crews will be working on excavations starting later today. The mycologist, a Vampire with a good nose for problems, is out there right now taking samples and laying down markers. We will be using a broad margin to ensure that all the fungus is removed. Another crew is clearing a path well away from the Claremont vines, through the La Cour estate, to the road. Heavy machinery and atmospheric spore abatement are underway. Another crew is covering up vast swaths of vines and land with temporary covers, both on Claremont and former La Cour lands. It will take weeks to get it all out, but we are started."

"When did you arrange all that?" I asked, curious. "We have been kind of busy with Vampire bullshit."

It was not an intentional aim at Council and Crew, but it did communicate I could not care less about my upcoming censure for unauthorized actions. If you want someone that toes all the lines, don't hire a nudist hippy.

"I had to do something while I was waiting in the car for the raccoons to return. Silly man who thinks he is in charge."

I dismissed that idea. "Fiona: I have never thought I was in charge, and of course you used the downtime. It's you. I am just amazed you sleep is all."

"I do that when you are in the US." Fiona explained.

"Thus is it ever with this family." Victoria told Jacqueline, "One always backing up the other. We can't punish him without punishing all of them. Even the ones that had no idea and weren't in the country."

"Of course not. They did good." Helen agreed.

"True. Punishing Adrian for his success in ridding the Vampire world of a well-funded threat means you lose three members of Council, your head of medical research, and her mother. Right when the fertility clinic needs to be rebuilt." Rachel pointed out.

"Damn straight." Jessica said.

"We also lose his help here in our Geo to set up the Euro Boot Camp. Denise, Anne, and Luciana all leave Crew if he's gone." Renee pointed out. "It was going to be here. On this land. By this pool... Well. Not the actual facility. I was going to be here though. Drinking this coffee. Eating this food. Swimming in that pool. Taking some lovely men from the staff to bed for some recreational drinking... God I would miss that."

"We don't get to see the little ones grow up either. Diana is growing up way too fast as it is. I'm not ready to have one now, so I live vicariously." Liann added.