CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Xavier knocked and waited patiently for Coraset to open the door. He knew she wouldn’t be very happy to see him after her discussion with Malie. Coraset swung the door open after he knocked again. She appeared refreshed and well rested.
With a guarded smile, Xavier greeted her, “Good morning, Coraset. May I come in?”
“Of course, you can. This is your home.” She moved out of the way.
He stepped into the room. His focus was mainly on Coraset. He wanted to come to an amiable understanding with her. He worried about her being angry with him and holding a grudge. She was all so important to him and his cause, and he didn’t want to move forward on a bad note.
Xavier adjusted his tie and said, “I hope your stay has been comfortable.”
“You like to threaten your guests and their family members?” Coraset asked as she went around him and sat down on the sofa.
He shifted his shoulders, feeling the discomfort of the conversation and said, “Malie is very zealous in her belief of the cause. She means no real harm.”
“Yes, she does, Xavier, and you’re a terrible liar. If you were against the assassination plot, she’d find a way to get rid of you.”
“You may be right about that.”
“You know I’m right.”
“Anyway, beside all that, I just want to make sure you’re entirely aboard with this plan.” He slowly sat beside her and continued, “I know I’ve made your life much more difficult than it should, but I promise after you do this job, I will set things right.”
“I don’t believe you.” Coraset spoke frankly. “Your actions and lack of has proven that you are selfish and a coward. I can’t depend on you, and I won’t.”
Xavier exhaled with defeat.
Coraset shifted away from him and revealed, “I will try to do what you want, but only to keep Brecco safe. I’m not doing this for you or your cause.”
He smiled with relief.
“Have you ever thought about the possibility that killing Dominic Erato won’t change the government?”
“This is simply the first step. Once he’s out of the way, we can move forward more easily with the necessary steps to form a democracy.”
“I don’t think it will be as easy as you think, Xavier. You will not be able to change the government simply by changing the person in charge of it. The Erato Government was set up by more than just her Chancellor. There are others that believe in it and work hard to keep it going.”
“I know you’ve been educated in international studies-”
“It’s common sense, Xavier.” Coraset threw up her hands and remarked, “You know what, it doesn’t even matter. I don’t know why I even try.”
“Everything will go as planned. You watch what I tell you.” Xavier asked in an upbeat tone of voice, “Did your Brecco give you the vial?”
“Yes, he did.”
“That’s all you have to do is replace one vial.”
“I know what I need to do, Xavier.” Coraset remarked impatiently.
“After the job is done, you will need to get out of the palace. I’m not sure how the Elite Guards will react to his death. So, you might want to plan an exit just in case it gets hectic in there.”
Coraset shook her head and said, “You act like I’m some kind of expert in this. Plan an escape, are you serious?”
“It’s in your best interest-”
“It’s in my best interest if I’m not in there at all!” Coraset screamed angrily. “Get the hell out, Xavier. Just go away and worry about yourself like you always do.”
Xavier tried to say more, but Coraset walked away. She went to her bed and sat down, not even bothering to look in his direction. He got the message and walked out. Xavier was on edge, not really sure if he made the right decision to send Coraset into the fire. She was tough, very capable of taking care of herself, but she was no operative. She wasn’t highly trained to infiltrate a dangerous environment and find her way out of it safely, but Xavier didn’t have much of a choice. She was a black woman, beautiful, single, and she didn’t have children. She fit the perfect bill that Dominic Erato was looking to be in his harem. The plot was simple in planning, but in action, he was depending upon an amateur.
Malie met him in the hallway on her way to Coraset’s room, and she had a woman with her. Malie asked him, “Is she up, Xavier?”
“She’s up and not in the best of moods,” he confirmed.
“Would you be under the same circumstances?”
“Just get her ready for tonight. She has to be chosen, or this plan is dead in the water.”
Malie and the woman continued to Coraset’s door. After a knock, they entered into the loft not even waiting for an answer. Coraset rolled her eyes upon seeing Malie and the woman. She figured it was someone new to piss her off even more.
“Coraset, this is Parion Middleton,” Malie introduced. “She is here to prepare you for this evening’s ball.”
Parion was in her late fifties. She had jet black shoulder length hair, and her face was heavily made up. Her blue eyes were marked with thick eyeliner, and her lipstick was bright red. She was shorter than Malie but taller than Coraset.
She sauntered over to the bed, and she stared at Coraset taking in her facial features and size. The woman commanded, “Stand.”
Coraset cut her eyes at Malie who was still standing behind the sofa.
Parion remarked smartly, “Lets not begin this day on the basis of rudeness.”
Malie smiled at Coraset, and without saying a word, Coraset did as she was told.
“Thank you,” Parion remarked as she stepped closer. She touched her chin, moved her head side to side. She moved Coraset’s arm making her twist from one side to the other.
“You’re right, Malie. She’s quite beautiful, almost frighteningly too thin, but Chancellor Erato will not choose her. She’s too old. He wants women under thirty.”
“But she does look like she’s in her twenties. Don’t you agree?” Malie asked as she approached the women.
“Yes, I do agree. She does look younger.”
“I can make the necessary changes in the database to reflect she’s under the age requirement. I just need for you to make sure she doesn’t get passed up at the ball.”
Coraset crossed her arm and sat back down in disgust.
“I’ll bring in my team. We don’t have much time.”
“What team?” Coraset asked as she stood back up.
Malie quickly added, “It’s a beauty team, not an assault team.”
As soon as Parion opened the door, ten people burst in. They were all carrying thick briefcases, linens, a hairdryer chair, or other contraptions Coraset never seen before.
A rectangular table with a white cushion top was unfolded, and two other large briefcases were opened up. Coraset went over to peak at what was inside, and she was instantly pulled away to sit in a chair. Her hair was pulled from its rubber band restraint, and fingers dashed through her hair and scalp.
For the next three hours, Coraset was the center of attention for ten different people. One person did her hair. Another picked at her face destroying every pimple he could find. After that was done, a woman did her makeup. Two people waxed her legs. The other five people took out and hung numerous formal dresses on portable racks.
Parion was watchful and very direct in what she wanted Coraset to look like. Twice the hairdresser had to redo the hair because it didn’t fit Coraset’s features. She tried on countless dresses until Parion settled on a
