"The question is what to do next." She turned to him. "Are we still getting the EMP and the submarine?"
"The EMP is paid for, and we will store it until we are ready, but we can't keep the submarine or the jet needed to deploy the EMP on standby for weeks. We will have to cancel those arrangements and monitor Losham closely to figure out when we will need them. If we need them."
She frowned. "What do you mean by 'if'?"
"Toven thinks we can have Losham deliver the chests to us."
His mother looked stunned. "You think it is possible?"
"Toven could compel him to do that, but Losham is not the only authority on the island. His brothers might sabotage him, so we are still operating under the assumption that we are going to infiltrate the island. The advantage of the delay is that we have more time to prepare."
Annani nodded. "Better preparations produce better outcomes." She was quiet for a moment, looking out the window at the dark streets they were passing by, then turned to him again. "You told me that Losham kept asking to talk to Lokan during the call."
"He did."
"Why not let him? Lokan can coax him into telling him what is going on and offer his help."
"Losham doesn't trust Lokan, and that was true even before Lokan deserted the Brotherhood. None of Navuh's sons trust the others. Then again, Losham seemed almost desperate to talk to Lokan, so maybe he will accept his help because he hasno choice. According to Navuh, Losham is now fighting for his position against his brothers."
"So, let them talk," Annani said. "Naturally, Toven must be on the line with them with Mia by his side to reinforce his ability, but even so, a conversation between the brothers could yield valuable information. Losham may reveal things to Lokan that he would not tell a stranger, and Toven would not necessarily know what to ask. Compulsion is a precise art."
From the front seat, Anandur chuckled. "Bittersweet family reunions are always so touching when they involve sworn enemies and mind control."
Kian ignored him, though the Guardian had a point. The idea to help Losham against Navuh's other sons was quite absurd.
"If Losham falls, we lose our access," Annani said. "Toven can probably compel the others, provided that Lokan remembers their phone numbers, and provided that they answer his call, which they most likely would not. Lokan and Losham had a relationship, which is more than can be said about any of the other sons, and that is why he answered Lokan's call." She paused. "We have to help Losham retain his position."
Kian chuckled. "I can't believe we are actually going to do that, when Losham's intention is to continue Navuh's work. He wants to lead the Brotherhood and carry on everything his father built. That makes him our enemy just as much as Navuh."
"Even enemies sometimes form alliances when it benefits both parties," Annani said. "Right now, we need Losham to stay in power because we have access to him through Lokan, and because he is in charge for now."
"Politics make for strange bedfellows," Anandur mused from the front.
"We can get the phone numbers of the other brothers from Losham," Kian said. "In fact, we should do that on our next call in case Losham cannot maintain his position until our next communication. That will give us potential access to the other players in this succession struggle, provided that they get curious and answer a call from the traitor."
Annani's eyebrows rose. "They will not accept a call from Lokan, but they might accept a call from their missing father. We can put Navuh on the line."
Kian stared at her. "Forgive me, but that's a very bad idea. Navuh will sabotage whatever we try to do."
"Normally, yes, but not if his freedom is on the line, and not if the call is supervised and we tell him exactly what he has to say."
Kian didn't like where this was going. It seemed that his mother had decided to give Navuh what he wanted in exchange for his help. He had to acknowledge that what she had said about Navuh talking with his sons had merit, but it was one more last-resort measure.
Kian intended to do everything possible to avoid promising freedom to Navuh.
"Lokan is a dream walker," he said. "As far as I know, he hasn't used the ability in years because Carol doesn't want him in anyone else's dreams but hers. If he can enter the minds of people on the island, though, he could gather more intelligence."
Annani nodded. "I had forgotten about that ability of his. If I remember correctly, he can only visit the minds of females hewas once involved with or at least met and was attracted to. It is no wonder that Carol does not want him to do it with anyone but her."
"I need to ask him how it works." Kian pulled out his phone. "If he can only visit females he knows and was at some point attracted to, he is not going to be much use to us."
"Lokan and Carol should move to the village right away," Annani said. "We need to contact Losham again tonight, and we need Lokan there. It does not make sense for him to remain in the keep while this is going on."
It was daytime on the island when it was nighttime in California, and the best time to call Losham was when he was just waking up or retiring for the day, so he wouldn't be near others when he received the call.
"The time difference is thirteen hours," Kian calculated. "Night on the island is morning here. If we want to call at, say, ten at night island time, that's nine in the morning in Los Angeles."
"Then we have until tomorrow morning to prepare." Annani shrugged her coat off her shoulders. "But I would ask Lokan to come over tonight so he can be ready to discuss strategy with you early tomorrow before the call. You need to coach him and ensure he understands his role. I know it can be done over the phone, but doing things face to face is always better."
