Pluto appeared to be praying, giving Decker a few extra moments to take in the temple sans the processional hubbub. The sanctuary was retangular in shape except for the northern wall, which was rounded and arched with a domed ceiling. The north side also held a spectacular mural of the nighttime heavens painted in deep jeweled blues and brilliant silvers and whites. In the middle of the heavens hung an idealized screen-sized, midtorso portrait of Emil Euler Ganz. Father Jupiter looked down sternly on his worshipers, his exaggerated, too-sharp jawline jutting outward from his face, stern, steely eyes that could cut through granite. He wore royal purple vestments, embellished with gold thread, and ruffed with a monk’s cowl fashioned from fur. Either a halo or spiral galaxy rested over his silver hair. His right hand held a scepter made from iridescent cosmic dust while his left hand twirled his namesake planet. It might have been comical had Jupiter not looked so godlike, as if he could inflict harsh punishments through plagues.
The three remaining walls of the temple were adorned with stained-glass windows of the other eight planets, each sphere held aloft by its respective mythological Greek god or goddess. Ten rows of twenty north-facing pews filled up the center floor space. Pluto was kneeling in the first row, his head bowed, his clasped hands resting against his forehead. His lips were moving but no sound came out. Decker cleared his throat. Pluto looked up and over his shoulder.
“Do you always sneak up on people?” His voice echoed across the room although he wasn’t speaking loud.
Decker said, “You learn a light touch when you do surveillance work.”
The attendant stood and faced him. “And is that what you’re doing now? Surveillance work?”
Decker approached him with measured footsteps. “You reported a missing girl, I’m here to investigate. We’re on the same side.”
“I certainly hope you mean that. We need action!” The small man’s face had become red. “Starting with that maniac!”
“Asnikov—”
“Of course Asnikov!” The little man began to pace—up and down the aisle…up and down, up and down. “That monster has been out to get us for years! Unsuccessfully, I’m proud to say. All his cajoling and bribing and heavy-handedness has failed miserably. So he has resorted to unscrupulous methods like this.”
“You think he’s kidnapped her.”
“No, I don’t think he did it. I know he kidnapped her!”
“Okay.” Decker paused. “Assuming you’re right. Any idea where he might have taken her?”
Abruptly, Pluto stopped pacing. “No. You’re going to have to do a thorough investigation of him. All-out manpower hunt. He needs to be tailed…talk about surveillance work. If you’re willing, I can help you work out a plan.”
Evidence of a crime would help. Decker ran his tongue in his cheek and looked upward. The ceiling had been painted with stars and celestial bodies. Funny he hadn’t noticed it before. “I’ve asked Bob and Nova to join us. Working together, maybe we can come up with a better solution—”
“Totally unnecessary! Too many people make for too many problems.”
Decker tapped his foot. “Aren’t they your equals?”
“How we utilize our manpower isn’t of your concern. Do what is your concern. Go find Andromeda!”
“Who decides when others are needed?”
“A very good question,” answered a husky female voice.
Both Decker and Pluto turned toward the entrance. Venus paused so they could take her in, then approached them with slow, purposeful steps, her red and gold robe sweeping across the floor as she walked. Her posture displayed a position of royalty, and not an unrehearsed one. “Why was I not informed about this latest development?”
Pluto made fists, then slowly relaxed his fingers. “I had every intention of telling you—”
“When?”
“As soon as I found the time! While you were meditating and praying in your room, I was quelling a near riot in the community hall!”
Venus said, “From what I heard, your words seemed more incendiary than calming.”
“Then you misheard!”
The two faced off in stony silence. Decker felt like a child caught between divorcing parents. Moments ticked by.
Venus spoke. “I am not a hothouse flower, Pluto. I will not be kept in the dark about things concerning my family! This is especially important to me because Andromeda was one of my favorites. I love her dearly.”
Pluto decided to give ground. “If it is your desire to dirty your hands, so be it. After all you’ve gone through, I was trying to save you the misery.”
“I appreciate the concern, albeit misguided.” Venus focused her attention on Decker. “I’m counting on you to return Andromeda to her home. Here! It’s where she belongs!” Hard eyes landing on his face. “If you can’t bring her back, I know others who can and will.”
Meaning illegally. Empty threats or does she have sources? Decker asked, “Do you know where she might be?”
“No. Asnikov is hiding her at some undisclosed location. You have your work cut out for you.”
Decker said, “To mobilize the kind of manpower you’re requesting…it would help if we had evidence that a crime was committed.”
Pluto broke in, “The girl is missing—”
“She’s over eighteen, sir, she’s entitled to come and go as she pleases—”
“She would never leave here!” Venus said.
“How do you know?”
“She loved it here. She was happy here. And she’d never leave the children. She loved the children!”
Decker asked, “Does she have children of her own?”
A male voice joined in. “No, she didn’t have children. She taught children.”
The trio turned toward the newcomer. Guru Bob.
He said, “She taught the teenagers. She related well to them. Probably because she wasn’t much older herself.”
Pluto was perturbed. “Didn’t you say you were going to take over her class?”
“He wanted me here.” Bob cocked a thumb toward Decker. “For today, I combined the teens with Terra’s class. There’s only seven of them.”
“Seven?” Venus said. “I thought we had eight teens. I’m sure we have eight.”
Bob’s eyes grew restless. “No, seven—”
“No, I’m sure there’s eight.” Venus tapped her toe. “Vega, Rigel, Gamma’s two girls…Asa and…”
“Myna,” Bob said. “She was there.”
Venus continued, “Orion, Leo, Ursa…”
“They were all there, Venus.”
“No. We’re missing someone!” Venus insisted. “God, don’t tell me that monster got hold of one of our children!”
“Hold on, hold on!” Bob said with irritation. “Vega, Rigel, Asa, Myna, Orion, Leo, Ursa…I think that’s all—”
“No, it’s not all!” Venus grew nervous. “Lyra!” She said triumphantly. “Moriah’s kid. She’s thirteen now…”
“I didn’t see her today,” Bob answered. “Maybe she wasn’t feeling well.”
“What does that mean?” Venus scolded. “She was under your care.”
Abruptly, Bob’s demeanor darkened. “Out of the goodness of my heart, I agreed to teach them, not to baby-sit! Look, Pluto, I don’t mind you stepping in temporarily for Jupiter to give the family stability just so long as you realize that you’re not Jupiter—”
“I’m not trying to be Jupiter!” Pluto insisted. “But someone has to keep the Order running until things have calmed down. Certainly the others weren’t up to it—”
“And just what does that mean?” Venus interrupted.
“I was referring to Nova!” Pluto muttered. “Not you!”
Decker broke in. “Why don’t we look for the girl. We can start with her room.”
Venus explained, “Lyra’s housed with the teens.”
“Take me to the quarters.” To the men, Decker said, “You two go round up the roommates. I’ll want to talk to them.”
“Oh, God!” Pluto muttered. “And just what are we supposed to tell Moriah?”
“She won’t care.” Bob brushed him off.
“What do you mean, she won’t care!” Once again, Pluto was outraged. “Of course, she’ll care!”
“Pluto, she’s incapable of caring. She’s whacked out—”
“This is how you refer to one of our most spiritual—”
“Pluto, she isn’t spiritual, she’s psychotic!”
“She’s mentally ill?” Decker asked.
“Without a doubt,” Bob answered.
Decker was appalled. “You house a psychotic woman here?”
Without warning, Bob turned into something wild and furious. “Before you start passing judgment, let me tell you something. Moriah had been in and out of treatment centers and hospitals for nearly fifteen years of her thirty-year-old life. When Brother Pluto found her, she and her daughter—who was about five at the time—were living in a cardboard box dirtied by their own excrement. Pluto, out of charity, took them in. For eight years, we’ve been caring for Lyra as one of our own and have kept Moriah clean, neat and well fed, which is more than her own parents have ever done. When we found her, they had disowned her. Except now that Lyra is growing into a young lady, they’re making noise, sending threatening letters to the Order—”
“Oh, my God and Jupiter!” Venus broke in.
“Oh, no!” Bob slapped his forehead. “Andromeda wasn’t the target! It was Lyra!” Again, he hit his brow. “Those bastards! With all the confusion, they finally managed to snatch her.” He began to pace. “This is even worse than I thought. Andromeda was probably protecting Lyra when Asnikov struck. I hope to God and Jupiter that he didn’t hurt Andromeda while trying to get Lyra!”
Pluto turned his wrath on Decker. “Now do you believe us?”
The unfortunate scenario had the ring of truth. Because this time, the victim was a child.
Bob was muttering. “This is just terrible!” He turned a furious face on Decker. “You gotta mow that monster down!”
“Priorities.” Decker was talking as much to himself as he was to Bob. “First, let’s see if Lyra’s under your roof.”