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"ISN'T THERE anything you can do?" Christina Bedingfeld wiped her eyes with a lacy handkerchief.
"Mom, Cosimo was with the rebels who attacked my home," Mathias said.
"I know, but he's my baby too Mathias," she said softly.
Mathias sighed and looked over at his wife. Ivette gave a slight nod.
"You're okay with this?" Mathias asked her.
She shrugged. "Family is family. I don't like him, but he's your brother. I suppose you could say he infiltrated the Blades because he was afraid of what his father was being drawn into, and then he was afraid to quit when he realized what was going on," Ivette suggested.
"I'll talk to him," Mathias promised, and his mother smiled gratefully.
When Mathias arrived at the facility where the captured rebels were being held, the captain of the guard nodded when he asked to speak to Cosimo Militas-Bedingfeld.
"Figured you'd be in," he was told.
When Cosimo was shown into an interrogation room, he stopped in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Mom asked me to see if I can help you," Mathias said.
When his brother cast a suspicious look at the mirror, Mathias assured him, "We're alone and nothing is being recorded. How did you get involved with the Blades?"
"Dad started gambling with Marconi's set. He introduced me to Jerimiah Boone and his daughter," Cosimo said. "At first I thought it was merely an elite secret society, maybe a little more serious than most. We got together and played cards and the group talked about how to attack earth and make them acknowledge the colonies right to exist. I thought it was only posturing; a way to make themselves think they had a higher purpose than playing cards. I learned later this was the way Boone and Marconi recruited members of their cabal. Marconi would sometimes ask me to do a few things in return for turning over some of Dad's IOUs."
"What kind of things?"
"Nothing major; I passed along a few messages. When Bridget Boone suggested I come out to 'train' with the group, I thought maybe it was a come on. Before I knew it though, I was training to attack the Portal. By the time I realized they were NOT playing around, I was sure they would have me killed, and probably Dad too if I tried to quit the group."
Mathias nodded. "I think we can work with that. I'll report you originally got involved with the Blades because you were concerned your father was racking up big gambling debts. You stayed in because you realized they were into something dangerous, and you wanted to know what it was in case they pulled your father into it. You weren't aware of the attack being planned until you arrived at my house, and then you were stuck."
"Okay I can say it because it's actually true, but Ivette's mother knows I was sent out to capture her daughter and grandchildren. Will she go along with the story?"
"What exactly did Marconi order you to do to my wife?"
"He wanted her shot down if we couldn't capture her. I didn't want to do it, so when I saw her sled dive into the lake I told the other sleds we lost her."
"I'll explain it to Ivette and get her to explain things to her mother. I think she'll be okay with it."
Colonel McAdams eyed Mathias shrewdly when he heard the story. "Do you think your brother learned his lesson?" he asked.
"I think so," Mathias said. "He got a bad scare when he realized what Marconi and the others were involved in. He told me he was afraid they would kill him if he tried to quit. I know for a fact Cosimo never had any political leanings before. I doubt he will get involved in anything like this again."
"Alright. I'll send an order for his release."
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