First Episode

The Cost of Power is set in an alternative universe from the main Martiniere Legacy series. In this book, I take a closer look at the mind control technology and…the relationship between Gabe and his father Philip ends up being different.

Additionally, Gabe tells Ruby who he really is much, much earlier than in the main Martiniere Legacy series.

Most of all, I’m freeforming this story. I somewhat know where it’s going to go, but how it unfolds depend on what happens with Gabe, Philip, Ruby, and Justine once they get on a roll in this particular setting.

UPDATE, April 21, 2023 : Given where I am in this story drafting-wise (approximately 60,000 words), THERE WILL BE A SECOND BOOK. No way can I wrap up what I’m doing here in 40,000 more words. Things are gonna happen with Philip, Gabe, Ruby, and the Martiniere Multiverse, and I don’t want to cut the Multiverse elements that start coming into the story. This may be the series that resolves the entire Multiverse element of the Martiniere stories.

Now whether that book gets serialized here or not…we shall see.

Enjoy! This is part six of Chapter Six. There will be six parts to this chapter.

July, 2033

RUBY

After lunch, one contingent of security took Kendra and Scott to Donald’s plane and picked up Gerard, Justine, and Donald’s luggage to bring it back to the Double R. Gabe, Ruby, Gramps, Justine, Donald, and Gerard clambered into one of the big SUVs to set about afternoon errands, driven by Lance, and tailed by another security detail.

Their first stop was at Walt Silver’s jewelry store. He was an award-winning jewelry designer who had decided to relocate to Lakeside ten years earlier, and carried a wide price range of jewelry, some that locals could afford as well as tourists and his wealthy clients, who flew into Lakeside to buy Walt’s designs. Gabe had been one of those local patrons, and had purchased several sets of earrings for Ruby. She scolded him when he did, because even the least expensive of Walt’s earrings were—well, they were beautiful and she loved them. But they cost so much. She had slipped into the store a couple of times to get some idea of the price of Gabe’s gifts.

Now she wondered if this was Gabe’s one indulgence while living broke and being tight with money. Jewelry for her.

“So is it true?” was the first thing Walt asked when they came in. “You’re really Gabriel Martiniere?”

Gabe laughed and winked at Ruby. “Told you so, Rubes. I guess Melinda’s been spreading the word around town.”

Ruby snorted. “Not surprised.”

“No, haven’t talked to her. I saw Criminal Injustice last night. No mistaking who you are, Gabe. I just about lost my drink when that trial footage came on.”

“Yeah, I figured that hiding wasn’t gonna work anymore when I saw it.” Gabe exhaled. “We’re looking for wedding sets, Walt. And—” he reached for his wallet and laid down one of the black credit cards. “Not worried about the price.”

“Congratulations. Let me get the good stuff out.”

#

Ruby went for a relatively plain platinum ring set with several small diamonds. “I want to be able to wear this on the ranch, not just keep it for special,” she told Gabe. “I can wear other, fancier stuff when we dress up. This ring, though—it’s special.”

He grinned as he slid the engagement ring on her finger. “That’s why I picked a fairly plain ring for me, too.”

And oh, that smile when he looked at the ring on her finger, holding her hand, gazing at it. It was as if his biggest dream had been fulfilled.

Getting the wedding license was fairly simple—Ruby’s cousin Don Pettigrew was the county clerk, and agreed to preside at the ceremony. They just managed to evade Grace Barkley at the courthouse by ducking into the SUV as she struggled to climb out of her beater pickup, hollering Ruby’s name.

“Make a note about that person,” Gabe told Lance Helgessen, who was driving. “Grace Barkley is not allowed to come near either of us. She has a daughter, Jeannie. While Grace is Ruby’s aunt, they are not on the best of terms and we don’t need to be bothered by her.”

“Got it,” Lance said.

Their next stop was the Trask Law Office. Ed Trask himself came out to meet them, along with Remy. “We took a look at both prenuptials as well as the Martiniere Family Trust agreement, and the notes you sent, Gabriel, “ he said. “Looks pretty fair to Ruby.”

“More than fair,” Remy muttered. “Gabriel. This is absolutely the last place I ever expected to see you.”

“Same for you, Remy.”

“Gotta say, I’m glad you ended up with my friend, and I’m not just saying it for business’s sake. When I left LA, the rumor was that you had been killed in the witness protection program.”

“An attempt was made. I got lucky. My cousin Serg was nearby because he was worried. Then Vygotsky spread the word that I had been killed, to protect me from further attempts while I established my new identity.”

“It’s good to see you alive and well. But the news that you’re Philip’s son?” Remy shook her head. “Now that is a twist I hadn’t expected.”

Gabe raised his brows.

“I told her,” Ruby said.

“So let’s go into the conference room,” Ed Trask said. “Gabe, you’re all right with the retainer agreement?”

“I think you undervalued it,” Gabe said as they went to the conference room. After the agreements were signed and Gabe had handed Ed Trask a check, he exhaled. “All right, then. It’s off to confront Nathan Bonham.”

Remy snickered and Ed Trask grinned. “Oh, I can hardly wait.”

Ruby was glad someone was looking forward to that meeting. Even with Donald and Gerard there to support them, along with Justine—she didn’t trust what Nathan Bonham could do.

From the way Gabe’s hand clenched down on hers as they returned to the SUV, Remy and her father following in their own vehicle, Ruby suspected he felt the same way about the upcoming confrontation.

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