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 NUMBER FOUR, JULY 28, 2023

Rough outlining has happened for the series. This book will be called THE COST OF POWER: PRODIGAL’S RETURN. The other two will be THE COST OF POWER: PRODIGAL’S TRIAL and THE COST OF POWER: PRODIGAL’S REDEMPTION. It’s up to you to decide who that prodigal might end up being….

DING-DING-DING-DING-DING UPDATE NUMBER THREE, JULY 21, 2023

And…the book is DONE at 95,000 words, roughly. Just about ten years before the actual happening date…that is, if this story was set in our universe, which it isn’t.

It will be a trilogy. But I’m not planning that out today.

DING-DING-DING UPDATE NUMBER TWO, July 14, 2023

I’m at 88,000 words in the book and closing in on the final chapter. And…I think we have a trilogy here. More on this once I’ve wrapped up this book.

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 four of Chapter Seven. There will be five parts to this chapter.

July, 2033

GABE

Soon enough, they were back at the airport, surrounded by security, watching as another small corporate jet taxied to the main hangar. This one had the red and black Martiniere trefoil on the tail. No name on the plane—one of the more discreet jets in the Family’s fleet.

Gabe straightened up even more than when Justine and the others had arrived this morning. He held Ruby’s hand, careful not to clamp down too hard on it while doing his best to appear unaffected.

Philip’s personal head of security, Brent Colfax, was first out. He glanced around, then signed to someone waiting just inside the door. Two more security staffers exited.

Then Philip. Dressed as always in a plain, well-fitted, bespoke double-breasted black suit. Aviator-style sunglasses. Black Italian loafers. Gray-streaked brown hair thinner and grayer than Gabe remembered it being. Still, Philip was more put-together and impeccably-styled than Gerard and always had been, which was saying something, considering how Gerry had a reputation for dressing well.

But Philip seemed to be slimmer and paler than he was five years ago.

Philip looked around, then said something to Colfax, who gathered the other two security staffers and went back inside the plane. Philip set his shoulders, turned toward them, and marched toward Gabe, Ruby, Gerry, and Justine. The others had stayed inside the SUV.

Gabe squeezed Ruby’s hand. Then he stepped forward, bringing her along with him. They stopped six feet away from Philip. His father—father!—raised his sunglasses and surveyed Gabe from head to toe, then Ruby.

“Philip,” Gabe said, wanting to break the silence.

“Gabriel.” Flat, no tones.

“This is my fiancée, Ruby Barkley. Ruby, this is Philip Martiniere.”

Ruby inclined her head. “Sir.”

Gabe was surprised by that formality from her.

“Ms. Barkley.” Philip nodded. “So you’re marrying my son.”

Acknowledgement of who he really was. Just like that. Not at all what he had expected from Philip. Denial, runarounds, caveats—all that fit what Gabe would expect from Philip.

Not this open acceptance that yes, you are my son.

So why couldn’t this have happened before? Why the secrets?

“Yes. And I carry his child—your grandchild.”

“Convenient.”

“I didn’t get pregnant just last night!” Ruby snapped. “We have been taking precautions during our four years together. Trust me, this was not intentional. And when I realized I might be pregnant, all I knew at first was that the father was Gabe Ramirez, on the run from indenture bounty hunters because of massive college debt. Not that he was Gabriel Martiniere, in hiding because you were trying to kill him.”

Both Gabe and Philip flinched.

“Philip,” Gabe said softly. “Please don’t provoke Ruby. Things are tense enough without her throwing off angry tones. My darling is—quite protective of me. As I am of her.”

Silence as Ruby and Philip glared at each other. Ruby set her jaw firmly.

Then Philip exhaled. “When did you say yes to Gabriel’s proposal?” He sounded more conciliatory—but would that be enough to settle Ruby?

“He didn’t propose to me until after I told him I knew who he was. Last night, after I watched Criminal Injustice. He was ready to take off running again to keep me and Gramps safe. I stopped him.” Ruby’s voice was flat now, matching Philip’s.

“You stand to benefit quite a bit from this relationship.”

Aha. That’s his concern. Perhaps another reason why Philip made the time to come to Lakeside, to meet Ruby before the Board meeting next week?

No matter what, he had to stop this. They didn’t have time for Ruby and Philip to be jockeying for possession of him.

Gabe raised his hand. “Stop. Both of you. Now. Ruby’s not a gold digger, Philip. She is brilliant, beautiful, and the woman I have chosen to spend my life with.”

“Rodeo queen,” Philip said slowly. “With excellent recommendations from her college professors, who wondered just why Ruby Barkley has not taken advantage of her rodeo titles to find employment where she could implement her microdrone biobot design concepts. There are companies who would have welcomed the addition of a first runner up to Miss Rodeo America to their staff. Especially one as gifted as Ms. Barkley.”

Ruby bristled.

Gabe jumped in before she could speak, using a tone experimentally on her. “Ruby, don’t. Philip, Ruby’s grandmother died while she was Miss Rodeo Oregon. Her grandfather has needed both of us to keep the ranch going. He’s frail, and she’s loyal to her family. They raised her.”

That made an impression on Philip. His eyes widened for a moment and he studied her. Then nodded, curtly.

“Do you honestly think I would leave my grandfather for a job? Or Gabe?” Ruby’s voice was bitter-toned, but less sharp than he anticipated it would be in response to Philip’s words. Perhaps his tone had worked. “I knew Gabe couldn’t follow me off of the ranch. Far too risky considering he was on the run, and might—might have to disappear without warning. I wanted to cherish what time I had with the man of my dreams. No job has a starting salary high enough to justify me leaving Gramps and Gabe. Even if there had been—” her voice caught— “I wouldn’t have done it. I love Gabe, and that plus caring for Gramps has been my priority. I loved Gabe when he was a broke ranch hand and I still love him, as Gabriel Martiniere who is so damn rich that I can’t quite comprehend it yet.”

Philip blinked at her, once again studying Ruby carefully. She raised her chin even higher. Then Philip lowered his sunglasses. His shoulders relaxed.

“You sacrificed your future for your family and for Gabriel. Laudable. However, I had to ask, after I read the security report on you, Ruby,” he said. “I know Gabriel was cautious about relationships when he was younger, but—the stakes are much higher now. And after five years….” his voice trailed off.

“Nice to know you cared.” Gabe couldn’t keep a sardonic note out of his voice. Then he sighed. He didn’t need to be kicking up the controversy when it really needed to just settle. “No time for this now.”

“No,” Philip agreed. “I see Gerry and Justine.”

“Donald and Ruby’s grandfather Ron are still in the vehicle.”

Philip nodded curtly. “Let’s get out of plain sight. At least this space is wide open so that danger can be easily spotted, and nothing’s come out of Lakeside about you being here. Yet.”

“Surprising, especially since I know that the first part of our confrontation with Bonham was recorded by at least one person,” Gabe said as they walked to Gerry and Justine.

“Terry’s not that connected,” Ruby said, pulling out her phone. “Barely on social media. I wanted to ask him to send the video to me. If the recording’s any good, we can put it up on social media ourselves.” She dropped his hand, texting as they joined Gerry and Justine.

“Gerry. Justine. I’m glad you’re here,” Philip said curtly. “Gabriel, ready to deal with that sheriff?”

“I’ve texted Remy to meet us at the Justice Center,” Ruby said. “And Terry already sent me a copy of the video. Rivers showed up at the bank right after we left. He and Bonham were hassling Terry. Terry forwarded me the video, then deleted it.”

“Good. Is Terry all right?”

Ruby nodded. “Once he deleted the video, they left him alone. They didn’t know he had already sent it to me.”

“That’s a relief, though I would have picked up his bail and his defense expenses if he got into trouble. Ruby, once we’re in the rig, will you show that video to Philip?”

“Certainly.”

After Ruby introduced Ron to Philip, and they had settled in for the short drive to the Justice Center, Ruby handed Philip her phone. Philip’s lips curled into a snarl as he watched the video. Gerard leaned forward to watch as well, but Gabe couldn’t see his face to judge his reaction.

“That is only part of what happened, Philip,” Gerard said when it was done. “I have sent a message to the president of the Farmers’ Bank, and issued orders to our brokers to begin purchasing Farmers’ Bank stock in preparation for a takeover. You did not see the contracts. Young Mr. Bonham will regret his cooperation with the Brauns. If I had known that was the case while we were negotiating the payment of the ranch loans, then I would held out for stricter terms. But I did not know about his collaboration with Frank Braun when we were discussing payment.”

“Thank you, Gerry,” Gabe said.

“That bad.” Philip’s voice held a dangerous edge.

“The arrogance displayed by Mr. Bonham even once he knew who he was dealing with puzzled me. Now I know. He feels protected by the Brauns.” Gerard sat back and shook his head.

“It’s rooted in a long history,” Ron Ryder said. “Martiniere has not had a significant consistent presence here. It’s been other companies, though Zingter has started to move in during the last five years.”

Philip glanced at Gabe. “You’ve been here how many years, Gabriel?”

“Four. And while I have kept a low profile, I’ve heard Monty Montgomery complaining about growing Zingter control of the regional agtech market.” Gabe paused. “For the record, our friend Monty manages the local grain farmer’s cooperative. They also run a big retail store, farm equipment rentals and sales, sell fuel—we’ll pass by their headquarters on the way to the ranch. He took me under his wing early on, probably because I was helping Ron. It’s ended up being a good connection in many ways.”

“He’s been a family friend for years,” Ruby added. “And the Grain Growers has been one of my biggest sponsors during my various title campaigns.”

Philip nodded again as they pulled up. “I wonder about the coincidence between your arrival here and the growing Zingter presence, Gabriel.”

That was something Gabe hadn’t considered—and it sent a chill through him.

“Keep it in mind as we speak to this sheriff,” Philip added.

Oh I will, Philip. I certainly will.

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