Honestly, I felt bad for the guy. Brandon had lost his sister, Whitney, to a disease that seemed very similar to one that had been found in River Springs. Dante’s father, Wallace Brown, had found a cure but had been keeping it from Kingsland. When Brandon found out, it was already too late. His sister had passed on.
He had been so close to the Brown family. He was dating Vivica, and Dante and Whitney had been secretly dating. He considered them family. But they lied to him and turned their backs on him and Kingsland. From the way Brandon described Dante, he reminded me of Emmie.
A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. “Come in.”
Dean walked into the room, unbuttoned his suitcoat, and took a seat in a chair near my desk. His suit was a tad too tight. He’d gained some weight since Whit died. “We sent someone in to spy on Janice.”
Turning away from the window, I sat down in my chair so I could look at Dean. “Did they get in?”
“Yes. She’s there and still alive.” Dean smirked. “Janice already trusts her. She has Jen doing work for her. I think this time around our plan worked. We’ve just been sending in the wrong people.”
“I’m glad to hear this.” I sat back in my chair and clasped my hands in my lap. Things were starting to look up. “Any word from Brandon?”
Dean gave me a half-smile. “You’re going to like this. They’ve captured Dante and some of the residents from New Haven.”
He was wrong. I didn’t like it. It should have been me who captured them. Now I would have to twist it in my favor. “How many others do they have?”
“They have ten in all,” Dean said. “Some of their key players, too. Vivica, Terrance, Santiago, Eric, and Gideon are among them.”
“Not Emmie?” I asked.
Dean shook his head. “No, only two of the revolutionaries.”
“That makes sense. Joshua told me they don’t like all the revolutionaries going on missions together.”
I let the wheels turn in my head. Attacking New Haven had proved to be a bigger problem than I’d originally thought thanks to all the setbacks. But the threat in New Haven had lessened. If we only had Emmie and Maya to get past, it wouldn’t be hard. With Janice's side still a threat, we couldn’t send all the military to New Haven. We needed to bring them to us.
I looked at Dean. “Let’s send a small team to New Haven. They have something I want.”
“What’s that?” Dean asked.
I tried not to smile, but it came anyway. “Emmie. She won’t have Dante, Santiago, or Eric guarding her. Or any of the others who would protect her.”
“What about Joshua?” Dean sat forward. “Won’t he try to stop us?”
My smile widened. “He’s not working for them. He’s working for me. I’m sure he’ll make it look like he tried, but he’ll let her go.”
“Tina. Luke. Others will try to stop us.”
My smile disappeared. “Whose side are you on, Dean?”
He glared at me for a moment before he spoke. “I’m making sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“I know what I’m doing,” I said. “This isn’t complicated. We send in a team, they capture Emmie, they bring her back here. It’s a simple mission.”
Dean sighed. “Fine. Do you want me to go?”
Standing, I went back to the window. “Yes.” I pulled out my communicator. “Amber, I need you in my office.” I watched over the city in silence until Amber joined us.
“Hey, babe, what’s up?” Amber walked over to my desk and sat in my chair, twirling in it like a little girl.
I turned to face her, putting my hands that were balled into fists behind me. She could really grate on my nerves. “I’m sending you and your father on a mission.”
Amber clapped her hands together. “Seriously? Where?”
“New Haven,” I said. “I want you to go get Emmie and bring her back to me.”
Amber stood and squealed in delight. “Really?” She stole a glance at her father. “I get to go get her?”
“Yes,” I said.
She threw her arms around my neck, squeezing tight. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” Pulling back, she kissed me on the lips. When Dean cleared his throat, she finally released me.
I looked down at Amber. “I want her alive. She’s bait.”
Amber frowned. “But I can hurt her, right?”
“Of course.” When Amber’s eyes lit up, I held up a finger. “But not too much. We need her coherent.”
“Fine,” Amber said, rolling her eyes. “I’ll hurt her just a little. But if she tries to escape, I’m not holding anything back.”
I took Amber’s chin in my hand. “Alive, Amber. I need her alive. I’ll let you have fun with her after I’ve gotten my use out of her.”
Amber squealed again. “I’m so excited! I finally get my own mission and it’s to capture that brat.”
“Our mission,” Dean said, standing up. “I’m leading it. You’re my second in command.”
“Whatever.” Amber jumped up and down where she stood. “I’m going to go pack.” She turned to Dean. “When are we leaving?”
“Tomorrow morning,” I said.
Amber pouted. “Why can’t we leave tonight?”
“The trip's easier in the daytime.” Dean opened the door. “Six, Amber. We’re leaving at six in the morning.” Before Amber could respond, he left the room.
Amber put her arms around my waist and pulled me close. “Am I staying with you tonight?” She batted her eyelashes and I had to hold down the bile.
“Not tonight.” Putting my hands on her shoulders, I pushed her back. “You need to stay focused on the mission.”
“I’ll stay focused, I promise.” She stuck out her lower lip and whimpered. She didn't realize how pathetic it made her look. I had no idea how it ever worked on Steven.
I turned away and went back to my desk, sitting down in my chair. “I have work to do, Amber. You need to go get packed and get to bed early. We both know you’re not a morning person.”
Putting her arms around my neck, she kissed my ear and cheek. I took her arms and threw them off me. “I’m serious, Amber. Leave.” If she stayed a minute longer, I would snap.
“You’re lucky I love you,” Amber said as she stormed toward the door. “Otherwise you wouldn’t get away with this.” She slammed the door on the way out.
Every time I saw her, it made the need to end the whole revolution more necessary. I couldn’t stomach her much longer. Their mission had to be a success.
Once Emmie was in my custody, it would bring the New Haven residents to me. I could talk Brandon and others in Kingsland to come to my aide. With their help, it would be over within a month and River Springs would be exactly where it needed to be.
Completely under my control.
Brandon’s fist crashed down against my jaw again. He couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that no matter how hard he hit me, I'd never talk.
I spat the blood from my mouth onto the floor in front of him. He had tied me to a chair and sat me in the middle of the room. All the other hostages were on the floor in a circle around me, their hands and feet bound.
Most of them had a hard time watching, for obvious reasons. Dee had closed her eyes and started humming. One of the guards kept trying to pry her eyes open, but every time he did, she tried to bite him. They finally ended up putting tape over her mouth and let her keep her eyes closed.
“Why are you here?” Brandon asked. He leaned down in front of me, resting his hands on his knees.
I eyed him. We used to be best friends. But everything had changed dramatically. I didn’t understand why he had turned on me. “I missed those dazzling hazel eyes of yours.” The punch that followed didn’t surprise me. I spat the blood out of my mouth and turned my focus back to him.
A few of the guards suggested switching punching bags, but Brandon didn’t care about seeing anyone else hurt. He wanted to see me in pain. Even though he’d punched me twenty times, I
wasn’t about to let him see me weak.
President Coleman stepped into the room. Brandon reluctantly backed away from me and stood near the other guards.
“Dante,” President Coleman said as he approached me. “I was hoping to never see you again. Let’s cut to the chase. Why are you here? Are you planning an attack?”
I looked up at him but kept my mouth closed. I’d answered the question multiple times and my response wasn’t about to change.
President Coleman nodded at Brandon, so he punched me in the stomach. I kept my gaze forward and did my best not to flinch at the pain.
“It would be easier on everyone if you’d just talk,” President Coleman said.
It was hard for me to look at him. He had the same eyes as his kids, and I cared deeply about them both. They were family to me. I wasn’t sure their view on everything, but I’d held onto the hope that they were still good.
Staring straight forward, I sat up tall. “No, it won’t. You’ll kill us all anyway, so there’s no point in me talking.”
President Coleman smiled. “You think I’m just going to kill all of you?”
I forced myself to look into his eyes. “Yes, I do. Why would you keep us alive?”
“You have something we want,” Brandon said. His voice was tight.
What could I possibly have that they would want? I stared at Brandon. “And what’s that?”
Brandon opened his mouth, but President Coleman cut him off. “That doesn’t matter right now. I need to know if my city is in danger.”
“Of course, it is,” I said.
“Others are on their way?” President Coleman asked.
I shook my head. “I meant your city is in danger because last I heard, there’s a disease spreading.” I saw Brandon flinch out of the corner of my eye.
President Coleman bent down to look me in the eye. “I meant are we in danger of being attacked?”
“By a virus?” I shrugged. “I’m not sure the specifics of the disease and how many it’s affected here. If it keeps growing, I guess you could consider it an attack.”
He backhanded me across the face. “You know what I meant!”
Smiling, I looked at him. “Hit me all you want, kill me if you want, but you’re getting nothing out of me.”
He hit me in the face again and turned to Brandon. “Switch him out for Vivica.”
Brandon hesitated. He looked over at Vivica, who was sitting on the floor to the left of me. She stared straight ahead, showing no emotion. I almost spoke, but she glared at me.
“No,” Santiago said. “Let me be your next target.”
Vivica looked over at Santiago with a mix of frustration and surprise. I couldn’t read Brandon’s expression, but he glanced back and forth between the two of them like he was trying to decipher their relationship.
“I said Vivica,” President Coleman said.
Brandon untied me and threw me on the floor next to Terrance. When Brandon walked away, Terrance turned to me and mouthed, “Are you okay?” I nodded in response.
Before Brandon could get to Vivica, Santiago hopped up and jumped in front of her, blocking Brandon from getting to her. It would have worked better if Santiago wasn’t tied up; he ended up falling on top of her.
Brandon tried to pull Santiago up, but he squirmed and fought as hard as he could. Two other guards had to yank Santiago away and hold him back while Brandon grabbed Vivica.
“No!” Santiago shouted. “Leave her alone!”
I was surprised to see the sudden outburst from him. I hated him dating my sister, but I hadn’t realized how much he cared for her. He had told me before that he was in love with her, but I didn’t believe him.
Now I did.
Another guard came up to Santiago and punched him in the face three times, but that didn’t stop him from fighting. They had to keep hitting him until he blacked out. When he fell to the floor, tears stained cheeks and I knew it wasn’t from the pain.
Vivica had teared up, the annoyed look on her face telling me she was mad about crying. She hated to show her emotions in front of people. Brandon tied her to the chair, being surprisingly gentle. Vivica wouldn’t look at him.
“Let’s try again, shall we?” President Coleman said. “Vivica, why are you here?”
She stared ahead, fighting back the tears. When President Coleman nodded at Brandon, he just stood there.
“Hit her!” President Coleman yelled.
Brandon didn’t move. The president backhanded Vivica across the face. I turned away, unable to see my sister in pain. It was hard enough having her up there.
“Tell me!” President Coleman practically spat the words out. He hit her again. “Tell me!” Again. “Tell me!” Again.
With each whimper from her mouth, I squirmed. Brandon had turned away and stared at the door. I could tell he was seconds away from running out.
“Tell me!” Again, and again.
“Stop!” I had expected those words to come from my mouth, maybe even Will’s, but not Brandon’s. He turned back around and walked up to Vivica, turning her face toward him. “Just tell him, Vivica. Please tell him.”
“Screw. You.” Vivica clenched her jaw tight, blood running down it.
“Why are you being so stubborn?” Brandon asked. His eyes pleaded. “It’s not that difficult of a question.”
No, it wasn’t, but being quiet bought us time. All the hostages knew that. We had six others out there trying to rescue us and we needed to give them time.
“Why do you care?” Vivica asked. When Brandon didn’t answer, she scoffed. “You’re pathetic, you know that?”
Brandon looked surprised. “Me? Pathetic? You’re the traitor!”
“Traitor?” Vivica shook in anger. “I’m the traitor? We left this city for a good reason and you stayed here supporting that monster!”
“Enough!” President Coleman yelled. Fear swam in his eyes, but I wasn’t sure why. He turned to Brandon. “Maybe you should leave.”
Brandon shook his head. “No. I want answers.”
“I’m not telling you why we’re here!” Vivica screamed, bubbles of blood sliding down her chin.
“I don’t care about that!” Brandon’s hands were balled into fists, his breaths coming out fast and ragged.
President Coleman stepped between Brandon and Vivica. “Leave, now.”
Brandon pushed the president out of the way. “Just tell me why you did it.”
“Did what?” Vivica licked her bloody lip. “Leave? To get away from all the politics.” She nodded her head at President Coleman. “To get away from him. He’s a liar and a fiend.”
“No,” Brandon said. “Why did you hide the cure?”
President Coleman pushed Brandon toward the door. Everyone else in the room turned to look at him.
“What are you talking about?” I asked Brandon.
He didn’t take his eyes off Vivica. “Your family had the cure and you hid it. You could’ve saved Whitney.” Tears streamed down his face.
“GET OUT!” President Coleman shoved Brandon, but he pushed back, knocking the president to the floor.
I shook my head in confusion. “We didn’t have the cure. No one did.”
Brandon pointed his finger at me. “Liar! I know you had it!” Coming over to me, he picked me up by my shirt and threw me against the wall. “I thought you loved her!”
“I did!” I choked back a sob. “I do! I still do! I’ll always love her!”
“Then why didn’t you save her?” Brandon’s grip softened. “Why?”
“I couldn’t,” I said, tears falling. “I don’t know what President Coleman told you, but we didn’t have the cure.”
“Guards!” President Coleman shouted. “Get Brandon out of here!”
Two guards rushed over and yanked Brandon away from me. I fell to the floor as they dragged him out.
Vivica looked over at me, trying to search for an answer, but I just shook my head. I had no idea what Brandon was talking abou
t.
President Coleman was flustered. He looked over at a guard standing near the door. “Untie her. Maybe we should take a small break so everyone can regroup.” He turned to me before he left. “You need to rethink your answer. The next time I come in here, I won’t be so gentle.”
I barely heard him. My mind replayed everything Brandon had said. Was it true? Had President Coleman told him our family had the cure and was hiding it? Was that why Brandon had turned his back on us so abruptly? If it was true, why did the president make that up? What was the point?
Vivica’s scratchy voice caught my attention. “Do you know what that was about?”
The guards had left us alone in the room. They were probably still listening to us, so we had to be careful of what we said.
“I have no idea,” I said.
Eric looked at me. “It would make sense. That would be a good way to get people to turn on you and think your family was evil.”
“But why that?” Terrance asked. “Out of everything he could have come up with, why did he choose to say you had the cure and were hiding it? What would even be the point of hiding it?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. None of this makes sense.”
“Maybe he has it,” Eric said. “Maybe President Coleman has the cure. Maybe he’s the one hiding it.”
“That doesn’t make any sense, either,” Vivica said. She scooted her body, so it was next to Santiago’s. He still hadn’t come to. They must have knocked him out hard.
Eric shrugged. “It was just a thought.” He glanced over my face. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m fine.” I looked at Vivica. “You?”
“I can take a few hits.” She put her head against Santiago’s.
I sighed. “He really loves you, doesn’t he?”
Vivica smiled. “Yes, he does.”
Santiago stirred. He opened his eyes and looked at Vivica lying next to him. Normally, Vivica would have been mad at a guy for trying to interfere. She hated being treated as weak and not being able to handle herself.
“Are you okay?” Santiago asked Vivica. The concern in his eyes radiated across the room.
Vivica leaned in and kissed him on the lips. “Thank you. I love you.”
Rise (New Haven Book 3) Page 8