Bad Dad

by Sloane Howell

  Cora rubbed my shoulder with the hand on her good arm. It felt amazing, but at the same time I didn’t like being broken in front of my family. I was supposed to be the one taking care of them.

  “We’ll get out of here soon.” I stared off at the window.

  Janet slouched in a chair across the room. She hadn’t looked like herself the entire time. Just sat with a thousand-yard stare, constantly. Gus had broken her. They’d been together for over a decade. Sometimes she would ask why he needed to die, and then break into tears. I didn’t have an answer for her. I didn’t understand that part myself.

  “What’s wrong, babe?”

  Babe.

  “My jaw needs an operation.”

  “Can we afford it?”

  “I hope so. All my money should be in a trust. Gus—” I paused and looked over at Janet.

  Her eyes welled back up.

  She hadn’t read a book since the fight. It was unheard of for her.

  “He had someone set up an account. There’s a trust. All my fight money goes into it. The cash from the first two fights should be there already. It’s in the Cayman’s. I have all the information.”

  Cora blew out a sigh of relief. “Good, a teacher’s paycheck won’t cover a new jaw.”

  “We should be fine. You need to rehab your arm too.”

  Cora nodded.

  I moved Logan aside and pulled the ice off my back.

  I hobbled over to Janet. My heart shattered every time I looked at her.

  I walked over and picked her up under her arms. She went limp in my hands. She had nothing left inside of her. I hugged her, and she buried her neck in my shoulder and squeezed me back. The first sign of life I’d seen in her.

  “I miss him so much. It hurts so bad.”

  “I know.”

  I carried her over to the bed and sat her down on it and covered her up. Then I walked over to the door and retrieved a bag. I’d snuck across the parking lot while they napped. It was an incredible risk, leaving them alone in that room for fifteen minutes. But I did it anyway. Janet deserved it.

  I walked over to her with a book I’d bought at the store. It was some little paperback novel with a half-naked, long-haired man on the front. I’d looked ridiculous hiding under my hood while I bought it. The cover said Harlequin across the top. I’d noticed those were always her favorite.

  “Here.” I held it out at her. “I don’t know if it’s any good or not.”

  I leaned down and set it in her lap. She sat up and kissed me on my good cheek.

  “You need to escape reality for a little while.”

  She burst into tears. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  I glanced around at everyone in the room. “A few more days and we’ll be done with all of this.”

  EPILOGUE

  Landon Lane

  One Week Later

  I WOKE UP AS AN ocean breeze swept through the window of the hotel room. The paranoia still hit me in the chest every morning and persisted until I went to sleep. Even if they thought I was dead, would they look for Joe? That was the question that had plagued me every day since the fight. Waves broke on the beach just on the other side of the white billowing curtains. Salt spray landed in my nose. I took in a deep breath and looked over. Cora nuzzled into my shoulder. I stroked her hair a few times.

  She’d never be a morning person, but I loved that about her. Nobody wants someone who’s exactly like them. And it gave me an opportunity to watch her sleep. Something I thoroughly enjoyed.

  I watched her for a few minutes and then walked down the stairs. Everything had gone as planned since Phoenix.

  Logan watched cartoons on the TV—Ninja Turtles.

  I marched in front of him and turned it off.

  “Dad.” He glared up at me.

  “You’re not going to watch TV all day. Go play on the beach.”

  I narrowed my brows at him. I knew the day would come when he’d start talking back. It was still few and far between and he’d been through a lot, so I’d been pretty lenient the past week. Things were going to change, though. We had to get back to normal. Whatever that was.

  He ran outside.

  “Make some friends.”

  I walked over to the coffee pot. Parenting was hard work.

  Janet walked out of her room. She’d been sleeping a lot. It wasn’t a good sign.

  We were on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. I figured it’d be the safest place. If they looked for us anywhere it’d be in a far-away remote location. Definitely not a U.S. territory.

  Less paperwork with the traveling too. No customs on the way in.

  We needed to stay for a few months until the news played out or something big happened to take everyone’s mind off the fight. I’d have to disguise myself or lay low when we got back. I was good at that. It was where I was most comfortable. The spotlight hadn’t been fun for me.

  Janet plopped down on the couch and opened up a book.

  I glared. “No.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You need sun too. Get out there and go play with Logan.”

  She shook her head.

  I glared at her.

  “Fine. But I’m taking my book with me.”

  She stood and walked outside. I watched for a bit. Janet sat down to read, and Logan kicked a coconut around like it was a soccer ball.

  I heard Cora’s feet pound overhead on the ceiling. I glanced to the clock. It was a quarter after nine, early for her. She’d usually sleep until eleven if I’d let her.

  I took a few sips of coffee and let the steam curl up into my nose. Had to keep these guys moving. Keep their minds off things.

  About the time she walked around the corner a deafening roar shook the walls of the townhouse. The whole place vibrated and the palm trees out front began to whip back and forth violently.

  “Is there a storm coming in?” Cora glanced to me.

  “Not that kind.”

  I knew the sound. Heard the two rotors. A Chinook.

  They found us.

  How?

  My soldier senses kicked in all at once.

  I stared at Cora. “Pack up anything you can carry that’s light. Travel documents first. Go! Now!”

  She looked like she might vomit, but took off back toward the room. I ran right through the front door. It exploded against my shoulder and splintered off the hinges.

  “In here, now!” I looked up and saw it circling around to land on the beach out front.

  Janet and Logan sprinted for the front door. I waved them in as they flew through the sand and up the sidewalk.

  They made it past me just as a gust kicked up and pelted me in the face and arms.

  I stepped back inside and yelled for Cora just as she ran down the stairs.

  I heard the chopper land. Right in a clearing where Logan had been kicking the coconut around. The rotor blades slowed.

  “We all here?”

  “Yeah.” They all hollered in unison.

  “Out the back.”

  I led the way to the back door. I peeked through the window shades and everything looked clear. I stuck my head out and looked left and right.

  The rotors came to a stop and the engine shut off behind us. It was eerily quiet and all I heard were waves crashing.

  I scooped Logan up. “Let’s go.”

  I took off through the door and they followed.

  As soon as we were halfway to the next building, about ten guys in black suits stepped out of the shadows and drew their guns on us.

  “Don’t do anything crazy. There’s nowhere to go, anyway.”

  The voice came from the side of the house.

  I whipped my head to the right.

  It was the guy in the suit from the hotel. The guy watching from the bar when we saw Edmon in the lobby by the elevators. I knew something was off about him the second I saw him.

  I sat Logan down and stepped between the man in the suit and my family.

&nb
sp; He strode forward. Right at me. There wasn’t an ounce of fear in his face.

  My heart crept up into my throat. I swallowed, hard. How did they find us? What were they doing here? I’d let them take me, but they couldn’t have my family. No way. We’d come too far. I’d kill every one of them if I had to.

  The man held up a hand as a peace offering. Held it up in a way that said, calm down and listen. “We’re not here to take you away.”

  “I promised Landon I’d protect his family.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

  He laughed and shook his head at me.

  What the hell?

  He stopped about five feet away. Just out of striking range. “Chris Titan.” He held a hand out. “You can cut the act. I know it’s you.”

  My eyes vaulted wide open. I stared in disbelief and canted my head slightly to the side. “Did I hear that right?”

  He nodded. “You did.”

  I stared down at his hand for a second then back up to his face. What choice did I have? I shook it.

  “We thought you were a computer or a machine on the island. Didn’t know you made public appearances.”

  “Not many people know I exist. Count yourselves lucky. Can we talk? Civilly?”

  “How do I know it’s not some kind of ambush?”

  “Because I wouldn’t be here if it was. You’d all be shot down by a drone.” He grinned. “Maybe there’s another way I can convince you.” He glanced back at the corner of the building.

  “How?”

  “Let me show you.”

  I didn’t know what the hell was going on. The ten security guys formed a cordon that stretched all the way around us. There was nowhere we could run. If it was just me, maybe I’d have a chance. But there was no way to get Cora, Logan, and Janet out of there against armed security forces.

  I shrugged. “Okay.”

  Titan nodded to a security guard standing next to the townhouse. The guard said something I couldn’t hear to someone hidden from view, then he stepped out of the way.

  Joe and Gus walked around the corner with huge smiles on their faces.

  Janet’s mouth dropped open and she fell to her knees. She clutched her palms to her face and then rubbed her eyes. Then she broke down on all fours and sobbed uncontrollably. Gus sprinted to her. Dropped to his knees and wrapped her up in his arms. “I’m so sorry.”

  Logan took off toward Joe and jumped. Joe still had his shades on. He caught Logan mid-air and swung him around then planted him on his hip and messed up his hair. “Hey, Nephew.” Joe stared at me. “You owe me a movie. At the theater, asshole.”

  “What? How?” I stood there in shock.

  Cora gripped my hand. She squeezed so hard it cut off my circulation and my fingers started to tingle.

  I turned and stared at her. She had the same blank expression of disbelief on her face that I was sure was on mine. She still looked like she might puke and her face paled.

  “Are you okay?”

  She squeezed my hand tighter and smiled wide. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  Janet’s sobs kicked into overdrive. I wondered how long they’d last before she beat Gus’s ass right there in the yard.

  “Can we talk? I don’t have much time and there’s a lot to discuss.” Titan stared at me.

  I dropped Cora’s hand and nodded to the door. I definitely wanted answers. “Let’s go inside.”

  TITAN, CORA, AND I SAT down at the table in the middle of the kitchen. Janet offered Titan coffee. He declined. All but one of the guards went back to the helicopter once they were convinced we weren’t going to run. The lone remaining security guard stood by the door and never took his eyes off Titan.

  I didn’t wait for him to begin. My head was in a thousand different places simultaneously. “So, what happened? What was all this about?”

  Titan glanced at Joe. “Your brother made me at the hotel bar. Well, I don’t know if he knew exactly who I was, but he knew I was in charge of Edmon. It was reckless of me to get that close to a situation, but I had to. It wasn’t a routine, umm, engagement, I guess you could say. I’m a huge fan of MMA and boxing. Love to attend events, and this time it was men I was responsible for. Your brother came to me a little while later. Created a very clever diversion to throw my men off guard.”

  “You trained us, asshole,” Joe called out from across the kitchen with a smile on his face. Logan hadn’t left his side, and I wondered if he ever would.

  Titan nodded in his direction. “I suppose my resources weren’t wasted.”

  “Wait, so that’s where you went when you disappeared before the fight?” I looked at Joe.

  He didn’t say anything.

  “I thought you were pissed at me.”

  “Well, you were acting like an idiot.”

  Titan laughed. “Joe told me what he found out on the island. Edmon was experimenting and playing God, which is sort of fine. The man is brilliant, but I think we can all agree that he needed to be punished for not sticking to protocols. He has no place out in the world, but Project Leonidas was his baby and we thought he could handle things. I didn’t realize it was all so personal for him, because I didn’t know he had an intimate connection. The fact he didn’t provide me with all the information necessary, means he will be met with discipline.”

  “So why the fight? What’s up with WMMA? I can’t wrap my head around that.”

  Titan sighed and looked around. Seemed to mull things over. “I’m going to make a deal with you. Something I don’t do very often. Ever, really. But your fight impressed me. Your resolve. I mean, I still don’t know how you did what you did. Science says it’s impossible.” He stared at Joe and then at me. “You and your brother are soldiers. You’ve more than proven your worth. You disappeared from the island and not one secret has been traced back to you. It’s why we never came until we needed something, despite Edmon’s persistence that we hunt you down from day one. That and the fact we wanted to see how you would assimilate and study your progress.”

  “You haven’t answered the questions.”

  “I’m getting there.” He sighed again. “There was a shitstorm in the U.S. government a few years ago. Espionage on its own people. These assholes like Snowden and Assange make classifying information nearly worthless sometimes.”

  “Yeah, I saw it. The government using cell phones and companies to spy on citizens. PRISM?”

  “Exactly. The leaks posed a huge problem.”

  “Why?”

  He snickered. “Because we had to stop spying on people.”

  Joe shook his head from across the room.

  I shrugged. Politics wasn’t my strong suit. “I’m still not making a connection.”

  “That’s a good thing. Because while you and Sid were dominating every news channel and social media platform across the world, Congress and the governments of many other prominent nations slipped legislation through with new programs, that do essentially the same thing. It’s buried deep in the fine print of all of them. A few fringe groups might pick up on it, but no major coverage. We can mitigate their reach.”

  “Jesus.” I shook my head. Tried to keep my cool. He was only the most powerful man on the planet that nobody knew about. “So, it was all just a diversion?”

  “I know what you’re thinking. Liberty, freedom, whatever. Landon, the world is about power. Information is power. Everything is tracked and always will be so that we can control outcomes. There’s no such thing as freedom. It’s just an illusion. But you can still be happy and as free as anyone else is. And that’s what I want to offer you.”

  “Fine, I’m all ears. But why the fake deaths? Why have us run? All that stuff?” I glared at Joe and Gus. “Janet’s been depressed for a week. I had to haul my son out of school over all this. Cora may lose her job. They asked her to resign.”

  Titan waved my concerns away with a flippant hand. “She can still teach. That was us. Just a psychological tactic. I’ll get her a recommendation from the Secretary of
Education if she needs it.”

  My face heated up. “You guys play with people’s lives like we’re pawns on a chess board.”

  “It’s necessary.”

  I gritted my teeth. Then I moved my gaze around the room, at all the people I cared about. It wasn’t worth the argument, because this was a fight I definitely would not win. “If you say so.”

  “Ideological discussions aren’t really why I’m here. If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead. Let’s be honest. I’ll always know where you are, and I can take any of this away any time I want. But when I shake someone’s hand, I mean it. We won’t stop watching you. We have to. We watch everyone. But I will guarantee that we won’t interfere with your life any more than any other free citizen out there.” He looked away and then back at me. “And if we do need your services in the future, it’ll be your choice to accept. I don’t foresee that happening. We do everything with remote technology these days. As far as I’m concerned, you’re about as useful militarily as a musket. I don’t mean that to be disrespectful, but we have drones that can snipe a terrorist in Afghanistan, or a political leader in the United Kingdom. We have techs who can make a neck tie with a molecular level wifi chip installed. I can use an app on my phone and strangle a world leader with a Windsor knot from the other side of the planet.”

  “Okay, so why fake the deaths? Why Gus in particular?”

  “For Edmon. I needed him to see two bodies—yours and Joe’s. We only unzipped Joe, who of course was dressed and looked like you. His face was battered and bruised. We gave Gus and Joe a drug to knock them out and slow their hearts down, essentially put them in a coma for an hour. He never even asked to see the other body, and I would’ve refused him anyway if he’d tried. But we needed two bodies in the room and had limited time to organize the whole charade. Edmon is back on the island now. The man is persistent and had a personal connection to you and your son and your brother. I needed him convinced you were both gone. I told him we were tracking down Logan and erasing him also because of his insubordination. He became distraught. He’s not the only one who plays psychological games. I needed his head clear, and it was the fastest way to get it done. He’s grieving in some sick, perverse way, but I’m certain he’ll get back to normal. He’ll be monitored more heavily now. He won’t be coming off the island again. His days of civilian interaction are finished, so you don’t need to worry about ever seeing him again. But, his genius in the lab is unparalleled, so I’m going to keep him working. Otherwise, I’d have him buried beneath the ocean.”