Every Action (The Gifted Realm Book 3)

by Jillian Neal

  “As a matter of fact, I do require your assistance. It’s so nice to get good service these days.” Rainer watched all of the blood slither rapidly from Steve’s face as Vindico plunged the nametag harder and further into his chest. Rainer shook his head. He knew the sheer strength of Vindico’s arm, and how badly that had to hurt.

  Though Judy, who Rainer had to admit had been an excellent campaign manager, had provided Garrett with both she and Darren’s room number and the Governor’s, Vindico demanded that Steve lead him to the camera.

  As most men who were less than six feet tall, and didn’t look like they could lift their own body weight, did not refuse Dan Vindico, he nodded hesitantly but refused to speak. He cowered as he loped towards the elevators.

  As soon as they all entered one elevator together, Vindico began his threats.

  “You know I’m going to arrest you, and I’ve been a little bored lately, so I’m really hoping that the camera might still be running. I would love for Nic’s boys to show up to help you out, but if you want to go ahead and spill the shit before I knock it out of you, then I’ll see if we can’t cut you a little slack.” Vindico promised furiously.

  Steve glanced around nervously at the infuriated, scowling men that surrounded him. Each and every one of them worked out regularly and would take a great deal of pride in snapping Steve limb from limb. He began to shake his head.

  “I was just supposed to call, if the police showed up. I don’t know anything.” He pled. Vindico chuckled as the elevator opened on the fourth floor.

  “Oh, I don’t know, Steve. Everybody knows something. Now, why don’t we play nice, and you show me where they put the camera.” Garrett stepped in as bad cop. “Trust me, Steve. You don’t want us to play dirty.” He threatened as Steve took in the ominous dragon tattoo that was rippling down Garrett’s bicep.

  “You can’t threaten me. I have rights.” Steve demanded impotently.

  “Threaten you?” Vindico huffed with a wry grin. “Anybody here heard me threaten anyone…?” He asked the officers that surrounded him. “…Yet?” Vindico concluded.

  Rainer joined in the ‘no sirs’ that immediately spilled from everyone’s lips.

  “So, how much and who paid you, Steve?” Vindico demanded as they walked down the hallway towards room 415, which had been the Governors.

  “I told them they couldn’t put cameras in the rooms.” Steve vowed.

  Vindico gave a mockingly impressed nod.

  “I love how criminals on their way to jail so often want to tell me about all of their good deeds., but listen up, Steve, recording people on private property and publishing their pictures without their permission is against the law, be it in a hallway, or in the bedroom, or hell, even in the john. So, I’m going to ask you once more. Where is the camera? And this time you’re going to tell me.” Vindico’s eyes flashed in fury as Steve nodded instinctively.

  “There,” he pointed to a small, red, lit, fire-alarm box. It was mounted approximately eight feet up one of the walls, just before room 407, which had been Darren and Judy’s room.

  “Very good, Steve.” Vindico reached and pulled a black walkie-talkie off of Steve’s belt.

  “Hey, you can’t use that! It’s for employees only.” Steve gasped. Vindico laughed derisively as he shook his head.

  “Now look who doesn’t want to break rules.”

  After casting the walkie-talkie, Vindico spat. “Uh yeah this is Steve. I need a screw-driver and a ladder on the fourth floor.” He rolled his eyes as he mocked Steve’s voice.

  A few minutes later, two men from maintenance arrived with a ladder and a tool chest.

  “The service here really is impeccable.” Vindico stated sardonically. “Don’t worry. I’ll be filling out a comment card.” Logan immediately set up the ladder, and Rainer grabbed a Phillips head out of the tool chest. He handed it up to Logan.

  “Careful, Haydenshire,” Vindico urged. Logan nodded and began unscrewing the box.

  “So, let’s see, the number you were supposed to call when we showed up?” Vindico spun slightly so Steve was between him and a wall. He was literally backing him into a corner.

  “Man, if I tell you that, they’ll kill me.” Steve sounded truly terrified.

  “Yeah, life’s a bitch and then you die.” Vindico spat. “So, like I said, if you help me out we’ll see if we can’t put the guys that you took the money off of, for doing this, away for longer than you’ll be in yourself. Maybe their days in Felsink will make them reflect on their misgivings? Maybe it will piss them the hell off and they’ll spend the entire time thinking of ways to do you in? I don’t really know, Steve, but I can tell you this; if you don’t tell me everything I want to know, I’ll mention your name so often to the press when I give interview, after interview, after interview about this fiasco….” He pointed to Logan who was delicately pulling the face off of the fire-box. “You’ll be so damn famous people will be asking for you autograph. So, if you want to live say, past noon tomorrow, I’d start talking.”

  “Uh,” Steve seemed to consider all of his options. He calculated the distance between himself and the elevator, and Vindico laughed. He summoned instantly. Vindico held the brilliant green glow of his shield in his hand. He waggled his eyebrows.

  “Oh, run Steve. It would make my whole day.”

  “Here,” Logan called as he very hesitantly lifted a tiny camera out of the hole in the wall that had been covered with the smoke detector.

  “You know, I’m pretty sure the fire inspector would be interested in this as well.” Logan glared at Steve. Rainer immediately pulled his phone and called the numbers for the press.

  With that, Steve handed a card to Vindico who handed the card to Garrett.

  “Ah, Barron, of course. He’s Wretchkinside’s go to camera guy isn’t he.” Garrett pulled his cell from his pocket with a wry grin. He dialed the number as Steve’s eyes goggled, and he shook his head spastically.

  With a defiant chuckle, Garrett moved the phone from his mouth just slightly and disguised his voice.

  “Yeah man, it’s Steve at the Greenfield. Iodex just showed. They’re everywhere. What should I do?” Garrett feigned terror. Vindico laughed silently as a broad grin lit his face.

  “Ok, yeah, yeah I’ll hold ‘um off and keep them busy in the manger’s office.” Garrett promised and then hung up the phone as everyone moved to different positions near the elevators to await the arrival of Wretchkinside’s men.

  “Oh, here,” Vindico pulled a pair of handcuffs from his belt loop and cuffed Steve. “Don’t want them to think you helped us out after all.” He casted the cuffs and sealed Steve in. Then he shoved him to a seated position on the floor.

  As they waited, Rainer let his mind travel back to Arlington and back to Mrs. Haydenshire. He shook his head as he considered what the election had meant for her. Her husband, who was also her best friend, had been denounced and mocked. Her youngest son had been taken. Her unborn daughter had been poisoned. She herself had nearly been killed. Her daughter and twins had nearly been run off the road. Then she’d been forced to stay home and away from the Governor. Through it all, she’d remained steadfast and strong. It seemed too much to ask of one woman, of one mother.

  Rainer’s heart ached as he prayed that there would be something on the video that would prove to her that the Governor would never cheat, even though Rainer believed that deep down she knew that. He wanted her to be forever certain and forever sure of the Governor as her rock. Rainer knew that Governor Haydenshire would remain faithful until he drew his last breath, just like Rainer would be for Emily.

  A moment later the bell on the elevator gave a foreboding chime as the doors opened. Gildev Barron and Clive Mastiff stepped off of the elevator frantically.

  Vindico had Barron down almost as quickly as Logan took out Mastiff. Rainer gave Logan an impressed smile. He shrugged.

  “I’m not just a bratty kid.” He quipped to Garrett who laughed and nodded his appro
val. There was plenty of press waiting outside the hotel when Vindico and Garrett escorted Barron out and Logan and Rainer followed with Mastiff. They were both scowling angrily. Portwood and Ericcson led Steve out, who’d begun crying like a baby.

  They loaded Wretchkinside’s men into a local police car and Vindico signed the papers to have them moved to D.C. the following day. Everyone loaded into the Escalade as Vindico turned on his laptop and wired the camera in. He shook his head as soon as he began studying the camera.

  “There’s not going to be anything on this.” He lamented.

  “How do you know?” Logan urged.

  “It had a two way feed. They accessed what they wanted, and then deleted the video, once they had the shot.” He sighed as his computer booted and instantly loaded the digital data on the video. There was nothing but black and white fuzz on the entire drive.

  Rainer felt sick. He didn’t know what he was going to tell Emily or what he was going to tell the Haydenshires. Vindico phoned Stella and explained what had happened. She thought that the testimony from Buffet and the video of the arrests would be helpful, but they’d been too late. The story of the Governor’s cheating on his wife, of over thirty years, would run as expected in papers across the Realm the following day.

  The rebuttals and the evidence of the set up wouldn’t make it in the papers until Tuesday, only two days before the election. Stella had already had numerous reporters out to the farmhouse taking interviews from Judy and Darren, and Mrs. Haydenshire had still not emerged from their bedroom. Vindico visibly shuddered as he listened. No one spoke on the plane ride back to D.C.

  “Wait,” Vindico who’d been absolutely silent the entire trip stood suddenly and paced down the center aisle of the plane.

  “What?” Rainer urged hopefully.

  “This isn’t much, but it just might be something.” He phoned Stella again.

  “Yeah, read me the time stamps on Judy’s phone from the call she thought was from Buffet until she called him back.” He demanded.

  He was silent as all of Elite Iodex watched him closely. A wry grin spread across his face.

  “Three and a half minutes huh?” He chuckled. “Yeah, if he was that quick I don’t think he’d have been given the opportunity to have eleven children.” Vindico declared. “Rush photos of the time log to my office. I’ll add it to the confessions from the arrests tonight, and we’ll plaster that all over the papers Tuesday. It’s not as good as video, but it’ll have to do.”

  Rainer felt a slight glimmer of relief; though, he knew doubters would say that the timing of the phone calls proved nothing. The fact that Judy’s husband was on the trip would be more pertinent. Rainer knew all of that, but he hoped against hope that with everything they had proven that Mrs. Haydenshire would be at least be reassured.

  What You Know and What You See

  It was well after midnight when Vindico, Rainer, Logan, and Garrett headed back inside the farmhouse. Governor Haydenshire still looked sick as he sat stunned on the couch.

  Stella, Judy, and Darren, had gone home, after talking with Vindico on the phone. All of the Haydenshire children were still there, sitting with their father. Emily moved to Rainer instantly.

  “She came down for just a minute. Dad begged her to believe him, but she didn’t even speak. She just took the twins, which she’s not supposed to be carrying, and went back upstairs. She put them to bed, and then she locked herself back in.” Tears leaked down Emily’s face as she explained what had happened. “She wouldn’t even talk to me or to Nana.”

  “I’m so sorry, Governor. I did everything I could.” Vindico looked like he’d been defeated thoroughly.

  “This is not your fault, Dan.” Weary desperation etched each word that egressed the Governor’s mouth. “I just don’t know what I could have done differently.” He shook his head in utter defeat. “She knocked on my door. I threw on my robe and answered. I’ve attempted to sleep in hotels all over this entire country. I’m exhausted. She asked me a question. I went to my briefcase. I gave her the number, and I went back to bed. How could that possibly have shattered through the past thirty-four years? I just don’t understand that.” Governor Haydenshire pled.

  Terror coursed through Rainer’s veins. He’d never heard the Governor sound so desperate.

  “She’ll come around, Dad. It’s been a rough couple of months.” Will soothed.

  “Son, in the past thirty two years, this is the first night that I’ve ever been locked out of that bedroom.” Governor Haydenshire tried to make his son see the magnitude of the situation.

  Emily moved to her father. She seated herself beside him on the couch.

  “Daddy, I really think that mom just needs a little time. I mean, Will’s right. Everything that has happened, even if it wasn’t done directly to mom, it was done to one of us or to you. That hurts her so much.” Emily’s entire body trembled in her effort to blink back tears. She seemed to have realized the gravity of her mother’s adoring love.

  “I would never, ever cheat on your mother.” The governor stood and began pacing. “I couldn’t. I don’t know how men do that. How do you crawl into bed with a woman who isn’t your wife, and then look her in the eye the next day, and then look your children in the eye? The thought of that makes me physically ill.”

  “I know that, Stephen.” Everyone’s head whirled instantly as stunned silence filled the room. They took in Mrs. Haydenshire, standing in her bathrobe with her pregnant stomach protruding much more than Rainer had noticed at dinner. Her eyes were red and bloodshot. They were badly swollen, but Governor Haydenshire looked at her like he’d never seen anything more beautiful.

  “Lillian, please.” He moved to her quickly but halted himself before he reached her. He wasn’t going to touch her, until he knew that was what she wanted. Rainer knew the feeling only too well. “Please, please listen to me, sweetheart. You are my whole entire world. I would never ever jeopardize what we have, never.” He pled fervently.

  Everyone looked away from them. The moment was too tender, too raw, too intimate. It wasn’t meant for anyone else’s eyes. The pain between them was palpable and almost obscene in what it had robbed from them.

  Mrs. Haydenshire convulsed slightly as Vindico slipped out the back door without even saying goodbye.

  “I know,” Mrs. Haydenshire fought sobs but her repose continued to elude her. The Governor didn’t seem to care that most of his children were present and privy to their display.

  “Lillian, please baby, please don’t cry. Sweetheart, I don’t know how, but I swear to you I will make this right.” Mrs. Haydenshire nodded and reached for a tissue to wipe away the tears that fell in sheets from her exhausted eyes.

  “Can I hold you please, Lillian? Please.” Governor Haydenshire pled on the brink of tears himself. Rainer shut his eyes and prayed that she would allow him. His heart ached for the Governor. He’d been there. He knew the abhorrent pain.

  She nodded hesitantly, and the Governor wrapped his arms around her tightly as she began sobbing into his shoulder in convulsive fits of emotion.

  Everything had finally gotten to her. She broke down in his arms, and he held her up, just as Rainer knew he always would. Rainer took Emily’s hand and gestured to the door.

  She was wiping away tears of her own as she followed all of her brothers out the back door. They all agreed to meet there early the next morning. Whatever the Governor was planning, they all planned to stand firmly with the man who had raised them. No one deserved what they’d been dealt, and there was no finer man in the entire Realm that Stephen Haydenshire.

  The Fury, The Audacity, and The End

  The next morning, Rainer stood, in a navy blue blazer and a blue and red striped tie, right beside Emily. The Governor and Mrs. Haydenshire, whom Emily, Brooke, Sarah, and Adeline had worked on tirelessly to make it appear that she hadn’t cried for hours the evening before, stood in the center, behind a podium. Their children were surrounding them.

 
; Vindico, Buffet, and Governor Carrington stood ready to speak as well. The director nodded to Governor Haydenshire as dozens of cameras began rolling.

  “I didn’t write a speech for this event. I didn’t have my press secretary or my campaign manager go over the things I needed to say this morning. So, I’m going to speak to the Realm, and I’m just going to say the things that need to be said. Ultimately, the decision of what you’re going to believe and whom you’re going to vote for is yours entirely, but I’ve put my family through enough, so here goes.” Governor Haydenshire drew a steadying breath.

  “Several months ago, three of my sons, and yes, for anyone who is marking my words today, I do already consider Rainer Lawson one of my own, and no, he has not yet married my daughter…” He added quickly. “Three of my sons were called from their beds in the middle of the night to go out and put their lives on the line to rescue Serena Portescue. She’d been kidnapped by the Interfeci criminal organization in hopes of gaining a monetary ransom from Crown Governor Carrington.

  “My sons, along with the rest of our esteemed Iodex protection units, were able to rescue Serena, but the terror and the job were more than Regis wanted to deal with anymore, and he asked me if I would run for Crown.

  “If he’d been able to tell me what my family was going to be put through in the process of my running for Crown Governor, I’m not certain that I would’ve made the same decision, but here we stand.” Fury and disdain poured from his mouth.

  “Since that fateful night, my wife and I found out we were expecting our eleventh child. We were thrilled of course, until the night of Governor Carrington and Serena Portescue’s wedding. Upon learning of my bid for Crown the Interfeci organization, via a man that my opponent signed the release papers that ended his time in Felsink seven months early. It was two days before the day he placed a deadly, and nearly untraceable, poison in my wife’s drink. It most certainly would have killed her had it not been for my future daughter-in-law.” He gestured to Adeline who shook her head and blushed violently.