The Founders

by Dylan Steel

  “I’m sure they’d agree. But this is my house, and I have a feeling I’ll need a second set of eyes and ears. I can’t risk missing an important detail if I try to recount this to you later.”

  Weston grabbed her arm, dragging her toward a wardrobe along the wall. Before she realized what was happening, he’d thrown open the door and put his hands on her shoulders, pushing her inside. Sage winced at his roughness.

  “They won’t see you in here.”

  “But I—”

  “They’re on their way. There isn’t time to argue,” he said brusquely, slamming the door in her face.

  Peering through the slats in front of her, Sage watched as Weston made his way around to the back of his desk. He yanked open a drawer and tossed his spent towel and ratty clothes inside, locking it. The last evidence of their evening in the city disappeared as he pulled on a fresh suit, smoothing the fabric and his expression into a cold indifference. Pulling out a tablet was the final step in playing the role of the perfect, duty-bound benefactor.

  She shuddered at his easy transformation. It was easy to forget that the man in front of her was much more than just her protector. He was a master manipulator, just like the rest of Eprah’s elites.

  It wasn’t long before the heavy fall of footsteps echoed in the hall. Sage held her breath, sinking back into the wardrobe as familiar faces came into view.

  Weston looked up from his databook, leaning back in his chair as he set it aside. “Venerable Gaztok.”

  Mr. Gaztok and the others filed into the room without so much as an invitation. Weston tilted his head in acknowledgment of the Quorum member and his fellow candidates.

  “To what do I owe this honor?”

  “Not an honor, Mr. Bennick.” Mr. Gaztok’s voice was clipped, betraying his displeasure at having been made to wait. “We’re at your estate this morning because you were the only one I was unable to reach directly last night.”

  “My apologies for your trouble, Venerable Gaztok.” Weston dipped his head slightly. “I had urgent matters to attend to here and did not get your message. Had I known you were trying to get in touch with me, I would, of course, have made every effort to receive you earlier.”

  “You do look quite exhausted, Mr. Bennick.” Grayson appeared mildly intrigued, and Sage felt her shoulders hunch up instinctively at his condescending tone.

  Mr. Gaztok pursed his lips as he studied Weston for a moment before turning to include the others in his address. “It’s not important anymore. I have news that pertains to all of you, and I felt it was best to deliver this news in person.

  “As you know, we’ve been enacting certain protocols to ensure our citizens’ safety in the wake of recent Lawless allegations.”

  “The claims about the founders?”

  Sage craned her neck at the sound of Serefina’s voice, trying to look past the other candidates to see the benefactor.

  “Do you know of any others?” Irritation dripped from Mr. Grayson’s tone.

  “I fear we have been too lax in our approach,” Mr. Gaztok continued, ignoring both of them. “We haven’t been able to finish reprogramming bracelets to respond automatically to the new measures we’ve put in place for our citizens’ safety, and there simply aren’t enough officers to provide appropriate enforcement of the new rules. Last night was a particularly vile exhibition of the sort of havoc these Lawless rebels can wreak on our society if left unchecked.”

  “We’ve recruited additional techs to expedite the bracelets’ reprogramming. They should be ready within the next two days—half of the initial projected time,” Kai said.

  “It’s already too late.”

  Chills spilled down Sage’s spine as she and the others stared at Mr. Gaztok.

  “What do you mean?” Weston asked tightly.

  “The reason I wanted to meet with you all in person this morning. An unfathomable tragedy occurred last night. Because of the chaos, it wasn’t even discovered until this morning.” Sage held her breath as she waited for Mr. Gaztok to continue. “The other two remaining members of the Quorum succumbed to their illnesses last night and expired. I am the last living member of the Quorum of Five.”

  A thick silence spread over the room as the weight of his words settled over them.

  Mr. Gaztok was the only member of the Quorum. Eprah’s fate—its rule—rested in his hands alone.

  “That’s impossible,” Serefina breathed. “They were being treated—they were recovering.”

  “It truly is a tremendous loss. Our investigation is preliminary, but at the moment, it appears that the chaos proved too distracting for their caretakers, and a horrible mistake was made.” Mr. Gaztok paced in front of Weston’s desk. “It seems their medications were reversed when they were administered, resulting in negative outcomes that could not be diagnosed in time to be rectified. A tragedy, but by all appearances an accident.”

  “A tragedy indeed,” Weston murmured.

  “A true loss,” Kai added.

  “Yes, it is. A loss which all of Eprah will no doubt feel keenly.” Mr. Gaztok cocked his head as he surveyed the others in the room.

  Grayson cleared his throat. “Forgive me if this seems insensitive, but given this news, I fear we are out of time for niceties…”

  “By all means, say what’s on your mind, Edward.” Mr. Gaztok’s voice held a warning that did not match his even expression.

  Grayson smiled tightly. “Surely you now intend to bring at least one of us alongside you to help. You cannot be expected to shoulder the burden of Eprah’s leadership all by yourself. You will need our help.”

  “Indeed, I will.” Mr. Gaztok nodded thoughtfully. “However, in this tumultuous time, I believe the people would be better served with a sufficient period of mourning rather than a further upheaval of their leadership. Additionally, my investigation is still incomplete, and it would be a far greater tragedy to install a usurper in the Quorum than to delay the plurality of power for a bit longer—just until we can be sure we are not allowing a murderer to rule in the stead of these great men and women.”

  “Not a moment ago, you said it was an accident.” Grayson’s eyes narrowed.

  “I said it appeared to be an accident,” Mr. Gaztok corrected him. “But until I can be absolutely certain that there was no foul play involved in any Quorum member’s death, I cannot approve the installment of any new members.

  “Four deaths in such a short time—the Venerable Gaztok is right to be suspicious,” Weston said smoothly, addressing Grayson before he could protest again. He turned to Mr. Gaztok. “Of course, I do hope that you have taken appropriate precautions to ensure your own safety. If there is evidence that someone is eliminating members of the Quorum, it stands to reason that you would be next.”

  “I’m grateful for your concern,” Mr. Gaztok said dryly. “And believe me, appropriate measures have been taken to ensure my safety. Apart from meeting with the four of you, I have no intention of being unaccompanied at any time. If not for the sensitive nature of our meetings and the need for privacy, I would have men in here with me now—in fact, they are waiting outside even as we speak.”

  “And that is a relief to us all, I’m sure.” Weston dipped his head. “But perhaps you might allow us to provide a secondary review of this security detail. Your safety is not something to be left to chance.”

  Mr. Gaztok’s lips puckered. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I assure you that I am quite capable of both planning my own security and selecting only the most loyal, competent, and trustworthy citizens as my guard.”

  “Of course. I meant no insult.”

  Sage clenched her fists as Weston bowed his head again slightly. His deference was an act, but it was convincing, and it tore at her heart to see him treat Mr. Gaztok with a respect he didn’t deserve.

  “I’m sure you didn’t, Mr. Bennick.” Mr. Gaztok craned his neck slowly, as if waiting for another argument. When none came, he continued, “Though I’m sure we’d all enjoy spend
ing more time preparing for your imminent roles on the Quorum, I’m certain you can all understand that my schedule has just filled up far faster than anticipated. It was perhaps unwise for me to take the time to be here today, but I thought it was important to take the time to personally come here and share the unfortunate news with you. I hope none of you fault me for making this a short visit.”

  “Certainly not,” Serefina crooned, answering for all of them as the others nodded their agreement.

  “Then I should be on my way. I would prefer to keep the news of this tragedy confidential for now—at least until we have a better handle on the rioting and have updated the bracelets. We don’t need to incite more panic than already exists.”

  “Of course.”

  “As you wish.”

  Mr. Gaztok paused in the doorway. “Based on your positions, each of you has a unique insight into Eprah. I expect you to come straight to me with any concerns or useful information.”

  The others murmured their agreement as he left.

  As soon as he was gone, Grayson shifted his weight. “I must go as well,” he said brusquely, then strode toward the door without another word.

  “As should I,” Serefina said, casting an apologetic glance over her shoulder at Weston, who simply tilted his head in acknowledgment of her departure.

  “And I would hate to overstay my welcome. Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Bennick.” Kai exchanged a nod with Weston, then followed the others outside.

  Sage held her breath until she could no longer hear any of them, but she didn’t dare step out of her hiding place until Weston told her it was safe.

  Walking over to the window, Weston watched stiffly as Mr. Gaztok and the rest of the would-be-Quorum trickled off his property. He turned away, scrubbing a hand over his face.

  “It’s safe to come out now.”

  Pushing the door open, Sage staggered forward in disbelief as her stomach roiled. As she stretched her cramped limbs, she locked eyes with Weston, whose lips had thinned into a grim line as he stared back at her.

  She swallowed, shoving back the knots settling deep in her belly. “He killed them all.”

  20. PLANS

  Weston nodded, shoulders tense. “He did. Which means we’re out of time.”

  “Out of—”

  “Eliminating the rest of the Quorum was a risky move. He wouldn’t have done that if he wasn’t prepared to follow through. After our meeting today, I think it’s pretty clear that he has no intention of replacing the fallen members.”

  “But he can’t do that.” Sage fought back a rising sense of panic in her chest. “Everyone knows the law, especially after we released the information about the founders and what they did to take power. There’s no way he can just—”

  “Who’s going to stop him?” Weston collapsed in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We’re still under the System of Worth. Quorum members are just as untouchable as benefactors. More so. And he’s ensured that some of the most powerful benefactors have a vested interest in his safety and continued leadership by promising us even more power.”

  “But if you’re right about Grayson working with him, he knows,” Sage pointed out. “He didn’t seem happy that Mr. Gaztok was dragging his feet about adding him to the Quorum.”

  “Of course not. I’m sure they agreed on an equal division of power, and he’s now seeing that become increasingly unlikely with each passing day. But at this point it’s still early, and the delays aren’t unreasonable, which means Mr. Gaztok could rewrite the laws before Grayson’s patience wears out.” He closed his eyes, letting out a slow breath. “Eprah’s name. He could even reduce Grayson’s Chances so that he’s no longer a threat. He could do the same to all benefactors.”

  Her eyes widened. “You don’t think he’d actually—”

  Weston shot up from his chair, pressing a button as he rose. “We can’t afford to guess. He’s already shown us he’s capable of anything. It’s a real possibility—one we can’t ignore. Not if we want to survive. Not if we want a free Eprah.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “We need to act. Now. Eprah and its abhorrent System of Worth have lived long enough. We’re bringing it to an end.”

  Sage’s heart pounded faster. “But how? We can’t count on the Rogues, and after what we saw last night, we can’t trust the people in the city—we don’t have any allies.”

  “That’s not a certainty yet. And the Lawless have more numbers than Mr. Gaztok suspects.”

  “Well, we don’t have an army—” Sage stopped, narrowing her eyes at him. “—Do we?”

  He shot her a wry grin. “I wasn’t lying when I told Dred we don’t need an army. We just need to get Mr. Gaztok away from his bodyguards and disable the bracelets. Everything after that should be comparatively easy.”

  She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. “And what exactly are you going to do when you get him alone?”

  “Ideally? Convince him to surrender control of Eprah over to us.”

  “Right. Just like that.” She snorted. “And if he doesn’t?”

  “If he won’t surrender and doesn’t submit to being taken into custody…” Weston sighed, rubbing his brow. “As much as I hope we can do this without bloodshed, we have to be prepared for the possibility.”

  “You mean kill him,” she said dully, shaking her head.

  “As he would do to both of us if he knew we were having this conversation.”

  Her fists clenched at her sides. “But we’re supposed to be better than him.”

  “And we will try every other option first. But, Sage,” he squeezed her shoulder, “this is war. Eprah declared war on all of our lives before we were even born. We’re just finally fighting back.”

  Sage fell silent, staring off into the distance as she considered his words.

  “In a twisted way, he did us a favor by eliminating the other Quorum members,” Weston said quietly.

  She looked at him sharply. “How do you figure?”

  “To take control, we no longer need to subdue five people—just one man.”

  “Subdue,” she repeated, eyeing him warily.

  He sighed. “Ideally, yes, that’s the plan. I don’t like the alternative any more than—”

  “You wanted to see me, sir?”

  Sage swung her head toward the door as Eliza’s voice cut through the tension in the room.

  “Eliza, yes,” Weston said. His posture relaxed a little. “Thank you for coming so quickly. I’m sorry to interrupt your preparations. I know you and Jonah need to finish getting ready before your departure.”

  She shot a sideways glance at Sage. “It’s quite alright, sir. We still have a few hours before we leave.”

  He nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “I need you to make sure a message is delivered to the Rogues.”

  Eliza’s mouth twitched down at the corners as she glanced uncertainly between him and Sage. “Of course, Mr. Bennick.”

  “Tell them that circumstances have changed and my patience has worn thin. I need their decision by tomorrow night.”

  She stared back at him wide-eyed. “T-tomorrow?”

  “Yes. And they have permission to enter the woods for a meeting to give their answer.”

  “They do?” Her jaw was slack as she blinked. “But they—”

  “They may cross the estate line with their answer,” he said firmly. “The time for caution has passed.”

  Eliza hesitated. “What if they don’t believe me?”

  Weston frowned, then walked to the back of his desk and rummaged through a drawer. “Bring these.” He held out one of the journals and its corresponding gem. “It’s no secret to them how closely we guard these—you would not be able to steal one, let alone two. They’ll know you come with my blessing and that it’s not a trap.”

  Worried creases formed at the corners of her eyes, but she took the relics and held them close to her chest as she nodded. “Yes, sir.” She licked
her lips. “Was there anything else you needed?”

  “That’s all. Thank you, Eliza.”

  She gave a slight curtsy and hurried out of the room.

  Sage turned to Weston, confusion etched on her face. “You’re sending her and Jonah somewhere? In the middle of all this?”

  “Yes.” He flicked his hand dismissively. “It’s their turn to train at sea.”

  “Fishing?”

  “And sailing, yes.”

  Her eyebrow shot up. “And you really think that’s what they should be doing right now? With open war only a few days away?”

  “I already told you. We don’t need an army. Our numbers should be mostly for show. Besides, the rest of my estate can’t afford to stop working. Not only do we need to keep up appearances, but there will be a great need for such training even under a new government.”

  “But they’re Lawless.” Sage’s brow furrowed as she stared at him in disbelief. “We need all the help we can get. You said so yourself. They should be—”

  “We’re talking about two people, Sage. Two people will not turn the tide of this war, especially not the way we’re planning to fight it.” Impatience leaked into his tone as he added, “It’s not a matter worth discussing further. We have other concerns at the moment—particularly you.”

  She frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “It’s better to move on our timeline rather than Mr. Gaztok’s. Things will become immeasurably more difficult once the bracelets have leashed everyone to his new rules.”

  “There’s nothing we can do about that though.”

  “Yes, there is. We can slow down the techs in charge of altering the bracelets.”

  “How?”

  Weston’s arctic gaze pierced hers as he handed her a tablet. “I need you to create a virus. A really terrible one. And fast.”

  She stared back at him in disbelief. “I won’t be able to stop them.”

  “I know. But you can buy us time.”

  21. THE WALL

  The door slammed against the wall with a loud bang, and Sage’s databook slipped down her chest into her lap as she shot up in bed, heart pounding. She rubbed her eyes in time to see Weston barreling through the doorway.