The Commandment

by Kittrell, Anna;

  Lukas pondered on the analogy. In a way, Caster was a cannibal. An eater of human self-esteem and dignity. An emotional cannibal. “Your rudeness is embarrassing.”

  “Enough.” Lukas’s father looked at Caster and back to him. “I didn’t fly from the other side of the country to listen to the two of you bicker.”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry, Father.” Caster lowered his eyes, offering a smug wink to Lukas when their father glanced away.

  “Good evening, gentlemen. I am so sorry to have kept you waiting. My name is Marco, and I will be your server this evening.” The waiter distributed three menus with black covers. “May I show you the wine list?”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Caster said, rattling off the name of a doubtlessly expensive wine Lukas had never heard of. “That will be all for now. And leave the bottle.” Caster glanced at Lukas. “Please.”

  “Yes, sir. I will bring your bottle of wine and a nice basket of warm bread, right away.”

  “Thank you.”

  The waiter turned to go.

  “Say, Marco?” Caster said, calling him back. “I’ve been informed that my mannerisms could be interpreted as insulting or rude. Would you say you agree?”

  “No sir, not at all. You seem very polite.”

  Caster shrugged. “See there, Lukas. Marco, here, thinks I’m polite.”

  Lukas glared at his brother as the server left the table.

  The eldest Dr. Stone cleared his throat. “If you two are finished, I’d like to discuss the reason I’m here.” He fixed his sharp blue eyes on Lukas. “How’s the research coming? I trust things are working out well with the human test subject?”

  Here it came—the thumbscrew pressure Heston Stone was famous for. Lukas opened his menu. “It’s a day-by-day process. Thus far, I’d say it’s going well.” He slid his gaze down the list of entrees. “I believe I’ll have the eggplant parmesan. No, scratch that—there’s mushroom in the sauce.”

  “The procedure was a success? No adverse reactions to the abstergent?”

  “Do you suppose they offer an alternate sauce?” Lukas asked, avoiding his father’s questions. His mouth, a moment ago watered by the aroma of garlic bread and fresh oregano, went dry as the Mojave Desert.

  “Lukas.” His father reached across the table and slid the menu from his hand. “I don’t need all of the details. I realize there is extensive follow-up monitoring to be done. All I’m asking, is did the subject tolerate the abstergent? Did it effectively dissolve the Agathi?”

  Lukas breathed a sigh of relief as Marco returned, making a show of presenting Caster with the wine bottle and distributing the stemware with flair. Another server accompanied him, holding a basket of bread. “Gentlemen, are you ready to order?” Marco asked, taking the bread from the younger server and shooing him from the table. Marco took their orders and retrieved the menus.

  “More water, please,” Lukas said, before draining his glass.

  “Back to Father’s question,” Caster said. “How is what’s her name—Briar, isn’t it? How is Briar adjusting to the aftereffects of your abstergent?”

  Lukas stiffened his neck. “You are quite aware I haven’t given it to her yet.”

  “Haven’t administered the abstergent?” Lukas’s father set down his water glass, hard, sloshing liquid onto the white tablecloth. “You can’t be serious.”

  “She’s been at the lab for less than a week. I refuse to rush the process.”

  “There is no process,” Caster hissed the word like a desert sidewinder. “The abstergent’s been ready for weeks. Shoot it into her brain.”

  “I’m not the one doing the shooting. That’s Dr. Fuller’s job. And there are a few more tests to perform before she’s ready for treatment.”

  “What type of tests, little brother?”

  Lukas narrowed his gaze at Caster. “This has nothing to do with you. I refuse to say another word until you either leave this table or shut your arrogant mouth.”

  “Quiet, Caster. I want to hear what Lukas has to say.”

  Caster aimed his white-hot gaze at the wine, nearly bursting the bottle.

  “The abstergent is not the problem, Father. It’s the lack of antidote that’s causing the delay. I’m not comfortable experimenting on a human subject until the antidote is fully developed. It’s good medicine—and proper scientific procedure—to have a viable antidote.”

  “Nonsense. You’re wasting time. There’s no need for an antidote. You’ve run test after test with favorable results—make that perfect results—every single time. Nothing can possibly go wrong.”

  “This is the first test I’ve administered on a person, Father. A human being. In the infinitesimal chance that something does go wrong, an antidote would have to be administered in less than five minutes—almost instantly. The abstergent begins to dissolve brain tissue very quickly.” For the first-time Lukas could remember, he looked his father squarely in the eyes. “I will absolutely not administer my abstergent to Briar Lee without the safeguard of a fully developed antidote. Period.”

  Caster licked his lips, undoubtedly anticipating their father’s response like a decadent dessert.

  Heston Stone sighed. “Very well. To preserve your peace of mind, I will give you exactly one week to finish concocting this imaginary necessity of yours. After which, you will immediately instruct Dr. Fuller to inject the subject with your abstergent and report back to me. Better yet, stream the procedure to me live. I want to watch the future unfold in my son’s hands.”

  With a loud scrape of his chair Caster rose, threw his wadded linen napkin to the table, and left the room.

  Their father didn’t seem to notice. “One week, firm. Rosen’s department has been breathing down my neck, demanding to know when the abstergent will be ready for public consumption.” He lowered his voice. “There are rumors surfacing about the ARC. People are starting to ask questions about what goes on there. If the truth leaks out, it will destroy my reputation as well as my career. Not to mention your mother’s chance to become Maryland’s next state representative.”

  Unease squirmed through Lukas’s insides. What was going on inside the ARC that could ruin his parents’ careers? Through the years, he’d shrugged off a few ridiculous rumors he’d assumed were distorted gossip, but had he somehow ignored something valid? Something he should have already known? Something everybody else knew? He supposed that’s what happened when a person spent every waking moment either in college or in a scientific lab—or both. And did he really want to find out what went on inside the ARC?

  Fear of the answer stopped him from asking the question.

  “One week, Father. You have my word.”

  “Good.” Heston Stone smiled and reached over the table to give Lukas’s forearm a hard squeeze. He glanced at Caster’s empty chair. “Where has your brother run off to?”

  ~*~

  Lukas returned his father’s hug, wincing at his firm pat on the back. “Send Mother my love.”

  “I will—providing I can pull her away from the campaign podium.” His father turned to Caster, giving his eldest son an identical hug and pat, then reached under his suitcoat to retrieve his airline ticket from his breast pocket. “Lukas, I expect to hear back from you in exactly one week.”

  “I haven’t forgotten.”

  He watched his father fall into the long line of early risers leading to airport security. The deadline played over in his mind. One week until his patented abstergent made scientific history, forever altering the future of the entire country. No more mandatory boosters to combat diminishing SAP levels. It was merely a matter of time before other countries followed suit. Soon, Stone’s Abstergent would change the world.

  On a smaller yet equally important scale, his abstergent would end the suffering of the unleveled population. Others like Briar, shunned by society because of functional Agathi—a defect beyond their control. There would be no more need for questionable holding facilities. Permanent leveling would not
only cure the encumbered, but secure for them a well-deserved place in society, enabling them to learn and grow without the fear and judgment synonymous with their present condition.

  Briar would be free. He’d been aware of that from the beginning. So why did the thought fill him with inexplicable dread?

  “One thing I’ll never understand, little brother. How those strings you’ve attached to Father reach all the way to Piper, Maryland. Hope he doesn’t yank back one day. Wouldn’t want you to get whiplash.”

  His brother had been through a lot. Lukas had to remember that. He couldn’t imagine the devastation Caster must feel over losing his wife. As far as Lukas knew, Caster had never broken down or even shed a tear. Undoubtedly, he held it inside for Gatlin’s sake. He wanted to be strong for his little boy, but that level of pent-up grief, coupled with a ravenous hunger to be the driving force behind Stone Labs caused Caster to overstep his bounds.

  Lukas grinned. “Then you’d have to stand in for me at the lab and enjoy Father breathing down your neck for a change. You’d find out who really holds the strings.”

  Truthfully, Lukas felt guilty over the restrictions Father placed on Caster. Though his brother would never admit it, Caster would give anything to trade him places. He wanted control of Stone Labs—quite possibly even more than Lukas. He’d had his chance, a short-lived stint that ended in failure.

  Afterword, Father insisted on bestowing Stone Labs upon Lukas. He’d said he was the right man for the job. The “level-headed” son, pardon the pun. Father felt Caster was led by emotion—and most of those emotions were rooted in anger. He was right.

  Since childhood, Lukas had been the rational one. Calm and composed. Sensible. Briar’s face—blue eyes bright with mischief, pink lips curved in a smile—flashed into his mind.

  Until recently.

  8

  Briar stood, frozen, in the center of her room. The anguished scream from next door turned each vertebra into an individual ice cube. Was there an axe murderer on the loose?

  Oh, no. Reid!

  Briar ran from her room, skidding to a stop at Reid’s doorway.

  Roxy, collarless and soaking wet, dashed around Reid.

  “Get out of my room you, stupid animal!”

  The dog hunched down on her front legs, wriggling her hindquarters. She opened her huge mouth, appearing to smile as she wagged her massive tail.

  “I said out!” Reid kicked at Roxy, who barked playfully and sprang, nearly knocking Reid to the floor. The dog snatched a black garment from the tile as she darted around the room.

  Derby rounded the corner at the end of the hallway and sprinted toward them, empty leash in hand. “Miss Reid, I’m so sorry. I was finishing up her bath when she got away.”

  “Get this ridiculous beast out of here!”

  Roxy shook the article of clothing hanging from her massive jaws.

  “And give me that!” Reid dove for the sheer garment and missed. Yelling what sounded like a battle cry, she lunged again, this time snagging the fabric. “Let go!” To Roxy’s excitement, she yanked the cloth back and forth, propelling the overgrown pup into tug of war mode.

  Briar scooted back.

  Derby stepped into the room and circled the opponents, knees bent and hands splayed like a lion tamer. “Roxy? Easy, girl.”

  Reid pulled away as Derby reached for the fabric, wadding it up in his fist, holding it tight as the dog tugged and growled teasingly.

  “Now drop it!”

  Just like that, Roxy released the garment. She backed up, smiling again, tail proudly wagging as if she’d handed Derby a prize rabbit.

  “What on earth is going on in here?” Lukas joined Briar in the doorway. “Sounds like a hostile takeover.”

  “It is.” Briar nodded toward the display.

  Derby blushed at the skimpy black panties in his hand. “I’ll take these over to the laundry room.”

  “Don’t bother.” Reid snatched the underwear from him and tossed them into the wastepaper basket beside the desk.

  Roxy barked once, her damp tail picking up speed.

  Derby nudged her with his foot.

  “Perhaps you should keep your clothing off the floor instead of leaving it for Derby to pick up. In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a hamper right over there.” Lukas tipped his head toward the corner of the room. “That would decrease your risk of undergarment casualties.”

  Roxy gave a massive shake, creating a torrential rainstorm in the middle of Reid’s room.

  “Get out of here! All of you!”

  The dog yipped and dashed from the room.

  “Sorry, Miss Reid.” Derby followed, pulling the door closed behind him.

  “Don’t ever come in my room again! You’re all banned! That means you too, Derby! I’ll do my own laundry!” Reid’s furious yells echoed through the closed door.

  ~*~

  Lukas pressed the hypodermic needle to Briar’s skin, a few inches under the rubber tourniquet. He pulled away as her arm began shaking—again. This was getting ridiculous.

  “Let me know when you’re finished,” he said, backing up for the third time.

  “I’m sorry.” Briar pressed her lips together, squelching her laughter. She opened her mouth wide, closed it, and massaged her jaws. “Let me relax.” She took a deep breath, her cheeks puffing with the exhale. “OK. I’m ready.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes. The giggles are out of my system. Draw my blood. Third time’s a charm.”

  “This is attempt number four.” He tapped the skin inside the crook of her elbow. “Squeeze the rubber ball a couple of times.” The vein plumped up. “Perfect. You’ll feel a little stick.” He pressed the tip of the needle to the vein—and she jerked her arm. Lukas slammed the hypodermic to the sterile tray.

  “I can’t help it!” She shrieked through jags of laughter. “I keep thinking about Roxy taking off with Reid’s panties! It was hysterical—how can you not be laughing, right now?”

  He glared at her. “Like everything else in life, there is a time and a place for laughter. And this is neither.”

  Briar’s lips twitched and she slapped a hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled through her fingers. She closed her eyes for a moment and dropped her hand. “OK.” She breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth. “Time and place—I understand all that. But I really don’t get why you are so serious all the time. Even when Derby was standing there, beet red, holding Reid’s unmentionables, you never cracked a smile.”

  Lukas lowered himself onto a stool. “My upbringing, I suppose. I’ve worked for my father, in one form or another, since I was a boy—for as long as I can remember, really. Our home was strict. No nonsense. There was little to no time for play. Everything was a competition, and not a friendly one. Caster and I were raised by nannies and homeschooled by the best online tutors money could buy. We were very isolated as children.” He lifted a shoulder. “Not much has changed.”

  “At least now you’re doing what you love. I hope to one day do what I love, too—working with children, face-to-face. Making them laugh. Laughter is healing. You should try it sometime.” She nudged his knee with the toe of her lab issued slipper. “You have to admit, the scene with Roxy and Reid was funny, right?”

  “Hilarious.” Lukas chuckled. “Satisfied? Can we do some bloodwork now?”

  She nodded, and to his astonishment, sat perfectly still as he drew three vials of blood from her vein.

  “Very good. Thank you.” He placed the stopper on the last vial and discarded his gloves. “Reid will be in to finish up your session. Odds are, she’s not in a good mood.” He moved to the sink, lathered, and dried his hands. “I don’t suggest laughing. Or you might find the blood pressure cuff around your neck.”

  “Would it work that way?”

  He raised an eyebrow and she cringed.

  “Don’t answer that.”

  ~*~

  Briar breathed in through her nose and
out through her mouth as she waited for Reid to enter the room. She didn’t have to wait long. The door banged open and Reid blew in like an Oklahoma whirlwind.

  “Let’s get on with it,” she snapped, slapping a clipboard to the countertop. She snatched a small device from the wall and clipped it roughly to Briar’s fingertip. Lukas was right. Reid definitely was not in a good mood.

  “What is this thing?” Briar asked, needing to fill the awkward, angry silence.

  “Pulse oximeter. If you had a fleshcard like a normal person, I wouldn’t have to waste time taking your vitals.”

  “Has the new fleshcard arrived yet?”

  Reid glared. “I have no idea.”

  Briar returned her gaze to the device on her finger. “Pulse oximeter. Interesting. Measures the pulse?”

  “Don’t attempt to chitchat with me. In fact, you need to shut your mouth altogether. I need to work in silence.”

  Reid seized the device from Briar’s finger, marched to the counter and scribbled something on the clipboard. “Bad enough I had to deal with that ridiculous beast this morning. Now I have to put up with an overcurious juvenile,” she muttered under her breath, loud enough for Briar to hear.

  Briar wished she hadn’t heard. Desperately. The corners of her mouth twitched and shot upward, as if yanked by double fishhooks, while the battle between Roxy and Reid played out in her mind. She coughed, hoping to disguise her laughter and hide her smile at the same time.

  “Something funny?”

  Attempt failed.

  “No, it’s nothing. I’m sorry…something Lukas mentioned.”

  Reid banged the clipboard to the counter, cracking off one of the plastic corners. She whirled around, emerald eyes on fire.

  “Don’t get any ideas about Lukas. He’s not interested. Believe me, I’ve tried. He didn’t go for my advances—you’re crazy to think he’d go after yours.” She stepped to the exam table and leaned forward, her face close to Briar’s. “It’s pitiful, really. The way you tag along after him like a runt pup. Did you think I hadn’t noticed? Well, let me set you straight. You’re nothing but a test subject to Lukas. A means to his success. He’s only being nice because he pities you, cooped up here in the lab. Trust me, once that abstergent hits your brain, the romance will be over.” She stood up straight and crossed her arms. “Take my advice and give up this fairytale fantasy of being Lukas’s little girlfriend before you make an even bigger fool of yourself.”