A full-scale argument breaks out in the Council room. I’m too floored to contribute anything more. Ethan looks extremely pale. Blake is his brother. I will be forced to Cleave one brother over the other, and there’s no way that can end with warm and happy feelings in the family.
“I didn’t know,” Ethan says, his voice hoarse. “I swear it.”
“I should have seen it. He has your mother’s eyes.” How could I have missed it? It makes sense. They even have similar facial expressions. “Family reunions could be fun, especially if we invite all forty kids.”
Ethan doesn’t look amused at my twisted sense of humor. “How can you joke about it?”
“And my options are?” I smile and jab him in the ribs. “It’s actually kind of funny in a dark comedy kind of way. You and Blake are brothers and have collectively fathered forty of my children.”
“I wonder how many other unknown siblings I have.” Ethan muses. “What if I had stayed here on Thera and Cleaved one of my sisters by accident? That’s some seriously sick stuff.” We both chuckle and then return our attention to the escalating fight in the center of the room. It has gotten so intense that security personnel have their guns raised, safeties off, and ready to fire if needed.
“At a minimum, I demand you bring Blake Sundry here to address the Council and Ten. He needs to be thoroughly vetted regardless of your unilateral pardon,” shouts Mr. Stockly.
“You are in no position to make demands, Paul,” Vienna says.
“Really. Should we take a vote? I wonder which side would get the most support.”
“What on Thera do you think you could accomplish by such an interrogation?” Vienna replies. “The Exilers are dead, so understanding their motives and methods will hardly be useful. The situation with the Second Chancers was unfortunate, but we quickly addressed it, and soon, Blake will have no access to any of them to repeat the offense.”
“You think we won’t have threats in the future?” Mr. Stockly asks. “If you’ve convinced yourself of that, then you’re clearly not worthy of the position of Senior Ten. I say, the boy gets brought forth to answer for his sins. Who’s with me?” The crowd applauds, though quiets as Vienna starts typing names into her tablet of those questioning her authority.
“We’ve had thousands of security detail searching, and they can’t find the boy, much less produce him to answer to any of you,” Vienna says. “As best we know, he has left the city. And if he hasn’t, our only hope of finding him is through Kira Donovan, and if she suspects an ounce of harm will befall him, she won’t help any of us.” I love being talked about as if I’m not in the room. She’s right, of course. If the deal dies, so does my cooperation.
“I don’t care if I have to personally search every cave within twenty miles of Thera. I will find the boy! If Ms. Donovan is the key, I’ll be happy to make it clear throughout Thera that Ms. Donovan will suffer if the boy doesn’t turn himself in.” Mr. Stockly has sweat pouring from his head and spit ejecting from his mouth.
Ethan grabs me, pushes me behind him, and yells, “Over my dead body.”
“And mine,” Vienna says.
“That can be arranged if you keep me from finding the boy.”
“How about you stop referring to me as ‘the boy’?” a familiar voice says from the entrance to the room. “You want to talk to me? Well, here I am. Have at me. Just leave Kira out of it.”
I peek around Ethan to confirm that Blake has indeed entered the room. My heart skips a beat as I realize every gun in the room is now trained on him.
Oh crap.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Blake
A half hour earlier
I watch the late evening proceedings of the City Heads meeting from the taping room, fulfilling the duties of my stolen identity, Walter Hunt, Grand Council member. I plan to collect data on the cities and leaders to use in Exile or once back on Earth, but I get distracted when I notice Kira cuddled up in Ethan’s arms in the corner of the room.
Amidst the snugglefest, a butt-ugly man with a large ego challenges Vienna about my pardon. From what I can gather, Vienna Darcton agreed to pardon me. And Kira was somehow involved in this? Seriously? I can’t imagine the things she’d have to agree to in order for Vienna to grant me a blanket pardon. Unfortunately, the ugly dude’s not taking it well and is accusing Vienna of bias.
Then, I hear several things that blow my mind. First, there’s some deal about a whole lot of Kira’s babies being implanted in our Second Chancer friends and both Ethan and me being their fathers—one of us will be the so-called Father of Thera. Second, Kira has agreed to be Cleaved to one of Vienna Darcton’s sons and to let The Ten choose for her. And third, I’m one of the sons. Vienna Darcton’s supposedly my mother and Ethan’s my half-brother. Gads almighty, help me. Fourth, a good chunk of the people in that room want me dead and are willing to use Kira as bait to trap me into answering for my part in the rebellions—of both the Exilers and the Second Chancers.
I start pacing the small room. Why didn’t Kira tell me about the babies and her deal with the devil? She and Ethan look as shocked as the rest of them about Vienna Darcton being my DNA donor. My brother is shielding Kira from Mr. Stockly, the Ten bully. But I know, if the tide turns and Mr. Stockly gains momentum with the Council and other City Heads, that Kira, Ethan, and Vienna are not safe.
It’s time to trust my instinct and hope that Vienna’s blood oath with Kira runs thicker than the stream of dissent in that room. I use my passkey to access the conference room.
“How about you stop referring to me as ‘the boy’?” I say in a loud voice as I enter. “You want to talk to me? Well, here I am. Have at me. Just leave Kira out of it.”
At least a hundred guns shift from Ethan and Kira toward me in an instant. I ignore them and walk down the stairs and towards Vienna Darcton and Mr. Stockly, outstretching my hand to shake theirs. I don’t think they were expecting me since they seem to be a little tongue-tied.
“I’m Blake Sundry,” I say. “Apparently I’m your biological son,” to Vienna, and to Mr. Stockly, “I guess I’m your worst nightmare, though I’m confused as to why.” I’d never seen Vienna Darcton up close, but I have zero doubt that we share DNA upon this close inspection. I share her eyes and facial shape.
Vienna gives me a tight-lipped smile. “You’ve been elusive. We’ve had a lot of people looking for you—for your own protection, of course.”
“Of course. My father and his cohorts take out a chunk of the city, and you’re worried about protecting me? I believe that.”
“Where were you during the attack?” Mr. Stockly asks me.
“I was at Headquarters,” I respond. “But my only goal was getting Kira out alive. My father took her captive. Thankfully, I ran into Brad Darcton who agreed to try to get her out safely if I created a diversion.”
“What diversion?” Vienna and Mr. Stockly say in unison.
“I blew out the glass wall behind my father. I apologize for the damage, but it was the only thing I could think of.”
“Let me get this straight.” Vienna starts pacing. “You ran into Brad, and he told you to create a diversion. You obeyed this, even though your actions resulted in the death of your father?” They both look incredulous about my claims.
I shrug my shoulders. “Just ask the security detail that was with him at Headquarters. They witnessed our conversation.”
“Okay, so even if you’re telling the truth about what happened at Headquarters…what about the Second Chancers? How do you explain away your actions there?” Mr. Stockly asks.
“Sorry about that. It was stupid. I wanted to dish back a fraction of the suffering Tristan and Briella caused Kira. And, perhaps, I was trying to deflect some of the anger about my part in getting my dad and so many others killed, although I’m not trained as a psychologist, so it’s hard to know for sure.” I use a voice meant to imitate the school counselor they’d had me see after the explosion at the Goodington’s.
Paul Stockly isn’t amused. He must think I’m mocking him. The creases in his forehead deepen as his anger increases and his voice raises. “Your father killed my Cleave.”
“I’m not here to rationalize my father’s actions, and I’m very sorry for your loss. Obviously, I disagreed with my father’s tactics, or I’d have never helped Brad Darcton. All I can say is that my father felt his cause was just, and I can empathize. I grew up with the Exilers, and our circumstances were pretty horrible. Eventually, my father got my sister and me to Earth, but his goal was to bring me back and bring down the Second Chance Institute. He blamed the SCI for my mother’s—” I pause for a moment to correct my mistake, “or who I thought to be my mother…her death.”
“So, you admit that you came back here to commit treason against the SCI?” Mr. Stockly twists my words even if his interpretation is the truth. Albeit a rash decision to enter this room, my intention was to calm the dissension, not further fuel it.
“Please, separate my father’s intentions for me with my own actions,” I say. “I didn’t realize until I returned to Thera that my father was working with an extremely militant offshoot of the Exilers. I opposed my father’s plans, siding with the Survivalist Exilers who want peace and coexistence without violence. They are no threat to you.”
“Are we really going to listen to this?” Mr. Stockly turns to the crowd. “This boy admits to coming here to destroy us. I demand justice, and I demand it now even if it requires forcibly removing Vienna Darcton from her post on the Ten.”
Within moments, security guards surround Vienna, face outward, and point their weapons at Mr. Stockly. Ethan and Kira both run to act as my human shields, saying the dissenters will have to kill them first to get to me. The guards that are sympathetic to Mr. Stockly’s cause have all three of us in their sights. The two sides shout loud threats to one another.
“This is not your fight,” I say to Ethan and Kira. “I can’t let you risk your lives to protect me.”
“Uh, I’ve always wanted the opportunity to say this. Shut up, brother.” Ethan glances back at me with a sly grin.
“Yeah, shut up, Blake.” Kira grabs my hand and squeezes it tight.
The stalemate continues for several minutes, no one wanting a repeat of the Militants’ slaughter but the threats of a repeat hanging in the air. At its most tense point, and when I’ve sweated out every bit of liquid from my body thinking I’m a dead man, a third contingent enters the room, and I about have a heart attack when I see the people in it.
“What the hell’s going on here?” a commanding voice asks. “Everyone lower your weapons now.” Both sides are slow to comply. But when they see that a new security detail that has entered who plans to execute all of them if necessary, they do as they are told. “So, sister. Are you going to explain? I got your message about the attack on the city, and so we came early,” the man says to Vienna Darcton, motioning for her protective security detail to part. I crane my neck to get a closer look at the man who resembles my “mother.”
But, his sister? How is that possible? The man speaking is a California Senator and the United States Democratic Presidential frontrunner candidate. He’s Vienna’s brother? That would make him my uncle. With him are the current United States Secretary of State and a whole host of other people who I learned about in my government class at Carmel Valley High. Are they part of the American delegation due for the second night of the City Heads’ Meeting? They are all Daynighters? What the hell? And my dad thought he could take these guys on, the fool.
“Henry,” Vienna exclaims. “It has been too long. We have much to discuss.”
“I can tell.” He scans the room, an angry scowl on his face. “Well, don’t keep us waiting.”
Kira, Ethan, and I listen as Vienna dispassionately tells the events of the last week to the American contingent. She doesn’t leave anything out, including my role leading up to and during the Militant attack, her deal with Kira to pardon me, what I told the Second Chancers, and particularly, Paul Stockly’s demands for my immediate execution and Vienna’s removal from the Ten. She allows Paul Stockly to defend his actions, and we watch as he backpedals from his harsh stance.
“I see,” Henry King says after hearing the whole of it. “Well, let me meet them.” He turns around to look our way and then warmly embraces Ethan. “Ethan, so good to see you. About ready to head back to law school and follow in your uncle’s footsteps?”
“Yes, sir,” Ethan responds. “Uncle Henry, let me introduce you to Kira Donovan and Blake Sundry.”
Kira immediately steps forward to shake his hand. “It’s nice to meet you Senator King. I’d say I’m surprised to meet you here, but not much shocks me these nights.” If she’s remotely nervous to meet him, she doesn’t show it.
“You are stunning. I can see why my nephew…or should I say nephews are so smitten with you,” he says to Kira before turning to me. “And you must be my more notorious nephew, Blake?” He offers his hand.
“I guess so.” I take hand to shake it.
“You have her eyes.” I assume Henry is speaking of Vienna Darcton. He looks me square in the eye. “Do you have anything to add to your mother or Mr. Stockly’s accounts of Garden City happenings?”
“No. I think your sister…uh, my mother accurately covered things.” I’m not willing to give any credence to Mr. Stockly’s fantastical take. One of the member’s of Henry King’s security detail taps Henry’s shoulder and whispers something in his ear. Henry nods to him. The man then cocks his weapon, releases the safety, and puts a bullet through Paul Stockly’s head. The room silences after a collective gasp.
“Would anyone else like to break protocol, challenge the established line of authority, or fuel further dissension in this room?” Henry looks around. No one appears to take the bait. “Because my head of security has reviewed the tapes of the last half hour and has a list of those of you who were sympathetic to Paul Stockly’s poison. I do believe that those who commit treason are subject to immediate Exile or execution.”
Henry directs his head of security to take me into protective custody while my fate is discussed and asks Ethan to watch over Kira.
As we are ushered out of the room, I hear “Uncle Henry” say, “Well then, I believe we all have much to confer about. New members of the Ten and Council must be appointed. I want to personally hear each City Head’s plan to prevent similar attacks from happening worldwide, and we have decisions to make on furthering our plans on Earth’s soil. Let’s get to it. I hope no one was hoping to sleep today because we’re not leaving until every matter is resolved.”
Five days later
“How’s solitary confinement treating you?” My brother, Ethan, has come to visit several nights after I was sealed in the detention facility. Considering the circumstances, my room’s pretty nice—other than the mirrored wall which indicates I’m being watched at all times. I get fed regularly, and I have a treadmill, free weights, and a comfortable bed.
“It hasn’t been all that solitary,” I respond. “A lot of people have questions for me. So, how’s Kira? She’s notably missing off my visitor log.” I’ve had oodles of time with my mother and Henry King as well as the other remaining members of the Ten. They were nice enough to let me know that Kira has been staying with Ethan.
“Not by choice, I assure you. Until tonight, we’ve been banned from visiting,” he says. “She’ll be here soon.”
“You are here first to stake your claim, then? She’s due to Cleave one of us, so I assume you prefer that it be you.”
“I did see her first.” He grins. “But I don’t think it is up to me to make that decision.”
“What do you mean you saw her first? She didn’t even meet you until I went missing during the flash flood.”
“Not true,” he tells me. “We met the night of the Goodington party. It was love at first sight, for me. She went running off after she caught Tristan and Briella kissing. I tried to catch her and give her a ride home. But the
n the explosion happened, and you carted her off. After, my father banned me from pursuing her until she’d adapted to Theran soil and the Ten could agree on who was her most suitable Cleave.”
I pause a moment. So now it all makes sense. Ethan’s perfect girl was Kira. The perfect guy Kira spoke of who she met at a party—that was Ethan. She’d known him all along. How shocked she must’ve been when he showed up again, and she learned he was a Darcton. That must’ve killed the fantasy a bit, although, after spending all that time “playing” his girlfriend, she seems to have forgiven him for his bloodline.
“So why did you let me fall for her if you were already head over heels?”
“As I said, I was banned from seeing her until she’d acclimated and met the Second Chancers. The consequences had I disobeyed would have been deadly. And, by that time, you two were already spending time in the canyons, and the general sentiment was that you’d Cleave ‘any time now.’ I figured I’d lost my chance.” He shakes his head. “But then you disappeared, and my father ordered me to show her the video of Tristan and Bri and to take her home for a break. We got to be good friends.”
“That’s all?”
“She played along with the whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing while we were back on earth because she had to. She’d never betray you willingly.” He frowns at me. “She’s not like that.”
“But you really love her?”
“Yes. I do,” he says. “More than you can imagine.” Oh, my imagination’s been going wild about you and Kira for a while now, so I think I’m all caught up.
“And she loves you?”
What Tomorrow May Bring Page 117