Cheating Time

by T. R. Graves

  Barone glared toward Sean. "Serkis, don't forget what I said about these animals. When he takes the cubs away, these cats better not flinch or move. If they do, they'll be stuffed and mounted in my den."

  Without skipping a beat, Sean shouted the same words Simon had said to the animals when we'd first met them. "Sasha, heel!" Clap. "Vixen, heel!" Clap. "Jadbalja, heel!" With a final clap, he said, " Bagheera, you heel, too!"

  After he'd solidified his commands to his pets, he turned to Simon and said, "Hand me the cubs, Simon."

  Dubious, Simon stared toward his brother. "Sean, they have to stay with me. Remember what you said? I'm the one in charge of keeping them alive," Simon said desperately.

  "Simon, do what I say. Give them to me," Sean turned toward his brother and took them from him without giving him another chance at debating his decision.

  Sean's teeth were grinding and his muscles rolling when he turned the hours-old cubs over to the smirking Isaiah, a Surrogate who loved everything about being part of Barone's inner circle. Intuitive, he knew he was able to give in to his inner beast and be cruel more often with Barone than he'd have been able to without the president and his dictator leadership style.

  Proving he was every bit a tyrant as I assumed, Barone stepped in front of me and put his elbow out. The smirk on this face reminded me that he was very pleased with himself for bringing to heel four large beasts, two Surrogates, two anomalies, a physician, and his future wife.

  "Carlie needs her rest. If she can run in the woods all day with the Surrogate and work on patients this evening with Angleton, I'm confident she no longer needs to be monitored in the infirmary. She'll be sleeping in my tent should anyone need her." Barone eyed Jayden and Thorne significantly. "And I don't expect anyone to need her unless there is a life-threatening emergency."

  Based on the shuffling of feet and the methodical murmurs outside of the infirmary, there was an entire army awaiting Barone's orders. None of us had options, and my belligerence would only put my new charges in jeopardy. Their safety was dependent on my reaction to Barone.

  My shoulders slumped, and I wrapped my fingers around the president's elbow and let him lead me out of the tent. There, I found exactly what I thought I'd find, a complete military force standing armed and ready for trouble.

  "Isaiah, I've changed my mind. Bring the cubs to my tent. I'll allow Carlie to temporarily care for them. Then I want you to go back to the infirmary and make sure no one leaves for the rest of the night. No matter what happens," Barone said with an ominous insinuation embedded within his orders.

  Holy hell! What does that mean?

  Without another word between us, we went to Barone's tent. As soon as I ducked beneath the flap and entered the president's quarters, I was once again hit with the opulence he'd come to expect. There was a giant copper bowl that had been set up in the middle of the tent. It had a glowing campfire dancing its way from its center. In front of it were two wingback chairs, and between the chairs was an elegant round table that held a tea service that included a masculine teapot, two black-and-white cups and yellow saucers, and a matching sugar bowl and creamer.

  "I thought I'd let you get the cubs settled on a blanket near the fire. Then you and I can have a cup of tea and talk before retiring. What do you think about that, Carlie?" Barone asked, as if I had options.

  "Thank you, John. I appreciate your kindness." I lied.

  Before he took back his offer, I grabbed a blanket from the second bed, one I'd assumed to be mine, that had been set up at the opposite end of the tent. I spread it out on the floor near the fire and tucked the babies who were so new to the world they couldn't even hold up their heads.

  Knowing they needed Vixen and that her presence was not possible, I tucked them into my chest and held them close until they stopped crying. Little by little, I lowered them down to the blanket and spooned them with each other so they'd feel as safe and sound as they'd been when they were inside their mother's womb. The only reason I put them down at all was because I was worried Barone would tire of my attention being focused on the cubs rather than him.

  When they were content, asleep, hugged together, and breathing rhythmically, I stood and noticed Barone was studying me with an intensity that made me uncomfortable. I tucked my chin into my chest and hooked my hair behind my ears.

  "That tea smells wonderful," I said.

  Barone nodded to the saucer sitting next to the chair where he expected me to sit. I complied.

  "Carlie… I'm not sure you understand how important it is for you to support me. People will be quick to claim we are at odds if you continue challenging me. Does what I'm saying make sense to you?"

  I stared down into the bottom of the cup and swirled the tea remnants around. I took a sip of the black brew and wanted to make a face it was so bitter. Instead, I picked up the tongs and dropped three sugar cubes into the cup before diluting it with the cream. After taking lots of time stirring the tea, I took another sip. This one was much sweeter, creamier. It was tolerable, and I smiled at a job well done.

  If only I could make the situation with Barone less bitter and more tolerable.

  "John, I'm not even seventeen. Teenagers are rebellious by nature. I'm trying to do what you want. I'm trying to make sure the people I love are safe. That job in and of itself is bigger than anything most teenagers have to deal with. When you make keeping my family safe exponentially more difficult by blackmailing me into marrying you, I lose perspective. I'm trying to do what you want me to do when you want me to do it… It's just that something snaps in me when I see something that seems morally wrong," I said truthfully.

  I gulped down another drink of the tea and continued swirling the liquid around the cup.

  "Thank you for your honesty, Carlie. I think this is a big step for us. I think you're going to see that the better I know you, the easier it will be for the two of us to bond… for me to know what you're thinking and how to react to it."

  I nodded in agreement.

  "As for me… I can't stress to you how important it is that you support my every decision regardless of your opinion. What can we do to make that happen?" Barone asked.

  "John, I just told you I can't help it. I'm hardwired to speak up when I see something I disagree with," I said and realized there might be a better way to describe it. "I guess you could say it's in my genes."

  Barone very calmly drank his tea and let what I'd said sink in. He was deep in thought as his stare fixed on the sleeping cubs. The instant the pure white one rolled to her side and the black paw of her sibling slid off of her leg, Barone tilted his head to the side and smiled.

  "Carlie, you've given me something to think about and offered me a challenge, one that makes me want to prove to you there are things I can do that will make you think before you disagree or defy me ever again." Barone smiled sweetly.

  Holy hell! What is this asshole about to do?

  "John, you don't have to do anything. I'm going to work on it. I'm going to work hard on it," I swore.

  "That's just it, Carlie. It seems to me you don't respect and fear me the way you should. If you did, your instincts to defy me would be squelched."

  "I do respect you, John. My parents insisted I respect you, your position, and the difficult decisions you have to make," I said.

  There was no hiding my anxiety. I heard the threat in Barone's words and saw on his face the determination to tame me.

  Quicker than I could get to my feet, Barone popped up, dashed over to where the cubs were sleeping, and snapped them up and off their pallet. Without the first ounce of gentleness and away from the warmth of his body, he held the siblings in the palms of his hands. He wasn't holding them out to me. He was simply making sure I knew he had control of the situation. He was making sure I saw everything he did.

  "If it were to save the life of these cubs, would you swear to me that you would obey me unconditionally and support my every decision?" Barone asked.

  "I-I swore I was g
oing to try. I will," I answered with tears welling in my eyes as I comprehended how much danger the newborns were in.

  "That's just it, Carlie. I will try isn't the same as I'll obey you unconditionally and support your every decision. Say it," Barone ordered.

  Without any delay at all, I followed the president's demands and repeated his words. "I'll obey you unconditionally and support your every decision."

  "I think you can do better than that. You've not been properly motivated," Barone said, and at the same time he tucked the black panther in the crook of his arm and took the pure white panther in both hands.

  The next thing I knew, he'd grasped the base of the cub's skull in one hand and its body in the other. Before I could take the first step his way, he pulled hard and fast while twisting his hands in opposite directions. After the animal's spine had been dislocated, Barone dropped the twitching newborn to the floor and held the still alive black cub out to me.

  "NOOO!" I screamed, falling to my knees, cradling the now limp and lifeless baby in my hands and snuggling it to my chest.

  Above me, I heard what could only be described as a sociopath's calm words. "Do I need to give you another demonstration of what will happen every single time you defy me?"

  "No… No… I'll be good. I'll do what you want me to do. Just don't kill that one," I cried from the ground.

  Barone chuckled. "I thought you might see things my way if you were given the right incentive."

  "You were right. You were. Please let me have the cub. I'll be good," I promised, tears streaming from my eyes and snot dripping from my nose.

  Barone was more than pleased when he looked down at me and handed me the only living cub, mewing like he knew his sister had just been murdered.

  I hugged the distressed cat to my chest and whispered, "You're okay." Oh my God! "I got you." Oh my God! "Shh!" Oh my God!

  While I was holding the baby panther, I checked to make sure Barone hadn't secretly injured him also. While I did that, Barone picked up the white baby panther's body and threw it into the fire. Then he glanced back at me to see if I was going to say anything or do anything. I didn't. I knew better. Swiping the snot from my nose with my shoulder, I refocused my attention on the clearly distressed black cub.

  "That's better, Carlie. That was much better. Now it's time for you to get to bed. Take that one with you. It can sleep with you tonight if you want."

  I didn't wait for him to say anything else. I picked up the baby, keeping him out of Barone's line of vision. I crawled into the bed, turned my back to the president, and tucked the tiny cat near my stomach before protectively wrapping myself around him.

  Behind me and over the cub's meows—geared toward finding his sister—I heard, "Good night, my beloved Carlie."

  Afraid of what staying silent would mean, I curved even tighter in on myself and mumbled, "Night."

  The stench of the cub's burning hair, blood, and muscle quite nearly made me sick. I covered my head and whispered words of comfort to the cub I secretly named Indigo, so that my consolation felt more personal.

  Preventing me from going to sleep as ordered was Indigo's distress coupled with my inability to feel safe and comfortable near a man who could kill a living, breathing creature so casually. I lay in my bed for hours after Indigo drifted off, while Barone wandered around the tent, made presidential calls, and answered electronic messages.

  Relieved was the only way to explain how I felt when Barone finally turned off the computers and lamps, and on the other side of the tent, I heard his shoes hit the floor and the squeak of the bedsprings when he finally went to bed.

  It wasn't until I heard his rhythmic breathing that told me he was sound asleep that a restless sleep found me.

  "Carles," Jayden's urgent and whispered words found their way to my conscience despite the sleep demanding I ignore them.

  Chapter 33

  President's Prisoners

  Carlie

  "Carles," Jayden whispered again so close to my ear that only I could hear.

  My eyes fluttered open and I realized my mouth was covered. It was a good thing because I might have instinctively said something that would have alerted Barone to Jayden's presence. I'd been too afraid that Barone was going to make his way to my bed before I went to sleep.

  When Jayden realized I was wide awake and had an overwhelming amount of adrenaline pumping its way through my body, he put his finger to his lips and jerked his chin over his shoulder toward a door he'd cut in the side of the tent on the opposite side of the real door flap.

  Afraid for everyone I loved, afraid of what Barone would do if he found out Jayden had been in the tent, I shook my head and, without making a sound, said, "Go. Leave. He'll kill you."

  Jayden's jaw was set in a way that said he was not leaving without me. He was blackmailing me in much the same way Barone was. The difference was I wasn't afraid of Jayden. I was deathly afraid of Barone.

  After tonight, I can't stay with him. He'll systematically kill everyone I love in his efforts to control my mind, body, and soul.

  I jumped up, made a cradle in my T-shirt, and tucked in a still-sleeping Indigo, praying he didn't wake and begin mewing again. Jayden had even less patience than usual. He pulled me by the arm and had me duck through the secret opening.

  On the other side, I was helped up and pulled to the back of the tent behind Barone's by Dad. Holy hell! Dad! One look at him and I knew better than to say the first word. My job was to do without question anything he and Jayden wanted me to do.

  In the back of that tent, I saw another homemade opening, which Dad motioned for me to go through. He and Jayden followed me. This tent was empty. Dad grabbed my arm and led me to the real entry and nodded toward it. He expected me to leave this tent.

  Rather than go through any more tents, holding sleeping Surrogates, we began creeping around the campsite and making our way to the forest where Jayden and I'd run undetected earlier in the day. In order to lead by example, Jayden went out in front of our group. I took every step he took. I knew how quiet he could be so I made sure to land my footsteps exactly where his had landed. Dad trailed behind and was just as noiseless.

  When a creak came that hadn't come from any of us, Jayden had the three of us leaning against a tree and waiting. When it became clear the campsite was coming to life and our disappearance had probably been noticed, Dad looked at Jayden and me and whispered, "It's now or never. Jayden, you lead the way. I'll be behind you. You get her to safety no matter what happens. My only concern is her." Then he turned to me and said, "I love you, sweetie. Don't forget your mother and I have done everything we've done in order to keep you safe. Don't forget that!"

  "I love you, too, Daddy!"

  Dad pulled me into his arms, kissed my head, and pushed me toward Jayden. We all took off running, literally for our lives. Right before we made it back to the cave where Sean and Simon had been camping, Jayden took a sharp turn. With it, we found ourselves on an undiscovered path. All around the forest, we heard an entire army of people running, searching. None of them were trying to be quiet.

  They were stomping, hitting trees, yelling among themselves, and doing everything possible to bring back the president's prisoners. I bristled when I heard them speak about us as if we'd done anything that warranted being called prisoners but knew better than to focus too much on that fact because doing so would cause me to lose my concentration and make a mistake. Possibly a fatal one.

  The entire escape was frightening, but when Barone's voice began booming around the forest, I was more scared than I'd ever been, and that included the day I'd been attacked by a bed of copperheads and almost died. For me, Barone was the most frightening person, thing, or creature I'd ever known because I now knew he'd kill anyone or anything that threatened him or tried to sabotage his plans.

  I wasn't worried about myself. I was terrified for Dad and Jayden. I was terrified for anyone on my immunity list because those would be the people he went after first.
>
  Dammit! Why did I make that list? Dammit!

  "Carlie, you know what I'm capable of. If you stop this nonsense right now… NOW… I'll forgive all that has happened here tonight. If you don't, there will be no turning back. I'll snap the neck of every person you love and make you watch. Do you want their blood on your hands?"

  His tone wasn't nearly as calm and cool as it had been when he killed Indigo's sister. There was an anxiety behind it that made me think he was sure we were actually getting away.

  "Ignore him, Carles," Jayden whisper-shouted from in front of me.

  My head told me Jayden was right and I needed to ignore Barone. My heart reminded me I was in a no-win situation. He'd never let either Jayden or Dad live after today. Going back would not bring with it the absolution Barone proclaimed.

  We kept running. At least, we did until there was a loud pop from behind us that told me a shot had been fired. When I turned, I saw that Dad had been spun around by it and was stumbling, trying to keep his feet firmly planted and preparing to fight whoever was threatening us.

  Isaiah! Dammit to hell! Why him?

  "Go back to Barone and stay out of this, son! You don't want to do this," Dad coaxed Isaiah, who was standing with a gun leveled on all of us.

  "Shut up! Do as I say. I'm taking you back to camp. Barone told me he realized he'd made a mistake when he appointed St. Romaine his Lead. He promised if I brought you all back, he'd make it up to me," Isaiah yelled. "Now clamp your hands behind your head and walk your sorry asses toward the camp."

  With nothing more than the light of the moon illuminating our way, I stared toward Dad. Not only was he pale, but he was in intense pain. The kind that had him gritting his teeth and holding his arm awkwardly against his chest.

  As if reason were all that was needed when dealing with Isaiah, I said, "You just shot him, Isaiah. He can't put his arm behind his head."