Ben's cheeks flushed with heat. "Thank you. You too."
"Enjoy yourself. Just think. We would be killed in Odyssia if we even held hands in public. Now here I am with the most handsome man I've ever met, taking him out to a nice dinner. It's kind of romantic. What? Why are you laughing, mate?"
"We've been married for what? Nearly two years? I can't remember because I was in a coma for a lot of that, but it's been a while. And you know what? This is our first actual date."
"Huh . . . yeah, I guess it is. Well, I promise you something right here, right now. Benjamin Trainor, I swear that I will take you on a date at least once a month for the rest of our lives. I will do my very best to treat you like the prince you are."
Ben sat back in his chair when the server returned with the bottle of wine, filled the thin crystal glasses with the diamonds in the stems, and placed the leather-backed menus on the table before leaving. "Vance?"
"Hmm?"
He had to ask the question, even though it could tear them further apart by even asking it. Ben could not get past the footage he had seen of Vance and Rav during that fight. "Do you . . . do you love me?"
Vance set his menu down to look through the candlelight at him. "You should never have to ask that. I love you more than the stars, the planets, and all the galaxies in this universe. I know why you're asking. It's because of what I said back on Dualictum to Rav, right? That I loved him? The feelings I have for Rav and the love I have for you are different things. You are always first in my life. Now, let us enjoy this, okay?"
Ben gave him a small smile before picking up the menu to look over the appetizers and hors d'oeuvres. He adjusted his glasses. "Vance, there are no prices on this menu."
"That's because if you need to know the price, you probably can't afford it anyway. Order whatever you like."
"I don't deserve all of this. I've never had this kind of opulence in my life."
Vance leaned forward and sipped his wine. "Number one, you do deserve it and so much more. Number two, I'm doing this because I deserve to be able to take my husband out to a romantic dinner at least once. Number three, if my plan goes as I want it to, there won't be any money left in the Azimandian coffers anyway, so we might as well enjoy it while we can."
"I guess you're right." Ben glanced at the menu again. "Oh, they have sea bass."
"Why do you think I got the chardonnay? It should pair well with that."
Ben recognized the problem, the reason he felt so uneasy. He looked around the restaurant where hundreds of people were minding their own business and carrying on intimate conversations with their dates. "Vance, why does no one seem to recognize us?"
"Oh, they do. I just tipped the security guards and servers in here to keep anyone from staring at us or bothering us. Perks of being obscenely wealthy. Quit fidgeting. I swear, you are worrying about everything today."
The server came back over with another bottle of wine in his hand and bowed. "Sirs, this is from the table in the back by the window. The man sends his regards and asked me to give you this card. Enjoy."
Ben took the card with the pen clipped on the edge from the server then set it to the side without even looking at it. He turned his attention back to the wine. "Someone bought us drinks, Vance. I feel like a giddy college girl in a bar."
"Yeah . . . they bought us some really expensive wine. I think you should open that card."
"Nah. You said it yourself. I need to stop worrying about things."
"Maybe this is something to worry about. Open the card, Ben."
"Okay, okay." Ben picked the off-white envelope up and pulled the flap back. He slid the heavy piece of card stock out then read over the curly handwriting in the flickering candlelight.
I hope you enjoy your freedom while it lasts. Drink up, Ishmael.
- Priest Caldwell
The card fell from Ben's fingertips. The oxygen left his lungs. His heart stopped.
"Ben? What did it say?"
Ben blinked twice and leaned to the side to peer past Vance's shoulder to see the table by the window. There, staring back at him with dark stern eyes below grey eyebrows, was the pudgy bald mustached man in the blue suit with the golden crucifix hanging around his neck.
Vance frowned then turned around and looked back to Ben. "Who's that?"
"Him. It's him. Oh, God. I can't. I can't. I have to go."
"Stay." Vance grabbed his arm and dug his fingers into his skin to keep him seated at the table. He picked up the card and scanned over it. "Calm down. I've never seen you so frazzled. Slowly explain to me who this is. Priest Caldwell? Oh, dear space. That was your last name before we changed it. You're not saying it's-"
"My father."
Vance's eyes narrowed. "I'll handle this."
"Vance, don't."
"Shush." Vance took the pen and began scribbling frantically on the back of the card until it was filled with words. He handed it back to the server who had brought a crystal dish of black caviar to the table. "Please take this back to the man who sent us the wine."
"Right away, sir."
Ben ground his teeth together and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "What did you write in there?"
"Don't worry about it. I just wrote down some of my feelings. I let him know what I think about him and what he did to you."
They both jumped when the clattering of dishes and the shattering of glass destroyed the ambient soft sounds of the restaurant. Heavy footsteps thudded against the hardwood floors as other couples gasped. Before Ben could warn him, Vance was pulled to his feet by the rough hands that grabbed his tuxedo jacket.
Ben's father screamed at Vance, sending spit flying in his rage. "How dare you? I am a man of God, you heathen! You can steal my son away from me and twist him into this perverted thing, but you will face punishment for the things you do, the filthy evil things you do. Vengeance will fall upon your head and you will repent for the error of your ways. You are a sinner, Vance Trainor! All sinners must repent or pay for their sins with their lives! Which one will you choose?"
Vance snarled at the much larger man who held him there, his feet barely still touching the floor. "It's a sin for me to eat dinner with my husband?"
"It's a sin for you to be with another man."
The Australian's lips upturned into a snarky grin as he pulled against the hands that held him captive. "Then is it a sin for you to rape all those children in your church? Or is it okay when you sleep with boys because they're not consenting adults? Is that where you draw the line? You get to hide behind your title and your position in the church, but enslave those offering children and abuse them because you believe you're entitled to it? But if two men or two women love each other, that's the bad thing? You're a sick pig."
People screamed when the priest's fist collided with Vance's face, sending him crashing over the table. Glasses of wine broke on the floor and spilled over him, soaking through his clothes. Vance picked himself up on his hands and knees as the wine dripped from his hair. "Ben, stand back. I don't want you getting hurt."
Ben backed away with his mouth covered by his hands. He squealed when his father kicked Vance in the side then picked up an empty wine bottle from the adjacent table and smashed it on the back of his head. He screamed when Vance collapsed in the puddle of spilled wine. "Vance, no!"
"And you." The priest pointed his gnarled finger in Ben's face. "Look at yourself. You should be ashamed of what you've become. Look how far you've fallen into sin. A sham relationship, what you dare to call a marriage, with another man. Are you serious? I'm ashamed to have ever called you my son. Get out of my face before I show you what a real man can do. Don't you look at him. He stays here with me."
"Don't hurt him. Don't!"
Priest Caldwell took Vance by his hair and pulled him up onto his knees. "That's where you belong, faggot. On your knees."
"Run, Ben. Get back to the escape pod." Vance stared up into the dark eyes that loomed over him as drops of wine slid down his face
and mixed with the blood that oozed from his busted nose. "I have a priest to kill."
Vance lunged at the priest's legs and tackled him into the next table. Crawling on top of him, he unleashed a flurry of punches. His metal left hand cut deep into the priest's face, drawing out rivers of blood through the sliced flesh. With each punch, he shouted at him through his anger. "You . . . are . . . nothing. You . . . abused . . . your son. You sold . . . him . . . like a . . . slave!"
"Vance, don't kill him!" Ben raced over, stepping around the shards of broken glass and napkins to hit his palms against his husband's shoulder. "Hey, stop! Vance, stop it. You can't kill him. He's my father!"
Vance landed one final punch to the priest's swollen face. His chest heaved with every breath as he rolled off of the man and stood with Ben's help. He turned back to spit on Priest Caldwell's face. "Go to hell, bastard." He put his arm around Ben's waist and they turned towards the front door. "Come on, Ben. Let's get out of here."
A woman screamed from behind them. "He's dead. The priest is dead! Someone call the police. Those two right there. I saw them fighting. They killed him! Stop them!"
Ben stumbled forward when Vance pushed him.
"Run, Ben. Run!" Vance dashed towards the doors and held them open as everyone else ran in the opposite direction to check on Priest Caldwell. "Did you lose your hearing? I've been in an AX-97 prison before and I'm not going back. Run!"
"You killed my father . . . you . . . you killed him."
Vance growled then snatched up Ben's wrist and dragged him forcefully out of the heavy wooden and gold doors. Once they were out in the busy street, he stopped for a moment to grab onto Ben's throat and shove him against the brick wall of the restaurant. "We'll talk about it later. You're in this with me now. Run or I beat you like I did your father. I don't want to hurt you, but you need to snap out of it and get back to reality. Our lives are at stake here. I killed a priest. Even if he was corrupt, the government here will see us hang. Do you want to die?"
Ben shook his head as hot tears covered his reddened cheeks.
"Then run!"
Chapter 7
"Welcome back, Rav!"
Rav slid down the side of the Galaxy Glider to land on the empty parking lot of an abandoned moon base. The blue light from the nearest giant star shone across the barren sand fields with an ebb and flow of intensity, making him squint through the rays to see the faces staring back at him. He bounced as he landed under the influence of lower gravity than he was used to, but the ease of breathing assured him that there were acceptable levels of oxygen present. Everyone from Sandra's ship was grouped up and smiling as they waved. He smiled back, but it was difficult to enjoy the reunion when he glanced over to where Remy was holding the still-unconscious Nemo in her arms.
He took a step back when fifteen exact copies of his son piled out of the ship with Lucas in his power armor herding them along. Nemo clones. They appeared to be well-fed and taken care of, allowed to roam freely without handcuffs . . . but why?
The crowd parted as the red-haired woman in the black pencil skirt and white blouse stepped forward. A few strands of hair had fallen loose from her bun and hung down around her small black glasses. She tucked the wisps of hair behind her ears as her tall black pumps clicked against the asphalt. As soon as she locked eyes with Rav, her pink lips parted in an airy breath.
"Leah!" Rav ran to her and took her in his arms. With a shower of kisses, he greeted her softly until all the pent-up confusion, anger, and loss took over. He broke. His heart broke. His mind broke. The dam that kept the tears at bay broke.
Leah's warmth and kindness melted his walls he had put up to block out the pain. Now he felt it all. Nestling his face into her soft perfumed neck, Rav let it all go. It did not matter that humans, Biromians, and Azimandians were watching him. It did not matter in the slightest. They would see a grown man reduced to a blubbering mess.
"Oh, Rav. I know you've been through so much. I know." Leah smoothed his hair and rubbed his back as he cried into her shoulder. "We'll get everything taken care of. You're safe now."
Dallis stepped forward and clapped his giant blue hands together. "All right, everyone. Let's get going. Everyone back on the ship. I need someone to fly Rav's Galaxy Glider while he takes a break. He is obviously not in any condition to pilot his own ship. Neon, will you do the honors?"
"No problem, boss. It'll be good to fly again."
"Good. Stranger in the white and red hood, who are you?" Dallis asked.
"I am a friend. That's all you need to know. Once we get Vance back, he will explain everything. I am a combat medic who helped Rav escape from the Elysian Flight Force base. I will take Nemo to the med bay and get him hooked up to the right machines. I know what I'm doing. He is in safe hands. If Rav trusts me to care for his son, then you all should as well."
"So be it. Hurry up. I don't want to lose anyone, especially not a child. Sandra, you have anything else?"
Sandra patted Dallis's arm. "Thanks, Dallis. That's why I put you in charge of keeping everyone together. Make sure Rav gets his own room."
Leah took Rav's hands. "No. He will stay with me. That is, if it's okay with Rav."
He wiped his face on the sleeve of his black hoodie and nodded his head, too afraid to speak for fear that his voice would only be a whimper. Instead, he leaned closer and whispered to her. "Please don't leave me alone. I need you, Leah. I need to talk with you in private. Can we go now? I can't be out here anymore. I just can't do it."
"Yeah, sure. Come on. Follow me."
* * *
The heavy steel door slammed shut behind Vance, leaving him alone in the bare five-feet by six-feet concrete cell. He shivered in his orange and purple striped jumpsuit as the ice cold water dripped from his hair. His skin was pink and raw from the brutal scrubbing the guards and other inmates had given him a few minutes before. He reached up to touch his blond hair and grimaced. They had cut it short once again. Years ago, Vance swore to himself that he would never find himself in this awful place again . . . yet here he was.
Under the light from the bare light bulb hanging on a cord from the ceiling, Vance looked around at the mold-encrusted corners, the mating white cockroaches crawling together up the peeling and cracked walls, and the bucket of slimy water. No bed, no blankets, no toilet except for another tin bucket. It was the place of every nightmare he had. But he had escaped before. Why not again?
With a twinge of panic, he realized why he probably would not be escaping. He did not have Kalimis and Slayven's help this time. Plus, he was not in the same shape as he was during that year of mercenary work. And not to be mean, but Ben was not exactly the best fighter . . . or quiet person . . . or quick thinker. Ben was a liability in situations like this. The odds were stacked against them.
Even through the steel door and concrete walls, Vance heard the high-pitched squeals coming from his husband as he received the same rough admittance treatment that he had gone through. Although he knew that Ben over-exaggerated things, it did sound like he was in pain. The first time Vance had been locked up here, Slayven had been beaten during this phase of admittance. Would they allow Ben to be treated the same horrific way?
A few minutes of agonizing screams later, the cell door was opened and Ben was literally thrown into the cell by two armed guards who closed the door and locked it once again.
Vance ran to the soaked mass of trembling and sobbing man and took him in his arms. Ben's mop of curly brown hair had been shaved short, leaving him somehow looking even younger than he looked before. He lifted Ben's face to his and took his cheeks in his hands. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you? Did anyone hurt you?"
"No. I'm just scared." Ben pulled away and crawled over into the corner to be alone. He took off his glasses to wipe away his tears. "Tell me you can get us out of here. You're the warlord of Azimandia. They can't keep you here. You're at war with Elysia, not AX-97. You do have a standing peace treaty with the Ilik'Ori Galaxy, don't you?"
"Of course I do. I don't leave loose ends like that. They have no reason to keep me here aside from what happened with your father. Even then, I have diplomatic immunity."
"What about me?"
"Are you still technically a citizen of AX-97?" Vance asked.
"I don't know."
"Then yes, you are. That's the problem we're going to have with this, mate. Even though you are the leader of the Red Sand Rebels and you are the husband of the warlord of Azimandia, you are a human and a citizen of this planet. That means that you must be subjected to the laws of this planet."
"What are we charged with?"
"Capital murder of a clergyman."
"Oh my God!" Ben drew his knees up to his chest. "I'm not a murderer. I don't go around killing people. I'm not you."
"That's why I am going to confess and tell them that you had nothing to do with it."
"But that will void your peace treaty."
"It was worth it, mate. It was worth it to make sure that monster couldn't hurt you or anyone else ever again. If I had the chance to go back, I'd do it the same way. Only I'd probably go slower and make him suffer as I killed him."
"Stop!" Ben held his head in his hands. "Just stop. I know you hated him. I know what he did to me, but he was my father. That still meant something to me. I thought I would have the chance to become something good, something that he would be proud of me for being. Then we would be reunited and he would apologize for hurting me. I thought I could make him proud."
"Men like him cannot be changed. Nothing you did would have been enough to gain his favor, Ben. That amount of hatred doesn't disappear overnight."
"What are you going to do now that you will be losing AX-97? Will they keep you as a prisoner of war?"
"No. At least, I don't think so."
When the door once again scraped along the dirt-smeared concrete floor, a rough-looking man in a black suit with a stun gun on his belt stomped inside with a communicator in his hand. "I am the chief of security here at the prison. You can address me as Chief. I've come here to give a quick briefing of your status in my prison. Warlord Aveni Azimandi, you should know that we are currently working with your second-in-command to secure transportation for you back to Star-World Zero Alpha."
The Genesis Sequence Books 6-10 Page 44