Jake laughs, kissing me slightly on the lips.
Our moment as usual is cut short by the sound of clunky boots walking our way.
“Good morning, Rose,” I say.
“Good morning,” she responds, “did you sleep well?”
“As well as to be expected.” Jake smiles diplomatically.
“Very good,” she says dryly.
An awkward silence stretches forth between us.
“Was there something you needed?” Jake asks, finally breaking the silence.
“Yes,” she says… “We need to talk.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jake and I exchange a glance. Does she know about our plans with Cara? Have we overstayed our welcome? Is she going to ask us to stay longer to be yet another army in the making?
“Now?” I ask.
“No,” she says, sure of herself. “You and your people may have your meeting first, then we will talk.”
We both nod our agreement, and she walks away, head held high.
“How does she know about our meeting?” I ask.
“Tawnya,” Jake says. “I said it in front of her last night.
“It must be.” I nod.
“Meeting of our people in ten,” Jake’s voice sounds through the building. “Except for you,” he says, looking at Robert.
Robert looks at Jake as if he might be his least favorite person.
“I will never take you there,” he spits the words at Jake.
“We will see, then,” Jake comes back.
Ten minutes pass with our group minus Robert in the front room of the store house.
“We need to talk,” Jake begins, “but we have to talk low, so they don’t hear us.”
“Agreed,” Shawn says, “Tawnya was telling us last night to watch out for Rose. She said that she loves her, but she is not someone to mess with.”
“Why would Tawnya have told you that, and then turned around and reported our meeting to Rose?” I ask.
“She is indebted to Rose,” Leah speaks up. “If she lied, or didn’t tell her, and Rose found out, then she could kill her.”
“She owns her,” Shawn finishes.
“Owns her?” Samantha pipes up, still rotating her shoulder to loosen it up.
“Yes,” Leah begins, “Rose traded a weeks-worth of food to some nomad voyagers twelve years ago for her.”
“What about her son?” Magi asks.
“He is Rose’s grandson!” Shawn whispers. “Although, she doesn’t claim him or Tawnya.”
“Yuck,” Zac says, wrinkling his nose.
“Anyway,” Leah says, “Tawnya said she knew Cara will want to come with us. She says we should take her away.”
“We plan to,” I say, “Jake and I have a plan, that’s why we called this meeting.”
They all exchange a knowledgeable glance.
“So…what…we just go up to this woman and ask for Cara?” Mar asks sarcastically. “I don’t think she will like that very much.”
“Just like the weeks-worth of food and the nomads,” Eli interjects, “we have to buy her.”
“With what?” Dia says, sounding like the innocent five-year-old that she is.
I wish she didn’t have to be a part of this, but if she must be out here in the real world with us, then she needs to know about all that happens in the real world.
“A couple Colt 45s and a truck,” I answer.
“Where in the world are we going to get a truck?” Samantha asks.
“Do you remember your near-death experience yesterday?” Jake asks sarcastically.
“Why no, I don’t have any idea what you are talking about,” she answers with a condescending smile.
“The IOUSC truck?” Leah says, putting all the pieces in place.
“The IOUSC truck,” I confirm.
“Let me get this straight,” Magi begins, “we tell this Rose lady that we want to buy Cara from her with two crappy guns, and a truck that may or may not run, and what? Hope for the best?”
“Pretty much,” I laugh.
“Then we take off towards The Elected with a man who most likely will not cooperate,” Leah says, “and pray that none of us will get killed, and all of this without knowing that the girls are still alive.”
“It’s a plan,” Shawn says, smiling at his new girlfriend.
“Baxley too,” I say.
“Who in the world is Baxley?” Eli asks looking confused.
“He’s Cara’s little brother,” Jake answers. “He was taken by The Elected about five years ago, but it’s a long story…”
“And her story to tell,” I finish.
“Can we trust her?” Zac asks, being brave and much older than he is.
“Yes,” Jake and I say at the same time.
“It will be nice to have another medic with us,” Magi smiles, while rubbing at her gunshot wound. “I mean in case something like this happens again… or worse.”
“Let’s not think about worse.” I cringe.
“Everyone in?” Jake pipes up.
We all give our consent in one way or another, allowing our nerves to heighten just a tad, but not enough to lose our focus and self-control.
“So, we request an audience with Rose, then?” Shawn asks.
“We already have one, she came to us this morning,” I say.
Our group slowly filters out of the small room and back into the large space. Mar lingers long enough that everyone except for her, Jake, and I are gone.
“Can we have a moment?” Mar asks Jake.
“Sure,” Jake answers.
Jake walks out of the room, never looking behind him. He knows that with Mar, I am safe and happy.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“Are we okay?”
“Yes,” I squeal, “why wouldn’t we be?”
“We would be,” she answers smiling, “it’s just, that with Eli and I, and you and Jake together so much, even though we are always around each other, we don’t get to spend as much us time together.”
“Are you checking to make sure you and I are still you and I?” I ask.
“If you put it that way… yes,” she smiles, hugging me tightly.
“One day,” I begin, still hugging her. “All of this will be over with, and you will marry my brother, and give me lots of nieces and nephews, and you both with always be near Jake and I, and all will be okay. Zac and Dia will play with each other and be the best of friends.”
We pull apart, tears streaming down her face. I grab her hand, hoping she knows I believe every word of what I had just said.
“I know, Liz, it’s just hard to see the end picture. You have always been so good at that, not me.”
“You are great at everything.” I squeeze my best friend’s hand.
“I love you my sister,” she smiles.
“Love you too, my friend, my sister.” I hug her again.
“It’s time,” Jake says, leaning through the doorway.
Mar wipes her eyes as I steady my shaking hands by grabbing the hem of my shirt.
We all walk back into the room, ready for what may come, not knowing if we will ever make it out of this place alive.
Chapter Twenty-Five
All members of both groups stand around the large storeroom, awaiting instructions from Rose as to what we need to do. She looks at each one of us with her arms folded over her chest.
“It has come to my attention,” she begins, “there may be a need for a meeting between the leaders of the newcomers and myself. Liz and Jake may attend the meeting with myself. You may bring one member each from your group and choose a member from my family to attend as well. Take a moment to discuss, and I will be prepared for what it is that you deem so important.”
She said the entire thing stone faced. It is hard to tell if she is mad or not, which makes the thought of what we are about to do more frightening. I have been taken by The Force, put through hell and back, and I am afraid of this woman thirty years older than I am.
Our group huddles tightly together.
“Who do you choose, Jake?” Samantha asks.
“Eli,” Jake responds, sure of his answer.
My brother looks at Jake as if he had misheard him, but instead of questioning him, he walks over to Jake and stands next to him.
“And you, Liz?” Magi asks.
“I…I don’t know,” I stutter.
“You already have Eli, so you don’t need me,” Mar says. I think she says it to make sure to let me know that there will be no feelings hurt if I don’t pick her.
“You sure?” I ask.
“Very,” she genuinely smiles.
“Either Magi or Shawn,” I say.
Samantha scowls at me but remains quiet.
“I can get my information straight from you,” Magi says, “Sam nor I either one need to be there,” she sends a sideways glance towards Samantha. “Plus, Samantha and I would be better off keeping an eye on Robert.” She smiles at him sitting on the ground.
“It’s settled, then.” I smile. “Shawn, it is.”
“And Cara is the one from their group we want with Rose, correct?” Zac asks.
“I think that’s best,” I agree.
We break apart, letting them know who we have chosen from both groups to come to our meeting. Why does it have to be so formal? When those of us from The Force decide to have a meeting, we allow all our group members to talk. There is no sense or pride in allowing one or more of our people to remain in the dark.
Moments later, we are standing back out in the small room at the opening of the building.
“We are changing locations today,” Rose begins, as if we are the biggest inconvenience. “Please, make this quick, and then we expect to never see you again! Am I correct?”
“If that is what you want,” Jake begins, “but first, we have a proposition for you.”
“I am not in the mood for propositions,” Rose frowns.
“Just hear them out,” Cara interrupts.
“I knew this had something to do with you.” Rose spits the words at Cara like venom from a poisonous snake.
“I’m sorry, Rose,” Cara begins to explain, but before she can continue, Rose slaps Cara across the face, hard.
“After all I have done for you!” she yells.
“And I appreciate you saving my life,” Cara says, holding her cheek.
“I gave up Cloe for you,” Rose says, a bit softer this time.
“I know, Rosa Maria, but this is not my path anymore, and I need to live my life.”
“Which is with these people?”
“I feel it is.” Cara looks at us. A red whelp growing on her face every second she speaks.
“And you want to take my child away from me?” Rose accuses us.
“With all due respect ma’am,” I try to sound confident.
“Don’t give me that all due respect and ma’am garbage, you want to take Cara from me, and I suspect you have an offer for her?”
She stands stoically, awaiting a response from one of us.
“Uhm,” I lose all words.
“What, cat got your tongue?” she mocks me.
I open my mouth to speak again, but I don’t get a single word out before she holds a shushing hand in my face.
“Tell me,” she begins, “why did you choose these two young men to come to this meeting with you? Are you at the very least able to tell me?”
“Yes,” Jake begins, “this is Eli. He is Liz’s twin brother. I hated him when we first met, because the man sitting on the ground in the other room gave them up when they were kids, and Eli was too protective of his sister when we first met, and we didn’t get along due to that.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you choose him to take part in this meeting as your second,” Rose scoffs.
“Lady,” Eli says, defending Jake. “We hated each other for loving the same beautiful, insanely crazy, diligent, suffering, brave, intelligent woman. Only I love her for being my sister, and he loves her for her, and he didn’t have to.”
“That still,” Rose begins.
“Shut up, lady.” Eli steps forward one step. “He and I respect each other. We came to a point we were harming Liz more than helping her, so we came together out of mutual respect at first, survival second, and family now.” Jake puts an arm on Eli’s back. “He fights, I fight! That’s all there is to it!”
“I see,” Rose says, still no emotional change. “And you two?” she nods at Shawn and me.
I panic for a moment, because at first, I can’t think of the real reason why I picked Shawn. If it was Mar, I could use the best friends in diversity thing, and Magi I could use the mother figure aspect, the protector. Even Samantha I could talk about training and the reasons why we love/hate each other, but Shawn?
“I choose her,” Shawn says, “every time.”
“Why?” Rose asks.
“Is there a point to all of this?” Cara interrupts.
“There is a point to all I do… Now, Why?”
“Because, my family was never my family,” Shawn says, looking Rose straight in the eye. “My dad left when I was born, and my mom was not too far behind him. They left my sister Christina and I with our grandmother and Pop-Pop…we never saw them again. My grandmother was a piece of work. Sometimes, when she was mad at my Pops, she would purposefully forget to report to The Elected government booths at the beginning of the month. They would come and beat my Pops and take Chris and I to a service camp for the month.” He looks down, breaking eye contact with Rose.
“Go on,” Rose says softly.
“That’s where Christina died. She got an infection and died at the hands of The Elected in one of their filthy work camps. I watched as they threw her body in a fire and walked away like she didn’t matter.”
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper, while taking his hand with one of mine and with the other, I hold the feather pendant for support.
I hold it so tight it bites at the flesh of my palm. Pain is really the only thing I have felt recently, so it is a nice reminder that I am human. My heart sinks as I continue to squeeze his hand and the pendant… thinking for only a moment about my mother.
Shawn looks back up and doesn’t break eye contact with Rose for the remainder of his confession.
“I was sent back to the same camp three more times after Chris died. That was before I was fortunate enough to be taken by The Force. I wasn’t allowed to do anything, talk to anyone, or my grandmother would threaten work camp on me, so I remained silent. Six months before I was taken, Pop-Pop was killed during a beating. That was the last time I was sent to work camp. April came, and I walked the streets on purpose to be taken so I wouldn’t have to spend a second more with that monster. The day we were taken by The Force, Liz, Eli, and Mar took me in, no questions asked. I would fight with them or die with them.”
“I didn’t know.” I say with tears rolling down my cheek.
“It’s okay.” He hugs me. “You didn’t ask, and I was fine with that.”
“I knew you would tell us in your own time.” I’m just sorry it had to be now.” I scowl at Rose for making him talk.
“So, you have loyalty,” she says the words as a statement not a question. “What will you offer me?”
“Two guns, a bit of ammo, and a running vehicle,” Jake answers.
“Would you sell Shawn, Eli, or your little sister for two guns and beat up old vehicle?” she asks seriously.
“No,” I answer truthfully.
“Then, why should I?”
“We have no truthful answer to this question,” Jake complies. “Other than the fact that Liz knows where your daughter spends most of her time in The Facility.”
Rose sends an accusing look in Cara’s direction.
“Jake!” I quietly scold him.
“Is this true?” she retorts, voice full of anger.
“It is,” I answer with my head down.
“If she tells you, would you let Cara come with us?” Eli asks.<
br />
“Two guns, a WORKING vehicle, the location of my daughter, and one other thing,” she answers Eli.
“What more could you possibly want?” Jake demands the answer.
“Robert Towers,” she answers with a smirk on her face.
Chapter Twenty-Six
A light-headed feeling crosses my boggled mind. What could she possible need with Robert, my once spectacular father turned evil? She has got to be bluffing.
I turn around to face the back wall for a moment, trying to center my emotions. Why does it even matter so much to me that he be gone? Other than the fact that he is the only one that can get us to The Elected headquarters that is.
I turn back around to see a placid look on my brother’s face. It is hard for me to read what he is thinking about all of this. Being twins, we usually can tell what the other is thinking, but this time, it is impossible to tell. He must be trying to stay cool in front of Rose.
“What do you want with Robert?” Jake breaks the silence.
“He is of some use to me where The Facility is concerned,” she responds, “and it looks as if you don’t really care to have him around, so why not?”
“We need him,” Eli pipes up.
“Then, I need Cara,” she says calmly.
“Rose!” Cara steps forward to protest.
Rose raises her hand to Cara again, but this time she does not make contact. Now, she is using the threat of hitting her to keep her quiet.
“We would never do that,” I say.
“And what is that?” she asks.
“Hit her!”
“My people get what is coming to them,” Rose spits the words at me.
“And what is coming to them?” Shawn asks. “Did I get what was coming to me when my parents left me? When Chris and Pop-Pop died, and my grandmother beat me and sent me away? What about all of that?” Shawn is yelling at her. “Did I deserve that? Cause I sure don’t see it.”
“We all get what is coming to us whether we deserve it or not,” she responds.
“That is a load of shit lady,” Shawn counters, “Cara will be coming with us, like it or not.”
He grabs Cara by the arm, walking out of the room with her. Seconds later, Hector scurries into the small room to check on his mother.
THE ELECTED (Fighting Freedom Book 2) Page 12