Loyalty

by Carrie Butler

  Larry’s eyes widened, having recovered from the shock of the line’s landing. He met my gaze and reached for his door…

  “No!” I shouted and waved my arms, daring closer than I should have. “Stay in the car, and don’t touch anythi—”

  A flash erupted inside the vehicle. His head jerked back as if thrown in convulsion, and his emotions surged so intensely they brought me to my knees. Then it was over. Then there was…nothing.

  “Clara!”

  Faye knelt at my side and gathered me up alongside her. “Are you all right?”

  Guilt, frustration, worry…

  I turned to her, looking at my sister in a new light as workers rushed to de-energize the line. Too late. Much too late. A worker knocked a steel cable off the bundle in his rush to bail off the house. It slapped the car with a spark that raced upward in slow motion.

  I watched with tunnel vision as a flame ignited and spread, consuming everything I owned. Ties to the past, gone. My place in this world, gone.

  Screams and sirens followed, and my throat felt stripped raw…

  I’d been the one screaming.

  One of the safety vest clad workers made deliberate eye contact with Faye. She pretended not to see him, steering me back to the car with murmured words of halfhearted comfort. We got Dad, moved the car out of the way, and did the only thing left to do.

  We watched my memories burn.

  ~

  After we worked things out with the movers and gave our statements to the authorities, Faye took Dad and me to ERA headquarters with her. I’d never been there before, but I was too numb to take in the view. Surely any other time, and in the light of day, it would have been an impressive sight. As it stood, I didn’t care.

  Pressure pounded behind my eyes alongside an ache in my head. I’d cried too much on the way there—for young Larry, for my own loss, and for the phone call I’d have to make…

  “Everything you need should be right here,” Faye told me, running her hand across the dresser. She’d brought us to the residential wing of her empire and given us suites to stay in. Out of the goodness of her heart.

  Out of the guilt in her heart.

  I felt it throb inside of her every time she attempted a distraction, every time she tried to mask whatever her involvement had been with a good deed. Her reaction back there had opened my eyes for the final time. I knew if I asked her outright, my discernment would tell me the same thing, no matter what her words. She’d orchestrated something to happen, and it had gone horrifically wrong.

  “Dad is set up next door,” she went on, gesturing to the wall. “I’ve brought in someone from the clinic to look in on him, so you can get some rest.”

  “Thank you.” My voice was raw, broken.

  “And of course, I’m right down the hall. Alongside Gail and…Elise.” A spike of genuine pain threaded itself through her words as her good eye studied me, gauging something I was too tired to even guess at. “You’ll stay here as long as you need.”

  My blood had gone cold around her. I could barely manage to nod before she left.

  After that frivolously high-tech door of hers sealed shut, the silence thickened around me. This was all I had now—this room of borrowed belongings. She’d finally stolen Freddie back from me, in a way. Our wedding photos would be nothing more than ashes littering the pavement, by now. His old coats would be decimated. I’d never know the scent or feel of my love again. The image of him in my mind was all I had left.

  And the boys—God, they’d lost their safe landing spot. The one thing I’d fought so hard to preserve for them. How was I to take care of them now, when I was under the care of someone they’d grown to despise? Someone I’d grown to distrust…

  I pulled my purse onto my lap and dug around for the phone Nicholas had given me. No more dwelling. I needed to let him know what had happened. He deserved that much.

  With trembling fingers, I dialed and only had to wait through two rings before his voice sounded through the earpiece. “Grandma, I was just about to call you.”

  “Nicholas…” A sob escaped my throat, the very thing I’d hoped to avoid for his sake. “I need to tell you something.”

  The story didn’t encompass a lengthy timeline, but it took me at least ten minutes to tell it. I spared no detail, reliving it for him and myself, trying to piece together what had really happened. When I finally finished, he remained silent.

  “Nicholas?” I held my breath. “Sweetie, I—”

  “He’s not…he can’t…I just…” My grandson’s voice was so small, so lost, I didn’t recognize it. “Please, tell me she put you up to saying this.”

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

  “Oh God.” His breathing hastened and I could feel his emotions leaking in—even from this great distance. Grief-stricken pain, hatred, self-loathing… He started to mumble an explanation that grew complicated at a mind-bending speed.

  Everything that had transpired in my absence came out. Wallace’s burns from the day before, Faye’s desire to torture the Dynari known as Vladimir, Gail’s new technique that allowed her to take Nicholas captive—even the torture Elise had subjected my grandson to. That curled my fist.

  When he went on to explain what had happened to her, what Rachel had accidentally done, I didn’t feel the sympathy I would have normally lent my long lost niece. Instead, I felt vindicated. Relieved. She was nothing more than a cog in my sister’s machine, but she’d crossed a line when she’d laid her hands on one of my boys. That was one thing I would not tolerate. From anyone.

  “Does Faye know about Elise?” I asked, remembering how she’d mentioned her room being nearby.

  “I don’t see how she wouldn’t.” Nicholas cleared his throat in an attempt to reclaim his voice. “Her minions inform her of everything else.”

  Pieces flew together in my mind, triggered by his words. She’d asked about Rachel’s car, and then had immediately begun fiddling with her phone. She hadn’t acted indignant by a worker changing the itinerary. Her eyes had constantly been fixed on the car behind us, even before anything had happened. She’d known about Elise.

  She’d made arrangements to have Rachel killed.

  “Nicholas,” I began, half wanting to keep my suspicions quiet and half needing to get them off my chest. “Do you think it’s possible that Fa—”

  “Yes,” he interrupted. “It was the first thing that crossed my mind.”

  A heavy pause weighed on the line until he cleared his throat again, sniffling behind a muffled receiver. “Grandma, do you think you could do something for me?”

  “Anything, dear.” And I meant it. My days of waiting for a peaceful intervention had come to an end. If the kids had plans to end this spiral, I was behind them.

  “Rachel’s bad—really bad. I think Elise would’ve had to have taken notes on whatever she designed for the injection cased in that ring. If we had them…”

  “You could help her,” I finished for him. “I understand.”

  “I would come do it myself, but I need to help Henry and Jaya sneak Rachel into Faye’s clinic before I get to you. By then, our window may be gone.” He sounded older now, assertive without his trademark aggression. “Understand I’d never ask you to do something this dangerous under any other circumstance.”

  I rose to my feet, caught up with determination. “I get it. Don’t you worry about me. It’s about time I pull my weight for this cause, anyway.”

  Another pause.

  “Grandma?”

  “Yes, sweetheart?”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Nicholas.”

  ~

  I steeled myself and slipped out into the hallway, brushing past wave after wave of lingering emotion.

  Everyone who had ever passed through these halls had left an impression, a density that lent itself to the air around me. It was always a struggle to block my ability in public, but this was near impossible. There were too many conflicting emotions at wor
k.

  Crazed devotion, ruthless ambition—signatures of Faye and her followers.

  Weaker feelings followed in their wake—fear wrought behind manipulated complacency. Those would have belonged to the workers.

  I made sure to pad down the hallway as quietly as possible, barely lifting my loafers above the concrete. It was futile, of course. The cameras would pick up my wanderings. Really, the only thing I could do at this point was act natural.

  As if such a thing were possible now.

  Pausing outside of the door Faye had indicated to be her daughter’s, I wrung my hands twice before pressing a shaky finger against the button. Beeeeeep! I had never really known my niece, but the thought of using her posthumously turned my stomach. “Hello? Elise dear? It’s Clara…”

  My voice had wavered, maybe too much. If anyone monitored these exchanges, my nerves were sure to give me away. Still, I had to press on for Nicholas, for sweet Rachel—for everyone, really.

  It could be said that my reluctance to commit to a side—to acknowledge that there even were sides—had brought us to this juncture. If I hadn’t let guilt cloud my judgment, I might have confronted my sister that night in the forest. She would have reacted defensively, of course, but there’s a chance she would have come to see reason. These poor kids wouldn’t have had to give their lives over a struggle they should have never had to worry about.

  I pressed the button again.

  The screen beeped, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. It said something. Something too small to make out. I lifted the reading glasses I kept strung around my neck and squinted. “Press hand here…”

  “All right,” I said, complying with the machine’s wishes. Technology unnerved me. What was wrong with good old-fashioned locks? Her base of operations was already hidden underground. To me, all of this was overkill—

  CLARA LAWRENCE - ACCESS GRANTED, the screen read.

  I couldn’t help but notice Faye had opted to use my maiden name in her system. The door slid open with one of those creepy hissing noises elevators make. I hurried inside before anyone could see me. Please, let these notes be out in the open…

  It sealed shut.

  Utilitarian surroundings simultaneously greeted me and left me cold. Elise hadn’t left many personal affects lying around, despite the long-term nature of her projects. Just how long had they been camped out down here?

  I lifted up a stack of papers on her desk, but I didn’t have a clue what I was looking for. My old heart wasn’t cut out for this spy work. I just wanted to grab the notes and speed home—not that I had a home to return to anymore.

  My throat constricted as I fanned the documents. What Elise had scrawled down may as well have been in a foreign language. I didn’t understand a bit of it. Should I just take it all? How am I going to carry it out of here without incriminating myself on videotape?

  I wiped my palms on my slacks. Maybe there was something else, something more obvious. I moved past her dresser and caught my reflection in the sole picture frame decorating the top. A grimace I couldn’t even feel twisted my features.

  Once my eyes regained focus, I realized the photo was of Elise and her family—from the looks of it, many years ago. Gail couldn’t have been more than fourteen, standing next to a man in uniform. Presumably, her father. A framed flag lay off to the side, indicating they must have lost him. Poor child…

  I shook my head and kept going. A laptop lay half concealed under her pillow. That had to have something of worth on it, probably a great deal of somethings. I snatched it up with desperate hands and looked around. If only I had thought to find a bag of some sort. Even my purse would have done. This information was paramount to Nicholas saving the only woman who had ever truly reached him, and I was going to fail them both.

  A beep sounded from outside the door, and my heart threatened to drill its way from my chest.

  I ripped the pillowcase from the pillow and crammed the computer inside, a heartbeat before my sister appeared in the doorway. She navigated around the opening door without missing a beat, her expression carefully neutral. It didn’t fool me for a second.

  Distrust emanated from her form, chased by notes of betrayal. Had she been waiting for me to act against her, or had my visit to Elise’s room caught her off guard? She crossed the room and plastered on a friendly veneer. “Did you get lost, dear?”

  I had two choices, and we both knew it—lie and hope she wouldn’t call my bluff, or finally confront my sister. If Nicholas truly did make it here soon with Rachel, I’d at least have some kind of exit strategy. I just needed to support myself until then.

  “Let’s drop the pretense, Faye.” I gripped the pillowcase even tighter. “I came in here for Elise’s notes on whatever she injected into Rachel.”

  “So, you were privy to that information.”

  “Yes.”

  “You didn’t mention it.”

  “I only learned of it fifteen minutes ago.”

  Faye pursed her lips. “I didn’t realize you carried a phone.”

  “You didn’t ask.” I took a deep breath and reached for her arm. “Faye, I am truly sorry for your losses today. These circumstances have had to have been incredibly stressful for you. I only wish I would have gotten the opportunity to know Eli—”

  She shrugged me off and took a step back. “Let me get this straight, you learned my daughter had been murdered and your first instinct was to steal from her?”

  “I hardly think this qualifies as stealing.”

  “And I suppose you expect the benefit of the doubt.” Her suspicion gave way to resentment as she rounded on me, frustrated, predatory. “Well, I hate to tell you, dear, but that’s not how the real world works. Outside of the comfy little life you built in that house, people have become cruel and unforgiving. It’s eat or be eaten, and without your grandkids to stand behind, you…you would be devoured.”

  My spine stiffened. “Excuse me?”

  I knew it had to be the grief talking. She was taking cheap shots at me without personal provocation. But still…

  “I gave you a second chance.” Faye swung her arm out, wildly gesturing behind her. “I allowed you time and consideration. I even moved your damn house!”

  “Well, that’s gone now, isn’t it?” I could hear the tears in my voice. The memory was still too fresh in my mind. “No more leverage.”

  The tension between us was palpable. We stared openly, neither of us shielding our disappointment from the other. This was everything we’d wanted to say since January.

  “I tried to be kind,” she told me, lowering her voice. “But you’ve made this situation very difficult.”

  “What you tried,” I emphasized, “was to have my grandson’s girlfriend killed out of petty vengeance. I wasn’t there when Elise passed, but I do know Rachel doesn’t have a violent bone in her body. You should have taken the time to figure out what happened.”

  “Would you say that if it was your child?”

  “My child was killed,” I reminded her, struggling to keep my tone in check. “I didn’t go after the person responsible. That only perpetuates what’s been done.”

  The boys had, though. I knew that much, though I never wanted to hear details.

  Faye ran a hand back over her ponytail and collapsed onto the bed. “This isn’t how it was supposed to go.”

  “What did you have in mind?” I took a seat beside her, careful to still keep my grip on the pillowcase.

  She studied the ceiling with dread, her good eye locked on a thought somewhere. “Clara, you’re going to help me execute the final stage of this project.”

  Had we been talking about nothing? I’d just condemned her for her actions, and she was changing the subject, acting as though nothing had changed between us. How was I meant to respond to that?

  “I’ve used most of my political connections, so we’re going to need to talk to a few people in higher offices to realize the last phrase. They might need a little of your hallmark persuasion.
”

  Her husband and daughter had died the same day, and all she could think about was using my abilities to further her delusion? I had never considered my sister too far gone before, but the notion crept its way into my consciousness. She needed to be stopped through means stronger than reprimand. That much had become obvious.

  “What if I refuse?” I asked, gathering my nerves as tightly as the pillowcase. There was no way I could go along with her plans, not when my willing participation would affect millions of innocents. “What will you do?”

  “You wouldn’t do that to me.” She patted my leg. “Not after I’ve worked this hard to get here, to help eve—”

  “Faye,” I cut her off, sharper than I’d intended. “I’m not going to be a party to the systematic portioning of humans just for the sake of loyalty. I’m sorry. I thought you knew that.”

  Her lips twitched. Disbelief. A smile. “Don’t tease at a time like this.”

  Somewhere beyond the door, Nicholas’ determination grew stronger. He was in the building somewhere—and that emboldened me. I stood up. “I had hoped to avoid this conversation for as long as possible because, truthfully, I want nothing more than to reestablish what we had. Your return was a blessing I wept over, despite our rocky reunion. But this…this is too much.”

  She grabbed my arm. “Clara, you’re being hasty. Why don’t you go back to your room and get some sleep? We’ll revisit this topic in the morning, once we’re both thinking clearly.”

  “I’m not one of your employees!” I ripped my wrist back. “Do what you will, kick me out on the street—it doesn’t matter. I refuse to be a part of this.”

  Her eye sparked. “Are you saying you oppose me?”

  “If there is no middle ground here, then yes, I oppose my own sister. I suppose that makes me a bad person.”

  “Not bad.” She slowly raised her fingertips to the scarred skin over her bad eye and began to pry the lid open. “Simply…unconvinced.”

  I froze as lethal smoke began to pour from the void.

  CHAPTER 16

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