One Wish, One Choice

by Abby Hope Patrick

  “This is it. It’s the order for Rufus’s imprisonment, and her signature is at the bottom.” He handed it to Rufus. The others clustered around, reading every word.

  Anja’s burner phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out. “Guys, Jabez is outside waiting for us.”

  Faye frowned. “He was meant to send a guard to get us. He’ll draw too much attention.”

  “Well, the last time one of his guards met us we gave them a bullet wound,” Anja shot back.

  Suddenly the sound of an alarm blared from the speakers around the building. Kano shouted over the sound, “They know we’re here! Anja, call Jabez, now!” He’d never raised his voice like that before, with fear spilling out with every word.

  She did as he said. Jabez picked up on the first ring.

  “We need help! They know we’re here!”

  “Have you got my document?” Jabez asked.

  “We haven’t found it yet, but we don’t have time to keep looking!”

  “Text me when you have it.”

  A soft click. Anja held her breath, waiting for a reply, but none came.

  “Jabez? Jabez!” She shouted into the phone. Anja turned to the others. “He hung up on me! He won’t help unless we find his document. We’re on our own.”

  All three of them cursed in unison.

  “Everyone spread out,” Kano instructed, “we need to find this bloody thing.” He shouted the file number while they searched.

  Anja’s heart was pounding in her chest, her head spinning as she desperately searched the room. Her frantic search was interrupted by Rufus.

  “Guys I have it!” The group’s replies were cut off as Kano shushed them. They all fell silent, quiet enough to hear voices echoing in the corridor outside.

  Faye ran forward. “Barricade the door!” The rest of them followed, pulling boxes from the shelves and stacking them. Anja sent Jabez a simple text, saying they had what he wanted. She could hear the voices clearly from where she was,

  “They asked me for directions to this room.” The voice came from the woman they’d locked in the cupboard. Faye recognised it too. She shot Anja a look, though she was too out of breath to actually say, I told you so.

  The guards on the other side attempted to shove open the door, the boxes trembled, but with the group’s weight against them they didn’t fall. The guards shouted from the other side before they tried opening the door again.

  “This isn’t going to hold,” shouted Rufus, over the noise.

  “It has to!” Anja replied, her muscles aching.

  The guards threw themselves at the door again, causing a few of the boxes to fall onto the group. But then they suddenly stopped. Anja heard muffled voices from the other side of the door, “We’ll take over here. Go guard all the exits. There could be more.”

  She knew that voice. It belonged to Jabez.

  Moments later there was a knock on the door. “Mind opening the door for me?”

  They worked together to slide the boxes away.

  Anja raised her voice. “It’s all clear.”

  Jabez pushed the door open and entered the room, flanked by guards. He raised his chin. “You’ve made a real mess in here.” He noticed the glares he was receiving from the group.

  “What the hell was that?” Faye spat, “You were going to leave us here!”

  Jabez scoffed, “No, I just thought you needed more incentive to find what I wanted.” He saw the papers clutched in their hands. “And now you’ve found them, let’s get out of here. My guards are going to put zip ties on you and we’ll walk you out through the front doors.”

  Every face turned to Anja, silently asking if they could trust him. She froze for a few seconds before nodding. She was the first to hold her hands out. The boys followed after handing the documents to Jabez, who tucked them inside his suit. Faye was frozen in place.

  “I don’t want the zip ties.” For the first time, her voice shook.

  “It’ll be okay,” Kano promised her.

  “You don’t know that,” she snapped.

  “Yes, I do because you’re going to hide your knife in your sleeve. That way, you can decide when they come off.”

  Faye took a shaky breath out and nodded. She reached for the knife in her boot and slid it up her sleeve before extending her hands out.

  The group were silent as they were paraded through the building. Guards flanked either side of them, with Jabez leading the way.

  They walked out through the front doors and were led into a big black car. Jabez got in the driver’s seat, after dismissing his guards. Once the car was out of sight of the doors, he produced a pair of nail clippers and they took turns cutting each other’s makeshift cuffs.

  Anja shook out her wrists. “Well, that could’ve gone better but at least we weren’t shot this time.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “We’re still heading back to the safe house, right?” Anja asked.

  “Yes, to pick up your friends, then we’re going to see my mother and let her lie in the grave she dug for herself.” His fringe flopped over his right eye, his suit creased. He looked tired, but there was a fierce glint in his eyes.

  Kano leant forward between the front seats, “That wasn’t the plan, we were going to send this evidence to the media and let them release it.”

  “She may have made mistakes but she’s still my mother,” Jabez shot back. “I want to give her the option to step down before we release the documents and ruin her reputation.”

  Rufus spoke, “So, what’s in the document you asked us to get? And were willing to risk our capture for, I should add.”

  Jabez kept his eyes firmly on the road, taking his time to reply. “I have on good information that my mother is to blame for the attack that killed my father. But I’ve never found evidence until I was approached by one of her advisors who told me where I could find the order she signed. That’s why I needed you to get them so desperately, I’m sorry if my method wasn’t the friendliest.”

  Anja was hardly listening to him. She had completely lost her breath. Rufus gripped her arm.

  “Anja?” She stared at him, tears making her vision blurry. “That means…”

  “Atgas killed our parents,” she finished the sentence for him, grabbing his hand.

  Rufus shook his head. “I can’t believe it. That bitch has seriously fucked up our lives.”

  Jabez took his eyes off the road for a second to look at them both. “I know it’s a shock but we’ll all feel better after we take her down.”

  Anja stared at him, “You’re allowed to be upset, you know.”

  “I don’t have time for emotions, they’ll get in the way of what needs to be done.”

  Everyone fell utterly silent. Anja could hear Kano as he rustled papers. She picked up on his muttering as he read the information they’d just collected. She noticed that Kano mouthed the words as he read, she let herself be distracted by the thought, a small smile lifting her lips.

  They pulled up outside the safe house. Anja and Kano rushed up the stairs and unlocked the door.

  Miles was on the sofa, a flannel on his forehead. As he glanced towards the door, a huge grin spread over his face, “Good to know you survived.”

  “Jabez and the others are waiting in the car,” said Kano. “We’re taking down Atgas tonight.”

  Miles tried to stand but when his feet hit the ground his legs gave out and he fell. They ran towards him. Miles waved them off. “I’m fine, just a little light-headed.”

  Saskia glanced at Miles, then at Kano.

  “He’s not going.” Her voice made it clear that this was non-negotiable. Miles still tried to argue back, but Saskia stared him down. “You’re staying.”

  “That isn’t fair! I don’t want to be left here while you go fight the president. I want to be a part of this too.”

  Anja ignored him. “Get some sleep, Miles. We’ll come back afterwards and take you to a doctor to check you over.” She wrapped her arms aroun
d her friend. He squirmed, but finally, he gave in and returned the hug.

  Saskia leant down next to Miles, “Promise me you’ll rest. After this we will be able to go anywhere we want. But I’m not taking you unless you’re completely better.”

  Miles grinned, “I better start resting then.”

  Saskia leaned in and kissed him, then turned and left with the others.

  When they got back to the car Kano quickly updated the others that Miles wasn’t coming. Jabez froze, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. But a moment later his grip loosened and his shoulders relaxed.

  They spent a lot of the journey going over the documents and pulling out everything that mentioned Rufus. Anja blocked them all out. She didn’t think she could handle hearing the plans that had been made to take her brother away from her.

  By the end of the journey, they had a whole pile of incriminating evidence and the assassination order. The drive was so long that each of them, besides Jabez, slept at least some of the way. They all ate some provisions that Kano had grabbed while inside the safehouse but a lot of the journey was spent in silence.

  Finally, they arrived at the government’s headquarters in Okland. After they stepped out of the car, Jabez beckoned for them to follow him. “My personal guards will be taking us to my mother.” He turned to a guard who was waiting outside the building’s backdoor. “Where is she now?”

  “Her office, sir.” He nodded towards the door. They followed him inside.

  Anja hadn’t been prepared to confront Atgas and her worry began consuming her thoughts. Her hands were shaking but she pushed the fear down, focusing on her friends to keep her mind from clouding over. As they continued to follow Jabez through the building she couldn’t help the anxiety that filled every inch of her body. Kano noticed and moved slowly over to her, leaning in to whisper, “What belongs to you but is used more by others?”

  She looked up at him. Whatever he saw on her face seemed to make him chuckle. “Try and figure it out,” he prompted.

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re panicking and need a distraction.”

  They both smiled. “All right,” said Anja. “But tell me again, I wasn’t listening.”

  Kano repeated the riddle. While they walked, Anja pulled her mind away from everything around her and focused on it, and only it.

  They reached a big white door. Before opening it Jabez turned to the group.

  “I’m sorry but Rufus isn’t allowed in without handcuffs.” His face scrunched into an apologetic expression. “He’s a Sorcerer. There are still rules in place.”

  Anja was going to protest but Rufus lifted his hands,

  “It’s fine.” His cheeks had gone red and he wasn’t blinking as he spoke.

  A guard stepped forward and tugged Rufus’s hands behind his back, locking handcuffs tightly around his wrists.

  “I don’t like this, Rufus.” Anja looked at her brother, trying to communicate more to him. But Jabez and his guards weren’t going to budge.

  Faye had been quiet since getting in the car. Not one word had come out of her mouth, which worried Anja. Faye had strong opinions and normally held no reservations about sharing them.

  Saskia kept moving from foot to foot, spinning her hair around her finger and eyeing the door as if it was going to bite her. Only Kano was keeping calm, his expression set.

  Jabez addressed them, “Before we go in I need to say thank you. You have all done the nation of Ransmor a huge service by bringing me these documents.”

  “Let’s just get this over with,” snapped Kano.

  A guard opened the door and they slowly entered the room. Saskia gave Anja a nervous smile, which she returned.

  The first thing Anja noticed about the office was how warm it was. Sunlight filled every inch of the long, thin space.

  President Atgas sat behind a huge black desk in front of the window.

  Anja glanced behind her, noticing that Jabez’s guards had followed them in and now stood on the perimeter of the room, watching. She exhaled, glad for their protection.

  The group huddled in a small circle with Jabez a few feet in front.

  Atgas glanced up at the group, putting her pen down.

  “Hello, mother.” Jabez almost growled the last word.

  “What’s going on? Why are these fugitives in my office?” Atgas’s voice was cautious. Piles of papers were stacked high on her desk.

  Jabez took a few steps forward. When he spoke, he sounded as if he were reciting a well-rehearsed speech. “For years you’ve sat on your throne and told others what to do. But we’re finally fed up with it. I am fed up with it.”

  “Jabez,” Atgas’s voice was low and soothing, “You’re not thinking straight. Let’s go somewhere and talk.”

  “No!” Jabez yelled, his fists clenched together. He took another few steps forward.

  The room was tense. No one dared breathe.

  “We have the documents you signed giving permission for Rufus to be kidnapped, kept in a cell and starved. I have decrees you issued to imprison those who dared stand against you. I have proof that you were behind father’s death. I’m going to release them and everyone will know what you did. And that will just be the start,” he finished.

  The president’s face drained of colour. Her eyes kept scanning the guards around the edge of the room, trying to figure out whose side they were on. Atgas stepped around the desk and slowly approached her son.

  “Jabez,” she said, calmly. “There are rules, rules that I have to follow.”

  “And torturing a boy is one of them?” Anja’s voice rose as she lunged forward. Kano thrust out an arm to stop her.

  Atgas turned her gaze to Anja. “No, of course not, but not everything is up to me. The power Sorcerers hold cannot be allowed to be used freely, there must be restrictions. Your brother was collaborating with Sorcerers. He wrote an article that we couldn’t allow to be published. We needed to know what he’d found out and who he’d told.”

  “I am here you know,” Rufus piped up.

  Atgas sighed, “It wasn’t the first time I had to do something I thought was wrong.”

  “Oh no, poor you.” Rufus rolled his eyes, “I can see how me rotting in a cell would be difficult for you.”

  The president chose not to reply. She turned her attention back to Jabez. “Regarding your father,” she swallowed, looking him in the eyes, “he wasn’t a kind man. I needed to protect you, I needed to protect myself. I know the council wanted him out of power so I asked for their help. I had no idea of their plan until after it had happened. But I don’t regret my decision, because it protected us from him.”

  Anja spoke through gritted teeth. “You’re the reason my brother and I grew up without parents.” Kano’s hand connected with Anja’s, gripping her fingers. Her whole body was shaking.

  Atgas didn’t have a chance to respond. Jabez spun around, eyes blazing. “We don’t have time for this!” His voice echoed around the big white room. “All my mother does is deceive. You can’t believe a word she says.”

  “Honey, we can talk about this. Please, don’t do anything you’ll regret.”

  Jabez’s voice was haunted. “I love you, mother, but I have to do this.”

  “Whatever it is, please just reconsider. You’re in one of your rages, I can help.” Atgas moved forward, her arms out.

  Jabez pulled a knife from his belt. In one swift movement, he lunged forward and buried the blade into her stomach.

  Her eyes widened. She gasped as he yanked the blade free.

  Atgas collapsed onto the cream carpet. The blood spread so quickly that in a few seconds her white dress was stained dark red. Her body trembled, her hands clutching her stomach. She gasped, squeezing her eyes closed.

  Anja pulled her attention away from the president when she noticed movement in the corner of her eyes. She spun around just as the guards rushed up behind the group and grabbed them. Anja’s hand slipped from Kano’s as he was dragged away
from her.

  “Let me go!” Saskia screamed as a guard pinned her arms behind her back.

  Jabez turned to them, the knife in his hand, dripping blood. He held it up to his eyes and studied it, fascination filling his soulless pupils. Then he lowered it to study them.

  A grim smile spread along Jabez’s thin lips. “Taking down my mother isn’t easy, she has an endless supply of supporters, so killing her is the only way. In the next council meeting, I’ll step up and take her role. She got the position by killing my father, I’m just doing the same.” He wiped the bloody blade onto his trousers. “It’s actually quite funny when you think about it.”

  No one laughed.

  “And to get rid of you, I’ll say that you’re a part of a Sorcerer religion and that’s why you viciously stabbed her. You did make it awfully easy. You were all so caught up in your thirst for revenge.” He laughed, a hollow, faint sound that made Anja’s skin crawl. His eyes found Anja. “I did like you. I wanted you to be mine. But I hope you can understand, my career must come first.”

  Anja lunged forward, spitting at his feet. The guards holding her tightened their grip.

  “You bastard!” Saskia screamed. She sank her elbow into the stomach of the guard holding her and twisted the gun from his hand. She held it up, shakily pointing it at Jabez.

  He stared at her, his face going slack. Then his lip curled at the corner as he said, “Kill her.”

  Saskia fumbled frantically with the safety lock, while a nearby guard lifted his weapon.

  “Saskia!” Anja screamed.

  A gunshot rang out through the room.

  Saskia’s head jerked back, her eyes widening in shock. She toppled backwards onto the marble floor.

  “Saskia!” Anja’s screams joined the others. “Saskia!”

  The metallic smell of blood filled her nose. Anja’s body went cold with fear. She couldn’t look away from her friend’s body, lying limp, her hair spilling over the marble floor.