“Good,” he agreed. He took another deep breath and watched as I put the papers back in my sock. “Lily, one more thing. Dana is getting really pushy about getting you to come to the Commission after school. He’s already been talking to my mother about carpooling us to and from the Commission and getting you clearance through the building.”
I hesitated.
“I guess it will be good in the long run.” I tried to smile. “Then I can snoop around a little more.”
“Just be careful,” Clark whispered. “I don’t know what he’ll do to secure this, but be sure that you don’t move too fast. Keep resisting him.”
“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on giving in to him.”
“Good. I know you’re strong enough to resist.”
“Clark…” I started, looking at my feet. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
“Sure…”
“What Dana does to you…when he corners you, do you fight him?” I whispered. “Or do you just wait for him to get it over with?”
He looked away, becoming awkward and embarrassed.
“I try to fight him…”
“Would there be a point where you could steal his card?” I murmured. He looked up quickly.
“Dana’s card?” he hissed. “That’s too dangerous.”
“I know, but…it would give us clearance everywhere,” I insisted. “I was thinking of trying to do the same if he ever…you know…”
“Lily…don’t take this the wrong way, because I also know, but…do you think you can keep your thoughts straight enough to do that when he…”
I looked at the ground, knowing exactly what Clark was implying. “Dana has a weird power and he can make us do whatever he wants without even really trying. That’s how he wins over everyone in the Commission. Don’t steal anything from him if you’re not thinking clearly. You are likely to make a mistake.”
I nodded silently.
“Okay,” he said. “I’m going to get back. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Thanks for everything, Clark.”
“We have to support one another,” he said, smiling. “If we’re serious about this, we can’t abandon each other.”
Before I could stop myself, I hugged him. I felt him hug me back briefly before we separated. Without another word, we returned to our normal lunches, pretending that we were not plotting the downfall of the most powerful organization in the world.
* *** *
I spent Monday and Tuesday night trying to memorize the numbers of the experiments denoted by our mysterious helper, noticing that most of the cells were in Ward Eight. When I asked Mykail, he told me that Ward Eight was the ward where the experiments were strong, but not uncontrollable, like most of those in Wards Nine and Ten.
When Wednesday rolled around, I was thrown for a loop.
I walked out of the school building at the end of the day with Becca, Jill, and Taylor, talking about something silly that had happened in Taylor’s last class. I stepped down the front steps of the school when Taylor’s attention was drawn away from her own story.
“What’s with the limo?”
There was a limousine waiting at the curb that had many students curious, though no one dared to approach it, not when there was a very large man dressed in a pristine suit standing next to it.
“Miss Sandover,” the man called, spotting me.
“Sean?”
“You know him?” Jill asked.
I ignored her and watched as Sean stepped away from the car and approached me.
“I have been sent to pick you up,” he said, extending his hand around my back to lightly push me toward the car. I hesitated for a moment, glancing back at my friends.
“I…I’ll talk to you later…” I called.
They just stared after me in shock as I was steered to the car.
Sean opened the door and, too dazed to do anything else, I climbed in. As soon as the door closed, my eyes widened as I noticed who else was in the limo.
My parents were sitting on one side and Dana was across from me against the screen that separated the front cab from the back. He was wearing a suit, as always, but his glasses were off and he was sitting confidently, his grin worrisome.
My mother immediately moved forward, hugging me tightly.
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry,” she breathed, her voice tight with tears.
“What are you talking about? What’s going on?” I asked, looking over her shoulder at my father and Dana. “You’re scaring me.”
“I’m sorry that you couldn’t tell us what happened,” my mother said, pulling away and returning to her seat as the limo started moving.
“Will someone please tell me what is going on?” I said, confusion causing my voice to be higher than normal.
“Dana told us about the boys who attacked you outside the club a few weeks ago,” my father explained solemnly.
My eyes flew back to Dana. I was too shocked to glare, though I desperately wanted to. His smile widened.
“Why didn’t you say anything to us?” my mother asked.
“I…” I looked at Dana once again, trying to understand what I should say, since I did not know what he had already told them about that night. “I just…”
“I’m sure that night was traumatic for her,” Dana interjected, his eyes rolling discreetly before he spoke. I felt affronted. He had no right to be annoyed at my tied tongue. “But now you understand my concerns.”
“What concerns?” I snapped. “The only concern should be that you were the one looming outside the club when it happened!”
“Lily!” my mother snapped. “He saved you.”
“Dana told us that he often drives to the club to check up on the younger members of the Commission and he happened to see you being pulled into the alley,” my father elaboration. “He stepped in to save you before they were able to do more. You should at least thank him.”
I wanted to tell them about what Dana had done to me afterward, attacking me in the car once he had supposedly saved me, but I bit my tongue.
“I also told your parents that this attack was the reason for the announcement to everyone about their children,” Dana added. “And that I saw them coming on to you again last Saturday evening, even after the warning.”
“He says that he’s worried you’re not safe from these boys,” my mother said. “He has offered to let you come to the Commission after school so that you can be protected.”
I wanted to scream.
I was furious at Dana for using that incident to make my parents believe I was safer at the Commission.
I reigned in my anger when I realized it was showing on my face. Dana’s smile got wider.
“I think it’s a really good idea,” my mother said. I groaned and rolled my eyes. “Lily, this is a very generous move from Dana. I want to be sure that you will be safe.”
“What about my friends?” I snapped. “What if I want to hang out with them instead?”
“Sweetheart,” my mother said slowly, as if I was five years old again, “until these boys back off, I would rather have you safe. After they start leaving you alone, then maybe we can talk about a different arrangement.”
“This isn’t fair…”
“I have to agree with your mother,” my father said, though he seemed hesitant. “I want you to be as safe as possible. Besides, you’re friends with Clark, aren’t you? You can hang out with him. You won’t be alone.”
“I don’t want to be stuck in the Commission all day,” I groaned. “At least let me go home after school.”
My mom glared at me as my father turned to Dana.
“You know, when we’re working late, Lily is the one to take care of Mykail,” he said. “Maybe she can stay home instead.”
Now, it was my turn to smile at Dana. I could tell he was annoyed by the way the muscles in his jaw tensed.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” he said slowly. “I would feel better if she was in my sights,” He lo
oked at my parents and sighed. “How about she comes to stay in the Commission until dinner time, at which point, she will be driven home. One of you should be home by that time, correct?”
My father hesitated, but my mother smiled.
“Who would drive her home?” my father pressed.
“I have a number of staff who could drive her,” Dana assured confidently. “They are all quite reliable and vouched for by both myself and Sean. I can assure you, she will be in good hands.”
My father turned back to me. “What do you think, Lily?”
“I don’t like this,” I groaned. “Why are you controlling me like this?”
“We’re not controlling you,” my mother said gently, trying to soothe me. “We’re worried. Dana is, too. Until things calm down a bit, let’s just try this and see if it helps.”
“It’s not fair!” I repeated petulantly.
I knew I was acting childish, but that’s just what it was—acting.
I wanted to get inside the Commission. I wanted to research what I could about the experiments and find weaknesses in Dana’s system. But I had to play my part and fight as much as possible to achieve the right response.
“It’s not going to be forever,” my father assured.
I huffed and sat back in my seat, looking broodily out the window, crossing my arms. A part of me was upset at the arrangement, of course, but a greater part of me was upset at how easily my parents had agreed to Dana’s suggestion.
“I’m sure she’ll get used to it,” my mother said, turning back to Dana. I rolled my eyes and listened to what they were saying, though I did not participate in the conversation.
“I’m sure,” Dana said. “I do not want you both worrying yourselves sick. She will be fine. I will have brought back around seven every day. This is simply a precaution until the boys learn their place.”
“We appreciate this greatly,” my mother said.
“You seem to have taken Lily under your wing as it is…” my father said slowly.
“Well, I feel as if we’re practically family,” Dana grinned. “I will tell you, Tommy, that most of the parents in the Commission are not skilled parents like Karen and yourself. Most of them are self-important brats who are raising their children without boundaries. Unfortunately, as the leader of the Commission of the People, often I am the one who must step in and set the perimeters for their behavior.” He glanced at me. “I feel no such need to do that with Little Lily.”
“We’re flattered that you think so highly of us,” my mother laughed gently.
“It’s true,” Dana said. “But, that being said, I do feel somewhat responsible for her safety. There are so few good children in the Commission, and they are the future of our organization, so I feel that it is very important to keep the good ones safe and get rid of the bad ones.”
“Get rid of?” I repeated before I could stop myself, feeling my heart stop. “As in make them leave the Commission? Kick them out?”
Dana smiled and shook his head.
“Don’t be silly, Little Lily,” he chuckled. “No one ever gets out of the Commission.”
The car came to a stop. When I looked out the window, I was very surprised to see that we had pulled up to my house. There must have been another way to our neighborhood that I did not know.
“Well, Little Lily, I know that you are not happy about coming to the Commission every day after school, but Clark will enjoy the company and you will be safer. We’ll arrange the details,” he motioned between himself and my parents, “and I will have someone pick you and Clark up every day after school.”
I huffed and grabbed my bag, rudely getting out of the car without saying a word, accidentally hitting Sean—who was about to open my door for me—in the hip with the door.
“Sorry,” I said quickly before starting toward the house, ignoring my mother’s stern scolding from the car.
“Little Lily,” I heard a different voice call just before the sound of a car door closing. I stopped and turned around, spotting Dana next to the car. Sean stepped away as he was motioned back.
“What?”
“You can stop acting, now.” Dana smiled darkly. “It was cute, but we both know that you are intrigued by the Commission. You will be excited to see what really happens there, won’t you?”
“You’re delusional,” I growled, facing him fully. “Why are you so interested in having me at the Commission all the time?”
“Do I need to have a reason?” he challenged. I ground my teeth together, walking over to him.
“I am getting really sick of being your entertainment,” I growled. “You are toying with me and my family. I know that you are doing it on purpose, too. But I won’t back down as easily as them. I will fight you until you’re dead and the Commission no longer exists, or until I die.”
Dana’s grin made me angrier. I took another deep breath, this one to calm down and keep myself from yelling.
“You’re willing to die fighting against the Commission?” Dana asked. “Oh, Little Lily, I would love to see you try. You have no means to fight against me.”
“Maybe not,” I agreed. “But I won’t succumb to your tricks. If you want to play your games, there is nothing I can do yet to stop you. But I can play that game, too. We’ll just see who’s better.”
As I spoke, Dana’s smile grew and, when I was finished, he chuckled and clapped his hands a few times.
“I very much look forward to it.” He looked at Sean and nodded once. The head of security opened the car door for Dana, who ducked back into the limousine. When Sean returned to the driver’s door, I walked inside the house, trying to keep my legs from shaking.
“You stupid, stupid girl…” I scolded myself coldly. “This is fucking suicide!”
As soon as the front door was locked, I ran upstairs, and grabbed onto the bars of Mykail’s door, startling him.
“Lily? What’s wrong?” He went to the door as I unlocked it with trembling fingers. I could not figure out if my hands were shaking because of adrenaline or fear.
“He wants me to go to the Commission after school every day and he got my parents to agree.” I smiled, though my voice was shaking. Mykail’s smile was sad, but relieved.
“Good job getting in…”
“Why do you sound so upset?” I asked, heavily setting my bag down. “This is good. This is a way for me to get even more information about the Commission and Dana.”
I needed him to be pleased about the arrangement. I was already terrified at the thought of being within Dana’s grasp day after day. I was sure it put me at higher risk for getting caught in treasonous activities, but I was still agreeing to walk into danger.
“No, it is, it’s good,” he agreed quickly.
“But?”
“It’s just…” He hesitated. “I wish there was another way to do this. I don’t like the thought of you so close to danger. I know how Dana can be.”
My heart warmed at his words and it made me feel better. But I didn’t want to talk about the risks—I already knew how horribly we were in over our heads.
“Why?” I said, deciding to tease him. “Are you jealous?”
“Do I have something to be jealous of?” He smiled, seeing that I was being playful.
“I’ll be close to Dana,” I said suggestively, knowing I was not keeping a straight face with the way Mykail’s lips quirked upward at the corners.
“Is he of interest to you in ways I should be concerned about?”
“That depends,” I continued. “What ways would concern you?”
“Oh, the kind of things any man would worry about when the woman he likes is with another attractive man.” Mykail grinned, slowly walking up to me. I watched him approach, feeling a flutter of overwhelming excitement in my stomach at his close proximity.
“What are you most worried about?”
“I guess,” he took my hand, entwining our fingers as he stepped even closer, to the point where I could feel his breath on m
y face, “that I won’t be able to see you right after school. I won’t be able to sit and talk with you about how your day was, or what you’re learning in your classes…”
“You like those conversations?” I asked skeptically.
“I like hearing you speak,” he said. “I love hearing about the normal, everyday things.”
My heart was beating irregularly and hard against my ribs as I looked into his blue eyes.
“Can I kiss you?” he breathed. His gentle voice ran up and down my spine like electricity and, before I could answer, I was moving toward him, latching onto his lips as if my life depended on it. One of my hands wrapped in his soft hair, while the other rested among the feathers at the base of his wings. I felt him shiver as I ran my hand back and forth along the pristine white feathers. He held me closer, his fingers digging into the skin at my waist.
Everything felt right.
I felt every part of him that was touching me as if we were of one body. I felt his breath mingling with mine, our energies entwining while I leaned into him for support.
When we broke apart, I felt myself sway, off-balance and smiling like a moron.
“Lily…” Mykail whispered. I blinked and looked at him, trying to slow my heart. He was nervous, trying to decide if he should tell me something. Concerned by the look, I snatched my head out of the clouds.
“What?”
He hesitated again and looked away, his eyes distant. My stomach twisted.
“Please…just…just promise me that you will be careful…” he hissed, his voice pained. “I don’t want you to get into trouble because of something I’ve made you do.”
“I’m a big girl,” I assured. “I told you before that I didn’t like what Dana was doing. I’m in trouble if I fight and if I don’t fight. But if I do nothing, then I will feel worse and suffer more by letting myself down. That’s worse than the pain of being captured.”
“You say that now,” Mykail breathed, “but you don’t know what he’ll do, Lily. He’s as dangerous as a man can be. Don’t think that you’ll ever be prepared for his games.”
I nodded and took a deep breath, wanting to stop the conversation before I really did have second thoughts.
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