And then I immediately decide against it.
Dana is my prey. Once I understand everything about the Commission, I fully plan to do to him what he did to Bryant Morris, and I know that he is anticipating it. It’s part of the fun. Having someone else be another player in our game is unacceptable.
“Lily…please,” Clark pleads. “How can you not remember everything we fought for? Everyone fought for you so that you wouldn’t become like this. You were willing to die before submitting to Dana.”
“I did die,” I say. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. The Lily you knew is dead. This is what is left of her, grown stronger and more resilient than ever.”
“I refuse to believe it.” He shakes his head. “You are so much stronger than this, I know you are.”
“You think what we were doing before was proof of strength?” I bark a laugh. “It was an exercise in futility,” I chuckle. “You still won’t fight against Dana, even now, when you have absolutely nothing to lose, because you know he’s superior, and you know that you will never be able to defeat him.”
“Not without help…”
“You tried that already,” I remind him shortly. “Honestly, there is nothing you can do. You are one person, now without a rebellion behind you, and you are stuck in this cell, crying in a corner because you feel nostalgic for the days when you were led to believe you had some power to change things.” I shake my head. “That’s not the way the world works, duckling.”
He lets out an exasperated laugh, forcing the air out of his lungs as he backs up to the wall and slowly slides down.
“You really have lost it…” he hisses, shaking his head. I smile and step forward, lowering myself to my knees and sitting back on my heels, looking him over. “I can’t believe it was so easy for you to forget everything…”
“Easy?” I bark. “Like hell it was easy…I had every part of me sliced away and turned inside out…every moment I was on the table, I was begging for death. I’m sure you haven’t had that happen, yet.”
He does not answer, but he does not need to. I already know.
“But I learned so much about myself in that time,” I hiss, leaning forward. “I learned about fear, about pain…I learned about how to survive and how to become powerful enough to rise out of nothing and become something great.”
“You used to believe that it was for the betterment of the country that we fight against Dana…”
“Argh, Clark, enough about what I used to believe,” I groan. “That’s not me anymore. That part of your past is gone, and you need to let it go.”
“I can’t.”
“And why not?”
“Because I refuse to lose sight of those who gave everything up to ensure that we would have some sort of chance against Dana. I won’t throw away Mark and Josh and the others like you did. You say that we were weak for fighting Dana and the Commission, but you were the weak one because you couldn’t hold on to the people who really mattered.”
“Clark, no one really matters.” I shake my head. “They didn’t matter, you don’t matter, hell, even I don’t really matter. We’re small blips in the universe, waiting for our time to be put out.”
“Well, congratulations,” Clark growls. “We’re getting close. With the fucking Machine of Neutralization, you’ve created an arms race that probably won’t end in a cold war or a standoff.”
“No?” I challenge. “Where do you see it going?”
“These are not weapons controlled by people,” he whispers. “These are living creatures with their own free will and the ability to destroy things with a flick of their wrist.”
“Well, that hasn’t actually been tested yet,” I admit, bobbing my head from side to side. “We have to build a facility that is strong enough to hold Eyna and allow him to really see how far he can go.”
“Lily! You are going to destroy the planet with him!”
“Not just him,” I hiss, putting a finger to my lips. “But with his sister, and his offspring…”
“…offspring?”
“Well, we have to see if Rehan can even deliver the child, but yes.”
“You are sick…”
“Oh, puppy,” I playfully whine, running my hand over his hair, even though he flinches from it. “So are you. You have all these little holes that are festering in your heart. When all those people you loved died, they tore a part of you open, and you keep letting it get infected.” I take his face in my hands. “Do you know how to take care of a wound like that?” I hiss, looking into his dark brown eyes. “You cut out the infection, and sew it back up…”
“…what happened?” he whispers, his eyes sliding to avoid my gaze and resting on the scars on the inside of my wrists.
“Transformation is a bitch,” I laugh, dropping my hands and shaking my head. “Did you ever consider how much strength it takes for a butterfly to rip through its cocoon? I had to do a lot of ripping to become this beautiful.”
“You’re not beautiful anymore, Lily,” Clark chokes, shaking his head. “You’re a hideous creature with no love or compassion. You have become the thing that you opposed…”
“Well, there is the old adage, those who oppose the government become the government,” I smile. “While it’s not entirely applicable to this case, it does ring true to some degree.” I lean forward and bite my lower lip before saying the next part. “And try telling Becca I’m not beautiful. She didn’t resist when I had my hands on her…”
Clark reaches forward and shoves me. I straighten from the force, but I am not knocked off balance. I never am anymore. I always know exactly how people are going to move.
“You bitch!” he snaps. “You’re just saying that to get a reaction!”
“Well, if that was true, it certainly worked,” I giggle. “But let me assure you, I had Becca. Well, for a while. Then the guard had her. But she’s a little trooper, that one. She’s still coming to the meetings and interacting with me on a civil level, though she won’t let me touch her again…”
“Wait…” Clark blinked. “You…you raped her?”
“No, no,” I grin. “She was mostly willing for me. The guard is the one who raped her, I guess.” My eyes widen as I straighten up. “Have you been raped, yet? And I mean full penetration. It seems to be the initiation ceremony around here…”
He cringes and turns his head away.
“Still a virgin, huh?” I smile. “This brings out the artist in me…”
“Fuck you, Lily,” he snarls.
“Oh, don’t tell me that if I spread my legs for you, you wouldn’t take advantage of the opportunity.”
“I wouldn’t.”
“You know nothing about yourself, yet.” I shake my head, reaching out and playing with his tangled and matted hair. “Still a puppy…you’ll get there, little one.”
His head moves and I let him retaliate. Just like a puppy, he has to learn where the line is. His teeth find the flesh of my hand and he bites down. There is no pain—there’s never pain anymore—so I stare at him, waiting for him to continue. He has not broken the skin, expecting me to move away.
“Well?” I challenge.
He glares, but I see the gears of his mind trying to figure out the best way to act.
“Oh, come on, are you not even going to try?” I jeer. “Come on, put some muscle in it. Bite. Bite as hard as you can…” I urge, my voice quiet, traveling on wavelengths that resonate in the lower part of his skull. “Come on, bite me. You’re angry, prove it! Bite harder!”
He immediately becomes distressed, and the tears rise to his eyes, but he cannot disengage his teeth from my skin, my words won’t let him. I smile and lean even closer.
“You want to prove your strength, then bite me.”
He sobs and my other hand goes to his hair, pulling a section of it sharply.
“You want to teach me a lesson? You think that you’re stronger than me? Then why aren’t you taking the opportunity?”
He sobs again and I
sigh, getting bored. I pull his hair harder and his mouth opens to squeak in pain.
“See? This is where it’s obvious our natures are different,” I tell him shortly, wiping my hand off on his red shirt. “You know that I’m more powerful, that I’m the master and you are my puppy. I have the power to hurt you, even when you have my hand in your mouth and you’re about to take off my thumb. I own you completely.”
I push his head away and stand.
“My nature is to become powerful enough to do something,” I laugh. “Who’s the weak one, now?”
I leave him to cry, hearing the sobs rise inside him as my heels echo around the cell.
* *** *
I cannot deny I am excited to sit in the plush chair in the large meeting room, even though my father is acting awkward next to me and my mother refused to come because I would be there. There is nothing that can break my mood.
Every time I walk out into the daylight, I feel a sense of life pump through me at a velocity that causes me to stop and catch my breath. There is so much energy among people that it is impossible for me not to take notice
This was my third time out of the Commission during the day, but it is my first time in the temporary building that was erected after the destruction of Central Hall. The meeting was supposed to be yesterday, but a sudden—of course, unexpected—attack from the angel of the Central Angel terrorist group was spotted again, and the military, working closely with the new soldier from the Commission, Eyna, made a big show of pulling Chris to the ground and fighting him, though Eyna let him go for one more attack before killing him.
Therefore, the meeting is taking place on Friday as cleanup occurs on the streets below.
Dana turns to me.
“Ready?”
I nod, ignoring the glare from Mrs. Markus and the uncomfortable shifting of my father beside me.
This is going to be an amazing day.
Sean opens the door and I smile. Someday, I’ll have him. I’m sure. Dana says I can only have one pet at a time, and since I have been having fun with Clark, I cannot play with Sean. But I know my time is coming.
“The convoys just arrived,” Sean announces, walking to stand next to Dana.
“Excellent.”
A few minutes later, we are greeting Leader Simon as he joins us. There is a little scarring on his face from the fire that had torn down Central Hall, but it is only noticeable when he turns to the right, which is why I chose to be on his left side, so as not to be distracted.
Leader Simon takes his seat at the head of the table and adjusts his jacket.
“Miss Sandover,” he greets.
“Leader,” I greet back warmly. My voice does not have the honey quality that Dana’s does, but I am able to make it sound like silk and cause it to wrap around the person I direct it towards to bring them closer. I am still learning the art of changing my voice.
It is another fifteen minutes that we’re waiting until the other leaders begin to file in. Everyone stands and walks to one another, shaking hands and kissing cheeks for formalities. Translators are working with us, all signing non-disclosure agreements to be sure that nothing leaves the confines of the room.
We have leaders from twelve major countries there, most of them with a translator or one advisor. Several of the leaders are able to speak English, which I know from Dana, so we understand that the translator is often a shield to protect them from answering quickly, or sometimes is another advisor that they are trying to sneak past us.
We allow it because we know the potential translators have for altering the course of meetings. Sometimes, Dana tells me, that’s when the meetings get really fun.
Before the General of State from Spain shows up, a lone woman walks into the room, her auburn hair framing her face and her skirt hugging her round hips perfectly, her bosom barely accented under the blouse. Her bright hazel eyes scan the room as she closes the door.
She draws a lot of attention.
“Miss Harris,” many of the people call to her, moving to say hello to the representative from the often-silent and secret World Convention—I had not even known about them until becoming part-leader of the Commission of the People. I am staring at her through new eyes. She is so powerful, so mysterious, and so alluring that I want to get inside her and find out what makes her tick. There is something otherworldly about her that I noticed our first meeting, but now the feeling is magnified. She’s not only fighting against Dana’s energy, but is also commanding the space in the room full of politicians, both male and female, that are clamoring to her.
The realization hits me like a freight train.
She is the most powerful person in the room.
And we all know it.
“Miss Harris,” Dana greets as she approaches, extending his hand to take hers, kissing the back of it.
“Mr. Christenson,” she greets, her voice sending shivers down my spine. She turns to me and offers her hand. “Miss Sandover.”
“It’s a pleasure to see you again.”
“You as well,” she smiles, her hand leaving mine. “I can tell you’ve changed since we’ve last spoken. I greatly look forward to hearing what you have to say in this meeting.”
Veronica is pulled away by Leader Simon, allowing me to turn to Dana.
“We really found nothing on her?” I hiss, raising my eyebrow.
“Nothing.”
“I can’t decide if I like her or want to kill her…”
“I’m saving my judgment for after the meeting,” Dana tells me quietly.
“If she has the money we need, then I’m willing to work with her.”
Finally, the representative from Spain and his translator come into the room and the final greetings and formalities are made before everyone takes their space at the large table, seated in front of their country’s name. A few assistants from the Commission begin passing out the folders to each leader in the room with the respected translation, leaving one for a registered advisor.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome,” Leader Simon starts, looking around the table. “Even though I know you have all met them in the past, I would like to recognize that Dana Christenson and his advisor, Danielle Markus, are the ones bringing forth this project. Seated next to Mr. Christenson is the new co-chair of the Commission of the People, Lily Sandover, and her advisor, Thomas Sandover. Also on the project, we have Dr. Kyle Patton, who will be answering all your questions regarding the project.”
“Well, we are all aware of what the project entails, Greg,” Daniel from the Great United Kingdom says. “After all, it would have been against World Convention codes to conduct such experiments without the knowledge of the international community.”
“Some of us were not immediately leaping in to fund such a project,” Catherine from France snarls. “Not all of our countries were willing to pay for such research.”
“We know that there was controversy at the late date that the project was shown to you,” Mrs. Markus says. “However, we were unsure if the project was going to be successful, and did not wish for you to throw your money at something that was not proven to be efficient or usable.”
The leader from the Korean Peninsula begins speaking to his translator, who turns to us.
“We agree that the experiments the Commission of the People has been doing have been beneficial to all of our countries. Are you not concerned that this weapon will spark war, rather than rid the world of it?”
“We have no such illusions of being able to cure the world of war,” Dana shakes his head. “There are still many countries scraping with one another, fighting for some form of control. When the nuclear disarmament happened, the world was sure that there were nuclear weapons still active, and that led to many attacks out of fear and sparked wars all over the world. We understand that this is going to cause a new arms race, which is why we bring this proposal to you now.”
“Are you saying that you have full understanding of what this creature can do?” Veronica calls
from her spot.
I hesitate, as does Dana.
“No,” I admit. “We do not know what this weapon is capable of. There is still more research that needs to be done.”
“And what steps are being taken in the direction of that research?” she presses.
“That is outlined in the proposal,” I say, trying to keep myself from snarling at her.
“What are the current statistics on production time of each of these weapons?” the translator for the Prime Minister of China asks.
“At the moment, we’re looking at four months for complete alteration,” Kyle explains. “However, this is only possible with subjects who have a particular genetic anomaly.”
“And that’s when you infuse…lion DNA?” the Prime Minister of the Japanese Archipelago asks, looking at his folder and flipping through some pages. “I have never seen this weapon, but this sounds like the work of science fiction.”
“What this weapon is capable of appears to be beyond anything we have ever known before,” Kyle admits. “There is a tremendous amount about him that we do not know. He can heal at remarkable speeds, there has even been evidence to suggest he can read minds.”
That earns a laugh around the table.
“Come now, be serious,” the woman from France shakes her head.
“We are being serious,” I assure.
“A creature with such capabilities is indeed unrealistic,” the advisor from Pakistan shook his head. “There must be a logical explanation.”
“Perhaps there is,” I nod. “But more research must be done if we are to know the full potential of this weapon.”
“If you are able to use lion DNA, is there any other animal that you can use as a substitute. Is says here that there is no physical animal traits on the subjects…would it matter the DNA used?” the woman from Russia asks through her translator.
“It seems to have an effect, yes,” Kyle admits. “Preliminary tests have occurred to find other animals and other strands of DNA that we can use. However, no subject has been tested with the new formulas yet.”
“Are funds limited?” Daniel presses.
“Slightly, yes,” Kyle nods. “Creating the formulas for the subjects is expensive as it is, but holding and caring for the subject as the transformation occurs is the most costly to the Commission of the People. These are powerful weapons, and they do not understand control, which causes a lot of damage.”
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