“Miss Davis?” Sean called.
Becca launch to her feet, stifling the petrified scream that threatened to erupt from her mouth. Her wide eyes stared at Sean, her entire frame shaking like a leaf in a harsh breeze.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” she babbled.
Sean walked into the room, closing the door behind him and holding his hands up peacefully.
“It’s all right,” he said. “I’m not going to hurt you. You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“Please,” she said staring at him with wide, tear-filled eyes, “please, please, you have to help me.”
“Take a deep breath,” Sean said. “What is it that you’re sorry for? What are you afraid of?”
“You’re…you’re not here…to take me into the Commission?”
“We’re here to induct your family into the Commission,” Sean said carefully. “We are not here to take you as prisoner.”
A different type of terror over took Becca’s expression. For a split moment, she was relieved to hear the news. However, she remembered all too quickly that she had just pleaded with Dana’s head of security to spare her, which implied that she was guilty of something. She stared at Sean’s eyes, hoping that he would still help her despite her panicked confession.
“I know that you were friends with Lily,” Sean said. “And I’m sure she told you a lot. Probably a lot more than she should have.” He took a careful step towards Becca, holding his hands up as she retreated. “I don’t know if you are involved with Lily, or if you know her whereabouts or what she plans to do, but I know that Dana’s interest in your family is not by accident. He will find a way to get you to tell him what he needs to know.”
“I’m so fucking scared…” Becca whispered. “I don’t want to be taken into the Commission. Please, I’ll do anything!”
The door suddenly opened, causing them both to jump, startled.
“Well, that’s a relief,” Dana said, smiling as he closed the door behind him. “I thought I was going to have to persuade you.”
Sean had hoped that he would have some time alone with Becca before the leader of the Commission of the People came into the room, so he was nervous about what Dana was about to say to the frightened teenager.
Becca retreated three steps, her eyes locked on Dana, refusing to look anywhere else, knowing she was in danger, even if she did not know the exact nature of that danger.
“I’m sure you’ve seen the news lately,” Dana said, taking another predatory step forward and scaring Becca yet again. Becca could only nod in response.
“It seems that I severely underestimated the cruelty at which the Central Angels operated,” Dana said. “I’ve been getting threats that the Central Angel domestic terrorist group plans to attack Central soon. In order to do that, they need bullets.”
“Sir…sir, I swear, they never showed me where they were based. I don’t know where they’re getting their supplies, I don’t—”
“I don’t expect you to know any of that,” Dana said with a smile. “I’m not here to press you for information. You probably know as much as I do.” He placed his hands in his pockets and sighed. “The fact is, I’m getting worried about the safety of the people. If they truly do wish to attack Central, I could not live with myself if something were to happen and we could’ve stopped it. Therefore, I was going to ask for your help.”
Sean looked between Becca and Dana, getting more nervous the longer Dana talked. Even he did not know entirely with the leader of the Commission. He was worried that Dana was setting Becca up to leave Lily into a trap, and then trap her as well.
“What…what kind of help? Wh-what I have to do?”
“I want you to meet with Little Lily,” Dana explained. “I heard that you were good friends with Kirk Sterling and that he has been trying to ask you on a date for a few years now.”
Becca’s body tense, and Dana smiled at seeing it.
“I want you to bring Little Lily an offer,” he continued. “I want you to bring her into the open, as well as the others who are leading this little coup. And, when they’re in the open, we will capture them, that will put a stop to any plans they may have to attack the capital city.”
Becca looks desperately between Sean and Dana, fighting the instincts telling her to run away from the dangerous Dana Christianson while knowing that she had to work with him if she wanted to survive. Her body was shaking, her face pale, and her eyes wide like cornered prey.
“You won’t…you won’t kill them, will you?”
“I have no intention of killing them,” Dana said, raising his hand. “I swear.”
“…and…you’re still going to bring my family into the Commission?”
“That invitation is, of course, still valid,” Dana assured. “Your mother is quite brilliant, and it would be nice to have her input on Commission matters.”
“What if I don’t want to be a part of the Commission of the People?”
“You must convince your parents and that your discomfort at being a member of the Commission of the People is more important than their inclusion in the most powerful group of politicians in the world.”
Sean’s heart broke for the poor teenager. He could feel her fear, feel the way that her entire being was fighting, trying to decide what was going to keep her alive the longest. He could relate—he wondered how long he would be able to remain alive while working for Dana Christenson.
“Promise me that you will not hurt Lily,” Becca whispered.
“I promise,” Dana said, smiling. “I will not hurt Little Lily. I have no intention to.”
“…okay. I’ll do it.”
* *** *
It was only a few days later that Dana walked into the cell of Mykail’s older brother, Christopher. Due to Chris’ violent temper, the Commission had decided unanimously to keep him in a drug-induced psychosis, which kept him in a more manageable state. However, a few weeks previous, they had ceased administering the drugs to his system. That meant Chris was fully lucid and aware when Dana went to visit him.
Dana walked into the cell and looked over the winged experiment, smiling when he saw the hatred burning in Christopher’s eyes.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like fucking shit,” Chris answered. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“I’m here to ask for your assistance,” Dana answered. “Interested?”
“In helping you? After what you did to me?! No! I’ve told you a million times. All I want to do is burn everything in this country to the ground.”
“And what if that was what I was asking you to do?” Dana said, cocking a smile. Chris’ eyes narrowed, clearly not believing Dana’s words.
“I would immediately think this is a trap,” Chris said. “What do you really want?”
“I want to turn you loose on Central,” Dana said. “I’m not going to tell you when, but I want you to fly around the city, in plain sight of everyone, and burn major buildings. I’ll even give you the bombs to do so.”
“So that the army could shoot me down?”
“I will actually be working closely with the army on this,” Dana said. “You’re right. I don’t want you to just destroy everything because you want to. I want you to destroy parts of the city so the people will become so afraid that they will immediately turn back to me for a way to contain the damage.”
“…I want to know where my brother is.”
“He’s dead,” Dana said sharply. “We had to kill him.”
“You son of a bitch,” Chris growled. “You’ve killed everyone in my family now. Why would I help you?”
“Because our interests coincide with one another,” Dana said simply. “You want destruction, and I want destruction. We may want it for different reasons, but that should not stop us from working together. And, I won’t drug you again if you help me. You do as I ask, and you return after this first day, and I will not kill you, I will not drug you, and I will even allow you more time to destroy
other areas of Central. Every now and then, I’ll turn you loose so you can stretch, so to speak.”
“You must think I’m a moron,” Chris growled darkly.
“Not at all,” Dana said. “No, I don’t think you’re a moron, Chris. But I know that you’re not suicidal. You’re not foolish enough to actually turn me down, knowing that your life is in my hands. In fact, I’m almost certain that, once you are let loose, you will do everything you can to obey me so that I will eventually let my guard down, and then you’ll find a way to kill me.”
“If you know that’s what I’m going to do, and you still want to let me out, then you are the moron, Dana.”
“Paint me a moron, then,” Dana agreed darkly. “Now, if I hold true to my promise, you’ll help?”
“…no more drugs.”
Dana raised his hand, his grin growing cold. “No more drugs.”
* *** *
The Davis household had changed drastically since being inducted into the Commission of the People. As with every new family, they had had no idea what to expect, and had been horrified at what they had experienced their first time in the Commission of the People.
No one had been in the mood to speak for weeks. Even though Mr. and Mrs. Davis understood that their daughter had been asked to do something particular for Dana, they had no idea what it was that had cause their daughter to become so distressed.
One day, not too long after Central was attacked by the winged creature of the Central Angels domestic terrorists, Becca returned home from an outing with friends and stormed immediately up to her room. Her father went to check on her, but her door was locked, and when he pressed his ear to the wood, he could hear Becca is sobbing. His heart broke for his daughter. He had no idea what he could do to help her, understanding that they were all trying their best to deal with the Commission of the People. He wished that he had known beforehand how becoming a member would change his life, and his family’s life.
Mr. and Mrs. Davis argued often, trying to figure out if there was any way to get out of the Commission of the People, thinking that they were the only ones who saw issue with the Commission’s practices. They did not realize that a similar angry argument had occurred between each new family, and each time, it led to the parents slowly accepting Dana’s teachings as truth.
They were worried mostly for the sake of their daughter, who now had no way out of the Commission of the People, and would be a member until the day she died.
The fight had dwindled, but not been resolved. They were not speaking to one another, each doing their own tasks on different sides of the living room, when there was a knock at the door, causing them to look at one another, contemplating if they were going to answer the door. Mrs. Davis got up and walked to the front door, opening it to see to unfortunately familiar faces.
“Mrs. Davis,” Dana greeted, taking her hand and kissing the back of it as he always did. “I do hope that we’re not intruding.”
“…No, no intrusion at all.”
Danna walked inside, Sean trailing behind him, his eyes low to the ground. Mr. Davis stood, not feeling comfortable being seated while Dana was in the same room.
Dana looked around the room, searching for Becca.
“Where is your daughter?”
“She wasn’t feeling well,” Mr. Davis answered. “She’s in her room sleeping.”
“I see,” he sighed. “Well, I’m afraid I must disturb her. The task that I assigned to her has been completed, and I need to discuss some things with her.”
“Couldn’t it wait for another day?” Mr. Davis asked. “She really is not well.”
“No, I don’t believe she is well,” Dana said sharply. “After all, she did not do as I asked.”
Bolts of terror ran down both parents’ spines, causing him to look at one another with nervous glances.
“Are you…you’re not going to…”
Dana lifted his hand to silence them. “No,” he said, though his tone suggested annoyance. “I’m not here to arrest your daughter. I’m merely wish to ask her where exactly it went wrong.”
“May we sit with both you and her?” Mrs. Davis asked.
“No,” Dana said. “This is a private matter. There’s no need to worry, I mean your daughter no harm. But I do need to speak with her immediately.”
Without waiting for their approval, Dana walked in the direction he knew Becca’s room to be. Sean gave the parents an apologetic work and then fell into step the leader of the Commission of the People, his mind numb from the stimulation of the day.
Dana only knocked once on the door before immediately trying to handle. It was locked. Dana reached into his pocket and pulled out the key ring for the Davis house, remembering what bright color pattern he had chosen for the key to Becca’s bedroom. He put the key in the lock and opened it, causing a startled girl to scream within. Dana opened the door, leaning in with a broad smile.
“No need to be concerned,” he said. “I just want to talk.”
Becca’s face was blotched with red, as she had been crying for quite some time. Her eyes were bloodshot, her entire body shaking. Sean walked over and studied her expression, trying to figure out how best to comfort the poor girl, even knowing he could not say anything that would make her feel better about what had happened. Instead, he handed her a handkerchief from his pocket and placed a soft hand on her shoulder, hoping to provide what little comfort he could.
“…I’m sorry…” Becca sobbed. “I don’t know what happened…”
“My assumption is that you were unable to behave normally and you tipped off Little Lily, or more likely Mark, that something was wrong. But that’s all right,” he said. “While I wasn’t able to destroy Mark as I had hoped, I did hear that one of the chinks got shot. Since it wasn’t Mark, I can only assume it’s his buddy, Josh. At least we got one of them.”
“You said…no one would die…”
“At this point, it’s just collateral damage. We are at war, Becca,” Dana said sharply. “You must not forget that.”
“Are you…are you going to…”
“Truthfully, I haven’t decided, yet,” Dana said, knowing precisely what Becca wanted to ask. “I have promised your parents that I am not going to arrest you today.”
“I really am sorry,” Becca said, fear coursing through her body and constricting her throat.
“Do you know why I chose you to do this?”
Becca nodded. “Because I’m friends with Lily.”
“That’s a part of it,” Dana agreed. “But, I honestly believed you would be a better actress. After all, you have quite the secret to hide.”
Becca’s eyes went even wider, her breath catching in her throat. She gripped the handkerchief tight and wrapped her hands around her stomach, doubling over as she closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. Sean was horrified by the display, seeing the sheer terror and pain she felt at Dana’s presence. Dana, on the other hand, started laughing.
“You honestly think I didn’t know?” he chuckled. “Aren’t you naïve…”
Becca seemed unable to hold herself together. She began crying again, the sobs rising in her throat in sick waves, causing her whole body to jerk with the motion.
“If…if you already knew, then why am I not a prisoner?”
Dana side heavily, puckering his lips as he thought about how he wanted to answer. “You’re not a prisoner because you have more use to me as a free woman. The moment you outlive that use, believe me, you will find yourself in those cells.”
Becca let out a pained moan, one hand covering her face as for other held her abdomen tightly.
“Dana…” Sean murmured, trying to get Dana to see how much he had upset the teenager.
“Well, there’s no use lying to the girl,” Dana defended. “She already knew that it would likely she would end up a prisoner. Isn’t that right?”
“I just…I-I don’t…”
Dana leaned even closer to Becca, placing a hand on her shoulder bef
ore slowly taking the back of her neck and tightening his fingers, forcing her head to turn and look at him.
“Understand something,” he started darkly. “The Commission has a set of criteria for those who are criminals of America. However, in order to maintain the order of this country, we must also be able to think like those criminals. It’s not that I immediately see a Commission criminal and decide to lock them up. Oh no, I must be far more selective. I must make sure that it would serve a better purpose to have them locked away, killed, or used to understand more of what is going on in this nation. That is why I said that you are of more used to me as a free woman than as another figure in the holding cells. You allow me to have a closer look into the lives of these little terrorist called the Central Angels.”
“I don’t know them anymore…” Becca said. “All those people that died in Central…”
“I know, I know, it was a tragedy, and it is unfortunate we could not have prevented it,” Dana agreed. Sean had to fight to keep his eyes from rolling, knowing that Dana was using the same story to frame Mykail and the Central Angels for the attack he had ordered Chris to complete on Central.
“They did all these horrible things, so why do I feel so bad about what I just did?”
“Because you have a kind heart,” Dana said, flashing one of his seductive smiles, causing both Becca and Sean to shiver. “And that is nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Then…you’re not going to arrest me?”
“As I said, not yet,” Dana said, his voice turning soft and quiet, adapting to what Becca needed in the moment. “And as long as you stay in my good graces and do as I tell you, you will never have to know what it’s like to look out from one of those cells.”
Becca‘s phone vibrated on the bedside table, causing everybody to turn to it. Without asking, Dana picked it up and brought it closer. He glanced at the number and then turn to Becca, shaking the phone. “I have a feeling that this is a Little Lily.”
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