“Now that she’s raw, her abilities aren’t hindered by her own insecurities; I predict she’s going to do amazing things.”
Michelle held still, unsure what she was supposed to do to help the Senator, so she waited patiently for orders with her hands clasped behind her back, chin up.
Arkdone sat lost in his thoughts, forgetting Michelle was there for a while.
“I envy her,” Arkdone’s voice startled Michelle from her blank stare.
“Who?”
“The girl, of course.”
“Why?”
“After all these years, memories begin to feel more like chains around my neck. To have all that wiped away? I really have given her the gift I couldn’t give myself.”
“Is there no way you could free yourself? Couldn’t you undergo the same procedure?”
Arkdone tore his eyes away from the floor to look up at the woman who stood ready and waiting for his next order. Since her return, she had quickly become invaluable to the Senator. She acted as his liaison with the twenty-five metamonarchs he had at his disposal and helped the asylum run smoothly when it came to monitoring the candidates and trainers. She was his right-hand and he appreciated her intelligence, obedience and initiative. She was the perfect Monarch Slave.
“No Michelle, there’s no freeing me. I expect an update on the status of my Naya when Kerry and Trent have new information. I also want a status report on the damages to our lovely building and a comprehensive list of the living and dead. Have the metamonarchs dispose of any bodies onsite using the incinerator, then get on the phone and have contractors out here first thing tomorrow ready to rebuild my home. I will also require them to seal up and wall off access to the prison chambers below. We’re going to have outsiders want to come and see for themselves our respectable and blameless hospital. The Winter children may try to convince people otherwise. We must be ready. Call my consultants and tell them to meet me in the office in one hour. We have work to do.”
“As you wish, sir.” Her bow was genuine and submissive.
He waved his hand dismissively and listened to the sounds of the candidate’s boots click and crunch as she exited the room.
Arkdone set the broken bottle of Scotch down on the only intact end table and walked with completely steady feet up the stairs to go dress for the meeting he just called. He was going to have some damage control to put in place and his spin doctors were just the team to make it happen. He gracefully stepped over a body and continued walking toward the hallway leading to his private quarters.
Chapter 15 People are Strange, When You’re a Stranger
The SUV pulled into the driveway. The yard consisted of a simple rock garden, cactus and palms positioned in an attempt at artistic expression along the brick edging away from the stucco house. Everyone piled out of the SUV, stiff but thrilled to be home. They stood and stretched as Alik searched the nearest cactus pot for the key Greg Burns had told them he kept there for emergencies.
“Hurry up Alik,” Farrow whined. “I’m about to pee my pants.”
“Who puts a key in a cactus plant anyway?” Alik growled at the needles. “It’s not here.”
“Are you looking in the right plant?”
“Do you see a bunch of other cactus pots around here?” He waved his arms around the empty porch, trying hard to keep his voice from sounding as jagged as he felt after living through the events over the past few days.
“Let me look,” Creed offered. He turned the pot upside down and shook it until the entire cactus and the soil plopped out like a sandcastle. He used the toe of his boot to kick the contents a bit, hoping to see the glint of a metal key, but found nothing.
“What are we going to do?” Sloan asked, yawning.
“I’ll try calling Burns,” Evan said with a sigh.
Moments later, he crammed his phone back in his front pocket. “No answer.”
“Well guys, before I make an executive decision here,” Alik said, “Ev, do you think you can jimmy the door open?”
Evan looked more closely at the lock. “It’s a double deadbolt. It would take some doing and some tools that I don’t have on me.”
“Yep, that’s what I thought. I have a better idea,” Alik growled. His patience had run dry and his eyes began to glow violet as proof. Alik stalked around the side of the house to the sounds of Farrow calling, “Alik? What are you doing?” The sound of breaking glass had everybody rolling their eyes.
Moments later, the front door opened. Alik stepped to the side and motioned for everyone to come inside.
“You broke a window?”
“Executive decision.”
“Alik! Mr. Burns is going to be pissed!” Cole stood shaking his head.
Meg was the last one to enter the house. She walked with a smug expression on her face as she looked around curiously.
“So you just broke into a cop’s house?”