Chapter 40 #5
“I agree with that,” Maddox said aloud.
Matthew nodded his head in agreement. We all looked at Oscar for his approval.
“I said we would do it together as a team, and I meant it. If you aren’t comfortable with the decision, you can object, and we can discuss it further but ultimately the decision will end up being the same.
You won’t be able to convince us to change our minds, and we can only hope to reason with a rational you; not an angry friend who wanted justice long ago. ”
I wanted him to feel confident in the decision. Oscar needed to understand, not everyone has the same reactions to situations, and it doesn’t mean they were wrong.
“I am not going to win an argument on this subject. I don’t believe Alexander is dangerous, and I now know that Scott is.
His punishment was the last twenty-three years, which in all fairness was probably more punishment than he deserved.
My anger at Alexander over this situation will die in this room.
He suffered more than everyone when Xavier died, and then for him to be accused of being the mastermind behind it.
Enough is enough, give him his life back. ”
“That was the best response I could have hoped for. Thank you for that and I am sure Alexander will thank you too.” I looked at Maddox and nodded. He got up and exited the room. A few moments later, he returned.
“Well, we have a couple of minutes to figure out what we are going to do with Scott,” he announced as he sat back down.
“So, I have a question that only just now popped into my head. Since the majority of us are cryptids and things are very different, how savage are the punishments?”
“He will die—the question isn’t will he live or die. The question is how he will die and when,” Oscar answered without a change in expression.
“What are the options?” I needed more information.
“It isn’t set in stone—the answer is whatever we decide. Do you have a suggestion?” Matthew asked me.
“In my honest estimation of the situation and the severity of the crime, the standing in the community of the person he had murdered, and his traitorous nature, the punishment should be painful. I also believe Alexander should be given the opportunity to deliver the sentence upon Scott himself.”
“Apparently human women are also ruthless,” Caspien whispered to himself.
“All women are ruthless; more so than men even. You just have to pay attention,” Oscar responded as though they were having a private conversation.
I would have been offended if I didn’t believe the statement was true. Men preferred to destroy from the outside. Women were built to destroy from the inside.
“Does anyone disagree with my course of action? Someone needs to witness Alexander end Scott, but his method is up to him,” I asked as I looked around the table.
No one made a move to indicate that they objected.
A moment later there was a quick knock at the door, and it swung open.
The guards escorted Scott into the room for the second time in two days.
He sat down in the chair opposite us—the same one that only a short time ago Alexander had occupied.
When he was seated, the two armed men vacated the room.
“Scott, we have heard both your version of events and Alexander’s.
We have come to a decision regarding the death of Xavier.
When his life was extinguished, it was not simply a vampire that died.
He was a dear friend to many, a kind soul, a father, a mentor, and from what I would imagine he was by all accounts excellent at his job and a phenomenal partner.
He was all of those things and an indispensable member of this organization; a bloodline heir.
Without him having conceived any children the bloodline died with him.
This offense is inexcusable and the punishment that it carries with it is death.
I regret to inform you that after much deliberation the board has concluded that you were the one that was in fact responsible for Xavier’s death and therefore, you will be sentenced to death.
Alexander will be given the honor of carrying out the sentence.
Do you have anything you would like to say? ”
“Well, since you all seem to have everything figured out and I am going to die whether you have it right or wrong, I will give you a little bit of inside information. I guess I am kind of happy to know that I won’t have to be here when the whole world burns to the fucking ground.
You all have no clue about the storm that is coming for you.
You were created for a reason, and you have strayed.
You think you’re going to punish me? Denying who you are and what you were created to do is only going to make your creator punish you.
No one is going to save any of you from what is coming, not even God himself can save you.
Why would he? He didn’t father any of you; he would never create beings to destroy the creatures that he holds so dear.
So, if he didn’t create you, I will give you one guess who you think did.
Death isn’t a sentence; what you are granting me is mercy.
You won’t be given the same courtesy that I can promise. ”
Maddox jumped up from the table and rushed Scott. He snatched him from the chair and slammed him against the wall by his throat.
“I think you have said enough. You’re very lucky I have self-control, or you wouldn’t have a breath left in your body. All I have to do is squeeze.” Maddox applied pressure slightly to Scott’s throat, and he started to turn a vibrant shade of purple. He dropped him onto the floor.
“GUARDS!”
The door flung open, and the men entered the room in a flash.
They scooped Scott off the floor and dragged him from the room as he coughed violently and started to regain his color.
Maddox returned to his seat but didn’t utter a word.
I could see his need to get out of this room; he wasn’t used to speaking about things without having time to process first.
“Alright, Alexander will be released right before the gala. I will have clothes taken to his room so he can be dressed accordingly.”
I looked around at the four other individuals present. They all nodded in agreement and with that our meeting was over. A heaviness hung in the air and everything Scott said weighed on everyone.
“Maddox, we have some investigating to do. If anything, that Scott was carrying on about is true, then we need to know. The sooner, the better.” Oscar shifted all of his attention to Maddox.
“I agree with you on that. We will talk tomorrow and discuss a course of action. Tonight, I have to think, and we have to let it go. No one mentions a word to anyone outside of the five of us. We will convene on the matter, but I feel we need to use as much discretion as possible until we get a full grasp on the situation.”
We all got up from our chairs and filed out the door. We had found a resolution for one thing and in doing so opened a whole new world of questions and concerns. Tonight, though, we were going to have a good time and forget about all of that.