Chapter 28 #2
As if any of the people here would share what is actually going on under the covers.
I don’t even know why they’re trying, unless they’re concerned about infiltration.
Which means I need to be even more careful.
I note several of the armed guards adjusting their weapons and scan the room.
Are they trying to keep people out or keep those inside in check?
“Without further ado, let us welcome our first child.” A boy walks out then—he can’t be older than twelve, maybe thirteen.
He’s dressed plainly but at least looks clean and unharmed.
From the outside, at least. His eyes are staring at the crowd but his posture is rigid, uncomfortable.
Something that says he doesn’t want to be here.
“This is Jack. Jack is an orphan who lost his parents a year ago and has been jumping from foster home to foster home until our beloved mayor pulled him from the trenches and decided to give him a second chance at life.
Jack is twelve years old and is a very talented piano player who hopes to brighten his future with his talents.”
Claps sound off across the room as people applaud the very staged introduction and Harrison elbows me in my side when he notices I’m not doing the same.
“What did I say earlier?” he mutters under his breath.
“You are making me look bad…Our esteemed guests have to believe you’re as invested in this as I am.
If the girl by my side doesn’t portray interest, how could we expect them to want to get close to me and offer up their sponsorship? ”
Wincing, I rub my side. “Sorry, I guess I got caught up in his story is all. It’s so sad. How did he lose his parents?”
Harrison hesitates for a moment, not much, but enough to tell me he wasn’t expecting to be asked that. Which tells me his next response has to be a lie. “They overdosed. Fentanyl, I believe.”
“And how did you come across him in the foster home? Is that part of your sponsorship?” He grits his teeth and I can tell I’m pushing a line I need to be very careful not to cross.
“It is, we visit all places of refuge for at risk youth, whether that be those in the foster system, a broken home, the streets, and so on.”
I nod before continuing, the next child, this time a girl, being introduced on stage. I have to get as much information out of him as I can. “How do you choose who to sponsor? I mean, there are so many children who need help, I can’t imagine how difficult that must be.”
He narrows his eyes at me, contemplating his response as the lady with the clipboard speaks about the little girl.
“It isn’t easy by any means. Often, we must compare each child’s circumstances and previous hardships.
It isn’t that we neglect any of their situations, but as the world would have it, some do have it worse than others.
That, and their age plays a role, or if they have other family.
There are plenty of children out there that share Jack’s story, but seeing as he is younger than many, without any family to speak for him, we chose to give him a chance based on the fact he doesn’t have other role models. ”
He runs his hand over my lower back and I fight back my snarl. “I see. With the sponsorships do they continue living where they live, or do they get placed with the individual who chooses them? Sort of like a foster situation, themselves?”
His hand stops above my ass and I can feel where his fingers clench, as though he tires of answering my questions. “Something like that, yes. Now if you’d pay attention. You’ll miss the best part of the evening.”
Taking that as my cue, I redirect my attention back to the stage where they now have four children standing. Two girls and two boys. The woman is finishing up her speech on the last child when Harrison leans down to speak in my ear. “This is what you’ve been waiting for, isn’t it?”
I blanch, going still. “W-what?” I stutter. He can’t know, can he?
He tangles his fist in my hair. “This is what you’ve been waiting for, am I correct in that assumption…Thea?”
I go to speak, to think of any response or excuse that could satisfy him, but he cuts me off.
“You didn’t think I wouldn’t find out?” His grip tightens in my hair and I whimper.
“That I wouldn’t run a background check on all of my volunteers?
I told you I’m a high profile individual, and there is no way I just let anyone in on my business dealings. ”
Fuck.
Fuck.
FUCK.
The gravity of the situation hits me and I can only hope my resuce is on the way before I go missing like Dylan did. And if he ran a background check on me will he know I’m Miles’ sister? Will he even connect the dots or is he so self-involved that it’s but a whisper in the wind for him?
“So tell me, why did you lie?
Instead of answering his question, I ask him one of my own. “Why did you still let me in if you knew I wasn’t telling the truth?”
His laugh is nothing short of menacing as he pulls my head back until I’m looking up at him.
“Because your tenacity caught my curiosity. I wanted to see just how far you would go and how good of a liar you were. I’ll admit, if I hadn’t run a search on you, it would’ve been believable. Too bad for you, I’m thorough.”
The spotlight shifts on stage, illuminating the children as though they’re possessions…
which isn’t too far off at this point, and the crowd applauses, a few people whistling and shouting their clear joy.
“You truly thought you could play spy? Sneak your way into my events, into me, with your pretty little words and fake naivety, and I wouldn’t notice? ”
Panic starts to set in as I search for words, a way out of this. “I didn’t—“
He pulls so hard on my hair that my eyes water.
“Don’t insult me, Thea. You may have been clever enough to fool everyone else, myself included temporarily, but you aren’t nearly clever enough to hide your panic.
The shaking in your hands. Now we just have to decide what to do with you.
You’re slightly too old for this crowd, so perhaps I could find another use for you. ”
My heart drops to my stomach. “Useful, how?”
“That depends on what information you’re willing to trade…starting with why you’re really here.” I gasp, several onlookers peering at us until Harrison removes his hand from my hair and brushes it down onto my shoulder in an act of fake comfort. “Relax now…you’re drawing attention.”
“And you’re a fucking monster.” Venom lacing every word. “How you can do this…how you can cover up—” I cut myself off, not wanting to reveal too much.
He smiles, slow and indulgent, as if I’ve just proven a point he was already certain of. “Careful,” he murmurs, fingers tightening on my shoulder just enough to remind me who has control. “That kind of language is unbecoming. Especially for someone whose fate is still…flexible.”
I try to force my breathing to steady, knowing that if I panic it’ll kill me faster than anyone and anything in this room.
“You want information?” I say quietly. “Then stop treating me like a spectacle.” His brows lift in amusement. “You’re in no position to make demands.”
I know that my next statement is just as likely to end up with me dead as it is to convince him to keep me alive. “You’re worried about what I know, and you wouldn’t threaten me like this unless you’re worried about what others might know, too. Therefore, I’m valuable to you.”
That did it. His smile faltered—just a fraction of a second, but I saw it.
He chuckles and it causes me to tense as another round of applause goes up around us. “Bold,” he says. “Stupid, but bold.”
I have no idea if what I say next will land the way I intend it to, but it has to be worth a try given who he was to Dylan’s uncle.
“I know about Dylan.”
Something flickers across his face then—not recognition, but annoyance. “Your friend,” he says flatly. “Yes, I’m aware of the situation involving her uncle. Tragic business. Sloppy man. Sloppier ending.”
That was all the confirmation that I needed. To have it told second-hand that he took over for The Wraith, is vastly different than hearing it from the man himself. Now if only I could get him to admit what he did to my brother. “So you did take over,” I say before I can stop myself.
“Someone had to clean up the mess and continue leading our growing empire into greatness.”
Rage blooms then, hot and reckless, but I’m vastly outnumbered and know I wouldn’t land a second hit without earning a bullet, or twelve, so I force it down. Anger is what he wants and I won’t give him the satisfaction.
“Mess…You say that as though he was successful.”
His hands tighten again on my shoulder and I know I have him. “Oh, you didn’t know? Dylan survived. I’m sure you thought her batshit uncle was only caught because he was ‘sloppy’ as you put it. But she was the very one that ended his life. She was the one who rained hellfire on his ass.”
I watch his face closely as people start to mingle, when a thoughtful look crosses his face. “Hmph. That’s unfortunate.” Unfortunate. The word nearly breaks me. He doesn’t even care what they do to peoples’ lives. “But I suppose that’s what happens when one makes sentimental errors.”
He studies me again, beginning to lead me toward a door at the side of the room.
“You’re angry on her behalf. But grief alone doesn’t turn someone into an infiltrator.
You didn’t come here because of her. You came because you really believe you can stop this.
” A beat passes between us. Two as he leads me out the door and into the hallway where we’re alone.
“You think survival makes her a symbol, proof that this world can be outrun. But it can’t. ”
I snap at him then, ripping myself out of his grip. “It does when people fight back.” He observes me quietly for a moment, and I hear the approach of footsteps behind
Me.