In a split second, I prepared myself to see Callus.
So I got a Hell of a surprise when I saw who was in that room.
Edward sat at the head of the table, his fingers knitted together as he looked up when he heard us enter. He had changed massively; he had lost weight and now looked ill, his pale skin almost matched the white of the table, and he was in a baggy grey long sleeve shirt despite the summer heat and crisp-folded suit trousers and a pair of white tatty trainers. His greying hair was unkempt and unwashed, and he had started balding a bit at the top of his head creating almost an island of skin. It only took me about half a second to realise what was happening and then I looked to Luke, to see how he was reacting. But the shock on Luke's face said it all.
I looked back at Edward, at my fiancé's father, and even my mouth dropped. Luke's own father had kidnapped us?
'Surprise,' was all Edward said to us, his hands doing jazz. Luke went to move forward and I held him back.
'What,' He growled and I knew Luke was moments away from losing it. I have seen first-hand how quick he snaps and loses his tether and now was not the time. Very quickly, I handed Lila over to him, knowing he wouldn't act when he was holding his daughter and he would behave himself so Lila wouldn't see anything.
'Luke, I am your father,' He whispered in a deep voice. 'I've been waiting years to make that joke,' He sighed when no one laughed.
'You son of a bitch,' I whispered.
'No, I think you're the bitch here, Grace,' Edward spat at me. 'Sit down, both of you,'
I stood there cross armed, and Luke didn't even more. I wasn't going to listen to him. Edward sighed, and suddenly against out wills we were moving over to the seats on the other side of the table and were forced to sit down. I looked over at Luke and he was just staring at Lila with tears in his eyes.
'You know, Grace, you ruined everything,'
'Fuck you,' I spat back and he rolled his eyes. I then couldn't speak anymore like my voice box was removed. I went to try and speak again, but I couldn't. I frowned.
'I'll just stop you speaking, not a big deal. You ruined everything. I was running this massive undercover operation for years, using Theodore and Luke as covers for my plan and you just waltz in and ruin everything, so much like your parents,' He told me and I looked up in anger but I caught Luke shaking his head at me. I knew Luke couldn't speak either for one of three reasons; either Edward had taken away his voice like he did to me, if he spoke he would lose his shit and try and kill Edward, or if he spoke he would just break down in tears. 'So, let me explain,'
'After I married your mother, Luke, I knew the whole marriage happy family thing wasn't for me. I knew the whole "pretend to be a decent King" thing also wasn't for me. I wasn't a good person. I didn't want to work to get what I wanted. You can't use your gifts for the greater good when you're in the most powerful family in the UK. Why would we have brilliant gifts if we couldn't even use them? That's what I never understood. It seemed pointless, tasteless,' He tutted and I looked over at Luke who was just looking down at Lila. Edward noticed the effect he was having on his youngest son and smiled slightly before looking over at me.
'So I started to use my gift for other things behind Caroline's back. I found a group of people who believed the same as me and we had a plan to set up this group of like minded individuals, who believed everything the Savant Net didn't believe in and therefore banned. We believed that Savant's should be in the limelight, we should be the upper tier of humanity. We were the chosen ones of God, given extra gifts that no one else had.' He said to me and I pursed my lips and he looked back to Luke.
'I needed a cover though, for my absence, we needed to be completely undercover for it to work and to give us time to get everything together. So I told your Mum that I wanted children, and that's where Theo came in. I wanted to raise him completely normal until the rebellious child stage and get him on my side. But in his infancy, I had enough time to be sliding around and building this place, finding acquaintances. Everything had started going to plan, the foundations of this building were laid, I found someone named Callum who's gift was to steal other people's gifts. We started this project together.'
'Theo had just turned three a few months ago when your mum surprised me with the announcement of you, Luke. I never wanted a second kid – one was a handful. But your mother was insistent on keeping you. So that's how it went, you were born, I was able to sneak around so much more, I didn't even know about Caroline's friendship with your parents. Until both of you were about… fifteen.' He shook his head in disbelief.
'By then, I had the entire operation up and running, we had around four thousand members across the globe, a thousand living here. Callus was the one in charge whilst I funded everything and kept it off Government books. Theo was nineteen then, was in the army like I had planned, I knew he would come back wondering if there was more than just the bland he was living. But you, Luke, you were something else. You were all the worst traits I could imagine in one human; you were the person everyone loved. You were the joking Prince, the one so laid back and calm and easy going and what made it worse - everyone doted on you. You knew your place and you lived up to it, you were useless,' Edward spat at him.
'I got a report, Grace, that your parents had caught a whiff of our operation and was researching into it. I wasn't too concerned, we were off the file. This was until you were eighteen and in your final A-level year. They had found out so much more. They knew where we were, and our operation, why we were operating and there was a rat in the system that suggested I was in charge. Your parents were driving home with their draft document to propose to Toeskin the next day. I couldn't have that – so I got them killed instead,'
I couldn't move. Edward had made sure that I couldn't move or speak but in that moment I felt my heart stop and my stomach drop as what he said hit me. My parent's car accident, the accident that killed them and left me an orphan wasn't an accident? Had Edward murdered them? I thought I was going to throw up, to break down, to fall asleep and never wake up but instead, I just sat there like a statue trying to take in what Edward had told me. He murdered my parents. My parents would have still been there if it wasn't for him. A single tear fell as the reality started to sink in. I looked up at Luke who was staring at me wide eyes in shock as he realised what his own father had said. Luke's father had killed my parents.
The smile spread across his face like a spill of oil. 'It was the easiest move ever; it was so easy to make it look like an accident of a speeding incident that someone just crashed into the car. You had to sell your childhood home which destroyed any evidence there and it wasn't like Jack was bright enough to realise anything. You, Grace, you were my real threat. I thought this would break you, completely destroy you so you would never even think of going to university. I hoped you would piss off back to America. But no, you just swanned straight into university and I thought that was it., perhaps you would just go along and get drunk every night and I didn't have to worry about you. So I stopped bothering checking up on you. What a stupid mistake.'
'My focus went back to Luke, who continued to be slacking. But he started disappearing as much as I did and I thought "perfect – perhaps Luke was the son I needed to carry on this business!" as he started showing the signs of rebelling. But no, instead I find out he was at university doing bloody paramedic sciences? Pathetic. Eventually, I persuaded Luke into the army with my gift and he never knew any different. He thought it was his own choice, but nope. Whilst he was away, I focused on my plan to break him into my business as Theo had become a model citizen,' He explained to me as Luke just sat there in a state of shock. Edward turned his attention back to Luke.
'But like the wimp you are, you came back from Afghanistan injured. A mild injury in my books, but you went and made a mountain out of it, claiming therapy. Your mother pandered you. As this happened, two cleaners had gone against my direct permission into my own office and found the suspect paperwork. Of course, they had to go. Two more casualties on my list of many – they joined your parents, Grace – and I thought it was all perfect at last,' He said, smiling.
The sick bastard.
'The next thing I know? Caroline told me there was an MI5 graduate recruit living in to investigate the deaths of the cleaning staff and I thought "ha, like to see them do anything," and sure enough, guess who that was, who rocked up thinking they were the world and the sun shone out their arse,' Edward said with a pointed look at me. 'I knew you had to go soon, like those cleaners, like your parents, but then I realised no. You were my best plan. I needed to break Luke into the business and I hoped he would become close to you, and then I would kill you and that would break Luke to pieces and he would be willing to join this place!'
'And that's what I did. I waited for you two to come close, and heaven beholds the greatest gift there was – you two were Soulfinders! The icing on the cake, it really was. You ended up in the hospital and I knew that was the perfect time to get you Grace, when you were at your weakest, so that's when I got Callum, or as you know him Callus, to strike. Even he thought you were something else, Grace, and thought you had a place here. We would have just married you off, but it was a triple game. Callus told you he was going to knock you up and send you back when in reality he knew you would stay in this wonderful camp and have kids of the highest authority to claim back titles, but that was never going to happen. You were going to die and I would let Luke find your mangled remained so I could have my son on board with my plan like I had wanted all along,'
'But no, you escaped.' Edward sneered at me. 'Your mum divorced me, I flew back to Italy to Marcello, my older brother, and when he found out my plan he kicked me out too. I came back here, claimed my spot and watched as your fake ass filled the news. The news of you two doing your official tour, your announcement of that thing,' He gestured to Lila, 'moving in together. I was sick of it. So, I got Callus to throw a fake threat to get you in one place and it worked. You were taken back to Buckingham like I planned. Whatever her name is was born and you two were surgically attached to her and I knew to get my plan to work – to get Luke back into this plan – I had to go big. I had to put that brats life on the line for Luke to agree to come back to work with me, but to do that – Grace – you had to be removed from both of them. So I faked the doctor's reports, rigged the machines, hired fake doctors to do the dirty work and demand you needed surgery that was a life of death situation. Of course, you didn't, you had issues but they would have healed up fine, but Luke agreed and whisked you off. I was minutes away from taking Luke and Lila – but Theo bloody turned up in that hospital to sit with you, Luke, like you were some whiny child. Pathetic. I waited two months for the right opportunity after that. Two. Months. And you finally left her! So I planned the attack, got everything in place and boom. It worked fine. People died, but I got you two here, and I got a cleaning member to steal Lila for me. And here we are, at last.' Edward said before leaning back.
The silence was incredible; I was too in shock to speak. Edward was clearly mad and… and what he had done was next level insane. I had no words. He murdered my parents. He kidnapped me twice to try and break Luke. He faked an operation to try and get me away from his son. My vision was blurred and I wondered what Edward was doing to my sight and I realised I was crying. I looked up at Luke who just sat there, silent.
'Was my story telling too much for you kids?' He sighed before shaking his head. 'Whatever, I'll get someone to take you to your rooms. I'll call you again when I know what to do with you and hopefully by then you can use your words I have given you back,' Edward said, getting up and leaving the room and I felt his grip on my voice and my body go as I curled up and started to cry.
I don't know how long it was until the door opened again with people in grey baselayers, all with guns, told us to get up as we were being taken to our room. I was numb, completely hollow trying to comprehend what we had been told. My parents were murdered by my fiancé's father in cold blood. I was kidnapped by my fiancé's father and was meant to be murdered by him too if I didn't escape when I did.
'You're being taken to your rooms. Edward and Callus had made it clear you are to be treated like special guests and will, therefore, get the penthouse suite,' The man said in front of me but his words didn't make sense as my mind was still going a hundred miles an hour when I tried to understand what Edward had told us. I followed the grey men, quickly checking Luke was behind me with Lila safe in his arms. Luke still looked shell-shocked, tears in his eyes and he went to meet my eye but I looked away, not knowing what to think.
I didn't blame Luke for this, though, but I just needed a few minutes to comprehend what had happened.
Edward, from a young age, was always against the Savant Net and everything good, had set up this god awful anti-Savant camp that we were in under the shield of his old Royal title. He had Theo as a shield for his work as he coordinated the kidnapping of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of innocent children. He wiped them of who they are and shaped them into monsters. Monsters that killed my parents.
I went in the lift with the men and Luke beside me as my throat seized. My parents were murdered my Edward. Their car accident that killed them was no accident. My Mum and Dad, my own parents, had found out the work of Edward, their own friend, and Edward got them killed. I was used as a pawn to break Luke. Edward kidnapped me, planning to murder me or whatever it was, but I escaped. He faked a life-threatening operation on me to try and get Luke and Lila again. He caused some kind of explosion when we left Lila for the first time to get us here. He had strictly targeted me, Luke and Lila and I think that's what made me feel sick. Not that he targeted me – I overcame that thought when I was kidnapped the first time around – but Edward targeted his own son and two-month-old granddaughter.
I don't know where I was, or how long I spent walking, but a solid door was opened and I was pushed into the room. I didn't move, I just stood there in shock trying to comprehend what was happening. Luke followed me into the room in silence, deadly white and just stood there for a moment.
The room we were placed in looked like an expensive hotel suite; we were in a lounge-looking room, to the side of us was a cupboard and just past that an oak baby changing table. In the far corner of the room, a large flat screen table on a matching TV stand. There were three leather sofas and then an armchair to one side, a small coffee table in the middle. Just behind, a dining table. On the wall in front of us, there were three large wardrobes, all of them with a full-length mirror on the front. There was a half-length wall in the middle with a barrier across the front. On the other side, there was a really large plush bed. But there were no windows at all. I could just see in the car corner, where there was a door, I could make out a small cot. As I examined the room, Luke walked over to the bed and placed down Lila on the bed.
But we still hadn't said anything to each other.
I watched as Luke made sure Lila was okay, but he was completely emotionless as well as he leant forward and kissed her forehead before he just looked over at me. I watched as he took a deep breath rubbing his upper arm – something he only did when he was uncomfortable.
'Grace,' He said softly, his voice breaking as he held back tears. 'I am so sorry…. I…' Luke went to say and instead I just ran over to him and fell straight into his chest. Luke immediately wrapped his arms around me hard, holding me tight to him as I started crying into his chest. How has he happened? I knew Luke was crying into my hair as well and for about fifteen minutes before Luke stopped crying and I had slowly started to stop crying and calm down.
'Grace, I am so sorry this happened, I caused it and I don't even know what to say or what to do, if you want to leave me and take Lila with you I won't blame you and…'
I hit his arm and he stopped his spiel. 'It's not your fault Luke,' I mumbled, wiping my eyes.
'He's my dad though,' Luke whispered.
'You said he's not your Dad anymore,'
'He's not,' Luke mumbled. 'He wasn't since he left, he's nothing to me.'
'Then it's not your fault, is it, he's not your Dad. I'm not going to leave you either,' I mumbled, hiccupping as I started to shake. Luke sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled me into his lap, making sure Lila was fine at the other end of the bed. He held me tight. 'Unless you want me to leave,' I mumbled.
'No, don't leave.' He whispered holding me tight. 'Please don't ever leave me,' He almost begged and I nodded as I sat there in his lap as he held me tight. 'I am so sorry about your parents,' He mumbled to me and I took a shallow breath as Luke pressed his lips against my temple.
I didn't reply what could I say?
'What do we do?' He mumbled.
'I don't know, Luke, I really don't even know what to do anymore,' I whispered to him. 'I'm guessing they're looking for us and as long as we stay here, they'll come and get us – whoever they are,'
'We just have to remain safe until then,' Luke mumbled and I nodded before I rested my head against Luke's chest. 'Go to sleep, sweetheart, I'll stay awake and keep an eye out.'
'We can't sleep, Luke,' I mumbled against him.
'We don't know how long we'll be here for, you need to be able to look after Lila and feed her and so on,' I must have pulled a face about feeding her as Luke kissed my forehead. 'I know you don't like breastfeeding her, Grace, but we don't have another choice,' He mumbled. I sighed and nodded, knowing there was no alternative, and if it meant Lila was okay then I was willing to do it. I would do anything to keep Lila safe. 'You're doing incredible,' Luke told me.
'I'm still annoyed at you,' I huffed as he hugged me, his hands rubbing my back as he held me close. He made a sound as he kissed my forehead. 'You went in there thinking you would die to protect us. That is not going to happen; we will all get out safe and sound,' I told him.
'I know, I just want to protect you – to keep you and our little girl safe,' Luke said to me and I nodded.
'and I just want to keep you and Lila safe too, Luke,' I told him, 'But we're all in this together. We can work something out, we can stay here happily until we are saved but we won't go down without and fight and no one will die.' I said and he nodded. 'Promise me no one will die,' I said.
'I promise,' Luke said before he scooped me up and laid me down on the left hand side of the bed, tucking me in. I frowned as Luke went around the other side of the bed, picking up a sleeping Lila before shuffling into the middle of the bed, laying her next to me as she slept before he shuffled into the right said on the bed. Luke tucked himself under the sheet before he rested his forehead against mine, both of our fingers interlinked across Lila's tummy. Luke put his hand around my neck, keeping me close.
'Go to sleep, I'll wake you up when we swap turns,' Luke said to me softly, moving his hand from Lila to rub my hip. 'I love you so much, Grace,' He whispered and even in a scary environment, being kidnapped by the man who murdered my parents, who was the father of my fiancé and the father of my daughter, but I felt safe in Luke's arm.
/\\\/\\\/\\\/\\\/\\\/\\\/\\
Hiya!
So here it is - Edward, Luke's father, was behind all of this madness and hopefully, the gaps in the story now make sense! Also - PurpleMentos suggested writing a book after this based on Theo. I really don't know, i never planned anything after this, but would you read it? I won't do it if no one wants it. Please let me know :)
