CHAPTER 91
BETRAYAL
December 13, 2010
12:26pm
Carthis, Scotland
The New Centre
Bane wheeled Alex to the elevator. The doors opened and Alex pressed the button for SL-18. "Why are we doing this?" Bane sighed.
"I told you. I'm not sure who will betray us but they will try to pull Derek into this. I want him on our side," Alex replied as the couple reached their destination. Bane sighed again and pushed Alex down the corridor to where Derek stood guard over Cox and Raines. The young sweeper was mildly surprised to see Alex and Bane approaching.
"You remind me of my Uncle Sam," Alex said forgoing the usual greetings.
"And how is that?" Derek asked rolling his eyes.
"You put on this tough facade, so that it seems as though the horrors here don't get to you. But it does get to you doesn't it?"
"Why are you here?" Derek sighed
"Get use to sighing around her," Bane muttered.
"Me pyrokinetic; You shut up," Alex hissed.
"Yes dear," Bane said.
"She's got you whipped already Bane," Derek teased.
"I can set you on fire too," Alex retorted. "Now listen, you seem like a more or less nice guy. I mean you've spent a few years in jail and a few years here, might as well be considered hell. Anyway all that's toughened you up a bit, to the point where you try not to see the people around you suffer. Open up your eyes Derek, see what's really going on at this place. Right now you're only with us because you're frightened for you life. Look beyond yourself, and instead cast your eyes to the 'projects'."
"I-I," Derek stuttered.
"Have lunch with us. I believe that your shift is over at two," Alex said saving Derek from having to speak any further.
"S-sure," Derek managed to get out.
"I like you Derek. I think that you're going to work out well," Alex told the sweeper. She then glanced up at Bane. Bane took it as his cue that Alex was ready to leave. He gave Derek an apologetic glance and left Derek alone with Alex's words.
December 13, 2010
2:00pm
Carthis, Scotland
The New Centre
Minna made her way down to SL-18, it was her shift to keep guard over Cox and Raines. "Excellent Minna you're here," Derek smiling at the sight of the young woman, as she approached.
"Yes I'm here, go and enjoy your lunch," Minna said wryly, knowing how Derek looked forward to his meals.
"See you at dinner then. Peter wants to go over a few things with us concerning what will happen tomorrow," Derek told Minna.
"Do you trust him, Peter I mean? It seems like we've become divided, them against us sweepers," Minna said a bit nervous.
"I have to admit that I had my doubts about the boy, but he genuinely means well. He wants to atone for something that isn't really his fault. Hell I have just as much blood on my hands as Peter -more even- and I was just a follower. I think that now it's time to follow a leader even if it is a ten year old boy," Derek replied shrugging his shoulders.
"What changed you mind about trusting him?" Minna asked. "You were so against him earlier."
"His sister," Derek answered simply.
"You mean to tell me that in the two seconds she spoke to you -fussed at you- she made you trust Peter?" Minna questioned incredulously.
"No. I spoke to Alex a little while ago, she had Bane bring her down. She opened my eyes to some things," Derek said.
"You like her," Minna noted.
"As a person yes. The girl is fourteen, I'm not a pedophile," Derek snapped.
"I meant nothing by it Derek. But you do like her. Hell nearly everyone here has come to like her, Akio, Jiro, Ares, Ajax, Achilles, Airell, Merlin and of course Bane," Minna said.
"Alex...she's different, she stronger than anyone I've ever meet. I've gathered all that about her in the fifteen minutes I was able to observe her. A person like that, you can't help but like. Now if you'll excuse me I truly am hungry and Alex, and Bane have offered to dine with me."
"I'll see you at dinner then, Derek," Minna bayed her friend farewell.
"Dinner then," Derek called over his shoulder. Minna sighed as the twenty-one year old sweeper left. She had hoped that there was a chance that she could get Derek to join with her when Minna went to the Triumvirate with news of Peter's betrayal. Now it seemed as though Minna would be alone in her task.
Well not completely alone, Minna had Cox, Raines and the male pretender Alex on her side. The young girl checked the corridor, neither seeing or hearing anyone approaching she entered Dr. Cox's cell.
"Hello Dr. Cox," She greeted.
"Miss Fisher, how are you this afternoon?" Cox asked, gesturing to a chair, across from the one he occupied.
"I'm fine sir," Minna replied.
"And what news do you bring me, Miss Fisher?"
"Peter is holding a meeting tonight to discuss the escape plan. But before that I have a phone conference with Triumvirate member Susanna Grey to inform her of Peter's doings," Minna answered.
"Excellent work, Miss Fisher," Cox commended the girl. "I'll also need you to contact our chameleon, Alex after your meeting and conference and inform him of what is going on."
"Yes sir."
December 13, 2010
2:10pm
Carthis, Scotland
The New Centre
"Sorry I'm late," Derek apologized entering Peter's room where, the young chairman, his sister and their sweeper sat dinning on a light salad. A place setting was between Peter and Bane, Derek took it to be his place to sit and did so.
"It's fine," Peter said. "We just started our salads."
"How did the rest of your watch go Derek?" Alex asked as she used her uninjured hand to eat, with slight difficultly. Bane and Peter had both offered to help the girl eat, but Alex had stubbornly refused.
"My watch was uneventful as ever," Derek replied reaching for the Itallian dressing and pouring a liberal amount on to his salad. "Raines and Cox are a rather quiet pair."
"I wish I was allowed to take a watch," Bane muttered. "It wouldn't be so quiet then."
"I prefer to have you keeping a watch over Katie, or myself when you aren't with her," Peter sighed. "And could we please not discuss this, again?"
"It was never actually a discussion, it was an order," Bane replied.
"One that-"
"One that I will follow to the 'T' because you and Alex are worried that I might...hurt Cox and or Raines," Bane cut Peter off. "Not that they are unfounded fears," Bane added with a smirk. The young man had not made it secret that he would like to cause bodily harm to Cox and Raines.
"So I take it if I see Bane coming down to SL-18 alone I should make him turn around?" Derek asked.
"Please," Alex said a yawn escaping. Bane and Peter opened their mouths to speak but was abruptly cut off by Alex. "I will sleep after I eat boys. Let me enjoy my meal then the two of you can go back to being mothering hens."
"God you're getting to be more like Mom everyday," Peter frowned. "Speaking of the family any updates from home?"
"Jason is worried that he won't come through for Jack. Jack is worried that he may die, even though he has the upmost fate in Jason. Will if frightened that he won't be a good Dad. Uncle Ethan embarrassed Jake in front of the whole family at breakfast. Oh and I little fact I wasn't told about, the day Bobby arrived home, Mike attempted to hurt Kaine," Alex said moving on to her potato soup.
"Define 'hurt'," Peter requested of his sister, eyebrow raised.
"He tried to stab him," Alex replied casually. Derek nearly chocked on soup.
"What in the hell is wrong with your family?" Derek gasped. "Are all of you this violent?"
"Normally we just make threats...Well I have hit Jake on several occasions; oh and there was that one time I gave Will a black eye-"
"Let's not forget the time you tackled that kid to the ground who tried to pick your pocket, and then placed your foot firmly over top of his groin. I believe that your exact words to him were 'You may have the balls to take my wallet but you won't much longer if you don't get the hell out of my sight'." Peter interrupted his sister.
"Ah, good times," Alex grinned. Derek wasn't sure if he should laugh of be horrified.
December 13, 2010
9:19am
Charlottesville, Virginia
Russell Family Home
"Stop being such a git and dial the number, Allen," Allen muttered to himself as he paced the floor to the room he was sharing with Benny and Adam. The boy had yet to contact his mother since he left home two weeks prior. He wondered if Susanna was worried about him. He wondered if his mother missed her only son; her only family.
Before any more doubt could creep into his mind Allen quickly dialed the number to his mother's privet cell phone.
"Allen?" Susanna answered on the first ring. "Allen is that you?" Allen detected a tinge of hysterics in his mother's voice.
"It's me Mum," Allen replied.
"Thank God you're alright," Susanna sighed. "I've been so worried about you Allen. I demand you come home this instant." Allen let out a low chuckle, in which no humor existed.
"Why Mother so that you can rest easy? I'm not you Mum. I can't turn a blind eye to the suffering of my family," Allen snapped.
"Samuel made it clear to me twelve years ago that he wanted nothing to do with the Grey family," Susanna began to defend herself.
"No Mum, Sam made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with the Triumvirate and neither do I," Allen declared. "Why do you want to be a part of something where if you aren't with them, they kill you?"
"Allen-"
"Look Mum, I just wanted to tell you that I love you. But so long as you are involved with the Triumvirate I won't be coming home. In fact even if you do leave them I still may not come home. I think I can make a life for myself here. My whole life I thought that you were the only person out there who could love me after Dad was killed. But here, there are people who barely know me, and yet they love me," Allen told his mother.
"Allen, if you stay with them you could be killed," Susanna argued. "There are talks of things that are happening inside the New Centre, talks of a takeover. And knowing the Russells's it revolves around them."
"It's always revolved around them, Mother. After all the Centre has two of Morgan and Jarod's children. It'd be utter bollocks if no one went after Peter and Alex," Allen said.
"You referred to the boy as Peter not John, why?" Susanna questioned.
"For Christ sakes Mum, for once in your life could you think about me your son, your only child, before you think about your job!" Allen yelled. "Your 'job' cost Dad his life; me my childhood; it has robbed you of being happy. Can't you at least allow for me to be happy. You owe it to me."
"I do love you Allen. I want for you to be happy," Susanna declared.
"You know what Mum, sometimes words just aren't good enough," Allen said softly and with that the boy hung his cell phone and turned it off, he wouldn't need it anymore. England; his mother; those parts of his life were over with now.
"What will you do now?" Sam questioned from the doorway.
"I was hoping that I would be allowed to stay here for an...indefinite amount of time," Allen answered, worried that Sam and the others may not want another mouth to feed and body to clothe.
"Relax Allen," Sam said approaching the young boy. "As Greg likes to say, this family likes to take in strays. In truth I'd be disappointed if you didn't stay."
"Really?"
"Really. You are the only family I have on my Dad's side," Sam said.
"You miss your Dad?" Allen asked.
"Everyday. I was six years old when the Centre murdered him and my Mom," Sam said taking a seat on Allen's bed.
"I was four when Mum let the Triumvirate kill Dad. They wanted for Mum to give up her seat so the took Dad hostage. She wouldn't concede, so they killed him," Allen said bitterly. "She said that she loved him. If she loved him so much, how could she let him die?"
"Power corrupts. I've saw it too much when I was a sweeper at the Centre. My father had sense enough to be wary of the power that came with being a Triumvirate chairman. I wish that your mother had as well," Sam said.
"So do I. So do I," Allen said softly as he looked out the window.
Up Next: Alex and Peter have a little spat. And Alex and Derek chat.
Please Review