Setting Up the Board
"So what are you planning to do?" Nyah asks me with obvious concern.
"Take a page out of Marie's playbook. I'm bringing them all here at the same time to drop this bomb."
"Well, you'd better do it quickly. No doubt word has already reached his ears and those of the Sentinels of your rogue mission."
"Maybe, maybe not." I shrug. "If Pavlov and the FSB were really behind this, they may not have alerted the Sentinels just yet of my rogue mission, especially if they're trying to conceal the fact that Cassiopeia was in fact alive and in their facility. It means exposing the truth to everyone they've lied to, including North America who I know for a fact, believes they lost their top asset in Cassiopeia with her death. They'd be enraged to find out they'd been lied to and had their asset taken."
"And how are we going to prove that's where you found her? On Fire Island in that cell in this condition?" She asks when I move around her towards the dresser to raid her clothes for something to wear.
"I recorded the entire thing." I smile at her and see that look on her face again. The one where she thinks I'm insane.
"You recorded yourself going rogue and killing FSB officers in their private prison?" She looks ashen. "My God, Jules, why? That's all the proof the Sentinels need to execute you."
"How else was I going to prove, as you say, that's where I found her and the condition she was in?"
"My God, Jules… the risk you're taking here is huge!"
"Wouldn't you do the same for me?" I ask point blank. Stopping in all my movements to stare at her.
"Yes. Of course I would. You know I would."
"And I would do the same for you. You are my best friend in this whole world. I'd do anything for you."
"I know." She concedes quietly. "You're mine. You're more than my friend, Julia. You're my sister."
"I know. I feel the same. But I also feel the same about her. She is my sister, Nyah. Even if we never acknowledge that fact, she is my sister. I have to do whatever I can to make sure she's safe and finds justice. I'm going to make sure that asshole Pavlov can't deny his involvement in this with the proof I have of her in his facility."
"And if he denies any knowledge of it. Says his officers went rogue again as they supposedly did when he told us they killed her the first time?"
"Then it speaks of his incompetence as the Director, if he continually doesn't know what's going on under his own authority. They can't let him stay in such a position after all this. Either way, he's out of our hair for good."
"It's not that easy, Jules. These people, these families…they don't just go away. They're Council heirs. They'll just move him somewhere else." She shakes her head and flops back onto the bed. "He'll hate you forever if you take him down."
"So? What can he possibly do to me that he hasn't tried already? Have me tortured? I don't care." I fling back at her feeling my rage for the man rise inside again. "As long as he has no control over any EHW's anymore, I don't care what he's doing."
"What if he made this deal with Ulric?" She continues to try and poke holes in my theory and plan of action and I'm thankful for it. It's how we both manage to think through our missions and still be alive after all this time. We're a good team when it comes to problem solving.
"Then they'll both go down. Lady Marie won't stand for it."
"She won't do anything to Ulric. He's her son."
"No, she won't. But she also won't let him do nothing about Pavlov. She'll eliminate the co-conspirator. She hates the Red Guard as much or more than any of us. She's made that abundantly clear. If Ulric doesn't remove him from being granted access to the EHW's as his program, she will. If I have to, I'll suggest his demotion myself." I say confidently slipping into a pair of comfy black yoga pants I find in her drawer and grab a baggy, hooded sweatshirt as well, putting it on as we walk towards the door.
"That's a pretty bold move, Jules. Telling them what they should do."
"I'm not telling them." I smile at her. "A mere suggestion and questioning of their authority and how they're running this shit show."
"They're not going to like that."
"I don't care, Nyah. I just don't care anymore. They can't hurt me more than they already have. You, Mikael, Cassiopeia, Maria…you're all that I have left now and I will fight to the death for each of you if I must." I pause in the hallway to look at her having another thought.
"Oh God, there's that look again. Now what is your scary little mind conjuring up?" She looks at me with pinched brows again.
"Insulation."
"What does that mean?"
"We need more players at the table."
"Who?"
"Anni." I smile at her and her mouth drops open.
"Mama? You can't be serious."
"Very."
"She about lost her mind when she found out that her twin didn't die. You remember! You were there!"
"Yes, I remember the biggest hissy fit and temper tantrum I've ever seen from an adult."
"They despise each other and they've never even met." Nyah tries to remind me. "What good could possibly come from this?"
"I don't think Anni despises Cassiopeia as much as she blames her for being the reason her parents split up." It was fascinating to witness an almost clinical psychological reaction take place with Annika in blaming her sibling in an irrational way, just as a child would over the separation of her parents. She put no responsibility whatsoever on her beloved Daddy, and almost entirely blamed her mother and Cassiopeia for still existing and being the reason her mother left her father. Somehow I managed to escape her wrath and blame and became an innocent party in her eyes, a sister she happily accepted versus Cassiopeia, her own twin. There was no love lost between either of them, that was for certain.
"Maybe this is what your mother needs, Nyah." I motioned down the hallway towards the woman we've just saved. "A wake up call to the reality of the life we really live in. She lives in the razzle-dazzle fun part of the Heirs who never see such horrors. Where someone, maybe even her own father, could do such a thing to her sister, his own child. The last time she saw photos of Cassiopeia, she was so full of life, gorgeous and healthy, in command as their father's General. Something she obviously was jealous of. Maybe she needs to see what this world really does to us and that being her father's Right Hand isn't so glamorous as she seems to think it is."
"Rip the blinders off." Nyah nods along understanding.
"Yes. I know Maria was trying to shield her from some of the horrors but it's not helping her face reality. Telling her, showing her this truth, might help Cassiopeia and right now, she's my top priority; my main concern. Even if its angry insulation, it's still insulation. If Annika sees her sister like this, sees her alive, she can't deny the situation any more. And I'm bringing over Lena and Elin, too." I add as this plan takes further formation. "I think it's time that Mikael had someone else to keep him in line when it comes to the rest of his family."
"You're playing with fire there, Jules. He doesn't like to be played."
"And neither do I. If he's known this whole time that my sister was alive…that's something I may never be able to forgive him for." I add quietly fidgeting nervously with my own fingers this time.
"What if he was under orders not to tell you?" She speaks from experience sharing the same family and constraints as Mikael.
"Then he was under orders." I concede. "I understand the Chain of Command, Nyah. But on a personal level, I just don't know how any relationship other than friends would ever work between he and I if I can't even trust him to tell me the truth where my own family is concerned." My eyes flash up to hold hers, "As Maria once said, 'Evil can only prevail when good people stand by and do nothing.' If he knew she was there, starving to death…well, I can't forgive that and I can't be with him. How can I ever be with someone I have to constantly wonder if they're lying to me?"
"He's our future Command, Julia. He's always going to have things he's going to keep from us, lie to us about for the good of The Council. There's no way around it. Look at what happened between Nana and Papa. Sometimes love isn't enough."
"I know." I sigh disheartened. It's not the first time I've heard this or had these thoughts on my own since learning about all of this between Maria and Ulric. I used to think Mikail and I could change our fate and beat the odds but that reality is looking evermore grim these days with so many lies and secrets already between us.
"And Cassiopeia really isn't going to like this when she comes to and finds out you've brought all these people into the fold. That goes against everything she's ever said to us about it."
"But goes along with everything she's ever taught us, Nyah. If it weren't her in this situation, if it wasn't our family, she'd be doing this the exact same way. She wanted me to learn to play the game to stay alive. Well, I'm playing it to keep her alive just the way she taught me." I know Cassiopeia isn't going to like what I'm doing. She's going to hate it. But right now, I'm willing to deal with her disappointment and whatever retribution I may face from her as long as she's alive.
We walk in silence the rest of the way towards the kitchen so that no one else overhears my plan. I know that Maria would absolutely protest Ulric's arrival in this house and anywhere near Cassiopeia at the moment.
When we round the corner into the kitchen we find Marna sitting at the table with two hot plates of breakfast already and waiting for us. She's made our favorites. Waffles with real whipped cream and fruit and fresh squeezed orange juice.
I notice immediately that she's only made two plates. "Is Maria not joining us?" I ask after my biological mother who is most notably absent as we take our seats.
"No. She won't be joining us. After all the years I've known her, I know she won't eat anything given the state of your sister's condition. Especially due to starvation. The sight of food will only make her sick and enraged at this point." Marna adds quietly and then smiles at us, gesturing with her hands towards our plates when she sees the look of guilt flash across our faces. "Don't be silly. Eat. You've undoubtedly not eaten anything in the last few days during this mission to rescue Casey, am I right?" She furrows an eyebrow at us each. "So eat. You've earned it and it won't help matters at all if Maria believes the two of you are now starving, too."
There is no arguing with this woman. She makes too much sense. Maria will have a fit if she finds out we haven't eaten just because she won't. "Thank you." I offer quietly for the meal and sit in silence along with Nyah as we try not to inhale the food before us. Marna was right. We haven't eaten in days.
"I'm going to do something that will likely make you very angry. But I need you to trust me." I finally speak to Marna at the end of the meal. I know how much clout this woman carries in this household and her ability to calm Maria when others can't. I need her on my side.
"What?" She asks hesitantly.
"I am going to call Ulric and ask him to come here immediately…and I need you not tell Maria." My eyes flash with Nyah's and I can see she's just as nervous about this request as I am in asking.
"Absolutely not." Marna pushes her teacup away immediately enraged. "She made it very clear she never wants that man to step foot into this house again for as long as she's living."
"Please? I wouldn't be asking if it weren't extremely important. You need to trust me. I know what I'm doing."
"Trust her, Na Na." Nyah chimes in, calling Marna by her own term of endearment for the woman she considered another grandmother. "She's doing this to protect them…and herself." Her eyes glance over and catch mine.
"You? Why? What did you do now?" Her eyes widen in fear. The last time I was in trouble and could have used protection, I was completely battered and broken after being tortured. The horror in her eyes was unmistakable then as it is now in reflecting upon that past and fearing it's repeating.
"I had to get her out." I plead quietly hoping she doesn't look at me like the monster I feel as though I'm becoming. My fingers reach out and take hold of her hand, seeking comfort and the strength to admit this and hopefully forgiveness. "I killed a lot of people, Marna; a lot of people to get her out of that prison. None of them were sanctioned kills. Do you understand?"
She nods quietly too shocked to speak hearing me admit to killing anyone for the first time in my life.
"And I'm also calling Marie at the same time." I inform her of the plan. "We need a witness to Cassiopeia's being here and alive in case Ulric did have something to do with this."
"You think he did this?" She asks in complete surprise.
"Maybe." I shrug unsure. "I don't know. He faked her death before to have complete control over her. Maybe he did it again? I don't know. But I have to play this right to insulate her. So she doesn't disappear again. Do you understand? I need your help. His help in this as I'm sure I have Russian FSB trying to track us down as we speak. They wouldn't dare come onto his property. That's why I know it's safe here. She's safe and so is Maria. I just…" I'm running out of words and ways to explain the complicated mess that is my mind and thought process.
Her warms gentle hands close tightly over mine and she smiles at me with a nod. "You did what you had to do, Julia. There is no shame in that. You protected your sister. I understand."
"Then you'll help me? Help us?" I look at Nyah. "You won't tell her I'm bringing them here?"
"No. I won't tell her. Because you are going to." She looks right at me, holding tightly to my hands now. "You cannot keep something like this from her. She trusts you, Julia, to tell her the truth. Even when you think she can't handle it. If you keep this from her, she'll lose that faith and trust in you."
I sigh heavily looking down at our hands and know she's right. I just can't stand the thought of hurting Maria anymore than she's already been hurt. I will hurt her by bringing him here and I will hurt her by keeping the truth from her. Either way, she will be hurt, but Marna is right. Maria at least trusts me to tell her the truth, even when it hurts. "I know you're right." I nod my compliance. "I'll tell her the plan. I'm sorry I asked you to lie to her. That wasn't fair. I'm sorry." My head is throbbing from lack of sleep and maybe I haven't given all this enough time in order to think this plan through more clearly. I'd sleep on it but I don't have the time.
"I won't lie to her, but how else can I help you, girls?" She smiles supportively to me.
"Can you convince Mama to come over here?" Nyah asks this time. "I know that she hasn't been here for awhile, still feuding with Nana but we need her here, too."
"Why?"
"She needs to see her sister. See that she's alive and what's happened to her." I answer the question.
"Maria hasn't wanted to force the issue with Anni. She won't agree to this. She's been trying to protect Anni from all these unspeakable horrors."
"And what has that gotten her? The daughter she's raised isn't speaking to her?" I feel my anger rising and how my older sister is constantly handled with kid gloves. I realize she has been raised in a completely different way than we have and it's not fair to expect the same of her. But at the same time, it makes me crazy she's giving her mother the silent treatment over something Maria had no control over. She's spoiled and selfish, exactly as Cassiopeia used to describe her as. A princess who sees the world through rose-colored glasses.
"You can ask her about Anni, but I doubt she will agree. She's quite adamant about giving Annika space and time and not forcing the issue with her." Marna says again. "I think she realizes that Annika hasn't the faculties and capabilities to deal with such traumas. We've raised her quite sheltered and that's our fault. We never wanted her to know the horrors that Maria went through or endured. She wanted better for her child. It is only now that she is grown we realize the error in our ways. With Cassiopeia's death, Anni wanted to pretend that everything that came before never happened and for everything to go back to the way it was. That's how she's dealing with it. To pretend it never happened. To pretend her twin died at birth as we all believed the many years before. She has stayed away because the sadness in Maria's eyes and mannerisms over Casey's death is too constant of a reminder of that which Anni wants to forget. You have to realize, Julia, that Anni has never had a single bad thing ever happen to her in her life before all of this. Not one single thing. We shielded and protected her from it all. All of us. Me, Maria and Ulric. She has no idea how to handle it and cope."
My eyes shift to Nyah and hold fast. I never realized it was this bad. Nyah never said a thing to me about how badly her mother was actually handling all this. I knew it was bad, just not this bad. That Annika actually preferred to never speak of it and pretend it never happened. Given the nature of my history with Cassiopeia, I never ever brought her up to Annika when we were together and Anni never brought Cassiopeia up to me. I just thought it was because she didn't like her. I had no idea it was actually because she wanted to pretend she never existed at all!
"I still think we should at least tell her that her twin is alive. Even if we don't force her to see her. I think she needs to know. Otherwise, its another lie we're all keeping from her." I insist thinking about Marna's reasoning for me to tell Maria the truth.
"But she can't handle the truth, Julia." Marna's eyes fill with unshed tears still trying to protect her child given she helped raise Anni.
"Maybe not. But she deserves to know the truth. She can go on pretending Cassiopeia doesn't exist if she wants to. But I won't lie to her about something this important. As you just said about Maria, she needs to hear the truth, even if it hurts."
"They are not the same, Julia. Anni doesn't have her mother's strength. Maria's life prepared her for such things. Annika can't handle this."
"And she never will as long as we keep shielding her from everything." I argue angrily that even now we have to worry about protecting Annika when Cassiopeia is the one that has been brought to death's doorstep and back. In this moment, I fully understand Cassiopeia's resentment towards her twin. Anni was protected from absolutely everything while Cassiopeia was thrown directly into the lion's den. "I don't have time for this. You're right. Now is not the best time for this. I can't handle dealing with Annika and saving Cassiopeia's life all at the same time. But I refuse to pretend Cassiopeia is dead in the future to make her more comfortable."
"No one is asking you to." Marna speaks quietly and I can see she's upset about all of this as well.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to take my frustrations out on you, Marna, it's just so surreal to me to hear how insanely protective everyone has always been of Anni, and the bubble she's been kept in all her life given the life I know! The one that me, and Cassiopeia and Nyah have all been thrown into. I finally understand why Cassiopeia doesn't want to have anything to do with Anni. It must have been so insane for her growing up to see her twin shielded and protected while she was being beaten and tortured. In order to survive that truth, she had to cut ties."
"And it's likely the same reason why Annika doesn't want to have anything to do with Casey. It's an insane truth she can't handle." Marna argues quietly and I deflate immediately. I can't help but be protective of the one sister I know the best and that's Cassiopeia. But Marna is right. Their reasons for wanting to keep their distance from each other are likely the same. Two halves of the same coin in life with drastically different lives. Neither living in a world the other can comprehend and resents knowing the other's existence.
"And you and Nana are caught in the middle." Nyah's eyes are welling with new tears, reaching over to squeeze Marna's hand in support. She understands knowing her mother much better than I do. We've both quietly taken sides without coming right out and saying it all these past months and it makes sense to me now, why Nyah didn't elaborate on how far Anni was willing to go in refusing to acknowledge the situation. She was protecting her mother, understandably.
"I'm sorry. I really am. I know this is insanely difficult for all of you. I do. It's just, Cassiopeia is the only person…" My mouth goes dry as I try to swallow my tears and emotions, "She's the only person in my life who has always been there. Always. Since the day I was born that is still alive and with me. Until you lose absolutely everyone in your life and family, you can't possibly understand what it means to be truly alone and how horrific it feels to be told that person is gone too. So I'm kind of crazy when it comes to protecting her now in knowing she's still alive and in a fragile state."
"I understand, Julia. I lost my whole family, too." Nyah speaks quietly.
"Yes and no, Nyah. You do and you don't." I shake my head not wanting to argue with her about this and not wanting to hurt her but she didn't get it. Not really. "You lost your biological family. But you were very little when that happened and you've said so yourself, for the majority of all your memories, you only remember Anni as your Mama and this as your family. You still have all of them. I had a family, one I thought was biological and not that it mattered, but I had them and then they were all gone. And I am on my own now. I don't get another family. Cassiopeia is all I have."
"She's not all you have, child. You have us." Marna argues with new tears in her eyes and running silently down her cheeks.
"But I'm not allowed to have you, Marna." I start sobbing, unable to keep the tears in any longer. "Not really. I'm not allowed to keep Maria as a mother or even claim Cassiopeia or Anni as my sisters. We cannot do anything normal that a family would do. We can never do any of the things that you do with Nyah, or Mikael or Elin or Anni. It's a family that's kept just out of our reach. Cassiopeia and I will never be accepted here, no matter how much you or we may want to be. At least through work, I can claim her as my mentor if nothing else. She's all I had and she was gone. I had no reason to want to live anymore. She was the only thing that kept me going all these years. The only thing!" All the emotions I've tried to desperately to keep bottled up for the last six months are now pouring out of me. Maria steps around the corner into the kitchen and I can tell by the tears already running down her face and the way she's looking at me she's heard everything I've just said. I'm instantly angry with myself for breaking down and sobbing and revealing any of this to them and in this moment when there is still so much to do for Cassiopeia.
I think the stress has finally gotten to me and the relief of knowing she's still alive and here with me is washing over me now that she's mostly safe. My inner most thoughts and feelings are spilling out now in a place and with people I feel safe in sharing them with. The looks on all their faces disclose that I am revealing to them their worst fears and what they've likely suspected for months in my wonton way or living life, not really caring if I lived or died or what danger I brought upon myself or got into after my torture and Cassiopeia's subsequent death. I didn't truly care if I lived or died. I had nothing and no one left to live for in my mind. My family was gone. My reason for being was gone. My anchor in this life and tether in the storms had died too and I saw myself as being completely alone. The only thing that had kept me going was the hope of finding her alive.
"Julia," Maria walks towards me and I back away, moving around the counter.
"I'm sorry. I can't do this right now. I need to help her and in order to do that… I can't do this. I'm sorry." I apologize to them all and wipe at my tears. "I'm going to run into town and get the supplies from the pharmacy. I'll be back soon."
"It's freezing out there right now, child." Marna tries to argue with me but Maria puts her hand up slightly in understanding, motioning Marna to back down.
"It's okay. She needs to run. I understand." Maria nods at me, knowing I need to compartmentalize and that in this moment, I am right. No matter how much we want or need to get into my own feelings about all of this and what's happened in the last six months, now is not the time. I need to be able to compartmentalize my feelings so that we can deal with the situation at hand and that's helping Cassiopeia. The first order of business is to get her an NG tube and liquid food so that we can start giving her more nutrition than the essential electrolytes and vitamin nutrients she's getting through her IV.
When I return two hours later, I'm in complete control of my emotions again and I have the needed supplies. Enough at least to last a few days until the pharmacy orders more. I slip up the servants stairs unnoticed and am thankful when I find the bedroom Cassiopeia currently occupies empty. Knowing her as I do, she wouldn't want an audience for this. Having a tube shoved up your nose and then down into your stomach wasn't pleasant for anyone. It meant you were too weak to feed yourself and that wasn't something any of us, but especially Cassiopeia, would like to admit. Even if she was unconscious, I wanted to give her as much privacy in this matter as I could.
I wash my hands and fumble through my backpack, organizing the supplies and slip my latex gloves on.
"I'm truly sorry about this." I whisper my apologies before turning her limp head up to thread the tiny tube into her nostril. She doesn't stir at all when normally one would gag feeling the tube slide up and down their throat into her stomach. Without saying a word, I attach the tube to her face with a delicate piece of tape over her cheek and hook the other end up to the large syringe filled with liquid food from the pharmacy. I know enough about starvation to know that her body will reject food at first and I must only give her small amounts at a time. It's heartbreaking watching the high calorie white liquid slither its way up the tube and into her body as I slowly push the plunger.
I can hear Maria's approach before the door opens. She quietly slips into the room and takes the seat in the chair beside the bed, looking over Cassiopeia's entire form and the new tube threaded into her nose before turning her gaze to me.
"How is it going?" She asks full of concern.
"Well. It's going well." I speak quietly concentrating on the task at hand. I know I'm only supposed to plunge another teaspoon into her every few minutes. "She just needs time."
"And you? Are you okay?" She asks with the same concern.
"I'm fine." I answer her lamely and we both know I'm not. Not really. But to her credit she accepts the answer for what it is. "I'm just tired. I haven't slept in days and the adrenaline crashes are wearing on me."
"Nyah filled us in a little on the events of the last couple of days while you were out." She speaks quietly, and gently brushes her hand down the side of Cassiopeia's bald head again as if needing to touch her and reaffirm she is still here.
"How detailed was she?" I ask wondering if she's revealed to Maria what I confessed to her about the FSB guards at the prison.
"As detailed as she could be given her part in all this. She said the prison break was your story to tell. She'd let you give us details when you were ready."
I'm thankful my friend knows me well enough to know that I'd want to be the one to share this kind of news. I take a deep breath and plunge forward with the truth. "There isn't much to tell really. I knew she was in there. I just felt it deep inside my bones. And when I came across the first guard, adrenaline and rage surged forth simultaneously. I killed them all. Every single guard that was stationed watching over that hell on Earth, I put down." I swallow the lump in my throat, not taking my eyes off Cassiopeia's face while I tell this story. I can't bear to look at Maria and see the emotions I know she must be feeling and so I concentrate on the face of the woman in the bed. The one who is still unconscious and the reason for my bloodshed. "The closer I came to her cell, the more guards surged upon me and I knew she was in there. They wouldn't have so many FSB guards stationed in this prison unless they were trying to contain something. Not that she was a danger to them at this point." I nod towards the lifeless figure before us. "She was huddled on the concrete floor in the corner of a dark cell. She must have thought I was a guard coming to beat her, because she rolled herself into a tight ball and covered her head when I approached. It wasn't until she heard my voice and I called out to her repeatedly that she responded. She admitted she couldn't stand on her own and I shot her in the heart with a boost of adrenaline. It got her up and standing for a couple of minutes but that was it. She collapsed in my arms moments later. I carried her out, killed the last of the guards and took a boat back across the lake. I'd stolen a car and we drove into the forest until we reached the cabin. I set off my homing beacon for Nyah to find and we waited. Cassiopeia came to for a little while, as I said before, when I was giving her a bath."
"What did she say?"
"Not much. Mostly just relieved we got her out of there, I think." I finish the dosage of this liquid meal for her and carefully detach the syringe. "I apologized for taking so long to find her."
"You didn't know where she was, Julia. How could you have found her any sooner?"
"But I knew she wasn't dead. I just knew it. In here." I pound roughly against my chest with my fingers tips. "But this crazy life we lead makes me doubt everything. Even myself and the way I feel and I didn't know if it was just wishful thinking and denial that she was really gone."
"I felt the exact same way and for the same reasons. But you found her, Julia. You never gave up looking."
"I did though." I confess. "I'd just finally accepted she was really gone when my contact revealed to me his source had told him of female American agent was imprisoned on prison island inside Russia. I knew it had to be Fire Island."
"But you found her. I think that's all that matters to her. As you said before, I think she felt safe enough once she realized she was with you to let go. To let you take charge."
"But she's not fully safe yet. And neither am I and I can't protect her if they haul me away again." I continue my confession. "I killed 33 FSB officers on an unsanctioned mission. You know what they did to me the last time they just thought I killed just one FSB officer on an unsanctioned mission." I see her eyes widen in fear at what I'm implying. "I need to confess to Ulric and Marie immediately and I need to do it here. In front of you and witnesses and in this house where I know Cassiopeia is still protected even if I'm taken into custody. I don't know if Ulric had any part or knowledge in what happened to her. But whether he did or didn't I want him to know that we all know she's still alive." I swallow the new lump forming in my throat.
"Nothing is going to happen to either of you. I warned him once that it'd be over my dead body before he ever did anything to harm my family again."
"I know and I think that's why it may have been over hers' instead." I nod towards Cassiopeia before us. "When you believed she had died as a baby, he had complete control over her. He lost that control when Marie revealed the truth. And even further when you confessed to the mission to get Alexei back, laying your life on the line for hers and mine. You very publicly took his power away."
"You think he faked her death to regain that power?" She asks following along as new horror courses through her veins.
"Yes. I don't know for sure but given his history, I wouldn't put it past him."
"But why starve her? Why nearly kill her if his end game was to keep her under his control?"
"Maybe to break her down again? Remind her of who was really in charge?" I'm guessing, I know but that's all I have to go on. "I don't know, honestly. Maybe he had nothing to do with it. Maybe it really was the FSB Director Pavlov running a rogue mission of revenge, but either way, I need Marie and Ulric to hear my confession and to see her alive before the Sentinels come to take me away again."
"You want them to come here." She sees where I'm going with this before I even ask her the question.
"Yes. I need them to come here. Here is safe."
"Okay." She agrees quite easily to my utter amazement. My wide eyes must give away how I'm feeling and causes her to smile for the first time since my arrival. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to keep the both of you safe. If that means putting up with him under this roof again, so be it."
"He doesn't have to stay long. Just long enough to see she's alive and that we all know, he knows." I offer as some sort of solace.
"Okay." She agrees without hesitation. "Julia, it doesn't matter to me in this moment at all. I will do whatever I need to do in order to keep you both safe."
"Thank you." I lean forward and hug her. I know I'm not supposed to but I don't care. I need a hug and I think she does too. Her arms are hesitant for only a moment before she holds me more tightly. She's not used to me making the contact first. We hold each other for longer than usual and then part ways without any further fanfare.
"Who are you going to call first?" She asks picking up Cassiopeia's hand once more, craving the contact and unwilling to let go longer than she has to. It's not really fair since Cassiopeia has no say in the matter being unconscious; and I know she wouldn't like this kind of motherly contact at all from Maria. But Maria needs this contact just as much Cassiopeia usually needs to avoid it. I have to believe somewhere in Cassiopeia's subconscious, it has to be helping her too, even if reluctantly. Everyone needs to feel their mother's love when they're sick and hurting.
"I'd better call Marie first, then Ulric. She has a longer way to travel to arrive here."
"Actually, according to my sources, Ulric is in London on business so they should arrive around the same time." She smiles softly at me and I can't help but smile back. Of course this woman is now using her own skills to keep tabs on the man she's still legally married to but separated from. "I was referring more to, are you going to call them first? Or this man, Ares, you speak of as being her significant other?" She motions with her head down towards Cassiopeia with a warm smile. I can tell this information pleases her greatly. To know that Cassiopeia does have a life outside all of this horror and has found bits of happiness and love even if she never speaks of it.
"I'd better call them first and then Ares. If he finds out I'm calling them in, I'm not sure exactly how he'd react. He may whisk her away and hide her himself. I have no idea. But I need to prove she's alive first to the others. And he can't be here when they are. That would be a disaster."
"Why?"
"Because they're forbidden to be anything more than colleagues and I don't think he's going to be able to contain himself when he sees she's still alive and in this condition. He's never been as good at hiding how he feels about her as she is." I smile sadly thinking back to all the times in my life I've seen the way Ares looks at Cassiopeia or things he's done for her. "She is his whole world. In his eyes, she may as well have hung the moon. He's been absolutely devastated by her death."
"And you never told him you suspected she was still alive either?"
"No. I didn't want to get his hopes up. I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up until I had proof." I look down at the woman in the bed before me. "But he needs to see her. He deserves to know she's alive as soon as possible."
"Do you know where he is now?"
"No. I have no idea. He's been on a long-term mission the last few weeks. I have no way to even reach him but I know someone in the North American Division who would."
"Who?"
"The President." I answer and her eyes widen slightly. "Ares has become their Number One First Gen since Cassiopeia was declared dead. Whatever mission he's on, they've sent him there."
"And you trust him? The President with this information?"
"Yes, I do." I nod feeling confident in that answer. "They've always treated us, the EHWs in their possession and control, with nothing but kindness. The President and First Lady were both very upset with the news of Cassiopeia's death, not just because they lost their top asset, but because I believe, they genuinely cared about her."
"That is a rarity in this world."
"I know. Which is why I'm so saddened they'll be leaving office in the New Year." I try not to ponder what will happened once the new man elected President takes office and can only hope and pray he treats those of us under his command with the same kindness and humanity that his predecessor has. "I won't give them details unless they demand it of me. But I'll just tell them know I need to speak with Ares as soon as possible about something very urgent. Maybe just have them deliver a message that I need him to meet me here."
My fingers are shaking as I press each digit of the phone number I've been told to use for strict emergency use only. I've never called it before in my life and I find my mouth going dry now hearing the ringing go through to the other end. It only rings once before a very distinctive male Russian voice answers the line speaking in his mother tongue.
"It's Raptor." I answer in Russian, using my call sign and speak quickly on this secure line. "I need to speak with Lady Marie. It's an emergency." He disappears off the line and a moment later I hear her voice.
"Julia?" She asks with a sharp tone filled with both relief it sounds like and anger. "Are you the one responsible for the current situation I'm dealing with in Russia?"
"Yes, ma'am." I confess and feel my heart start to pound that she's already been informed. "I found her." I answer quietly and I know she will realize exactly whom I am speaking of. "She's alive?" She asks with slight hesitation and hope in her voice.
"Yes, ma'am. Barely." I add knowing she needs to hear this.
"Where are you now?" She asks quickly.
"The only place I knew we'd both be safe. Where you told me to go the last time, should I run into any trouble." I speak in riddles even though this is supposed to be her secure line. I don't trust everyone who works for her and I don't think she does either. Her ranks are littered with Red Guardian spies and I can't take the chance one of them will report my whereabouts before Marie has the chance to arrive should they be listening in.
"I see. Stay put. I'll be there as soon possible." She doesn't say goodbye just hangs up.
"She's on her way." I inform Maria where we both remain sitting quietly beside Cassiopeia's bed keeping vigil.
"I'll have the staff ready her room and those for her entourage." She sighs scrubbing her hand over her face. The emotional rollercoaster has already taken its toll on her and it's only just past noon. "And then I'll dismiss them as I did before." I nod in agreement that I think that's a good idea.
The next phone call I make is to Ulric's direct mobile line but he's not answering. My palms sweat making this call. I hate this man with ever cell in my being and this is the first time I'm ever calling him directly in my life.
"He's likely in a meeting." Maria offers reading the situation. "He's scheduled for them all day."
"Then how am I supposed to get his attention? I don't want to leave a message."
"Call from the house phone." She reaches for the handset sitting on the nearby bedside table pressing a Red Button. "This line is secure and he will recognize the number. Since I never call anymore unless it is about Anni, he should answer."
"Are you sure?" I ask even as she's dialing his number for me.
"Yes." She answers calmly and waits in silence as the phone rings. I hear it ring three times before he answers."
"I'm in a meeting, Maria. Can this wait?" I hear Ulric's voice drift over the line.
"No, it cannot wait. There is someone here who needs to speak with you immediately." She answers him and then passes the phone to me.
"Command, this is Raptor." I speak finding my voice after a moment of hesitation.
"What are you doing at the estate? Have I not made myself abundantly clear on this matter?" He scolds me with such venom I feel as though the phone will melt in my hands.
"Yes, sir, you did. But I found something you really need to see, immediately."
"I'm in the middle of a very important meeting with several world leaders and I simply cannot leave because you tell me to."
"I raided the FSB prison on Fire Island and I killed all 33 guards." I blurt out before he can shut me down any further.
"On whose authority? Who sanctioned this mission? Was it Lady Marie?"
"No, sir. I didn't have anyone's authority. It wasn't sanctioned but necessary."
"You went rogue? For what purpose?"
"I had Intel on the prison and more specifically one of the prisoners being contained there. I found her, sir. I found Cassiopeia."
There is a moment of silence on the phone and then nothing.
"He just hung up." I stare in shock looking at the phone in my hand and hearing the dial tone filling the silence in the room.
"He didn't say anything?" Maria asks with narrowed brows.
"Nothing. Just silence and then he hung up." I answer not knowing how to take such a reaction. I have no idea if he's on his way or not or if I should be expecting the Sentinels to arrive at any moment to haul me away.
We don't have long to ponder our thoughts before Nyah is bursting into the room holding onto her mobile phone. "I just got a call from Mikael. He says Ulric took a call and then returned, shutdown the meeting immediately and told him they were returning here immediately. He says Ulric stepped into the men's room just now and that's why he called me as soon as possible to find out what's going on and make sure everyone here is ok. Should I tell him or wait until Ulric tells him? Or does Ulric even know why he's coming here?" She asks panicked indicating Mikael is still waiting on hold for answers.
"Is that a secure line?" I ask her and she nods it is. "Then tell him we're having a family reunion. Cassiopeia is home." She gulps and repeats exactly what I say into the phone.
I can hear him screech loudly through the phone, "She's what?" and Nyah holds it away from her ear making a face.
"Yes, she is home. She's here right now with us. Please stop shouting. I'm not telling you anything more than that so don't ask. We will see you when you get here."
"Whose we?" I hear him ask one last question.
"Jules is here. She's the one who found her." She informs him and then clicks End, ending the conversation.
"Do you think he genuinely was surprised and didn't know she was alive? Or was that a performance?" I ask her being the one the line with him. I hate that I even have to ask.
"I think he's genuinely surprised. But I can never tell with him these days. It's like he's two different people or severely bi-polar." She takes a seat on the end of the bed looking at Cassiopeia's still form. It's greatly unnerving to us both to see our super strong mentor looking so fragile and unconscious for such a long time. "I hope he had nothing to do with this."
"You think Mikael had some say in this?" Maria asks aghast at the notion.
"No, we don't think he had any part in what has happened to her. We're both just concerned he may have known and not told us as Ulric's heir." I answer and have the same hopes as Nyah.
"Did you call Ares yet?" Nyah asks quietly.
"Not yet. He's my next call." I sigh picking up my mobile again and dialing another number I was given for use in only the most extreme emergencies and never before used.
"Hello?" A distinctive female voice answers immediately and I'm stunned.
"First Lady Thorne, I wasn't expecting you to answer." I balk with wide eyes and see Nyah's widen as well hearing to whom I'm speaking.
"Julia, are you okay? What's happened?" She launches right in asking questions.
"I'm fine, ma'am but is the President available to speak at present?"
"No, I'm sorry he is in a closed door meeting but if you need something, I will help you. I know it must be an emergency if you're using this line."
"I need to find Ares and get a message to him."
"He's on a deep cover mission presently."
"I know. But this is urgent and extremely important. I need to see him. Speak with him. I need him to meet me in Sweden."
"Why?" She asks and I go silent, hesitating on whether or not I should say anything. "Why Julia?" She asks again.
My gut instincts tell me to trust her and after ignoring my gut instinct for the last six months that told me Cassiopeia was still alive, I decide to trust it. "Because I found her, ma'am. I found the General and she's still alive."
I hear her small intake of breath in shock and surprise. She doesn't say anything. "Ma'am?" I prod her wondering what she will say or do next, hoping I haven't made a mistake. Everyone knows now after having a baby together that there was definitely something 'more' to the relationship between Ares and Cassiopeia. What I'm asking her for and why I'm asking for him, is of a very personal nature and has nothing to do with The Program or our being EHWs. I'm asking for Ares on a human level as someone who loves the woman I just found alive who had been previously thought dead and that's unheard of to ask an heir.
"I will pull him immediately and contact him directly with this message. I'll make sure he's on his way towards you before the end of the day." She vows and I feel my heart pick up speed with a slight smile that I wasn't wrong to trust her. "Where should I send him?"
"The Hendrix Estate." I answer looking over towards Maria. "I know he knows where that is." Given his relationship with Cassiopeia, I know he has to know where this place is.
"Done." First Lady Katherine Thorne answers me and then hangs up.
I hold the phone out surprised she was so quick to help me and also that she just hung up on me so rapidly just as Ulric had before.
"She's sending him?" Nyah asks both hopefully and bewildered.
"Yes." I nod softly and put the phone down. "She said he'd be on his way here before the end of the day."
"Oh God, I hope they don't all arrive at the same time. Ulric will be irate if Ares is here."
"I know. I've thought about that, too. We will have to hide him if it comes to that."
"I'll let Tomas know that should he arrive, not to announce it to everyone and instead escort him up here through the servant's entrance and staircase." Maria takes charge, finding a solution to one potential problem.
"Thank you." I smile at her relieved she's helping to make this easier. "I'm sorry for all this and all these people invading your home. I'm so sick of playing this elaborate chess game."
"Yeah, but you're getting really good at it." Nyah smiles at me. I know she's means it supportively but it's unnerving to hear I'm becoming just like the rest of them.
"I guess it was inevitable as Cassiopeia constantly told us." I sigh leaning forward onto the bed and lying my head down against my folded arms in exhaustion.
"Why don't you rest until they arrive? It will be a couple hours at least." Maria suggests.
"I have to give her another feeding in 30 minutes." My head turns just enough to look at her and Cassiopeia in front of me.
"I'll do it. You and Nyah both need to get some sleep." Maria insists.
"Okay." I don't argue with her. I'm too exhausted. "Thank you." I smile instead, crawling into the bed beside Cassiopeia. "You promise to wake me when they arrive? Before you let them see her?"
"Yes, I promise. No one will set foot in this room unless you say so." She smiles at me, giving me complete control over this situation for which I'm grateful. "You found her and got her out. She trusts you. And I trust you."
"Thank you." I reach over and squeeze one of her hands.
"I'll be in my room." Nyah is more than happy to get some sleep as well. "Don't forget to wake me too!"
"Never." I smile at her. She's barely out the door when I feel my eyelids falling. The last thing I see is a brief flash of Cassiopeia's gaunt face lying just beside me before I'm sound asleep.
"Jules," I hear Nyah's voice and sit up instantly. I'm not sure how long I've been asleep but I must have been sleeping pretty deeply given I need to wipe the drool from my chin. "Ulric. He's here."