by Juniper Hart
“The results could be catastrophic!”
He heard the roar of terrified voices fill his ears, but again, the memory dissolved before he could capture it.
“Dane, are you okay?” Elle asked worriedly. “You’re pale.”
He nodded quickly and shook off the chill overwhelming his body.
I’m not Dane Hawthorne, am I?
Vern Mills was fuming. It was a rage which had been fanning for a while, but it had reached its apex. Though he didn’t know the exact moment when it had begun to fall apart, he wholeheartedly suspected it had something to do with the arrival of the stranger from the market.
In the decades since he had started World’s Worth and even the years prior, Vern had met his fair share of women from all walks of life. He had dined in five-star restaurants with the daughters of billionaires, slept in mud huts with peasants in South America, and made love on beaches in the Philippines. He had seen every shape, size, and color of female the world had to offer, but he had never met anyone like Elle Jagger.
From the first day he had laid eyes on her, he had known that he was meant to possess her and that she would belong to him. It was a lucky coincidence that Elle was a passionate environmental activist and he had just begun World’s Worth as an organization.
When he had found her at an animal rights conference in Los Angeles, he had instantaneously decided to branch World’s Worth interests into that of protection of animals and hire the ardent redhead on the spot. He had developed a job title and offered a salary more than he could afford, but he knew that, in the end, it would be well worth it. He would own Elle Jagger, and she would be tied to him forever.
It would have surprised Elle to know that Vern had never really cared about wildlife, being a sport hunter from childhood, and it would have shocked her to discover that he had never been the vegan he claimed to be. He was a cigar smoking, leather wearing, SUV driving monster who hid behind the guise of environmental activist.
The truth was, he had never really been keen on any major environmental issues at all. His role in the game had started completely on a fluke. Vern had inadvertently been dragged to a rally with a girlfriend in college. This ex had been a modern-day hippie, while Vern was more of a modern-day Casanova, thinking more with the head in his pants than the one on his shoulders.
He had champagne tastes on a beer budget, but because he was exceedingly charming and smooth, he was often courted by the very wealthy, allowing him to live the life he wanted but had no interest in working toward. He was attractive and witty, but most of all, he was a natural predator, and it was for this reason that his instincts had picked up on the amount of estrogen at that fateful laden protest.
He reasoned that any woman with that amount of passion for trees had to be amazing in the sack. His inference was not wrong.
Suddenly, Vern found himself scouting out various causes to meet women, and he was never disappointed. He had the best of everything at these rallies; the insatiable and the wealthy who wanted to alleviate their guilt by dumping it into causes. Before long, however, he was becoming a public figure on the environmental radar. Because he showed up to so many events, people began to think he was genuinely important to the scene. Once he got a social media presence, the world was his oyster.
He was shaking hands with mayors and CEOs of various companies, each influential figure wanting something from him, assuming that he was someone. Some simply wanted publicity, showing that fat cats could bond with the tree hugging commoners. Others made covert threats. It didn’t matter why they approached him; their need to address him, a college dropout turned short order cook, made him feel incredibly powerful.
It inspired him to start his own campaign, which was an instant success. He was backed by the husbands of the rich wives he was bedding and endorsed by major activists from all over North America. Soon, his benefactors asked him to branch out, and he was worldwide, meeting Middle Eastern princes and Chinese leaders.
He had it all: a booming organization which the mega powerful feared and despised and all of the women he could hope to conquer with their financial support on the nightstand.
When Vern had laid eyes on Elle Jagger, his heart had literally stopped beating in his chest. It wasn’t simply that she was gorgeous. There was something which permeated her skin, a glow of confidence and an ethereal quality he was never able to identify, even after years of seeing her every day. She was the most naturally beautiful woman he had ever seen, and had Vern been a religious man, he would have believed her to be an angel sent from the heavens.
Elle had such a hypnotic effect on him that he didn’t want to approach her at first. He was terrified that she would break the illusion of perfection that she so flawlessly cast. She was seemingly unaware of her incredible attractiveness, and Vern knew enough about women to know that a woman who was not reigned by her own physical appearance was generally a woman who needed to be seduced on a mental level.
He accepted the inner challenge and introduced himself, slowly drawing her into his cause. Vern had carefully painted a picture of himself, portraying himself to be everything that she was seeking in a man, very careful never to come across as flirtatious or sexual. He was sociopathic enough to know that she would be turned off by any inappropriate undertones, and he did not want to bed her until he had her exactly where he wanted her; under his thumb.
Elle had willingly allowed herself to follow his charismatic lead, and without ever realizing it, she had become Vern’s puppet.
As time went by, Vern became less concerned with bedding Elle and more involved with turning her into his pet. He saw how her eyes lit up whenever he administered her a kind word or shot her a smile. He purposely kept his expressions unreadable, watching her seek out the faintest sign of approval in him. Vern knew at some moment he would take Elle, and when he did, he would control her fully and completely.
At least that was what he had thought, but suddenly, he felt that he had lost his hold on his plaything. And he knew Dane was the cause.
At first, Vern had hoped that Dane would simply vanish at the same rate at which he had appeared. However, as the days passed, it became clearer and clearer that the man was not going anywhere. It was also obvious that Elle was smitten with him, a blow that Vern had not anticipated. He had waited too long to make his move, and now he would have to take measures to get her back.
That bitch belongs to me! Some golden boy isn’t about to step into the picture out of nowhere and take something I took years to build. They are fucking with the wrong guy.
The cold fury had taken on a life of its own, and while Vern stared up at the ceiling of the five-star hotel room, he took a sip of champagne, contemplating his next move.
After the attacks, and after I turn in the foreigner for the bombs in Springfield, I will have to find a way to get Elle back for being so disloyal. I bet I can think of a couple ways to make her sorry. Vern reached down and stroked his small erection under the soapy bubbles, grinning without mirth or mercy. And sorry she will be.
10
“Elle, Vern wants to talk to you. Alone.” Bernice made the announcement looking meaningfully at Dane, who was staring directly up at the ceiling, unmoving. He had not made a motion in the two hours they had been in the office, not even when Avery, in his dry, sarcastic fashion had asked, “Hey, you alive, man?”
Elle narrowed her clear eyes suspiciously at Bernice.
“Vern knows where I am,” she retorted, looking back down at the mailing list before her. “Or has he hired you as his personal assistant now?”
“Elle, it’s… ah… it’s important,” Joey interjected timidly, coming out of the inner office. “You might want to go see him.”
She looked up at the meek man, somewhat surprised that he had spoken out of turn.
If Joey’s jumping in, then it must be important, she thought, sighing. She decided to save Joey a panic attack and see what Vern wanted. She had a feeling she knew exactly what the activist had in
mind, and she had been purposely avoiding this conversation for two days.
The motion of rising to her feet finally swayed Dane from his trancelike state, and he immediately went to follow her as if he was her personal bodyguard. Elle shook her head, and the two stared at each other, unspeaking.
Just me, she told him silently. Don’t worry.
He nodded, like she had expected he would, reclaiming his seat. He refocused his chlorophyll-colored eyes back onto the white ceiling. They had developed an almost telepathic connection, one where mere glances seemed to communicate all of their desires. To the outsiders, it was eerie yet melancholic watching the two together, as if the budding feelings between the couple were both inspirational and nauseating simultaneously.
Elle still couldn’t be sure what genus of the Enchanted Dane fell under, but he had also never asked her. They simply appreciated the beauty in one another without question. The more time they spent together, the more connected she felt to him. Leaving his side was almost painful for her, but she knew she didn’t really have a choice in this matter.
I’ll be right back, she added, and Dane nodded without looking in her direction. Elle swallowed a smile, comforted in the fact that he was with her even when he physically wasn’t.
Slowly, Elle gathered her words together and walked into Vern’s office, bracing herself for what was to come. She found him leaned back in his high back chair, and for the first time that Elle could remember, he looked lost, almost defeated.
“Listen, before you say anything—” Elle started in a rush of breath. She wanted to rip off the bandage without preamble. She was sick of fighting with Vern.
A part of her wondered if her time with World’s Worth was coming to an end. She knew that she and Vern could not keep getting down each other’s throats. It was not healthy for anyone, and the cause would suffer as a result. Elle wished he would just accept that Dane was an attribute to the organization instead of putting up walls. She also knew that if she was forced to choose between Dane and Vern, the former would win.
“Close the door, Elle,” Vern said tiredly before she could continue her plotted speech. She paused and then obliged, turning back to him.
“What’s wrong?” she finally asked, half wishing she hadn’t. It was obvious he was troubled.
“I’m throwing in the towel,” Vern told her, rubbing his eyes and then turning his wide brown eyes upon her. Her face was a mask of confusion.
“Throwing in the towel?” she echoed. “What the hell does that mean?”
“I’m giving up World’s Worth. I’m folding the organization.”
At first, the words made no sense, and she could only stare at him blankly. Suddenly, panic seized Elle like a dead weight on her belly.
“What? No! Why?” Vern sighed and stood up. He began pacing he room, running his hands through his salt and pepper hair. Elle noticed small wrinkles around his soft eyes, wrinkles that had not been there a year before.
“I just don’t have the fight left in me anymore. Maybe I’m getting old, I don’t know. I just feel like we’re giving everything we’ve got and getting nowhere.”
“That’s not true, Vern! We’ve done a lot for the world!”
“Yeah, we’ve done a lot of good, I know, but in the grand scheme of things, it really doesn’t amount to much, does it? We just take one step forward and end up back twelve more. We’re never going to make a dent on this world. We’ll be in a zombie apocalypse before we do anything substantial.”
“Wait a second, Vern. The other day, you wanted to take on Geoluad. That doesn’t sound like nothing. That sounds like a big deal!” Elle cried, putting her hands on his shoulders to keep him still.
“I think that’s when I realized that I’m in over my head,” Vern confessed. “With this whole Geoluad thing.”
Again, Elle looked confused. “Why?”
“I don’t know, Elle. I mean… I guess I always thought you would be fighting the fight with me, and you made it pretty clear that you didn’t like my plan. So now I kind of feel like I’m on my own, and I just know I can’t do it by myself. God knows no one else has the guts or passion that you do.”
Elle felt overwhelmed by shame at his words. She had been prepared to tell him that she was not going to Springfield, but as she looked at the forlorn, broken man, she knew that she could not let him quit the cause. He had done so much for the planet, for her. She owed him this.
“It will always be me and you fighting the fight, Vern! I would never give up on you!” Slowly, Vern looked into Elle’s eyes, and she saw some hope flicker in the depth of his pupils.
“Really, Elle? You mean it?” he asked pleadingly.
“Of course! I can’t believe you would think I would give up on you.”
He embraced her, squeezing her close to his body. “I’m sorry I doubted your devotion, Elle. I’ll look into getting you set up in a hostel in Springfield. I want to do this sooner rather than later, okay?”
Elle nodded and went to pull away, but Vern kept her locked in his arms. “Don’t bother with a hostel, Vern. Dane and I will get a campsite. Less conspicuous that way.”
Abruptly, Vern released her and thrust her back, his face darkening. “Are you bringing Dane with you? Are you sure that’s wise, Elle? How much have you told him about our personal business? We have rules here, you know?”
She felt her back tense, preparing for another verbal sparring match. She would not go without Dane. Of that, there would be no dispute. “I wish you would give him a chance, Vern. He probably cares about the earth more than me.”
“I doubt that very much,” Vern told her tenderly. “No one has more passion than you.” He paused and sighed, seemingly to relent before Elle’s eyes. “If you believe in him, that’s good enough for me.”
Elle relaxed, relieved that they had not gotten into another battle, and smiled at him warmly. She didn’t question his easy resignation. He’s just as sick of fighting as I am. We’re finally seeing eye to eye.
“When should we be ready to go?”
“I will have everything in order by Friday,” Vern replied excitedly. “Is that enough time for you to get ready?”
She nodded, happy that they were friends once more. When it was all said and done, they really were a team, and that bond was one that should never be broken.
“We’ll be ready! I have to go tell Dane we’re going on a trip,” Elle said, starting for the door.
“Okay, Elle. Make sure you let me know exactly where you’re staying, right?” She paused and looked at him curiously.
“Okay, but why is that so important?” Elle asked curiously. He’d never cared about her travel arrangements before. Then again, he had usually made her travel arrangements before.
“For safety, and in case there’s any changes. Bernice wants us to upgrade our security, so I’m working on it. I couldn’t bear it if anything were to happen to you.”
She regarded him for a moment as if she was going to say something but changed her mind and nodded.
“Yeah, B and her paranoia,” Elle chuckled. “That’s fine. I’ll keep you posted, all right?”
“You bet,” he agreed. “See you soon.”
“You are late.”
“Yes, Your Highness, but—”
“Have you found him?”
“Not yet, Your Highness, but I will!”
“Do not contact me again until you have found him. Only then you may return home.”
“Yes, Your Highness, I—”
The communication cut out before Berlin could finish her thought, leaving her to sit back and peer around at her surrounding with renewed interest. He’s here. I know he is. But where? Where could he have gone?
Berlin stuffed down the mounting frustration and forced herself to think logically. This was her chance to prove herself to His Highness, but if she couldn’t find her target…
I will, she thought grimly. I’ll find him and drag him back. And then he’ll get exactly what’s coming
to him.
And the thought made Berlin grin widely.
11
“Do you ever eat?” Elle looked over at Dane, concern clouding her irises.
“Yes,” Dane lied.
“I have never seen you eat. Here, have some of this,” she urged, trying to put a forkful of rice into his mouth. Dane was about to refuse when he changed his mind. He had not eaten in over a week, and his brain capacity had slowed significantly. Whatever had been keeping him alive was not going to do it for much longer. He found himself moving at a sluggish pace due to malnutrition and exhaustion. He was, however, able to consume larger quantities of water than he had previously, which was the only reason he was still alive.
Reluctantly, he took a small forkful of the grains. His eyes lit up with interest when he realized that it was not laced with chemicals.
“This is not processed,” he stated. Elle shook her head vehemently.
“Of course not! I wouldn’t put anything like that in my body or yours. This is organic rice. I try as hard as I can to only eat organic, plant-based meals.”
“You don’t consume animals?” Dane was surprised by the revelation. He couldn’t imagine life without meat. Elle shook her head and offered him another bite.
“No. I can’t bear the thought of eating something that was alive, not to mention the production of meat wreaks havoc on the environment. I don’t have anything against people eating meat. I mean, it’s a natural thing to do, I suppose, but it’s not natural to slaughter animals to put in stores and then toss out into the garbage because you overshot your inventory this week. It’s just awful. I don’t know when the world became like this.”
“Are you alone in your disgust?” Dane asked curiously. “Or do more share your sentiments?”
“Everyone in our group is vegan, and the world is full of people who don’t eat meat.”
“Vern is a consumer of animals.” Elle blinked at his matter-of-fact wording and then shook her head.
