by Shepp, Roman
“I can't stop now,” Tony said. “Not when Saeed is in danger. Is Tara in the box too?”
“No, only Saeed.”
“Then we must get there and rescue him. We must stop Hugo before he moves to the city and there's even more bloodshed.”
The women looked at him desperately, still looking afraid of Quentin. Tony imagined this was their worst nightmare coming true. Yet, he wasn't about to forsake his friend. He picked up his baseball bat and looked at Quentin.
“Are you going to come do something worthwhile with your life? Something that actually will help another person?” he asked. Quentin moved silently but did not make any violent move against Tony or the others.
“Heel, Groot,” Tony said, and led the way.
Chapter Thirteen
Matthias was infuriated that Saeed had escaped. The guards approached the box in the morning and found the lid open. There was no sign of who had perpetrated the crime and it amazed Matthias that anyone would have the audacity to do such a thing. The community was supposed to be tight-knit. Everyone was supposed to know their place. What type of person would go against this decision? He was sure it had to be one of those cowards who had lived in the community when Arthur was in charge. That was the only thing that made sense. They probably would do anything to try undermining Hugo. Although the community seemed to be working together, there was some dissent lurking beneath the surface. Matthias would have to root it out before it became more troublesome. They were so close to beginning the next phase of their plan that the last thing they needed was such a show of mutiny.
However, Frank seemed to have a different idea. The two men were standing with Hugo in Hugo's office. Matthias was irked that Frank so quickly had wormed his way into Hugo's good graces. He should have expected something like this, given what Natasha had told him about her ex-husband, but as Matthias looked at him he wondered how Natasha ever could have married someone like him. It was clear she had shown a lack of judgment, but he decided he shouldn't judge her too harshly, given how young she had been. She was more intelligent now and wouldn't be making the same kind of mistake again.
Frank was standing near Hugo, whispering in his ear like some demon. Matthias was standing apart, looking out at the community, wondering what had happened to Saeed.
“In my experience these sorts of things are carried out by people in high places. The only people this man has ties to are myself, Jane, and Tara. Jane is under guard, a child never could have done this by herself, and I have no love at all for that man. So, the question remains, who could have done it? Who would benefit from causing dissent in the community? There's only one person that comes to my mind, and that's Matthias,” Frank said.
Matthias jerked around, his face a picture of fury.
“Oh yes, I know it may sound surprising, but if Saeed has been freed, then people would start wondering about the strength of your leadership. It makes sense to me that Matthias then would look to take advantage and seize control of the community himself,” Frank continued, offering Matthias a slimy smile.
“How dare you!” Matthias stormed forward, jabbing a finger in the air.
“Do not presume to overstep your boundaries. You are new here. I am loyal to Hugo. More loyal than you ever could dream of being, you who would cheat on his wife. No, if I would look at anyone it would be you, trying to usurp my position as Hugo's right-hand man,” he said tersely.
“Now, now, gentlemen,” Hugo said, trying to hide the smile from his face. He must be loving this, Matthias thought. Well, soon Hugo's time would come and then Frank's would too. “There's no need for all this bickering. We're all on the same page. Chances are it's just someone with an ax to grind. I'm more concerned with finding out where Saeed ran off to. He couldn't have gotten far. He must be out in the forest somewhere.”
“He is a resourceful man. I wouldn't underestimate him,” Frank said. “I'd be worried about him finding some other friends and bringing an army back here.”
“We shall find him soon,” Hugo said.
“We shouldn't be wasting our time in finding him at all,” Matthias said. “Saeed is just one man. He's a mere distraction and is only serving to delay us from our real goal. When are we going to make our move on the city?”
“Patience, Matthias. I thought you more than anyone here understood the value of patience. We are not yet prepared fully,” Hugo said.
“With all due respect, I believe we are. What more is there to do?” Matthias challenged.
“Unfortunately, some people don't understand the intricacies of what it takes to lead a great cause like this,” Frank said. He and Hugo shared a secret laugh. Matthias bristled with frustration, feeling as though he wasn't part of the group. He turned and stormed out of the office, returning to Natasha.
“That man is infuriating!” Matthias cried. Natasha instantly knew who he meant. “Somehow he's convinced Hugo that he can be of use.”
“That's what Frank does. It's why he made such a good politician. He's like a cockroach. He clings onto you and never lets go, and he starts making you think you can't live without him. Trust me, I suffered through that long enough.”
“He's going to interfere with our plans. If Hugo starts to trust him more than he trusts me--”
“How could he? You've done so much for Hugo. Hugo won't toss you aside for Frank. You won't let him. Frank will let himself down. He always does. He gets greedy. He's not like you. He's not methodical and patient. He'll make a mistake.”
“I fear that I'm the one who has made a mistake. Perhaps you were right and I should make my move quickly.”
“Oh Matthias, you know that I will be standing by your side whenever you decide it is the proper time to act.”
“I never thought Hugo would be the type of man to fall so easily for a scheme like this.”
“Perhaps it goes to show that he is not the right man to lead this community in the future. It's just a sign that you are the one who should be in command.”
“Indeed, you may be right. My first decision will be to exile Frank. He cannot be allowed to poison this community with his self-serving agenda. I do not know what you saw in him in the first place.”
“I was young and naïve. I didn't know what I was thinking. I know now, though. I'm with a real man. Frank was just a mistake.”
Natasha stepped closer to Matthias, who slid his hand around her waist, pulling her into him. A strong arousal swept through his body. There was perhaps a more productive and exciting way to deal with his frustrations, but as soon as their lips touched, the door opened, and her boys ran in, accompanied by Tara, the girl who had come in with Saeed.
“Mom! We heard that Dad is in the camp. Is that true? Can we see him?” Frank Jr. cried.
Matthias had to stop himself from wincing. He'd almost forgotten the effect Frank would have on the children. The last thing he needed was Frank whispering in their ear, trying to turn them against him. They were good kids, but they were still kids, and impressionable to strong personalities such as Frank. Matthias wouldn't have put it past the man to try manipulating them against him.
“Yes, it's true. Your dad is here, but we don't need to see him. Remember that he never came to rescue us when we needed him. He let us down when we needed him most. We found a new life here. Matthias is your father now. He's the one who is taking care of us. We don't need your dad,” Natasha said.
“But he’s Daddy!” the boys protested.
Natasha gave Matthias an apologetic look. It seemed as though Frank was getting in the way of all aspects of his life. These kids should have been smart enough to know the difference between a father and a daddy. Frank had done nothing for them, and he wasn't likely to change now. The best thing for these kids was to forget about Frank. Matthias shook his head without saying anything. It wouldn't do any good to talk with them now. It was funny, they probably had ideas of their parents getting back together again. That never would happen. Natasha was done with Frank, and Matthias wasn't g
oing anywhere.
His gaze moved from the boys to Tara, who was looking nervous. Matthias furrowed his brow and fixed his stare on her. She seemed to edge away from him. Her gaze was averted to the floor. She wrung her hands at her sides. It seemed as though she didn't want to be there at all.
“Tara,” he said, “do you know anything about what happened with Saeed?”
The little girl considered his question for a moment and then shook her head. Something about the way she looked at him set alarm bells ringing in Matthias' mind. He'd never been one to subscribe to the school of thought that all children were delicate little angels who were the picture of innocence. That gave them far less credit than they were due. No, children were just as capable of adults of getting in the way of things, and Tara was giving off vibes of someone who knew more than she was letting on.
“You know we're not really angry with Saeed, but we would like to know who set him free because that goes against what we stand for in this community,” he said, towering above her.
“I know you haven't been here for very long, but one of the most important lessons you'll learn in school is that we all must be pulling in the same direction. If we're hiding things from each other, we're never going to be a true community. That's why we put Saeed in the box in the first place. We wanted him to see how much we all can gain by living as one community, but he went against that. We were going to let him out soon anyway. So, whoever helped him escape really just was doing Saeed more harm than good. They didn't let him learn his lesson. It would be like if we took all the children out of school before you had learned everything you needed. So, how about you think long and hard and tell me if you know anything,” Matthias said sternly.
Tara scrunched up her nose and shook her head again. Matthias clenched his jaw. Why did children have to be so stubborn? The community had too many kids for Matthias' liking. They couldn't help in the war, after all. As far as he was concerned they were just a drain on resources. Few of them showed the potential needed actually to contribute to the community. When Matthias took charge, he would have to lead a grand culling to ensure that only the best and brightest people remained in positions of leadership.
“Now come on, Tara. We both know you're a smart girl and Saeed is your friend. I'm getting the impression that you know something about what happened, and the best thing you can do is tell me the truth. Honesty is the best policy. That's as true here as it was in the old world, and I'd like to think that you're smart enough to realize that. Why don't you just tell me what you know? Then we all can go about our business. Do you know who freed Saeed?”
“No,” she mumbled.
“Do you know where he is now?”
“No,” she mumbled.
Matthias clenched his fists and glanced over to Natasha, who only could offer a helpless shrug. She was busy dealing with her own children, who were buzzing around her like flies, trying to get her to agree to let them see Frank. Matthias had the urge to tell all of them to be quiet and go to their rooms. If they were going to act like fools, then they could be shut away behind closed doors until they started to act with some more sense.
“Right then,” Matthias said as he scooped up Tara in his arms and flung her over his shoulder, carrying her outside.
Her small fists beat against his back and her little legs flailed as she tried breaking free from his grasp, but she had no chance against his titanic body. He walked across the community toward the empty boxes, his huge strides eating up the ground beneath him. This action caught the attention of everyone else. They gasped as they saw him, and Matthias' voice boomed out.
“Now, if you're not going to answer my questions, I'm going to put you in the same box, and we'll see if anyone saves you. I have had a special box made that's just your size. I hope you're not afraid of the dark, because it gets awfully dark in the box.”
By now Tara was screaming at the top of her lungs. She reached around Matthias and grabbed onto anything she could to try breaking free. He felt her tugging on his hair, but the pain only made him laugh. She was just a child. She couldn't hurt him.
“Not going to answer? Okay then, looks like the box it is,” he said.
People around him gasped, but as far as he was concerned everyone had to obey the same rules. If the kids weren't going to follow orders, then they needed to be punished. He'd been given the belt when he had been younger, and he'd turned out just fine. A little discipline went a long way, especially in a world like this, where children were given far too much freedom.
Two people burst out of a tent.
“Stop!” Saeed called. Matthias grinned.
“You are so easy to manipulate,” he said.
Jane was standing beside him. How predictable. He should have known that Jane had had something to do with this. The woman was resourceful, and Matthias made a note to have a word with the person who was supposed to have been watching over her.
“Put her down!” Saeed yelled.
The man was looking well for someone who had been in the box. It was such a shame that these two people refused to see the truth. If they just could have seen the light, they would have proven to be great assets to the community.
Matthias set Tara down on the ground. She ran all the way to Jane, who was waiting for her with open arms. Saeed had a grim look on his face.
“Ah, Saeed. So happy to see you again. You know, it was quite a surprise for us to find that you had escaped. That was a mistake. Get back in the box and we won't have to hurt you again.”
“No,” Saeed said. Matthias narrowed his eyes at him. Matthias was not a man accustomed to having his authority disputed.
“What did you say?” Matthias gasped.
“I said no! If you want to get me in that box, you'll have to drag me in there,” he said. Matthias clenched his jaw, then his mouth twisted into a smile.
“So be it,” Matthias said, and marched forward.
Everyone around them gasped. Saeed met the challenge without hesitation, moving forward to bring hell. Matthias knew this would be an easy fight. Saeed had been in the box all night. Even if he hadn't been, Matthias could wipe the floor with him. Saeed was a weak man. That was clear from just one look at him.
Matthias swung lazily with his right hand, expecting to connect with Saeed's head. But Saeed dodged and fired back with a few quick jabs of his own straight into Matthias' gut. Matthias had not been expecting that and, with a surprised look, he cradled his aching stomach. Saeed did not waste any time and rained a flurry of blows down upon Matthias' jaw. Matthias growled and groaned. Saeed's fists pummeled him into a stupor. Matthias groped out at him, but Saeed managed to dodge every blow. He was a slippery one, and stronger than he looked. He left Matthias on the ground, heaving for breath.
“I'm not going to get in that box ever again,” Saeed said defiantly.
“Looks like your dog's bark is worse than his bite,” Frank muttered to Hugo.
To Matthias' dismay, Hugo laughed along with Frank. Matthias pushed himself up, ready to go after Saeed again. Matthias wasn't about to be defeated so easily, but before he could go after Saeed, Hugo placed his hand on Matthias' shoulder.
“I think you've had your fun for today,” Hugo said.
Matthias seethed with anger. He'd lost face with everyone around him, and it felt as though he was losing his place in the community. Frank had put him on edge, which wasn't supposed to happen. It was supposed to be the other way around. Matthias looked the others in the eye and saw disappointment and pity in their gazes. He was supposed to lead them eventually, but that couldn't happen if they didn't look upon him with respect.
In a rage, Matthias stormed back to Natasha.
“This is all madness!” he yelled.
“What's happened?” Natasha asked.
“That husband of yours has thrown everything into chaos. How am I supposed to do what I need to do when he's there whispering into Hugo's ear?! He will regret the day he met me. How dare he ridicule me after that
stubborn man dared to fight back against me. I would have had him if Hugo had let the fight continue, but he was too busy listening to Frank to make any difference. He is not going to get away with this. You know I don't like to hold your past against you, but how could you marry a man like him?”
“Because I've always been attracted to strong men, Matthias. I've always been attracted to winners, not whiners who blame others for their own problems.”
She skulked away. Matthias slammed his fist into the wall, a dark cloud swirling around his head. Everything was slipping away. This was not the way it was supposed to happen.
Chapter Fourteen
Jane watched everything with great interest. At first, she feared for Saeed, convinced that the hulking brute called Matthias easily would have defeated him. She should remember not to count Saeed out before he'd been given a chance to fight. One of the most tenacious men she'd ever met, it was easy to forget that only a short time ago Saeed had been fighting for his life in the city. Fighting for all their lives.
“I thought you were a goner,” Jane said as Saeed returned to her side, chest heaving, holding his hands together.
“Me too. I knew I had to get in his face early. If he'd have hit me with one of his punches, I never would have stood a chance. I got lucky this time, especially since he was ordered away. I don't think I could have gone much longer,” he said.
Jane agreed. Saeed looked incredibly exhausted. His eyes were sunken. The stress of surviving in this world had taken its toll. Then again, Jane wondered how bad she looked. It had been a while since she had looked at herself in the mirror, and she was in no hurry to do so anytime soon.
There was a hush around the community as people were impressed that Saeed had managed to hold his own against Matthias, but with Hugo and Frank things were different. Saeed had violated the community's rules, and their plan to hide him in plain sight hadn't worked out at all. He may have defeated Matthias, but it had cost Saeed his privacy. Tara still was shaken after being manhandled by Matthias, and as far as Jane was concerned the man could go hang himself. The kind of person who would treat a child that way shouldn't deserve to be a part of any kind of community, as far as Jane was concerned.
