My Atlantian

by Alysia S Knight

  “My partner will.”

  A minute later, the medic shrugged and looked to the officer. “He appears fine, if anything his pulse is a touch low for what happened. You sure he got hit with the Taser?”

  “Oh yeah. We saw the energy come out of his hands like bolts of lightning. Never seen it do that before.” Officer Osborn stayed close while his partner kept everyone else back.

  The paramedic shrugged again. “No sign. He’s fine. You can take him.”

  “May I come?” Kallie asked.

  The officer hesitated. “It would be better if you followed in your own car. I can give you directions.”

  “We were dropped off. I have no way to follow.”

  The officer debated, then glanced at the boy and nodded. “Normally it’s not allowed.”

  “Thank you.” Kallie jumped on the acceptance.

  “You have to ride in back,” he said it as a warning.

  “That’s fine.” She followed them to the car. Jerreon ducked low. It was hard for him to get in with his hands behind his back.

  “I’ll call Adam when I find out where they’re taking us.”

  “Maybe you should remain here.”

  She was shaking her head before he finished the sentence, though he knew she hadn’t read his thoughts. “I’m staying as close to you as I can.”

  The two police officers got into the car. “Can you tell us what’s happening?”

  “You don’t know?” The younger man said incredulously.

  “No.” Kallie again scowled at him.

  “Your boyfriend took out a border crossing last night.”

  “What?” Kallie expressed the shock he felt.

  “There’s no denying. They got it all on video.” The younger man said, then quieted when the older man cleared his throat.

  Jerreon wasn’t sure what this video was but his mind already came up with an unpleasant conclusion – it had been Lysias, which meant he could be in the city. Closer to Kallie than he wanted him.

  “You will stay close to me, My One,” he said softly.

  “Hey, no whispering,” the younger officer snapped. “Or she’s out right here.”

  “It is not safe for her. She needs protection.” He leaned close to the clear screen that separated them.

  The two men exchanged looks.

  “She’ll be safe where were going,” the older answered.

  Jerreon settled back the best he could. Kallie leaned into his shoulder.

  A few minutes later they were led into a large building and up a lift, where he was taken into a room with a glass panel on one side. His arms were released from the bindings, brought around in front of him, then the bindings put back on.

  To his relief, Kallie was settled at one of the desks in the larger room outside the glass where he could see her. The first thing she did was pull out her phone, undoubtedly to call Adam. Jerreon didn’t mind the room, but wished he’d been wearing clothes from his home. His new ones held the water, and were uncomfortable to remain in now they were wet.

  Kallie barely hung up when four people got off the lift. A woman, a tall black man and two other men. They went to the officers who had brought him there and their supervisor. He didn’t need to try to reach out with his mind to know they were talking about him. Especially as every once in a while they’d look his direction.

  Finally the group split up. One man went to talk to Kallie, another and the supervisor disappeared from view while the other man and woman entered the room he was being held in.

  “Mr. Ander. I’m Agent Truman,” the woman said. “This is Agent Rigby. We are from Home Land Security and have some questions for you. Can you tell me your activities of last night?”

  “I had an evening meal with Kallie −”

  “Kallie is Miss Martin?” the man interrupted.

  “Yes, she is my …” he had to search to the term, “fiancée. We were with a friend, Adam Bacchus, at his house. After I took Kallie back to where she is staying, I then returned to Adam’s. That is where I am staying.”

  “You’re not staying with Miss Martin?” Agent Truman asked.

  “We are not married yet.” His answer seemed to take both the woman and man by surprise.

  “And when was this.”

  “I am not quite certain of the time. I have not got used to it yet. We watched the sunset. Kallie might be able to tell you. Or Adam, or Edward.”

  “Who is Edward?” Rigby asked.

  “He is the young man who is Adam’s driver.”

  “Driver?”

  “Yes, he drove the car there and back.”

  The two exchanged looks.

  Jerreon decided to reach out to see what they were thinking.

  First, he focused in on the woman. “Who is this guy?” The words ran through her mind.

  The man’s thoughts were more odd. “Driver, limo. So, what was he doing breaking up the border?”

  “I did not break your border,” Jerreon said.

  The man glared at him while Agent Truman cleared her throat.

  “Oh, we have a pretty good photo of you doing it.” She opened a folder she carried and dropped a picture on the table in front of him.

  Jerreon leaned forward to look at the grainy photo of Lysias. There were two men on the ground and a section of the barrier ripped aside.

  “I don’t think we have many men in the area that are well over six and a half feet tall, in their thirties, with hair so blond it appears almost white. Just not that common,” the woman said. “You want to try again.”

  “The man is Lysias Ptolemaios.” Jerreon met her gaze then looked to the man.

  “Who’s that? Your evil twin.” Skepticism rang in Rigby’s voice.

  “He is evil, but we are not related.”

  Before he could say more there was a knock on the door and the black man opened it and stuck his head in the room. “Ander’s lawyers are here.”

  Frustration showed on the pair. They followed the other man out. Jerreon looked out the window to see Kallie standing with Adam and two other men dressed in suits.

  ***

  Kallie was getting frustrated. She’d been trying to convince them that it couldn’t be Jerreon, but they wouldn’t listen to her.

  “You really ought to think about changing that story because you are pressing close to being charged as an accessory,” Agent Johnson threatened her.

  “I am telling you the truth. Jerreon and I had dinner with a friend. His name is Adam Bacchus. If you’ll ask him, I’m sure he’ll confirm it.”

  “Then maybe you would explain this.” He held up a tablet.

  As she watched, a video began to play. Dread hit her. A man who, from the distance of the camera, looked a lot like Jerreon walked into view. A guard came out to him. Before the guard had a chance to react, Lysias thrust out his arm and struck him in the chest, knocking him back against the building. The man dropped limply to the ground. Two more guards rushed him. Then without warning, they jerked and flew aside as if they had been tossed away like a small pest of little consequence.

  Lysias turned toward a truck and the engine blew up. The man in it barely scrambled out before it was engulfed in flames. Two guards opened fire with their guns. Lysias flinched as if one bullet might have hit him, but he didn’t stop. He slashed his hand out in front of him and the others bullets seemed to go wide. With another jerky movement from Lysias, the guards’ guns were ripped from their hands, and the men thrown back.

  There was a flash and the screen blacked out for a moment. When the screen came back up, Lysias was nowhere to be seen. All that was left was destruction.

  “Do you want to try again?” the man asked.

  “It is not Jerreon.” Kallie flinched and swallowed hard, not as much from what the agent said or Lysias did, as the thought that Jerreon was to face him. There was no doubt Lysias was powerful, and Jerreon said he was vicious but, for some reason, she hadn’t expected this. Even after her encounter with him.

 
She wondered what abilities Jerreon had. Surely to be sent after Lysias, he must be equal to the challenge.

  “Are you going to tell me again that is not the same man?” The agent waved his arm to the interrogation room where Jerreon waited.

  “Yes. That is not Jerreon. That man’s name is Lysias.” She hoped Jerreon wouldn’t mind her telling. Though she couldn’t say what difference giving his name would make.

  “Lysias,” the man repeated. “Lysias what?”

  “I don’t know. Tole something, I think. Jerreon told me, but I don’t remember.”

  “So Ander knows him?” Johnson pressed.

  Kallie didn’t know how she should answer that. She really couldn’t say Jerreon was sent here to get him, especially when she figured ‘get him’ meant in the permanent way. “They are enemies.”

  Johnson leaned back against the desk and crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes bore down on her.

  To the side of the room the elevator chimed and the door opened. Adam stepped out with Edward by his side and two other men in suits.

  Kallie wanted to cry in relief. The man followed her gaze and stood to meet Adam as he approached.

  “Agent Johnson, Home Land Security.” He stuck out his hand.

  “Adam Bacchus.” Adam shook his hand. “My driver, Edward James, and Hawthorne and Jones, two of my attorneys. I believe you have a friend of mine here.” Adam then looked past him. “Are you all right dear?”

  “Yes. I’ve tried to tell them they have the wrong man, but they don’t believe me.”

  “It will be all right.” Adam turned back to the agent who joined the other. “No matter what you think you see from your video, I can assure you, you have the wrong man. Jerreon Ander was with me or in the presents of my driver all evening.”

  He nodded to Edward. “We had a late dinner at my house, which several of my staff can also testify to. After dinner, Jerreon saw Kallie back to her hotel. Edward drove him, then he brought him back to my house, where we talked until after midnight. This is the video log from the estate. The time is recorded on it.” He handed them a disk. “Also, this is the access on the GPS for the limo. It can verify they were nowhere near the border and had returned before the incident at the border happened.”

  One of the attorneys stepped forward to take over for Adam. “You can verify the information, but I would suggest you release Mr. Ander first.”

  Ignoring him, one of the agents took the disk and put it into the computer, opening the file. Skimming over the images, Kallie saw them at dinner, then her and Jerreon walking out in the garden. There was a shot of them getting into the limo, and Jerreon returning with a time stamp that put him at about forty minutes later.

  The agent nodded to another, who went in and returned with Jerreon, who was rubbing his wrist. Kallie sprang out of the chair, reaching for him.

  “I am still wet,” he said, but wrapped his arm around her.

  “What happened to you?” The corner of Adam’s lip curved up in the first hint of a smile since he stepped from the elevator.

  “I took a swim.”

  Kallie shook her head. “A little boy fell in the bay and Jerreon dove in after him. I’m sorry I didn’t take time to tell you, I was worried.”

  “Think nothing of it. I just should have brought you some clothes, though it looks like you are almost dry.”

  “If you don’t mind, we’d like to ask Mr. Ander some questions,” Agent Washington spoke up. “Miss Martin said that you knew the man in the video. That his name is Lysias.”

  Kallie wanted to groan and say she was sorry. “It is all right.” The words came to her.

  “Yes. I told the others that also.” Jerreon tightened his hold on her.

  “Can you give us his last name?”

  “Ptolemaios. But it will not help you. He will not be found in any of your information systems.”

  “How do you know this man?”

  “We are from the same place. Ptolemaios is a criminal, a cunning, dangerous man. If any of your people encounter him, they should use extreme caution. He will not hesitate to kill.”

  The people around the circle exchanged looks.

  “You say that as a certainty,” Agent Truman said.

  “It is. He will eliminate anyone he perceives as a threat,” Jerreon answered straight out, causing the agents to exchange looks again.

  “One of the officers told us you said Miss Martin was in danger. Is that correct?” Agent Rigby asked.

  “I did not want her to be left alone. Lysias will come after her.”

  That got shocked responses from those around them.

  “Do we need to take her into protective custody,” Washington asked.

  “If Lysias Ptolemaios comes after her you cannot protect her. She must remain with me.”

  “We’ll be moving her to my estate, where my security can watch over her.” Adam added to shift how Jerreon’s statement sounded.

  Though Kallie figured the agents weren’t fooled.

  “I would remind you not to take the law in your own hands.” Agent Rigby’s comment proved it.

  “It is not my desire to infringe on your laws.”

  “Now,” Adam interrupted. “If there isn’t anything else? We have a special appointment to attend.” He turned and started toward the elevator, not giving them an opportunity to protest.

  One of the lawyers handed over a card. “If you have any other questions.” He let it hang with that. “Do you have all your belongings?” he directed the comment to Jerreon.

  “I have them.” Kallie said.

  The lawyer motioned for her to go in front of him. Jerreon went with her and Adam to the elevator.

  “Well, that was eventful.” Adam grinned once the elevator doors closed. “I’ve never had to go get someone out of jail before. Interesting experience.”

  Kallie leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you. I didn’t know what else to do.”

  The elevator opened and they got out. Adam placed her hand on his arm, while Jerreon took her other arm.

  “You did just fine.” He patted her hand. “I think it best not to leave him in government hands too long. Besides, we can’t very well have the groom in jail and miss his wedding, can we?”

  “Wedding?”

  “He’s been having me work on the details. I finally had everything all arranged when you called. We do need to stop so you can get your license, but we can take care of that on the way home.”

  Kallie looked from him to Jerreon.

  “I was going to ask you when I found out if it could be done. Is this acceptable to you?”

  For the first time, Kallie noticed what seemed to be apprehension in Jerreon. As if he was afraid she would actually deny him. Certainty filled her along with love. “Yes, it is very acceptable.”

  ***

  Kallie looked at herself in the full-length mirror, watching the woman doing her hair set in the last jeweled comb. Her long hair was piled on her head then cascaded down her back. It looked perfect with the flowing white gown she wore that was wrapped at her waist with a gold cord. She looked like a Greek goddess.

  She had no idea how Adam found the dress, but it was amazing, fitting for some reason. She wondered what Atlantians actually wore for weddings. She hoped Jerreon liked this. Kallie couldn’t believe she was marrying him with the setting sun. Glancing to the window, the sun was getting lower. Adam would come get her soon. Was Jerreon already waiting on the patio?

  When they returned from the police station, after getting the license then swinging by to retrieve her belongings, they were whisked into separate rooms to prepare. A woman had arrived with her dress while she was in the bath, followed by the woman from a spa who pampered her until it was time for her to dress and have her hair done.

  Kallie had never been so indulged in her life, but the thought of marrying Jerreon was what really thrilled her.

  There was a knock at the door.

  “Yes,” she answered.


  The door opened and Adam stepped in wearing a light gray suit with an aqua colored tie and handkerchief in his pocket. He stopped and stared at her. “Gorgeous. I hope this is acceptable. I know it is customary for the bride to pick her own, but−” He broke off.

  “It’s beautiful. And I think quite fitting. You have gone to a lot of work to make this special. Thank you.”

  “It was my pleasure. And I just contacted the right people.” He stepped forward and held out his hand. “Ready?”

  “Yes.” She took his hand, moving to his side as he placed her hand on his arm.

  Eve, the woman who had been doing her hair, picked up a bouquet of cascading white tiny orchids and handed it to her.

  “Thank you.” Kallie said to the woman before letting Adam lead her from the room. A photographer started to take pictures as they reached the top of the stairs.

  Her dress flowed out behind her as they descended down the marble stairs. The double French doors out to the patio were open. As they reached the bottom, she turned and her gaze landed on Jerreon. He was devastatingly handsome in a suit about the same color of Adam’s. His eyes met hers and she saw nothing else as she crossed the floor.

  At the doorway Adam stopped, taking her hand off his arm. Kallie glanced to him then froze as he placed her hand on her father’s arm.

  “It is only proper.” Adam smiled. “At least I got to take you this far.”

  Kallie’s brought her hand up to cover her mouth and had to blink rapidly to hold back tears. She glanced back to Jerreon. Her mother and brother with his wife and their two children stood not far from him.

  She looked back at the man who gave her the most amazing gift. “Adam,” was all she was able to get out. Kallie stepped in to kiss his cheeks. He hugged then released her, going to take his place next to Jerreon.

  “I can’t believe you’re here.” She turned back to her father, who stood just a couple inches taller than her with hair whiter than Jerreon’s, but his from age.

  “Mr. Bacchus sent a plane for us. I couldn’t believe it when he first called, especially since we hadn’t heard from you.” His reprimand was gentle. “We were extremely concerned. I felt a little better after meeting Jerreon, but the look on your face when you saw him said it all.” He kissed her forehead as he had since she was a little girl. “You love him and that makes it okay.”