Cheating Time

by T. R. Graves

  "Thanks," I mumbled, lifting his fingers to my mouth and kissing his knuckles. "That means more to me than you'll ever know."

  I glanced over to Jayden. "It looks like you have Gran to convince, and you get your way."

  Jayden actually looked surprised by the turn of events. With a bow to his chest that hadn't been there seconds before, he—without asking permission—logged onto Thorne's computer. As soon as he began typing, the computer's hologram blinked alive above it, giving Thorne and me a firsthand view of every action Jayden took. Watching the neon-green, 3-D holographic shimmering majestically, blinking rapidly, and turning elegantly before us, we stared on with amazed curiosity. Unexpectedly hypnotized.

  It was with apprehension that I realized Jayden was going to sites forbidden to Surrogates and Procreates alike, ones brimming with viruses, trojans, worms, and zombies. As he made his way through the maze of sites that he was determined to maneuver, I saw flashes of pornographic images that were so quick I questioned what I'd seen. As I watched the video-like pictures, Thorne held my hand and we were both inundated with visual images related to sex. I began to feel the mesmerizing effects that gradually began taking over my libido.

  There was a burn in my lower belly that I'd only ever experienced when I was being kissed thoroughly by Jayden. Based on the way he moved closer to me and began tracing an endless infinity symbol in the palm of my hand, one that was making the burn in my belly grow hotter and more intense, Thorne was just as impacted by the subliminal messages flashing before us.

  We were both so far gone that when he used his other hand to stroke my upper arm—rubbing the side of my breast as a byproduct—I wanted to take his hand and put it on top of said breast and let him cup it, massaging it until he was brave enough to take our inappropriateness further.

  As if Thorne knew what I wanted, the knuckles of his hand buried their way into the side of my breast, stroking from side to side and incrementally making their way closer and closer to my nipple, which was noticeably hard.

  I'd read lots of books about women who felt wanton. Until this very moment with Thorne's intentions very obvious, his breathing ragged, and my needs burning through me like a raging forest fire, I had no idea what that term really meant.

  The only break the two of us caught was Jayden's intensity as he tapped on the computer very noticeably, not looking up from the keyboard. If I were in my right frame of mind and had not been hypnotized by the flashing images, I'd have wondered what his experience with these sites had been. With Thorne's knuckle just centimeters from my nipple, my thoughts were too one-dimensional and too focused to process cognitive reasoning.

  One second before I pulled Thorne onto me and let him have his way, the holographic image before me turned into one that snapped me out of my hypnotic state and back to the here and now and a state that would be considered more embarrassed than mesmerized. As if popping out of his own enthrallment, Thorne snatched his hands off me and stepped away.

  He and I would definitely have to talk about what happened, but right now, my attention was focused on Gran's hologram. He was standing before us and bowing his head toward Jayden.

  "Congratulations, Surrogate. I wondered if you'd ever remember the code necessary to reach me," Gran said, turning around and seeing Thorne and me.

  With a chuckle, he said, "Based on the ragged breaths and facial flush coming from the two of you, it seems Jayden forgot to warn you not to watch the images. Actually, the fact that you two are standing apart tells me you have great restraint. The images are meant to catch anyone watching them off guard and take them down rabbit holes that prevent them from making their way to me. There are few people besides Jayden who would have been able to ignore the almost compulsive images… it seems."

  While I was irritated that I'd not been warned about what to expect, I jumped up and off the stretcher and dashed toward Gran's hologram as if he himself were standing before me, and I could hug and kiss him.

  "Gran… oh, Gran! You're okay. I've been so worried about you. How's Tawney? Is she with you? Where are you?"

  I fired my questions in rapid succession.

  Gran put his hand up and laughed his very reserved scientist laugh. "My dear, it's good to see you, too. Selma swore you were getting better, but seeing you gives me a level of comfort I couldn't get with inanimate MicroPharm readings. I'd get Tawney for you, but she's asleep. She's had a rather trying day and went to bed, claiming tomorrow will be better."

  Seeing Gran and hearing that Tawney wasn't doing well reinforced my decision to make my deal with Barone. Mentally, I cursed myself for ever pretending as if I'd walk away from the only chance she had. Before I could tell Jayden I had no intention of following through with his plan… no matter what Gran said, he stepped in front of me.

  "Sir, it's with a purpose that I contacted you. I'm in desperate need of a voice of reason. It seems that Carles is not nearly the advocate for herself that she is for others," Jayden said.

  Gran nodded in agreement. "That's a very accurate assessment of my oldest granddaughter. She's always been the most altruistic person I know. The world definitely needs more like her. Tell me who she's helping and at what cost to herself," Gran ordered with the pragmatism of a man who had all the time in the world to sort out messes.

  "Barone came to the camp…" Jayden began.

  I stepped around him, put my hand on his forearm, and took over telling him what I now knew to be true.

  "Gran, he told me he has the power to put Tawney in a state of inertia, one that will prevent her disease from progressing, and she can stay in that state until the cure for lymphoma is found. He explained very carefully to me that he can and will order every capable scientist in the nation to focus one hundred percent of his or her attention on finding that cure… if I do something for him," I explained.

  By then, Thorne was standing at my side. The one opposite where Jayden was standing, just as close, interested, and prepared. There was no way to describe Gran's reaction to my news. His shoulders lifted naturally and in a way that made me think there'd actually been bags of concrete pulling them down toward the ground before that instant. If I didn't know better, I'd have sworn he actually giggled before he did a little Irish jig, something I'd never seen him do and something I was sure he'd never do again.

  "This is the best news I've ever heard, sweetie! The best, I tell you," he exclaimed. "Give me a second. I'll be right back."

  Jayden, Thorne, and I exchanged glances until Gran came back into view of the camera and became the holographic man he'd been a few seconds ago. In his hands, he carried a bottle of his lab-created scotch.

  "This calls for a real celebration, sweetie," he said, pouring himself a giant highball glass full of the dark caramel-colored drink.

  After he slung back the drink, he released a howl that was loud enough to scare anyone near. Him or us. A quick-thinking Jayden quickly muted my normally meek and quiet grandfather so the entire camp wasn't disturbed and Barone wasn't made aware that we were in contact with Peter Panzali.

  More irritated than I'd been earlier when I snapped out of my hypnosis, Jayden took back control of the conversation.

  "Are you not interested in what Carles is going to have to do in order to save Tawney's life?" Jayden asked.

  Sobered only the slightest bit and pouring himself another celebratory drink, Gran shrugged and said, "It doesn't matter what she has to do. If she'll still be alive and Tawney'll still be alive, her sacrifices will not be in vain."

  Jayden had had all he could bear. "He wants her to marry him and have his children," Jayden said with as much disgust and contempt as he felt.

  Gran cleared his throat and had the good sense to at least look ashamed, but I'd known him my whole life and knew he wasn't happy about what I was going to have to do, but he wasn't going to encourage me to turn away from the contract.

  "Listen, Surrogate, I know you want me to take the moral high ground here and tell Carles that Tawney wouldn't wan
t her to give up her life for her, and truth be told, Tawney wouldn't want that. The problem is that's not what I want. I've been working on a cure for lymphoma since the day Christi told me she was pregnant and I learned of her husband's genetic predisposition for the disease.

  "I couldn't save Christi's life. You can bet your bottom dollar I'm going to do everything in my power to save my granddaughter's life. I'd sacrifice myself if I thought it would work, but Barone has had his sights set on Carles for as long as I've been working on my lymphoma cure. Say what you like about us, but we're both determined to see our projects through. Mine is that of curing lymphoma. Barone's is that of creating the closest thing he can to immortality.

  "In the end, it's the two of us who are selling our souls to the devil. Not the people we take along for the ride." Gran concluded, and his voice was hoarse with unshed tears.

  "Gran… you're not making me do this. I'm doing it because I want to. I've already signed the agreement, one that keeps everyone safe and a cure for lymphoma our government's number one priority. After we get back to the capital, I'll have Jayden contact you so that we can get Tawney put into the inertia state as soon as possible," I explained.

  When someone cleared his throat near the tent's door, all of us, including Gran, twisted in his direction.

  Barone! Dammit!

  Chapter 31

  Contracts Made in Hell

  Carlie

  I suspected the gleeful facade he was displaying was one geared toward covering up the anger he felt over seeing that we were actually able to contact Gran.

  "Peter, imagine my surprise." Barone offered a glance toward Jayden, one meant to dare him to ever lie to him again. "I'm so glad to see you are alive and well. I take it Carlie asked that you be notified of our agreement so you could begin the arrangement of getting Tawney to the capital and into the state of inertia sooner rather than later," he said with so much sugary sweetness I almost gagged on the bile it caused to erupt from my stomach.

  Gran, completely sober, stood tall and proud. "Yes, John, that is exactly what Carlie was doing. I've been asking for years that this become a priority for your administration. I'm glad to see you've finally been able to strike up a deal with someone in my family that could help this initiative see the light of day."

  Barone sighed heavily. "Peter, it's never been a situation where I didn't want to help. I've never been in exactly the right position to help. Not until now. Carlie and I have agreed upon some things that have put me in the position to help." He cleared his throat and glanced around the room. "I'm assuming everyone here knows about the agreement, and I'm going to insist it be kept completely confidential. If it's not… if the first word of that contract makes its way out to anyone besides the four of us, all bets are off. I'll not save Tawney, and each of you—with the exception of Carlie—will be running for your lives toward the Shadow Nation. If everyone keeps that agreement quiet, Carlie will live the life of a queen. If anyone shares its existence with anyone else, she'll live the life of a prisoner… one that'll be praying for Tawney's merciful death. Do I make myself clear?" Barone asked with the maleficence of Satan himself.

  The promise embedded within his threat had me cowering behind Thorne only because he stepped protectively my way when Barone suggested he'd imprison me.

  No one responded.

  "St. Romaine, do you understand me?"

  The angry Surrogate, one I'd never want to go up against, nodded and spit is acquiescence. "Yes, sir. I do."

  Barone turned to Thorne. "I suppose it's good you found out about this since I was going to have to do something to officially dissolve your engagement to the woman who'll one day be my wife. Do you understand the importance of keeping all of this quiet?" he asked, looking over Thorne's shoulder, obviously threatening Rorie, who was standing wide-eyed watching the scene before her.

  Thorne glanced back and understood the unspoken warning. "I understand, and neither of us will ever mention it, sir."

  Finally, he turned to Gran. "Now, Peter, you and I both know that Sam and Selma wouldn't agree to this. They love Tawney, but Carlie… Carlie's their daughter. They think she has her whole life ahead of her… that marrying a man as old as her father will shortchange her youth. They don't understand that with Carlie's and my life expectancies nearing two hundred, the twenty-five years between us will mean nothing in a few short decades. It'll be your responsibility—after a few years where Carlie and I are inseparable—to convince them that our marriage will be one made in heaven."

  One made in hell!

  "I'm committed to doing whatever I need to do to save Tawney and Carlie. I'll tell Selma and Sam whatever you want me to tell them, but I can't guarantee they'll listen to me. You know them both well enough to know they form their own opinions about things… and do what they want."

  Barone chuckled. "Sam's always been like that. Even when we were boys playing soldiers of war, he'd refuse to follow the orders he disagreed with. He'd kneel before me and let me pretend to shoot him in the head before he'd do anything that compromised his morals or ethics."

  Barone stared toward the neon shimmering hologram before him, but he wasn't seeing the here and now. Instead, he was remembering the past, one where two neighbors grew up together, learning to accept the other's flaws, forgiving weaknesses, and growing into mature men who were charged with leading our nation. From my point of view and because Barone was morally barren, Dad had to do a lot more accepting and forgiving than Barone.

  "Sam has never trusted me with his wife, and Selma has never trusted me with their daughter. Both have been right to trust their instincts," Barone said unapologetically.

  While Barone was busy sifting through his memories, Gran turned his own stare on me. It was equal parts apologetic, sad, angry, and remorseful. I offered him an infinitesimal grin in order to let him know I don't hold him accountable for doing what he had to do in order to save Tawney.

  She's my priority.

  Shaking off his gloom, Barone turned toward me.

  "Forgive me, dear, for barging in here. I saw the illumination outside the tent and thought it prudent to find out what was going on. For your sake, of course. It's a good thing, too. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have been able to share our good news with Peter, nor would I have been able to let each one of you know how important it is to keep all of this between us," Barone said, scanning the room and making sure the threat embedded in his every word was heard and felt.

  No one said a word or did anything more than clench jaw muscles or grip fists.

  "I think we all see eye to eye. Now, I'd like St. Romaine to round up Sean and Simon. They're under my protection, and I can't protect them while they're out in those woods. Carlie and I will be waiting here until you return," Barone said.

  Jayden's glance snapped my way. I shrugged. I'd added them to my immunity list so he suspected they were somewhere near.

  "Go. I'm at the end of my patience and am ready to retire."

  I nodded encouragingly, but Jayden was slow to leave me. The last thing in the world he wanted to do was leave me with Barone. I nodded one final time, and he left. There was no doubt in my mind that he'd return quickly. He had no intention of leaving me alone with Barone for too long.

  "C-Carlie… we never refilled your MicroPharm. Why don't we do that while we wait on St. Romaine to return?" Thorne suggested, and I noticed Rorie was nowhere to be found.

  Good girl! I'm glad to know I don't have to remind her to make sure she's not to be seen or heard when Barone is around.

  I glanced toward Barone for his permission, an act that pleased him based on his encouraging smile and nod.

  "I'll not have you wanting for anything, Carlie. Let Angleton take care of you. Healthy is what you have to be during these formative years. By the time you're thirty, you and I are going to have a family bigger than any that's existed in decades. That means you have to take care of yourself now," Barone proudly announced.

  Little did he know that what he
wanted for me was not what I wanted for myself. I'd never seen myself having the first kid, much less a litter. Still, he needed to assume I was going to concede to his demands and bend to his will.

  At least for now.

  Thorne pulled back the curtain and held it for me while I passed through to his makeshift exam room, one where he could privately refill my MicroPharm. Just when he was about to let the curtain drop behind me, Barone reached up, held it in place, and followed the two of us into the tiny area of the tent where Sean had been earlier.

  As if he watched physicians in action every day, he sat down on the stool Thorne usually used, crossed his arms, and stretched out his legs casually. He tried to look bored, but I wasn't nearly naïve enough to believe his presence was benign. He had an ulterior motive and only part of it had to do with him not wanting Thorne and me communicating without him. Suspicious for me was where he'd positioned himself. At the head of my bed rather than the foot.

  When Thorne lowered my shirt, Barone would get a glimpse that few non-clinical people had ever gotten of me, a glimpse that I wouldn't mind giving Jayden, but was nowhere near ready to give to the president. I may have resented Jayden and his arrogance and insistence that I go more and do more my whole life, but that was nothing when compared to the resentment I had for Barone. I hated him in a whole new way, one that made it clear to me that my claims of hate where Jayden was concerned was anything but.

  Love and hate. There's a fine line.

  In Jayden's case, my hate was born from love. In Barone's case, my hate was fueled by pure abhorrence and didn't have the first smidgeon of love embedded within it.

  "Sir, she might be more comfortable without an audience," Thorne suggested.