The Culling: Book 1 (The Culling Series)

by Tricia Wentworth

  “That good?” Henry smiles with a laugh.

  “That good.” I open my eyes smiling at him. “I could eat the whole thing.”

  “Reagan, what made you think of the idea for the project anyway?” Professor Zax asks, interrupting my love affair with my cheesecake. I actually feel disappointed I have to put down my fork to answer.

  “I’m not really sure. I just knew that if we were going to do it, I wanted something fixable and livable. I realize we don’t need another township because six is plenty for our current population, but somehow destroying everything seemed wasteful and a bit disrespectful. Fixing just a few buildings while the others rotted around it didn’t feel right either, so that’s when I thought of it.” I shrug shyly.

  “Well, it was an amazing idea, dear.” He smiles at me and I blush again.

  “I had a lot of help. Lyncoln is very determined and strategic; he’s a great leader. Henry knew the little stuff mattered and took the jobs that weren’t fun and did them anyway just because he knew they needed done. Joshua’s knowledge saved us, as none of us knew anything about demolition before at all. And Oliver was the motivator, keeping us laughing and moving the whole time,” I explain, meaning every word as I brag on our group.

  “I wasn’t the leader.” Lyncoln looks at me as if suggesting that I was and takes a long drink while maintaining eye contact and giving me the “I know you” look.

  “Didn’t you just hear her?” Oliver butts in. “I was practically the leader.”

  We all laugh. Oliver is really starting to come out of his shell. When I am stuck between these two boys with all this tension, I gladly take his company and comic relief.

  After we finish dessert, Henry and Lyncoln talk and laugh about some training drill while Joshua, Oliver, and Professor Zax discuss in-depth ways to fix the water dams across the nation that need fixing. I’m content just listening in.

  “Walk with me for a minute?” the President leans over and offers me his hand.

  “I would love to.” I smile, knowing I really do like this man. He may have given me a watch that was bugged, but I still like him despite the fact that I feel like he’s the sole owner of a thousand secrets.

  “How is this process for you, my dear? I have heard the girls haven’t been all that nice,” he asks genuinely concerned as he guides me down a hallway.

  “It isn’t always easy, but I’m making it through.” I shrug.

  “You remind me so much of my Esther sometimes,” he says, his eyes immediately going teary at the mention of his wife and I realize the magnitude with which he loved her.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. It’s a very good thing. She was…” he stops and gestures, “my everything. I knew within two weeks of meeting her that I would throw away my hopes for the presidency if I had to just to be with her. It took me another two weeks for her to even give me the time of day though.” He laughs. “She was stubborn and bull-headed, but with her by my side I could accomplish anything. Can I tell you a little secret?”

  “What’s that?” I smile.

  “She ran the country just as much if not more than I did, even though I get all the credit because I’m the man. She took care of things. She talked me through decisions. She was the one I went to when the decisions became a burden. She was there with me every step of the way. She was in every meeting until the kids came, and even then she made it when she could. There wasn’t a single thing I kept from her or didn’t get her opinion on. That’s why this process is so important, and that is why I believe a good relationship in the Presidential Couple is so important. Chemistry and trust between the two leaders is vital. You’ll need each other more than you know. And having a partner in all the responsibilities gives you a distinct advantage.”

  Hearing about the love he had for his wife almost brings me to tears. I try to imagine what it would be like, putting myself in those situations. Then I start to wonder who I would be there with.

  “I need you to know something,” he says snapping me out of my daydreaming.

  “Yes, President Maxwell?” I’m glad he doesn’t seem to notice my blush, or at least say anything about it.

  “Both of those boys seem to be completely enamored with you.” I start to tense up but he puts an arm on my shoulder and smiles. “And I can’t blame them, dear. Lyncoln is like a second son to me. He and Henry have similarities and high standards so I’m not at all surprised they have picked the same girl. You, of all the girls, will make an exceptional Madam President if you choose it. It’s likely you will get to at least the final eight or better, but it’s up to you if you truly want it. You are one of maybe five of the current girls I would say this to. My only worry is that when you truly see what you are up against, you will run.

  “It won’t be a matter of which of these young men you will pair up with as both of them are quite capable, but the question here is if you will choose the presidency itself. Trust me, running this country isn’t easy. You will have to do things you will hate yourself for.” With that he looks off in the distance as if searching for his mistakes.

  I stand there speechless. Before I have a chance to say anything, he picks up a box off of the kitchen counter we walked to and hands it to me with a smile. “The rest of your beloved cheesecake.”

  “Thank you.” I smile a confused and hesitant smile. What does he mean? What will I have to do that I will hate myself for? What mistakes has he made or thinks he has made?

  “Think about what I said. The farther the Culling goes, the more you will understand what I am saying.” Then as an afterthought he adds, “And don’t you worry about those two boys. They’ll be just fine.”

  Seeing it is now time to go as I have my cheesecake in hand, I return to the dining room to find the boys and Professor Zax to say goodnight. I find them standing around laughing with Professor Zax, probably discussing more crazy ideas about what still needs fixed post-Trident.

  “Well, gentlemen, it has been a lovely evening. Thank you for letting me join you,” I say properly and smile at them. I turn toward the foyer where Sarge is standing with the other guards. Well except for the President’s, who are right behind him and never leave his side, of course.

  “Let me walk you to the elevator?” Henry smiles and takes my hand, looping it in his arm like I normally walk with Sarge or Jamie. Professor Dougall would be so proud.

  Our guards, as usual, are about five yards behind us but definitely still there. I am unusually quiet, even more so than earlier in the evening as I think about what the President just said to me. That and with still fighting this cold, I am feeling worn out with all the day’s events. I just want to go curl up in the electric blanket Jamie got me and sleep.

  “I really like your gown,” Henry says quietly.

  “Thank you.”

  He smiles. “But not as much as I like the wearer, if you don’t mind me saying so.”

  Those dimples when he flirts. Lord have mercy!

  “I don’t mind.” I smile back and feel the heat rise in my cheeks as we walk down the hall. He’s so straightforward. Unlike with Lyncoln, he never leaves me guessing. I always know where he stands.

  “I mean, you don’t strike me as a wearing pink type of gal, slippers or otherwise, but you sure can pull it off.” Out of the corner of my eye, I can see him smiling mischievously. Reaching the elevator doors, he stops and turns to me, holding one of my hands and putting his other on my bare back making it harder to think as he brings me in closer towards him.

  “Look, I know Lyncoln and my messing around earlier today got to you. I don’t want you to worry about it.” His green eyes are looking intense. I stand there silent as I stare into them allowing him to explain. “I know Lyncoln has feelings for you. I respect him. It won’t ruin our friendship if we both care for you. I want you to know that you are the only girl I am interested in at this point, and I won’t just brush you aside like he implied. We fight like brothers. Always have. Always will.” He pauses an
d searches my eyes as if trying to read me like a book.

  “That being said, if it can’t be me with you, presidency or not, then I hope it’s him. When his dad--” He stops for a second as if knowing what happened with Lyncoln’s dad isn’t his secret to tell. “Let’s just say we’ve been like brothers for a while now. We fight like brothers, but we love one another like brothers. What you saw earlier today was just brothers being brothers.”

  My heart almost breaks with how perfect Henry is. Is there anything at all wrong with this man?

  “Thank you,” I say breathlessly.

  “For what?” he asks confused.

  “For being honest and kind. You are the epitome of chivalry,” I smile and use the hand he isn’t holding to reach out and pat his pec, which is a terrible idea because those things are huge and warm beneath my hand. I feel my cheeks blush knowing that I enjoy it entirely too much. I thought his chest was a place where I could touch him that wouldn’t seem inappropriate. Wrongo!

  He leans in to whisper in my ear, “I really would like to kiss you right about now, but I want it to be done right, and not after we were just talking about another man.”

  I close my eyes briefly wishing he would just do it already, as I am so very nervous about my first kiss, but then I feel him softly brush his lips across my cheek. It leaves my skin tingling for more.

  “Goodnight, beautiful,” he whispers and I can smell his minty breath again.

  Then he pulls away and removes his hand from my back. He hits the elevator button for me, squeezes my hand, and leaves back down the hallway we came as soon as Sarge and I board the elevator. I feel cold replace the heat I was just feeling. I’m getting too used to having him near me. I’m not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

  Sarge takes his place at my side and since I know him well by now, I know he is trying hard to stifle a smile.

  “Not a word,” I say sternly, trying to hide my own giddy smile.

  Chapter 11

  The next day, I don’t have to worry about the tension between Henry, Lyncoln, and I. It turns out Lyncoln has found my replacement. I’m not sure why it hurts, but it does a little. He sits by Attie, smiling and talking with her like he never has to me. I’m kind of shocked, and if I’m honest with myself, I’m a bit jealous about how much he is talking to her, the man of few words I dubbed him to be. But, I guess I don’t have to worry about that decision anymore. I know the President said both of them were “enamored” with me. But if that were the case, why is Lyncoln showing her a kindness that he never extended to me? We have never sat there talking like that.

  Henry is stuck down and to my right by Katie again. He smiles at me and gives me a wink letting me know he isn’t too happy about it either. I blush thinking about our almost kiss last night and then a tray loudly clamors as it lands next to mine. October has been hanging out at Marisol’s table since the group project but has apparently decided to come back to ours.

  “Well, look what the cat drug in.” Vanessa smiles from the other side of me. Much to her chagrin, Elizabeth and Maverick seem to be a thing. And Renae seems to be having more than one thing at a time with William, Adam, and Pierce around her, down to our left. I would judge her for that, but I don’t really have room to say anything. For those reasons, this is why Vanessa and Bronson are my go to people at meal times. Sometimes it feels like the cafeteria is the loneliest place for me, despite being full of people.

  “Hey,” October smiles nicely.

  “Hey,” I say somewhat harshly. It isn’t a secret that Marisol wants me out of this competition. So why on earth would she pick her over anyone else for the group project? Why did she ditch us for her of all people? October is easily the smartest girl here. I would’ve thought she would have known better.

  “So anyway,” Vanessa says, turning to me and rolling her eyes in regard to October, “we get to start doing more physical stuff, and some sort of game or competition outdoors.” She continues to fill me in on what I missed yesterday. “But, of course, everything will be graded.”

  “Sweet!” I respond immediately, feeling my spirits lifted. Anything that gets me outside is good news.

  We continue eating our lunch of grilled chicken with rice and vegetables. I think of the amazing chocolate cheesecake waiting for me this evening in my fridge and my mouth waters. Last night was good in more than one way. I have a hard time not staring at Henry our entire lunch. I wanted that first kiss pretty bad. And I think maybe he did too.

  After Vanessa gets up to go back to her room before our afternoon classes, October leans in close to me. “I need to talk to you tonight. May I come to your room?”

  “About what? What’s wrong?” Though annoyed with her actions recently, I’m still concerned with her serious expression. Something is up.

  “Just please talk to me, I’ll come at about 9:30,” she says and then more loudly says, “See you upstairs.”

  And then she’s gone. I have never seen her act so…weird.

  ****

  “Paintball, my ladies and gentlemen! Paintball!” Professor Bennett says excitedly while slapping his hands together at the front of the room with Professors Zax and Dougall. The other two shake their heads in amusement at his excitement while he continues.

  “Also, we will be starting to test your skills at getting to know one another, so we are going to be giving you more time in the evenings together. You will have a half hour appointed time, or ‘social’, with each person until you have been through them all. At that point, you will be given a test to see if you know each other well. The best leaders surround themselves with the best people and know the integrity of those which they are around. Your schedule of who you meet with and when will be delivered to your rooms this evening and begin after tomorrow evening’s paintball exercise.”

  Professor Dougall chips in with her air of propriety, “So from this point on, you are allowed in the opposite sex’s rooms. Mainly because we just don’t have enough room or time to set up meeting areas. If you are with the opposite sex, the door must remain open at all times. Your guards will be posted at the door. I understand some of you are hormonal teenagers, but if you cross a line and take it too far, you will be dismissed immediately. I’m sure you all know what I am referring to.”

  The whole room seems to take a giant gulp, well except for Professor Bennett who is still bouncing on his heels excited about paintball. I can’t believe they’d even have to keep reminding us, but I guess some of the girls are much more…experienced…than I am.

  Professor Zax continues, “These are all exciting developments; however, I should warn you that cuts will be happening shortly. Some of you might not make it through all that Professor Bennett is telling you about. But, if you do, you will also start taking trips during the day to DIA to see how the President runs the country. You will be given real life situations and even go through a number of different simulations. Don’t think of all of this as just a test, because it isn’t. Your decisions will actually affect people’s lives. You will become a real diplomat of sorts.”

  I sit there listening to the three close out our afternoon class and feel excited. Not just for the paintball exercise taking place outside of DIA tomorrow, but also because if I have more influence, maybe I can help projects like Marcia’s go through. I’m sure that won’t happen for a while, but one can hope.

  Professor Dougall takes back over. “Now, I know we don’t typically have a timetable, but know that if things work how we want them to, there will be half as many of you in this room in the next two to three weeks. Then things will slow down a bit as we really start to see what decisions you make with the increase in power given to you.”

  The excited feeling I have is all exhaled out of me with that and the end of class. Even though the President basically told me I was a frontrunner, I can’t help but feel dread. What if I went home and Henry stayed? Henry obviously isn’t going anywhere, but what if I did? Would I be able to go back to Omaha and live life
working all day, every day knowing that he is somewhere here with a different girl? I should be safe, but what if I do something wrong and make the wrong people mad like Julia did? What if I get sent home before we even get to the voting portion of this whole thing? And when we do get to the voting, will they really want to vote me to be at Henry’s side? The nobody from Omaha?

  Who am I kidding? If they could, they would vote Elizabeth at his side and I would go home with my heart in a million pieces with no goodbyes and no second chance. I have no faith in this process. Zero. This is madness!

  Henry seems to be picking up on my nervousness and walks out of the classroom and down the hallway with me, taking my hand and pulling me aside close to the elevators. I feel like I’m about ready to implode. Everyone is chatting about the upcoming cuts and paintball event, so we can talk without worrying about being overheard off to the side while everyone files into the elevators and heads down to the cafeteria.

  “Reagan, don’t even worry about it. You really don’t have a thing to worry about. Besides, we are safe from the first cuts anyway, remember.” He squeezes my hand.

  “I just have so many questions and am still tired from when I wasn’t feeling well. I feel insecure about this process, I guess,” I admit as we start slowly walking towards the now empty elevators.

  “You have no reason to be.” He gazes his to-die-for emerald green eyes at mine.

  The elevator door opens and we board. With Jamie and Henry’s two guards and the two of us, it’s a full house and not at all a private occasion. Since the guards stay out of our conversations though, it is the closest thing to privacy we have.

  “Do you trust me?” he almost pleads.

  “Of course I do.” I don’t even hesitate.

  “Then please, don’t worry about it. Don’t lose any sleep over it. We’ll take each day one at a time and head on,” he reasons.

  The door quickly rings again and I step out thinking that is the end of our conversation, but he keeps my hand in his and walks me down the hallway toward the cafeteria. This time, he never leaves my side and sits right beside me. It’s nice not having to feel lonely during a meal. We talk with Vanessa and Bronson and I find myself feeling a bit reassured.