“That still doesn’t explain why you choose him to take part in this meeting as your second,” Rose scoffs.
“Lady,” Eli says, defending Jake. “We hated each other for loving the same beautiful, insanely crazy, diligent, suffering, brave, intelligent woman. Only I love her for being my sister, and he loves her for her, and he didn’t have to.”
“That still,” Rose begins.
“Shut up, lady.” Eli steps forward one step. “He and I respect each other. We came to a point we were harming Liz more than helping her, so we came together out of mutual respect at first, survival second, and family now.” Jake puts an arm on Eli’s back. “He fights, I fight! That’s all there is to it!”
“I see,” Rose says, still no emotional change. “And you two?” she nods at Shawn and me.
I panic for a moment, because at first, I can’t think of the real reason why I picked Shawn. If it was Mar, I could use the best friends in diversity thing, and Magi I could use the mother figure aspect, the protector. Even Samantha I could talk about training and the reasons why we love/hate each other, but Shawn?
“I choose her,” Shawn says, “every time.”
“Why?” Rose asks.
“Is there a point to all of this?” Cara interrupts.
“There is a point to all I do… Now, Why?”
“Because, my family was never my family,” Shawn says, looking Rose straight in the eye. “My dad left when I was born, and my mom was not too far behind him. They left my sister Christina and I with our grandmother and Pop-Pop…we never saw them again. My grandmother was a piece of work. Sometimes, when she was mad at my Pops, she would purposefully forget to report to The Elected government booths at the beginning of the month. They would come and beat my Pops and take Chris and I to a service camp for the month.” He looks down, breaking eye contact with Rose.
“Go on,” Rose says softly.
“That’s where Christina died. She got an infection and died at the hands of The Elected in one of their filthy work camps. I watched as they threw her body in a fire and walked away like she didn’t matter.”
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper, while taking his hand with one of mine and with the other, I hold the feather pendant for support.
I hold it so tight it bites at the flesh of my palm. Pain is really the only thing I have felt recently, so it is a nice reminder that I am human. My heart sinks as I continue to squeeze his hand and the pendant… thinking for only a moment about my mother.
Shawn looks back up and doesn’t break eye contact with Rose for the remainder of his confession.
“I was sent back to the same camp three more times after Chris died. That was before I was fortunate enough to be taken by The Force. I wasn’t allowed to do anything, talk to anyone, or my grandmother would threaten work camp on me, so I remained silent. Six months before I was taken, Pop-Pop was killed during a beating. That was the last time I was sent to work camp. April came, and I walked the streets on purpose to be taken so I wouldn’t have to spend a second more with that monster. The day we were taken by The Force, Liz, Eli, and Mar took me in, no questions asked. I would fight with them or die with them.”
“I didn’t know.” I say with tears rolling down my cheek.
“It’s okay.” He hugs me. “You didn’t ask, and I was fine with that.”
“I knew you would tell us in your own time.” I’m just sorry it had to be now.” I scowl at Rose for making him talk.
“So, you have loyalty,” she says the words as a statement not a question. “What will you offer me?”
“Two guns, a bit of ammo, and a running vehicle,” Jake answers.
“Would you sell Shawn, Eli, or your little sister for two guns and beat up old vehicle?” she asks seriously.
“No,” I answer truthfully.
“Then, why should I?”
“We have no truthful answer to this question,” Jake complies. “Other than the fact that Liz knows where your daughter spends most of her time in The Facility.”
Rose sends an accusing look in Cara’s direction.
“Jake!” I quietly scold him.
“Is this true?” she retorts, voice full of anger.
“It is,” I answer with my head down.
“If she tells you, would you let Cara come with us?” Eli asks.
“Two guns, a WORKING vehicle, the location of my daughter, and one other thing,” she answers Eli.
“What more could you possibly want?” Jake demands the answer.
“Robert Towers,” she answers with a smirk on her face.
Chapter Twenty-Six
A light-headed feeling crosses my boggled mind. What could she possible need with Robert, my once spectacular father turned evil? She has got to be bluffing.
I turn around to face the back wall for a moment, trying to center my emotions. Why does it even matter so much to me that he be gone? Other than the fact that he is the only one that can get us to The Elected headquarters that is.
I turn back around to see a placid look on my brother’s face. It is hard for me to read what he is thinking about all of this. Being twins, we usually can tell what the other is thinking, but this time, it is impossible to tell. He must be trying to stay cool in front of Rose.
“What do you want with Robert?” Jake breaks the silence.
“He is of some use to me where The Facility is concerned,” she responds, “and it looks as if
