the Target

30

(30)

The voices resounded around us again, this time all three at once.
Kind of sounded like the Bee Gees. 

The original Bee Gees, not the disco era Bee Gees when they sounded like a hornets nest.

“James Robert William Templer. You are one of the original Namuh. You were our first King.”

I stared at Liz again.
“What are they talking about?”

“You are our King, Jimmy.”

“Queen Bellalizza. You must address our King properly.”

“I do apologize, sirs,” Liz responded genuinely.

I tried to make sense of all this.
‘I need a drink.’

The door behind us opened and a woman appeared with a tray and a bottle of McCallum’s.
She bowed.
“Sire.”

I took the bottle and took a long, deep drink.
My mind started to clear…

A little.
I passed the bottle to Liz.

“So…” I said finally, “You are saying that I am a King, or something?”

“You are,” said the Bee Gees.

“So… Do I have any power or authority?” I asked.

“You are our King.”

I took the bottle back from Liz and, again, drank deeply from the bottle.
“Then let my son go.”

“We do have laws, Sire. And they are to be followed.”

I was starting to get pissed at the Bee Gees.
“So, who makes the laws?” I asked.

“You do, Sire.”

Now I was pissed.

“For fuck sake.”

I looked at Liz.
“Take me to our son.”

Liz smiled.
A second later, we were in front of a glassed cell, with four guards surrounding it. 

Caleb was sitting on the floor in the corner of the cell. 

“Open this fucking cell,” I demanded.

The guards stepped in front of me.

“By whose authority?” one of them asked.

The Bee Gees’ voice surrounded us.
“He is the King of the Namuh.”

Each of the four guards bowed slightly.
“Apologies, Sire,” said one.

The door of the cell opened.
Liz ran inside and fell to her knees next to Caleb.
She helped him to his feet and he walked towards me with his head down.

He knelt in front of me, still hanging his head.

I looked at Liz, puzzled.

“He is offering you his life,” Liz said.
“He is ashamed.”

One of the guards offered me his sword.

“Get the fuck away from me,” I yelled.
I looked at Caleb.
“Get up.”

He stood up slowly, still avoiding looking at me.

“Caleb,” I said gently. 
“Look at me.”

He slowly raised his head.
As soon as I saw his eyes, I pulled back and punched him as hard as I could in the face.
He never flinched, but once again I felt the bones in my hand break.

I shook my hand.
“Whose son are you, really?”
Fuck, my hand hurt.

Liz walked to his side.
“He is our son, Jimmy.”

I shook my head and took the sword from the guard nearest me.
I passed it to Caleb.

He immediately got to one knee and offered it to me, his head down again.
I looked back at Liz.

“He is still offering you his life. You have not forgiven him,” Liz said.

Forgive.
I have never forgiven in my life.
I looked at Liz.
Fuck, she really was beautiful.

Liz sighed and shook her head.
“Jimmy – our son?”

I took the sword from Caleb. He went to both knees, the back of his neck now fully exposed as he kept his head down.
I passed the sword to the guard.
I knelt next to Caleb.
“Look at me.”

He slowly looked up at me. There were tears in his eyes.

“Don’t ever fucking chop my head off again. It really hurts.”
I smiled at Caleb.

In spite of everything, he smiled as well.
He got up quickly and offered me his hand.
When I was on my feet, I gave him a quick hug. 

Liz was in tears.
She hugged both of us.

“Now,” I said.
“Does anyone know a good place to get a steak? I’m fucking starving.”