True North - Vol 1

Chapter 15 - Lightning

★・・・・・★

A feeling of dread filled Patricia the moment she noticed her pillow lay bare that morning. She and Kyle quickly got dressed and they headed down to the breakfast table, but it sat ominously empty. A knot formed in her stomach as she heard heated voices coming from the direction of Paul's office. "Stay here Kyle," she said. Walking into the room she saw Paul and Beth arguing, Beth was upset, tears streaming down her face.

"What happened?" Patricia asked fearfully.

"Oh Patricia, they took him, they took Morgan," her eyes were red and puffy.

"Who did?" Patricia suddenly panicked.

Paul spoke up, "The SoroSuub Corp are holding him. From what I have heard, he was working with the other employees to stage a strike for better wages. The strike got out of hand, property was damaged and they arrested him."

"Well you have to get him back, what are you going to do?" she pleaded.

"There's only so much my influence can do my dear. He's in their custody now."

Patricia gasped at his callousness, "You can't leave him there, you know what will happen once he's transferred to the galactic empire, they will execute him!" she shouted, hearing Beth sobbing behind her.

Paul shook his head, "I am sorry, but he has done this to himself, he has to deal the repercussions," he anxiously swallowed, but remained stoic faced.

Patricia scoffed in disbelief, "How dare you, you made him do this!" she sharply pointed at him.

He was astounded by her sudden, uncharacteristic outburst, and took a step back.

"If you had ever bothered to see how miserable he was, being forced to live up to your expectations of him, he wouldn't try to win your constant approval by being everyone's savior!" she spat unforgivingly.

An incredulous look crossed Paul's face in that moment. Unbeknownst to him, Morgan was taking the advice he himself, had given him long ago about being responsible and making a difference in the word.

Guilt washed over him as he finally perceived—somewhere along the line, he had lost sight of the profound struggles his son was managing on his own, and how blinded he had become to all the good that Morgan was doing; all because it wasn't on his narrow terms.

And now when his son needed him most, he had failed him. Paul swallowed bitterly, "What can we do? I have already called in every favor owed, it is impossible."

Patricia avowed, "It's simple, we break him out."

***

Patricia sat anxiously as plans went into motion. She heard Paul making calls from his office.

He walked out, his demeanor had shifted, optimism now dripping from his voice. "I alerted the clan, they are sending Jace and Jordan; they should be here within the hour."

"Thank the Maker," Beth breathed out. Nervousness pitted Patricia's stomach as they waited.

As promised, the twins showed up, she could never get over the intimating aura they emitted, they moved in complete synchronicity, the unnaturalness of it made her shutter. She leaned against the wall in the banquet room, crossing her arms, silently listening to the men make an escape plan. Security was minimal, so sneaking in was not a problem apparently, as Paul illustrated with the building blueprints spread out in front of him; their biggest problem lie in breaking him out of the holding cell that was electrified.