The Prince of Arc - Part III

Chapter 25 - Lucas's Slave

25.

"Lucas!" Marcus greeted his friend as he returned into the building behind the podium. "Your father didn't say anything about the 5 of spades," Marcus said, anxious as to why Lucas flashed the next card at the very end of his speech. His father gave no instruction to do so, and knowing his father, Lucas was doomed to be punished.

"I know," The Prince responded, as if he had done nothing wrong. "It was necessary. We need to keep the idea of spades lingering in Blake's mind. We have to make sure he never thinks we forgot about it." His reasoning was weak, and Marcus decided to speak against it.

"But your father is not going to be happy and you know it. You should have waited for his instruction. Why'd you do it now?" Marcus attempted to make Lucas understand. But the Prince was too full of himself to comprehend what his friend was telling him.

"Marcus, I know what I'm doing. If my father gets mad he can talk to me about it. I know what needs to be done. My father doesn't know how Blake thinks, but I do."

"How do you know what he thinks?" Marcus asked.

"I know how he thinks because he thinks like me. We like being in charge and having control. The more I remind him he no longer has any power, the sooner he is to give up." Lucas spoke as if the trait was desirable.

"I doubt Blake thinks anything like you." Marcus replied, regretting the words as they left his tongue. He was talking back to Lucas like he never had before.

"Excuse me?!" Lucas asked, astonished by Marcus's response.

"I'm... sorry," Marcus said, looking away from Lucas to the ground.

Marcus knew that Lucas was wrong, but since Lucas was the Prince and he was just a friend, his words meant nothing. Lucas was not only stubborn but also confident. Whether or not his opinion was reasonable, Lucas would always defend himself. Arguing with him was pointless.

"Don't do that again," Lucas instructed, forgetting about the topic but not necessarily accepting Marcus's apology. A pause in conversation occurred before Lucas spoke again. "I'm starving anyway, let's go eat." Lucas said, changing the subject. He started walking, though Marcus wasn't sure where. The stadium they were in didn't have a food court, or at least he didn't think so.

Marcus followed Lucas towards wherever he was going, looking at his feet to follow. He stopped abruptly, causing Marcus to run into his back.

"Watch it," Lucas hissed in response as Marcus looked up. Standing in front of the Prince was an intimidating Loyal. Marcus could tell he was a security guard by his black suit. He motioned Lucas over to the side so that he could talk in private. Lucas followed the guard over to a pillar away from where Marcus stood. When Marcus walked to follow, the security guard motioned him to stay put.

Marcus was confused. He always went with Lucas, no matter what for.

As the Loyal talked to Lucas, Marcus looked around him. People were beginning to fill up the building. He wondered if the guard was cautious of the growing number of people. A few more seconds passed before Lucas returned.

"What was that about?" Marcus asked, noticing how angry Lucas had become.

"It's Cameron," Lucas replied.

"What about him?"

"He escaped the hideaway, his body wasn't found in the ashes."

"So what?" Marcus asked, somewhat confused as to why it mattered.

"He can't live, he knows too much." Lucas said as if it was painstakingly obvious.

"What do you mean he knows too much? We told him nothing," Marcus asked, thinking about Lucas's interrogation that didn't go so well.

"We didn't tell him much, but he knows what we did to him. If he gets a hold' of the press and tells them we left him to die in a bedroom at the hideaway the manhunt could be in jeopardy and the rebellion could be revived." Lucas explained. "Follow me," He said, grabbing and pulling at Marcus's arm.

Cameron had escaped. Lucas was right, if Blake's best friend did reach the press the entire manhunt could be destroyed. Cameron could show Lucas's true intention and gain support for Blake and the rebellion. And of course, Lucas would never allow support for his enemies.

"Where are we going?" Marcus asked, stumbling at first as Lucas pulled.

"To kill Cameron." Lucas responded slowly but instantly.

Marcus felt himself stumble again as his friend spoke the word 'kill'. The only other person Marcus had heard him say he was going to kill was Blake. Clearly, he wasn't joking around at all. Lucas was going to kill Cameron.