Chapter 56 – Truth (Brennan Conrad POV) Pt.4
I'm dreaming. I know I am. I'm having one of those moments where I know without a doubt that the happenings I was currently seeing had long pass. Worse, it is one of those dreams where you know it is a dream because you know more than you did when that event you're dreaming of is recalled.
So. I'm dreaming.
"How do you think we should sell them on it?" I proposed to my older siblings, Javier, Taylor and Devin. Pursing their lips, Talia is the first to just shrug, "That it'll give us time to be together and independent but as a group – we will be safer. We don't want to fly because there are a few places that we want to stop, set up camp... just hang out for two months."
"Yeah," Taylor nodded, "it's not like we're setting off to commit a crime or anything, just one last hurray together before everything changes," she says with a gleam in her eyes.
Panting, I wake up startled, heart racing and fear gripping my lungs. Looking around I spot my siblings sitting at the booth table on our bus as Thaddeus is behind the wheel, forestry dark and fogged.
A gush of air comes whooshing out of me and is nothing but a representation of my relief.
Hindsight can be scary as hell. Safe now, the look in her eyes I remember now, coupled with the knowledge of Taylor's crimes is enough to send a jolt of fear that keeps my back iron rod straight. "Before we start college. We'll leave bend, stop along the California coast, we can visit family you guys have all over if we're near them. Check in with them and everything."
'One last hurray together,' it is not like that statement hasn't been said by many teenagers, but then again, those weren't obsessed with a guy whose family member she already killed. I recall the remainder of that moment and shiver in place though I'm toastier than a normal human.
"What's going on with you?" Harleigh questions from across me, long hair wrapped messily on top of her head. As Talia rests hers against the window, Caterina and Paige, eyeing me as well.
I guess it took all thirty hours from Bastrop, Texas to what Antone said would be our final stop according to dad – Burnsville, North Carolina.
Fifteen hundred miles of sour faces and hard stares because I spilled about my wrong doings at the wrong time they all thought. Then? Now when we were just minutes from seeing our parents after the first time in just over a week? It wouldn't have changed much.
Devin and I committed a crime – if she wouldn't take responsibility well that was her.
I don't bother with small talk now though. "I just... I was remembering when we were planning our cross-country road trip, and," I swallow, glancing at the door that isolated Javier from the rest of us. Only alone for the length of my nap now, I shift my gaze back to my sisters, "and Taylor said that it would be our one last hurray together," I lift a brow.
Again it was not the words but potentially how she said it.
Harleigh ducks her head forward, fake smile plastered on her face, as she rolls her eyes. "Why would that be a problem, we'd been planning that trip for months," she shrugged.
I frowned, really?
"She murdered Silas-"
"You're saying you think we were next?"
"Hell yeah, I'm saying that!" I answer in a hushed whisper. "We have no clue why on earth she would even harm Silas but she did," I remind them of the core reason it felt as though we had lost Silas all over again. At first when Devin arrived with news it hit us that Taylor stepped in and harmed him, but it's the not knowing why that made it hard now.
"Regardless," I gripe, "Taylor had plans."
Thaddeus snorts, "diabolic from birth that one." My eyes widen and to avoid any more questions or information slipping I shift my gaze down to my thighs.
Stretching out I jump up and slip into the chair besides Thaddeus as we drive by a small town and head onto an unpaved path. Light flurries of snow dance, warming instantly against the window and turn them to water drops.
"The path doesn't look very..." Thaddeus says slowly, "worn?" I nod in agreement. At the grass that is a bit matted but shows no true use. "I think this place is... I mean... this seems like a small town," I say worriedly.
"Why would dad pick something so far off?" Caterina says groaning peering out the window. "Seriously, that town sign said 'Welcome to Burnsville, population 1,669.'"
"1,669? I'm sure they're going to notice nearly eighty people moving in," Paige says with thick sarcasm.
"Look," I sigh, "If dad picked this place... I'm sure he did for a reason. I mean we had to drive just over ten minutes from the actual town, and we haven't seen another car, so I'm sure this place..." I add on without much excitement in my voice.
This was definitely not going to be what we had planned. Boston, Massachusetts, a big city where we could all live in an apartment together, attend school. No. This was a town where I'm sure they noticed anyone new and everyone knew each other by name.
Climbing in elevation as we wind around the mountainous terrain, thru the trees the town is sprawled below. Showing us exactly how small a town Burnsville, North Carolina really is.
The ride swaying us in our vehicles and when we finally even out, I have to duck and weave to see ahead of Antone's RV Bus, more so when he comes to a stop. "Maybe this isn't our final stop?" Harleigh murmurs.
A few points come to mind one brighter than the others; none of the properties from the emails and documents I read with Devin named this place. I could not remember my dad purchasing land in North Carolina period.
It is only a few seconds after we've stopped when I see my mother and father and my heartbeat fluctuates. Fear and relief battling for the number one spot inside me.
Coming clean when I did, while my grandmother Bess and I thought I had done the right thing, dad, Antone and my siblings were not as pleased.
"How could you be so selfish?" my father asked me not bothering to let me answer before he asked to speak to Antone in private. Defeated I left that home office, yet, the part of me that was drowning in guilt felt as though I had done the right thing. Wrong time, but also maybe right.
Mom always said that it's how you get up that matters not how or why you fell – I had to believe that showing remorse and helping out where I could, would eventually lead to restoring the broken trust.
It only sounds easy Brennan I tell myself while bracing myself for this new chapter.
~ 0 ~
"I know everyone is eager to be reunited with your loved ones but for those of you that have chosen to remain with this den," Dad fixes his gaze at me and I hold it, ashamed.
When he arches a brow though, I swallow and bow my head.
"As you can see there is just this dwelling and there is much to be discussed and so I'd like everyone to follow me," he says, to the group of people all debussing. Gaping around, the first concrete cube we saw Antone's bus drove past. However, this 'dwelling' as dad called it looked like some maximum-security prison from a television show.
Gray walls, four stories tall, glass that looked thick revealing a bit of the interior – still gray as well.
Hanging back I wait for Javier and when all others have begun following dad down steps, a dip below ground level, grass well cared for I frown. Aunt Angela stands at the side, and while the echoes of family members reunited can be heard from the back where we linger – I see her with an ipad tapping and standing near a keypad.
Silent I remain observant and when Javier and I are at the top steps, Angela enters a code and comes jogging over to us, "Come on, come on," she hurries us along. Rushing down the steps when a creaking noise sounds I freeze looking about until my eyes stop on the large concrete piece that's rising from the sides a glass piece maybe six inches thick covering the decline.
"What the hell?" I mumble gaping at Angela and Javier.
Angela smirks, "You have no idea, Bren," she shakes her head, but uses her free hand to lead Javier and I inside what I realize is a concrete gym, brown, orange, and blue padding covering patches of the concrete walls.
Following everyone else further inside, we hit another decline, leaving behind the basketball court gym, passing by a home gym. Equipment and apparatuses lining the walls the right filled while the left was sparsely filled. Better stocked than any gym I've entered, I start frowning when I note we enter another gym, this one with windows darkened and blocked out. Ropes, barbells, boxes, exercise, basket and medicine weight balls, a row of elliptical machines and kettlebells.
.
.
.
"Mommy what is that?"
"Oh my gosh – it's a trampoline gym!" one girl maybe Amy's age – five – says peering in, fingers curling between the fence. The gray walls behind almost do not matter as all the bright colors light up the space, giving it a friendly welcoming look.
A few stragglers with excitable children have stopped where we have, peering inside.
"Come on Benny," the woman says pulling her kids along while I stop with Javier and Angela, gaping at the setup. "This isn't like any of the other places dad..." I turn to Angela with wide eyes.
Shifting her gaze down the long hall where everyone was following my father, Angela turns back to me. She lowers the ipad that is held up against her chest and turns it to face Javier and I. "This," she swings a finger, "is only the first-floor basement," Angela says with a gleam.
"First-floor basement?"
Giving us a slight nod, "Yeah, there are a few floors... below this one." Maybe maximum-security prison isn't so far off, I think as I silently look around, back towards where we went.
"This is... uhm... different," I offer her but Angela only laughs. Pushing Javier and I towards the others, until we're at the back of another gym, and my father is standing on a built-in stage.
"We are all together once again, and I know that many of you have questions – safe I will give answer that I deem you all need to know," dad says his voice echoing and everyone settling to listen to what he has to say. Up near him is my mom who has a tight hold on Amy, Samantha hiding her face against her side.
"First, this home," dad says and I stand straight up, listening to this. "I will let you all know that up front this is not something I've had personally built or saw to build. Months ago as you all know we opened our home to Fatima Ashlynn. This home was built by someone that took care of her before she came to Bend. It is with her kindness that you all are here right now. This place was given to us so that we could remain safe for what is to come."
"In such a short time I have learned much that is going to change how I've previously run our den," dad stops gazing out at everyone.
"Each of you were asked 'who is Robert Delaney?' and those of you that answered correctly, well," he seems to look everyone in the eyeball at once, it's... I have no words really. "Angela," dad spots her, nodding. Besides me, she swipes her finger a few times and behind dad a projection screen drops, blue for a few minutes before it turns white.
"What I've learned is that the Elders have been building an army," murmurs and gasps sound. "And those in this army can be anyone, human, shifter, fae, vampire. Those that follow them can be recruited from any age, and can be identified when asked 'Who is Robert Delaney?'"
I swallow listening to the heartbeats in the room speed up.
"Now, as your Leader, I have ensured that everyone here," he stops flicking his gaze over the crowd, "is safe and has no connection with the Elders. Anyone that has responded to the question incorrectly, has been killed, no questions asked," my eyes widen and mouth drops down as I gape at dad.
He... him... no questions asked? What? No. Frozen I have to force myself to look at aunt Angela questioningly. From the corner of her eye she meets my gaze giving me a slight nod. Dad had killed someone?
I look over the crowd wondering who should be here, but wasn't, coming up short. Hell, there were a few faces that I hadn't expected to be here in the first place, all of Jonah's siblings and parents were here, my aunts on my mothers' side, they were here.
Truth be told there were about a hundred and thirty of us here and I was expecting maybe ninety-eight or so of us.
"Now, this property was built for no more than one hundred people and to make space for all of us, we've had to double up and many will be rooming together. Many of you have already received room orders and to keep the peace we all need to work together."
Heads bob.
"Now, I had purchased land that I had decided would be our newest area, however, after speaking with Fatima she's decided to let us remain here, signing the land and home over to me completely. That being said, as many of you have realized and will come to know is that this place is different from other dwellings." I nod even though I've only seen the first-floor basement and prison setup exterior.
"The reason for that is Fatima has had a premonition," I cock my head to the side, and for the first time since arriving, I scan the crowd again, this time, seeking Samson's dark wavy hair, or Faith's olive skin and wild curls.
They aren't here. Worry grows but I quickly push that down, maybe they're on one of the other floors. I nod to myself. Yeah. Dad just said he spoke to them.
Of course they're here somewhere I think before scoffing mentally at myself.
Many whisper between themselves but it doesn't last long before the commotion quiets to let dad be heard.
"She has seen a time where the air is poisonous, and we cannot breathe freely, everyone will need chemical suits to travel outdoors and crops and animals outdoors will be inconsumable."
Again for the maybe tenth time in less than an hour I'm speechless, my heart gallops wildly in my chest and fear bubbles up inside me. It lasts for a minute or so maybe until I pull myself from my thoughts and focus on my father.
He's so calm and collected up on stage. If he's worried it isn't written anywhere on his face. Surely he should be a bit more frightened or panicked? Right?
Taking a second, my thoughts swirling I look back at the long hallway we came from. The gym equipment, the setup, and the bubble of glass that aunt Angela had closed, the trampoline park, everything to keep physically busy was down here. And not just in the form of a small home gym and exercising room either.
The trampoline park had to have been ten maybe fifteen yards long, the basketball court...
"As many of you have guessed, this house was built to withstand the unlivable conditions seen expected from that premonition. The thick windows, the glass coverings, the air vents and many more precautions."
Faith?
She had foresight?
"I do understand that this is a lot of information to get all at once, especially after the long distance we've traveled," dad nods, "however, I do believe that everyone here wants to ensure that our loved ones, the people in this room are well protected when this premonition comes to pass-"
"When? How much time?" someone from the crowd asks loud enough or well directed at dad. Sighing for the first time since he spoke, dad purses his lips.
"That is what we do not know. Fatima had this premonition when she was a young girl and the person who built this home for her he had years to do so. She cannot pinpoint when this future she has seen is going to happen and-"
"What if she's wrong?"
Many nod, and I have to admit before dad answers all I can think, scream to myself is what if she's right? A world where we cannot breathe the air because it is poisonous?
"As I started with, I said there will be changes and right now this is one of them. Instead of starting over and building a new home base, we've decided to use this one. Apart from the setup you've all seen here, attached to this house are four greenhouses built to grow what should be needed to keep us going when the time comes."
"I will only say this once, you do not work, you will not eat. That is the new rule. Many of you, myself included will be working at the farm, doing what we can to prepare ourselves for this coming conflict. I do not want to have this time come upon me and not be able to feed my children or risk my life to gather them enough to eat."
"Who here wants to endure that strife?" he asks quieting the building uproar.
"Until that time comes many will work here to grow our produce, take care of the animals we have coming," I swallow. "Prepare."
"Others will find work in their fields, our children over twelve will attend school while those under will be educated here. How long do we live that way? What Faith saw could be coming in months or years, but my goal is to weather that storm with all of you here!" his finger points out at everyone.
"When it comes time to bunker down, our lives will continue, we will not be the den that withers away, we will eat and sleep safely. Our children, spouses; our lives will continue. We will not be taken by surprise. We will prepare."
From the corner of my eye I note aunt Angela nodding as my father speaks and each word spoken pleases her. Removes all the apprehension – what little she had to be honest – that was creased and showing on her face.
"Now – if this – the promises made... if they seem like too much then everyone, right now, you're welcomed to leave but there will be no returning. My kindness will not return at another date." I just stare at dad; a week's time away has changed everything I think. I've never heard him speaking like this.
It is not that he was missing compassion, just that there was this sense of duty that overrode his normal bleeding heart.
"Be sure that Brennan will be punished," Antone had said after I told the den all what I had done, the hacking. Those words, my dad a new man on the stage I couldn't help but wonder what I had coming my way.
I'm lost in my thoughts, panicking while trying to remain calm when dad starts speaking again and I tune in. "Finally, with permission from him for the better of the den, I have a final announcement before everyone is allowed to spend time with their family before we start working."
Besides me Javier takes a step back almost as though he's trying to hide his six-foot-tall body behind my – maybe – five foot four aunt.
Head bowed, I watch him square his shoulders and aunt Angela turns towards Javier, "it'll be fine," she whispers to him, aware of whatever was going on. Looking from my friend to father, then back twice I finally keep my gaze on dad.
"Members of the den under fifteen please turn away from the projector screen." He orders, warning. When only some parents shield their children's eyes, dad shrugs. "While we are safe here, location unknown, should any of you be contacted or run into someone claiming to be Shannon or Javier Rosario Senior, a lost child claiming she's Josey or Jess Rosario," dad swallows and I bow my head going to stand closer to Javier, helping create a wall between him and the people glancing around.
Oddly out of everyone in the room, when I glance up, my eyes find Talia's instantly. Shock and concern glazing over them, as she pulls her penetrating stare from me to our father back on stage.
"They've been found murdered," aunt Angela taps a few things on her ipad and when I glance up at dad again, the horrific crime scene photo's have been placed up for the den to see.
"Holy shit," I choke out, immediately shifting my gaze and swallowing thickly, bile bringing an acidic taste to my mouth. "You, Javier, Thaddeus, Simon, Tyler and Andy are on Basement Level 2, Bunk 2," aunt Angela whispers, handing me a folded piece of paper. "Head back the way we came and use the stairs to go down to that floor," she adds. Nodding, images that I would wish on no one burned into my memory, I blink, pulling Javier with me as dad speaks behind us – his voice eventually cutting off.
"These murders were committed by Taylor Ro..." I pushed the doors open rushing inside just before hearing the slight end of the Rosario's name. The hall chilled and the stairs around us gray, I shake my head wondering what the rest of this place looked like.
"Thanks," Javier mumbles thickly, head hanging back, tears slipping down each side of his face. Averting my gaze I say nothing once again, but I do nod. We're just opening the door to check on this Basement Level 2 when we hear someone following us.
Turning, peering inside I note its Talia, her face red, eyes wet, gaze wild. Handing off the paper to Javier he attempts to continue on. "Javier?" she calls him as he slips out of the stairwell not looking back.
When she tries to follow him, I slide between her and the door. "What the hell Brennan!?"
Shaking my head, I stare down at Talia, her eyes oozing anger. "I love you, you're my sister, but he's hurting-"
"And I had a right-"
"Right?" I shake my head. "No, you don't. He's giving you space and he's dealing, he cares about you. I'm sure he would rather you being there for him instead of me, but you cannot have it both ways," I shake my head sadly, before slipping through the door and peering left and right realizing that the slate gray had been used down on this floor as well.
Dimmed fluorescent bulbs light the way, as I dip my head in looking into two rooms on my right, one large bunkroom to the left, I note the same dreariness. Yeah, no way was this something my mother approved. Mom loved colors in her home and in her gardens. This place lacked all of that.
Shocked, I continue on, recalling the image Angela had given us, and following Javier's scent. Once I'm past the long corridor I turn to my left, passing the stairs and walking through the only set of doors at the end of the hall. Even from the door I can spot Javier looking around the room, bunks to his right, double bunks to his right. Entering, past what I suspect is the shared bathroom, I note the single bunk beds, smaller with bars.
.
.
.
"I guess we're roommates again," Javier says humorlessly turning around and looking at the setup. Again the images of what Taylor did to the Rosarios dance behind my lids when I blink.
Swallowing I glance around, sighing. After traveling, we were alive. This place so far didn't have a homey feel, but I could see that mom and those that arrived before us had done what they could to the place. Most importantly, though, I sighed in relief.
"Yeah," I chuckle, "we're here, safe, and together with those that love us."
.
.
.
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© 2016 roxann_season All Rights Reserved
the trampoline gym thing isn't exactly the one I described but I added it so those that do not know what it is... you have an idea.
So... thru Brennan we've gotten to learn more about this home Dmitri built, more than just what Faith and Samson had said as well.
Also... Ansel might have sort of given information but he withheld a lot... why do you guys think he did?