Chapter Forty Four
This chapter is dedicated to ChristiSWilliams thank you so much for reading and enjoying my work. I appreicate your comments so very much!
The Gold District - The Lucas, Jacob, Kaelen, Kevin and Anthony's Office
Jacob stared around the table within his eyebrows knitted together. "Where'd Kevin go?"
"He said had something to do in his lab," mumbled Sebastian as he stared hard at his device.
Jacob sent a puzzled frown toward Sebastian, "Anthony can you please explain to me why you brought Sebastian with you today?"
Anthony shoulders raised and fell as he looked down at his hand held bored, "Because Acadia and the rest of the council are still meeting about the peaceful acquirement of Zurich into the Alliance." He waved a hand toward Sebastian, "His training with her was cancelled today and Kevin said he was too busy."
Lucas nodded as he looked up his device, "Aren't the Zurich’s a race of fire creatures that kept to themselves?" When no one readily responded Lucas shrugged, "I guess I'm the only one that read Tyrese and Chanel's report?"
"It was 84 pages condensed," frowned Anthony as he turned his device to show Lucas the report. "I'll wait for the bullet points and for us to acquire them."
"Okay," chuckled Lucas. "But I guess him being here makes sense." Lucas waved a nonchalant hand in Sebastian's direction. "Pay attention you'll learn a lot," chuckled Lucas.
"I doubt it," mumbled Sebastian before he went back to his device.
"What are you reading anyway," asked Jacob as he read Sebastian's upside down device. Jacob looked at his device and back toward Sebastian's. "How'd you find that?"
"Oh," laughed Sebastian as he looked up from the pictures of naked woman. "I did a search," he turned the device toward Jacob and showed him how to do a search on his device.
"Interesting," mumbled Jacob as he mimicked Sebastian's step.
"We're supposed to be working," snapped Kaelen as he threw his hand held on the table.
"Exactly," nodded mockingly Jacob after he'd found several different vids, pictures and articles. "Plus this office is too small we should move to a bigger one since we keep getting uninvited guest."
Kaelen looked round at the 1500 square foot office, which still had another 1800 square foot they currently were in with a frown. "Maybe we only need a bigger table," suggested Kaelen as he pointed to the round cramped seven seat table.
Jacob stared at the table with a dubious look before he turned toward the two work stations, "Saia!"
"Yes, Lord Jacob?"
"First don't call me Lord Jacob," responded Jacob. "Second please order us a larger conference table that sits at least twelve along with new chairs."
Saia turned to stare at Jacob with a calculating look, "And how much should I spend on said table and chairs."
Jacob tapped his chin as he gave it thought. "I don't know just go to Booker's and find something."
"Not Booker's," interrupted Lucas excitedly. "Go to Ushers!"
Anthony nodded lazily in agreement. "Yes," drawled Anthony as he leaned back in his seat to. "Please go to Ushers. I'd prefer not to have to work at some gaudy ass table that does unnecessary things like massage my temples with uncomfortable chairs." Anthony lips twisted into a scowl as he looked at Jacob, "Are you still sleeping with Gladys?"
Jacob tapped his device against the table with an amused smirk, "I am not but it's interesting that you'd think that."
"Is Ebony sleeping with Gladys," asked Sebastian as he looked up from his device with a new found interest in the conversation. "Maybe you and her both are sleeping with this Gladys."
"No," snapped Jacob as he dropped his device on the table. "No one is sleeping with Gladys!"
"Then why do you keep going to that gods awful store," asked Kaelen curious. "If you aren't sleeping with her why are you still bothering with her annoying ass?"
Jacob shook his head and laughed, "Because if you get away from the front of the store and into the warehouse you'd find a lot of handcrafted one of a kind furniture that you'd never see anywhere else."
Kaelen nodded, his face a mirror of disbelief, "If you say so."
"I do," smirked Jacob as he leaned back in his chair. "Have you ever walked pass the showroom and into the warehouse?"
"No," sighed Kaelen. He tossed his device on the table to give the conversation his full attention. "I've only went that one time with you and Lucas."
"You should go again and take a real look around," mocked Jacob. "Ebony and I were there the other day and purchased a full nursery set plus new furniture for Mekhi and Kayo's rooms."
Kaelen shook his head as he looked back down at his device. "I still can't understand why either of you would want any more children," mumbled Kaelen.
Lucas pursed his lips as he stared quizzically at Kaelen's bowed head. "What's hard to understand?"
Kaelen laughed humorlessly, "What's hard to understand is why you would keep having children when you are doing nothing but placing more people in harm’s way. Lucca and Layette were accidents." At Lucas angry expression Kaelen raised his hands. "Happy accidents but nevertheless accidents."
"Accidents," repeated Lucas as if he tasted the words. Lucas shook his head and made a face as if the words tasted funny. "They weren't planned but don't call them accidents. And exactly how are we putting them in harm's way?"
Kaelen looked up at Lucas his expression one of shock and disbelief. "Lucca, Layette and Sapphire are always in danger! Mia and my family are too! Stop trying to gloss over it!"
"Who's Sapphire," asked Sebastian once again drawn into the conversation.
"Sapphire is my oldest daughter from a previous marriage," responded Lucas offhandedly. "She's visiting her mother's parents right now but she should be back for Kaelen's wedding."
Jacob chuckled as he too joined the conversation. "When she found out Kaelen was marrying, you'd thought the universe was ending from her crestfallen expression."
Kaelen waved away their jokes. "While you two are laughing and joking why don't you tell Sebastian how many times Sapphire's been attacked."
"This year," asked Lucas his humor quickly faded.
Sebastian expression soured as he looked between Lucas and Jacob as they both seemed to be calculating the number for their response.
"I can answer that," responded Anton from his station.
"Go ahead," sighed Kaelen with a wave of his hand. "Enlighten Sebastian on how many times Lucas's precious children have been attacked."
Anton frowned at Kaelen's words but continued anyway, "Sapphire is currently assigned to two bodyguards."
"Lawrence and Christopher," supplied Lucas with a smirk. "From when we were at the Academy. They both graduated top of their class."
Kaelen rolled his eyes, "Please continue Anton."
Anton cleared his throat as he reviewed the information. "Um," he began before he looked back at Kaelen. "Lady Sapphire has been attacked eighteen times this year. Five of them were attempted kidnappings; five were traced back to the resistance while thirteen were from families that hold a grudge against the Sinclair’s or her grandparents."
Sebastian jaw dropped at the number, "We are 8 months into the year!"
"That is why she has bodyguards," smiled Lucas confidently. "Since Christopher and Lawrence took over the numbers have dropped significantly."
"No," provided Saia as she reviewed the report, "The numbers of bodies found have dropped. The attempts have remained steady. "
Lucas rolled his eyes, "That's semantics."
Kaelen shook his head, "And what about Lucca and Layette?"
Anton turned to stare at the screen with a blank expression, "Lucca has been attacked a number of 45 times this year -."
"Half of those times they were really after Mekhi," inserted Saia with a helpful smile.
Anton nodded, "And Layette has been attacked 12 times."
"Why is Layette's number so low compared to your other two children," asked Sebastian with a perplexed expression.
"Layette remains on Ah'Taria, with a Kayo, more so than her siblings," responded Lucas with a slight frown. "But I had no idea the number was so high for Lucca and Mekhi."
Kaelen gave Lucas a stale face, "You had no idea that your heir was the most sought after preteen in the universe?"
Lucas shrugged as he picked back up his handheld. "Nope! Good thing he can take care of himself so I don't need to worry."
Kaelen shook his head, "And what about Sapphire who only has a 78% power level?"
"That's why she has bodyguards," responded Lucas with an assured nod.
Kaelen frowned darkly at both Lucas and Jacob, "It seems to me like neither of you fully grasp the fact that the children you are so keen on having, are nothing but targets to your enemies."
"If they want to go after my children," responded Jacob coldly his fawn colored eyes snapped gold, "they should be prepared to die. Just as if they go after Ebony."
Kaelen shook his head as he looked back down at his report, "My dad, Jael Quin and the twins are in enough danger without me adding to it by announcing I'm a long lost Lawson by way of the Kevin Jacob Lawson."
"Or having kids," pointed out Sebastian. "Last thing I need to worry about is Xara having your kids." Sebastian's lips were pressed together as he looked Kaelen up and down, "You definitely don't need to announce that nor do you need to have children with my cousin."
Silver Lights District - Ward Residence
At the same time....
A shiver of dread ran down Xara's back and her gut clenched painfully. She gently placed her hand on her stomach, her eyes never wavered from the time as she gazed teary eyed at her device.
"18:31," whispered Xara heavily. The hair on the back of her neck rose as the time silently moved to 18:32. "I can't let either of them find out," mumbled Xara.
She jumped from her bed and looked around her small room. "I have nine shillings and eight royal notes," she continued to herself. "I can purchase a one way ticket to Ollyum in 3rd class and still have enough to for a cube* for three or four days."
Xara grabbed a small suitcase only to freeze halfway to her armoire. She could almost feel Kevin as he walked out of his attic laboratory, down the stairs to the second floor, to the main floor and finally to the servant's quarters. In her mind she could hear the conversation he had with Bethany before he continued down the hallway to her door.
"Kevin," Xara whispered to herself just as her door slid open forcefully.
Kevin stared into the small room with a glower, "Why were you not in my laboratory at 18:30?" His hazel eyes bored into hers as he waited for an answer.
"I-I," stuttered Xara as she dropped the handle of the tote and stepped away from it and him.
"Don't babble or fidget its unattractive," frowned Kevin darkly as he made his way toward Xara. "Just answer the question." His eyes landed on the small black travel case before they went back to her. "Going somewhere," asked Kevin with a black eyebrow arched.
"N-no!" Xara pointed at the case, "I-I had books in there and were just putting them away." Xara pointed to the bookcase she'd filled yesterday.
"Uh huh," nodded Kevin inconvenienced. "And that's why you are now moving it from under your bed," he pointed to the alcove. "And moving it to the armoire?"
Xara took another step from Kevin as she shook her head. "You're misunderstanding."
"I'm not," frowned Kevin. "I believe you are misunderstanding." Kevin moved to stand in front of Xara and cupped her chin forcing her to meet his eyes. "I told you to be in my laboratory at 18:30 and you failed to show up on time."
"I-I'm sorry," gasped Xara as she pulled her face from his hand. "I lost track of time," stuttered Xara as she put distance between herself and Kevin.
"Really," asked Kevin.
"Y-yes," affirmed Xara quickly with a nod.
Kevin walked around the perimeter of her room his eyes taking in everything before he stopped outside the alcove and raised his hand. "If you lost track of time," drawled Kevin, "why is your currently blank only showing the time?"
Xara faced scrunched in confusion at the device in Kevin's hand. She patted her pocket in disbelief, "You stole my -."
"Stole is such a harsh word," frowned Kevin as he glanced down at the screen. "I see you and Bethany enjoyed yourselves today at the spa."
"W-we did," replied Xara confused. She tried to stretch her neck to see her device but remained rooted to the spot six and a half feet away from Kevin. "How are you able to see where I was?"
Kevin flipped the device back toward her with a cocky smirk, "Your device's universal tracking system is on." He pointed to a small black dot that appeared in the yellow district. "And I also see that you two went to the -." Kevin turned the device back toward himself and pressed a button to zoom in on the map. "Xara," he frowned darkly. "Why were you at the medic center in the Yellow District?"
"B-b-bethany f-f-fainted," responded Xara hesitantly. Xara's hand went instinctively to her middle as she started to hyperventilate. "I-I-I went with h-h-her to make s-s-sure she was okay," cried Xara.
Kevin hand crushed the device and he glared at her, "I told you to come ME!"
"I'm so sorry," cried Xara as she put more distance between herself and Kevin. Terrified she looked around the room with her eyes as if she were searching for something to protect herself. "Don't kill me!"
Kevin frowned darkly at Xara before he dropped the ruined device, "I would never harm you." Kevin chuckled at Xara look of disbelief, "You are carrying my grandchild several times removed."
Xara stared out of teary brown distrustful eyes at Kevin. "I-I-I don’t know what you are talking about," she stammered. "I am not with child," cried Xara. "I'm not! Kaelen says he doesn't want children! And the council," gasped Xara, "the council will destory any child he and I produce."
"Kaelen doesn't want children," repeated Kevin thoughtfully. "That's not right." Kevin shook his head deep in thought. "Kaelen likes children."
"He told me so," snapped Xara. "He'll kill me for sure if he finds out!"
Kevin stared nonplussed at Xara. "He wouldn't," sighed Kevin with a shake of his head. "But the council is a different matter. So for now," Kevin paused and looked Xara up and down, "we will keep it between you and me." Kevin waved toward Xara, "For now let’s get you examined and I'll take care of Bethany and the medic." Kevin stared hard at Xara, "Benja-."
"She doesn't know," rushed Xara. "And her cousin will never tell," she pleaded. She took a hesitant step toward Kevin her hand raised as if to stop him. "You don't have to take care of her or him."
Kevin pouted as his gaze moved to the door. "Really," he pouted sadly. "I can leave the cousin alive but I really detest the fact that she cooks so horrible. Can I at least maim -?"
"Please don't," asked Xara softly. "Please don't hurt anyone."
"I'll agree to your request on one condition," smirked Kevin as he looked back at Xara with a calculating glint in his eyes. At Xara's hesitant nod he stepped across the room directly in front of her, "You are not to tell anyone until I say so."
Xara nodded slowly in agreement.
"Oh," continued Kevin his hand moved to rest lightly on her stomach. "And for your own sake do not try to leave ever again." Kevin's lips curled into a heinous smile and eyes flashed gold, "Kaelen is nothing like Lucas. He'd take his child and your life without thought."
Xara flinched away from Kevin and his dark words. She nodded that she understood before she walked over to pick up her handbag. "The medic told me to take these every day," she handed Kevin the bottle.
Kevin read the label, opened the bottle and inspected the pills. "You should." He handed her back the bottle with a smirk. "Now to my lab so I can run a few more tests."
Xara sighed wearily as she placed the pills back in her bag and followed Kevin out of her small room.
*The cube Xara is referring to is pictured above or to the right. It's a japanese sleeping pod*
p.s. that's it for updates this week. I have a sinus infection and need to rest.