arbitrate (daynight) (7 page)

Zander’s nurse re-swaddled him, and then the girl’s nurse gently laid her down by me. She had strawberry-blonde fuzz atop her head and gold eyes with a thin ring of green around them.
She’s
beautiful.
 

Jax stroked the baby girl’s cheek. “Eva?” he suggested.

Perfect.

So many questions popped into my mind, but I was too mesmerized by the little miracle in front of me to ask. Her eyes were so bright and
knowing
. The door to the room opened, and a feeble looking elderly man entered and hobbled over to the end of our bed. Despite his age, he had a compelling presence. His hair was so white it almost appeared blond. His eyes were a clear-blue, and his face was well worn by time.

He nodded to Jax. “Ms. Donovan. I am Eli Demason.” His voice pierced me to the core.

“Nice to meet you,” I responded.
 

“We are honored to have you here. There’s nothing more important or valuable than those who create…and you have done so beautifully. They are precious and a great blessing.” Eli gestured to the babies.
 

He shuffled around my bed until he was at my side. He laid his hands upon my head. “Thou shalt not fear…that which has been lost will be restored to you. Of this I give my word.”

I felt the physical lifting of the burden of Aiden’s loss and knew that Eli had done more than spout meaningless words.
I’ll get him back?

“Yes. Patience will be required, but it is meant to be.”
He can read minds and tell the future?

The man smiled and then proceeded to make his way to Jax’s side. “Much will be required of you, Jackson.”

Jax responded in a low voice. “I’ll give them everything I have.”

“Proceed with caution. They are irreplaceable.”

“I know.” Jax brought my hand to his lips and placed a whisper of a kiss on my knuckles.

Eli bowed slightly. “I’ll take my leave. Rest up. The calm precedes the storm.”

Eva’s nurse took her from me. My eyes felt heavy, and I succumbed to their weight.
He’s alive and I’ll see him again
. I fell asleep, a smile firmly affixed to my face.

Present

“You better get the
hell out of here before I call for your execution before the Ten. Daddy taught me how to track you, so don’t think you can just disappear, and I won’t find you.”
 

I open an eye. Déjà vu. It’s early evening, I’m in Jax’s arms, and Ethan’s spewing threats. I disentangle myself from Jax and stand to face Ethan, using my body to physically shield Jax. Jax takes the opportunity to further enrage Ethan by rubbing the side of my bare leg.

“If you
ever
threaten Jax again I will take Zander and disappear. Jax is the
only
person who can handle my day terrors. And
smothering
, for the record, is
not
an effective method. You could have killed me.”

Ethan looks taken aback that I sided with Jax, but as soon as the threat of leaving registers, he sneers. “I would find you.”

I dig my fingernails into my hands. “You could die trying. We were only found because we
allowed
you to find us. Don’t flatter yourself with your delusions of half-blooded Arbiter grandeur.”

Ethan’s normally bright eyes look dark and brooding. “I will
not
allow
my
Cleave to sleep in another man’s arms every day.”
 

“Well, then I guess you’re in for some sleepless days. For now, let’s go see the Ten…or I guess the other nine.” How did I not ever see this side of Ethan before? He has gone all caveman on me. Pretty soon he’ll be pounding on his chest and marking me with his pee.

Ethan gives Jax a smug look. “The Ten is expecting you too, Jax.”

Jax shakes his head. “Be careful of the wheels you put into motion, Ethan. There are some things that simply cannot be undone.”

“I agree.” Ethan responds in such a chilly tone, I shiver.

I interrupt the love-fest. “Ethan, why don’t you look up the term ‘forgiveness’ in your tablet dictionary while I take a shower and feed Zander. Then we can be on our merry way to meet up with your mommy. Oh, how I’ve missed her so. Although, this last night I have felt her presence since you are so much like her.”

Jax looks like he wants to laugh but sucks it in. Ethan growls and I leave. I feed Zander quickly and then take a short shower—not because I’m eager to meet with the Ten, but because I don’t trust Ethan and Jax to play nice in my absence.

How right I was.

When I return, I find Ethan has Jax at gunpoint, the small caliber weapon pointed directly above his ear.

“What the hell?” I gasp. This can’t be happening. Panic constricts my throat and chest. I strain to pull air into my lungs. My skin gets clammy and I start to see spots. “Don’t do this. Put down the gun, Ethan. I’ll never forgive you if you hurt him.”

Ethan doesn’t bother to look at me. “You are the one who requires
my
forgiveness. As for Jax… I can’t have him disappearing on me before the Ten’s hearing. In fact, I do believe he’s going to take us there now.”

Jax smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I warned you. So it will be.”

I mumble under my breath. “This is going to be another great bedtime story for Zander to add to the ever growing collection of ‘Daddy’s Dark Days.’”

I grab Jax’s hand and intertwine my fingers with his. The office fades out and a dim, deserted hallway fades in.

“I asked you to take us directly to the meeting hall.” Ethan presses the gun harder against Jax’s temple.

Jax is clenching his teeth, and his eyes are narrowed, but he manages to speak calmly. “I’m not willing to make that kind of entrance into a meeting with the Ten.”

Ethan pushes us forward and toward a door. He uses a combination of a card key and numeric code to gain entry.

Once in the room, two guards “relieve” Ethan and direct Jax and me to two chairs at the large conference table in the middle of the room. We’re both cuffed to the chairs. I scan the others sitting at the table. Besides Ethan, I only know Vienna. Nine other chairs are filled with one seat left vacant.

Vienna shoots me a deathly glare. “Well, well, well…I see that Ethan managed to find the elusive duo. Jax, I do believe you have some explaining to do.”

Jax returns Vienna’s look dagger for dagger. “You asked me to keep Kira safe. I was merely doing my job. It was necessary for us to go into hiding to ensure the safety of both Kira and your grandson.”

“You told us Kira had ‘perished’ after the attack on her life.”

Jax replies, “And I spoke the truth. Kira did die…for a short duration. Thankfully, she was able to be revived thereafter.”

“How did you evade detection?” Vienna asks.

With a smirk, Jax responds, “I’d like to think that my intellect is such that I can stay one step ahead of any pursuers, as needed.”

Vienna shakes her head. “The only thing bigger than your intellect is your ego. Perhaps you’d like to share how you escaped Military City?”

“Actually I wouldn’t.” He grabs my free hand with his and squeezes. He turns to me and whispers. “Trust me.” I nod.

All hell breaks loose. Everyone starts shouting, arguing and pointing fingers.

“They’ve both committed treason.”

“They can’t be trusted.”

“We can force him to talk.”

“
She’ll
talk if we keep her from her child.”

“We need to make an example of them.”

“Execute them.”
 

I start to shake, but Jax puts firm pressure on my hand, and I’m immediately comforted.

Ethan stands and slams his fist down on the table. “Stop.”

All eyes ratchet to Ethan who has a downright evil look on his face. “He’s an Arbiter. That’s how they escaped. Jax kept her in Heart and had Arbiter help in hiding her. This is all his doing. He’s the one who should be punished.”

The bastard just threw Jax under the proverbial SCI bus.

I turn to Jax to see his reaction. He looks bored by Ethan’s revelation. Certainly not nervous.

Vienna’s mouth is shaped like a giant “O.” Finally she manages to speak. “I don’t believe it. We’ve known the Christos for decades. There’s no way Jax is an Arbiter.” To Jax she asks, “Jax, is this true?”

Jax stays silent.

“Where’s your proof, Ethan?”
 

“I’ve seen him portal with my own eyes. In fact, he brought us here this morning.” Ethan’s tapping on the table, daring Jax to contradict him. “Just think about it. How else would they escape Military City? Or how could he get Kira to immediate medical attention after her attack without being seen? There needs to be consequences for his actions.”

A silver-haired member of the Ten speaks up. “I vote for death. Either way, he’s a danger to us.”
 

I gasp. “Ethan. Stop this. Now.”

He looks over at Jax’s hand atop mine and says, “No.”

I glare at him with disgust and contempt. “I would like to ask for my Cleaving to Ethan to be immediately dissolved. The Cleaving was never consummated and
will never
be
consummated. Besides, Cleaving isn’t even practiced here in Military City. I may have to raise my son with that monster, but I will not share a bed with him.”

Vienna interjects. “I appreciate your attempt to change the subject, Kira, but we need to settle the matter of Jax first before discussing the validity of your Cleaving to Ethan. You could help speed things along by letting us know whether what Ethan said is true.”

“I don’t believe I can be of help in this matter—other than to assure you that Jax is infinitely more trustworthy than Ethan.”

The arguing continues to the point where Ethan gets up, walks around the table, and points his gun at Jax’s temple.

Suddenly the lights dim in the room.
 

Multiple figures fade into view.
 

The Arbiters are here.

I look over at Jax and he winks at me.

A touch to each guard’s shoulder sends a Taser-like shockwave through them, dropping them to the floor.

Ethan’s distracted enough that he lets his finger relax on the trigger.

Jax releases his hand from my grip and gives Ethan a similar but less debilitating shock. The gun clatters to the floor and Ethan keels over in pain.
 

Serves him right.
 

Jax touches his own restraint, which immediately unlocks. He shrugs it off and touches mine. Then he gets up and walks over to take his place.

Seven Arbiters in total circle the table, each bathed in glimmering light.

“What is the meaning of this, Samson?” Vienna asks Dr. Christo, false bravado showing in her voice. “You have no business here. This is a private council.”

Jax breaks out in wholehearted laughter. “You foolish woman. Don’t forget your place.”

Dr. Christo speaks next. “Vienna, dear. You had to know it was only a matter of time. The threats against Jackson simply accelerated the timetable. I fear that you have forgotten the natural order of things. We have left you and the SCI to your own devices long enough. You and your colleagues have simply crossed enough lines to require more
oversight
in your day to day activities.

“Let me introduce you to my colleagues. You know Jackson, of course. To his right and then continuing around we have Eli Demason, Freida Driscoll, Jonah Oliver, Deena Karnik and Daniel Paxton. Eli leads the Arbiter Council and wishes to address you.”

I’ve met Eli once before. He came to visit me while I was recuperating in the Cross Medical Facility in Heart. He looks ancient and frail but is sharp as a tack.
 

His voice booms throughout the room. “I’d like to discuss one of the most egregious of the SCI’s current activities first—and that would be the SCI’s efforts at their earthly Clean Slate Complexes to increase military personnel here.”

Vienna boldly interrupts. “We have every right to protect ourselves from the threat of the Exilers, particularly as more and more Second Chancers defect and join their ranks.”

Eli holds his hand up and physically shuts her mouth from a distance. Vienna looks like her lips are superglued together. I want to learn that trick. “Silence. Your current predicament is one of your own making. It will not be solved by upping the number of military personnel. And although we are bound to bring over those in need of a second chance from Earth, your current methods are despicable. View Exhibit A.”

The wall behind Eli disappears, and the Arbiters step aside to give us a clear view of an SCI bus pulling up to a warehouse.

Dozens of people get off the bus and are shepherded into a dark warehouse. They all look confused as to why they are there.

The escorts leave and the doors are locked.

I can see terror in their eyes.

A bright light fills the warehouse…and then turns a deep, fiery red.
 

The people are being incinerated.

Skin is melting off their bones.

I scream, and Jax steps forward to lay a hand on my shoulder to calm me.

Ethan looks surprised, but the rest know.
 

It’s clear that the Ten ordered this.
 

When all is said and done, the only thing left of all those people is dust.

A machine descends from the ceiling to wipe away even that.

I look around the table and memorize the face of each individual responsible for this act of mass murder.

Eli speaks again. “Over fifty-thousand have perished this way to date. And more face the same fate every day. While our jurisdiction on Earth is limited, we have full jurisdiction over you here. So here’s what is going to happen…” He makes sure to look each member of the Ten in the eye.

“First, the girl—Kira Donovan—will not be touched. She is under our protection.”

The silver-haired Ten interjects. “I object. Kira has nothing to do with the Arbiters. She’s one of us and thus should be subject to our rules.”

Eli zips the man’s mouth shut as he had Vienna’s. “She is under
our
protection. Anyone to cause her harm will have quick judgment rendered. In addition, we agree to the dissolution of her Cleaving to Ethan. Kira may continue to live under the same roof as Ethan for the sake of the child. However, Jackson will be there to protect our interests and keep her safe.
Ethan
isn’t trustworthy right now. When the time is right, Kira can choose who she’d like to build a life with.” Ethan shrinks into his seat which I’m not sure was by Eli’s design or because of Ethan’s guilt. It’s a bittersweet win for me. Sure, I’m free of being Cleaved to a man who hates me, but I still have to live with him. At least Jax will be there to run interference.