Dictator s Daughter (16 page)

“Ryan, I’m sorry for punching you. I
shouldn’t have done it.” Sean’s head hung low.

“Don’t worry about it.” Ryan opened the
microwave and pulled out the cup. “If it wasn’t for your
girlfriend, I’d have tromped you flat,” he winked as he walked past
Sean into the bedroom.

Sean just stood there in a daze for a few
moments. Then he turned around and went into the bedroom; he found
Ryan spoon-feeding Eliwese. Sean stayed in the doorway and leaned
against the frame watching as she sipped the liquid from the spoon
and Ryan silently continued serving her. Everyone was in deep
thought.

Sean followed Ryan back to the kitchen once
Eliwese had finished her broth.

“She told me she can blackmail her father
into releasing Mom and Lyndee.”

“Blackmail? What dirt could she possible have
on him?” Ryan asked skeptically.

“She has dirt. She told me some of it. I
think it might work.”

“What do you mean
think
? Two lives are
on the line here; either it’s going to work or it’s not.”

“She has people trying to kill her because of
what she knows. Wouldn’t you think her information is
valuable?”

“Yeah, well, Dad is already dead because of
her. If Mom or Lyndee dies too, I’ll kill her myself,” Ryan said
heartlessly and walked back into the room with Eliwese.

Sean brought a chair from the table into the
bedroom and sat down. Eliwese was lying on her right side with her
knees pulled up toward her stomach and Ryan was sitting in the
armchair next to the bed. The clock on the bedside table showed one
o’clock PM; it had only been twenty-four hours since their world
upended.

“So, what would you blackmail your father
with?” Ryan asked.

“Information he doesn’t want the world to
know,” she answered.

“Like what?”

“It’s complicated.”

“I think I deserve to be a part of these
secrets for a change. Why did you flee? What do you know about your
father?”

“Ryan, that’s enough.” Sean didn’t think
Eliwese was up to being bullied.

She said, “It’s ok, Sean. My father is a
wicked man, which is no secret. Let me explain first why we need to
blackmail him. You see, it sounds so easy to just simply give me
back in exchange for your mother and sister, but that’s not how it
would be. The moment my father got me back, the four of you would
be killed. My father would not kill me right away because he still
needs his heir. But as soon as that is accomplished I will be
disposable too. So blackmail is the only way to free your mother
and sister and keep all of us alive. The information I have isn’t
just about sinister deeds and atrocities he has committed; it’s
more about what his future plans are.”

“Future plans?” Sean asked surprised.

Ryan quickly looked at Sean as if to say,
‘you don’t know what she’s talking about?’

Eliwese closed her eyes briefly and took in a
slow deep breath and let it out even slower, “He plans to invade
this country and take over.”

Ryan laughed. “Ha, that’s the stupidest thing
I’ve ever heard. How would he even begin to do that? He doesn’t
have the power to pull something like that off.”

Eliwese smiled a tiny smile. “It’s small
minds, like your own, that will make it possible for him to
succeed.” She coughed. “You see, I know he does have the man-power,
nuclear power and the money to pull this off. That’s why he wants
me back. He doesn’t want me blabbing his plans.” Eliwese shifted
around in the bed and Sean could tell she was in pain.

She continued, “I had hoped to leave your
house and make my way to the capital to inform the heads of
government. It didn’t work out that way. My sister, who’s been
taking my place back in my country, must have been discovered and
that’s why the television started reporting me missing when they
did.

“The radio report said I was kidnapped, but
rescued and returned to the country. The way I see it, that served
two purposes: first, to make the people of Rendier angry with
Baylend for trying to extort money from their leader. They will
have no problem with Rawlings bombarding Baylend in retaliation.
The second purpose would be to make it seem like I am alive and
well. I am the ‘vessel of the heir’ bringing stability to the minds
of my people. Without an heir, coups would arise and make for
worsening circumstances in my country. They placed my sister in my
position to return the calm.” She finished and laid her head back
down and closed her eyes. “The conditions are ripe for a hostile
takeover. If you can’t see it with your own eyes, Ryan, then maybe
you better open them up.”

The room went silent for a moment. Sean’s
realization of how close Eliwese felt Baylend was to being seized
overwhelmed him. He looked at Eliwese as she lay there with her
eyes closed, breathing quick shallow breaths.

Sean said, “Most of the crossers I’ve known
were on the run for their lives. You crossed the border in an
attempt to save Baylend and put a stop to your father. You crossed
for
our
lives.”

In a quiet, weak and choked up voice she
added, “The cruel irony here is the people I’m trying to save are
dying anyway. Death and injury surround vicious intentions; I am so
sorry about your father’s death. I knew when I set out on this
course it was inevitable some people would be killed. But if I
could have seen the pain in the both of your eyes ahead of time I
wouldn’t have done this.”

Sean and Ryan looked at each other.

Sean walked over to the side of her bed and
sat down. He placed his hand on her head and caressed her lightly.
“Losing our father is huge, I won’t deny it. But, I don’t blame
you.”

She looked at him.

“What if you knew about this hostile takeover
and you did nothing? How many people would have died then? Who
knows?”

Eliwese closed her eyes.

“Can I ask you something, Eliwese?” Sean
asked.

She nodded and wiped her tears that slipped
out of her closed eyes.

“In your planning of this whole thing, what
did you plan to do with your life after your father was removed
from power?”

Eliwese looked up into Sean’s eyes. “I never
planned that far.”

He figured as much. Sean got up and scanned
her temperature, one-hundred two point five.

“Rest.” He leaned forward and kissed her
forehead and left the room with Ryan.

Eliwese wiped her eyes again and thought
about the last question. She really hadn’t figured she would
survive. Then again, she hadn’t figured on so many people being
hurt or killed; she had to make this right for the two
brothers.

**********

Sara Cutler lay on the hard floor of the cold
room too weak to climb up on the bed. She didn’t know for sure
where she was, but she had a good idea.

Her mind searched back in time to the mad
scramble that occurred when the Hummer arrived at their home. The
door was busted down by the armed men in black suits and Paul tried
to talk sense to the men forcing their way into their home. He
opened his arms wide saying, “Search the whole house if you must,
she has already gone.”

They began beating Paul, pausing for
questions that Paul refused to answer. Sean had called on Paul’s
phone and the main thug ripped the phone out of his hand. He tried
to talk to Sean, but was hung up on.

“Where will he take her?” The man yelled at
Paul.

“I don’t know,” Paul responded defiantly.

More beating, blood, gruesome crunching
sounds; it was enough for Sara to break free from the man who had
her pinned to the couch. She rushed to the aid of her husband, only
to be shoved out of the way like a toothpick; hitting her head on
the table.

Ryan busted in on the scene and was quickly
subdued.

More men had scoured the house and brought
Lyndee and Beth downstairs. Sara remembered the look on Beth’s face
as she looked down the barrel of the gun, and the bloodcurdling
shriek from Lyndee as Beth was gunned down.

Later, they were dragged out the front door
to the walkway where more arguing transpired. Paul must have sensed
the outcome of everything and turned his head toward her and
mouthed, “I love you.”

She watched in horror as the main thug shot
Paul in the head. As Paul fell forward, she broke free and rushed
toward him. Strong arms caught her around the waist and held her
tight. She just wanted to be with her beloved husband, why couldn’t
they grant her that last wish? She screamed until no more breath
would come out of her. Ryan had fought viciously with the men
holding him back. A roaring sound filled Sara’s head blocking out
the horrific events her eyes witnessed. She looked around for
Lyndee but couldn’t find her. Where was she? Had she been killed
also? New panic hit hard; too much violence, too much to take
in.

The men carried Sara to the Hummer and shoved
her in the back seat. Handcuffs were slapped on her wrists and
locked to the front seat. The man who shot Paul climbed in the
other side and sat next to her.

She watched helplessly as her son Ryan was
punched in the stomach and gasoline cans were emptied onto her
home. The Tront’s from next door ran over and pulled Paul’s body
away from the raging fire and Sara heard sirens echoing in her mind
as if they were down at the end of a long tunnel.

She could see Ryan was still alive as the
vehicle roared out of the yard. Relieved, she thought of Sean and
hoped he was safe.

“Wake up, Sierra.” The calm male voice tried
to arouse her from the hell that was her dream.

Had it been a dream? The hard floor her cheek
was flattened to told her it was real, not a dream. She opened her
eyes slowly.

Expensive polished black dress shoes were
near her face with the owner crouched in those shoes. She turned
her face a little to see who it was.

Victor Rawlings reached his hand down to her
forehead and she flinched at his touch. She pushed up to a seated
position but away from him and her head began to spin
violently.

“I received a call this morning.” He stood
and walked casually over to an elegant chair and sat down regally,
“My men were about to storm the home of my daughter’s kidnappers.
Imagine my surprise to find it was you and your husband… Paul, was
it?”

Sara refused to grace him with an answer.

“All those years ago, I truly believed you to
be dead. I saw your burned body with my own eyes and even pretended
to cry at your funeral. How did you do it? How did you fool both me
and my father?”

“Dr. Rand-, I mean, Dr. Roth.”

“The
doctor
was in on it?”

“Both times. Remember all the puking you did
the night I disappeared? I only wish he’d put more poison in your
food.”

“An elaborate charade which allowed you a few
days across the border; but what I want to know is how your death
was faked so convincingly.”

“Small minds tend to believe what is placed
before them.”

“I’ll ignore your insult for now; you’re
saying that Dr. Roth lied about your identity?”

“Figured that one out all on your own did
you?”

“We were married, you and I. Does that mean
we’re still married? No, don’t answer that.” He put his hands up in
front of him with palms facing Sara. “You’ll never hold any special
place in my heart, Sierra, especially after kidnapping my
daughter.”

“You don’t have a heart and we didn’t kidnap
your daughter.”

“Sure you did. You must have wanted to get
even or extort money out of me somehow. Whatever the reasoning, I’m
glad it was you or I’d never have known you are actually alive. And
just look at you…. still so beautiful, so vibrant, so…deceitful.
You haven’t changed a bit. How many years ago was that?”

“Not enough.”

“Still have the same bite, don’t you? Tell
me,” he stood, “how old is your daughter Lyndee?”

“She’s Paul’s.”

“I don’t really care whose she is; she’s a
she.”

“Oh, that’s right; you can’t seem to sire a
son. You have no heir. That must be so frustrating for you.” Her
sarcasm hit a nerve.

“I’ll have my heir soon enough.”

“Not if you’re relying on Eliwese to give you
one. You won’t get your hands on her anytime soon; my son’s won’t
allow it.”

“Sierra,” he took a step toward her, “I’m not
here to argue with you. You are missing out on some important
details, I’m afraid. Let me get you up to speed here. You see, your
Paul is dead, at the hands of my men. Your daughter Lyndee is here
in the palace, in the hands of my men; many of them as a matter of
fact.” He laughed a little. “And your two handsome sons have
your
life in their hands. You see, if they don’t hand over
my daughter then you will be killed. As for Lyndee, she reminds me
so much of you in your younger years, I think I’ll keep her for
myself.”

“You bastard!” She lunged at him from across
the room. She just wanted to hurt him, even if it was just a
little.

He stood ready for her attack. In fact, he
was waiting for it. For just a fraction of a second, it frustrated
Sara to know she was giving him what he wanted. As she made contact
with him, he wrapped his arms around her tightly and restrained her
arms in his. Her legs took over the job of causing pain and she
kicked his shins repeatedly as he picked her up and smashed her on
the bed. Their cheeks and foreheads kept colliding in the
struggle.

Sara knew as long as she was on top, she
would still have some control. He tried to roll on top of her and
she used the momentum to twist the two of them further. They
plummeted off the bed with Rawlings landing on his back.

His grip on her loosened and she wiggled free
enough to lash out with her fists. She made fist to jaw contact
twice before the men entered the room and pulled her off him.

They dragged her across the room and Victor
stood slowly, rubbing his jaw.