Dictator s Daughter (10 page)

Sean glared Ryan down, “What the hell is your
problem? I said to drop it!”

“Sean, what’s going on?” Paul asked.

“Nothing I can’t handle,”

“This is not a topic for the dinner table
especially with our guest, Chandra,” Sara said sternly.

“Oh, don’t worry about me, I’m practically
family,” Chandra smiled across the table at Sean.

Sean let out a big sigh and shook his head.
“Chandra, I’m sorry, but it’s over between us.”

“What? Since when?” she blurted out.

“Since I don’t love you anymore,” Sean said
as he stood.

“What? You can’t do this to me… I’ve already
paid the caterer! What about all the guests? My extended family is
flying in and they have already purchased non-refundable
tickets!”

“Well, you’ll get a nice visit with them, and
you’ll have plenty of delicious catered food.”

“Sean, honey,” her voice changed ranges and
became lower and more serious. “You love me. You don’t want to end
this engagement. You won’t find anyone better than me.”

“What, you’re a Jedi Knight now? Face it
Chandra, you don’t control me. Go find yourself a mindless fool of
a guy. If you hurry fast enough, you wouldn’t need to cancel the
caterer. Hey, Ryan’s free, shack up with him. You two would be
perfect for each other.”

Chandra looked down the table at Ryan who was
choking on his meat. Sean thought she might actually be considering
his suggestion.

“Look at yourself Chandra; you aren’t even
upset about this. Deep down, I think you’re happy it’s over,” Sean
said and left the room.

Eliwese made it up to the room before Sean
could get to her. He entered the room as she closed the bathroom
door. Sean sat down on the bed and thought about the day, about the
many revelations, and his growing appreciation for Eliwese.

She opened the bathroom door and was visibly
startled to find Sean sitting on the bed.

“What are you doing up here? Shouldn’t you be
down with your fiancée?”

“I don’t have a fiancée anymore.” As Sean
said these words, tears formed in Eliwese’s eyes.

In almost a whisper, she asked him, “You
broke it off?”

“Yeah,” Sean smiled. “I called her a Jedi
Knight and told her to marry Ryan.”

A smile, the first full smile, spread across
Eliwese’s face. “I’m proud of you Sean.” She walked over to the
edge of the bed and sat beside him; but not too close.

“I’m sorry Ryan ganged up on you.”

“It’s alright. I need to speak with your
father as soon as possible.”

“You need to leave, don’t you?” Sean looked
down to the floor.

“It’s for the best. I am putting everyone in
danger and I would never forgive myself if anything ever happened
to you or your family.”

“I’ll get my father.”

Eliwese hoped Paul would be able to pull some
strings to get her moved out. Her stern warning about trying to
flee, and the threat of harm to her mother and sister, still loomed
in her mind. Perhaps there was some way to leave without anyone on
the outside knowing otherwise.

Sean left the room and went downstairs.
Chandra had stormed out in fashion and Sara had an excessively
large smile on her face. Sean got the impression he’d made his
mother very happy by breaking the engagement. He located his father
in his office and spoke with him.

“Eli wants to leave ASAP.”

“I figured as much, but we can’t do anything
tonight. There are roadblocks set up on every road leaving
Slaterville. We have to just sit it out and hope Chandra doesn’t
bring hellfire down on us.”

“I shouldn’t have broken it off yet.”

“Son, we were beginning to wonder if we
should break it for you,” Paul placed his hand on Sean’s shoulder
and winked.

“Can you keep Ryan out of my surveillance
room?”

“Yes. He and I will be busy tonight.”

“Thanks.”

Sean went back up to his room and sat on the
couch. Eliwese was lying on the bed. “My father said there won’t be
anyone leaving tonight because of roadblocks. I asked him to keep
Ryan out of our hair. He said he would. So, you’re stuck with me
one more night at least.”

She sat up on the bed and looked over at Sean
with pained eyes. “Sean, I’ve never been stuck with you. Will you
still be my friend once I get out on my own?”

“Of course, will you be mine?” The tension
between them was mounting.

“Always, I’m going to take a shower.”

“Do you need help? Um...what I mean is,
should I get my mother?”

“No, I can manage.” She stole a glance at
Sean on her way to the bathroom door and found his cheeks had
flushed.

Sean sat on the couch, his mind racing over
details, over crazy notions. ‘What if’s clouded his judgment. What
if she wasn’t married? What if he could go with her and help her
make a new life? But, what if her father found her? What if their
home was raided? What if she was taken back to Rendier?

That night was more difficult than Sean
imagined it would be. Sean’s mind kept going back to the pictures
Ryan had shown him; full body shots in gorgeous formal dresses,
relaxed shots with Eliwese smiling, and the most disturbing, the
family portrait. Victor Rawlings, his wife Elinore, daughters
Eliwese and Elaine all sat regally and dressed professionally for
the shot. It made Sean angry, although he didn’t understand
why.

The next day everything started out calm and
silent, with nothing suspicious to be worried about. Sean went
downstairs to the kitchen around noon and was soon joined by Ryan.
Sean was not in the mood to talk to him. Maybe if he ignored him,
he’d go away.

“So, what do you think, Sean?”

“About what?”

“Eli being Eliwese,” Ryan whispered his
accusation.

“I think you’re crazy. Why don’t you talk to
Dad if you are so curious?”

“It’s no good. He won’t tell me
anything.”

“And why do you think that is, Ryan?” Sean
angled his voice to sound like a Psychiatrist.

“Shut up.”

“Why don’t you go do something constructive,
not destructive?”

“Very funny,” Ryan said.

“Where are Mom and Dad?”

“I don’t know I just got up.”

Sean exited the kitchen and ran right into
Lyndee. She took his hand and pulled him into the spare bedroom
with a spark of urgency and fear in her eyes.

“Sean, I was just in your darkroom. I think
your crosser is Eliwese.” Lyndee apparently didn’t trust Ryan any
more than Sean did.

“Yes.” He confirmed her suspicions.

“How long have you known?” she inquired.

“Not long.”

“We’re all in big trouble. My crosser just
admitted to being Riley Stone’s mother.”

“Who’s that?” Sean had heard the name before,
but he couldn’t remember where.

“Riley Stone, Victor Rawlings’ head of
security, his top bodyguard, his number one man!
That
Riley
Stone!”

“Lyndee, we get high-up important people here
quite often. Your last crosser was the personal secretary to Victor
Rawlings. I don’t understand why you’d be so freaked out over Riley
Stone wanting his own mother to be safe.”

“I know that, Sean. Beth said he told her
this house was the safest around because Victor’s daughter was
here. How does he know, and why would it make us the safest house
unless he placed her here and is protecting her like he’s
protecting his own mother?” Lyndee watched Sean’s face for the
moment of realization.

The moment made all the color drain from his
face. His heart thumped erratically. Sean started looking around as
if the empty room held answers to the major problems in their
lives.

“Mom’s in your room with Eli, if that’s what
you’re wondering.” Lyndee volunteered up.

“Yeah, and Ryan’s in the kitchen talking
treason. First he thought Beth was Eliwese, but then he moved on to
Eli being Eliwese. This whole operation is going down and I’m not
sticking around to watch it. I’m taking Eliwese and we’re leaving.
I’d suggest you ditch Beth and convince Mom and Dad trouble is
brewing. I don’t want Ryan to know about this.”

“OK, but shouldn’t you tell Dad yourself of
your plans?”

“No time. I’ve got to get Eliwese out of
here.” Sean reached forward and gave Lyndee a hug.

Sean’s heart rate hadn’t had a chance to slow
down in the last while. There was simply too much going on around
him to relax. He hustled up the stairs to his room.

“Was my mother in here?” he asked
Eliwese.

“She was, but she left.”

“Put your shoes on. We’re evacuating.”

Sean’s urgent tone put Eliwese into immediate
action.

Sean opened the closet and took out his
jacket and emergency cash. He shuffled through the hanging items
and found a jacket for Eliwese and a ball cap. When he turned
around, Eliwese was ready to go. He held up the jacket and she
instinctively put her arms in it. Sean pushed the cap on her
head.

“Follow my lead and do exactly as I say,
without question.”

She nodded with frightened eyes as wide as
saucers.

Sean led her down the stairs and into the
kitchen. Luckily, Ryan wasn’t there anymore. Sean took her out the
back door to the car. He backed out of the driveway and scanned up
and down the road for suspicious vehicles. Not seeing any, he drove
away. He glanced back over his shoulder at his home and was filled
with an inauspicious feeling. He drove through town and up the road
to the west. Eliwese remained silent.

Sean looked over at her and saw tears
streaming down her cheeks. “What’s wrong?”

She didn’t answer. Sean found a campground
off the main road and pulled over. He watched for followers for a
few minutes, and then turned to Eliwese.

“Talk to me Eliwese, please. What’s
wrong?”

“Why did we run?” she asked as she wiped her
tears.

“Gut feeling.”

“He’ll kill my mother and sister because of
this.” Her voice was numb and she stared straight ahead.

“Who?”

“Riley.” She stated plainly.

“Riley Stone? Your father’s bodyguard?”

“The one and only.” She turned to face him
and she suddenly looked small, frail and easily crushed.

“Lyndee’s new crosser, Beth, is Riley’s
mother. I just found out Beth knew you were at our home. That’s why
I panicked and we ran.”

“But what about everyone else?” Now Eliwese
was the one in a panic. “You’ve got to get them out of there! This
is bad, Sean. He will swoop in there and kill them all, even his
own mother, when he finds out I’m gone.”

“Well, then we’ll make sure he doesn’t find
out you’re gone.” Sean dialed his father on his cell phone.

“Sean! Are you safe?” Paul’s strained voice
asked.

“We’re safe, but you’re not. Get everyone
out—” Sean heard commotion, yelling and hollering, but he didn’t
hear his father again. Instead, he heard a different voice.

“Where are you, son?” The low growling male
voice was unlike any he had heard.

Sean shut his phone and slammed his fist on
the steering wheel. “Damn!” He opened his phone again and pressed
the power button, turning it off.

“Sean?” Eliwese’s soft voice sounded from
somewhere in the distance.

His home was being raided; Sean knew it and
it killed him to realize he couldn’t do anything about it. Sean
started the car again. He needed to get them both to a safe
location, and he hoped he wouldn’t stumble upon a roadblock.

Eliwese reached over and placed her hand on
his thigh to get his attention.

“It’s happening, my home is being raided. If
he hurts anyone I’ll string him up and quarter him slowly!”

His intense anger scared Eliwese, but she
knew his family meant the world to him, even Ryan. Eliwese said,
“I’m sorry, Sean.”

He pulled out on the highway and headed for
the cabin; the family safe house. It should only take fifteen
minutes to get there, as long as they didn’t run into trouble. As
if on cue, the windshield started exploding on the passenger
side.

Sean saw the gunman up the road, crouched
behind the front of his parked car. The man had emptied his clip
and was jamming in another. Sean yelled to Eliwese to get down and
floored the gas pedal yanking the wheel in the direction of the
shooter’s car. Once the gunman realized what was going on, he
jumped to the side as Sean’s bumper rammed into his. The other
vehicle was pushed off the road completely, tipping it on its side
and rendering it useless.

Sean was pleased with his impromptu decision
and its success. An ensuing grin crossed his face, until he looked
over at Eliwese. She lay at an unnatural angle and was completely
motionless. His heart leapt into his throat and he nudged her
shoulder. “Eliwese, are you alright?” No answer. He rolled her to
try to see her face, and then he saw the blood. She’d been hit.

“Eliwese! No!” He shook her to try to rouse
her, but she didn’t respond.

Sean panicked, he needed to help her, but he
also needed to get to the cabin. He could not stop the car, not
when someone had already found them. Most likely more people were
looking for them, and the realization made Sean push the gas pedal
further. She was breathing, but still unconscious, “Hold on,
Eliwese, I’ll take care of you.” He kept his hand on her
shoulder.

The drive was long and silent filled with
anticipation and worry. Sean’s eyes were glued to the rear-view
mirror more than the road before him. It took exactly fifteen
minutes to reach the cabin his family called ‘the hide-out’. It
appeared like an ordinary vacation cabin but was far from it with
bulletproof windows, extensive food supply, and a state of the art
alarm system. Sean wondered why they didn’t just live there,
instead of in town.

He jumped out of the car to enter the code
for the garage door. After it opened, he quickly drove inside. Sean
got out and hurried around the car to the passenger door, hitting
the button on the wall in the process to close the garage door. He
was surprised to find Eliwese still unconscious and he worried her
condition was far worse than he thought.