Winter's Scars: The Forsaken (Winter's Saga 5) (40 page)

“The President of the United States,” he answered trying not to sound condescending.

“Oh, shit,”
Meg blurted.  She was glad she was already sitting down.  She lost her equilibrium for a moment, probably from holding her breath in shock.

“I can see he hasn’t earned
your
vote.”  Sirus gently teased as he reached out to touch her cold, shaking hand.

“I’m just surprised, is all.  So what will happen tonight?”

“Well, the Brisbee Benefit acts like a state caucus.  Arkdone’s one of three candidates that will be in attendance tonight.  The party’s delegates will be there, too.  Arkdone is vying for those delegates’ support for his nomination as his party’s presidential hopeful in the next election.  If he wins the delegates’ support tonight, he’ll be heading the national convention.”

“I feel like an idiot.  I’ve never paid attention to how someone is chosen to be a presidential candidate.”

“There’s a lot to it,” Sirus offered, “but tonight is a big step.”

“Yes, it sounds as though it is,” Meg’s voice trailed off.  For the rest of the flight, she sat in silence, chewing her lip, deep in thought.

Sirus silently watched her worried profile.

Chapter 77  The Night Before

“They’re never going to believe this,” Sloan leaned her forehead heavily into her hand.

“They’ll have to once they test our blood,” Evan shrugged casually.

“What?”

“It’s bound to happen.  We may as well invite them to take a sample.”

“That’s incredibly dangerous.”

“Arkdone used our resistance to coming into the public eye and our fear of the authorities to his advantage.  We need to take away that advantage and play the card ourselves.”

“Please don’t use card playing metaphors.  My head is aching.”

“I’ll get you some meds, you get the glass of water.  We’re nearly done here.”

“How do you have so much energy?” Sloan watched him stand abruptly from his chair and walk toward the medicine box they kept in the kitchen.

“I can’t afford to be tired now,” he shrugged.

Sloan took a glass from the cabinet to the right of the sink and filled it from the large container of filtered water.  Evan was right beside her, his hand out ready to drop the pills into her hand.

Sloan’s sharp doctor’s eyes took advantage of the fact that he was using his left hand. 

“You have significant sca
rring, Evan.  How is your sense of touch?”  She asked bluntly.  Her medical training made her feel much more comfortable asking personal questions.  Getting accurate patient history was a regular part of her work. 

Evan placed the pills on the counter, shoved his scarred hand in his pocket and turned away abruptly.

“Yeah, well, I guess it could be worse,” he shrugged.  “Listen, I think we’re as ready as we’re going to be.  I’ll meet you back here at nine-thirty tomorrow morning.  We’ll take my bike to get to the embassy.”

“Okay,” Sloan nodded.  It just occurred to her that she may have said something that caused Evan’s abrupt change.  “Just, try to get some sleep, Evan.  Tomorrow’s going to be grueling,” she had to add.

“Right back atcha, kiddo.” Evan offered an up-nod and left through the back door. 

Sloan heard the motorcycle rev, and the ghost of the Evan she used to know drove away. 

Sloan looked down at her watch.  She hadn’t eaten dinner, opting instead to study with Evan as long as he would allow, but now her stomach was growling and it was approaching seven. 

Just as she was walking to the bread box to start making a sandwich, Cole walked in
, looking around. 

“Am I interrupting?” he asked.

“No, Evan’s gone for the night.” Sloan grabbed the loaf, took two pieces out of the bag and then secured the twist tie in place. 

“I thought I heard his bike.  I can’t believe he left already.  Do you feel ready for tomorrow?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.  Evan put the hardest parts on himself,” Sloan slathered peanut butter on one piece and carefully placed the other piece on top.  She paused to rub her temples, reached for the two pills still waiting for her and swallowed them with a deep swig of water.

She frowned briefly before bowing her head the way Dr. Winter had taught her and said a quick blessing before picking up the meager meal and munching thoughtfully.

“Come sit with me,” Cole said softly, taking her by the hand.  He carried her plate and napkin, but stopped to add an apple to the meal before leading her with his free hand to the living room.  He sat her back on the chaise lounge and put her food in her lap.  She curled her legs up beneath her and sighed, looking nearly too tired to keep eating. 

“Listen, you may be a medical genius, but you still need to eat.”

Sloan nodded and picked up her sandwich.  Cole jumped from his seat and ran back into the kitchen.  Moments later, he returned with a tall glass of cold milk and handed it to her.

“Thanks,” she smiled taking a big swig.  Self-consciously she dabbed away her milk moustache with her napkin.

Without a word, Cole reached for one of her feet and slipped off her shoe.  His strong hands started to rub her foot slowly.  “I have very few memories of my mom and dad together before she got sick,” he started.  “I don’t know if I blocked them out because I missed her so much, or if I truly have a faulty memory.  But one of the few memories I
do
have is of my mom coming home from work where she stood on her feet most of the day and watching her finally get a chance to sit down.  My dad would sit beside her on the sofa, take off her shoes and rub her feet as they talked about their day.”

“That’s a beautiful memory,” Sloan offered softly.

“Yeah.  They were really sweet together.”  His green eyes turned even crisper at the hands of nostalgia. 

They sat quietly, Sloan eating and Cole rubbing her feet, until the sandwich and milk were nearly gone.  The apple sat on the plate untouched.

“You don’t have to do this,” Cole said, breaking the comfortable silence.

“I know.”

“I mean, you’ve turned into quite the little fighter in your own right.  And you didn’t hurt anyone in Flagstaff.  You shouldn’t be going.”

“It absolutely should be me, and you know it.”  Sloan reached out to grab his hands in hers.

“What are you worried about?” she asked, searching his eyes for understanding.

“You!  It’s just that you shouldn’t have to shoulder the burden of the family.  You shouldn’t have to, Sloan.  Let me go in your place.  Just tell me the plan you and Evan went over and I’ll go.  I’m older and…”

“And what?  Stronger?  Bigger?  Cole, I made my decision long ago about which side I would take.  I chose to side with Creed instead of stay in the lab back in Germany.  I believed if that soldier could be so devoted to a group of people and their cause—well, I respect him enough to take notice of that.  Once I got to know all of you, I completely understood for myself why Creed was willing to give up everything to fight for you.  I feel just as strongly.  Now, I’m not a soldier, but I
do
have a highly intelligent mind.  I can fight
this
way, Cole.  Let me do my part in helping the Winter clan.  Let me use
my
gift.”

“What if they try to turn you against us?”

“Do you honestly believe that would happen?”

“Look at Meg.  I would have never believed it if someone told me she would leave us and side with the enemy, but she did.”

“I’m not Meg,” Sloan answered simply.

“If they keep you one hour longer than they’re supposed to, I’m coming in after you.”

Sloan smiled shyly.  “That’s probably the sweetest thing anyone has ever offered to do for me.”

Cole met Sloan’s gray eyes with a strong, steady gaze.  “I lost my mother.  We all lost Meg.  I will
not
lose you, too.  Come hell or high water, I’m coming in after you. 
Know
that.”

Sloan looked down at her hand still holding his.  “Well, and Evan, too.  You’d need to help Evan get out.”

“Evan can take care of himself—not to say you can’t.  I just—”

“I know what you mean, Cole.  Thank you.” 

Cole just blushed.  He squeezed her hands, stood and cleaned up her plate, leaving the apple within reach and took her dishes back to the kitchen.  When he returned, she had curled into a ball against the corner of the chaise.  The night was cool so Cole grabbed a soft throw and draped it over her. 

“Want to watch a movie?” he offered.

Sloan sighed.  “I’m pretty sure I’ll doze off before it’s over.”  She yawned deeply, as though on cue.

“That’s okay.  I’d just like to sit beside you for a while.”

“All right,” Sloan smiled sleepily—her full tummy acting like a drug.

Cole started a lighthearted comedy and sure enough, by the end of the first twenty minutes, Sloan was breathing slow, steady breaths.  Her beautiful lashes stretched far from her pale, lightly freckled face as she slept. 

Cole didn’t mind that she’d fallen asleep.  He was just content to watch over her while he was able.  Tomorrow would be a different story all together.  But for tonight, she slept safely under his protective, outstretched arm.

Chapter 78    All Eyes Watching

Moments away from pulling up to the red-carpet event, Meg gave herself a small pep talk. 

Sirus sensed her tension as he offered her a tight-lipped smile just before stepping out of the limousine first. 

Ermos held the door for them as Arkdone then Michelle exited the sleek black vehicle.  Meg took a deep breath and stepped one leg out.  Instantly, a warm familiar hand was on her elbow, gently helping her out of the car.  Cameras flashed around her, blinding and insistent, but Meg’s eyes were focused on one point of light. 

She was looking directly into Gideon’s eyes.  The honey-yellow orbs gleamed as they looked adoringly down at her.

She stood at his side wearing Arkdone’s choice of four-inch heels and was still shorter than the stunningly handsome man at her arm.

“Wow,” he whispered into her ear.

Meg wanted to fling her arms around his neck and hug him for being there for her, but part of her also felt a small tug of sadness that Sirus had to be gone for Gideon to be there.  She pushed the thought aside, smiled and said, “That’s my eloquent guy.”

“You’ll do just fine, but if in doubt, just excuse yourself to the ladies room,” Gideon suggested with a smirk.

“Ladies room—got it.” Meg took a deep breath and prepared to smile for the cameras and Arkdone.

Gideon threaded Meg’s arm through his and held her hand before stepping toward the Senator smiling widely for the paparazzi and answering a reporter’s question.

“And this lady in red would be my special guest.  This is Meg Winter.”

“Isn’t she part of the terrorists’ plot…?”

The Senator opened his hands, showing his palms and waved them slowly back and forth in a polite though defensive gesture.  “The information I received about the Winter family was inaccurate and the videotape of the events of that day in Flagstaff were completely fabricated by a hacker.  We are in pursuit of this menace and expect his arrest at any time.  Framing this innocent family was just the hacker’s ruse to distract authorities from a real threat.  I am nothing if not a fair man, so the moment I discovered my sources were corrupt
, I fired everyone involved and extended an olive branch to the Winter family, myself.  Ms. Winter has graciously accepted my apology and even agreed to work under my employ as an assistant but, that’s enough business.  Tonight we’re here for the beneficiaries of the Brisbee Foundation.” 

Meg had stayed quietly innocent-looking as she was recorded during the brief interview.  She didn’t know if the microphone was going to be shoved in her face, so she was already formulating the politically correct restatement of the Senator’s words.

Instead, they were paraded in front of the cameras.  If it weren’t for Gideon’s reassuring, periodic squeeze of her hand, she may have burst out screaming and leveled the photogs by sheer will so she could kick off her stupid high heels and bolt.

She took a deep breath as the grand doors were pulled wide open and the opulent home of Governor and Mrs. Brisbee stood ready to greet their newest guests. 

“Governor Brisbee, Mrs. Brisbee,” the Senator began. “May I introduce Miss Meg Winter.”  

For a moment, Meg wondered if she were supposed to curtsy or bow or something.  She mentally kicked herself for not paying attention to how the group before them had behaved.  Just when she was about to do something probably painfully wrong, Mrs. Brisbee held out her gloved hand.  Meg took it gratefully.

“Miss Winter, I understand there has been a lot of excitement surrounding you and your family.  Please accept our apologies for the monumental misunderstanding?”  The older woman looked beautiful for her age; though she did have the telltale “surprised” look of someone who had possibly overdone the plastic surgery.