Chapter 18 — Ace

I wrapped my hands around the bars, testing their strength.

Seth looked amused. “People always say an animal is most dangerous when it’s caged. But look at you. You’re as harmless as a kitten.”

“You shouldn’t have involved the law,” I growled. “I know you’ve been plotting with Harker and Whitaker. When the feds figure out what your plan is—”

“They’ll take my word over yours any day.”

“Not if they realize you’re the leader of the Underground.”

Seth laughed. “You couldn’t convince Nicholas. What makes you think you can convince federal agents?”

“The truth has a way of getting out.” My voice sounded weak, even to my own ears.

“Sometimes I forget how young you are,” he said. “You really believe the truth claws its way through lies like a sentient creature.”

“Maybe not, but I have friends who can back up my story. I won’t be in prison forever.”

“You’re right,” Seth said. “Your age will cause the jury to take pity on you and give you a lighter sentence. I can’t have you shouting my plans to the world.”

He took a step closer. Despite being separated by metal bars, I flinched.

Seth noted the action and smiled. “Some of my mercenaries will orchestrate your prison break in a few days and bring you to me. It’s best to let the Underground take care of its own affairs. I know Will’s been itching to get his hands on you.”

His words sent a bolt of fear down my spine. The police might be restrained by the law, but Seth, and the men he hired, walked outside of such boundaries.

“Is that what I am now?” I asked. “Just something to be taken care of?”

“You were a good assassin, Ace, but you’ve outlived your usefulness.”

Seth walked up to the cell, daring me to react. My hand curled around the handle of my pocket knife. The bars had enough space between them for a blade to slip through. If only he’d take another step forward.

“Get away from him.” Mother’s voice came the hallway.

I had never been so glad to see her.

Seth’s face was the picture of innocence. “I wasn’t doing anything.”

He backed up anyway. My mother marched up to Seth and slapped him across the face. The sound echoed in the hall.

I winced in sympathy. I had been on the receiving end of my mother’s blows before, and it was not a pleasant experience.

“I heard what you said to Ace,” she snapped. “I won’t let you hurt him, for both your sakes.”

Seth glanced at me. “You need your mother fighting your battles now?”

I shrugged. She was doing a good job of it, not that I would admit it out loud.

Mother pulled two pins from her hair. “Get out of my way, Seth.”

He latched onto her arm. My mother tried to twist free, but Seth held on tighter. Their scuffle took them right up against my cell. I slipped my knife through the bars and pressed it into her hand.

My mother flicked open the blade and faked a slash at Seth. I could tell she had no intention of hurting him, but the attack made him release her.

“Are you going to kill me, Andrea?” he asked. “You’re no murderer.”

Her chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath. “You underestimate what a mother will do to protect her son.”

My cheeks flushed. That was the closest to a declaration of love I had ever heard from her.

“After everything we shared?” Seth asked.

My mother inserted a hairpin into the lock. “Without hesitation.”

I felt like someone had smacked me over the head. “You knew each other?”

Seth ignored me. “That hurts, Andrea. Did you forget the nights we used to spend together, the promises we made? I thought we shared something special.”

She wedged another pin under the first for leverage and began to pick the lock. “Not any longer. You’re a fool if you think I still have feelings for you.”

Her fingers worked at the lock as Seth advanced, keeping an eye on the knife.

“Keep him talking, Mother,” I whispered.

She looked like she was having a fierce debate with herself. I hoped she wouldn’t freeze on me.

My mother took a deep breath. “I’m not about to stand by and let you destroy the only link left between us.”

Seth raised an eyebrow. “I thought there was nothing left.”

“Only if you went through your plans with Ace.”

He glanced at me. I tried to keep my face neutral, but my head was spinning.

“You’re not making any sense, Andrea,” Seth said.

A tremor ran through her hand, and she almost dropped a pin. “You’re a smart man. You can put two and two together without me spelling it out for you.”

He shook his head. “There’s no way you’re saying what I think you’re saying. It’s impossible.”

“Don’t you remember the last conversation we had?”

“You asked me what would happen if we had a child.” Seth met my mother’s eyes. “I thought you were joking.”

“That conversation was why I left you. You made it obvious you weren’t ready.”

Seth turned his gaze to me, and I glared back. The scrutiny was uncomfortable.

“We were little more than children ourselves,” he said. “How could you have based your decision on one thing I said?”

“Would you have replied differently if you knew the child was real?”

Seth ran a hand through his hair. “Andrea, I—”

With a click, the lock came undone, and the cell door opened with the slightest push.

I took my knife back. “Let’s get out of here.”

We broke into a run as Seth started after us.

I slashed at him. “My mother may not be capable of hurting you, but I would be glad to see you dead.”

Seth watched the blade warily. When we continued to the front door, he didn’t follow. Nicholas was chatting with the cop at the desk and reacted far too late. By the time he scrambled to his feet, Mother and I were racing through the parking lot.

I pulled open the door to the beat up Toyota as she gunned the engine. Within seconds, we were zooming down the highway.

“What you did was genius, Mother,” I said. “An actress of your talents ought to be famous.”

She avoided my gaze.

“Mother?”

She adjusted the mirrors.

“Are you saying that Seth is…”

I couldn’t bring myself to finish the sentence. Mother kept her eyes fixed on the road.

“With all due respect,” I said, “isn’t there a chance you could be mistaken. Your job back then was sleeping with strange men.”

Mother sighed. “The timing was right. I suspected it was him the moment I laid eyes on you. You have no idea how much you remind me of him.”

I didn’t want to think about it. My life had been fine so far without a father, and I was willing to spend the rest of it pretending I didn’t have one.

“Where are we going right now?” I asked.

“Home,” she replied. “These past few weeks have been torture without you. If you ever worry me like that again, I swear I will strangle you to death.”

“Make up your mind, Mother. Are you happy to see me or not?”

When we turned onto our street, there was a black car with tinted windows parked in front of our house.

I dove to the floor of the car.

Mother’s eyes widened. “Ace, what are you doing?”

“Act casual,” I hissed. “Stick to the same speed and keep driving past our house. It’s being watched.”

Her knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. “Where are we supposed to go now?”

I waited until we were on the main road before climbing back into my seat. My hands shook as I dialed Josiah’s number.

Relief rushed through me when I heard his voice.

“What is it?”

“We’re in trouble,” I said.

I could picture his brow furrowing. “We?”

“My mother and me. The police weren’t taking me in because of a missing child report. Seth told them I killed those men.”

“I’m guessing you need a place to lie low.”

“Yeah,” I admitted, “we do.”

“The police won’t set foot in the manor without my family’s permission. I can ask my parents to clear out a guest room for your mother.”

“Tell your friend there’s no need,” my mother said. “I’ll be heading back home after I drop you off.”

I jerked the phone away from my ear. “Mother—”

“Seth is after you, not me,” she explained. “It’ll be safer for me to stay away. Besides, I don’t want to impose.”

“But—”

“Do as I say.”

I rolled my eyes and relayed her message to Josiah. As much as I hated to admit it, she had a point. The Underground had no reason to notice her unless she was with me.

“Stay safe,” my mother said as I got off in front of the manor.

I frowned. “If anything happens—”

“You’ll be the first to know, don’t worry. Sometimes I wonder who the parent is around here.”

She shook her head with a smile and drove away. The servants directed me toward Josiah’s room. When I opened the door, a woman in six inch heels and a violet dress was talking to him. Josiah looked like he wanted her to shut up.

“I was considering whether we should have vodka available at the masquerade ball this year,” she chattered. “The champagne is a given so the guests will have alcohol regardless, but many of your father’s new business partners come from Russia, and I figured they would enjoy something that reminds them of home. But if they don’t like vodka, they might think we’re playing into stereotypes.”

I cleared my throat. “Is it a bad time?”

Josiah waved a hand. “We’re just finishing up. Mother, don’t get the vodka. The Russians aren’t the only guests at our party. There are also government officials, American government officials, some of whom won’t appreciate us catering to foreign visitors.”

She kissed him on the cheek. “Right as always, darling. What would I do without you?”

His mother sauntered away, no mean feat considering her stiletto heels.

Josiah flopped back on his bed. “Leave me in peace for a few hours.”

“What happened?” I asked.

He cracked open an eyelid. “What part of ‘leave me in peace’ do you not understand?”

“I’ve said two words.”

“Words that I now have to waste energy responding to.” He sighed. “If you must know, everyone’s stressed because Halloween is in two days.”

“Just leave a candy bowl on the doorstep for trick-or-treaters and go about your day.”

“I’m referring to the masquerade ball. It’s one of the most important social events of the year.”

“If it’s so important, why have I never heard of it?”

“I doubt you would know anyone important enough to attend,” Josiah sneered. “The guests are all celebrities, famous businessmen, or influential politicians. Most of the presidential candidates and their running mates are coming. Since it’s an election year, tensions are high and we have to keep everyone in check without hiring security. It would imply we think they have no self-control.”

I hesitated. “When you say presidential candidates, does that include Horace Whitaker?”

He nodded, eyes narrowing. “You’re not thinking—”

“You have to get me into the ball.”

Josiah sat up. “Are you out of your mind?”

“When he’s drunk, it’ll be the perfect opportunity to question him. I could use some answers.”

“The guest list is very exclusive,” Josiah said. “You’ll get caught.”

“What if I disguised myself as a servant?”

“Horace wouldn’t deign to talk to the help.”

I sighed. “What do you suggest?”

“Stay in my room until the ball is over.”

“But—”

“The police are after you. It won’t be long before they issue a public warning.”

Josiah turned out to be correct. The next morning, every news platform had my face on it. Instead of going to school, I spent the day holed up in Josiah’s room.

Entertainment consisted of tossing a cheap arcade ball against the wall. When I dug up a charger for my phone, I went back to scrolling through news articles. It kept me occupied for less than an hour.

Bored out of my mind, I called Genevieve.

“Ace? Is something wrong?” she asked. “I saw the news this morning. Were you caught?”

“No, everything’s fine,” I reassured. “But we have to find a way to deal with Horace Whitaker.”

“Election Day is in two weeks. According to the polls, he’s doing well for an independent but he doesn’t hold a candle to the major political parties.”

“Seth will manipulate the results to make sure he wins.”

“Our system counts up votes religiously,” Genevieve said. “How can he commit voter fraud without being caught?”

“I’m sure he has his ways.”

“But if we can stop him, we can nip the whole conspiracy right in the bud.”

I barked out a laugh. “Good luck with that. You don’t break a chain by trying to snap the strongest part. Our best hope for ending this is taking out the weak link.”

“That would be Horace Whitaker. If he disappears, the plan is bust. Are you suggesting assassination?”

“Josiah wouldn’t like it, but we’ll call it a last resort.”

A crash came from downstairs, followed by the sound of an argument that grew in volume.

“Really, Josiah? A seventy-one on your physics exam. Does the money we pour into your education mean nothing to you?”

“Father, you know science isn’t my strong suit. My other grades will balance it out. Besides, I’ll never use physics when I take over the company.”

“If you think you can just ride my coattails to the top, you’re about to get a rude awakening. Your employees will try to take advantage of you over and over until you prove your mettle. Do you know what the tabloids say about you?”

“People have spread rumors about me all my life,” Josiah said. “What makes it any different now?”

“You’re not a child anymore. The accusations they make will follow you for the rest of your life. The teenage playboy becomes a cheater, then a marriage ruiner, before turning into a sexual predator.”

“I would never do that!”

“You think the media cares?”

“Roman,” Josiah’s mother said. “It’s only one grade. You’re blowing this way out of proportion.”

“Josiah will never survive in the world,” Roman Sargon said. “Not if he doesn’t learn how to present himself to society, not until he grows a spine and learns to take better risks regarding investments—”

“Don’t blame me for a lack of profit from the stocks,” Josiah snapped. “The market’s not doing so well, even you admitted it.”

“—and not until he stops denying and hiding from his problems like a coward. No wonder that delinquent from school roughed you up.”

I jerked back right before the door swung open. Josiah stomped in, cradling a bruised hand.

“Was it a good idea to punch that wall?” I asked.

“Shut up, ghetto boy,” he growled.

But his lip trembled like he would cry.

I reached for him. “Josiah—”

“I said shut up!”

He swung a fist at my head. I jumped away, bringing my arms up in case he attacked again. Josiah turned away and began pacing the length of the room, muttering to himself. I caught a few words about a brother of his named Jesse.

A few minutes later, he came to a stop.

“You know what?” he said. “I’ll get you into that masquerade ball. Let’s see what my father has to say when we expose this entire plot.”

I didn’t have the heart to tell him he was getting far ahead of himself.