*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Chapter Nine

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

  We were making good progress. It seemed we would make it to the Techno Camp any moment. The guys even seemed motivated to get the mission underway. Jay and Ved were behind me discussing Techno protocol and Jordan was walking silently. Too silently.

  “Are you okay?” I asked putting my hand on my nephew’s shoulder. “You’re way too quiet.”

  He looked at me then back to the two brothers. “Not really. It’s Amber.”

  I nodded. “Yeah. Is everything okay?”

  “No. She’s pregnant. I’m happy about that. I’m ready to be a father, but apparently she doesn’t want to be a mother again.”

  I pretended not to understand. “What do you mean?”

  He looked up at me with fear written across his face. “She wants to kill the baby. She’s already talked to TaiSan and found out a combination of herbs that will kill the baby.”

  I didn’t know what to tell him. Ebony never had the chance to tell me if she was having doubts. Ellie, on the other hand, was excited to find out that she was pregnant. “Everything will work out.”

  “How?!” He stopped dead in his tracks. “She wants to kill our child! She doesn’t want to give a mixture of me and her a chance.”

  I pushed him along. “I’ve known Amber for a long time. She threatened to kill Bray Jr. but she didn’t. She won’t kill this baby.”

  “I hope she doesn’t.” he finally stated looking away from me. I guess that means the conversation is over.

  *~~*~~*~~*~~*

  An hour later, the Techno Camp was coming into view. The tents were all lined up in perfect rows. Headquarters stood tall in the three-story building above everything else. Then there was the barbwire fence with wooden posts.

  The fence always seemed like the only real thing in the Techno world. The wood was from the nearby forest. My men and myself had cit the posts ourselves before stringing the wire. It was another sign of Techno dominance. The wire is thorny and sharp, much like the sting of a Techno zapper.

  “Daddy!” a small voice exclaimed from the vicinity of the gate.

  My head snapped in the direction of the sound. My son, Dal was running across the field to me. I kneeled down with my arms wide. He laughed as I scooped him up in my arms, swinging him around. “How’s my little soldier?”

  “I got to ride the horse all by myself! Auntie Java led it for me!” he rambled as I hoisted him to my shoulders. “Who are they?”

  “That’s your cousin, Jordan, and they are friends of Auntie Java.” I explained as I pointed to my friends.

  “Oh.” He rested his chin on top of my head. “Daddy?” he wrapped his arms around my neck almost chocking me.

  “Yes?”

  “Momma said you weren’t coming back.”

  I looked to Jordan. He seemed a little calmer than before. “Really? What else did Momma say?”

  “She said that Auntie Java’s evil sister was probably off brainwashing you.”

  I looked over my shoulder at Ved and Jay. They were silent now. The older brother looked concerned.

  “What does brainwashing mean? Is that when you wash in your ears?”

  In a normal situation, I would have laughed at his innocence, but I was furious.

  Ellie allowed our son to hear her bad mouthing me. That is inexcusable. Good thing that General Jack would have confronted her, because I don’t think I can just let this pass. “No. It’s when someone forces you to believe what they want you to believe.”

  “Oh.” He answered as we reached the main building. I swung him to the ground.

  “Dal, can you go to the supply tent and tell someone to bring three started packs to Headquarters?” The boy nodded before running off.

  Jay stepped up to my side. “He’s unaffected by the virus.” He paused. “That’s amazing.”

  I nodded with a smile. “I wanted him to know the life that I knew. He knows nothing about the Technos. He only knows about his family, learning, and playtime. He’s just like we were as children.”

  Ved let out an exaggerated sigh. “He looks just like Ellie.”

  I smiled. “Makes you think he isn’t mine, doesn’t it?” No one answered. “But he is. He asks too many questions like me.” Jordan laughed knowing it was only a joke. “You guys should really get used to my sense of humor.” I laughed before turning back to the door.

  I opened the door slowly dreading going back to my old life. Once this door opens, I’ll be a general again and not Ebony’s lover and Dala and Jackson’s father. At least I can still hold on to the part of my life that allows me to be in charge and make the future better. This plan is worth forgetting the rest of that for now. This plan will protect those other roles.

  “Jack!” Ellie’s voice right in my face called me away from my thoughts.

  “Hello, honey. I’m home.” I ignored her silent shock pulling her into a tight embrace. “I missed you so much, baby.” She remained stiff in my arms and I felt a smile of satisfaction come to my face.

  I pushed her away gently. “Didn’t you miss me?”

  She gulped looking at her co-leader. “Yeah, I was just afraid someone took you.” She smiled at me taking one of my hands.

  “oh,” I started, trying not to sound hateful. “So, you were afraid I would never come back. Afraid someone might brainwash me?”

  “Yeah.” She replied with a false look of worry. “But you’re back now and you brought friends.” She smiled with a gesture to my companions.

  I quickly explained who each man was. When I got to Jay and Ved, she acted as if she didn’t know them. But she’s a bad actress. Always has been. When I got to Jordan, I told her that he was a guy that was part of a tribe that kicked him out. They’re called the Mallrats. Well, Jordan wants to get back at them. This seemed to satisfy her curiosity, because she kissed me quickly excusing herself and Java. The two woman walked out the door silently, but I knew as soon as the door closed, they would be talking about Jay and Ved and wondering if I actually regained my memory, or really believed that they missed the Technos. I guess we will find out before long when I drop the bomb. I don’t think I can wait the couple of months it will take for the guys to gain trust in the army.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Chapter Ten

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

  Ellie looked at me suspiciously from the other side of the room as I told our son a story about his uncle. I wasn’t too bothered by her stare. It wasn’t the first time I’ve received it, and I’m sure it won’t be the last time that she looks at me like that again. She can keep it up because soon, she won’t be the fearless leader. She’ll be locked up in the hotel under Jay’s guard. She’ll never be able to ruin anyone’s life ever again.

  “And that is how your uncle taught me all about girls.” I ended the story causing Dal to laugh at the pained look on my face. My brother’s lesson to his son and me wasn’t to helpful and got me smacked many times as a child.

  “Tell me about Grandma, Daddy!” Dal exclaimed as I pulled his covers up around his neck.

  “Not tonight. You need your rest if you want to help cousin Jordan train tomorrow.” I kissed him on top of the head. “Goodnight.”

  “Goodnight, don’t let the bed bugs bite!” he added the phrase I taught him when he was just learning to talk. I smiled down at him before leaving the room and retreating to mine and Ellie’s.

  She was soon to follow closing the door behind her. I sat on the edge of the bed pulling off my boots as she sat on the other side doing the same.

  “Jack, I wish you wouldn’t tell him those stories.” THUD. Her boot hit the floor. “I don’t want him to know about the old world. It was far too horrible for him to know about.” THUD. Her other boot hit the floor.

  I sat my boots quietly to the side before unzipping my shirt and pushing it off my shoulders. “Why not? Do you want him to make the same mistakes that they did?” I stood up unzipping my pants as she turned around to look at me.

  “Are you sure you only have part of your memory back? You seem to remember a lot.” She pulled the cover back and slipped in.

  I got in beside her. “I’m sure. I remember the virus and going to stay at the mall and everything before that. But nothing after. I know what you told me about catching Dal and the others in the mall gates, but I don’t remember them. I don’t even remember what Dal looks like.”

  She leaned over and laid her head on my shoulder. My first reaction was to push her away from me. It was sickening to think of someone else touching me instead of Ebony. “Well, Too bad you don’t remember the good times after we brought order to what the adults caused to happen.”

  “Yeah.” I stated reaching over and turning out the light.

  *~~*~~*~~*~~*

  “Okay, now you turn around hitting him while he is off guard.” I stated turning around and throwing a punch at Jay who caught my hand before it hit his face. Jordan nodded performing the same move on Ved at a much faster pace. Ved wasn’t able to stop him in time and was hit in the face knocking him down.

  “Dam.n, Jordan, you’re not supposed to actually hit me!” Ved stated standing back up.

  Jordan laughed sharing a secret handshake with him. “Well, you are supposed to block the punch.” He looked at him with skeptical eyes. “I thought you were supposed to be one of the big bad Technos before.”

  “I was, but I didn’t fight. I was one of the intelligent ones.” Ved stated with an air of superiority.

  Jay pushed him back. “How about both of your guys be quiet so that we can train?”

  Ved crossed his arms looking away. “I think you are getting a little too into this, bro.”

  “I am not. I just think that if we are going to do something. We should do it right.” He stated looking over to me. “Isn’t that right, Jack. Generals know how hard it is to run an army.”

  I looked at him with a raised eye brow. “You do realize that Ved is the only one that needs the training. Don’t you?”

  “Mind if I join in boys?” Java’s voice asked from behind me. Her hand swept across my shoulder as she moved to stand between Jay and me. “You guys are looking…” she licked her lips as she looked at each one of our shirtless figures. “…fit.”

  I rolled my eyes. As she ran a finger across Jay’s collar bone. I should have known that she would treat him and the rest the way that she treats me. He pushed her hand away. “Please, don’t do that.”

  “What?” She flipped a braid over her shoulder making me think of Ebony for a moment. “Got a girl back home, or something?”

  He rolled his eyes. “No. I just don’t fancy you.” He stated  with a grimice.

  “I wouldn’t be so mean to me, if I were you. I am the leader of the Technos. You no longer out rank me.” She moved over to Ved. “Then again, you’re brother has grown up rather nicely. I might fancy him instead.” She moved closer letting her gaze look over him. He smiled at her with a cheeky grin and I knew what he was going to play.

  “You’re not looking too bad either, Java.” Ved announced letting his hand reach out to take her arm.

  “At least someone has taste.” Java announced leaning over to whisper in his ear. He nodded before releasing her arm. She smirked at him walking away swaying her hips.

  “What did she say to you?” I asked seeing the satisfied look on Ved’s face.

  He laughed. “She invited me to her room tonight.”

  Jay looked at him outraged. “You’re not going right?”

  “Of course, I’m going. This is our chance to blind her. If you don’t remember, she’s rather clever, but she makes mistakes when guys get in the way.” Jay nodded. “I have to do this so that I can get access to the computers and so that I can win her over.”

  “I hope you know what you are getting yourself into.” I stated as I slipped my shirt back on. “That’s enough training for today. I have to go hunting.” I left the three guys to their sparring matches.

  *~~*~~*~~*~~*

  I held the crossbow up to my shoulder taking sight on a buck. It didn’t know I was there thanks to the deer scent that I picked up from a sporting goods store in one of the cities that I overtook. I was just about to release the trigger when I heard a branch break. I released the trigger, but the deer ran causing the arrow to become lodged in the side of a tree.

  I turned around quickly hoping to catch the person trying to sneak up on me. I grabbed the person’s arm throwing them against the tree without another thought.

  “Jack!” Ebony’s voice pulled me out of my urge to attack. “It’s me!”

  I pulled away looking ashamed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was you. I thought someone was trying to attack me.” I took another couple of steps away from her.

  She walked over to me putting her hands on either side of my face. “Baby, don’t worry about it. I know that you couldn’t have known it was me.” She stood on her tiptoes placing a much-needed kiss on my lips. “I just missed you. I couldn’t wait until tonight to see you.”

  I kissed her again pulling her tight against me. Her arms wrapped around my neck as I pushed her against a tree. “I missed you so much, baby.” I moved my kisses from her lips to her neck.

  “I missed you to, my sexy general.” She gasped as I started to suck at her skin. “That’s not fair. You know I can’t do that to you.”

  I pulled away looking into her sparkling green eyes. “Well, you could put some marks like those in some places that she can’t see.” I suggested naughtily pulling her legs up to wrap around my waist. I unbuttoned her shirt a little exposing her black bra. “You know what black underwear means, don’t you?” I wiggled my eyebrows playfully.

  She put her hand on my chest. “Jack, wait. I shouldn’t have come here. Not now. I should have waited till later.” She let her legs fall from my waist so that she could stand on her own. “Ellie could catch us, or one of your soldiers. Either way, we could get caught and then how would be stop her?” She pushed me away enough to step away from the tree.

  “They won’t come after me because I am hunting.” I stated trying to reach out for her.

  “No! You’ve already got the smell of me on your enough. If you touch me anymore, it’ll be stronger.” She moved back more as I came closer.

  “Ebs, I have deer scent. I could put some more on and she would never know. Now, come back to me please.” I begged reaching out to her before she could pull away. I pulled her against me. “I can’t stand to be here without you. I turn into that bumbling geek without you. I need you to make me strong.”

 She turned away from me. “Well, you have to. After tonight, I’m not coming anymore. It’s too much of a risk. Ellie hates me too much and she will be suspicious of you.”

  I gently took her chin in my hand turning her face to look at me. She was crying. “Ebony, I can’t do this without you. Please, don’t leave me again.” Tears started to fall from my eyes. I reached out wiping her tears. “Please don’t make me do this alone. I need you.”

  She looked up kissing me. “I need you too and that is the reason I am doing this.” She kissed me again. “I need my husband to be alive and Ellie is too unpredictable. She could kill either one of us, or both of us. If it were just you and me to think about, I wouldn’t hesitate to be at your side, but we have children. Two… no… three beautiful children that need us to be there for them. And, not to mention, the city needs you to stop Ellie before she attacks.”

  She reached up drying my tears. “I know. I have to be strong. I know you are behind me no matter where I am. Just show up at the regular time tonight. It’s important that you show up.” She nodded. “Thanks, baby. Now, go hide until later. I don’t want you to be seen.” I kissed her passionately for one last time. “I love you with all my heart.”

  “I love you too.” She walked away holding my hand until we couldn’t reach each other anymore.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Chapter Eleven

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

“Dal,” My voice was quiet being sure not to wake Ellie. This has to go off perfect, or everything is ruined. The guys can’t even know this is happening tonight. I shook my son. He woke up looking at me oddly. I pressed my finger to my lips telling him to stay quiet.

I picked him up wrapping a blanket around his tiny body. I took one more look in the bedroom to make sure that Ellie was still asleep before moving out of the room. I’ve already turned off all the alarms and Ved made sure all the doors were open before he went to Java’s room for whatever they’re going to do. I don’t really want to know.

“Daddy?” Dal asked as we stepped outside of the building. “Where are we going?”

I quickly ran to the nearby woods before answering. “Remember that nice woman that I told you about?”

“Oh, Dala’s mother?” he replied before laying his head against my shoulder.

I laughed. “Yeah, Dala’s mother.” I pulled the blanket around him tighter. “She is going to take care of you for awhile. Are you okay with that?”

He nodded. “Are you going to be mean to mommy?”

“No. Why would I do that?” I asked with a concerned voice. Of course I was going to be mean to his mother, but I can’t let him know that.

“Because she’s mean. She told me that that I wasn’t allowed to be with you alone.” He raised his head up from my shoulders. “I don’t like mommy. She yelled at me for saying that I missed you.”

I stopped walking to look at him. “Well, your mommy loves you a lot. She just didn’t want you to get hurt.”

“What about you? She wanted to hurt you by not letting you see me.” He asked. This child is growing up way too fast and becoming way too perceptive.

I laid his head against my shoulder again before being to walk again. “Well, Ebony is going to be taking care of you. She is going to take you to be with other kids your age. So that you have someone to play with. You need friends your age.”

He sighed. “Daddy, don’t you mean you are taking me to my brother and sister. I know about them. Remember the dreams?” I nodded starting to get frustrated. I want to tell him the truth about all this, but I can’t because he is too young and he is making it hard for me to lie by being so perceptive about everything.

“Jack!” Ebony’s stage whisper gave away her location. I walked over to see her leaning against a tree. “I was beginning to think that you weren’t coming.”

“Ellie wouldn’t fall asleep.” I stated letting Dal touch the ground. I pulled the backpack off my back getting out his shoes. “Could you help me?” I picked him up again so that Ebony could get his shoes on him.

She took his little boots putting them on his feet and tying them. I handed him over to her. “Dal, my name’s Ebony.”

“I know.” He answered looking back to me. “Daddy, when are you going to be home?”

“In a few minutes, but you are going with Ebony.”

“No.” He shook his head vigorously. “When are you going to come back to the mall with us?”

I looked to Ebony and then back to him. “Soon. I promise. Just go with Ebony and do everything that she tells you to. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Promise not to let mommy get me. She doesn’t want me to be anywhere near you.” He pleaded as Ebony let him stand on the ground taking his hand.

I put my hand on his head. “I promise.” 

I turned to walk away, but I couldn’t help one more look at my partial family. The stood watching me leave, holding hands. I waved at them, blowing a kiss before turning away and walking off. It’ll be awhile before I see either one of them again.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

I hurried back to Headquarters slipping back into the bed unnoticed by anyone. Ellie never noticed I was gone and we were safe. For now. How long will it be before Ellie realizes that no one kidnapped her son. It was, in fact, his father that purposely took him. She may be evil, but she’s not stupid. She can figure this out before long. We just have to attack before she finds out.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

“JACK!!!!” Ellie’s voice woke me from my dreams of my wife and our three children having a picnic on the shore of the creek at the farm. “DAL’S GONE!” I got out of bed rushing into the room as if I were afraid for my ‘only’ son’s life. His bed was empty and looking as if there had been a struggle. Now that I look at it again, I should really be an artist. It looks real. “What are we going to do? Who’s got him?” She fell into my arms sobbing.

She seemed genuinely concerned that he might be injured. This would be the first time that she has actually cared about Dal. I swear, he called Java momma for the first month he spoke.

“Calm down. We’re not going to find him by getting hysterical.” She pulled away looking at me like I was crazy. “I know, we will find him. Let me get Ved and Java and we will go down to the control room to look at security cameras.”

She pulled away pushing me towards the door. “What are you waiting for? Our son could be anywhere!”

I hit the com button on my communicator. “Ved Yates and Java Harris to the control room NOW!” the urgency in my voice shocked even me. I sound like I actually believe that some stranger took Dal.

I started running down the hallway holding Ellie’s hand. We reached the control room moments before Ved and Java arrived with their clothes barely on.

Ved saluted me. I nodded at him telling him that he was at ease. “Dal has been taken. I need you to help me go over all the security tapes and measures from last night. I have to know who’s taken him.” Ved nodded quickly moving to the desk.

He pushed a button playing the tapes from last night. He started a little while before I took Dal, but nothing ever showed up. He had patched in a loop of the night before at the same time. Then there was static. Perfectly added so that Ellie would think that something happened to the camera. That would be when I zapped the camera outside the building on my way back at the exact time the loop was ending.

“They knocked out the camera!” Ellie exclaimed moving over to where Java took her into a hug. “What are we going to do now?”

“Ved, what have you seen on the security codes?”

He hit a few keys. “They were turned off last night at about… twelve fourty-five p.m.”

“That was hours ago!” Java exclaimed.

I looked at her with a warning glance. “I’ll gather some of my men and we will search the city for him. I am sure that our little visit might have angered some locals.” I stated winning a nod from Ellie.

She moved from Java to me. “Go now! Find him and bring him back to me.”

 

With that, she ran from the room with Java quickly following her. I turned to Ved. “Get properly dressed and meet us at the woods in ten minutes.” Ved nodded leaving the room.

“Jay Yates and Jordan Thompson Report to the training area in five minutes.”

*~~*~~*~~*~~*
Chapter Twelve
*~~*~~*~~*~~*

We reached the final clearing before the mall at noon. The sun was high overhead causing a heat that made each of us quiet. Ved and Jay silently led the group while Jordan and I brought up the rear. The day seemed to coming out beautiful despite the rocky beginning. Since leaving the Techno camp, every mile that passed brought greater and greater joy to me. Soon, my family’ll surround me. I'll have my two sons, daughter, and nephew at my side. I'll also be reunited by my soul mate. The only woman that has ever given me a reason to step above what I am.

"Jack," I looked to Jordan. "What am I going to do about Amber?" He kicked absently at a nearby rock.

"You're going to walk up to her, take her in your arms and show her how much you love her." he looked at me oddly. "What? Just because I am a general and your geeky uncle you think that I know nothing about women?" he laughed. "See, everything will be okay. Just show her what you feel. She won't be able to resist you if she is really in love."

He nodded. "What about the baby? What if she has already killed it?" his eyes returned to the ground as he thought of the fact his child might be dead.

I put my hand on his shoulder. "The baby is fine. The girls broke her of her wish." He smiled up at me. "As a matter of fact, I hear that she is looking forward to being a mother again. She wants a girl."

"I'd like a daughter too." He smiled as he regained his silence.

"Hey!" Ved's voice rose over everything. "I think I see the mall over the trees." He took one last look at us before taking off in a run. Sometimes its hard to believe that he is really twenty-one. He disappeared around the corner and out of our sight, but not out of our hearing as he cried out in pain.

We all quickly ran to his rescue. We turned the corner to find the Techno Army lined up in perfect little rows in front of the mall. Ved was lying unconscious in front of Java. His head was bleeding heavily. Jay fell to his brother's side.

"What's going on? Why are you here?" I asked coming face to face with Java.

She snickered. "Did you hear that Ellie? He thinks he tricked us!" She walked over to the deceitful blonde woman. "He really thought that he could just take your son and no one would think twice because he is the mighty general."

I stood stock still against their verbal attack. Ellie came down from the steps on the side of the mall. She sidled up to me. "You were never that brilliant. Maybe with computers, but with human beings, you were always hopeless." She brought her lips to mine. Her tongue licked over my lips.

I pushed her away roughly. "Don't touch me! You have no right to touch me!"

She walked towards me again. This time, she pushed her hand lovingly through my hair and brought her mouth to my ear. She licked at the rim of it. "But you were my little ****. Always f.ucking me just like I needed it." She pulled back with her hand still in my hair. "You belong to me. You always have. And I don't like it when my toys try to leave me." She pulled her hand back slapping me hard with the back of her hand. As she did, the sharp edge of her zapper cut my face across my cheek.

I reached up to touch it, feeling the blood. I looked over at Jordan who was standing at Jay's side. Jay now held his brother's limp body in his arms. The inanimate man seemed so frail as if he wasn't taller than his brother. He seemed as if he were dead.

"You know, I welcomed Jay, Ved, and Jordan as if they were kings. And you all betrayed me. We could have all made a great team. I had big plans for you all." she walked over to Jay running her hand across Ved's body, Jay's chin, and finally stopping on Jordan.

He stood still as I had. He looked almost like my twin standing there in his uniform with a defiant look on his face. She must have noticed this because, Ellie looked back at me before kissing him roughly. He fought against her, but she held his head against hers. She pulled back to reveal the bloody lip that she gave him. "I had real big plans for Jordan. Two men that looked so good as you two." She ran her hand down his chest to his pants. She let her hand stop on the front of his pants. "I never got a chance to see if the endowment was a family trait." She punched him causing him to double over in pain. "Men are so weak." She directed this comment to Java who stood behind Jay.

Java walked over to Ellie. "I think it is just these men. Come on, two of them have been tricked by Ebony to believe that she loves them. The other two are just fools." The two women shared an evil laugh.

"Speaking of Ebony," Ellie began before looking around. "Where did she get off to?"

Ebony walked out from behind one of the lines of soldiers. "Here I am." She sauntered up to Ellie in the way she would when we were younger. I recognized it as her power walk. "I see you have captured your pets." She laughed looking at me.

My face fell from the defiant look to a look of defeat. The one woman that I thought I could trust had turned on me. She was working with Ellie.

"What's wrong Jack? Not happy to see me? I thought you loved me. I thought you wanted to take care of our family. Oh no!" She turned to her sister with mock sadness. "He doesn't care for me!" Fake sobs erupted from her.

I could only look on in disgust. I stood still not giving them the satisfaction of causing me to let go of my cool.

"Jack, I must say." Ebony came at me swaying her hips. "I am disappointed in you. I really thought that you loved me. I even convinced Ellie to let me have you all to myself." She winked at me licking her lips and playing with her wedding ring. She came to me kissing me roughly. I parted my lips unconsciously, which allowed her to slip her tongue into my mouth. I felt something plastic against the inside of my cheek.

She pulled away from me with another wink and a smile. "See, you can't deny me even in the face of demise." She laughed awfully.

Ellie laughed with her. "I think we should take these men inside the mall with the others." She pulled Jordan as she walked closer to the mall entrance. Java pushed Jay along.

Chapter Thirteen

The soldiers I once ordered threw me in the room. My head hit the wall hard almost causing me to swallow the plastic object that Ebony had pushed into my mouth. As soon as I was sure they were out of sight, I spit out the object. It was a plastic capsule with what seemed like paper inside. I quickly broke the capsule letting the paper fall into my hands. I opened it to find a message inside.

Play Along. I have a Plan. Ebony.

So, Ebony really wasn’t going back to her evil ways after all. She’s playing a game. The question is, is the game on me or on Ellie? I won’t know until I get a chance to speak with her. Until then, I can only hope that Ebony is still the loving wife that she is now and not the power hungry bit.ch that she once was.

“Jack,” Salene’s voice was low and scared. “Ebony’s called for you.” I looked up to see her shuffling in the room. She leaned against the wall looking at me with unsure eyes.

“What’s wrong?” I asked jumping to my feet and coming to her side. “Are you okay? Is Pride okay? The kids?”

“They’re fine.” She looked up at me. “Ebony’s not to happy with you. She says that you never really lost your memory and now you are going to pay for cheating on her with Ellie. And Ellie, she’s allowing her to torture you! I don’t understand! I thought they both loved you!” She started to cry.

I took her in my arms allowing the slightly older woman cry on my shoulder. “Well, neither one of them were ever too good at sharing their toys. I guess I turned out to be their personal G.I. Joe or something.”

She pulled back to look at me. “If Ebony does anything to hurt you, we’ll take her out along with Ellie.”

“I know.” I stated pushing her back a little. “I have to go to her. She is after all the woman that I love. I just have to hope that she loves me too much to hurt me.”

Salene kissed me on the cheek before running from my room crying. I watched after her for a ways before looking to myself in the full-length mirror by the door to the room that I was in. I smoothed the wrinkles in my lycra top and made my jeans fall down on my hips a little more like I knew that both Ebony and Ellie liked as it showed a sliver of my black underwear. I’ve never been able to use sexuality to my advantage before, but there are three crazed women out there that think that I am attractive, so I have to do something to save my life. It’s not like I haven’t already slept with all of them.

Finally, I got the nerve to leave the room. My nerves were still shaking like they had been the day that Bray sent me to spy on Ebony. She has complete power over me. Back then all she could do was injure my body, but now, she can injure my soul and my heart with her words and her actions.

I stopped in front of Ebony’s door. She was the only person in the room and she had her back turned to the door. I slowly crept in trying not to let her hear that I was there.

“Jack,” She didn’t turn around. “Close the curtain. This is between you and me.”

I did as I was told letting my boots hit the floor heavily now. As I turned back around, I noticed she was wearing the white dress she was wearing the night that I lost my virginity to her. My face fell. She looks so beautiful and angelic. Especially since her hair is out of the braids. “Why are you wearing that dress? Are you pretending that you actually cared about me?”

She stood up from the bed and walked over to me. Her hand reached up to the side of my face. I hit it away. “Jack, Didn’t you read the note?”

“I did.” I moved closer to the door. “And I was wondering if the plan was on me or Ellie. Ebony, I know how you were. You would go through with a plan that lasts six years.”

“Six years?” She looked at me with confusion.

“Yeah that was when you started getting closer to me. I should have known that it was too good to be true. You wouldn’t go after some computer geek like me.”

She stepped closer to me again. This time when I stepped back, I hit the wall. “That wasn’t planned. I love you. I fell in love with you. And I thought you loved me, but you can’t trust me even now!” She moved away again. This time she was crying. “I thought that when we got married you really meant it. Then you diasappered.”

“I did disappear on purpose. Ellie tricked me.” I explained as she continued to cry. “I wanted to be here with my new wife.”

“Well,” She sat on the bed again. “Ellie saw me in the woods three years ago and told me that you came willingly because you wanted to rule your own tribe. That you had started the Technos again.”

“What?”

“She said that you made her come with you and that you were holding her with you. So she asked me to help her.” Ebony looked up at me. “So for the past three years we have been putting you into reality space with images of me so that you would come to me and then I could convince the city to take arms against the Technos.”

“EBONY! I can’t believe that you fell for her talk!” I moved over to sit next to her.

She looked at her lap with shame. “I can’t either. I just had to have a reason why you would leave me without a trace. She gave me an explination. The last time we were in the woods, I realized that everything she said was a lie and that you actually did have memory loss. I wanted to kill her, but I couldn’t. She had power over an army to take over the city if I tried. So, I decided to work against her.”

“I can’t believe that you thought I would do that to you.” Was all that I could say as I looked at her. Her eyes were so green and guilty.

She closed her eyes. “I’ve never had a good relationship with men. I thought that you found out I was pregnant and left me. I had to do something to protect the children. Ellie said that you would come after them and take them away from me. I didn’t want to lose that part of you.” She broke down into tears. I’ve never seen her cry like this. I let her sob for a few minutes before trying to wipe her tears. “I’m so sorry Jack. I just didn’t know what to do.”

I kissed her lightly. “I know, baby. We’ll figure this Ellie thing out. When it’s over, be prepared to deal with this little trust issue.” My voice was cold, cold enough to shock even me. She looked at me with fear. “I still love you, Ebony. I always will. I just don’t know if I can get over the fact that you didn’t trust me.” She buried her head in my shoulder again, shaking with sobs. She kissed at my shoulder through the shirt as little apologies escaped her lips. I couldn’t help but cry to as I felt her convulse in my arms.

Chapter 14

“And now, you’ll watch as I set them off to contain the rest of the city.” Ellie shot my way as she stood with Ebony and Java on either side of her. She smirked at her co-leader. “Ebony,” She turned to my rightful wife. “Deploy them.”

Ebony nodded to Ellie and stepped forward. She crossed her arms behind her back and gave the sign language symbol for ‘action.’ Her arms then flew up into a salute. “Units 3-7 to your stations.” The units of ten teens marched down the road and between two buildings. “Units 7-10 to your station.” She then turned around and returned to Ellie’s side.

Ellie nodded to Java to deploy the two original units that had just arrived from the Techno headquarters.

Ebony looked back to where I was cuffed to the fire escape on the side of the mall. She nodded then set our plan into motion.

After two months of training her own units she had all the power that she needed to make a move. They would be loyal to her no matter what.

“I don’t think you want to deploy them yet.” She added as Ellie and Java were talking.

Java looked at her baby sister with an odd expression. “What do you mean?”

“Well,” She looked over to where the sound of marching could be heard. “You’ll miss your party!”

Everyone looked up to see her units taking their places completely surrounding the two remaining units. Ebony’s men raised their Zapper clad arms at the remaining twenty men. No one was allowed to shoot even a stunning shot, but the eighty zappers pointed at the twenty men insured that no one would shoot. Finally, Ebony turned to Java with her Zapper arm raised.

“It’s over big sister.” Ebony stated with a bit of sadness in her voice. She knows that it’s going to come down to her sister and herself. “Jay,” she threw over her shoulder without taking her eyes off Java. “Untie Jack.”

Java looked at the blonde man with shock. “He was there the whole time?”

“Yeah,” He answered. “You’ve lost your touch.” He untied me allowing me to walk over to Ellie.

I reached out taking a strand of her blonde hair. “You thought that you could confuse her. You took me away from her and my children. You took you chance to hurt her when she was weak, for that, I’ll hate you forever.” I let go of the piece of hair. “You kidnapped me, you started a rebel army and then you attacked the city. For that, you will be punished.” I looked back at the mall before looking back at her. “You were my first love and the mother of one of my sons. For that, I’ll make sure you live.” I turned to Jay. “Take her to the cell.”

“NOOOOO!!!!” I heard come from Ebony and then I heard a zapper fire. A petite woman with braided hair came flying at me. Her body knocked me down with dead weight. She didn’t try to attack me. She simply lay against me without any movement at all.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

“How is she?” I asked as Jay checked her pulse. He didn’t look at me. “She’s dead isn’t she?” he nodded. “Well, We should give her the burial that she deserves.” I turned away from him and everyone else in the room.

Their eyes were burning holes straight through my back. They were waiting for some kind of emotion to spill forth. They were waiting for me to break like I would have in the past before Ebony and I taught each other how to live. But, I won’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me break free from what she taught me.

I looked at the lifeless body once more before walking away and back to my children.

I threw the doors open and marched to where I knew my children would be. Jordan was holding Jackson. Cloe was holding Dala. Brady was holding Dal on her hip. Everyone stood quietly.

“I want my children.” I stated walking over to Dala. I kissed her on the forehead. She looks so much like the lifeless woman that I could almost cry. Both have that long chin and mocha skin. I moved on to Jackson. I kissed his forehead too. He looked up to me with fear. “It’s okay, son. Nothing to worry about now. You’re momma’s safe. You don’t have to protect her anymore.” Finally I stopped on Dal. I took him from Brady after running a hand over the blonde girl’s hair. “You can stay with Daddy now. Momma won’t be coming anywhere near you.”

Everyone looked at me with fear. I looked at them with the same expression. Would everything be able to go back to the way it was with her death happening like that? Most likely not. Everything will be different from now on.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*
Epilouge

“Daddy,” Dala’s voice called from the path just behind me. “We’re going to be late.” She stood with her hands on her hips. She looked so much like her mother. Her skin is dark and she’s a little taller than her mother was at this age, but she’s still has so much beauty that could hardly come from me.

“Just a minute, baby.” I stated while waving her over. She wrapped her arm around my waist and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. “Do you remember you Aunt Java?”

The fifteen year old child nodded her head. “Barely. She looked a little like momma, and she told me that you were a bad man.”

I ran my hand over her braids taking one of the blue one in between my thumb and my forefinger. “I wished you could have known her like she was while were in the Technos together. She wasn’t always mean. She might have been acting, but she was the only friend that I had. And she loved your brother as if he were her own child.”

Dala nodded as she looked up at me. I could see her hazel eyes shining. She smiled a smile that she obviously gained from me. “Daddy, it’s really time to go. Jackson’s getting married in two hours!” She bounced a little making me remember what she looked like as a little five year old sitting on my lap.

“Okay, let’s go. We can’t miss Jackson and Jazmin’s big day can we?” She shook her head. “Just let me say goodbye to your Aunt Java.”

The teen nodded and ran off down the hill. I watched until she reached where my son, Dal was waiting for her. Together, the two of them started off for the mall. I turned my attention back to the grave in front of me.

It was well kept. I made sure that it was weeded and there were always some flowers growing next to the headstone. Java may have caused a lot of trouble but she took care of me when everyone turned their back on me. And she is my sister-in-law. You don’t just forget family; no matter how much Ebony wants to.

“Java, you meant a lot to me before I remembered my wife. Then I found out you were family and I meant for now harm to come to you. I wanted you and Ellie to be taken care of even if you were put behind bars for the rest of your life. Thank you for keeping Ebony alive. Ellie told us that she wanted to kill her but you stopped her on many occasions. Today, I have my wife and my children safely by my side because of you.”

I laid the bouquet of flowers on her grave. “These are the flowers from your nephew’s wedding. He’s fifteen and getting married. Can you believe that they are that old? I suspect that I’m gonna be a grandpa before too long. A grandpa at 34! But Ved and I have decided that Jazmin is pregnant and that is the reason why they are getting married. Either way, it doesn’t matter. Jackson loves her with all his heart. He would have married her anyway. As for your sister, she’s ready for the wedding and the baby that might come soon. She was asking me for us to have another baby, but I think I might be a little too old to be chasing children around anymore.” I looked down the hill again. This time, Brady was standing at the bottom of the hill. “Speaking of chasing children around, Brady is surprisingly my best friend. She seemed to be the only person that understood me when I got back from the Technos. I couldn’t connect with everyone else. They had this image of me and I was different. Brady had no preconceptions about me. So, even though I’m 12 years older than her, we grew closer. Know that she is an adult and she understands more of my problems, we’re better friends. For the last five years, I dunno what I would do without her. She’s was really there when me and Ebony were having problems with our relationship. She told me that Lex wasn’t competition and somehow, I believed her. Those few words caused me and Ebony to get back together. I owe everything Ebony and I have today to Brady.”

I watched as Brady started to walk up the hill with her sandals in her hand. Her long blonde hair flowed over her shoulders in ringlets. Her smile was one that was given to her by her mother and her eyes were like clear water. I suppose they came from her father. She walked over to me and took my right hand.

“Your daughter ordered me to fetch you.” She stated with a pout. “Can you believe that she ordered me? You need to teach your daughter to respect her elders!” Brady stompt her foot down lading on my booted one and she hurt her toe. “Da.mn!”

I shook my head leading her away from the grave sight. “Are you supposed to be putting on your dress?” I raised my eyes brows in a warning glance.

“Just because I work for you, Mr. President, doesn’t mean that you can just order me around in our free time.” She stopped and put her foot in her hand. “Great, now your dam.ned boot is making it where I can’t walk.”

I laughed at her and took her foot in my hands. “You whine a whole lot for someone that was born and raised in a post apocalyptic world.”

She only stuck her tongue out at me. I touched where a small bruise was forming. She hit me. “That hurt, Jack!” She hit me on my head ruffling my hair.

I dropped her foot and put my hand up to my hair. “Brady! Now I’m going to have to fix my hair again!”

She knocked my hands away and attended to my hair. Her fingers ran softly over my scalp as she tried to get my hair in the right position. “There.” She looked at her work. “You look handsome again.”

“Does your foot still hurt?” I asked looking into her eyes as she still stood close to me.

She nodded and I scooped her up in my arms. She giggled leaning in to kiss me on the cheek. “I need a nice man like you.” She attempted to kiss me on the cheek again, but I unknowingly turned my head.

Our lips touched and I felt something course through me. Fear that Ebony might see? Excitement? Then she opened her lips a little and I felt her tongue push against my lips.

I pulled away letting her fall to the ground. She still had her arms wrapped around my neck as she stood in front of me. Her eyes looked at me in confusion.

“I need to get ready for my son’s wedding.” I stated simply before walking away from her and down the hill.

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