Advancing ((Advance Industries #2)) (21 page)

I speak quietly, “Charlotte was working with Fraser. She handed him Faith…”

I shake my head as he tries to interrupt, “I’ll explain later, the short version is Faith thought Charlotte was helping her find her sisters but it was a set up and she ended up meeting Fraser. He promised Charlotte she would face no opposition from him for the presidency if she helped him. That’s what she’s after. She wants to be in charge of the city.”

“Fuck, man.”

“Yeah I know. The thing is…” I dart my eyes around again making sure we’re still alone. “…Faith is next in line. She’s Johnson’s daughter.”

“Holy shit.”

“She doesn’t know, only me and now you do. I don’t know what to do. We both know Charlotte or Fraser being in power can’t happen but if it gets out who Faith is…” I leave the end of that sentence hanging in the air. He nods, knowing exactly what that means and how dangerous things will get for her.

“You sure know how to pick them Kye,” he says, chuckling. Don’t I just. Nothing about Faith has ever been easy, right from the moment she landed in our lab gardens. She’s tested my patience at every turn but I wouldn’t want a run of the mill woman who was content enough to not challenge me, someone who didn’t cause the blood in my veins to catch fire.

“We need to pit them against one another and get Faith back.”

“How? She seems to think she knows what she’s doing but I’m uneasy just waiting around.”

“Can you prove she’s related to Johnson?”

“No, I… He told me she was his, though. He used his sperm in the reproduce study.”

“You think Arlen could access the files?”

“Yeah but the fewer people who know about this the better.”

“We’ve got fuck all without proof. Word of mouth won’t be accepted.”

“Shit!” He’s right. He’s always fucking right.

“Get the proof and I’ll figure out how to play this. You need to rein her in Kye, every time she pulls shit like this it puts us on the back foot,” he says.

How can I argue? She repeatedly flees, leaving us to pick up the pieces. Her fight or flight response is a headache I don’t want to get into right now though so I nod and walk away.

I’m in Fraser’s home, actually it’s Johnson Franks home but Fraser has taken it over as he’s soon to be President. I’ve been given my own room but the door has been locked. I had to agree, what choice did I have? I thought about just stabbing him, slitting his throat while we were alone in the conference centre but then my sisters would still be hidden. I couldn’t have escaped the guards hiding outside and I want my sisters. I’ve sussed how I need to play this now. There’s something wrong with him, he has multiple personalities I think. Annoying him or treating him with contempt makes him worse so I’m going to behave. I’m going to pretend that I don’t hate him. That he has nothing to be sorry for. I’ll even pretend to fancy him if it helps. I’ll wear the stupid fancy clothes and the shoes he’s picked out. I’ll lay off the swearing. I’ll be his version of the perfect woman. The nicer I am to him the more he’ll believe I intend to stay and security will become lax. If I play nice my reward will be my sisters. My Comm buzzes and I hope it’s Trask replying and not bloody Charlotte.

Be safe Sweetheart.

I love you.

I trust you.

I’ll be waiting.

K x

I breathe a sigh of relief; he’s not coming for me. He’s okay. I’m guessing they won the fight in the streets if he’s replying so soon. This trust thing is really working for us. He’ll be waiting, for me? Or for my directions on how this plays out? Either way he’s not being all Kye like and going on a rampage. I smile at the thought, we’re not so dissimilar, we both take off on a whim, we’re both headstrong and stubborn. We’re both fiercely loyal and will do anything for the ones we love. I wonder if I should tell Fraser I’m pregnant but I know he won’t like that and I’ll never get any info from him.

This place is on lock down, from what I saw on entering he has a number of guards here, none of who were carrying phasers but guns… I think anyway. They were different from the gun I saw the guard use in Kye’s time, bigger and if possible even more scary and intimidating.

I wonder if Kye now knows that Charlotte set me up. I hope so. I hope he took out all his frustration with me on her. Evil bitch. I can’t lay all the blame with her though. Trask warned me she couldn’t be trusted but I was blinded by my need to believe and get to my sisters. How stupid am I? Of course she was playing me. I bet she’s loving the fact I’m out of the way and she can drape herself all over Kye. If I ever get a one to one with her again, no talking will be involved that time.

I’m meant to be getting changed, Fraser is throwing some kind of celebratory event and I’m the guest of honour. What we’re celebrating I don’t know. Could be anything with him.

My door unlocks and in walks a timid looking woman. She walks over to me, her head bowed like she can’t face looking at me.

“I remember you,” I tell her and she looks up at me. It’s Franny, the scientist that helped Fraser the day he messed with my mind. She was there looking after me but helping him. I look at her again now she’s facing me and those eyes… they’re the same as Fraser’s son. So innocent looking, except hers are so earnest and awash with guilt.

“Why are you still helping him? You know he’s wrong, deep inside. You’re not like him. Why?” I ask her.

“The man you left with, you love him?” She asks.

I frown and nod.

“Would you stop loving him because you disagreed with some of his actions?”

“No,” I answer quickly. I’ll always love him, it’s not something that can just be turned off. I disagree with him all the time, we’re rarely on the same page but I don’t love him any less.

She smiles sweetly at me and I understand – she loves Fraser. However fucked up he is, she can overlook it because she loves him. It’s that simple.

“But, how can you love him and stand by while he forces another woman to be with him?”

“It’s what he wants. If it makes him happy I’ll swallow my feelings for his. It’s better to be around him than to walk away and not see him every day. Maybe one day he’ll notice me.” She shrugs like she knows what she’s saying is lame.

“But… what if he doesn’t? You’re happy to just pine away over him instead of finding someone who does notice you and sees your worth?”

“Love is funny, huh?”

Yeah, or all these people Fraser is surrounded with are completely cockatoo.

“Franny you have to think of your own happiness as well. You can’t seriously want me at his side? You know it’s not what I want. Can’t you help me. If I’m gone you have more chance of him noticing you, you can be his shoulder to cry on.”

“You’re so pretty, Faith.”

Whoa, I nearly got whiplash from the conversation change.

“I’m plain, quiet. A man like that will never see the appeal in me.” She stares off wistfully.

“Franny, if you won’t help me, can you just tell me something?”

“Maybe.”

“Are my sisters really okay?” I hold my breath, praying she’ll answer and be truthful but also hoping that she knows where they are.

“They are. I see them every day. They miss you.”

“You speak to them? Would you give them a message from me?”

“It depends on what it is. He won’t like it.”

“Don’t tell him, it’ll be our secret. Please, Franny, tell them I’ll be with them soon. I’m okay and I’m doing everything I can to reunite with them. Can you do that for me?”

Tonight we celebrate. Tomorrow I will be President. The announcement will be made and then we’ll celebrate again. It’s had to be moved forward to thwart Charlotte, the quicker this takes place the less chance she has of stopping it. If I’m unprepared for tomorrow, then she definitely won’t have time to rally troops or end it before its even begun.

It’s late and from the reports, I know that many of my guards were wiped out. Unfortunate losses but they knew what they signed up for. They signed up willingly and they shall be remembered, not by me but I’m sure others will feel their loss and their memory will live on through them.

I’m waiting for Franny to return with the guest of honour. The lovely Faith. If she behaves herself tonight I will reward her. She came around with less persuasion than I expected. I saw her eyes light up when we entered my home. Women are the same, they don’t really know what they want until you present it to them.

I should probably be more worried about the dwindling number of my guards but after I dazzle with my speech tomorrow, they’ll be queuing up to serve and protect. I will allow off-grid to return to the city. That will be my big unveiling and a kick in the teeth to Charlotte at the same time. Her followers will drop her so fast once they realise the luxury they can live in here, the wages they can earn and the comfort they’ve been missing out on will be lavished on them – to start with. Once they are comfortable, with a taste for the finer things and they have pledged their loyalty to me they’ll be demoted to basics again.

I dismiss the guards and other hangers-on. I request the champagne be left. This will be a private celebration, a celebration for two. She chose to come with me. I’m going to give her a little taste of what her life could really be like. Tonight is about us.

I look up as the door opens and she trails in behind Franny. She swishes forward in the floor length royal blue gown I picked out for her. The colour offsetting her ocean eyes perfectly. Yes, she’ll do nicely. Royal blue is our company colour and she wears it so well. She smiles at me as she enters and I’m thrown momentarily. I expected a scowl. I smile back and relax. I can see now that she’s happy to be here.

“Thank you, Franny, you can leave,” I dismiss her without taking my eyes off Faith. I’m not sure I’ve ever witnessed her smiling so openly at me. It’s mind blowing how her smile can make me lose all words. We stare at each other until she moves forward and asks, “Is it okay to sit beside you?”

I swallow quickly and nod. Yes, it’s okay, the closer the better. I offer her a glass of champagne that had already been poured and she takes a sip making a noise of appreciation that zings through me.

“What are you doing?” She asks. Is she interested in my work? I thought I’d need to give her a settling in period before involving her.

I clear my throat. I haven’t said a word since she walked in. I’m showing myself up. I haven’t been this flustered and nervous around a female since I was a teenager.

“You look very beautiful, Faith.”

She smiles again. “Thank you. I love this dress. It must be really expensive.”

“You’re worth every penny.”

Her smile falters and she looks back to my work on the table. “So, what are you doing?”

“I’m meant to be writing my speech for the press conference. My presidency will be announced tomorrow and the media will want a speech. I’m struggling to find the right words…”

“The election is tomorrow?” She asks shocked.

“It’s had to be moved forward regrettably which doesn’t leave us with much time to prepare.”

“Can I read what you have so far?”

I pass her the paper and she scrunches her nose. “Why are you writing it?”

“I prefer writing to my Comm. Typing isn’t the same as letting the words flow through a pen.”

She raises her brows at me, shocked but impressed? She flicks her eyes to my half written speech again, reading intently. I study her face as she does. “Why don’t you change this part?”

I look down at what she’s pointing at. “What do you suggest?” A smile plays over my lips. This is nice. She’s come around a lot faster than I expected but I knew once she saw who I really am she’d want this. She’s helping with my speech, not shying away from being next to me. I could get used to this.

“It should say – ‘This city needs to be based on honesty and trust’, kind of like us, don’t you agree?” She smiles again and my pulse picks up.

I write it down and hand it back to her. “Any other suggestions?”

“How about saying something like, ‘The people of this city will never have to live in fear, poverty or distress’?”

“Maybe you should write it for me. You’re very good at this. Much better than I.”

“No, I couldn’t. I’d love to help you, though if you want me too?”

“Faith, you will be up there with me tomorrow. You’ll be by my side, showing the city we’re a team, we’re together and together we will make this city shine.”

“I will. I won’t let you down, Fraser. I didn’t realise how much I missed all this…” She motions with her hand around the room. “…With Kye, I had to sleep in the dirt, in the cold. I couldn’t wash every day, I had to relieve myself in…” Her voice breaks and tears well in her eyes. I move closer so our shoulders are touching and take her hands in mine, squeezing them gently. I don’t want to hear his name; he took her away when I was so close to making her mine. He turned her against me but now she sees. “That’s barbaric. No woman should be treated that way. I’m so sorry, Faith.”

She squeezes my hand back. “I wish I hadn’t left. I know you were just doing what you thought was right. I know you’re not malicious. I blamed you because it was easy but Johnson was the one at fault. I see now that he used you too. Kye promised me so much, he said his team would get my sisters and I wanted them so badly I believed him and made the wrong choice.”

She drops her head and I feel a strange pang in my chest. At this moment, I know I never want to see her upset again. I will do anything to make her smile the way she did when she first entered this room. I’ll make it so she never wants to leave. I pull her against me and wrap my arm over her shoulder.

“Sei al sicuro con me. La mica belle Faith.” I whisper into her hair.
You’re safe with me. My beautiful Faith.

We’ve overtaken a few of the shacks that got caught in the explosion.

The windows are gone; the doors are iffy but we’re inside.

Charlotte and her followers headed to the Zones so I’m guessing that’s where they plan on sleeping.

I can’t switch off.

I’m desperate for Faith to make contact.

I’m sharing this shack with Jonah and Arlen, we don’t really fit but we’re making it work.

The others have spread out in other abandoned shacks and are probably snoring too.

It’s been a long arse night, we transported the guards that could walk to containment cells at the conference centre, Charlotte spared some of her men to watch them overnight. She’s been sucking up and trying to get on my good side.

Fuck knows why but I’m not biting. I’m aching, tired and stressed.

I rummage through the cupboards in the tiny kitchen and find a pack of fags and lighter.

Bingo!

I step outside and light one, inhaling deeply.

God, I needed this

I puff away feeling the tension ebb and then my Comm dings.

Election and press conference moved up to tomorrow.

I’m still okay, being treated well.

Love you,

F xx’

I finish the fag, flick it into the street and stride back inside. I wake Arlen who is less than impressed. He’s had an hour but that’ll have to do. I need him to find those files. I wake Jonah too because I’m a bastard like that and he grunts his displeasure too. I tell him what Faith sent and he’s alert in seconds.

“We need to tell Charlotte.”

“The fuck we do,” I reply.

“Think about it, Kye. She won’t be happy, she’ll plan something to stop him and that will be our diversion to get to Faith.”

“In theory yeah. She’ll be suspicious as fuck though if I all of a sudden present her with information like this. She’ll know we’re working an angle and will do nothing just to spite us even though she’ll be spiting herself too.”

“So we don’t tell her but let someone else do it.”

“Who?”

“Jesus Kye you’re so fucking dense tonight. We talk about this in the open and one of her loyal followers will go running back to tell her.”

“She’s too clever to fall for that. She knows I wouldn’t risk talking about it where we can be heard for that reason. It needs to be something more cunning.”

“Let’s brainstorm then.”

And we do, just the two of us. Arlen grunts our way at some of our suggestions but he’s engrossed in his Comm, his fingers flying over the touch screen holograph. It looks like a bunch of mumbo jumbo to me but he knows what he’s doing. We drink and smoke and run through all possibilities until my head is fuzzy and thoughts of Faith alone with Fraser are no more.

My insides feel like they’ve curdled. The day is here and after receiving a flurry of messages from Kye last night, I have a lot to do. My stomach never settled after the performance I put on last night for Fraser. It was what I needed to do but I still felt awful making Kye out to be neglectful. Fraser, of course, lapped it up and letting him comfort my fakery left me with a foul taste in my mouth.

I don’t want to get out of bed and pretend for a second longer but I have no choice. I have to let him believe I’m on his side.

The door opens and Franny is once again here to get me ready, to make sure I’m presentable and appealing for Fraser. I don’t know why he thinks I need someone to get me dressed but whatever floats his boat. I can’t wrap my head around why she would do this when she wants him for herself but I haven’t the energy to question her again. I need to prepare and I need her to believe my change of mind too, she’ll likely run off and tell him I’m lying otherwise.

I throw the covers back and watch her rifle through the wardrobe, she was sent to shop for me apparently and though the clothes aren’t what I’d choose, I have a role to play.

She approaches me carrying an assortment of blouses, jackets, skirts and dresses. Looks like Fraser wants me to show off a little leg today as trousers are nowhere in sight. She skims past some before settling on three different outfits and laying them out before me. I run my fingers over the material, compared to last night’s extravagant dress these clothes I can get on board with, they’re the kind of clothes I used to wear when I thought I was a reporter. My eyes settle on a black pencil skirt and a grey vest top with a sheer blouse on top.

“Grey is fine and so is blue,” Franny tells me. “Fraser would like you to match and he is wearing a charcoal grey suit and electric blue shirt.”

“I think this will be fine. If we’re too matchy-matchy it won’t look right.”

“I really think…”

“Franny he’ll love whatever I wear. I think I’m capable of picking out my own clothes. You can go now.”

“I have to help you with your hair and makeup.”

“Oh for God sake. Is this not torture for you?” I throw my hands up in exasperation. “You know what? I don’t want to be your project but you can be mine.” I throw the remaining clothes at her. “Go and put them on, then I’ll do
your
hair and make-up.”

She opens her mouth to protest but I stare her down, using the same look Kye taught me to make others quiver in their boots and she turns to go to the shower room.

I can’t do it. I can’t lie to her even if I need her on my side. She’s so petite and vulnerable looking. I can’t cope knowing she’s doing what he wants even though inside it must be killing her. If he says anything I’ll just blag that his PA needs to dress to impress as well if she’s representing him – us.

I change quickly and pick out a pair of strappy black high heels. How do people walk in these? I take a few steps around the carpeted room but I’m going to break my ankle or my neck. I look in the floor length mirror, damn it, they do look good, my legs have never looked longer, if only the heel were shorter. If Charlotte can fight in a pair of these then I can definitely shuffle around in them. I wonder what Kye would think if he saw me in this get up. I think he’d be speechless and I haven’t even brushed my hair yet. I look at my Comm for the time and realise I need to get a move on, I still need to talk to Fraser and persuade him to change a few things. I definitely need my mask for this, so head to the shower room to find some makeup. Franny is sat on the floor when I enter looking close to tears, the clothes still bunched up in her arms.

I go to walk towards her but the heels on this flooring are a big no-no. I slip them off and crouch before her, “What’s wrong?”

“This isn’t me. I can’t wear these things, I’ll look ridiculous.” This poor woman has zero confidence, how did she manage to find work with a company like Advance Industries?

“You can and you are. You’ll look amazing and he’ll realise what he’s missing out on.”