Chapter 80

Anna
My phone vibrates in my palm once more. I can't answer it, I won't. I already know it's Alan. He has been calling for the last three hours nonstop. His words form last night are still raw and I don't know if I could stand to hear his voice right now. Alan finding out the truth last night has brought me to where I am today.
I await the guards to finish frisking me and lower my gaze even further when the lead guard comes over and starts telling me the rules I have already learned. I am let into the room, a different one than the one I am used to being in and wait. Today is the day Jed gets out, and my nerves have given me both jitters and anxiety. I am not only nervous for Jed, I am nervous for me.
A loud ringing sound starts, and I look around to see where it is coming from. The sound stops when a door opens, and I see two guards flowing in, followed by my brother. He looks different, almost happy. His long dirty blonde hair is brushed back, and his eyes are bright and vibrant. I can't remember the last time I have seen Jed look like this. He looks…at peace.
"Belle." He says. One of the guards looks over to my direction too, then back at Jed and whispers a few words. Jed takes his eyesight away from me and acknowledges the guard.
Once a few papers are put in front of Jed, and he signs them away, they unclasp his handcuffs, and hand him a clear bag with miscellaneous items inside. Jed stands there for a moment, almost as if he is unsure what to do. The guard, the one that whispered to him, gaits back over to him, leans down, and pats his shoulder once. Jed nods his head, rubs his eyes and slowly walks over to me.
"You ready?" I nod my head in his direction and turn to head out to the parking lot. Jed is right on my heels and only after we exit the facility does he stop cold in his tracks. I turn to see him starring back at the prison, as if it holds all the secrets to his life.
It's been over six years, maybe it does.
"Jed?" I ask. I see a few tears line up to the corners of his eyes, but he rubs them away before they can fall.
"I'm ready." He says to me, still staring out at the place that he has called home for the last six years.
We get in the car and start the drive over to the address father sent me this morning. I had called James at work and let him know I was going on an extended vacation.I lied and told him that a relative had passed and that I would be gone three weeks. I'm not too sure if he bought it, but he didn't question it.
I am hoping if everything goes right, that I will be back at work before then, but I needed something to excuse me at the time. My face has just now gone down from the swelling and the bruises are mere marks now.
"Why did he hurt you Belle?" Jed asks from the passenger seat. I know what he is referring to, but I still ask him what he means.
"Please don't lie to me. I know you better than you know yourself. Now, why did he hurt you?" God, he looks so much like father when he speaks this way. Something I do not point out to him. I don't know exactly how well he would take the fact that he sounds like the man he despises.
"It's nothing Jed. He was upset, thought I was double crossing him. Seems he is getting more and more paranoid." I look over to Jed for a second before continuing the drive. He meets my gaze but doesn't say anything. He know as much as I do, that this could easily go wrong, but we have a plan, something I plan on sticking to.
"Going to try and get some rest. Wake me when we're there?" He asks. I nod my head and see in the corner of my eye his legs go up on the dash and him pull his black cap down that was in the clear baggie they gave him back at the prison.
I had asked him if he wanted to get a shower, get something to eat, something remotely normal before he went into the pit of hell we call our father's home, but he refused. Said he wanted to go straight there.
"The faster we get this over with, the easier I can rest without looking behind me or sleeping with one eye open." He had said.
The drive takes almost an hour. We make a stop at a local diner a few miles away from the destination to change into our clothes. Father had let me know the event for today was formal, so I had bought a dress and Jed suit and tie.
I feel my phone vibrate once more and when I flick it open I see this time it is Laynie calling. I ignore the call and close my eyes. I have secluded myself from my friends to help save them, but that doesn't mean it isn't killing me to do so. My friends were the only things in the world that kept me who I was. Without them, I feel like a Delula. I feel like the trained criminal.

I gasp when I pull up to the place indicated to me by my gps. This is the same place I was at before. The address that Jed had sent me too. I didn't even notice the address was the same but somehow it looks like Jed knew all along where father and the rest of his associates were hiding. I see a slew of other cars already parked.
I turn to wake Jed, but he is already awake and starring at the building in front of us. He turns to me and lifts his eyebrow. It's been years and yet, I can still tell by one look what he is trying to say. I shake my head in his direction then turn to look back at the mansion. No, Jed I won't mess this up.
A man, the size of a small pickup truck, comes from inside the home and walks over to my car. He is wearing a black shirt and black jeans and is wearing sunglasses. He must be father's hired help. I can feel the tension in the car shift. Both Jed and I are putting on our masks. The same masks that our parents helped create. I just hope it's been too many years for them not to recognize it being ingenuine.
The man walks over to my side of the car and opens my car door. I turn the car off and get out. The sun is blearing but the temperature is low. There is a small breeze making the wind feel like small knives cutting away at the skin on my face. Jed opens his car door next and walks over to me, making the rock-solid wall of man before me, step back.
"This way." The man says in a deep tone.
Jed and I directly follow and for the first time in a very long time, I pray that we make it out of this situation alive.
Walking in the small mansion I am instantly surprised by how elegant the inside is. The entry way is made up of dark woods and red décor. There is a deep mahogany carpet running down the corridor leading to the living quarters. A chandelier hangs right above our heads as the man takes my coat. He asks for our phones along with any other devices we may have, something Jed and I were both expecting and hands them over willingly.
I hear hushed voices from the other room and make out mother's voice before any of them. Mother has always been a shadow of an actual human being. I never knew how my parents met, why they even stayed together because I never saw them even touch each other. Mother was always the one that preferred the money part of the business. She was a lonely soul that craved attention from anyone that would give it to her, anyone but her children.
Her blonde hair, perfectly styled in a small bob turns around and I get a good look at her face. My mother is beautiful. She always has been, on the outside she is what anyone at her age would thrive for, but inside, she is ugly. A desperate vessel piled within make up and perfume.
"My children." Mother calls out in a small voice. According to her, women never speak loudly. It's part of the reason I'm loud everywhere I go. I wasn't going to be the norm for her.
Jed walks over first while I hold back and look around the living quarters. Large red and bronze couches line up in a semi-circle while a stone fireplace sits on the side. The whole place seems almost homely and yet, as I look around, I'm sure I could find some of the slummiest men and women in the world here,
"Annabelle, come over and greet your mother darling." I walk over and kiss mother's cheek. She holds my hands out and smiles proudly. Mother approves of my dress. I knew she would which is why I wore the ridiculous garment.
I knew father planned on displaying Jed and I's ability, it's been years since I've had to show my skills, but I'm sure I can dig up some old bones enough to make a show out of something.
"You look stunning darling. Thank you for getting your brother. Now, let's find your father and we can begin." Mother says to me and begins looking around. Her manicures hands let me go and I grasp the nearest champagne flute from one of the many servers walking around.
"Miss Delula?" I turn around and come face to face with Simon, one of father's associates, Raymond, son. It's been years since I have seen him, but I wasn't necessarily looking forward to the next time we would speak. The last time I saw him we were put into a ring to test each other's skill out. I kicked his scrawny little ass, but then again, we were twelve.Now? The man could put me into the ground without blinking an eye.
"Yes, Simon, right? It's good to see you." I fake a smile, but I don't expect him to be the one to notice it. Simon is a lot like father and these other pieces of shit that line this room. Thinks he is entitled to anything because his father is known for bank robberies.
"You as well. I heard your father has some things to show us. I hope you're it." His smile is nearly sinister. I almost vomit right there on his brown Testoni shoes.
"Afraid not, not even I know what he has planned. I was told to come here and that's why I'm here." I look around and notice I can no longer see Jed. I excuse myself from Simon and look around for my brother.
"Annabelle, even surrounded by the finest men and women in the darkness, you could never fully watch your surroundings." A dark voice says from behind me.
I turn around and come face to face with the man that started this entire thing. The man that father tried so hard to impress that he nearly destroyed his own children, the man whom one of my best friends has the unfortunate privilege of calling dad.
Nicholas Cole.
He looks like he always does when we used to go to his home for every small thing. Well put together, suit and tie, and a well-groomed haircut. His blue eyes, that matches both his son and daughter, stare into me and I notice a small slither of apprehension.
"Mr. Cole." I greet him but still look around for my brother. It makes me uncomfortable that not only do I not see Jed, father is still missing in action as well.
"It's a shame that you were never able to gather my son's attention. I thought for sure your well used body would have demanded his attention but looks like he was far more into the shy meager miss Laynie instead." His smile is sinister, but I can't help but notice as he is speaking to me he is looking around as well.
"It's true, Jared has morals and class, must have taken after his mother more than he thought."
Nicholas is trying to goad me, but no one is better at making me feel shameful and remorseful for what I have put my friends through, than me. He can try all he might, but no one is harder on me than myself. I give him a small smile and excuses myself to continue my search for Jed.
I check what appears to be the study and come up short, next to the staircase is a small office but when I try the knob it's locked. I lean closer to the door and place my ear to the wooden door.
"Spying, are we?" I gasp and cover my mouth before any scream could come out. Jed stands on the other side of me with a smile larger than I've ever seen on him.
"Damn you Jed. I was looking for you." I attempt to hit his chest, but his hands dashes out and catches mine before I can. Six years away and his reflexes are still impeccable.
"Don't look for me Belle. If we show any kind of allegiance then father will pick up on it. I went looking around and didn't find anything the feds could pick up in here." I nod my head but say nothing in return. I don't doubt for one second that if the feds came and busted down the doors now, each of these so called well established men and women would all come crumbling down on each other. Father thinks he has an organization but all he has is a group of thieves and criminals that would turn on each other for a buck.
I walk towards the kitchen and begin small talk with the men and women standing around speaking. I listen for any word on what we could possibly say to the feds but get nothing. Small talk about how their business is doing well and prices of things going up. If anyone were to walk in they would assume we were all here for a fucking birthday party.
"Everyone, please join us in the common room. We have much to discuss." Father's voice bellows from the other room and I follow, along with everyone else to the room they designed for the meeting itself.
When father told Jed and I that we were to come straight here, we knew what it was. Father would often talk about what the grand meeting would be like when he had his business just where he wanted it. Surrounded by many people that he would one day rule over with his children by his side. Children who would one day take over the reins.
"Ah, my son and daughter have arrived. Not sure if all of you have met them, come up here Jebidiah, Annabelle."
Jed and I walk up to father's side and stand next to him at the front of the room. I can see mother glaring at us, probably wondering why father didn't want her by our side as well.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I want to personally thank you for coming here today. We are finally able to complete our business correctly. Thanks to some contributors and lots of hard work, our first batch will be ready in the next six months. To prove how it works I ask that you avert your attention to my two children. They were the first to go through the process and they were able to be controlled." I feel father place his hand on my back as he continues his speech. My skin breaks out in goosebumps and it takes everything in me to hold still and not shove his hands off me.
My eyes wonder to each and every person in the room eager to hear what he has to say. I find Nicholas Cole in the corner of them room but instead of looking and listening to father, he is looking at his phone. His gaze catches mine and when he winks, I know something is wrong. Something is about to happen that not even father knows of.
"Annabelle." I snap out of my stupor and look over to father. He is giving me a heated gaze and I want to slap myself for not paying attention to what he was saying. The room is so quiet I can hear a pin drop. I look over at Jed to help me out and when he meets my eyes, he jerks his chin towards the clock on the wall next to him.
"Yes, father. Are you able to time me please?" I say to him and when I see Jed relax I know I guessed right. Father wants me to show my skill. A smile crosses father's face and he snaps his fingers to the man that lead me and Jed inside.
A computer is put in front of me within a few seconds and father points to a man I have never seen before. I sigh and curse under my breath, I hate doing this. I especially hate how good I am at doing it. One last look over to Nicholas and notice he is no longer standing there. I walk over to the man, with a sway of my hips and ask his name.
"Excuse me?" The man looks from me to father and back again. "What is this Delula?"
"Relax, Mr. Coiden, my daughter needs your name to solely see if something will work. You want to be a part of the demonstration, don't you?"
The man nods his head reluctantly and gives me his full name.
"Robert James Coiden."
I walk over to the computer and log in. Father's passwords were always easy. A few moments later and I had everything on a Mr. Robert James Coiden. I look to father and nod my head. With a smile on his face he nods back.
"Alright Mr. Coiden. You were born on April the twelfth nineteen fifty-one. You have married twice, wife number one Elizabeth, wife number two, Roberta. You have eight children altogether. None of which you have seen in over ten years. You have fourteen grandchildren, you haven't met any of them. You have been retired for over ten years from an oil rig job."
"That could be on any database, all that shows us is that she might have hacked into the main server of the police station." Robert says to father while pointing his index finger at me.
"Alright, Annabelle, give him the special treatment then." Father demands. I mumble another curse and do what I hate doing more than anything. Getting into the head of these men who thrive on secrets.
"Mr. Coiden. Your father raped you when you were six years old, your mother was a drug addict. You have six sisters and brothers, you don't speak to any of them. Your mother killed herself right after you turned eighteen. You have killed six people your entire life, one of them was a young girl because she attempted to steal from you…."
"Enough." Roberts yells. I hear hushed murmurs from everyone around the room. I look back over to father, he is smiling even larger. Father always loved when I did this. This was the reason why I wanted out. I hated looking at everyone's ugly past all-day long.
"Very good Annabelle. Come here." I stand and walk over to father, like the good little dog he beckoned. Someone walks over and retrieves the computer while Mr. Coiden stands there, angry and red faced.
"That still proves nothing Delula. How do we know she isn't just some gifted freak?" Robert screams.
"Because a serum was injected in both her and her brother at the tender age of three years old. This serum is something we can use to alter their personalities to fit our needs." Father brings his gaze from Mr. Coiden to everyone else in the room. "Ladies and gentlemen, we can control them, give them injections and unique gifts. Jebidiah was controlled and turned into a machine. He was faster, stronger and more prone to our control the way we needed him to be. Everything is as it should be." A few men walk into the room with suitcases and Jed and I look at each other.
This is it.
"Ah, my samples are in." The suitcases are open and inside are the vials I have known all my life. The vials Jed and I were constantly worried would one day kill us.
"Father, should we inject the children now?" Jed asks. I almost walk over and slap him for sounding so forward, but father simply hooks his arm over Jed's enormous shoulder and nods his head enthusiastically. He's so enamored with himself that he hasn't noticed what an odd question that was for Jed to ask. Especially out loud.
"Raul, if you please, go and retrieve the children." My blood flows faster as my heart speeds. This is it, this is the moment we need.
One by one, small children all ranging from age three to age eleven, walk into the room. Most looks scared, some are crying silent tears, and it takes everything in me not to grab them and run out of this disgusting hell. They will get out of here, they will get out of this mess, Jed and I will make sure of it, the only problem is, they will never forget it. This will always be in the back of their minds.
The night they almost lost who they were.
I spot little Peter from Alan's class and want to cry out loud. I had a feeling father and the business were behind his disappearance but didn't want to admit it or say it out loud. Seeing his face, dirty and scuffed, has me clinching my fists and fighting to grab him and the other children and run.
"Now, if you all will watch as they get their first injection…" Before father could continue, the door slams open and men, all dressed in black combat uniforms and boots, run in with guns trained on all of us. Father's eyes bug out of his head and looks straight at me.
"Get down, get down." They all scream.
Everyone does as they ask, and father immediately puts his hands up.
He's failed. We have done it.
I see detective Stephanson in the corner of my eye walk in with his gun trained as well and look at the children in the middle of the floor. He nods his head at me and I stand up and walk over to the children and begin leading them outside.
I can see father in the corner of my eyes thrashing about and one of the men holding him down losses his grip. Father jumps up, grabs his gun from his pants and fires, and everything slows down around me.
I shield the children as I hear my name being shouted from Jed.
Six shots.
I open my eyes and see the children all being picked up and led outside from the cops. Stephanson runs over to me and says a few things to me but I hear nothing but silence.
Pain suddenly starts radiating through my body and I look down to see blood seeping out around me. I don't know where he got me, but I know I'm hit. I start hyperventilating, Stephanson says something on his walkie and Jed is instantly by my side. His face has an even more pained look than Stephanson and I know something is wrong. The bullets must have hit somewhere they shouldn't have.
I can feel myself fading and see what appears to be father being detained further and Nicholas standing over him. It makes no sense but neither does the image of Alan running to me and leaning down on one knee.
Darkness finds me as I smile up at the man of my dreams.
"I love you Alan."