Main Master

T here were many things that had made me into the man I’d become. Many people who contributed to my behavior, my characteristics, and discipline. After all, Melissa may have altered my personality, maybe even some of my memories, but she couldn’t take full credit for the man I’d turned into because of it. Despite her hold and presence, I never gave myself to her completely. To do that, trust would have had to have been established, and she would have had to know the real me. The one I hid from everyone. She didn’t. Not even from the very beginning. Motives were a very powerful thing. Mine were deep and dark, even back then. I was smarter and more powerful than anyone knew, and the true man inside me was always lurking within, waiting for his opportunity to rule me. To rule all.

“Due to inability for my desired results with my guard leaders, I’ve come to the best. This is simple,” I said sternly, running my gaze back and forth over the line of blank slate soldiers I’d chosen. “You do exactly as I say. This is your mission. There are two targets. Half of you are programmed to Mistress Two, while the other half is programmed to me . Your assignment is to keep your targets alive at all costs. If you detect a threat to your mission, you are to neutralize it as quietly and as inconspicuous as possible. Mirror yourself to your surroundings. Imbed yourself in this world of masked killers. Work together when you have to. You will dress the part. You will act the part. Under no circumstances will you get comfortable participating in these roles. You have a job, and you will do it. Mistress Two may appear harmless, but cornered, she is anything but. She may try to manipulate your mind. She will not. You take your orders from me. Your mind only records her actions. It is not persuaded by them. Do you all understand?”

“Yes, .”

The response was in unison. I paced the length of them, staring at the mix of elegantly dressed women and men posed as Masters, Mistresses, and guards.

“You’re the best. You have special phones. All ten of you will give your report to me at your designated times. I want updates. I want insight. I want fucking answers. You have the ability to read targets. Those assigned to Mistress Two will give me your analysis as part of your weekly brief. This is most important. There is no room for mistakes. Watch. Read. Be ready for anything. Do not blow your cover. Not a single one of you. This cannot get out. If you think you’re discovered, you know what to do.”

“Yes, .”

“There are triggers you will take note of but not be affected by. I’ve made sure of it. This consist of tapping, clapping, snapping, clicking the tongue, hand gestures, and words. They’re in your mind, you know them. When you see them from target one, you’re to take note of the time and who you believe they’re focus is on. You should have no problem distinguishing the occupants who reside here. You know them all. When you see this happening…” I made sure to meet all of their gazes, one by one. “ You. Do. Nothing. I want a record and a visual. Thanks to the cameras you’re wearing, what you see, I see. I do not want her to know you’re watching. I will be leaving shortly. During my time away, you will report to Nineteen, your High Leader. When I do return, we will not meet other than by phone. You must know, if at any time she and I are together, again, make sure you’re recording. You will not interfere with what happens unless you feel one of us is trying to hurt the other or ourselves. Out in public, we’re fine, but we’re never to be alone. Not in her office. Not in any apartment. If you’re unsure, you come check with me by asking a question she won’t find suspicious. You’ve been trained on what to do. If I wish to kill her, you’ll know, and you’ll….do…nothing. Understand?”

“Yes, .”

I nodded, clasping my hands behind me.

“Some of you have apartments and titles. Leave me and begin your mission. Use your new status to make friends. Find out what you can and get me evidence of wrongdoing by Mistress Two. Each of you have your times to follow her. Work together if for some reason something comes up with one of you. There will always be eyes on her location. Do not fail me.”

I watched my chosen slaves file out, pulling my phone from my pocket as I weighed priorities. My life was not measured by single events. I lived in a massive puzzle of personalities, and each person’s life was just a fragment I fit into. And not even a large piece of me. For every story, I was a mention. Maybe sometimes even the shadow of the plot. But I was never the lead in their tale. While the days passed, my hours stretched with commotion. Sometimes a breath of peace. But not this week. I almost couldn’t believe how it played out. Or how fast. Melissa’s destruction called for decisive action. And maybe this was what I had been waiting for. Dreaming for? Planned? Was I behind this? I didn’t think so, but lately I was questioning everything.

It was hard trying to decipher my own mysterious mind. I played my own tapes meant for the slaves, hooking myself to my own demands. Grooming myself. Trying to make myself immune against her triggers. It had to be working, just not as fast as I wanted. Melissa was starting to feel cornered. Instead of backing down and staying low, Jett’s arrest and Ally’s failed murder had somehow stirred an impatience inside her. Melissa’s objectives were becoming her focus. She stalked Braddock’s apartment, passing by his door to walk to her own apartment almost every other hour. To make it worse, she’d cornered Ally down by the lab to try to get her to kill her Master instead. Did I have proof of any of this? No. Not aside from Ally’s testimony. The video was once again gone, and Ally wouldn’t lie about this. She wasn’t physically capable of it with her programing.

But not everything was bad. I allowed Ethan to sign the contract on Pearl. They’d be married in the next few months, and Pearl’s surgery for her face was underway. Sebastian’s slave was released from the hospital from her injuries. I was seeing progress with my plans, but they wouldn’t matter if Melissa came out on top and derailed everything. I needed…proof. No, I needed more than that.

Hitting the buttons on my phone, I brought the cell to my ear, heading out of the room. I could feel my High Leader and the two guards following behind as I neared the lab, but Nineteen, Jackson, and John knew to keep their distance until we got to the elevator.

“If it isn’t the of the mighty Garden of the Gods.”

My expression didn’t change from its dead nature. What I wanted to do was scowl. Maybe even give a smart-ass smirk despite Keith Moore wasn’t watching. He was an Upper, but even he didn’t have the kind of power it took to get into our system to see me.

“We need to talk.”

“Do we? I’m a very busy man, Mr. Wexler. Time is money. I like money.”

“I know something you like even more.”

“What’s that?”

“Power.”

His hesitation had his footsteps growing louder. “I’m listening.”

“Not on the phone.”

Keith let out a sigh. “You couldn’t pay me enough to step foot into your domain.”

“You don’t have to. I’ll come to you.”

The footsteps came to an abrupt stop.

“This is serious.”

“More than you can imagine. You were in New York not an hour ago. Are you still there?”

“…I am.”

“New York doesn’t work for me. Head for your jet. I’ll have your pilot contacted with the details when you’re in the air. What we need to discuss is between the two of us.” I pushed into the elevator button hearing my High Leader and guard approach. “Tell no one anything . I’ll know if you do. See you in a few hours.”

The doors opened and I stepped in, turning to Nineteen and the two guards as they entered.

“Is everything ready?”

“Ready and waiting, . Master Seventy-seven and Mistress Forty-Two have been notified in the outside world. They’re expecting your call.”

“Perfect. They can wait until I’m in the air. Both are currently exactly where I need them anyway.” I glanced at Nineteen. “It’s almost like luck’s on my side.”

“Speaking of sides, what would you like me to do? You still haven’t given me an answer on whether you want me to accompany you.”

My gaze traveled to Jackson as I hit the highest floor, entering a special code as the alert popped up on my phone. The guard was one I had special interest in. It was no coincidence on why I moved him up so fast. He was exactly who I needed.

“As the High Leader, you’ll stay. There’s too much at stake with Melissa unraveling at the seams. She’ll be looking for me. It is your job to make excuses until I return. I don’t want her to know I’m not here.” Nineteen’s mouth opened, but my hand went up. “Everything will be fine. John’s here to watch over you, and one of my men is keeping an eye on Braddock’s apartment. They’re special soldiers. Melissa can’t get to any of you. You’ll be fine. Look at who’s calling before you answer. If it’s her, have John take a message and call her back. If for some reason you run into her or she tracks you down, John will do what he must. Even if that’s throwing her into a cell until I return…which I really, really don’t want to happen.”

Nineteen nodded. “We’ll do our best to make sure she doesn’t find out you’re gone. I’ll keep everything under control. You mentioned returning tomorrow?”

We slowed, and I nodded as the doors opened into a large concrete space. It held the elevator that would lead us above ground into the secret quarters of the military installation above.

“I’ll be back tomorrow evening, if all goes as it should.” My lids narrowed the smallest amount to my High Leader. “You were trained to rule the Gardens in my absence. You voluntarily went through hell to make it so. You’ve died for this place. We both have. I trust you to lead it well. Just…don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” He nodded, but he was still stiff as he scanned my face. “ Relax, Dakota . You’ve got this. In the spirit of the Gardens, I leave you with a quote Shane sent me as a joke. Apparently, he saw it online. I think I’ll get it framed for my office for when all of this is over with.”

“Jesus…what is it?”

“Love. Laugh. Lobotomy.”

“For fuck’s sake. Get out of here.”

I laughed. “Jackson,” I turned, meeting the guard’s serious stare. “It’s time.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. ,” Mistress Forty-Two hissed quietly through the speaker, drawing my attention from the clouds crowding my private jet’s window. “You know I can’t stand that bastard. He ruined my life.”

“And I fixed it. With conditions… I need you.”

She groaned. “And you know you can count on me as your cover, but Pistol and the bastard at the same time? In the same place? I stopped drinking. And I really need a drink. Just the thought of this makes my skin crawl.”

“You were smart to stop the alcohol. Has it not paid off?”

“It was the best thing I could have done. I owe you; I know that. And I’ll do as you ask. It’s just going to suck.”

“Life sucks, but it doesn’t have to. Look on the bright side; you’ll be with me.” I smiled, the wheels in my mind spinning faster by the second. “It’s been a while since the world has heard from Elec Wexler. What would you say about being more than my friend tonight? How would you feel about being my pretend date? Paparazzi will surely love that. They can’t get enough of you, and the added publicity may be just what you need to put you over the top.”

Laughter filled the speaker, and I looked down to the shelf of clouds below as Lilian made a soft sigh. One that spoke of her insecurities.

“I can’t say the same for you. In the eyes of society, we’re complete opposites. You should be staying as far away from me as possible.”

“Are you kidding? Even the good guy has to show signs of being bad every once in a while. No one likes a boring bachelor, Ms. Lowe. I do have an image to uphold, even if I’m rarely seen.”

“Then wouldn’t Charlotte Wyce be a better choice? You should have asked her to be your cover. Mistress Three seems more your type. Elegant. Gorgeous.”

“What do you know about my type? Maybe I like the rebel.”

Again, she laughed, this time louder. “You don’t want the bad girl of society. You just want a bad girl for yourself. But not me…”

I bit my bottom lip, waiting for the sexual urges that came with the thought of Vivia. When they didn’t come and my stomach twisted with anger, I tried to keep the dark edge from my tone, changing the subject.

“How is three-eleven? He had an upgrade not long ago. How’s he taking that?”

Lilian paused, clearing her throat. “My blank slate is great. More than great. We’ve had no issues since you fixed him.”

My lids narrowed in thought. I tore myself from the window, glancing around the luxurious setting. White interior. Glass accents. Silver, not gold. Clean. Bright. This was half her, half me. Vivia would have loved the colors. She would have hated the semblance. She never wanted this life. She was more cottage-cozy. She was economy, not private…not elite-minded.

“Do you love him?”

“Love. Maybe. I love the peace he brings me. I love the comfort he makes me feel, even amid the anger and chaos. If peace is love then perhaps that’s what it is.”

Peace. Vivia didn’t bring me peace. She brought me hell every chance she got.

“Let’s talk about something else, . We have a pretend date at the worst place in the world. I’m assuming this date was my idea. I can’t see you choosing this location given who you are.”

“Who am I?”

“Elec…you’re a Wexler. You’re a household name in the eyes of who’s-who. Celebrities strive to be your friend. You have the best connections. Your status is gold. But you’d never be caught dead in a club like this.”

I almost smiled. “Tell me more about me.”

“Alright.” Footsteps paced in the background, a soft thud against what I knew to be marble in her living room. “You’re unlike most of those in your circle. Your life doesn’t revolve around the business world. Not above ground. You’re a rich elite who works as a psychologist for the FBI on secret missions. To the world, you’re an intoxicating mystery.” She paused. “And yet, as a bachelor, you’re never far from the headlines. I wonder how that is.”

“The world works in surreptitious ways, does it not? The headlines keep me alive while I’m absent. It’s a must.”

“I can see that, but I thought maybe you were competing with the Whitlocks. They’re very popular these days as well.”

My top lip pulled back the smallest amount. “Are you trying to ruin my night?”

“Did you hear the latest story?”

The tension left. With it, something else filtered in. Jealousy? Hurt? Envy? A little of all?

“Do you forget who you’re talking to? I know everything.”

Lilian paused. “Is it true? Is Everleigh Whitlock pregnant? I thought she claimed to have been given a hysterectomy when she was a…slave.”

I leaned my head against the window, staring to the blue in the distance.

“Partial. But it helps to have transplant uterine surgery. The news is true. Bram will have his heir.”

Of course he would. Hadn’t I made sure of it? They hadn’t gotten as far as they had by outside doctors alone. I’d sent a special one their way. The best there was to assure their success. They’d never know that though. No one would.

Silence.

“?—”

“You keep saying that. You can’t call me that out here.”

“Elec.” Another pause. “I upset you. I’m sorry. I know you don’t care for your cousin.”

My smile returned.

“I despise him, but not the child. This is good news. Very, very good news.”

“Will they be joining us then? At the Gardens, I mean.”

The brightness disappeared as I closed my lids.

“That is the big question. Back to us.”

“Of course. So… What should I wear?”

“What would you wear if this date was real?”

I kept my eyes closed, seeing Lilian Lowe, the bad girl rock star flash in my mind. She was beautiful. Where her hair could be any color at any time, I currently knew she was sporting her natural dark color, and the length was just above her shoulders. She was smart. Cold. But she had a heart, even if she tried her best to hide what was left of it.

“Club Sinn is upscale but edgy. And I’ve seen you enough to know your style. You’ll wear a black suit. Black shirt. Black tie. If my aim was to dazzle paparazzi and you, I’d probably try to match you in one way or another. Red goes well with black. A touch of sequins stands out. I’ll wear a mix of all. Light makeup. Enhancing without being overpowering. And you’re tall, so definitely some of my higher heels. To stay true to your vibe and mine, I’d go for sexy but conservative.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Elec…I’m a little confused. I was told you were keeping a low profile. Why this fake date? Why the flashy headlines? Is it truly for your image? I can’t see how this will be good for you. Even if you didn’t want to appear boring. This is…a stretch. Most won’t believe it.”

“They don’t have to; the facts are clear. I’m single. You’re single. You let me worry about the rest. As for my low profile, it takes a few days for news to get to The Gardens. If not, I’ll deal with that when the time comes.” I paused. “You were blacklisted by the Devil of Hollywood. Your life was ruined because of it, and you’ve vowed to all who would listen that you planned to make him pay. Tonight, you’re going to get your wish. He’s going to make this right.”

“ . I mean, Elec . You don’t have to do that. It’s going to make it worse. The Devil of Hollywood, he’s…Mr. Sinn is?—”

“Logan Pennington. That’s who Mr. Sinn is, and his future is in my hands. He’ll apologize to you, he’ll take my deal, and then he’s going to devote his life to whatever I say. What I say is that I can make you shine, but he’s in a better position to do my work for me. And he will. You’ll accept his apology, and the past will die.”

“It’ll be that easy?”

I laughed, letting the blue and white colors of the sky take me over again. “You ask too many questions. For me, no. For you, yes.”

“Okay. I’ll be there, and I’ll be on my best behavior.”

“Make sure you are.”

“I will. But… before I let you go…if you want this to come off as anywhere near believable, we meet in the front of Club Sinn. You can offer me your arm all gentlemanly, and I’ll take it. I can’t come off as looking too desperate which means we can’t show up together. And I leave early, but you walk me to my car when it pulls up to the front. Does that sound okay?”

“Perfect. Be there at seven o’clock. Don’t be late, Lilian.”

“I never am.”