Page 5 of Ride the Whirlwind

“Because of the great power I have within these walls, and because I'm indifferent to almost everything happening here, the guards think I'm a mean, cold bastard. When I asked them to bring you in my room, those who tortured you assumed I was going to break you, make you my bitch. I am sorry if my words offended you; this is how the vermin running this place think and speak.”

“I understand perfectly, and I'm not offended in the least. Anyway, I have to warn you: touch me inappropriately, and I'll rip your arm off and beat you with it. I agree to act submissively, gaze lowered, voice down to a whisper, I'll even kneel before you if I have to, but that will be it.”

“Don't worry, I know my place,” Brodie replied with an amused smile. “I listened enough from your mumblings about Spitfire, incoherent as they were, to realize how dangerous he could be when you even think of stealing what's his. He would have my balls, my dick, and my head, in that order.”

“Yes, he would. Gods, I miss him so much,” Ardan whispered in a melancholic voice. “His face; the fiery red, curly hair; that sweet scent of his skin; him snoring me to sleep...”

“Man, I could listen to you talking about him and your children for days, and, once we are out, I'd like to meet all of them, if it's not too much trouble, of course. The naïve seventeen-year-old, as you called me, saw Lester as the perfect man to raise a family with, but the big guy from the sky had other plans.” Brodie stared ahead, a melancholic smile playing on his lips.

“Once we get out of here, I'll take you straight to The Base.” Ardan's voice became lively again, his eyes shining with affection for the place he called home. “Everyone would be thrilled to know you, from big to small, from kiddies to kitties. As for that man to raise a family with...it's never too late.”

“We'll see about that.” Brodie philosophically scratched the back of his head, blushing. “Will you please tell me more about The Base? You kept saying that it has to be protected, and I want to know why and from whom.”

In the same vibrant voice, Ardan told the other man about the sanctuary for abused and neglected children, about all the damaged souls who overcame the horrors of their past and made a new, brighter life. He spoke about the guards, the teachers, the kitchen staff, the volunteers, and all the others who helped in building a brighter future for the survivors of unspeakable horrors.

When Ardan started talking about Fabian Bloom and Bayan Stark, the two men who’d helped him build The Base, his eyes started to shine with filial affection with respect, admiration, and gratitude mixing into his voice. The man's passion made Brodie even more curious about the place, but instead of asking questions, he let Ardan tell the story as he felt it, and just listened to it.

Caleb, Avery, Erling, Brennan, and all the other members of the two crews that intercepted the child traffickers' transports and rescued the kids, bringing them to The Base, were portrayed in vivid colors as if they were right there before Brodie. Ardan also spoke about Lothier and all the guards, who dedicated their life to keeping the residents safe at all costs.

The man's tone changed from warm and passionate to cold and hateful when he spoke about Nigel and George Warthon, the fake Dukes of Sandrigham, and Alexander Kane, the man who’d shattered his soul and damaged his body when he was just a teen. The turquoise eyes darkened and narrowed to two slits as Ardan's gritty story of survival and revenge unfolded.

Brodie listened in silence, almost holding his breath, every word having a powerful impact on him, the resentment and pain in the other man's voice almost tangible. However, he also detected a triumphant note, the satisfaction of someone who vanquished the enemies, surpassed all the obstacles life put in his way, and rode the tide instead letting it swallow him.

The Base was built to last, Brodie thought, smiling internally. It was the embodiment of Ardan's spirit, stubborn and unbreakable. The man learned quite a few things during the three decades he spent in jail, and one of these things was to place his bets right. The guy in front of him was a winner, and Brodie was ready to put all the money he safely stashed away on him.

“I didn't want to go to jail from the start,” he said once Ardan fell silent. “the prospect of being locked up with a bunch of aggressive, muscled inmates was terrifying, to say the least. As you can imagine, I said no.

“What convinced you to change your mind?” The other man leaned forward, making no efforts to hide his curiosity.

“Not what, but who.” Brodie smiled bitterly. “Lester. He visited me in jail on the hotshot's behalf and made me an offer I couldn't turn down. Separate, comfortable cell with its own bathroom, permanent access at the jail's library, the possibility to continue my education via online college classes, and permission to freely roam inside the building.”

Ardan's eyes widened in surprise. “It sounded very tempting, I would have jumped at the offer, too, if I were you. There is one thing I don't understand, though: wouldn't it have been easier for the hotshot if he had...you know...eliminated you for good?”

“I think not; probably, he was afraid that the investigation of my murder would have led to the robbery and would have connected him to it. Anyway, I wasn't interested in his reasons back then, and they present an even smaller importance to me now.” Brodie shrugged indifferently.

“What happened to Lester? Was that the last time you saw him?” A small frown creased Ardan's forehead as he suspected the man was happy to get rid of his inexperienced, naive boyfriend.”

“Yes. By then, I regretted my foolishness; the love was already gone because his true nature was revealed to me on the day of the robbery. The two security guys and the male cashier threatened us, but the woman did nothing. She was pregnant and begged for the unborn’s life, but he...” Brodie ran a hand over his eyes, wiping the tears that threatened to spill.

“Son of a... I will get him, and I will make him pay for everything.” Ardan put a hand on the other man's shoulder, the turquoise eyes piercing into his soul. “That's a promise, and I always keep them.”

Brodie ignored the other one's words; he crunched down, extended the hand under the bottom bunk, and produced a thick notebook. “One of the ways I utilized my privilege of freely walking around the place was to take a very close look at all of the security systems. Over the years, I’ve noticed all the changes and updates they did, learned them by heart, but also took notes. Take a look, everything is explained in detail.”

Ardan opened the notebook, staring in disbelief at the pages covered in sketches accompanied by explanatory notes in a tidy handwriting. Every damaged water pipe, crack in the ceiling, defection to the heating system, and flaw of the electric circuits or plumbing were carefully marked.

Also, Brodie took time in cracking the alarm codes and noting them down, commenting on the best ways to deactivate the security and surveillance system. The complexity of the notes, observations, and sketches amazed Ardan, who inhaled sharply, closing his eyes for a brief second. This is our passport to freedom, he thought, the image of the place he called home appearing before his eyes.

**************

“Alasdair, relax, dear boy. You’re like a lion in a cage. Everything will be alright.” Fabian tried to call his nephew, without success.

“What if whoever is behind this masquerade changes their mind and cancels the visit? Shit happens all the time,” the redhead replied, running a hand through his thick, fiery red curls. “What if...”

“Stop doing this to yourself, kid,” Lance intervened in a soft voice. “This visit was approved by some of this country's highest-ranking officials, and no one is powerful enough to change that except the President, but you know how much he values your cousin Ezra.”

“You're right, Papa Lance.” Alasdair plopped down on a couch. “I keep forgetting how lucky I am to have all of you in my corner. Maybe I sound like an immature, ungrateful brat, but not knowing what is happening to my Ardan drives me crazy. We've been apart before, but I knew where he was going and for how long. Now, on the other hand...”

“I know I sound like a broken record, but you have to be strong for the kids.” Fabian spoke in a low, gentle voice. “The little ones sense your agitation. Tarrin blamed himself for what happened to Godfrey even before his father was arrested, and the twins, although almost twenty years old, still need your guidance and, above all, affection.”

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