Page 70 of Longing for Liberty
“We’ll teach you the ways,” Roan promised them. “Starting with helping us make a big decision.” He raised his eyebrows at Walinger and Amos before looking back at the boys. “Our current population is 60% women and 40% men. A lot of males were lost during the restructuring. Right now, those extra women are living in female housing and working at factories in C2 and C3, but I don’t find that to be the best use for them, so I’ve come up with two options. First, we can allow certain men to take a second wife if their first wife is infertile or has a low birth rate,orif the man is an exceptional worker. Like motivation.”
He winked at the girls, who giggled. “The second option is to start a new business.” Roan stopped to share a grin with Walinger. “A business where the women continue to live together, but they…service men who need a little extra attention. Namely State Force, but higher-up men would be eligible for these services, as well. Maybe even an exceptional worker. Or a lottery prize. What do you think?” He grinned and leaned his elbows on his knees, looking at the group of boys.
I felt as if I were made out of stone as the young men looked around at each other with various expressions. I wanted to look at Amos, but I honestly couldn’t move, and neither did he.
“Well, Mr. President,” said one of the boys. “What about the matter of birth rate? If you allowed the…female services, would they be allowed to reproduce?”
Roan chuckled and snapped his fingers, pointing at the boy. “I’ve thought of that! Of course there would be no birth control. When those women have babies, they’ll be given to the aforementioned families with infertile or low birth rates.” He gave a big, proud smile.
I felt myself starting to sweat. I uncrossed my legs.
“What about you, Liberty? What do you think?”
My head snapped up, my cheeks heating with embarrassment. “Me?”
Roan grinned, his eyes boring into mine, almost threateningly. Amos’s arm tightened around me, and I knew he was uncomfortable with the attention on me. I had to think fast.
“Well, sir, I try not to think if I can avoid it.” I smiled, my heart racing, and Walinger let out a scratchy barrel laugh, slapping his leg. Some of the girls giggled. Roan didn’t laugh, though. He continued to watch me with an unbending smile that I couldn’t read.
Had he seen me make a face?
“You can’t go wrong with either choice,” Walinger said. “Both make use of the extra women while raising the birth rate. Win-win. But I’m sure State Force would be appreciative of the second option.” That laugh again. My shoulders pinched, and my neck began to throb with a tension headache.
Smile, Liberty.
Laugh.
“Come now, Liberty,” Roan said, not letting it go. “Surely you have an opinion. As a woman, which option would you choose? You’re infertile, correct?”
One of the women gasped, and the whole room stared at me with horror and pity. I was thankful for the wine partially dulling my senses, and the fact that I was sitting, not standing, or I might have passed out.
“I am. Sadly. And to answer your question, any woman would be honored to do whatever you choose,” I said softly, but I felt the tremor in my voice.
“And if you could be the one to choose,” he said. “Would you add another woman to your household to fuck your husband? Or would you prefer to take on children from women fucked by a train of State Force?”
Amos shifted. “That’s enough?—”
I blurted over him, “Either way, I’d get to be in a home with children. So either option is a win, like the Vice President said.”
Roan’s eyes narrowed, and I realized with distinction that he didn’t trust me. Maybe I said too much. I dropped my eyes, heart racing, wine creeping up my esophagus mixed with stomach acid. I swallowed hard.
I hated them. I hated the sickening words that had left my mouth. I didn’t think this administration could get more disgusting, but I’d underestimated them. I wanted to leave, to sprint to the elevator. I wanted my phoenix to sprout its wings and take me far from here.
“Well,” said Roan, clapping his hands. “We’ll figure out the details later. For now, let’s party. Girls, show these future possible presidents a good time. Nobody is leaving here a virgin tonight!” He snagged the blond beside him. “But not you. You’ll be taking care of me.”
My stomach turned hard as I watched him lie back and begin to unbuckle his trousers. The music suddenly got louder, and the girls jumped up to dance in front of the boys, one pulling them up to stand, the other climbing onto someone’s lap to kiss them. And, oh, God, Roan’s dick was out now, in the blonde’s hand, and for a second I accidentally stared, like I was passing a gnarled car accident…until he caught my eye and grinned. He was longer than Jeremy and thicker than Amos, and I don’t think I’d ever been so shocked by a man. I looked away, desperately trying to gather my senses.
No wonder Amos made his sister leave! Would Roan have expected Phoebe to give him and these boys sexual favors? Had she done it before? Nobody here seemed shocked by what was happening, except maybe the younger men.
Amos pulled me up, taking my empty glass and setting it on a table. “That’s my cue to go.”
“What a surprise,” Walinger said, his hand moving up the girl’s skirt on his lap.
“Good night.” Amos turned us toward the elevator, and I was so grateful.
But before we could get to the elevator to push the button, the door slid open, revealing three older men in suits. Amos stopped abruptly, his arm jerking back as he dropped my hand like it was searing coal. A strange sound came from him, and I looked up to see sheer terror on his face. I swung my gaze back to the men.
Standing in the middle was the man who led the U.S. horribly before Roan, President Wright.
