Page 49 of Moonstruck
In the kitchen, there was a strange stand-off happening between Zane and Adam. Zane leaned against the counter, arms crossed. Adam had his arms folded on the island. They were both locked in on each other.
“What’s happening right now?” Asa asked Noah, the only person not participating in this weird staring contest.
Noah grinned, looking back and forth between the two of them. “I’m not really sure. I think this is like the eye equivalent of a dick measuring contest. Like…at some point one of them has to blink or they’re going to lose an eyeball. Right?”
Asa was sure, whatever this was, Adam started it. He liked to torture all the newbies. They didn’t have time for that today. “Zane. My dad wants us to meet him downstairs.”
Zane’s gaze snapped from Adam’s to Asa’s, but it was Noah who said, “No way. He’s going to the war room already? When’s the wedding?”
“Shut up,” Asa muttered.
Noah laughed. “What? I’m just saying, once they make it downstairs, you’re sort of obligated to put a ring on it. Hope you’re ready to change your last name, Zane.”
“Um, you and Adam aren’t married,” Asa pointed out.
Noah rolled his eyes. “That’s because I want the wedding to be perfect. It’s not perfect yet. Besides, legally Adam’s shit all goes to me when he dies, so at this point, a wedding is just paperwork. We don’t need paperwork.”
Asa snorted. “Hopefully that holds up in probate court.” To Zane, he said, “Come on.”
Zane gave Adam one final long stare before turning and walking to Asa, who put an arm around his waist, leading him from the room and down the hallway. At the war room, Asa punched in the code that opened the heavy door.
Zane’s head was on a swivel from the moment they entered, taking in the large conference table, the comfy office chairs, the speaker in the center, the murder board on the wall breaking down the targets Noah and Thomas were currently vetting. He looked a little overwhelmed.
“Go ahead, Calliope,” Thomas said, aiming his words at the speaker in the center of the table. The wall lit up with hundreds of faces. Thomas looked to Zane. “Pick one. Any one.”
“W-What?” Zane stuttered, looking from Asa to Thomas and back again.
“Pick a face,” Thomas said, his tone letting Zane know this wasn’t a request but an order.
Zane struggled, his eyes darting from picture to picture before finally settling on one. “Third from the top,” he said, pointing out a fair-skinned man with a receding hairline and patchy facial hair.
Calliope’s voice filled the room. “Gerald Mizner. Serial child rapist. Four proven victims, all under ten. Another eight suspected but never confirmed. Released from jail on a technicality. Killed by…Archer, 2017.”
The muscle in Zane’s cheek twitched at the rapid-fire information. A look of disgust pulled his lips into a grimace.
“Pick another,” Thomas demanded.
Zane floated closer to the wall. “Him,” he said, pointing to a blond man with jowls.
Thomas gave a nod. “Max Mason, Calliope.”
“Maxwell Raymond Mason, human trafficker. Sold girls he smuggled in from Eastern Europe on the darknet, some as young as eleven. Killed by—”
“Me,” Asa said, cutting off Calliope. “And Avi. Last year.”
“Another,” Thomas said.
On and on it went. Serial rapist. Serial killer. Child predator. Spree killer. Domestic abuser. Child pornography. Child abuse. Torture. Kidnapping. Child killer.
“Enough,” Zane finally said. “I get it.”
“Do you?” Thomas asked. “Because my son has inadvertently given you the power to destroy everything we’ve worked for. Do you think the world is better off with any of those people in it?”
Zane swallowed, falling into one of the plush office chairs around the table. “No. Of course not.”
Thomas leaned his hip on the table, staring down at Zane. “I don’t mean to sound like a bad movie, but you’ve only got two moves here. You’re either with us or against us. I’m not a fan of threats, and I don’t relish having to say things like this. But what we do here, this experiment of sorts, it’s a pilot study for something much bigger than all of us. And there are very influential people who would kill to make sure this doesn’t leave this room. So, I encourage you to make the right choice.”
Asa dropped into the seat beside Zane. Was his father telling the truth? Were there others involved in this? Who were they? How were they involved? Was this some kind of fear tactic? Did the others know? Zane looked to Asa, then back to Thomas. “This is impressive and all, but I decided hours ago that I’d keep things to myself. Besides, it’s like Asa said this morning. Who would even believe me? I have no proof. I’ll just have to wait for my big break.”
