Page 66 of Knot All Is Lost: Part 2

“This is an act of treason per the law of Oscad and has brought about his arrest and those of his pack. In exchange for immunity Official Dubois’ pack shared all the information they knew, connecting him to various murders of his own in-laws, as well as other members of government, including the attempted murder of Official Banks. When a team of soldiers were sent to arrest him, they discovered he’d set up a base at one of the decommissioned Care Centers near the Neenan Pharmaceuticals building that had been shut down after the attack. Using the data, private medical staff, and researchers he began to explore using the drug once more to increase the chances of the baby being an Omega.” The woman paused as the crowd of reporters exploded in front of her shouted, Lucy, which I assumed was her name, trying to get her to answer their questions.

She waited them out calmly, not flinching at the words hurled at her so viciously from the people around her. My gaze shifted to Marius, who was the picture of calm confidence as he sat there with Alton. Closing my eyes, I reached out to him, and even though the echo was faint, I sent all my love and support in his direction. He was stronger than anyone I’d ever known, and he was exactly what our country needed right now. A fair and just commander who wanted what was best forallhis people.

“Please, I understand this is all shocking and you have many questions but there is still more that I must go over. The list of his atrocities are long, and we are still uncovering more as we go,” Lucy said as she tried to gain control of the masses. “This is not something we as a country will get over easily, but revealing what has been done behind closed doors is the first step.”

This seemed to get everyone to simmer down enough that she could speak and easily be heard. “There were women found in the Care Center, and they were rushed to the hospital. They are receiving the best care we can give them in the hope we can save them and the babies they hold. As the soldiers raided this Care Center, Official Dubois shot and killed Official Fredrick McCoy and City Magistrate Willem. They stopped him before he could take his own life, and he was placed in protective custody, where he’s currently being monitored to prevent any further attempts to escape justice.”

“While all of these are egregious events alone give us cause to strip him of his title along with pursuing the death penalty, there is a greater transgression that has occurred. During the raid of the largest Care Center in our city, we were informed there were no Omegas left in the building. They’d been sent in a bus to Asturg as payment to keep General Rasvan from turning his attention onto us here in Oscad. Thanks to the heroic efforts of our soldiers and Official Stone, who led this whole mission, they were able to stop the bus from crossing the border, and all our people are safely back at the Care Center under security supervision.” Lucy concluded, allowing the stunned media to absorb what she’d just said.

It didn’t take them long before they started shouting, demanding answers, and hurling insults at the CoF for allowing this to happen. My eyes watered as I thought of those poor women who’d been trapped and forced into an experiment they’d never asked to be a part of. Then there were those who were back at the Care Center, clueless as to what happened or what they were saved from. Finally, I prayed that all those who’d been sent into those other countries weren’t suffering a terrible fate due to the greed of our leaders.

“There has to be something we can do,” I whispered. “Someone has to find them.”

Savo sat up and pulled me onto his lap, drew a blanket over me, and wrapped me up tightly in his arms. “We will,Keksík. I promise, we will do everything we can to find them, even if I have to talk to my father to get it to happen.”

Hearing him promise that told me just how serious he was about standing behind his word. Talking to his father could get him killed as a traitor, but he was willing to do whatever it took and that meant everything to me.

“Now, Official Stone will answer your questions first since he was witness to it all, then we will bring up Official Banks to discuss what will happen next,” Lucy informed the crowd before stepping aside, letting Marius take her place.

We watched as Marius artfully handled each and every question tossed his way. Many wanted to know the state of the women he found or how this could have happened without anyone knowing. True to the man of honor that he was, Marius didn’t shirk the blame or claim to be innocent of any wrongdoing. After what seemed like an hour, he’d answered enough questions to pacify them to the point they would allow Alton to speak.

While I’d never met the man, I got the sense from his poise and command over the people that he was a good leader. It made me sad to think that Yoram had tried to kill him simply because he didn’t agree with his plan.

“Please, please, I’m an old man and don’t have the energy to shout at all of you,” Alton spoke into the microphone.

Nixon snorted. “That’s a big fat lie. I’ve seen him and Marla go at it, he could whip those idiots into shape if he wanted to.”

“Oh shit, has it already started?” Bodhi asked as he joined us, pulling Oscar to sit next to him. “Why didn’t you guys say anything?”

All of us looked at him not saying a word, allowing him time to figure that one out on his own. A blush colored his cheeks as he cleared his throat. “Right, fair enough. Did we miss anything important?”

“Not anything we didn’t already know, but Alton is going to announce the upcoming changes and Yoram’s sentencing,” Rafael informed them.

Bodhi reached for the remote and turned up the volume as Alton began to speak, refusing to project his voice. Almost instantly, the crowd quieted, eager to hear what the man had to say about the future of the disgraced Official.

“I would just like to state that even though I was a target in Official Dubois’ plan, it saddens me that it has come to this decision. As the senior member of the Council of Four, with the support of Official Stone, and in accordance with our laws that we were charged to uphold, we have no choice but to sentence Yoram Dubois by stripping his title, while his finances, and his other assets will be put into a trust, and he will be charged with high treason against the country of Oscad. As well as charges for taking bribes, using our own citizens as collateral in negotiations with other countries, and for the harm of an undetermined amount of Omegas.” Alton paused to take a sip of water, and I noticed his hand shaking. Setting the glass down, he straightened and finished the sentencing. “The final act that this government will enact is to command the use of the death sentence. It has never before been used, but due to the vast nature of these crimes, we feel it is the only course of action befitting the harm done to our people and nation.”

Hands shot into the air as they called out their questions in a much more controlled fashion than they had been for those before him.

“You said this is the final act of this government, what do you mean by that?” one reporter asked.

Alton nodded and leaned on the podium casually. “This whole situation could have been avoided if the structure of our current government had been built differently. Right now, all that’s left is Marius and myself, and let's be honest, I’m getting too old to deal with the changes that need to be made. We will have more information for you in the coming days, but suffice to say that this is the end of the Council of Four, and we will be creating a new government that will serve the people’s needs. Marius and I want to give more control to the people, enforce term limits for those in power, and create a task force that will work on locating all the Omegas that have been smuggled out of our country. We owe it to them since we failed the first time around, letting them be sent off in the first place.”

“I plan to bring in brilliant minds from all across our amazing country and hear what will serve our people best. What I want is to know that when I step down and make way for the new generation, I’m leaving it better than I found it. It will take us time to unravel all that Yoram had done but know this, all deals, offers, or blackmail that occurred in secret will be null and void. Don’t expect to come to me and ask for the same bargain because you won’t get it, instead you’ll be slapped into cuffs and thrown in jail. It’s time we cleaned up this goddamn mess and bring back the nation I know we once were.” Alton had to pause as the whole audience erupted with cheers, whistles, and clapping their excitement over the changes that would be coming.

Once they settled, Alton resumed. “Lastly, we will be abolishing the Care Centers as they are being used now, to create something that will actually help our citizens. No one should fear being a certain designation or be forced away from their families into a pack that isn’t the right fit. Packs should never have become a thing of the past. They are the heart of our being. Packs are how we were genetically wired to function. This will be brought back into practice and the Care Centers will be renamed and revamped into a place where packs can meet and interact with Omegas in a safe environment. I believe with all my heart that this will change our nation in the best way possible. Packs who have been able to bond with an Omega the way nature intended have much higher reproduction rates, but more than that, they are happier and live more fulfilling lives. Help us do what’s best for our country, and trust us as we make changes for a brighter future.”

By the end we almost couldn’t hear what he was saying. The cheering was so loud that Bodhi had to turn down the TV. I knew Marius was concerned about the reaction of the people, but I think he underestimated just how much this change was needed. We’d been suffering in silence for so long it was joyous to hear that hope was on the horizon, even when mixed into it was sadness. Lives had been lost, women had been sold, and so many have been forced into situations they would never have dreamed of, just to survive. Now there was a real chance for change.

Chapter 30

Westayedupawhile longer to watch a movie and just be together after the meeting. No one would admit it but we were all trying to wait up for Marius, even though he asked us not to. When he did finally get home he greeted us all, ate something, then kissed me and Spencer goodnight before heading to his room.

“No, Sweetheart,” Nixon said, blocking me as I tried to follow. “I know you want to be there for him, but right now he needs some space. He gets like this when he’s forced into making a choice he doesn’t want to. Marius knows there is no other choice but to be the first and the last to use the death penalty. Tonight, he needs to wrestle with that side of himself and he can’t do that in front of anyone.”

I looked at Nixon, seeing the worry on his face. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” he answered with a heavy sigh. “Sometimes, you need to be able to look in the mirror and battle your own inner demons before anyone else can help you.”

---