Page 21 of Empowereds

Charity had imagined feeling a lot of different emotions on her wedding day. She’d never supposed numb would be on that list. Although, numb was better than enraged and devastated, which was how she’d felt the entire time they’d packed up.

The government would hunt her family now. No place but the breakaway states would be safe for them anymore. Milo, Zia, and Gregor were making preparations to head to New Salem.

Her parents hadn’t come right out and said they would join them. Instead, while they packed, her father said, “We’ll evaluate our position after your honeymoon. We can’t take Enzo to New Salem. It would be too dangerous.”

“Unless,” her mother said, “he has a change of heart about the government.” Her mother was clearly an optimist. “It might happen.”

Her father said, “He’d have to prove he had a change of heart. Don’t give him any information about New Salem.”

Charity had thrown clothes into her suitcase, hardly paying attention to what she took. “What’s the point of marrying him? He threatened to shoot me.”

“But he didn’t,” her mother said. “I’m clinging to that fact. Most officers chasing down an Empowered wouldn’t have warned you. They would’ve just shot. There’s good somewhere in him.”

“Or a new determination to act more decisively next time.” Charity rubbed her forehead, trying to ease the pounding in her head. “Marrying him can’t be the right thing to do. Why would the visions tell me to go to the cabin with him for two weeks?” The vision had shown them the length of time they needed to stay there. It had to be an important detail.

Her father left his suitcase, walked over to Charity, and put his hands on her shoulders. “I don’t know why you need to be with him, and it scares me more than I can say to send you off alone with him.” His hands trembled on her shoulders. “You don’t have to go through with it if you don’t want to. I’ll understand.”

Charity wanted so badly to say she couldn’t stay with Enzo for two weeks. He was a special ops officer, and dangerous, and he’d used her.

But it was her fault that Enzo knew about her father. And the visions came for the family’s safety. How would she live with herself if she refused to go with Enzo and then someone in her family ended up hurt or killed because of it? She had no choice.

“I’ll do it.”

That was when the numbness set in.

Now she sat in the back of the van, staring out the window so she didn’t have to look at him. The morning sun lightened the silhouettes of the trees, turning them from dark reaching shadows into a towering, thick forest.

No one spoke after Reverend Russell performed the wedding. Her mother sniffled, trying not to cry, her father concentrated on the road, and Charity felt too miserable to attempt conversation.

Finally, her mother put a blindfold on Enzo, a sign they were nearing the cabin. Half an hour later, they stopped on the dirt road. The spot looked unassuming—just another place in the Ozarks. Trees, rocks, bushes. A few patches of broken concrete in the far distance showed a spot where a cabin had once stood before being gutted in one conflict or another.

A cave in the middle of a rock outcropping served as the landmark that told them they’d arrived. The door to the underground cabin was tucked in the back of the cave, carefully camouflaged to look like part of the rock. Even with a flashlight, finding it proved difficult. The man they’d bought the cabin from had taken his bomb shelters seriously.

All the other times they’d come up here, her parents hid their van in an underground storage area off to the right that was covered by fake rocks. This time they left the van on the road. They wouldn’t be here long.

Charity’s mother got out first, checking to make sure they were alone. There was no sign of people, no smell of a campfire, no sound other than birds arguing over trees. People didn’t generally venture this deep into the woods, but the Arkansas-Oklahoma border conflict was only twenty miles away which meant things could change depending on how the war went.

Her father untied Enzo’s legs and marched him, still handcuffed and blindfolded, into the cave. Enzo didn’t say anything, although his tone from earlier made it clear he thought she and her family were delusional.

Charity slipped her backpack onto her shoulders and followed after them. Her mother and the reverend went to the back of the van and hefted out boxes of produce and milk, along with a backpack filled with some of her brothers’ clothes for Enzo. They’d left all his things at the farm.

Her father hadn’t told anyone that they were going. When the government came looking for Enzo—which had probably already happened—the other harvesters could say, even under the power of truth serum, that they didn’t know where Enzo or the family had gone.

The government would search for their vehicles. Her parents would have to sell the van quickly, travel somewhere else, and buy a new vehicle. And all the while, government officials would be combing the area for them. Taking this trip to the cabin had cost them precious time, had seemed to put them in more danger, not less, but her parents wouldn’t vary from the vision’s directions.

Charity’s mother shifted the box in her arms to better see the uneven ground. “You should have enough fresh and canned food to last you two weeks, but if not, open some of the freeze-dried food.”

“When are you coming back?” Charity asked. The numbness was finally leaving, replaced by a growing sense of panic. “Morning? Afternoon?”

Her mother’s expression softened. “I don’t know, honey. I’m not sure where we’ll be in the meantime.”

Of course she didn’t. None of them knew what would happen after this. Charity stepped into the cave feeling like she was going to her execution.

The entrance to the underground cabin had two doors, an inner and outer one. This gave them two lines of defense, and just as important, light from the cabin didn’t leak out. Her father had used his fingerprints on the outer door and left it open. The others hiked down a flight of stairs and went through the next door.

Solar-powered batteries, camouflaged among the treetops, ran the lights, water heater, appliances, and high-tech security system. Despite the cabin’s expensive gadgets, it was modestly furnished.

An old wooden table with scuffed and dented chairs sat in a small kitchen. Worn couches and a bookshelf crowded the area behind the kitchen. Paper books were a necessity because no phone signal penetrated this far in woods. A treadmill and universal gym stood in the next corner. Beyond that, a hallway led to a master bedroom, three small bedrooms, and a bathroom.

Reverend Russel deposited his box on the counter and returned to the van to keep watch there.

Her father pulled out one of the kitchen chairs, made Enzo sit there, and began duct-taping him to it. Enzo still wore the handcuffs, but this would keep him in place.

He sat calmly through all of it. The blindfold hid his expression, but behind his back, his fists were clenched.

Charity’s mother placed the groceries and backpack with Enzo’s clothes on the counter. She took the tranquilizer gun from her pocket. “Do you want this, or shall I put it away?” She meant in the safe hidden in the master bedroom. The family kept a Ruger there.

Her parents had already cautioned her to only take out the handgun if she was willing to shoot Enzo. Otherwise, he might wrestle it away and use it on her.

She didn’t plan on taking it from the safe. Enzo knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t shoot him.

“Put it away,” Charity said. She didn’t want to think about using either gun.

Her father finished securing Enzo to the chair, cut the tape, and put the scissors back in the drawer. He handed her the key for the handcuffs. “Don’t lose this.”

“I won’t.” Charity slipped the key into her jeans’ pocket.

Her mother returned to the room, walking quickly. “I wish we could stay longer.”

“I know. I’ll see you out.” She didn’t want to say her goodbyes in front of Enzo, didn’t want to say anything he could hear.

The group went through the first door. Charity dropped her voice. “I can’t leave him there for the entire two weeks.” That seemed cruel. He’d have to go to the bathroom. She couldn’t let him sit in his own filth.

Her father lifted his hands in a gesture of uncertainty. “I don’t know when you should release him or what you should do with him. You’ll have to use your best judgment.”

That was the only direction he had? “My best judgment has no idea what to do.”

They headed up the stairs to the second door. Every moment took her family farther away from her. Her mother kept sending her pained looks. “You’ll figure it out. We have faith in you.”

Great. Now if she messed everything up her parents would lose faith in her.

“Enzo’s not a bad man,” her mother said. It was the mantra she kept repeating, as though saying it would make it true. “He’s just been working for the wrong side. Maybe the reason you need to be at the cabin so long is that it will take two weeks for him to change his mind about us.” Her eyes met Charity’s, worried and tearful. “Be cautious but do what you can to turn him into an ally. Heaven knows we have enough enemies in the government already.”

They reached the door to the cave. They stepped into it and were hit with the dank, stale air that never seemed to leave the cave.

Charity’s father took hold of her hand. “We don’t have time for long farewells.” He squeezed her hand regretfully. “Be careful. Don’t go outside by yourself.”

Charity nodded and swallowed hard.

Her mother hugged her, clung to her, and pressed her head against Charity’s shoulder. “This isn’t how I wanted things to be. I don’t think I can leave you here.” She didn’t say more because she’d started crying.

Ever since Enzo had betrayed them, Charity had been the one crying. Her mother had been calm and comforting. Now Charity needed to be the strong one. “It will be okay,” she said. “Something good will come of this.” Perhaps not something good for Charity, but something good for the family.

Her father put his hand on her mother’s shoulder. “We have to go.”

Her mother stepped away. Her father gave Charity a quick hug. Then her parents turned and left. She watched as they got in the van and drove off. She stood there, still watching, until no sign of them remained but the settling dust.

Two weeks. Fourteen days to get through. She trudged back through the doors to the cabin.

Enzo hadn’t moved.

She checked the control panel next to the door. A computer screen showed 360-degree views of the area surrounding the cabin. The road stretched out in empty silence. Her parents hadn’t decided to come back.

Her mother had said there was good in Enzo, and Charity ought to try and turn him into an ally. Could she convince him that her father wasn’t like the other psychics? He wasn’t trying to amass wealth or power. That’s not what his visions showed him.

But she couldn’t tell Enzo that the visions only protected the family. The government might use that information to devise ways to catch him.

She took slow steps toward Enzo, already feeling defeated. He cocked his head, listening. He knew she was walking closer but didn’t say anything.

When she stood in front of him, he looked straight at her, trying to see her through the blindfold.

Well, there was no reason he couldn’t see. She slipped off the blindfold.

Enzo blinked to adjust his eyes. “So, how long have you known that your parents are crazy?”

“They aren’t crazy.”

“I see.” He seemed to be assessing her level of sanity and finding it lacking.

“They’re not,” she insisted. “Just because you don’t understand their actions doesn’t mean they don’t have perfectly logical reasons for what they do.”

“Of course. And what was their perfectly logical reason for forcing their daughter to marry the government agent who tried to arrest them?”

She couldn’t answer. She hadn’t decided how much to say about her father’s visions.

Enzo dipped his head, waiting. “You said they had a reason…”

“Maybe I don’t want to talk about it. Why should I tell you anything? You lied to me about everything.”

He sighed. “Not about everything.”

A technicality. A person couldn’t lie about everything . “You fired at Milo. You could’ve killed him.”

“I aimed to incapacitate him. Usually, I don’t miss.”

“Well, if that helps you sleep at night…”

He grunted. “It’s my job to take criminals in. The force I use is equal to the resistance I’m given.”

“A person should only be considered a criminal if he’s committed a crime. My father hasn’t.”

Enzo tugged at the duct tape holding his arms to the chair. “Right. Last I checked, abducting an officer is a crime.”

“That doesn’t count. It happened after you tried to arrest him. It was a self-defense abduction.”

Enzo rolled his eyes. “He could’ve left me unconscious at the farm. But he didn’t.”

No, he didn’t, and Charity didn’t want to explain why. Enzo already thought they were crazy.

He glanced around the room, then returned his attention to her. “So what happens now?”

It was ironic that he probably knew exactly what to do with an enemy prisoner. She had no idea. She shrugged in what she hoped was a casual, knowing manner. “What do you think is going to happen?”

He snorted. “Well, under the circumstances, I figure you’ll either torture me for information or make me father your baby. Trying to get information out of me won’t work, so I’m sincerely hoping you’re taking the baby option.”

He said the words flippantly, but the air whooshed from her lungs and her mouth dropped open. “A baby?”

That actually was a possibility. Maybe that’s why she had to marry Enzo. It certainly wasn’t because he was an asset to their group.

But still. No.

She couldn’t.

She wouldn’t.

Her breaths came too quickly. She put her hand to her chest. What if he was right? A baby made sense.

She waved an alarmed hand in his direction. “What other options can you think of?”

His jaw went slack, and his eyebrows knit together. “Wait a minute. Do you not know what you’re going to do with me? You all just dropped me off here for two weeks without any sort of plan?”

Okay, perhaps telling him about the vision was warranted. After all, Enzo already knew that psychics had them. She didn’t have to mention her father’s abilities centered on protection.

She wrapped her arms around her stomach, trying to ease the dread there. “My father had a vision that you and I would marry and come here. That’s why he forced you to take vows. We have to do what the visions say, or something bad will happen.”

“Uh, huh,” Enzo said, humoring her. One would’ve thought she’d just told him they had to follow her fortune cookie’s instructions.

“You know about visions. Haven’t you dealt with psychics before?”

“Yes, actually I have.”

“Then you ought to understand why we had to come here. Unfortunately, the vision never said what do with you once we arrived.”

“In that case, I’m definitely voting for the baby.”

She paced back and forth in front of the chair. A baby was only one possibility. Maybe Enzo’s other guess was the right one. “Do you have information we could use?”

He chuckled and shook his head. “Not such an eager bride after all.”

“You probably have some sort of information we could use. Something good has to come from this. It always does.”

“Sorry, sweetheart. You wouldn’t know valuable information if I gave it to you in a box marked valuable information . Besides, you don’t have it in you to torture people.”

True, but it irked her to be told that. “I might make an exception in your case. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and all of that.”

He had the nerve to smile at her. “Who says I scorned you? I told you that I’m voting for the baby option.”

“Fine. You didn’t scorn me. You betrayed me. Trust me, Hell has plenty of fury for that too.”

He let his head loll backward. “I wanted you to be innocent. I really did.”

She stopped pacing to put her hands on her hips. “I am innocent.”

“Right.” He tugged at the duct tape again.

“If I untie you, you’re just going to run away.”

“Why would that matter?” A smirk played on his lips. “Unless you really are considering the baby option.” His eyes drifted over her, slow and lingering. “You might be able to convince me to stay. You should at least try.”

She started pacing again, this time rubbing her forehead while she walked. When her mother had told her to turn Enzo into an ally, she hadn’t meant through seduction, had she? Certainly, she’d meant through persuasive conversation.

“You want to make the world a better place,” Charity said. “So do we. That’s all we’re trying to do. You don’t have to keep working for the government and keep hurting people. You could join us.”

“Join you and do what?”

Now he was fishing. She wasn’t about to give him more information about New Salem. “Join us, and you’ll find out.”

“And how would I join you? I’m already married to the cult leader’s daughter. That seems about as joined as a person can be.”

He was determined to be impossible. “My father isn’t a cult leader.”

“Right. Your father is an Empowered and most likely a terrorist. I was being unfair to cult leaders.”

Charity glared at Enzo. He could cool off in the chair for a while. She walked past him, opened the fridge, and shoved things inside. Eggs. Milk. Cheese. She winced at the corn cobs, wishing she could throw them away. Corn was going to have a bad association for the rest of her life.

“What are you doing over there?” Enzo called. His back faced the fridge. “Are you getting out knives for the torture session?”

Was worry in his voice or only curiosity?

“I’m putting the milk away so it doesn’t spoil.”

“Okay. I guess that’s important too.”

When that was done, she took her backpack to her parents’ bedroom and unpacked her things. But she couldn’t avoid Enzo or the decision of what to do with him forever. She pulled a notebook and a pen from a drawer, tromped back into the great room, and slumped down on the couch.

Enzo’s gaze followed her. “Now what are you doing?”

“Writing pros and cons of my options, so I can make an informed decision.”

“Can I help you with that?”

“No.”

“I have some really good pros for the baby option.”

She ignored him and wrote all the possibilities she could think of. The list wasn’t long. The word baby kept stealing her attention.

“Torture is messy,” Enzo said. “You don’t want to clean up a lot of blood. Be sure to put that on your list.”

She kept ignoring him. Another minute went by in which she did nothing but tap her pen against the paper.

“Also,” he said, “you’d feel guilty torturing someone who saved your life. In fact, I bet you already feel guilty for keeping me tied up this way.”

She peered at him over the notebook. “You tried to arrest my father. I’m not feeling a lot of guilt.”

“I didn’t apprehend him because I couldn’t shoot you. I’m going to get no end of grief about that from my supervisors. That is, if I live through the next two weeks.”

Was he afraid of her? “Of course you’re going to live.”

“I’m not sure about that. You’re still considering your options.”

She put her notebook down. All her writing had done was convince her that fate had brought Enzo and her together because she was supposed to have some sort of chosen-one child who would help New Salem. An Empowered, perhaps.

Or said child might be the one her father passed his ability onto. Perhaps the child’s core desire would be to help the entire world and would change the course of history. What did Charity know about the vision’s end designs?

More pen tapping.

What other reason could there be for marrying an enemy—not just for being with Enzo for two weeks, but an actual arranged marriage to him? This was their honeymoon. Married people slept together.

But it was too much to ask of her.

Enzo was the enemy.

And yet, another part of her mind repeated the words that had been the constant drumbeat since last night. This is all your fault.

She’d trusted Enzo, kissed him, and put her entire family in danger. Now they were all on the run. How could she refuse to do any action that would redeem herself? She’d always known keeping her family safe required sacrifices. Certainly, saving the world required no less.

Her gaze flicked to Enzo. Handsome, muscular, brooding. The two of them definitely had chemistry. Seducing him wasn’t the worst sacrifice she could be asked to make. Maybe her kisses could change Enzo’s loyalties. After all, his feelings for her had kept him from arresting her father. There was a precedent.

She’d gotten so little sleep last night that it was hard to think straight. Her tiredness made her impulsive and reckless.

She could kiss Enzo. There was nothing wrong with kissing him. She’d done it before. She had time to decide about the rest. She just needed to set aside her anger for him. In old Regency novels, before women were married off, their mothers told them to lie back and think of England.

She would think of New Salem.

She set the notebook down beside her. “How much of what you told me about yourself was the truth?”

“Most of it. Trying to keep track of too many lies is the fastest way to blow a cover.”

“You actually told the truth when you said you had feelings for me?”

He swallowed, then sighed. “And that’s why I’m tied to this chair instead of back at headquarters being congratulated for a job well done.”

She stood up and took slow steps toward Enzo, her gaze still on his face. “Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. After all, there are some advantages to being here.”

His eyes flashed to hers to see her meaning.

She didn’t know what to do with her hands and ended up clasping them, fidgeting with her finger where a wedding ring ought to be. “I think you might be right about having a baby. Maybe our child is going to be someone important, someone who’ll do great things. End world hunger. Join the nation back together…”

She was trying to explain herself so he didn’t think she was the sort of person who would willingly sleep with an enemy combatant. “You want to help people, and the visions show us the best course of action.” Now she was repeating her rationale because she didn’t want to take the next step. “We’re married. In some arranged marriages, the bride and groom didn’t even know each other. That’s what this is: an arranged marriage.”

For a guy who’d been campaigning for the baby option, Enzo looked less than pleased by her announcement. “You know arranged marriages aren’t a thing anymore, right?” He shook his head in disappointment. “Are you really willing to let your father dictate your life—even who you marry and what you do with your body?”