“You shouldn’t worry,” Fernando tightened his grip on her hand, tugged and urged her to stand with him. “Unless the guy’s changed a helluva lot, he doesn’t hold things in for long.”
“Thanks um...you know, that doesn’t make me feel much better.”
Fernando laughed and Persephone couldn't
resist giving into a bit of the gesture as they left the room.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Jasper and Carmen Stone arrived early that afternoon while things were still relatively quiet. Grandchildren and grandparents were still enjoying their outing, as were the bride and her group for their day in town.
Westin and Briselle lounged around the guesthouse and were on hand to greet the newlyweds when they knocked. It was something of a bittersweet moment. West was of course thrilled to see his baby sister and happy to welcome his brother-in-law to the family. Still, there were explanations needing to be shared. Jasper wasted no time supplying them.
It was after all, his main reason for agreeing to accompany his wife to the wedding. Sabella was bringing their first grandchild into the world and Jasper had no intention of missing out on the many happy days watching that little one grow. He wasn’t interested in additional family drama.
Following a lengthy conversation with Westin and Briselle; one that was to be repeated with Roman, Damon and their wives later in the weekend, the Stones retired to their bedroom to sleep off the effects of the trip to Nevada from New York where they’d remained following their visit with their daughter and son-in-law
Carmen retired. For Jasper, there was
another long overdue conversation he needed to take part in
first.
~~~
“Why’d you leave, Captain?”
Jasper braced, but kept eye contact with the three boys-men. God, they were men now. Last time he’d seen them, they were still wet behind the ears kids. Wet behind the ears kids who had unwittingly signed up to carry out unspeakable acts-acts he’d spent the first forty minutes of their discussion acknowledging and regretting.
“I suppose I was finally done pretending the place I’d started out of a sense to do good, had turned into the exact opposite.”
Fernando, who had posed the question, shared a look with Kraven and Hill.
The guys had taken advantage of the gorgeous day to spend time down at the lake, along the inviting sitting area near the edge. The group was kicked back with their favorite drinks and snacks when Westin called Fernando’s cell to ask he, Kraven and Hill to come back to the main house.
“What did you think it would become, Captain?” Hill cleared his throat when he heard his question. Addressing the man as ‘Captain’ sounded so juvenile and yet he, Fernando and Kraven had all done so when they’d greeted Jasper Stone upon his arrival in Smoak’s study where they’d arranged to meet.
Jasper stroked his jaw and proffered a melancholy smile. “It was naive of me to believe it could’ve ever been anything other than what you all knew it to be.” He sighed, moved to freshen the single malt Scotch they’d all been sipping.
“I’d hoped it could’ve been a refuge...I’d have given anything to have such a place when I was a kid- a place of safety, but more than that. A place that could nurture the ways I was different.”
“Science.” Kraven guessed.
Jasper nodded. “My obsession with genetics became my worst enemy-blinded me to what was happening beneath my very nose.”
“But it didn’t blind you so much that you didn’t find a way to bring your own madness to the table,” Hill pointed out.
Jasper was nodding. “As I said, genetics became my own worst enemy.” He freshened his scotch, studied the contents of the glass. “I won’t waste time with more apologies- there are no words.”
“You’re right,” Fernando’s voice was as flat as his gaze. “But since Dena and Nile are willing to let it go and Belle is the angel she is, I suppose we have to drop it.”
“I guess you could say we’ve got as little choice in the matter as Nile and Dena had,” Kraven added, the animalistic chord alive in his voice.
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to change what was done to those girls and so many like them.” He set aside the wide-mouthed whiskey glass without drinking. “I didn’t spend my years after leaving the island, tucked away in splendor and living off my ill-gotten gains. When I...rebuilt what I’d lost, my first intention was to blow the island off the map, but I couldn’t do that without sacrificing innocent lives.”
“But isn’t that going against what you always told us, Cap? Innocent lives are the sacrifice that change often requires?” Hill’s dark eyes had gone opaque-not even the hints of violet emitted.
“Those words…” Jasper braced against the bar, cradling his head in his hands. “Those words couldn’t have been more false. I’ll apologize now for ever putting them in your minds.”
“How would you feel about the island being destroyed now?” Kraven asked. “After all, innocent lives are still being sacrificed- not by death but then death takes many forms. It travels at many speeds, doesn’t it?”
“I would see it destroyed.” Jasper looked up then, his expression less woeful and more ruthless. “I’ve strategized to no end on how to make that happen so that only the facility is left in ruin, never the inhabitants,” he shook his head and tossed back the scotch.
“Getting on the island would be easy,” he said. “Planting the devices to get the job done- easy too. But getting out of there with those kids and remaining unseen...I haven’t figured a way.”
“Maybe the way, isn’t to remain unseen,” Hill said.
Curiosity warmed Jasper’s eyes. “You have a plan?”
“We may,” Kraven said.
Slowly, Jasper rounded the bar to head back to where the group sat around a squat pine coffee table.
“Cap?” Fernando eyed the
scotch left on the bar top. “Bring the bottle.”
***
Hill found his younger brothers half an hour after his conversation with Jasper Stone. Pike, Caiphus and Smoak were relaxing on the patio where Hill had talked and laughed with Quest, Quay and their wives hours earlier.
Caiphus nudged his brothers when he caught sight of Hill. Soon, everyone had turned, uncertainty and expectation etched in equal amounts on their faces.
“So? How’d it go?” Pike was first to ask as Hill approached.
“Well as can be expected.” Hill shrugged.
