“Assuming your father sides with us, we then control the majority vote, but it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that we will be united in standing against Carter’s plan.” I pop a piece of bacon in my mouth and chew while I let my words sink in. “Who will hold us accountable if we just kill him? We can frame it in such a way that the public doesn’t know. Only we would. It’s not like we’re going to punish ourselves for breaking the rules, right?”
“I’m down to kill him.” Ares cracks his knuckles. “I volunteer as tribute.” He flashes me a wicked grin as he licks his lips in anticipation.
It shouldn’t turn me on, but it does.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean his plan will die with him.” Jase pushes his empty plate away as he attempts to refocus the conversation.
“Of course not. He’s amassed loyal followers. Many who will continue his plans in his absence, but this way, we buy ourselves some time,” I explain. “We will gather evidence of his abuse of power, and maybe we stage his murder as a suicide?” I shrug, thinking off-the-cuff.
Suicide is a big sin in the Luminary world because these people lack basic empathy. They fail to see how the things they do through their manipulation drives despair and despondency and exacerbates the situation. From what I’ve seen, Luminary policy and behavior causes a lot of the problems society faces. The world would be better off without them and their antiquated ideals.
Carter dying by reason of suicide would be irony at its finest and the ultimate humiliation to Carter’s legacy. I’m liking it even more as it plays out in my mind. “We go public with that, and it will stall even his staunchest supporters, at least temporarily. Then we weed out those supporters and clean the ranks.”
“We can even implement changes,” Bree says, her eyes lighting up.
I admire my friend’s optimism and philanthropic goals, but I’d rather just eradicate the entire structure. However, it’s not an achievable goal. I’m not naïve enough to believe it is, so perhaps Bree’s way is the way to go. Work to change the organization for the better from the inside out.
“We can show we are progressive and fair while still adhering to our core values and traditions,” Bree continues, her voice and face getting more animated. “We can show there is a new, better way and transfer some of that allegiance to us.”
“The zealots will never be swayed,” Jase says. “But it’s time they were tackled anyway. The board has been remiss letting that go unchecked.”
“We’re forgetting something,” Ares says, finishing the last of his breakfast. “What about his heir? It’s Knight, right? What if he’s in on this with his father? What if we chop off one head only for another one to immediately grow? He could continue his father’s plans and then we’re back to square one.”
I shake my head. “Not fully. We won’t approve Rhett’s plan, so Knight will have no authority to put his father’s plan in motion.”
“He could still plot to overthrow us all, but it wouldn’t happen overnight.” Bree hops down off her stool to grab the coffee pot. “It would give us time to clean house.”
“I’m not so sure Knight would side with his father anyway,” Jase adds, holding out his mug for a refill.
“How do we test that theory without risking ourselves?” I ask.
Jase purses his lips as he thinks about it. “I’m not sure. Let’s add it to our list.”
“We can’t take him out until I know what he knows about my sister,” Ares says, jerking his head at my plate and urging me to eat.
I scoop up a forkful of semi-warm eggs and shove them in my mouth.
“I have spent over two years trying to find out what happened to her. He knows where she is.” His voice cracks as he looks down at his lap for a few seconds. The torment in his eyes guts me when he lifts his chin and stares at me. “He had a video of her on his phone.” Emotion glistens in his eyes. “I never let myself believe she was dead, but it was hard to cling to hope when I kept meeting dead ends. Even Mom had given up.”
The air is charged with tension, and his pain is palpable. Yet I see the hope lingering at the back of his eyes, and I hear it in his desperate tone.
“We can’t kill him until I get Lilianna back.”
“Of course,” Jase says with sincerity. “Rescuing Chad and Lilianna takes priority, but timing is of the essence. We can’t let too much time pass, because if Carter elevates a fifth family and the new structure is made public, it means we are accountable if we take him out, and we might not have the support we hope for.”
“If we have to die for the greater good, I’m okay with that,” Bree says, way too calmly.
“I’m not.” Ares glares at her.
“Neither am I. I’ll be no martyr, thank you very much.” I agree with my stepbrother.
“No way am I fucking sacrificing myself because a bunch of deranged lunatics think they are gods,” Ares adds in a scathing tone. “I’ll kill every fucking one of them before I’ll let that happen.”
“We’re not going down at the hands of that bastard,” Jase agrees as the front doorbell chimes. He arches a brow. “Expecting company?” he asks as Ares grabs his tablet from the counter behind him.
I slide off the stool to go answer it.
“Wait a sec,” Ares says. “Let me check the outside camera.”
