Slade shrugged.
"I can plant footage and transactions all across the States, so everyone thinks he's still alive but in hiding."
"You can do that?" I asked.
"Sure can," Slade winked and a shiver ran down my spine.
I had no idea what else he was capable of, but what I'd seen him do already scared the crap out of me.
"Good thing you're on our side," I said and gave him a sideways glance as the others approached.
Parker, Joey, Autumn, Donovan and Wyatt formed a circle around us and for a moment I forgot what had happened over the past five years. For a moment, it felt like I was back at SEAL Team 13, back with the Silver Squadron—or Silver Legends as we'd been nicknamed—and I was among family.
But then Wyatt had to go and open his mouth and I groaned—internally.
"Dare? How are you feeling?"
The poison formed in my mouth before I could control it but thankfully I cast a glance at Autumn and stopped myself from snapping at him.
"Sore, but good," I answered.
Wyatt nodded and bit his lip, digging his hands into his pockets.
"Good. Good," he said.
I studied his posture for a moment. He hadn't changed one bit. He was still the same insecure man he was when I met him. The one who could only truly open up in the privacy of his own home and even then I knew he wasn't being fully himself. Which made no sense, still, all these years later. He hadn't grown up with homophobic parents like me, or in a religious home. Even then, I'd managed to get over any hang-ups. Why couldn't he? What was stopping him from embracing himself?
I'd probably never find out but it would always make me sad for him, even if I hated what he'd done to me. To us.
The microphone screeched and I cast Wyatt and his problems out of my mind. It was for the best, anyway. I didn't need to make myself upset by reliving my past worries and concerns.
"Hello, everyone," said a woman in red lipstick and a matching pantsuit behind the podium.
Everyone on Main Street turned their attention to the stage that had been set up in front of Town Hall and cheered.
I'd never seen Main Street so crowded, but then again it wasn't every day Mayberry had a new mayor. It was quite admirable to see the people of this island come together to welcome the new leadership, especially after how awful the last mayor turned out to be. His misuse of public funding had been all over local news for months on end. I was sure Wilson and his campaign team might have had something to do with that, not that it wasn’t warranted.
"Welcome to a bright new day in Mayberry Holm." More cheers. "I think we can all agree this election was well overdue and you've all made your voices heard. It was loud and clear. You want a change. Someone who cares. Someone who wants to make a difference. Someone who will lead us back to greatness with honesty and integrity."
The crowd had already erupted in cheers and applause, but the city council member continued.
"We couldn't be happier with the results and what that means for our small but glorious island. Without further ado, let me introduce you to our new mayor, The Honorable Jake Wilson."
The man of the hour walked out on stage to a flurry of music and enthusiasm from everyone, including my teammates and friends.
He took his time to raise his hand and greet the audience with the most infectious smile and even stood opposite the council member and bowed to her full of gratitude and respect. I couldn’t blame everyone for their excitement. Wilson was a wealthy but charitable man. He might not be from Mayberry Holm, but he'd given back to the island ten-fold. He helped new businesses, donated to all the good causes and even volunteered at Duke's animal sanctuary. The man was a saint. And he was now the mayor of this wonderful place.
"Thank you, thank you everyone! I'm so honored to be here standing before you knowing we won! Not me, not us. We. The whole island. We won."
Autumn hooted and Donovan laughed. Everyone else applauded and continued to do so as Wilson continued his first mayoral speech.
"I promised you a new age for Mayberry Holm and I wasn't lying. We're going to make this island the glorious destination it once was. We'll rebuild everything we have lost because of Edwards' mismanagement and dishonesty."
A furor of boos made the energy around me tremble and I got goosebumps all over my arms and down my neck.
"We're going to bring back rent control so the people of Mayberry can afford their own homes again. We will invest in public transport. Reinvest back into the island so we can be the go-to tourist destination this side of the coast. And most of all, I will bring down the crime that flourished during Edwards' run."
I flinched. Wyatt did too and we all looked at each other.
