The Brotherhood - 14. Chapter 14

 

The Brotherhood

Chapter XIV

By X

 

 

The house never felt so still. We pledges never felt so free.

With the house emptied, there was no one to tell us what to do. Sure we still had Dylan, but he was left with no explicit instructions on what to do with us. Granted, he was a Brother. That meant he could’ve told us to do anything he wanted. But his focus was not on us that night. He was all over the place. One minute he was sitting down staring into nowhere, bouncing his right leg, and the next, he was pacing the room, glancing out the window every minute or so, only to sit back down again.

I’d never seen a Brother so anxious before, so much so that he made the rest of us nervous, but we did our best to pass the time. Steve, Paul, and some other guys sat around watching music videos on TV. Jason and Justin kept themselves busy with a very fancy chess table on the opposite end of the room. Mike and some of the others simply disappeared. I have no idea where they went. Ant, Arsen, and CJ had other ideas.

“Hey Jay,” Arsen motioned for me to come to him, “we’re going to give ourselves a tour of the place. Come with us.”

I shook my head, remembering the nightmare from the last time we decided to look around. “No thanks, you guys go on without me.”

“Dude, come on! What else is there to do?”

“I’m not stopping you, CJ. Go ahead.”

“Are you sure?” Ant asked, the look of disappointment shadowing his face suddenly.

“Positive,” I assured him with a smile. “Just do me a favor and keep an eye on him.”

Ant and Arsen laughed while CJ looked around, confused.

“Who are you talking about?”

I gestured for CJ to come over to me with a jerk of my head and put my arm around his shoulder. “Arsen,” I whispered, “you know how he’s always getting into trouble and doing things he’s not supposed to.” I looked past CJ at Arsen and winked. “Just keep an eye on him for me, and don’t let him touch anything or try to break into locked rooms.”

“Dude, no worries, I got this,” he whispered back and patted my stomach.

“Nice! I’m filled with confidence knowing you’re on top of things.”

He walked away to rejoin the others. I smirked and shrugged at Arsen. CJ almost caught me laughing when he looked over his shoulder, but I recovered nicely by giving him two thumbs up. He returned the gesture in kind.

I turned around, and Dylan was standing by the window again. He never even noticed me approaching him. Two or three minutes passed before he realized I was standing beside him, staring out into the night. He didn’t say anything, but his reflection in the glass betrayed him.

We stood there for a while without saying a word. I didn’t mind it at all, for the view was stunning. The moon was big and full, hanging low over the tips of the distant trees, casting its glow on everything it touched. Even Dylan’s eyes appeared to be on fire as they absorbed the pale moonlight.

“I suppose asking you what’s happening around here would do me little good, huh?”

The smile appearing on his face was evident in his reflection as he turned slightly to meet my eyes on the glass. “And yet you managed to ask me anyway.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong, but it’s just not a good feeling when the guys that don’t flinch…flinch.”

“I like you, Jacob,” Dylan stated matter-of-factly. “You remind me a lot of myself when I was in your shoes.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” he smiled again, his eyes flickering in the pale light. He was quiet for a moment before whispering, “Things are about to get a lot more complicated….” His words trailed off, and I knew I had lost him. His body was standing next to me, but his mind was entirely elsewhere. After standing there for a few minutes, I slowly backed away from him and walked into the next room, stopping only for a moment to consider his last words. Words that left a chill in me I couldn’t shake.

With very little to do, I decided Arsen, Ant, and CJ had the right idea and took a stroll around the house. Despite my overwhelming need to be alone, I figured I’d run into the guys sooner or later. It was one house. It was inevitable. So I took the first door on the right, expecting my alone time to end quickly.

I never saw them in the halls that night.

It amazed me how many halls I walked and the stairs I climbed. Yet around every corner, I saw something new. It was bizarre to the point where I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. For instance, I climbed a flight of stairs to the third floor, where there was a fantastic picture of two white Bengal Tigers. I remember it so well because I stopped at the top of the stairs to admire the view. It was a cute picture of the two cats leaning lazily against each other in front of a waterfall. I love all the big cats – lions, tigers, cheetahs; it doesn’t matter - I love them all. No one can argue the beauty and majesty of the big cats and the mysteries they hold in their eyes.

There was also a marble table right beneath the picture with a black vase bursting with White Dendrobium Orchids centered in the middle. I happen to know about flowers because it’s my mother’s passion. I spent hours helping her in the flower garden growing up. I’m sure you’re asking yourself what this has to do with anything. Well, I’m getting to that.

After leaning in to take in the aroma of the orchids, I went down this long-ass hallway to my right. There was nothing special about it. It was just another hallway decorated with a splattering of paintings, chairs, tables, potted plants, and such. I tried a few doors as I walked by, except for some of the closets and bathrooms; they were all locked. I took a few more turns here and there, went down a couple of stairs, and then back up until I finally found myself climbing the same set of stairs. The same picture, table, and orchids were in front of me.

Not a big deal, except this time, I decided to explore the left corridor.

I don’t know what compelled me to look over my shoulder, but I did. The long hallway to the right of the stairs was no longer there. It was a much smaller corridor ending with a window overlooking the pool.

I walked over to the opened window and stood there completely dumbfounded. “What the fuck?” I mumbled and looked around for an explanation. Could I have been in a different part of the house with the same picture and flowers? The place is designed like a labyrinth of corridors and rooms, so I wouldn’t put it passed the Brothers to pull something like this just to fuck with people’s heads.

I’m one of the people that simply can’t let shit like this go, so my brilliant plan was to retrace my steps to see where that got me. I ran down the same stairs, took all the same turns, and went up and down the same stairs again, and sure enough, I ended up running down a long ass hallway that put me in front of the same picture of two white tigers and a vase full of orchids.

I thought it was brilliant! Leave it to the Brothers to devise another way to mess with your head. I couldn’t help but laugh. I was going to continue my exploration of the house when a thought crossed my mind.

“No way,” I laughed, slipping my fingers thru my damp hair. The idea that these halls rearranged themselves at will crossed my mind for a split second.

Again, not being able to let it go, I decided to pluck a single pedal from one of the orchids and place it next to the vase. “This is fucking crazy,” I told myself. I’m sure you can see where I was going with this. That’s right, I ran down the same long hallway and repeated all the motions. Nearly five minutes later, I was climbing the same set of stairs to the third floor. It felt like ten minutes to take each step; I was moving slowly. The whole time I kept looking to my right to see if I would get to the long or short corridor. Honestly, I wasn’t shocked to see the latter.

I stood in front of the table, staring at the picture and tapping my nails on the hardwood. I had yet to look down to see if the pedal was there. I honestly couldn’t tell you what I was expecting or why I was so afraid to look down. I started to argue and yell at myself in my head.

You’re being foolish! Just look down already! What are you so afraid of?

“This is retarded,” I finally said aloud and looked down quickly. “My god! I’m such an idiot.” There was no pedal on the table, just the reflection of a guy who felt like a complete jackass. My only hope was that there weren’t any hidden cameras in the area because I would never live this down.

A strong hand slapped my shoulder, and I nearly jumped out of my fucking shoes! I yelled something and turned around, swinging out of instinct. My right arm was blocked, and the throat grabbed me firmly. In that instant, we looked into each other’s eyes and backed away.

“Jacob, I’m sorry! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, no worries,” I insisted. “Sorry for taking a swing at you. It was just a reaction.”

Dylan laughed. “Yeah, same here. I see a punch coming at me, and I enter combat mode. I didn’t mean to scare you. I should’ve cleared my throat as I approached or something.”

“No, it’s cool,” I kept insisting as I rubbed my neck. “Nice death grip you got there.”

He smiled and rubbed his forearm. “That right of yours is nothing to laugh at either.” He took a quick look around. “What are you doing up here?”

“Sorry, I just had a look around.”

“It’s cool, but you shouldn’t be roaming around. Come on, let’s head downstairs.” With a warm smile, he nodded towards the stairs and moved out of the way to let me go first. “I get that you guys are bored, so I don’t mind if you want to look around, but all I ask is you stay clear of this area.”

I nodded and looked over my shoulder at Dylan. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to cause any problems.”

“No problems at all.”

I returned his smile, but my eyes shifted past him. There clear as day on the floor, was a single white pedal – the light breeze from the open window blew it underneath the table.

Dylan didn’t say much. At the bottom of the stairs, he reiterated that I was to stay clear of that part of the house, then walked off. Admittedly I was a bit surprised. I was sure he would take me back to the rest of the pledges, but instead, he allowed me to continue my roaming. Common sense took priority over temptation, and I avoided that section of the house like I was told – I’d be lying if I said it was easy.

I was also surprised I had yet to run into Arsen and the other guys. It’s a big house, but damn, I was sure I’d be bumping into them by now. I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of trouble they were getting themselves into. At the very least, CJ must’ve broken something by now or set something on fire.

I walked down a familiar hallway but couldn’t place why it seemed so familiar until I took a turn and saw my reflection staring back at me from the larger-than-life mirror. “Interesting,” I mumbled as I walked up to the mirror, touching it as soon as I was within reach. I’m not quite sure what I was expecting to happen, but needless to say, it was just cold hard glass.

As I've mentioned before, I hated mirrors. I hated them with a passion! While growing up, I remember my parents replacing eight or ten bathroom mirrors. I’d look into the mirror, into the eyes of a stranger staring back at me, knowing he held the secrets of my past, yet he refused to give them up. I hated him for it. I hated him so much that in a blind rage, I’d punch out the mirror. We went thru a lot of bandages as well.

There I was again, staring at that same stranger. The eyes, the face, and the hair all looked like me but didn’t quite feel like me.

Leaning forward, I tapped my forehead against the glass several times and let it rest for a moment.

Why won’t you tell me who you are?

I closed my eyes and tried to force myself to remember. But as always, my brain defaulted to that first memory of waking up in the forest. The yelling, the rain, the spinning tires…

Everything from that night is so vivid in my mind.

Everything from before that night is locked behind a door.

I could only hope one day I’d finally find the key.

My eyes shot open as I felt ten powerful fingers wrap around my throat. A dark shadow fell over the stranger in the mirror. His face twisted in anger. His eyes fell deadly hollow.

“Remember!” The reflection hissed thru clenched teeth.

I gasped and stumbled backward, clutching my throat. It took a few minutes for the disorientation and shock to pass. Had I been daydreaming? In the end, it made no difference. My body was shaking; my spine felt tingly, my legs weak, and my heart pounded in my ear. It hurt to breathe. No matter how much air I took in, I couldn’t get enough. I fell to my knees and gasped as if all the air in the room had vanished. I couldn’t breathe! Falling forward, I slammed the side of my face against the hardwood floor. I remember my nails scrapping the cherry wood as I struggled for one…last…breath…

Then everything went dark.

I woke up in Q’s bed. My eyes popped open as if someone snapped their fingers and commanded me to wake up. I couldn’t begin to guess how long I was out or how the hell I got there. I wasn’t covered up or anything. And thankfully, I still had all my clothes on. I sat up and took a moment to pull myself together before getting up on my feet.

“Shit,” I said and sat right back down. I was spinning out of control, or the room was… Regardless of who was at fault, I had to take a minute to recover. This wasn’t the first time I had one of those “episodes,” mind you. The doctors call them anxiety attacks, but I think of them as someone’s cruel way of keeping me from myself. Thankfully it’s only happened a handful of times, but when they do, I always wake up with the nagging feeling I was just about to remember a little bit of myself. Like the name that hangs on the tip of your tongue that you’ve been trying to remember all day. It’s incredibly annoying.

After a few minutes, I felt better and walked around the empty room. I expected to see someone sitting at Q’s desk waiting for me to wake up, but I was alone. Who the hell carried me into the room? Or did anyone take me? For all I know, I walked here and didn’t even remember it. I hoped that wasn’t the case. I had enough issues going on. I didn’t need to add sleepwalking to the list.

I went into the bathroom to splash cold water on my face and to get a drink. Instead of splashing my face, I stuck my head under the faucet. That felt so good. I stayed there for five minutes, letting the water wash over me. I grabbed a towel and wrapped my head in it so the water wouldn’t drop on my clothes or the floor. As I dried my hair, I opened my eyes and caught a glimpse of my reflection thru the towel. It creeped me the fuck out. I had to look away.

There was a door I hadn’t noticed before. I looked over my shoulder at the main entrance and then back again. Granted, I don’t spend tons of time in Q’s bathroom, but I could’ve sworn that door wasn’t there before. Whatever…

I didn’t see the harm in opening it, and to be honest, I was half expecting it to be locked anyway, but to my surprise, it wasn’t. I stepped into a relatively large office. I assumed it was Q’s office since it was attached to his bathroom. The glass desk was identical to the one in his room, and the computer setup was pretty much the same. Except the monitor was at least a twenty-eight-inch widescreen. There were books galore - some were newer, but for the most part, they were old leather-bound books. Some were so old that I thought they would disintegrate into dust if I touched them. I stayed away from those.

Q’s desk had several open books and old withered scrolls. I knew right off the bat some of them were from Ancient Egypt; the drawings and hieroglyphs gave it away. I’m no history buff, but I have been known to stop on the history channel occasionally. I enjoyed learning about that stuff. I was fascinated by the pharaohs, pyramids, ancient old gods, their belief systems, and mythologies.

One of the books was opened up to a page with a picture of what I assumed was a Pharaoh sitting on a throne, holding a sphere in his hand for all to see; the more miniature figures below him bowed in reverence. Unfortunately, I don’t read ancient hieroglyphics, so they were nothing more than pretty pictures to me. I did notice a smaller book wedged underneath the big one. It was new, like it had just been purchased and opened to the same picture. Lucky for me, this one was in English!

The picture depicted Ramses II, a Pharaoh who ruled during the 19^th dynasty, holding in his hand what his people believed was the divine eye of Ra. Amon Ra was the sun god and king of all the Egyptian gods for the history impaired. The caption below the picture said Ramses would bring out the sphere during religious ceremonies where his people gathered by the thousands to witness the power of the eye. It would glow brightly as if a sun drop had fallen from the heavens. The people believed it was Ra bestowing his blessing on his children and his lands.

The more I shifted thru the books and documents on the table, the more I realized this orb went beyond Egyptian culture and mythologies. I found several books on ancient Roman and Greek mythology and even some references to the God Odin and his son Thor from Norse mythology. There were only a few books written in English; the rest I couldn’t understand. But as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and the common theme in all the photos was the glowing orb. Almost all the major Gods of old were depicted with this strange sphere in one way or another.

Unfortunately, as fascinated as I was, I couldn’t begin to pretend to make sense of any of it, let alone formalize a theory as to why Q was so interested. Maybe he was just a hardcore history buff. But something in my gut told me there was more to it than a passing fascination with ancient cultures.

I was moving things around, trying to put things back as they were, when I accidentally bumped the mouse, bringing the monitor alive. Initially, I thought the computer was off, but it turned out to be on and very busy running some search algorithm. According to the page count on the upper right-hand corner of the screen, over two hundred million pages of text and pictures have been searched so far. It looked like the program was designed to search for specific words or references, and when it found what it was looking for, it pulled it into an index column in the form of a link; at least that’s what I could tell by staring at the screen for a few minutes. My theory made perfect sense considering the amount of information it was going through. That’s what I would do if I were looking for a needle in a haystack, and from what I could tell, that needle came in the form of a strange orb.

Since I couldn’t make sense of it, I figured it was time to go. I did my best to leave everything the way I found it and headed out. I almost made the mistake of leaving the office from the main entrance, not the bathroom from where I came. With my luck, Dylan would be walking by Q’s office just as I walked out, and that’s the last thing I needed.

I was walking thru the bathroom and about to head into Q’s bedroom when I was struck with this crazy – not to mention risky – idea. I realized if I were ever going to get any answers, I would need some ammo – something that could not be denied or explained away. I had the perfect thing in mind.

Ten minutes later, I was back in my room rummaging thru my dresser when I heard what sounded like a stampede outside my bedroom door. Naturally, I was curious to know where the fire was, so I ran out only to catch a glimpse of a body rushing down the stairs.

“CJ!” I yelled out even though I wasn’t sure it was him. I ran to the stairs, and sure enough, I was right. I’m pretty sure I scared the crap out of him when I called out his name because he almost busted his ass going downstairs. “What’s the fucking rush? Where’s everyone running off to?”

“Dude!” he looked up at me as if I was supposed to know what was happening. “The Brothers are back!”

“What?”

“Yeah! All the fucking brothers are back!”

Before he even finished the sentence, I was bolting down past him to the main entrance. I heard CJ yell something about waiting up for him, but I wasn’t paying attention at that point. Several of us stopped at the top of the stairs and looked down at the closed door waiting for it to burst with an influx of brothers. CJ caught up to me and whacked me in the back. He didn’t say anything, but I was sure it was for leaving him behind.

Arsen and Ant were with us. We shared a glance, then returned our attention to the door. Honestly, I don’t know what we expected to happen, but we were feeling high anxiety. You’d think our favorite celebrities were about to come strolling into the house any minute. I was fucking gripping the railing like I was hanging on for dear life, and I had no idea why. Some of the other pledges were down by the foot of stairs, looking at us as if we knew what was about to happen.

Dylan came into the room and stood just off the side of the door. He looked at the pledges by the stairs and then up at us. For a minute, I thought he would tell us to go back to our rooms but instead looked directly at me. He held my gaze for a moment, then kind of cracked a smile before returning his gaze to the door just as it flew open.

The brothers poured in like a band of marching soldiers – my heart pounded at seeing them all. Most of the brothers walked in shirtless with a look of unyielding determination. The pledges moved aside as they climbed the stairs without glancing in our direction.

And then we saw him. A young kid, no older than fifteen, I’d guess, was escorted in by a group of brothers that surrounded him as if he were the President of the United States and they were his secret service agents. He was covered in a white blanket and unceremoniously rushed up the stairs. He looked disorientated, his eyes wondering as if he hadn’t a clue about what was happening around him. I glanced at his face for a second, and it was an amazing face - flawlessly pale with a set of burning sapphires shrouded behind flowing strands of dusky black hair.

Only one other person gave you that feeling of awe when he walked into a room – more so because his presence takes control of any situation without having to utter a single word. As those thoughts went through my mind, a shirtless Q walked into the house and immediately caught sight of Dylan. Q said something to him I couldn’t make out and then followed the rest of the brothers up the stairs. A second later, Dylan ordered the pledges to return to their rooms.

Of course, we obeyed, but we had a hell of a time trying to weave and squeeze through all the brothers standing everywhere. The crowded situation presented me with an opportunity I wasn’t about to miss. I hung back for a minute, watching Q walk up the stairs. I timed it, so Q was almost at the top when I had to walk by the stairs to my room. Another Brother was standing by the stairs, so I politely excused myself as I squeezed behind him to get thru just in time to have Q reach the top and press right up against me.

He placed his hands casually on my waist, and I put mine on his arms. To anyone noticing, it just looked like two guys helping each other get through, so the other one didn’t trip or fall, but to us, there was a lot more feeling behind it. I felt his warmth on me, the beat of his heart against my chest, the gaze of his eyes deep in my soul. Our lips were just whiskers away from touching as I tried to maneuver thru the maze of bodies. And as I finally moved passed him, our fingers locked for mere seconds before I had to let him go and continue walking away. I have no idea how often I replayed that moment in my head that night.

By the time I got to my room, Arsen was already stripping down to his boxers. I caught myself pausing for a second to admire the view. Had someone told me a month ago I’d be checking out another guy because I thought he was hot, I would’ve called bullshit. It seems life is not without its sense of humor.

I laughed.

“What’s funny?’ Arsen asked, smiling back at me.

I dismissed his question with a hand gesture. “Nothing at all.” I doubt I was very convincing since I was still giggling under my shirt as I pulled it off.

Arsen took advantage of the situation and grabbed me while my shirt was over my head, then threw me on the bed. “You, my friend, are breaking the number one rule between roomies!”

“Oh, what would…ugh….” I broke off as he straddled my lap, winding me. “Shit, there goes any chance of ever having kids again,” I groaned.

Now he was the one laughing. Probably at my comment or the fact that I was still struggling to get my shirt off my head. You’d think this was the first time I had ever worn a shirt before.

“And what rule would that be?” I gave one last tug and was freed from my cloth prison. “Finally!”

“No secrets amongst roomies!”

“There are no secrets!” I threw my shirt in his face. “I just thought of something CJ said in the hallway.” I lied for obvious reasons. I wasn’t about to confess to my roommate that I was checking him out in his sweet boxers.

“CJ,” he chuckled, “Say no more!” He rolled off and sat beside me. “You have to wonder about that kid some time.”

“Exactly!”

“God love him, though.”

“Exactly!”

Arsen stood up, offered me his hand, and pulled me off the bed. “Crazy night, huh?” He watched as I undressed, but not with the same interest I had looking at him - at least, I don't think so.

“That’s one way to put it, I guess. I wonder what’s the deal with that kid he brought back with him.”

“He? He who?”

“I meant them, the Brothers, you know what I mean.”

Arsen shrugged. “No clue.”

“I was talking about the Brothers bringing back….”

“I know what you meant,” he interrupted and slapped my chest. “I was saying I have no clue what that kid’s story was about.”

“Don’t you think it was weird how the Brothers hovered around him like he was made of solid gold or something?”

Arsen nodded and then snapped his fingers. “And what was with all those Brothers coming back shirtless? Did you notice that?”

“I did! Fucking weird, I know!”

“Do you think they’ll fill us in?”

I looked at him like he was crazy. “What do you think?”

“Yeah, stupid question,” he snickered.

“Do you think he is the ‘Prince?’ You know, when he said the prince woke up or something, right before they all ran out?”

“I remember,” Arsen nodded. “Prince of what, though? And what did he wake up from?” His questions lingered in the air like the curled smoke from a burning cigar and ultimately went unanswered. We could only hope to one day have answers to such questions and be the ones to mystify and intrigue.

“You know what else is weird?” I asked. “Have you guys noticed that all the fire damage on the house is gone? The house looks like it was built yesterday?”

“Um, they got it fixed?” Arsen answered quizzically as if I was an idiot for not figuring out this obvious answer.

“Well, obviously,” I rolled my eyes. “But how long has it been? Just a few days? You’d think work like that would take longer. By the time we got back from the other house, it was fixed. I never saw anyone working on the house. Did you?”

“I don’t know, Jay,” Arsen shrugged. “Maybe they hired excellent contractors. I don’t know what to tell you.”

None of it made any sense to me, but it was clear Arsen wasn’t interested in the stop, so I dropped it.

We exchanged a few more words as we settled into bed, and before long, we drifted to sleep. My dreams revolved around Q, the look on his face as he walked into the house, the moment at the top of the stairs - my god, I can’t count how many times I relived that moment. Those few seconds were enough to ignite my senses, raise every hair in my body, and send a chill down my spine. I returned to the same mind-blowing thought – that all these emotions resulted from one man.

On her best day, Alex couldn’t hope to make me feel the way Q did, and I couldn’t remember a time when I lay in bed thinking of her as I did about Q. One thing was for sure. I knew I had to handle the Alex situation sooner than later. Admittedly, that wasn’t something I was looking forward to, and honestly, I had no idea how to take it. Breaking up with Alex would be like telling Satan he had to do community service – it just wouldn’t fly.

I don’t know if I was asleep for hours or just fifteen minutes, but at some point, I woke up because I had to take a major leak. As usual, I had to do my little dance and twirl to untangle myself from Arsen, who was fast asleep.

I did my business and headed back to my room. I don’t know if I was overly tired, but the halls appeared darker than they were moments before. It was probably me since I was walking around in a haze the whole time. I turned a corner and banged my foot on the leg of a table – it fucking hurt! I hissed and clutched my foot in my hands while I hopped around on one foot, looking like a damn fool.

There I was, looking all hot and sexy as one might expect when one’s doing the bunny dance on one foot, in his underwear,r while cursing. I hopped around the corner to my room, where he was leaning against the fence. I don’t know where the light was coming from, but it shone over his eyes, lips, and across his bare chest. The way his sweats sagged low on his hips, revealing the band of his underwear, made my cock begin to swell.

Q looked heavenly.

He didn’t say a word. He just looked at me with those crystal clear, penetrating eyes I fell head over heels for, and every time I looked into them, it was like falling in love all over again. I loved feeling the way Q made me feel. My only regret was not crossing paths with him years ago. Unlike the years I wasted with Alexandra, I could only imagine how fulfilling and genuine our relationship might have been.

Keep in mind the whole time these things are going thru my mind; I’m still standing there with my foot in my hands. I wasn’t in pain but frozen in Q’s gaze. It wasn’t until he slowly pushed himself off the railing and came towards me that I was finally able to break free from his gaze and stand up straight. I think he found seeing me amusing because of the smirk dancing on his lips. Admittedly, it was hard to see as he walked in and out of the shadows, but I’m almost positive it was there.

I pressed my fingers against his stomach as he approached me; his hands found their way to my hips as if taking their rightful place. We pushed our foreheads together and gazed into each other’s eyes, and I swear to god, nothing in my life felt more right. We had yet to say a single word to each other, yet I thought he had already spoken volumes. I could only hope that he was picking up the same vibe from me as I was picking up from him. Suddenly I was compelled to say something to Q, maybe because it was so important to me that he knew how I felt, and I didn’t want to chance him not picking it up with my body language.

Before I could utter a single syllable, Q smiled and placed his finger over my lips. I think in his way, he was telling me he knew exactly what I was trying to say. Q slipped his hand over the left side of my face and traced his thumb around my lips – his touch felt amazing. Pushing his hand further behind my neck, Q gently pulled me towards him until our lips finally met. All I can say is the moment was electric!

I pulled Q close to me - I needed to feel the warmth of his body wash over me, to cover me like a blanket on a cold winter’s night, and like always, I was lost in his embrace. The whole thing was overly exciting. I mean, there I was, standing in the middle of the commons area, making out with Q, the head of our house and Kyrios’ right-hand man, and at any moment, one of my fellow pledges could’ve walked out of their room and caught us red-handed. The danger of it all was intoxicating.

I have no idea how long we kissed. I know I didn’t want it to end, that’s for sure. But as the saying goes, all good things…, right? Q pulled away from me, and I’m sure I felt his reluctance. He smiled, hooked a finger on the waistband of my underwear, and pulled on it until it finally snapped back against my stomach. I had a fucking raging hard-on, and I’m sure this was his way of toying with me. Q walked away from me, but I held on to his hand so that I could stop him. I shook my head no. I didn’t want him to leave. I didn’t want the moment to end.

Q’s hand was slipping from mine until only our fingers were hooked. He gave me that last loving stare telling me he had to go, but I was stubborn and grabbed him with my other hand and yanked him towards me. Our bodies crashed, and I kissed Q passionately, and my hands were all over him. It was nice to know I wasn’t the only one excited, for I felt Q’s hard bulge pressing against mine.

Q was enjoying himself. I felt him smirk against my lips as we kissed, so I started laughing. Suddenly I noticed Q’s body felt warmer than before, and even though my eyes were closed, I could tell the room was getting lighter. I cracked open my eyes and was blinded by a bright light as if someone had a flashlight on us.

I backed away and shielded my eyes with my hand. “Q…” I called out. The light was so vibrant my eyes simply could not adjust. “Q!” I yelled out, and the next thing I knew, I was shooting up like a rocket, arms flailing with my heart pounding in my chest, and within seconds I heard a loud crash. I was in such a haze I couldn’t tell where the noise came from. I didn’t even know where I was, never mind what was happening around me.

“What the hell?” A low voice came from the side of the bed. “How in the hell did I end down here?”

Suddenly I was very aware that I was in my room. And the low, sluggish voice and loud crash I heard came from Arsen as I accidentally pushed him off the bed.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Arsen sat up and looked around the room until finally, his eyes met mine. “What happened?”

I gave him the most innocent look I could muster. “I don’t know,” I shrugged, “it looks like you rolled off the bed. The noise woke me up.”

“Oh, my bad, bro,” he apologized and slapped my shoulder as he stood up. I felt terrible, but I wasn’t about to confess that I had pushed him off the bed. “Shit, I was having a sweet dream too!” He complained, then adjusted his underwear and mumbled something about taking a piss.

Speaking of dreams – was that all I was remembering? Did last night happen? Was I even with Q, or was my desire to be with him so strong I dreamt the whole thing? I hated this fucking feeling of uncertainty. Since I stepped foot in the house, I started having trouble telling my right foot from my left. The most frustrating part was that I couldn’t just waltz over to Q’s room and ask him about it. Honestly, I was falling hard for Q; that wasn’t the issue. I just had so many questions floating around in my head and very few answers to speak of – I was beginning to feel the weight of it, I think.

On the flip side of things, I understood the need for secrecy. I honestly didn’t expect Q to sit down over tea and spill his guts out to me. So, in the end, I was stuck with a bunch of questions I knew I wouldn’t be getting the answers to anytime soon. I guess the hard pill to swallow was being Q’s boyfriend, but at the same time, knowing that in the end, I was merely a pledge whose place was to be kept in the dark.

That’s where we were all kept in the days after the appearance of the “boy prince.” The pledges were pretty much left to their own devices with little direction from the Brothers. We spent most of our time hanging around the house watching TV, playing games, and swimming in the pool.

I spent my time watching a Judge Judy marathon. Not for nothing, but she’s my fucking hero. No one can lay the smack down on idiots better than Judge Judy.

There were moments when the house was buzzing with Brothers and chatter, and other times it seemed like we were the only ones around. Of course, when you leave a bunch of unsupervised pledges together, we start doing some buzzing of our own. Everyone had their ideas and theories as to what was going on. Some of the things the guys were coming up with were so ridiculous I couldn’t help but laugh – not surprisingly, most of the dumb shit was coming from CJ, but that’s why we love him.

Next thing you know, it’s Monday morning, and I’m sitting in class in my TBH robe, bored out of my fucking mind. It was your typical first day of class bullshit – syllabus, reading list, papers we needed to write, and projects we were expected to complete. Physically I was present, but my mind was so far away I might as well have been sitting in Paris. I hadn’t seen Q since the night outside my bedroom if that night even happened, but he was all I could think about. I missed him and to be quite honest I was a little worried. Things in the house just seemed off ever since that kid showed up. I wasn’t the only one who felt it either. Ant and Steve made a few comments that made it clear they shared my concerns.

After our second class, Ant, Steve, and I decided to use the hour we had before our next class to hang out at the Arcade. Officially it’s called the Marie Murphy Recreation Center, but everyone simply calls it the Arcade. We were hanging around, about to get a game of darts going with a few other guys when someone suddenly came up behind me and slapped my ass hard. It fucking stung like a bitch! Considering I was only wearing my boxer briefs underneath the robe, I might as well have been slapped on my bare ass.

I didn’t have to turn around to know who it was; the laugh was a dead giveaway. “Alex,” I said and watched from the corner of my eye as she walked around in front of me.

“Hey, baby,” she smiled and draped her arms around my neck. This is classic Alex at its finest. This wasn’t about showing me affection; it was about me being a pledge of The Brotherhood and Alex wanting everyone within eyesight to know she was my girl. And, of course, to make the whole thing official, she leaned in to kiss me, but I was quick to turn away.

“I can’t,” I insisted and casually removed her arms from my neck. Technically, I wasn’t lying since we weren’t allowed to have any physical contact with outsiders without the Brother’s permission, but when it came right down to it, I didn’t want to kiss her for obvious reasons.

“Oh, that’s right, the Brothers still have a tight leash around you guys,” she laughed and snaked her hands over my chest - you’d think she was looking for a hidden wire or something. “No loving for you guys until you become Brothers, huh?” She looked at Ant and Steve, then back to me. “Damn, all you guys must be going nuts.”

“We manage,” Steve shrugged.

She looked at him, rolled her eyes, and laughed, “I don’t even want to know what you mean by that. Just make sure you boys keep your hands off my baby.”

I grabbed her hands and looked at my friends, “Hey guys, I’ll catch up with you later. I need to talk to Alex alone for a minute.”

Ant nodded and playfully pushed Steve along. “Take your time, Jacob; we’ll wait for you outside. Come on, Steve, move your ass.”

“Oh, some alone time,” Alex smirked and winked.

“It’s not like that.” I wanted to ensure I said that while Ant and Steve were still within heard shot. I didn’t want them to think I was trying to get my freak on behind their back.

There weren’t that many people around. The Arcade was pretty empty, but I wanted to go somewhere private to talk to Alex. It wasn’t a conversation I was looking forward to, but it was time. I was done dancing around the issue. Unfortunately, realizing that fact didn’t make things any easier and more to the point; I had no idea what I would say.

The private billiard room on the second floor overlooked the main room of the Arcade and was empty – the perfect place to take Alex and have our talk. Of course, the second we got upstairs and I closed the door, she was on me like bees to honey.

“Alex, Alex, Alex,” I said as I did my best to fend her off, “that’s not why I brought you here.”

“Yeah, right,” she laughed and kept trying to get under my robes.

“Alex, I’m serious! I can’t do this.”

“Don’t worry, baby; nobody has to know.”

“That’s not what I mean.” I finally grabbed her hands and gently pushed her towards the pool table. “We need to talk.”

“What’s your deal? Talk about what?” She looked at me closely, like she was sizing me up. “Oh for fucks, don’t tell me you got kicked out of The Brotherhood. Please don’t tell me that!”

I laughed because Alex is always looking out for number one. “Alex, if I was kicked from The Brotherhood, do you think I’d be standing here in their robe?”

“Fine,” she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “What is it then?”

For the longest time, I just looked at Alex. I had a knot in my throat and dragons in the pit of my stomach. I was not ready for this at all. Just looking at her brought back memories, and I’d be lying if I said they were all bad because the truth was we had a lot of fun times together.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” She demanded. “Whatever it is, just say it already.”

“It’s over,” I finally said, amazed that all that build-up led to two simple words.

“What’s over?” Uncrossing her arms, she leaned back against the pool table and looked at me with eyes beginning to boil over. She was annoyed, no doubt about it, more so probably because she wasn’t picking up what I was putting down. “What are you talking about? You’re making no sense, Jacob, and I don’t have time for this.”

“We are over, Alex…we’re done.”

She jerked her head like she was just splashed with freezing water. “What are you talking about? What are you saying? Over? Us over?”

I could only nod to confirm what I thought I had made clear.

She made a few rounds around the pool table without saying anything, her hands firmly on her hips, her face looking angry. “I don’t know what those Brothers have you smoking, but you’re out of your mind if you think you can walk away from this.” She stopped on the opposite side of the pool table and gestured between us. “You don’t end us! You don’t decide when we’re over. We’re not just your run-of-the-mill boyfriend and girlfriend – we’re a power couple, a fucking institution! And you think you can just walk away?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you listening to yourself? I mean, do you hear what’s coming out of your mouth? And you wonder why I want out.”

“Yes, I wonder why.” She threw her hands up and looked at me like I was the idiot who didn’t get it. “All the things we’ve done…all the things we will do. So excuse me if I’m confused about why you want to break it off now. Is there someone else? Did the Brothers hook you up with some whore?”

“You’re making my point for me, Alex. You don’t love me. I mean, maybe, in the beginning, you did, but not anymore. You love what I can do for you and how we look together. And now, with the possibility of dating a Brother, you’re flying high, aren’t you? I wouldn’t be surprised if you had your crown picked out already.”

“Fuck you, Jacob! Fuck you!’

“And you know what? I can’t even hate on you, not really, because I was just like you,” I conceded. “I enjoyed all the attention we got back in high school. Everyone bowed at our feet and kissed our asses, but this isn’t high school anymore, Alex. Our glory days of being a ‘power couple’ are over. It’s time to grow up…it’s time for you to grow up.”

“Oh please!” Alex sneered. “If you think you can just….”

“I don’t have to think anything, Alex,” I interrupted, “it’s a done deal.” I looked her straight in the eyes, so there wasn’t any room for misinterpretation. “We’re done and have nothing more to talk about.”

Alex walked around the pool table and stood just a few feet away from me. I knew what was coming and did not attempt to stop it. I guess it was the least I could do considering the situation.

She slapped the shit of me. “If you think this is over, you’re sadly mistaken,” She assured me thru clenched teeth. She walked away and stopped at the door to get her last two cents in. “You know me, Jacob, probably better than anyone, so you know I’m not kidding when I say that you’re going to regret the day you met me.”

“News flash Alex…that day has come and gone.”

The finger and a slamming door are how we left it, but I knew it was far from over. Alex was right. I did know her, and I knew how vindictive she could get. One thing’s for sure; things were about to get a hell of a lot more interesting.

I stayed in the billiard room for another ten minutes, gathering my thoughts and watching people leave the Arcade. The reality of what just happened was hitting me like a swift kick in the nuts. I ended one bad, poisonous relationship to enter into one with an unforeseeable future. Even if I did become a full-fledged Brother, there was no telling how my relationship with Q would unfold in the eyes of the rest of the Brothers. All I could do was hope for the best.

I headed downstairs to catch up with Ant and Steve, but I stopped in the middle of the Arcade because I was just amazed at how such a popular place was so empty. I knew something felt off, and suddenly my fears were confirmed. All the lights started turning off in sections until only a single lamp on the table I was near remained on.

“She’s a hand full, that one,” a voice came from the darkness.

Much like I recognized Alex’s laugh, I knew who the voice belonged to – my secret tormentor was back. I saw a shadowy silhouette walking toward me. My heart raced in my chest, and I could feel the sweat forming over my brow. Tightening my fist, I stood ready to start swinging. I was done with this fool and, more importantly, being anyone’s toy.

“Relax and have a seat,” the silhouette spoke again and took a seat at the small table. “Whatever delusions of grandeur are going through your mind right now, I suggest you put them aside and listen to what I have to say.”

“I don’t have to listen to a damn thing you have to say. I’m thru playing your games. So, if you’re going to do something to me, then do it. Otherwise, I’m going to the Brothers and telling them everything and letting them deal with you.” Don’t even ask me where all that bravado came from, but it felt good getting that off my chest. I wasn’t kidding either. For some reason or another, I was tangled up in this mess with that freak, and I knew there was only one person who could help me figure it all out.

He didn’t say anything. He merely sat there. I couldn’t make him out, for he was clad in a black hooded robe, and the shadows enveloped him like a cloak. I could see his chin peeking out from under the hood, thanks to the dim light. There was something off about him because this wasn’t his usual M.O. I mean, he asked me to have a seat, for crying out loud! I would’ve expected him to sneak up behind me and physically force me to do what he wanted.

Regardless, I decided that since he wasn’t saying anything, I wouldn’t stand around waiting for him to make the next move and give him that power over me, so I headed for the door.

“Walk out now, and you’ll be ruining Q….”

I stopped cold in my tracks. “And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”

“Have a seat and find out,” he replied, his gloved hand gesturing to the chair next to him.

Reluctantly I complied, for I figured it couldn’t hurt to hear what he had to say.

“I know I’ve been a thorn in your side for a while now,” he snickered. “It was quite enjoyable, to be honest with you, but ultimately it was just my way of keeping myself entertained until I found a more practical use for you.” I'm sure he paused for a moment to add a little dramatic effect to his little speech. “That time is now.”

“What is it you want from me?”

“I need you to do two things for me. If you come thru, I give you my word you’ll never see or hear from me again. You can continue living your little life and pledging The Brotherhood without hindrance from me.”

“And what happens if I don’t?” I recalled our little conversation on the bus, and I had a gut feeling this was the moment he’d make good on his promise.

“Then I’m afraid your relationship with Q goes public, and his position within The Brotherhood will be destroyed.” I was about to say something, but he cut me off. “And please don’t spin words or claim ignorance because I have proof of your involvement with Q, proof that will find its way into the hands of the rest of the Brothers. You’ve heard the stories, so you know exactly what will happen. Luckily for you, you’ll most likely walk away unscathed, but that won’t be the case for your beloved Q. Now how’s that for let’s make a deal?”

Oh my god, I was so angry. I wanted to fly out of my chair and pound that fucker’s face in, but he had me by the balls. Sure he could’ve been lying thru his teeth, and there was no proof, but I couldn’t take that chance. I had to protect Q.

“If I help you, Q stays in the clear?”

“I give you my word.”

“Yeah, and I’m supposed to trust that you’ll keep your word.”

“Do you think you have any other choice, Jacob?”

“Fine. What do you want?”

“It’s simple, really,” he said as he placed a flash drive on the table. “I need you to gain access to Q’s office and upload the program on this drive onto his computer.”

“What is it? A virus? Are you trying to plant a stupid virus on his computer? Is that what this is all about?”

He laughed. “It’s more complicated than that. The Brotherhood’s computer network is the most sophisticated and secure planet. It makes the Pentagon look about as secure as a box of Cracker-Jacks. The program on the flash drive will open up a window for me to get in, but it needs to be done from the inside. That’s where you come in. Once you hook up the drive to the computer, the upload will take about 30 seconds, and you’re done. It doesn’t get any easier than that, my friend.”

“Except you seem to be forgetting the part where I have to get into his office. Can’t I just stroll right in and upload this thing? What are you, crazy?”

“Don’t be a jackass,” he hissed, “You’ve already been in his office once, and you’ve seen the files I need on his computer, so don’t play stupid with me.”

I was completely dumbfounded.

“Don’t ask me how I know; I just do.” He placed a second device about the size of a dime on the table. “As I understand, a special guest arrived at your house a few days ago. That kind of shakes things up, and I need to stay up on current events. This is a micro transmitter that will stick to any surface. All I need you to do is place it anywhere in Q’s bedroom and press the button in the center to activate it.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “I’m sorry, you must have me confused with 007.

Are you fucking kidding me with this shit? I mean, seriously? Are you for real?”

“As real as it gets,” he answered. I couldn’t see his face under the hood, but I could feel him smirking. “I laid out my terms. The rest is up to you.”

“How the hell….” He stood abruptly, catching me completely off guard, and just walked away into the shadows leaving the devices on the table. The bastard never let me finish my sentence.

The lights suddenly turned on throughout the Arcade until the whole place was lit like a Christmas tree. Ant and Steve came running thru the doors like two maniacs. I managed to conceal the devices before they got too close. The shadow man was gone. There were several doors in the direction he was walking, but I never heard them open or close.

“So you are in here,” Ant said as he approached me. “What the hell is going on? The doors were locked from the inside, and then suddenly they were unlocked?”

“Oh, I know what you were doing here,” Steve grinned. “You were getting your freak on with your girl.”

Ant slapped him on his shoulder. “Don’t be stupid, Steve; you saw her walk out of here just like I did.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right.”

“Are you okay, Jacob?”

“I’m fine, Ant, thanks.” His concern was touching, the look in his eyes sincere. “Alex and I broke up it off. I was just in here collecting my thoughts.”

“Shit, I’m sorry, man. Is there anything we can do for you?”

“It happens. What can you do? And I don’t feel like talking about it right now. Come on, let’s get the hell out of here.”

I went to the rest of my classes, but I don’t remember being in any of them. I was in a fog the whole time. How the hell did I end up in this mess? All I wanted to do was go to college, pledge to a fraternity and live a college kid’s life. Now, I’m suddenly supposed to play the role of a fucking spy. I knew college was supposed to be filled with unique and unforgettable experiences, but his shit was not on the brochure.

After my last class, I headed back to the house alone. Arsen and Paul offered to walk with me, but I declined. I told them about my breakup with Alex and needed some time alone. It was all bullshit, of course. After my run-in with the shadow man, Alex was the furthest thing from my mind. Q was the only person I was concerned about, the only thing on my mind. Him and the haunting question that plagued me repeatedly. Could I bring myself to betray Q even if it meant saving him?

I walked into a calm, quiet house and headed upstairs to my room. I never noticed Shawn walking down the stairs until I accidentally bumped into him. “Hey Shawn, sorry I didn’t see you there.”

“It’s cool, don’t worry about it,” he said as he looked me over closely. “Are you okay? You seem out of it?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just….” I trailed off, unsure what to say to throw him off my scent.

“It’s the Alex thing. I understand; you don’t have to worry talk about it.”

“How…”

He laughed. “We’re The Brotherhood, Jacob; there’s very little we don’t know.” He patted me on the back and continued on his way.

“Oh, hey Shawn,” I called out to him, “um, do you know where Q is?”

“Yeah, I just left him in his bedroom. Why?”

“Do you think it’d be okay if I ran in to see him quick?”

He shrugged. “I don’t see why not, but keep it brief because I know he’s working on some important stuff. Anyway, he'll let you know if he doesn’t want you there.” He winked and walked away.

I went to my room to put my crap away, avoiding any unnecessary contact with the guys. Arsen was in there reading a book and wanted to make small talk. I felt terrible because I didn’t have the time or desire to chat. In the end, I left him there pretty much talking to himself.

I didn’t go directly to Q’s bedroom but to his office, peeking my head inside to make sure it was clear to enter. The door to the bathroom was wide open, and I could see straight across into Q’s room – well, not entirely since the other door was only about halfway open. I don’t know why I stood there staring at the door for so damn long. Maybe I was hoping Q would go to the bathroom, see me standing in his office, and demand an explanation.

I don’t know, maybe.

Anyway, I went to the desk, moved the mouse to get the monitor out of sleep mode, and saw the computer running the same search algorithm. Hundreds of thousands of documents were scanned with several thousand pictures captured and cataloged, all centering around the theme – the orb. What was so damn important about that stupid thing?

I grasped the flash drive tightly in my hand and removed the cap. The desktop was underneath the table and had easy-access USB ports on the front. All I had to do was plug the drive-in and let it do its work. I couldn’t believe I was doing this, but what choice did I have? I didn’t know the importance of these files, but it was either give them up or give Q up, and I sure wasn’t prepared to do that.

I plugged the drive-in.

Within a few seconds, a progress bar appeared in the center of the screen, and the upload started. A mere 33 seconds was all it would take to open a back door for that fucker. The upload was already at 55% in a blink of an eye. I thought of Q and could only hope that if one day he learned of what I did, he could forgive me and understand why I did it. It didn’t matter because, in that very instant, when the thought crossed my mind, I realized Q would never forgive me, and I’d be fooling myself if I thought otherwise.

At 94% percent, I yanked the drive out of the computer and terminated the upload. I couldn’t do it. I simply couldn’t. If there was one thing Q and the other Brothers taught us, nothing was more important than The Brotherhood. Deep down, I knew that if our roles were reversed, Q would never betray his fellow Brothers to save me, not because he didn’t love me, but because there’s something to be said about brotherhood.

The situation was spinning out of control, and it was time to end it, something I should’ve done a long time ago. I took a deep breath before getting up to Q’s room. I stopped in the middle of the bathroom as his reflection appeared on the large bathroom mirror.

He was at his desk working on his computer. I caught myself in the mirror smiling at him. It was funny because I didn’t even know I was doing it, but he always affected me for whatever reason. Maybe it was because I thought he looked cute sitting there all serious, immersed in whatever he was working on. Whatever the case, I knew that wouldn’t last long once I told him what I almost did for the mystery man.

Taking another deep breath before plunging into the unknown, I took a step towards his room, and at the same time, there was a knock at his bedroom door. Q looked up from his computer long enough to tell the person to come in and then returned his attention to his screen. I heard the door open, and Q must’ve caught sight of the person from the corner of his eye because he did a sort of double-take and then stood up.

Bowing his head, he said something in that strange language he speaks.

“Please,” the person said, “although I appreciate you speaking to me in our native tongue, Qua’quelle, if I’m ever going to get used to speaking this primitive language, I need to practice it out loud.”

Qua’quelle? That was Q’s name? I heard his name spoken out loud! Are you fucking kidding me? I couldn’t believe my ears. Talk about a unique and beautiful name. I was stunned when I heard it. Q not telling me himself was my only regret. In a way, by standing there eavesdropping, I robbed him of that opportunity.

I was planning to slowly back into the office and get out of there until I saw who he was talking to – the young kid they brought to the house a few nights ago. Suddenly my curiosity got the best of me, and I wasn’t going anywhere.

“As you wish, Your Highness,” Q responded, bowing his head in a way that allowed his hair to fall over his eyes.

Your Highness? What the fuck was that all about? Who was this kid, and why was Q showing him reverence? Something about Q bowing his head to him bugged the fuck out of me. He wore a pair of black boardshorts, a t-shirt, and a backward hat. He looked like a fucking skater kid, not like someone who deserved Q’s respect. He didn’t look like royalty, so I wasn’t getting the whole ‘Your Highness’ bit.

“It seems to me you’ve picked it up quite well,” Q continued and gestured to the chair. “Please have a seat.”

“Thank you, but I certainly can’t take all the credit,” he said as he took a seat at Q’s desk. “Kyrios was kind enough to link with me, so now I know much of this new world.” He grabbed his shirt and pulled on it a little. “I’ve even adopted some of their more attractive, um…uh, what’s the word?

“Fashions?”

“Yes, that’s it exactly!” The kid snapped his fingers and laughed. “It’s funny how I can remember words like ‘incomprehensible’ and ‘acromonogrammatic,’ yet a simple word like fashion eludes me.”

Q nodded his agreement. “Yes, but that’s normal after linking. It’s a lot of foreign information to absorb at one time. Believe me, Your Highness, I went thru the same thing.”

“I suppose,” the kid agreed in a whisper and then went to the window. “Still…I can’t believe how much time has passed.” He fell silent for a moment and stared out the window. Q sat in his chair watching him, allowing him the moment. “My God, Qua’quelle, millions of years gone in a blink of an eye. How is it possible we slept for so long? Why did this happen?”

Millions of years? What the fuck was he talking about? What the hell did I walk into?

Clasping his hands, Q pressed them to his lips as he looked at him. “No one knows for sure, Your Highness. Just like we’re not sure why some of us wake up at different times than others. Whatever triggers it remains a mystery.”

“And look what our long slumber has cost us,” the kid said, shaking his head in disappointment or possibly disgust. “The planet is infected with primitive apes running it to the ground.”

Q gave a half-smirk, and the kid must have noticed his reflection in the window. “What’s funny?” he inquired.

“I remember saying the same thing when I first awoke.”

“As the saying goes….”

“Great minds?” Q threw out there.

“Indeed.”

“Not that I don’t appreciate your company, Your Highness, but why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind? I don’t believe you came here to reminisce about days gone by.”

“Quite right,” he acknowledged and took his seat opposite Q. He sat back in his chair, looking a bit unsure of himself. I’d go as far as saying he looked a little nervous. “As you’re well aware, I’ve had several meetings with Kyrios and the Council of Brothers concerning my place and future.”

Q simply nodded.

“With my father and brother gone, I’m the last remaining heir to the throne. I wish to take up my rightful place and lead our people. Kyrios supports me and is willing to step down, but he will not do so unless all our brothers are on board. Imagine my surprise when I learned my position was a point of discussion long before I awoke.”

“We always knew you were out there somewhere; at least we hoped you survived the long slumber. So yes, your position within The Brotherhood was discussed many times.”

“From what I understand, you opposed any argument that would put me in power. Your influence has swayed over half our brothers to stand beside you in your beliefs.

“Yes, I did,” Q said matter-of-factly. “But I never asked anyone to follow my lead. We all have free will. I simply made my argument clear. I cannot be held responsible if others decide to agree with me.”

“Why? Why would you deny me my birthright?”

“It’s not about denying you your birthright, Your Highness,” Q answered defensively. I could tell Q took that comment like a slap to the face. “The fact is you were never meant to lead our people. Your father groomed your older brother to take his place if he could no longer lead. He wanted you to be free from the burdens of the throne. He wanted you to be a kid.”

“You cannot speak for my father,” the kid countered. “You cannot tell me what was in his heart.”

“I can, Your Highness,” Q refuted. “I was with your father long before you came into this world. I knew what he wanted for you, for we discussed it many times after you were born. When your older brother was born, his destiny was to take over for your father. Your brother missed out on a lot. Your father did not want that to happen to you.”

“Be that as it may, I also know how my father regarded you. He loved you like a son. Hell, I looked up to you like a brother, and I know my real brother did as well, and this is how you repay the memory of my family?”

Q leaned over his desk and looked the kid dead in his eyes. “I honor the memory of your family by ensuring our people continue to thrive. Don’t you dare suggest otherwise…Your Highness.” He settled back in his chair and didn’t look quite as pissed. “Look around you, Your Highness. The old days are long behind us. The old empire is long dead and turned to dust, but look at what we have accomplished since we started to wake up several millennia ago. We developed a new fair and just system of governing ourselves, and you would have us go back to the old ways? We must look forward to ensuring our future, not backward.”

They both fell silent. I didn’t know if they were done or just collecting their thoughts to prepare for round two. Of course, I had no idea what they were talking about.

Rubbing his eyes gently, the kid shook his head and mumbled something under his breath. “I’m curious, Qua’quelle….”

“Of what?” Q sighed.

“If it had been my father sitting here, would you have denied him as you deny me?”

Q smiled, admiring the cleverness of his question. “Your father, my King, was a great and wise ruler. I believe with every fiber of my being; if that were the case, your father would not be trying to take over considering all we have accomplished.” Q stopped for a moment to let his words simmer a bit. “He would be proud.”

“Damn it, Qua’quelle! I am my father’s son!”

I could tell he wanted to say something more, but Q was quick to interject. “And you seem to have forgotten that I am my father’s son. Let me remind you of a little history in case those memories haven’t resurfaced yet. When my true lineage was discovered, our people lined up to follow me. Your father, our King, bowed at my feet and was prepared to proclaim me the new ruler in the eyes of our people, but I refused.”

I could tell something was clicking in the boy’s head because he had that look that said, “oh yeah, I forgot about that.”

“The mantle of leadership is more than just lineage, Your Highness; it’s knowing when to do what’s right for your people. I refused because I knew your father was the right choice to lead our Brothers. So until you learn and understand that simple fact, I’m afraid you’ll never be ready to lead.”

“Damn you!” The kid shouted and slammed his open palm on the glass table. The whole thing shattered, and everything went crashing to the floor.

Q was quick to stand up and back away from the flying glass. He remained calmer than I expected, considering his shit was all over the place, not to mention his monitor was cracked and flickering like crazy. I would’ve been pissed as hell. Q simply stood motionless over the kid like a parent waiting for his child to explain himself.

“Forgive me,” the kid finally said, sounding ashamed. “I did not mean to lose my temper in such a way, but you have to understand where I’m coming from. I’ve lost everything Qua’quelle. Everything!” He stood and turned his back on Q. “First I lost my brother, then my father, and finally I awake to find out our kingdom is gone. I suddenly feel so alone.”

Q, being the fantastic guy he is, walked up behind the kid and placed his hand on his shoulder. “But you’re not alone, Your Highness, you have us…you have your Brothers.”

There was another knock on Q’s door, and the person didn’t even wait for Q’s permission to come in.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Your Highness, but I must speak to Q.”

“It’s alright, Dylan. I needed a moment anyway,” the kid said, gesturing towards the bathroom. “Do you mind?”

“Not at all,” Q nodded and then gave Dylan his full attention. “What’s wrong?” Q inquired.

That’s all I heard because the kid was about to walk in on me. I had to hightail it out of there. I ran out of Q’s office and headed back to my room. I still needed to talk to Q, but that would have to wait.

So why wasn’t I freaking out more considering everything I just heard? I think because I was finally beginning to put two and two together. There was only one explanation I could come up with. I always suspected this was some elaborate show for my benefit. Why me? I don’t know. And for all I knew, the other pledges were experiencing something just as crazy.

I think it had to do with trust. I think the point was to get me to believe this crazy story to see if I’d run off and tell everyone we’re being invaded by aliens or some shit. The things they were talking about were simply impossible, so it was like they were putting on this production like a play, and I was the audience.

It was all becoming clear. I thought I was being sneaky by hearing or seeing something I wasn’t supposed to - I wasn’t being sneaky at all; I was being set up. They knew I was there all along.

It was that simple. I finally figured it out. I was proud of myself, proud that I didn’t fall for it, and ran to the first person willing to listen to my wild claims. It was probably the final trial. And if it wasn’t, I was convinced it was tied into it somehow.

I got back to my room to find everyone standing outside.

“Where the hell have you been?” Arsen demanded. He looked annoyed. “I’ve been looking all over this house for you!”

“I’m sorry, I got tied up with something. Geez, bite my head off, why don’t you?”

“I’m sorry, bud, but we were ordered to gather the pledge class together. When I couldn’t find you, I was afraid you wouldn’t make it on time. And that’s serious trouble for us.”

“Okay, okay. I hear you. But I’m here now, so no worries.”

The other guys gathered around and asked us if we had any idea what was happening.

“Can I get everyone’s attention?” Someone shouted from behind us. It was Jacob barking orders with one of the twins by his side. “I need all of you to focus. Now! There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going put it out there.”

I started to get that funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. That sinking, burning sensation one gets when you know something is wrong. I could also tell the others felt it; they looked at me as if I had the answers.

Jacob stepped closer and had this shit-eating grin on his face. “By order of Kyrios, Leader of The Brotherhood, all members of this pledge class are hereby dismissed, effective immediately.”

Considering I just figured it out, I did not see that coming…