"There is one thing I haven't told you either," she said. Nathaniel was fearful, but sat up straight as he couldn't speak.

"Gerald is in the Underground. I've known him my whole life but only found out recently. He can help us," she said.

Nathaniel needed a minute to take it all in, as his disbelief in what he heard was beyond his imagination.

"What can he do?"

"Think about where he works. We can have our own plan," she said.

"May I please speak with Chester?" Nathaniel said. He felt his heartbeat quickly. He knew it was extremely risky to call Chester, that he was explicitly instructed not to, but he had no choice. With Garrett in a dungeon and no way to contact Simon, he was in a corner.

"This is Chester," said the friendly voice that he longed for.

"Joe Merino here. Sorry to bother you, but I must talk to Simon, immediately and I didn't know who else to call," he said.

As quickly as the chipper voice had warmed him, there was a chill as the call abruptly ended with a click. Nathaniel felt deflated as he threw the disposable cellular phone he purchased into a dumpster on his way to work.

It wasn't the response he hoped for, but he still hoped that he would get a visit from Simon, and soon, even as he dreaded it.

"You're not going to do this," Shayla said. She called him as he walked back to his hotel. He could hear she was in problem-solving CEO mode.

"Of course I'm not going through with this. I'm no murderer. Maybe I should just run. I'll leave tonight and just go away," Nathaniel said.

"You are the one who made it clear that the Underground carries out their plans, no matter what," she said, accusing.

"That doesn't mean that I can do it!" he said.

"Look. I'm trying to figure this out. Don't yell at me!" she said.

"I'm sorry. I just don't know what to do. Think of Garrett and all those men. They may be starving or tortured. I have no idea, but we can't stand by and do nothing," he said.

"We don't know where Garrett is exactly. Why don't we proceed with the plan that I came up with last night?"

"It won't work," he said, as he approached his hotel.

"Get in," he heard as a black van approached and the door opened.

"I gotta go," he said, and clicked his phone closed before climbing inside.

"This had d.a.m.n well better be good," Simon said.

Chapter 34.

As he walked into the Palace for the second time in two weeks, Nathaniel couldn't enjoy the beauty of the silk wallpaper and oil paintings that lined the hallways. He could barely take pleasure in having Shayla on his arm, dressed in a form-fitting vintage gown that made her look like a movie star.

Each step was an effort as he tried to make it through the evening without drawing attention to himself.

"You're going to be fine," she said to him, as if she could feel his fear through her skin. All he could think was that he should be consoling her.

Nathaniel entered the ballroom to a backdrop of live jazz, sprinkles of laughter and clinking gla.s.ses. He wanted to take Shayla by the hand and run the other way, but instead he allowed a smile to form on his face. He walked toward the Queen pretending that the gala was a pure joy to attend.

"You look beautiful, mother," Shayla said, admiring her mother's new pear-colored sari with gold threads. It glowed when the light hit it.

"Thank you, my dear," the Queen said, turning to Nathaniel. "My daughter certainly looks stunning, doesn't she?" the Queen said. There was something that terrified him further, in that moment, as the Queen faced him. He knew she couldn't possibly know what was coming, but her eyes on him weakened his confidence.

"It is wonderful to see you again, your majesty," he said. Just as he was about to bow, another couple approached the Queen. As quickly as she turned toward him, she was gone, gliding through the crowd with everyone patiently waiting to have a moment with her.

"That's probably the only time we'll talk to her tonight. She's busy at these functions," Shayla said quietly to Nathaniel after the Queen stepped away. Nathaniel took little comfort in Shayla's declaration.

"Are we ready for the party?" Gerald said, approaching Shayla and Nathaniel, moments later. Nathaniel was still dumbfounded that Gerald was in the Underground.

"We're ready," Nathaniel said, reaching to shake his hand, which allowed Gerald to give him a beeper that would alert them when they needed to get moving. This was a world away from his Underground training of romancing women and cooking vegan delicacies. He was out of his league and felt uneasy about it, but there was nothing to do but put aside his fears.

Throughout the evening, Nathaniel was glued to Shayla's side, greeting her mother's old friends and supporters until he felt that buzzer go off in his pocket. He jumped. He gave Shayla a nod, and the smile on her face fell, for just a moment before she pasted it back up. Nathaniel walked slowly toward the ballroom exit where Gerald was waiting.

"Mr. Merino, may I escort you to the exit?" Gerald said, dead-pan.

"Thank you, sir," Nathaniel said, glancing gain at the Spot on Gerald's neck, yet another reminder of why he was taking such a great risk.

"Mother, it's Gerald, please come quick!" Shayla frantically said once all the party was over and all the guests were gone.

"What's the matter?" her mother said, with a concern Shayla hadn't seen on her mother's face since Shayla's father was near-death.

"He's in my suite. He isn't well!"

"Let's get the doctor!"

"No, you must come now," Shayla said, grabbing her mother's hand, forcing her to walk quickly through the hallways.

"What happened?" the Queen asked.

"I don't know, but he has been asking for you for the last hour and I promised I'd bring you just as soon as you were free," Shayla said. Shayla slowed her pace a little as they pa.s.sed a few servants, not wanting to cause alarm with them.

"Good evening," Shayla said to the servant, forcing a smile as they pa.s.sed and curtsied to the Queen.

"Do you think it's something he ate? Where is Joe anyway?" the Queen asked.

"He's with Gerald. I didn't want to leave him alone," Shayla said, her heart pounding as she lied to her mother. It's for a good cause, she reminded herself.

"Hurry" the Queen said as Shayla's trembling fingers punched in the code to get into her suite. When the door opened, the Queen ran inside and Shayla was behind her, closing the door as quickly as it opened, her body blocking the door.

"Where is he?" the Queen said, as she frantically surveyed the room. There was no sign of Gerald on the perfectly made bed or the empty couches. "What's going on?"

"He's in the bathroom," Shayla said, just as planned. She had told the men that she didn't want to watch.

"Gerald!? Are you okay?" the Queen said, near-tears as she ran across the room and pushed open the door that was slightly ajar and disappeared inside.

Shayla's body trembled as she double-checked to be sure that the suite door was closed and locked. Gerald was the only other one with a code to enter, as they had just reprogrammed it to avoid any chance for a cleaning crew to come through unannounced.

Shayla heard her mother's quick, m.u.f.fled scream, before a rustling that she knew was a struggle. She heard the tear of fabric, undoubtedly the beautiful new silk sari. She almost ran across the room and into the bathroom, but couldn't. She didn't want to see.

Shayla slid to the floor, unable to hold her body upright any longer. Her body shuddered as she sobbed, hoping she wasn't making a mistake.

Chapter 35.

"Now you know what it's like to have a silver duct-tape for a mouth," Simon said. "You've ordered this very thing for countless decent men over the years, so I'm a.s.suming you don't mind it. At least you are having this experience privately. The men are usually paraded in public and every G.o.dd.a.m.n person who sees them knows they're on their way to get their b.a.l.l.s chopped off!" Simon's voice rose as he moved closer to the Queen until he was inches from her terrified face.

Simon smiled before backing away.

"Maybe we'll take you out on the balcony and duct tape your mouth closed. That's what you do to others. That seems fair, don't you think?" he asked, knowing she couldn't answer. "Maybe I should take your photo and we'll start that way. Smile for the camera," he said, pulling the cell phone out of his pocket as he prepared to take a photo. "Just kidding!" he said, when he heard a knock at the door.

"Just a second!" he yelled as he put the phone back in his pocket. "Maybe it's your savior?" he said to the Queen as he got up to answer it.

"Come on in," Simon said, greeting Shayla, immediately getting serious. When he was alone with the Queen, that was one thing, but he wasn't stupid enough to taunt her in front of her own daughter. Simon still couldn't believe that Shayla had agreed to be part of this. He was impressed. This apple had certainly fallen far from the tree and he respected that a great deal. Even though the Queen was the devil, from where he sat, he still knew that to Shayla, she was mom.

"How is she?" Shayla said, alongside Nathaniel, both dressed in street clothes.

"She's fine," Simon said, as Shayla looked at her mother.

"Looks like her eyes are going to bug out of her head. Please take the tape off her mouth," Shayla whispered to Simon, so her mother couldn't hear. Simon had to admit that Shayla was right. The Queen's eyes were bulging, but to him they looked like their wrath was aimed at her daughter.

"No screaming. I'll take this off and keep it off, but if you misbehave. Can you be a good Queen?" Simon whispered in the Queen's ear, so Shayla couldn't hear.

The Queen's head didn't move. Her eyes narrowed for a moment, but Simon could see that she knew who had the upper hand. Despite his hatred for her and all she represented, he couldn't help but notice her beauty. And even though he detested what she represented, he found himself feeling something for her. Was it a respect for her determination? He wasn't sure. He saw her face relax before a barely perceptible nod.

He ripped the tape off her mouth, hoping that would rip away any feelings of sympathy, or any feelings at all that he felt for her.

"Who the f.u.c.k do you think you are, you piece of s.h.i.t," she yelled at Simon. There was a venom in her voice that even surprised him, as his heartbeat quickened. She was tougher than he thought. "Shayla, get over here and untie me. Now!" she screamed.

Simon's instinct was to put that tape right back over her mouth. That's what he would have done with a back-talking Grounder, but this was the Queen. He looked to Shayla for direction, but first noticed Nathaniel had taken residence on the couch in the corner. Simon considered doing the same, but thought better of it. He had to keep the upper hand, and that meant remaining in a close physical proximity to the uppity subject.

"I need you to do something for me, first, mother," Shayla said, slowly approaching her mother from across the room. Simon watched her take each step, tentatively at first, but then there was a purpose in her stride until she stopped in the middle of the room, dead straight in front of her mother and crossed her arms. Good. Shayla was displaying strength, confidence, and control.

"I will do nothing for you until you untie me!" the Queen yelled.

"Keep your voice down or the tape goes back on," Simon said evenly. He didn't want to step on Shayla's toes, but keeping order was vital.

"What the h.e.l.l is going on here?" the Queen asked. "Untie me, this instant," she said, her voice quieter, but her message no weaker.

"We're not going to simply untie you until you agree to our conditions," Shayla said flatly.

"You'll be sorry, my darling daughter," the Queen said, with contempt.

Shayla hated seeing her mother this way. The long front wrap of her beautiful new sari was torn, her hair slumped to one side, and her face looked like a new crop of wrinkles had erupted since the previous evening when the party ended.

"Are you going to keep yelling or are you ready to hear what we need you to do?"

"Who is the we?" the Queen asked. Even when her mother was tied up, she didn't give in.

"Do you know what the Underground is?"

"Of course I know! It's a lame group of men who think they can take over the world. Don't tell me my own daughter is a member," the Queen said with contemptuous laugh.

"You will do want we ask," Shayla commanded. n.o.body else dared speak to her mother that way, but it felt necessary.

"Tell me what you need," the Queen said sarcastically, looking away.

"You must release all the prisoners from the protests," Shayla said. "We need you to record a speech saying that they are free to go. That's for starters."

"I'll tell you what I need. You better let me out of here before people come looking for me. You think the Queen just disappears and n.o.body notices? There are people who will come looking for me very soon. Gerald doesn't let me out of his sight for five minutes," she said, looking unconcerned.

"Who do you think Gerald works for," Simon chimed in, folding his arms in a satisfied stance.

"What have you done with Gerald?! Did you torture that wonderful man?" the Queen asked, exasperated.

"It's not what we have done with Gerald, but it is what Gerald has done for us, for years, decades, your majesty," Simon said, annunciating her t.i.tle with his own sarcasm. Shayla shot him a look that shut him up.

"What are you talking about? He'll be here any minute," the Queen said, but Shayla saw her mother's nerves begin to unravel. She was about to start to cave, at least that's what Shayla hoped.

"Mother, he's part of the Underground."

"You are bluffing. Gerald is the most loyal man on the earth..."

"Loyal to the Underground, just like your husband," Simon said.