Bridget Bundy - The Secret Weapon

“That’s all we had time for.”

“Do you think I’m stupid, Coraset?”

“No, not at all,” she answered quickly.

“You and I both know what happened in that room.”

“Were you watching us, Sekai?” Coraset tried to appear calm, but she was a ball of nerves inside.

“The Chancellor is always being watched.”

Coraset didn’t need further explanation. She had to ask. “Why didn’t you stop me?”

“There are many others, including myself, who wanted him out of office. There was a plan already in the works, but you took the task right out of our hands. What was in the vial, Coraset?”

“Poison,” she answered smartly.

Sekai asked impatiently, “Who do you work for?”

She stared at her, a clear indication she wasn’t telling.

“It’s the same person that altered your history, and I could easily track that person down.”

“Well, have at it. I’m not talking.”

Sekai nodded with a smile. She went to sit behind her desk and said, “I knew you had another motive for being here. I just didn’t think that was it. Whoever your handler is, he or she will be proud of you.”

“Whatever,” Coraset stated with disgust.

“You will be allowed to leave the palace, but you are no longer allowed to leave Erato for any reason. If you try, you will be arrested and brought back to the palace.”

“I have no real reason to leave in the first place. Why are you telling me this?”

“You might be pregnant.”

“I can’t get pregnant. Nobody can.”

Sekai leaned back in her chair and asked in a smart manner, “Do you remember the question you asked me the last time you were in here?”

Coraset couldn’t recall any question at first, but then she remembered the shot. She asked the doctor about it, but he left without answering her question.

Sekai revealed, “The shot you were given promotes fertility.”

Her heart began to flutter. She had sex with the Chancellor without protection. He ejaculated inside of her. Coraset swallowed hard. She asked, “Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

Coraset was speechless. She didn’t know what to say. She could feel the heat rising in her face. The truth of the matter is that she didn’t want to have Dominic Erato’s child. She didn’t want any children at all.

Then another thought popped in her head. She asked, “What about the other girls? They got the shot, too?”

“You, Aisling, Katarin, and Pili were administered the shots.”

“Do they know?”

“Aisling knows. The Chancellor told her the night he slept with her.” Sekai answered dryly.

Coraset figured that’s the reason why Aisling thought she was going to stay in the palace, even though the Chancellor was dead.

Sekai commented, “She might be pregnant, as well. She is being held to the same set of rules.”

“What about Katarin and the other girl? If they can get pregnant, and they-”

“They will not be released.”

“What are you going to do with Katarin?”

“She is no longer your concern.”

“You better not hurt her, Sekai!”

“Or you’ll do what, Coraset? Your threats mean nothing to me, and I’m not Aisling. I would recommend you keeping the possibility that you’re pregnant to yourself. Rumors like that spread fast, and you could be putting yourself in danger.”

“Is that a threat?” She asked angrily.

“Oh yes, it is very much a threat.” Sekai stood and nodded to the Elite Guards at the door. They walked up behind Coraset and made her stand.

“You will be escorted to the gates of the palace. You’ll have to find your way home from there. Remember, Coraset, you are being monitored.” Sekai watched as she was marched out of her office.

The Elite Guards escorted Coraset to the western gates of the palace. She didn’t want to leave without Katarin, but she saw no other choice. She couldn’t stay at the gates forever.

Coraset started her trek through the Erato Government Center. There were long flights of steps leading to marble and stone buildings. All of the lawns and parks that adorned the area were perfectly manicured and decorated with floral bushes and statues of Erato leaders. Coraset barely noticed as she rushed to the western gate of the Erato Government Center. She simply wanted to get home.

A familiar black car pulled up beside her and she stopped. She got into the back seat knowing full well Xavier and Malie would be in the car.

“You completed the mission quicker than I thought you would.” He commented with a reserved demeanor.

“Why wasn’t Sergei chosen?” She asked not really having anything to say about his last statement.

“He declined.” Xavier answered with clear annoyance.

Coraset laughed and shook her head. “All that planning and the man you wanted in office declined. Does Frederick Erato want a democratic government?”

“No,” Xavier answered. “The current form of government will remain.”

Coraset just wanted to slap the both of them. The exercise was futile. She crossed her arms in pure disgust. “I warned you both. I told you that change wouldn’t come so easy. Oh no, you wouldn’t listen to me.”

Xavier rubbed at his forehead in aggravation.

“How did you switch the vial?” Malie asked as she leaned forward.

“I didn’t. I poisoned his drink with oleander.”

Malie looked at Xavier confused and asked, “Oleander?”

“It’s a flower. It’s very poisonous.” He answered with a short attitude. “What did you do with the vial Brecco gave you?”

“I dumped some of it, and I mixed the rest with the oleander.”

“Why didn’t you follow the plan?” Malie asked out of curiosity.

“Because there was no way I could switch his insulin, and I wasn’t about to start searching for it, either. What are you going to do now?”

“We will continue to move forward with our plans to change Erato.”

“Don’t expect me to help. I don’t believe in what you’re doing, and I don’t care. Brochudo, make sure you drop me off at my apartment.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered cheerfully.

He drove slowly through the Erato Government Center to the western gate. They were allowed through into the Barat Region after everyone’s card was scanned.

When the car stopped in front of her building, Coraset didn’t get out right away. She stared at the both of them. Her face was hot as she considered what she’d gone through the past year and a half. It all started with Xavier and his wife lying only to protect themselves, and now, Coraset could be pregnant as an ultimate end result.

Coraset said to them in a subdued angry tone, “Your lies have ruined my life.”

Xavier and Malie couldn’t make eye contact.

“Hand me your tablet.” Coraset demanded of Malie.

She looked at Xavier and then at Coraset unsure if she should do as she requested.

“Hand me your tablet!” Coraset demanded again.

“Give it to her,” Xavier said as he dropped Malie’s purse in her lap.

She unzipped it, reached in, and handed Coraset her glass tablet. She pulled up the citizen database and typed in an ID number. Rudy’s face appeared, and Coraset turned the table around to show his face.

She remarked, “This is Rudy Remald. He wants to be a helicopter pilot. Xavier, I want you to make sure that happens for him.” Coraset turned the table back around, and she typed in Katarin’s full name. Her picture came up, and she gave the tablet to Xavier. She continued, “Katarin Augustine is in the palace. They are holding her there against her will, and her life might be in danger. I want you to get her released as soon as possible, and I want you to give her whatever job she wants.”