We entered the already darkened room that soared at least five storeys. The only light at all was coming from the massive aquariums. The blue glow of the water rippled across the room with the dancing slides and dips of the fish—except they weren’t fish at all. I stared at the gliding forms casting rolling shadows through the room. Yup, sharks. Every last one of them. Wait, were sharks fish?
A man in a suit and a headset hustled over. ‘Ms St. James! It’s an honour,’ he whispered excitedly. ‘We’ve been expecting you!’
My belly flip-flopped. He waved me forward. ‘We’ve saved you a seat by your father.’
‘Swell.’ I swallowed hard.
‘Bremy, wait,’ Pierce said, pushing his way through the others.
‘We can’t wait any longer,’ the man with mic said. ‘The entire show has been held up for Ms St. James.’
I shrugged at Pierce. ‘You heard the man.’
‘I need to say something,’ he said, leading me over to an aquarium wall. ‘It will only take a second.’
A moment later, I was watching the eerie light from the water play across the planes of Pierce’s face. He stared back at me, saying nothing. I knew we didn’t have much time, but I couldn’t rush him either.
‘Bremy,’ he finally said in a voice that sent chills racing up my arms. ‘I have a really bad feeling about this.’
I nodded. ‘I know, right?’
‘Please.’ He squeezed his eyes shut. ‘Please be serious about this.’ I was being serious. I did have a bad feeling. Maybe it was the sharks. ‘I wasn’t going to say anything. I know I have no right to say anything. And I know you want me to believe in you. But your father … he’s ruthless, calculating, always in control … not when it comes to you, though. None of this,’ he said, looking around, ‘is what he told you. This isn’t about Jenny. This isn’t about making you into some genetically engineered superhero. Everything in me tells me this is about showing you who’s boss.’
I nodded tightly. ‘What choice do I have? This is my mess. Maybe Ryder and my father were destined to be enemies, but I brought them to this point, and she’s counting on me.’ I put my hand on my chest. ‘Nobody ever counts on me. That means something.’
‘Bremy—
‘And it’s not only that,’ I said, turning to watch the sharks. ‘Pierce, you have to know at some level my father is never going to let me go.’
He nodded and looked at the floor. ‘And what about you?’ he asked, eyes flashing up to mine.
‘What?’
‘Can you let him go?’
I could have pretended I didn’t know what he was talking about, but I knew exactly what he meant. I wasn’t sure how to answer him at first, then I remembered something I heard on my neighbour Mrs Reese’s TV, my TV apparently. ‘Do you know how alligators do that death roll thing?’
‘What?’
‘Alligators. They kill animals by dragging them underwater and rolling around until they drown.’
Pierce furrowed his brow.
‘Sometimes I think my father and I are caught in that death roll.’
Pierce waited.
‘It’s not right. It’s not healthy. But it is what it is.’ I drew my lip slowly out from between my teeth. ‘Except there’s one thing he doesn’t get.’ I paused again. My thoughts were running hard now. ‘Maybe something that nobody gets.’
‘What?’
‘I’m an alligator too,’ I said as seriously as he ever could have wanted. ‘And I’m not letting go.’
Pierce’s face dropped.
I gave myself a shake. ‘Metaphorically speaking.’
‘Bremy! What the—’ Pierce sputtered. ‘Do you hear yourself? This is nuts! I don’t want you to drown! Metaphorically or otherwise!’
‘Well, good. That makes two of us. Now stop it! You’re freaking me out.’ I fiddled with the collar of my cape and yanked it open. It was suddenly really hot in here. ‘I can’t do what I need to do if you’re going to have me thinking about what a bad idea it is. Jeez.’
‘Bremy—’
‘And don’t think that will stop me from doing it anyway.’ Did that make sense? Didn’t matter. ‘Now off you go, handsome. I’ve got a job to do.’
He studied me a moment longer before his shoulders slumped. He leaned towards me and gently brushed my lips with his own. ‘For luck.’
My fingertips reached to touch the spot where I could still feel his kiss. I watched him walk back towards the group. All I could think was, He thinks I’m going to die! That kiss wasn’t for luck! It was a kiss goodbye! What an awful thing to do to a girl headed into battle. It was going to take forever for us to get back together at this rate.
I walked back towards my group and the fidgeting man with the mic strapped to his head. Choden stepped out and quickly whispered, ‘We have chosen stations around the aquarium. We will stay in communication through the ear buds.’
I nodded.
‘Remember,’ Choden said, squeezing my hand, ‘whatever your father says, you are not alone.’
‘Thank you,’ I replied, really meaning it. ‘But it doesn’t matter what he says as long as he lets Ryder go. You don’t have to worry about me.’
Suddenly Choden was hugging me. ‘I consider it an honour to have the privilege of worrying about you.’
‘Aww.’ I inhaled sharply. ‘Now stop it. You’re making my eyes sting, and Kevin went a little heavy on the black eye make-up. Let’s go.’
I followed the visibly relieved fashion show minion down an aisle of seats towards the runway. Figures that my father would get the front row all to himself. My eyes searched the room for my friends, but the blue glow of the aquariums illuminated very little, and the glare of the white catwalk made it difficult to focus on anything else. Ooh, I did not like this. It was sad. Fashion shows were my happy place. Was I destined to die in my happy place? I gave myself a shake. I wasn’t going to die. That was just stupid. Sidekicks didn’t die, did they? Maybe I should have read more of the comics in Bart’s shop. No. No. That was crazy talk. Besides, my father wasn’t going to kill me in front of all these people. He might find a way to stop me from leaving, but even that was risky. If there was one thing I had proven over and over again as of late, it was that I had no problem making a scene. And if there was one thing my father hated, it was me making a scene. Then again, could I count on anything I knew about my father anymore? My eyes darted to the cool silhouette seated front row centre. He had been making a few scenes of his own.
The fashion show coordinator led me to the front aisle, and gestured for me to go on without him. I paused for a moment then carried on.
‘Brianna,’ my father said quietly, without turning to watch me lower into my seat.
‘Father.’
‘So glad you could make it,’ he continued, ‘as is your sister.’
I tracked his gaze. Directly across the catwalk sat my twin, a vision in white, all suited up. No mask tonight. I guess The Angel of St. James didn’t have paltry concerns like secret identities. Did she have divided loyalties though? That was the question. If Ryder was here, and my sister was on my side, we had a good chance of saving her. If she wasn’t on our side … I didn’t want to follow that trail to the end. Suddenly, my father’s hand was in front of me, palm up.
I sighed and took the bud out of my ear, dropping it into his hand. He placed it on the floor and ground it to bits with his heel. ‘Have you given any more thought to my offer?’
‘Not sure. I’ll let you know after the show,’ I said, adjusting my skirt. ‘We’ll see if evil is in this fall.’
I caught the corner of his mouth tilt upwards, almost like he was smiling. ‘Oh no,’ I snapped. ‘Don’t you dare do that.’
‘Is it so hard for you to believe that, in many ways, I admire you?’ He turned to face me.
‘Yes.’
He looked back at the stage. ‘That is my fault, I suppose.’
‘You tried to kill me.’ My voice sounded quiet. Far away.
‘But that is precisely my point. I have always prided myself on my discipline and self-control. I couldn’t have achieved the success I have without it. Yet you,’ he said, cocking his head, ‘you and your mother were always able to shake that hard-won resolve.’
‘So,’ I said, tightly, ‘if I’m following you correctly here, you’re saying that your trying to kill me is testament to how much you,’ I paused for a moment, willing my gorge to settle, ‘you love me?’
He cocked his head as though considering the idea. ‘I’ve always found love to be such a diluted word for what it is that I … feel.’
I pressed my fingers into my temples. Again, this was insane. He was insane. I glanced around at all the faces lining the catwalk. Normal faces … on normal people … thinking normal thoughts. They were all expecting a predictable sequence of events. I couldn’t help but wonder what they would do if I started screaming.
I flung my fingertips away from the sides of my head and shook them out. I couldn’t let him get to me. I was here for two reasons and only two reasons. Ryder and Jenny. None of this was about me.
‘Tonight is a new beginning for us, Brianna,’ my father said. ‘For you, me, and your sister. I let your mother go too easily. I won’t make the same mistake with you.’
Painful cold raced up my spine.
Suddenly the lights dimmed.
‘Quiet now. The show’s about to begin.’