Dr. Derrick Gladstone unlocked the steel security door and wheeled into the compound’s control room. This was the nerve center of his sanctuary. From here, Derrick could see every inch of his kingdom. And thanks to an old friend—the brilliant killer known as Judas—the compound, especially the Diamond Room, was equipped with the latest and greatest in monitoring technology.
What had once been the resort’s executive offices now pulled double duty as the control center and his mother’s cell. He had provided the old witch with a comfortable bed in the corner, three square meals, and a wheelchair. What else did she need? Mother had Parkinson’s so bad that she had basically lost all control of her own movements anyway. What more would she receive in a nursing home? Perhaps a television, but she had something better: a front row seat to everything happening inside her son’s kingdom.
“Hello, Mother,” Derrick said. “Are you enjoying the show?”
Her eyes were already filled with tears. The terrible truth of Parkinson’s disease was that it attacked the body but left the mind intact.
Derrick followed her shaky gaze and saw Sonnequa on one of the monitors administering Corin’s punishment. The sound feed wasn’t active for that monitor, but with a turn of a dial on the control board, the sound of Corin’s screams filled the room. With a small grin creeping onto his face, he reduced the volume and said, “I’m so happy you’re able to bear witness to the culmination of your legacy.”
It seemed to him that Mother tried to shake her head No, but he found it difficult to know for sure among all her involuntary movements.
“Don’t bother thanking me, Mother. What’s that you said? Oh, you’d like me to read you a story? Perhaps your favorite?”
She closed her eyes.
Derrick wheeled over and opened a desk drawer, from which he removed an old leather journal. Opening to a marked page, he began to read aloud: “I don’t know how I will ever explain to the boys. I know they idolized their father, but they didn’t understand him the way I did. He was a terrible man. What I did, I did for my boys as much as for myself. The bastard wanted to trade me in for a younger model and was planning to abandon us. So I shot him in the back of the head.”
Tears rolled down Mother’s cheeks.
Derrick whispered, “I just love that one, don’t you? I’m surprised you didn’t read that to us as a bedtime story when we were boys. And in case you’re wondering, Mother, I am knowingly torturing you. Yes, I enjoy it. And yes, I think you deserve it.”
She opened her eyes and twitched.
“I want you to remember everything, Mother. I want to constantly remind you that you showed me all that is broken with this world. And Father … he showed me how to make it right. I could perhaps forgive you for the murder of such a great man. I suppose, in some twisted way, I can understand your feelings on the matter. But your hatred could have died with him instead of turning its attention on your sons.”
She tried to raise her arm, but all her muscles would do was tremble. Derrick respected the ruthlessness of Mother’s affliction.
He said, “I heard from Dennis this morning. Your precious baby is wanting to pay you a visit. At first, I was rather upset about the whole thing, but with our declaration of independence forthcoming, a visit from my worthless brother actually presents an interesting opportunity. Dennis is without a doubt the weakest link in our genetic chain. He exemplifies the weak, ignorant complacency that is eroding our society. I think I’m going to kill Dennis and his family, while you watch. Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. I’ll get to taste your pain as the favorite child dies, and I’ll also be ensuring that his inferior genetic makeup isn’t allowed to spread.”
She shook violently and turned her eyes from him.
“And don’t worry, Mother, once we reach the Island, I’ll find plenty of other ways of making your life interesting. Perhaps I’ll start by slowly removing pieces of you. I could begin with your toes and work my way up. Average life expectancy is now 81.2 years for women in the USA. If you even get close to that, it will mean that we have ample time for me to remind you of past sins.”