A New Dawn

Sam's voice appeared to me in a dream, deep and raspy, as if he hadn't spoken in some time. I was running in deep woods that smelled of pine, sap and fear and though it hadn't yet appeared, something had been chasing me. Beads of sweat spotted my forehead, my legs a constant scream, as I pushed through the cuts in the trees, breathlessly. Then he came to me, a precious whisper...
"Rose..." Sam called out, and this made me run harder, "Rose... come to me" He said, and like a horse in a race, I peddled forward, stampeding through the brush, praying for a near end where Sam would appear, but he did not. His voice came to me once more "Rose..." He called out, "Help me..." and I reached my hands forward, for he sounded so close, but what chased behind me did the same. A cold and leathered hand clenched around my neck and snapped me of my feet.
"Sam!" I screamed, but only a quiet whimper left my lips.
"My queen..." another voice I could not recognize, whispered in my ear.
"Sam?" I attempted to call out again, the grips around my neck had tightened and my vision was no longer clear, my limbs felt numb.
"Queen..." This time I felt a jolt in my body. Another jolt came and my eyes fluttered open to a concerned Ezra, who must have been attempting to wake me for some time. I glanced quickly over to the clock that sat on the night stand next to my bed, it read 4:00 AM.
"Ezra, what's wrong?" I pulled myself up to a seated position in the bed. Ezra removed his hands from my shoulders and stated simply.
"We found her." This gave me a chill that ran up my spine and through my finger tips.
"I'll be downstairs in five." Ezra nodded and retreated out of the room. I dressed myself quickly and hid behind glasses that covered the bags underneath my eyes form lack of sleep due to unpredictable nightmares. As I entered the hall, the dim lights and faint sounds of monitors in Sams room, offered me a moment of consolation. Hesitantly, I stopped myself from entering his room, this I would need to do on my own.

The ride was long, quiet, tension from both Ezra and I spilled through our pores like sweat in a sauna, every breath could be heard, every muscle that tightened. It had been six weeks since the attempted assassination, six weeks before we could make any moves, six weeks our country stood still with our breath held, six weeks felt like a lifetime, at least enough time to cause a lot of doubt. Ezra and I knew we needed this win for ourselves and for our country. For a moment I allowed myself to feel the disappointment that Sam could not be awake and by my side for this moment, but I knew he'd be proud.
We arrived to the Barrels Motel, about 30 miles out from the main city, where guards and officers swarmed the building and a news helicopter circled and did the same. Everyone knew and everyone was watching. Ezra parked and came to open my door.
"Get rid of the bird, no eyes till we get her to holding." I gave the order to Ezra, and he whispered it in an earpiece. The Barrels Hotel was owned by Johnny Barrels, a US Navy War Veteran who had fought in the Vietnam War and after experiencing extreme PTSD moved to California to revolt with the hippies and as he would say "live a peaceful life of willful ignorance". He purchased the hotel building in 1983 and has remained it's owner still. He has never been a supporter of Sam's leadership but he couldn't suffer through another war and relocating to a new home. He's been allowed to do as he pleases, and I admit I have even bent a few rules for him, which makes this a perfect place for an enemy of the country to hide. Several guards along with Ezra escorted me through the classic revolving doors, one of the only parts of the hotel Barrels has sought to keep up, and upon entrance you are greeted to a grand roaring 20's styled foyer, with tattered leather couches, a velvet love seat that matches the drapes, and raw smell of jasmine perfume and cigars. To the left of the room, a run down bar now covered with cracked mirrors and black paint, glimmered a vision of the past with young dressed up gals in kitten heels flirting with intoxicating rich men who had left their wives for the night. Now the stains of the past make this place a sad wormhole of memories for which Mr. Barrels had no desire to escape. To the back of the room, dressed in a sheer collared shirt that draped down past his knees, with tight, shiny vinyl leggings, Mr. Barrels stood there at the concierge desk in a silent protest. His legs crossed, cigarette holder perched between his fingers and two guards standing on either side of him. He took one look at me and smirked, in which I returned. We had a mutual respect for one another, you may find that hard to believe but the GCC is a small place, you remember those who have caused you trouble. I wanted to speak with him but not just yet.
The elevator ride to the 16th floor was cramped and awkward as Johnny Cash played through the elevator speakers and our shallow breaths echoed in the small space. Guards with guns in their hands stood in front of me, Ezra next to me, Elijah on the other side, and Bullock behind me. I could see their expressionless faces in the mirrors that surrounded the walls of the elevator, all of them ready for war, ready to protect their country and myself, and our child. I was glad to be with this team, I knew they loved my husband and I knew they would have my back, through whatever decision I decided to make. The elevator came to a jolted stop, cranked open it's doors and smell of cheap vodka and desperation wafted through the air. More guards were standing in the halls, guarding the doors to the other hotel rooms though the floor had been cleared of any and all guests, not that there were many, The Barrels Hotel wasn't the most welcoming of places, only those who stunk of disloyalty and rebellion. At the end of the hall in the penthouse suite, Elijah entered the room, followed by Ezra, Bullock and then me. There was sweet jazz playing from an old record player on a dresser to the left of the bed along with paper and clothing scattered about the room that made this scene chaotic. She sat in a chair next to the window, one hand handcuffed to the arm of the chair, the other holding a cigarette, blonde curls in disarray, lipstick smudged but bitch face perfectly rested, she didn't even bother to glance at me as I entered the room.
"I was wondering when you'd get here..." She said glancing out the window still "....heck of an entourage." she added, this time a cloud of smoke exhaled from her lips. I managed to smile and find a bit of humor in the pure irony of this whole situation.
"Chair." I said pointing to a chair in the room located against the wall, gesturing one of the standing soldiers to place in front of me. I removed my jacket, and placed it over the chair, I then turned to one of the armed soldiers standing closest to her, "Everyone out... except Ezra and Elijah." only because I knew Ezra would not allow me to be in a room alone with the woman suspected of attempting to kill my husband, his King. The men shuffled out, and with them remained a chill cold air that brushed past my teeth and tongue with every inhale. I slowly sat down in the chair, crossed my legs, "Hi Mom," I said, her back still turned to me. "long time no see."
"You know, I must say I expected you sooner." She blew another puff of smoke out the window.
"Well you've been running... Glendale, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, but never off the island."
"Hmm," she chuckled, "No, thanks to you right?" She said finally turning to look at me.
"Disappointed?" I asked
"Only by my daughters' choices." Her attempt to hurt me was only a facade, she knew her time was up. I laughed a little again, this time a small pain in my side appeared and i rubbed it in concern. "Still a baby in there?" She noticed my discomfort and put out her cigarette.
"Doctors have been... unsuccessful in...." I rubbed a belly that I was no longer sure was growing or not, "finding a heart beat."
"Well, for what it's worth..." Her eyes shifted around the room nervously, "I'm sorry to hear that." this time she locked eyes with me.
"Sorry?" I laughed out, "Please tell me what you could possibly be sorry for, or is this not the outcome you wanted?" I spat out the words in disgust. She laughed, shoving her nose in the air and shaking off the wild hairs dancing on her forehead.
"What do you want me to say huh? You want me to say that I was happy? That I rejoiced when my mission was handed to me?" She got louder in tone, leaning forward in her chair as much as the handcuffs would allow "Well I have you know precious baby girl," she grabbed another cigarette from the pack sitting on the window sill next to her 'I did not take pride in this mission, but that just what it is, a mission. And there is no limits to what I will do for my country." She said settling back into her seat, nervously clicking the lighter. She was sloppy, erratic, acting unlike herself... she must have been drinking.
"What about the things you would do for your daughter? Or do those limits not exist?" She burst out into laughter again,
"You're not MY daughter!" she screamed, "and you haven't been for awhile." she spat out. "Renegade enemy of the state, fake Queen to a fake country." Before Ezra could reach to stop me, I was out of my chair, the back of my hand striking her left cheek, so hard I nearly lost my balance. Ezra stepped forward to engage but I shunned him with a look that'd make even the most vicious dog put it's tail between it's legs. My mother adjusted herself in her seat, spitting a well of blood on the floor.
"Nice to know you still got enough gull to hit your own mother." She said wiping her mouth with her free hand.
"Well you always taught me no fear, right?" we both laughed a little, I rubbed my hand to soothe stinging "So... wheres the vodka?" a smile appeared across her face the same time a tear did.
"It's over there, on top of the night stand." she pointed to a small table across the room next to the bed. I got up to grab a small bottle of Taaka vodka and a cup.
"You got the cheap stuff?" I joked
"Well the cheap stuff is what you drink when you're on the run." she successfully lit her cigarette and groaned as she took another inhale. I poured the remainder of the vodka in a plastic cup and handed it to her, she drank from it quickly. "It's good you know?" I said returning back to my seat staring back at the woman who used to be my mother. "This is good..." I said as I began to nod my head at my own acknowledgement. my mother looked at me puzzled "...keeping it impersonal," I said, answering the question on her face "it will make it easier when..." I let the sentence trail off. She looked up at me again, a mild look of concern across her face. She finished the rest of her drink, dramatically sinking her head to the back.
"No hard feelings?" she said, slamming the cup back down to the table, wiping off the drops of cheap vodka that ran down her chin to her neck.
'What a mess' I thought. I stood and removed my jacket from the chair and put it on. "Tell the guards outside we're on the move" I said to Ezra, and then turned to Elliot "Alert the press... We will have court tomorrow." I stormed out of the room with out another word to my mother, I could hear her yelling for the guards to 'get their hands' off her.
"Delta Eagle on the move." Ezra said quietly into his earpiece radio.
"This is what you're going to do huh?" her voice was frantic as she shuffled around with the guards. "You're going to let those people judge me cause your too much of a coward to do it yourself! Huh?!" She got louder as we made our way down the hall. "You're gonna let them kill me!" We arrived to the elevator that was held open and waiting by a few other guards.
"Take her down the stairs," I said to Elliot who was holding my mother and another guard. "She can walk" the two of them, half way lifting and half way dragging her, carried my unwilling mother further down the hall to the stair exit. Ezra and I took a quick trip down to the first floor where Mr. Barrels awaited, still puffing on a cigarette.
"Mr. Barrels..." I said, "it's been awhile..."
"Not long enough, her majesty..." he enunciated the word 'majesty' slowly, we both chuckled.
"Well I do apologize for the mess we made." I said gesturing towards the frenzy of furniture that had been moved and shoved around, turning this foyer into one of those cheap furniture stores. My mother and the guards came tumbling out the stairway, she was still fussing about as they carried her out the revolving door and into a state vehicle. Mr. Barrels smiled and waved his hand loosely, as if he was saying goodbye.
"All good, long as you have somebody come back to clean it up." He rolled his eyes slightly and took another inhale from his cigarette.
"Clean it up?" I laughed a little, turning my full attention back to him "Oh, i'm so sorry Mr. Barrels, someone should've told you." his eyebrows crinkled, "The Barrels hotel is now the property of the GCC," I took two steps closer, "and once you are judged for the guilty, piece of shit, scum you are, The Barrels hotel" I said in an over dramatic and grand fashion, waving my arms and twirling around in one final gesture "will be scheduled for demolition." I turned back to him with a smirk upon my face.
"You bitch." he stood up and several guards rushed to his side, hands grasped on his shoulders. I let out a deep sigh and turned to walk away with Ezra following behind. "You think I don't know about his women?!" He yelled out and I slowed in pace, "Where do you think he brought him?" he spat out in a slurred speech, I turned around. "Whole town knew... your husband like to sleep with the poor girls" He was taunting in his tone, "what kind of man has go to the wrong side of town to get some pussy." He spat again as he enunciated the P.
"Hmmph" I chuckled and walked back towards Mr. Barrels. "You think aiding and abetting a fugitive, the people who attempted to assassinate my husband, your king, is the only dirt I've got on you?" I said smirking. "Folder." I demanded and Ezra pulled out a folder from inside his coat and placed it in my hand. I reached in the folder and pulled out a photo of red headed young man with freckles and bruise above his left eye. "Justin Gray" I said holding the image directly in front of his face, "he claims he came here to the Barrels Hotel when he was 16 years old, trying to run away from his family home. He say's you sexually manipulated him for 14 months until he finally grew the courage to escape. " I pulled out another photo, "Christian Dell, claims you forcibly raped him when he came here one night because his car had broken down. Ansel Turner." I said retrieving another photo "claims you 'felt him up' in a grocery at which he works." I held out 3 photos within inches of Mr. Barrels face,"All these boys, covered up by my own husband, so you wouldn't tell his secrets." I scoffed, lowering my hand, placing the photos back in the file and handing it back to Ezra. "You may be right, my husband wasn't always a good man... but... he... is in a coma, and I'm in charge now. So, I'll see you in court." I stormed off for good this time, and made no efforts to further acknowledge Mr. Barrels or the last steps I would be taking in the hotel.
Once outside Ezra reached for the door of the SUV and waited for me to sit in comfortably before he closed the door. He spoke with a couple of guards before getting into drivers seat of the vehicle. I didn't enjoy being reminded of my husband's infidelities but the information came as no surprise. I felt a sinking feeling deep in my stomach that gave me a wave of nausea as I stared out the window at the Barrels Hotel. Was I naive to believe that there was just one woman my husband had betrayed me for? Not naive, but just unwilling, I thought. Maybe I was so fascinated with my fairy tale life I turned a blind eye to what was right in front of my face. I just wanted to be happy, I thought as I let a single tear escape from my eye.
"What do you want to do?" Ezra asked
"Burn it down." I said, with the inability to take my eyes of the building as we drove off, the sun lightly kissing the horizon as she began to rise. She would soon shed her light on our sins.