The Price of Disrespect (Gray Spear Society Book 6) by Alex Siegel Page A
Authors: Alex Siegel
Ads: Link
solved."
Wesley clenched his fists. "You always do stupid stuff like this!" he yelled. "You mess with other people. You act like you're still the legate, but you're not. You retired. Remember? Tawni is Aaron's recruit, not yours. You had no right to tell her anything. Go away! All of you! Let Aaron do his job."
Charles reluctantly left and his crew trailed behind. As soon as they were gone, Aaron exhaled.
Tawni looked at him. "What just happened?"
"I'm sorry." He patted her shoulder. "You weren't ready, but I guess nobody ever is. The truth is you're stuck with me for the rest of your life."
"No!"
"I know it's not fair. I'll explain everything later. Let's just get through this assignment first. Come on."
He and Wesley walked off. Tawni remained in place.
Norbert took a few steps, stopped, and looked back at her. "You have to come," he said in a gentle voice. "Please."
"I don't want to," she said.
"You don't have a choice."
"I'm not his slave."
"You're his legionnaire ," he said.
"I'll fight him."
"Then you'll die. I know it's impossible for you to believe, but a great thing just happened. You got the best job in the world. You have to follow Aaron's orders though. The Society doesn't tolerate disobedience. Come on."
She stood still. His hand moved towards his belt buckle.
"If I refused, would you kill me?"
He winced. "I'd have to. Sorry. I'd feel awful, but we have rules." He looked and sounded sincere.
She rolled her eyes. These mother fuckers are insane. She followed him out of the store.
They found Aaron and Wesley standing outside. Tawni expected a comment from Aaron, but he just started walking.
She thought about what Charles had told her. It didn't make sense.
They arrived at the intersection of East Adams Street and South Michigan Avenue. Tawni looked across the street at the Art Institute. It was one of the largest and best art museums in the United States, but she had been inside only once for a school field trip. She vaguely remembered that the art collection had seemed limitless. The architecture was strictly classical, and the exterior was made of white stone. The building looked pretentious to her. She expected rich, snooty, white people had built it.
The protesters were already beginning to gather. Some carried signs and others just looked angry. Tawni could tell the protest would turn ugly.
She tried to read the signs. Some showed animal rights slogans like "feed it, don't eat it" and "meat is murder." Another sign read, "think outside the bomb." A pink sign showed "bullies are turds" which was oddly out of place in this context.
One pattern did stand out. Most of the protestors were black. A huge portion of the population of Chicago was African-American, but they generally kept to their own neighborhoods. The cultural center of Chicago was an odd place to find such a high concentration.
Aaron knelt down in front of Wesley. "Use your gift. Tell me what's really going on."
"I don't want to." The boy shook his head.
"This is important."
"I swore I wouldn't. I'm trying to be a normal boy."
"I'm ordering you," Aaron said.
Wesley looked down. "There are some orders I can't follow, sir. I'm sorry."
Aaron stood up with an expression of disappointment.
"What are you talking about?" Tawni asked. "What gift?"
He looked at her. "Wesley sees the truth."
"I don't understand."
"It doesn't matter anyway. He's being stubborn. We'll have to do this the old-fashioned way with eyeballs and brains. Stay close together."
Aaron continued to lead. He walked around the south side of the museum and entered a park. A belt of tall trees ran around the perimeter of the block. Some had leaves but most were still budding or bare. The center of the park was open, and clusters of protestors were gathering there.
He approached one group in particular. A bald man was standing on a wooden crate and giving a speech. About forty other people were listening.
"We're the real people of Chicago," the man yelled.
Wesley clenched his fists. "You always do stupid stuff like this!" he yelled. "You mess with other people. You act like you're still the legate, but you're not. You retired. Remember? Tawni is Aaron's recruit, not yours. You had no right to tell her anything. Go away! All of you! Let Aaron do his job."
Charles reluctantly left and his crew trailed behind. As soon as they were gone, Aaron exhaled.
Tawni looked at him. "What just happened?"
"I'm sorry." He patted her shoulder. "You weren't ready, but I guess nobody ever is. The truth is you're stuck with me for the rest of your life."
"No!"
"I know it's not fair. I'll explain everything later. Let's just get through this assignment first. Come on."
He and Wesley walked off. Tawni remained in place.
Norbert took a few steps, stopped, and looked back at her. "You have to come," he said in a gentle voice. "Please."
"I don't want to," she said.
"You don't have a choice."
"I'm not his slave."
"You're his legionnaire ," he said.
"I'll fight him."
"Then you'll die. I know it's impossible for you to believe, but a great thing just happened. You got the best job in the world. You have to follow Aaron's orders though. The Society doesn't tolerate disobedience. Come on."
She stood still. His hand moved towards his belt buckle.
"If I refused, would you kill me?"
He winced. "I'd have to. Sorry. I'd feel awful, but we have rules." He looked and sounded sincere.
She rolled her eyes. These mother fuckers are insane. She followed him out of the store.
They found Aaron and Wesley standing outside. Tawni expected a comment from Aaron, but he just started walking.
She thought about what Charles had told her. It didn't make sense.
They arrived at the intersection of East Adams Street and South Michigan Avenue. Tawni looked across the street at the Art Institute. It was one of the largest and best art museums in the United States, but she had been inside only once for a school field trip. She vaguely remembered that the art collection had seemed limitless. The architecture was strictly classical, and the exterior was made of white stone. The building looked pretentious to her. She expected rich, snooty, white people had built it.
The protesters were already beginning to gather. Some carried signs and others just looked angry. Tawni could tell the protest would turn ugly.
She tried to read the signs. Some showed animal rights slogans like "feed it, don't eat it" and "meat is murder." Another sign read, "think outside the bomb." A pink sign showed "bullies are turds" which was oddly out of place in this context.
One pattern did stand out. Most of the protestors were black. A huge portion of the population of Chicago was African-American, but they generally kept to their own neighborhoods. The cultural center of Chicago was an odd place to find such a high concentration.
Aaron knelt down in front of Wesley. "Use your gift. Tell me what's really going on."
"I don't want to." The boy shook his head.
"This is important."
"I swore I wouldn't. I'm trying to be a normal boy."
"I'm ordering you," Aaron said.
Wesley looked down. "There are some orders I can't follow, sir. I'm sorry."
Aaron stood up with an expression of disappointment.
"What are you talking about?" Tawni asked. "What gift?"
He looked at her. "Wesley sees the truth."
"I don't understand."
"It doesn't matter anyway. He's being stubborn. We'll have to do this the old-fashioned way with eyeballs and brains. Stay close together."
Aaron continued to lead. He walked around the south side of the museum and entered a park. A belt of tall trees ran around the perimeter of the block. Some had leaves but most were still budding or bare. The center of the park was open, and clusters of protestors were gathering there.
He approached one group in particular. A bald man was standing on a wooden crate and giving a speech. About forty other people were listening.
"We're the real people of Chicago," the man yelled.
Similar Books
