Note: So, when pronounced with an S, "facade" has a cedilla (a hook or tail) under the C. However, some devices I've used for this platform either blocked the word or spread the letters out, not connecting them. I picked this spelling to avoid limitations to that word and display it.

∞ The Tethered Ones ∞

Chapter 15

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• Amir •

Faisal went speechless, and Amir stood still, trying not to allow dark thoughts to enter his brain.

Taking Dr. Kim and the rest of them out before they can force Luna to do something equally horrendous was on the top of his hit list. But he realized he needed to think things through. Slipping a fatal concoction he developed privately into their beverages would cause them to have a rapid, painful death, but he couldn't be that malicious. He needed time to devise another plan, one that wouldn't cause him to become immoral.

He just knew from this point forward he'd have to put on a facade until he was certain he could get him and Luna to safety. And putting on an act had never been an easy feat.

It could become hard for him to deceive others, and their lives were on the line.

"I don't understand what their game plan is." Faisal stepped to the other side and brought his hands behind his head. "Why would they heal sick patients with the help of Tethered Souls if they want to eradicate the species?"

"They want to eliminate the ones who don't cooperate." Amir peered out the window, watching the front gate. Guards stood at attention, with weapons in their hands.

"They're demented. They'll use you to heal whoever they want, but hurt Luna if you refuse." Faisal took a breath and shook his head. "She can't do something so ruthless."

"I won't let it get that far, not while I'm here." Amir turned around and met Faisal's stare. "Did you know they've created lethal chemicals just for us?"

Blood drained from his face.

"There are four different substances that can cause our species to become sick, feel pain, and even die." Stepping away from the window, he turned toward his cousin and crossed his arms. "They even have pods filled with poisonous gas settled around the area. If one of them is triggered, they'll be discharged and eventually become airborne."

Their scenes switched back to where Faisal was, and the two of them gazed at Sarah as she played tag with Liberty. "We need to stock up on gas masks."

Amir shook his head. "I don't think they would even work. A particular brand of masks have been developed for the organization in case Chemnisol was released."

Faisal shuddered and placed his hands on his hips. "That's their insurance policy." He tsked. "I'm ready to kill them. Especially Dr. Kim and Chase."

Amir's eyes furrowed. "You mean Chase Marquette?"

"Crap," he uttered.

"Faisal, what are you not telling me?"

He was silent for a moment, then said, "Nothing. It's just that Dr. Kim is the leader and he has people doing his dirty work."

Amir turned around and stalked toward the window. "No. I can feel it. There's something you're not telling me."

"I'm . . . I'm telling you what I know."

He turned around as Faisal's jaw locked. "Dr. Kim has resources."

"Hm. Okay. I have this feeling that I know him. Like he and I have been at war with each other."

"Maybe it's because both of you saw each other a lot at St. Matthew's," he suggested.

Amir exhaled a breath. "I don't think so. I'll figure it out."

"Sergeant Trent!" a masculine voice was heard from the house.

"What's going on?" Faisal asked, suddenly standing next to Amir.

"I don't know. Everyone was gone this morning and has returned with three transport vehicles and medical equipment."

"I don't have a good feeling about this."

"Me either," Amir replied, keeping his gaze on the sergeant who was walking directly toward the guest house. "We need to be prepared for anything."

Turning, Amir met Faisal's eyes. "We should talk later."

He nodded. "Okay. Be careful."

Once Faisal was no longer in sight, Amir quickly opened his door and stepped outside to meet the guard. "What can I help you with, Ethan?"

"It's Sergeant Trent to you, and your presence is needed in Dr. Kim's office."

He snorted, holding himself from launching at him. He didn't give two craps what he called the man. He was the enemy. "Okay. Let me get dressed."

"No need, Mr. Khan," Sergeant Trent said, staring at him. "You're fine the way you are."

"Was that supposed to be a compliment?" Amir chuckled. "I'm flattered."

"I meant your clothes, sir. Your t-shirt and jeans will do."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to wash up and change into something more appropriate. I have tea spilled on my skin and it's making me feel a little itchy."

Sergeant Trent groaned. "You have two minutes."

"Sure thing, Sergeant."

He snarled in return as Amir drew in a deep breath and watched him stand guard outside the door.

Amir turned around and then retreated to his room. Easing inside, he was surprised to see Luna's eyes open and lying on her side. Her messy brown hair tumbled around her shoulders as she pushed up on her elbow.

"Hey," she whispered, rubbing her eyes with a balled fist. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," he said, nodding and sliding in next to her. "I just need to clean up and change. There's a meeting at the house."

She moaned. "They're back."

He nodded.

"That sucks. Can't they just leave, like forever?" she joked.

He smiled and jumped up, then grabbed a clean washcloth. Pouring soap and hot water over it, he asked, "That would be nice wouldn't it?"

"It would, but not here," she said. "I'd rather take you to my house."

Quickly scrubbing his chest in the bathroom with the door wide open, he asked, "So, I've never gotten to see where you and Sarah used to live?"

She shook her head. "No, you haven't. At least, not physically."

"Do you think it's still standing?"

"I hope so. I sort of miss it."

"I'm sure you do," Amir said, crossing the threshold and plopping down on the edge of the bed. "Your home held a special place in your heart. You'd be insane not to miss it."

Her eyes narrowed. "True, but it was also a place I lived in with my ex."

"Yeah, that too," he said, glancing at the door.

"God, I can't believe I brought him up."

"No, it's okay. There's no need to stress about it. You had a life with somebody before me, and it's understandable if he crossed your mind."

"But you don't remember who he is," she said.

He reached forward and folded a hand over hers. "If your ex is out of your life, then I don't have to know anything about him. He means nothing to me."

A tear slid down her eye as he brushed a thumb over it. "It's just that he's a dangerous man."

"All right," Amir said, moving closer. "Hopefully, we'll never cross paths with him."

Giving her a reassuring smile, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "Let's not think about him anymore." She grinned as he kissed her lips. "Sergeant Trent is waiting to escort me to Dr. Kim."

She nodded. "Okay."

"I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I'll be waiting, A. I love you."

"I love you, Moon."

• • •

Stepping into the foyer, the constant chatter banged off Amir's skull and had grown stronger once he entered a wide, rectangular office.

Newcomers he'd never met were lined along the walls, keeping their gaze focused on Dr. Kim, who had his back turned to them and stood over his oak desk. A large TV was turned on, displaying images of multiple destroyed cities and a death toll being circulated at the bottom of the screen.

His stomach lurched when the number rose to forty-four thousand souls perished.

A tall male in his mid-forties, with dirty blond hair, parted neatly and a wide, perfectly straight white smile, wearing a black suit stood across from the desk.

When the doctor glanced behind his shoulder, he met Amir's stare. "Mr. Khan. I was beginning to worry you wouldn't come down," Dr. Kim said as the other man turned his frame. "Allow me to introduce the mayor of New Orleans, Rolland Pierce."

"Assalamualaikum, Sir," Amir replied, causing Rolland to furrow his eyes. "It means, 'peace be upon you.'"

The man chuckled, shaking Amir's hand. "Thanks. You too, I guess?"

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything."

Facade, Amir reminded himself. Pretend.

"So, how are you doing?" Dr. Kim asked as he walked around the desk and pressed the mute button. He then took a seat and settled back, keeping his eyes on Amir.

"Everything is okay, doctor. Thank you for asking."

"Sure." His fingers steepled under his chin. "I hear you had an altercation with somebody here?"

He posed it as a question, but he must be toying with him. Simon must've gone back and told everyone what happened the other day. It didn't settle well with Amir that the answer was already known, but he was asked about it in front of other people.

Facade. Act natural.

A woman called Sadi who he barely knew angled her body toward him with a curious look etched across her face, her bright teal gaze lit up. "It was about your memories, right?"

"No, that is incorrect." He turned his gaze to the doctor and mayor. "It was the fact that I caught him in my wife's room. No one is to lay a finger on her."

"Ooh . . ." was heard from the people against the wall.

Sadi's fingers lingered on his shoulder and down his arm. "For a man who doesn't seem to remember anything, you sure do have an animalistic instinct when it comes to her."

"Of course, I do," Amir said, smiling and moving a few inches away from her so she couldn't touch him anymore. "Just because I don't have my memories doesn't mean I'm not married."

She tsked. "Are you sure you don't want to trade up? Not with me, but maybe the other ladies who find you . . . appealing."

He smirked. "Nah, I'll pass. I don't believe in messing around on my spouse."

Mayor Pierce let out a soft laugh. "Well, you're different than the others who've been injected with the same serum. When the other specimens had forgotten they were dating or married, they mated again rather quickly."

He leaned against the desk and folded his arms over his chest. "This partner of yours. She must be special, huh?"

Facade. Don't give in.

Sadi pulled her attention from Amir when he looked away, not wanting to entertain anyone in the room. A muscle or nerve twitched under his eye as he felt her gaze on his. "She's not special at all. He doesn't know what he's missing."

Dr. Kim hooked one knee over the other as he rested his hands on his lap. "Mr. Khan is quite devoted to his companion. They have a unique bond. It's stronger than the others."

"Really . . ." the mayor said, his lips curled into a small grin. "How so?"

"I'm sorry," Amir began, stepping closer to the man. "But how is my marital status any concern of yours?"

Mayor Pierce frowned as he glanced at Dr. Kim, and then he straightened his back. "Because you're both superhuman. You have abilities that can become catastrophic, and staying linked with your partner can enhance them."

"Luna Khan is part of the Origin group," said Alisha Bankole as she strode into the room, a laptop in her hands. A sweet smile formed on her lips as she passed the mayor. "She is one of our projects that was striving in the outside world."

Facade. Don't say anything, Amir. Don't . . .

He couldn't contain himself as he uttered, "What project? What is an origin?"

"I take it Luna didn't tell you everything about herself?" Mayor Pierce asked, taking the laptop from her hands.

"Actually, Luna doesn't know. We've kept it secret since she was conceived," answered Alisha.

"When she was in St. Matthew's," Dr. Kim said, sitting up, "she had never said anything under the treatments. We assume she has no knowledge of her heritage."

"Can somebody please tell me what an origin is?" Amir asked, his eyes flickering between the doctor and Alisha.

"Her ancestry doesn't show any other Tethered Soul," she explained. "When one of her parents needed a medical procedure done before she was born, our organization took action."

"Okay, but that still doesn't answer my question, Ms. Bankole."

"Patience, Mr. Khan." Dr. Kim stood to his feet and laid his arms on his sides.

"We were there to give her parents a serum that helped their medical needs. Because of that intervention, she was born with the tethered gene," Alisha explained. "They're called Origins."

"But she has abilities, and we're tethered," Amir told her.

"That's true. It's because her parent was a carrier. They received the serum with a DNA strand from a Tethered Soul," she replied. "Without that, Luna wouldn't have ever had abilities, much less be tethered to somebody."

"Amir . . ." Dr. Kim murmured, catching his gaze. "Do you remember when I showed you the patients in the other rooms who are receiving treatment?"

"Your cancer patients?"

The doctor nodded pressing his lips into a thin line. "Yes. What is going on with them is what happened with Luna and many other Origins on the planet. Their parents needed some sort of medical help, and we were there to lend a hand."

Facade. Keep your cool, Amir.

Screw it.

"You're acting like you donated your liver." Amir bit his lip as he stepped back. "All of you are telling me before this mess, you all had searched the entire planet for ordinary humans and found the most vulnerable to give a serum to?"

No one in the room batted an eye.

Not one sound was heard.

"Unbelievable." His stomach turned. He couldn't keep up with his facade any longer, even though he tried desperately to. "A bunch of criminals," he muttered.

"I'd watch that tone if I were you," the mayor said, eyeing him closely. "You have no idea what you've just stepped in. Scientific discoveries have been conducted for centuries, and ironically, you and your partner are one of them. I'm beginning to question what you remember."

Folding his arms across his chest, Amir shrugged. "Question me all you want. I don't have anything to hide."

"Out of all the partners of the Origins, Amir is the only one who has shown a significant amount of memory loss," Alisha said. "I believe Luna might be the key to helping him unlock everything in his past."

The key?

His shoulders stiffened. He didn't know what to expect when he came into this office, but he was itching to get back to his girl. It won't be that easy, though. He had to cool off and focus on the task at hand. Escape.

"Explain this memory loss to me," Mayor Pierce ordered. 

Amir was certain someone else would chime in since they seemed to speak for him. But this time, they all remained quiet. "I remember little of my past. The furthest my memories go back is the moment I'd learned I was part of this species."

"And has any previous memories resurfaced?" Curiosity colored his tone.

Sadi snorted. "He has spent a lot of time with Luna lately. I bet some piece of their life together has come back."

While Amir resisted the urge to argue with her, Rolland stared at him for a moment, and then smiled at both of them, laughing quietly. "Is that true?"

Inhaling, Amir replied, "I'm protecting her. After finding another man in her room, I don't trust she'll be safe. That's why she's in the guest house."

"Interesting," Mayor Pierce murmured. "How tight is this bond between you two?"

Facade. Stay cool. You've got this, Amir.

"I've fallen in love with her," he admitted, shifting his weight and glancing at Dr. Kim who was still, not remotely moving an inch in his seat. "I'm going to do whatever I can to make sure she's okay."

Sadi giggled. "He is definitely not thinking with the right head if you catch my drift." She wiggled her brows at everyone in the room.

Amir turned around and spotted her whispering to a female scientist who was standing against the wall. Responding to her was a waste of time.

The mayor's eyes widened. "Well, that is unfortunate . . . for you."

"Why is that?" he asked, his fists tightening at the sides.

"Because we have plans for your life," the mayor said, cocking his head to the side. "You're cooperating, and it would be a shame if you let any petty emotions get in the way of that."

Sadi looked at Mayor Pierce, then at Dr. Kim, and back to Amir.

He didn't trust them.

He didn't trust the Quiet People, either.

"It's okay. You don't know me from Adam," Rolland said. "Trust doesn't come easily."

"Nope," Amir drawled out.

"All right. Then, maybe we can get to know each other, especially since you and Luna will be with us for a long time."

Stay calm, Amir.

"A long time?"

He nodded as Alisha strode to the mayor's side. "There's a lot we need to understand regarding your connection. We need to perform tests to see exactly how strong it is," she said, keeping her eyes on him. "We're trusting you to persuade her to see our side of things. You'll see, we aren't the bad guys here."

Amir nodded curtly, pretending he was on board. He wasn't believing any of their lies. He knew better.

"Now. I have things to do, and so does the mayor," Dr. Kim said, gliding to the door. "Thank you for stopping by, Mr. Khan. We'll come to get you later for more projects."

Surprise caught him. "More projects?"

As he was escorted by Sergeant Trent who appeared out of nowhere, the doctor smiled broadly. "Yes. You know the drill. See you in a while, Amir."

The doors closed behind them, and he sighed as he turned around. He didn't like not knowing what they were planning, but he was sure as hell on alert after this meeting. All he wanted was to get back to Luna and check on her. There were two people he hadn't seen all afternoon: that was Nurse Smith and Chase.

Instinct was telling him she was in trouble.

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