Business Arrangement

Part 14

CHAPTER 14:

"DO YOU BLAME your parents for putting you with Ender?" It asks next.

"No." I answer truthfully, what they did was build and expand, like all Bees do and sacrifices are made only when they are necessary.

"Why?" It demands.

I stare at my reflection, "Duty. What do you know about the Bee Families?" It was my turn to understand more of who they were targeting. Me, or Ender. Because this isn't some ransom, this wasn't about money, it wasn't even about power. This was all about information and understanding what Bees represent, their angles in everything they do and everything they are.

Which brought me to the question whether Ender was ever in danger in the first place.

"I am asking the questions. Bees have a distinctive, secretive community. No matter the Bee, no matter the member. Explain to me why that is, not how it came to be, but why?" This particular person seemed determined, desperate too.

I tap my bracelet on the metal armrest and it snaps into a straight, sharp object used to pin up hair most of the time. It slices the tape and I snatch it up, cutting the other tape and I slice the one encasing me against the back of the chair. I tilt my head up, chin straight as I pull the rest off and stand until I move towards the glass.

My eyes glittering with interest, with intrigue, "You ask why? Why we are powerful? Why we are who all rely on? Why we are unstoppable? Why pain, torture and fear mean nothing...figure it the fuck out yourself." I point to the glass.

Nothing was easy in this world.

I learned that too young.

"You don't want money, you don't want recognition. You call for information that isn't digitalised or filed manually. You want something made from DNA, made from the blood that flows through veins. You want the codes to the algorithms, the key to all treasure chests, the answers to every question and every question not asked. You crave information, you could kill every Bee on this planet, do you want to know what you'll find? What that cost is? Death of all. Death of land, of stock, of life itself.

"You cannot live without Bees, and you cannot thrive without competition. You cannot create delusions that fool Bees. You don't have Ender, you have him compromised at best. Your questions personalised to fear of my tasks, my family and above all, Ender, are complete shambles and falsified concepts to hide what is really going on here."

She used 'father' instead of his biological sperm donors real name and that is because-whoever they are-they were hurt by that name, by that man. She could be a woman Ender's father directly hurt. Yet they are protective of Ender, whether a relative, an ex-lover or current. Ender isn't endangered by them and this entire operation had to be a con. Because a real kidnapper wouldn't asked if I cared, loved or understood Ender. Someone who only wants money wouldn't ask these questions, but would rather get straight down to how much money, when they'll get it and the terms and uses of it.

And they certainly wouldn't have the information about me being a Bee.

"Did you think for one second I wouldn't read your reactions to how you feel about Ender? He's beaten close to death and you're saying you don't care? Because you're afraid he'll turn out like his father. Do you still believe it is just information I want? Thirty-million is one payment. The next will be greater. Will be more. His life is in your hands. Will you save his life or will you destroy it?" The deep automated voice. Whoever it was-multiple people, multiple points of views were in there with that microphone trying to confuse me. And now, I was hungry. My stomach lightly grumbles under my top.