The House in the Woods

Untitled Part 30

Owen POV

I wait about thirty minutes, and then I go to the car to "drive" onto the property. Nathan announces me through the gate radio so my father knows that I have arrived. He didn't even disguise his voice. The remaining security team must be as big of morons as the ones that we already caught.

The door opens, and there are two guards standing there to escort me. One speaks and says, "Good evening, young Mr. Blackbourne. Your father would like for you to join him in the library before dinner. Your father did ask that you surrender all firearms to me."

I hand the guard my gun. He did not say anything about knives, throwing stars, and my mini Taser, so I keep those. For a man that thinks he is so up on protection, he has hired a bunch of fools that would probably try to talk an intruder to death.

I walk into the library, and I am face to face with an older version of myself. He has the same facial features and same steel grey eyes. I always wished that I had gotten more features from my mother.

I look at him and say, "You requested that I be here, so here I am. Where is Sang?"

Joshua looks at me and says, "You are looking well. Sang is dressing for dinner. Come and sit with me. We need to talk about a recent change of events. What would you like to drink?"

I look at my father and say, "I don't drink alcohol. First I don't like the taste, and second I am not old enough."

Joshua looks at me and says, "A child can drink in their parent's home, so don't let age stop you. I have some shocking news, so you might want to have something to calm your nerves, anger or whatever other attitude you think you are going to throw at me. I will not be disrespected in my own home Owen, and it is best that you remember that. I can always decide that it would be better for Sang to have dinner in her room and deny you access to her this evening. Is that what you want?"

"Father, just tell me whatever it is that you think that I should know about. I want to see Sang and make sure that she is comfortable. Just tell me what I have to do," I say in an even voice.

"Your mother is alive, and we are getting back together. Ten years ago, I was told that she died, and I believed the doctors that gave me the information. As it turns out, she was just badly injured. She lost her memory and a new identity was created for her under the name of Sara James. When I dated Sara five years ago, I always wondered whether Sara was actually Lindy, so I had my scientists work on a drug that would help patients with various types of amnesia. We have been testing them on Sara for the past several years. Finally we found one that worked. Yes, there are a various side effects, but your mother, Lindy, does remember who she is," Joshua sits back grinning pouring a glass of his expensive whiskey.

I look at him and say, "When you DATED Sara five years ago. You tell me this and you want my response to be positive? You are admitting to beating someone so severely that they lost their memory for ten years, and I am supposed to be happy that you are getting back together?"

Joshua crosses the room and raises his hand to what, slap, or hit me? I stop his hand before it ever makes contact, and I push him away from me. One of his guards stands at the ready... to do what?

Joshua face contorts, and I see the full rage that he is directing at me. I think about what Sean said regarding the poison affecting his heart. Maybe a physical confrontation with my father would be a kickstarter that he needed to really get Joshua's heart racing. I form a fist and while I show some restraint, the sound that it makes when it connects with his jaw has a surprisingly calming effect on me.

Owen POV

My arm is already pulled back for another punch before I feel myself being jerked back. Joshua's guard is behind me holding my fist.

I look at my father and growl, "Where is Miss Sorenson? I want her brought to me now."

Joshua looks at the guard and says, "Let him go, Kyle. This is between me and my son. Let him prove that he has what it takes to be who he really is." Joshua's face goes into a cruel smile and says, "One punch and you think that you can start making demands. Do you feel the anger taking over, son? When someone is keeping you from the woman that you love? How do you think that I have felt knowing that YOU were the last person to take your mother from me?"

Before letting go of my arm Kyle jerks my head back and says in my ear, "Think of Sang."

I freeze as if I have been hit with cold water. Who are these people and what kind of games are they involving me and my team in? Are they there to protect my father, or are they there to kill him. When I first walked into the house I was content to be complacent to whatever plans had been put into place to end the reign of terror. I would be lying if I said that I had not plotted his death many times in the past. In my dreams, it would always make me feel as if I was fulfilling a destiny of revenge, but when the guard mentions Sang and my brothers I realize that standing by I would be condoning murder. I know that I could never place that burden on any of them. It would make me no better than him, the man that I despised.

I say into my com unit, "Counter measures." That is Sean's cue that I want to handle the situation through the Academy or the justice system depending on what evidence we are able to find.

I hear Sean say, "Be strong, Owen."

Joshua looks at me again and says, "I brought you here to bring out family back together. You need to decide right now whether you are going to come back into the fold, or whether you are going to be like your mother and try to ruin everything. If you want to defy me, then there will be punishments. I have tried to be patient, but YOU are driving me to this, son, just like your mother use to. Kyle will you bring them both in here so Owen can see that his precious Sang has not been hurt, yet. Whether she stays that way is all dependent on you and your actions, son."

I try to diffuse the situation to give Sean time to put everything into place. "Father, what do you expect from me? You attack my girlfriend, and you expect me to just stand by and accept that. Standing by idly is not how I was raised. Should I back down just because it is you that is the threat? If I misread the situation then I am sorry, but look at it from my point of view. Someone came into the house that I was staying and took the love of my life away at gunpoint, and now you are saying that you are going to hurt her. I cannot stand by and allow you to do that," I stare at his as my voice grows louder as I let the anger build again.

Less than a minute goes by before Sang appears in the doorway. I do a quick assessment and while she looks frightened, she does not appear to have any injuries. Sang does not speak out loud, but she silently communicates to me that she is okay, as she mouths, "I love you."

I do the same before I glance at the other woman. I don't want to feel anything for her, but one look at her tells me that she is not okay. She is being practically drug into the room as if she cannot stand on her own. Her face is a mass of bruises, one eye is almost swollen shut, and her lips are cut and swollen. Her arms and legs have bandages but the areas that are not covered up are a mass of bruises. The turmoil has my mind spinning. This woman played a part in bringing Sang into this mess, but when I watch as the guards throw her battered and abused body on the floor, I realize that she has already been through hell since she left the house. It brings back the memories of my mother's screams, of finding Sara five years ago.

The wall of hate that was building against her is shattered when I see the look of desperation and fear in her eyes as she looks between Joshua and me before she says, "I am sorry for how I have hurt you both, our family and Sang. Can you please forgive me?"

I rush to her side and gently gather her in my arms because I don't want to hurt her. I stroke her hair and kiss her cheek before I whisper in her to ear, "We can talk later about who you are, but know here and now that there is nothing that needs to be forgiven. I understand that you had no choice, and I love you."