Deception - In The Beginning (Book 5) - A Prequel

Chapter 9

Dina became an integral part of the machine that was the Sebastian Magical Extravaganza. The twins gravitated towards the fun-loving, outgoing Producer for almost everything they had been missing in life.

She took on the role of producer, accountant, gopher and mother, lending a willing ear for the brothers' concerns, fears and confidences. Things would have continued that way for the foreseeable future if she hadn't started noticing troubling things that brought forward deep concerns for the well-being of her new friends.

It was the accident in the Panama that first alerted her to the danger these two young men were in. Everything had checked out, Gunter had secured the rigging the night before. It was a trick Cameron had not performed with an audience before and it had seemed to Dina there was less practice.

Mentioning it to Sebastian he rejected her anxiety out of hand, stocking off as was his normal practice. It didn't sit with her right and she approached the engineer.

Gunter was a huge bear of a man, tattooed and menacing looking but she had found him to be deeply empathic, treating the twins as if they were his sons.

"Gunter I just have a feeling something is wrong. It didn't seem like Sebastian allowed enough time to practice this new trick he's having Cam do tonight." He'd suspected something but couldn't find anything wrong with the rigging, the buckles or the chains. Inspecting them countless times during the previous few days had provided little in the way of confirmation that there was a problem.

"Dina I've looked and checked multiple times and couldn't find anything amiss. But I'm going to be watching really careful like tonight – the boy will be fine, trust me." It didn't do much for the churning in her gut but gave her some solace that she wasn't the only one worried.

When the flames from the torches exploded, reaching and catching the ropes Dina's misery was confirmed. Gunter blasted out of his niche in the engineering booth, bounding onto the stage, placing himself under the falling Cameron. She had never seen the big man ever move that fast.

His interference prevented permanent damage, but Cameron broke both his ankles yet again, requiring steel pins and his dislocating his collarbone and damaging his right arm. Receiving a multitude of bruises and contusions Gunter just stayed with the twin while they waited for the paramedics.

Dina came out of her shock and realized that Sebastian and Jonathan were nowhere to be seen. You would have thought they would be there, assisting one of their own. This wasn't right, taking it upon herself she went to locate them.

While searching towards the back of the stage angry raised voices drifted to her. "He almost died this time dad...I have to go to him." Sebastian was holding the younger man in an iron grip. Dina was going to intervene until she was punched in the gut with the malicious vile tirade from Sebastian.

"YOU WILL STAY RIGHT HERE YOU MEDDLING PISSANT EXCUSE FOR A SON, A WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT. DON'T YOU EVER FORGET I'M IN CONTROL HERE AND YOUR FATHER – YOU WILL DO AS YOU ARE TOLD OR THERE WILL BE A PRICE TO PAY...AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT PRICE IS DON'T YOU JONATHAN?" The vehemence was blood-chilling. How could a father treat a son like that?

Jonathan was trying heartedly to keep the tears from streaming down his face, a face contorted in a sickening mixture of anger, pain and hate.

Sebastian lowered his face to Jonathan and seethed. "I DON'T KNOW WHY I PUT UP WITH YOU TWO, NEVER WANTED YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE. YOU'LL PREPARE YOURSELF TO GO ON TOMORROW NIGHT...AND DO THAT TRICK FLAWLESSLY... AM I CLEAR?" The twin's eyes widened and started to shake his head, at which point Sebastian punched him hard across the face. "DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?" Bowing his head, he murmured something, at which point Sebastian released him.