City of the Zodiacs 14
Chapter 14
Ryder lifts me up and pushes me up against the bathroom glass. I've never felt passion as I feel when he kisses me. We've leaned a chair up against the bathroom door in the party. The music surrounds us but we are in our own world. His tongue enters my mouth and pushes up against the back of my esophagus. I turned Whistler off. She stands up against the doorway, not moving. Having the ability to turn her off is probably the best gift I've ever gotten from someone.
His dick hardens between my legs.
His hands trace the side of my cheekbone slowly.
His pants are at his ankles before I know it. His dick comes out next. He takes a look at the wedding ring that Apollo bought me.
"Fuck this thing," he tells me.
He takes my wedding ring off of my finger. He throws it as hard as he can in the bathroom stall. It lands with a loud plop into a toilet bowl. The splash of the ring signifies something to me. It signifies that I don't ever have to deal with this again. It signifies that I can make my own choices about who I love and who I want to marry. No Zodiac system would ever tell me again what to do.
"I love you," I tell him.
Announcing my love for Ryder seems to put him over the edge. My pants are off. He grips my ass, massaging it thoroughly. He grabs me underneath my ass. I'm wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs are wrapped around his waist.
He enters me, thrusting deep inside of me. I know it's love when I ignore the pain. His big dick fills me up and I just want him deeper. He pushes so deep that my stomach stiffens but I don't mind.
He thrusts with a passion I'd never felt before.
He thrusts over and over.
"This is mine," he tells me, "You are mine. No one is ever going to separate us again. You hear me, baby? We went through this together. We are going to get through this together. You're my husband no matter what happens. You're my husband no matter what the law says."
Thrust after thrust he proves what I mean to him. He curves my ass to his dick. He pants up against my ear. We moan together. We kiss. We feel each other's heartbeats through our chests. We sweat in this bathroom. It's become so hot that we fog up the windows. The passion between us finally erupts when he cums inside of me. He delivers his final thrust with his mouth covering mine. He lets out a deep pant letting his breath fill my throat.
"UGH!"
The moment seems to last forever as he cums and when Ryder is done we lay on the floor in each other's arms. There are knocks on the bathroom door. People want to get in. We don't care, though. Right now as I lay there with Ryder I just want to disappear with him. I want this moment to last forever.
"We should just run away," I suggest.
"We can't..."
I'm surprised when he says that. I look over at Ryder. Our eyes connect and it's clear that he's meaning what he is saying.
"Ryder why not?"
"Because you were about to kill yourself today," Ryder explains, "How many young lovers are out there that don't have the freedom to love who they want to love? We aren't the only ones. The system is corrupt and we have the chance to fix it. We have to take that chance."
There it was. The Aries determination that I fell so in love with. We were opposite signs and no one has ever been so compatible with me before. Ryder has this look in his eyes. It's a cause. It's something in his eyes that lets me know everything will be OK. I believe those eyes of his and I believe in Ryder.
"I'm sorry I couldn't do it anymore," I explain, "I'm not as strong as you. When I tried to kill myself I did it because I thought something happened to you. Apollo was starting to get to me. He says that we are going to start sleeping in the same bed and we're going to have sex."
"He's not touching you," Ryder responds.
It isn't a suggestion. It's a fact that Ryder is saying. It's as passionate as anything else he's said. It makes me. I believe in him. I smile.
"What's the plan?"
"Come here. I'll tell you."
~
We talk for what seems like forever. We open the door to a group of Geminis who seem beyond mad that we took so long in the bathroom. Ryder doesn't care, though. Ryder smiles at them none-the-less. Ryder and I separate when we leave the bathroom. I watch where he heads. He's going towards the High Liberty. He had something to give him. He seems confident in this plan and that makes me feel a little better.
Now it was my turn to do my part.
I walk towards Apollo. I wrap my hands around his shoulders. Apollo is shocked when I do it. His eyes get big at that minute. I can tell the last thing he expects is for me to show him any sort of affection.
"Hey baby," I say.
Apollo's eyes get wide but he doesn't push me away or anything. He actually smiles. His friends are standing off to the side watching this show of affection and I think for a minute Apollo thinks that things are changing.
"Everything OK?" he asks still smiling.
"Better than ever," I state, "I miss you."
In the corner of my eye, I can see the High Liberty. He takes something from Ryder. A part of me is scared for Ryder. What if the High Liberty is suspicious of him? When the High Liberty takes whatever Ryder gives him and disappears without Ryder I realize that the High Liberty is more suspicious of someone else. Probably even more than he is of Ryder. He couldn't possibly see Ryder as real threat.
"Well," Apollo says with his smile getting wider, "Nice to know that you're back to yourself."
I nod, "Oh yeah. I ran into Ryder at the party. We had a long conversation."
Apollo all of a sudden looks suspicious only by the mention of Ryder. He grabs me by my hand and looks over at Aeron and his other friends, "Can you excuse us for a minute?"
Aeron and the other Aquarius officers seem a little confused but none-the-less they nod, "Sure thing boss."
Apollo pulls me to the other side of the room. I can see the jealousy in his eyes. Ryder gets underneath his skin unlike no other. I wonder if it's because deep inside he knew that there was something happening with Ryder and I. I have to use this, though. I have to use this against Apollo. I couldn't deny my feelings for Ryder not even if I tried.
Apollo takes me out to the balcony to have a private conversation. Sure enough, as I suspect Whistler is standing there as well. She's not letting me out of her sight.
"Do you mind?" Apollo asks Whistler.
She stands there. She doesn't budge.
"She's not supposed to leave me alone. Ever. It's part of her programming," I state.
Apollo glares at Whistler. He is a control freak and right now this is annoying him. He signals for some of his Aquarius officers to come help him out. They form a barrier between Whistler and I. Whistler looks confused at that moment. For the first time, Whistler seems to be showing some emotion! Right now she seems highly annoyed!
I don't think her programming has let her know how to react when officers are keeping her from doing her job. I don't think I can fully appreciate what is happening right now. Apollo is clearly showing how big his balls are by stopping Whistler from doing her job. By blocking the Virgos, he was actually having a dick measuring contest with the High Liberty.
I"m shocked I'm so effective.
I"m even more amused by Whistler's reaction. She just stands there. Apollo pulls me outside in the balcony closing the sliding door in order to give us some typeof privacy.
"You don't have to worry about that bitch anymore. I'll keep her away from you," he tells me.
I smile. Definitely Apollo was wanting to get back in my good graces.
"If I were you I'd be worried about someone else getting close to me."
We both know who I'm talking about. Apollo looks highly irritated by the thought of Ryder.
"I was going to tell you that Ryder was released from jail," Apollo states, "I didn't want you to just see him around. I didn't know he was going to be at this party."
Apollo looks like he's panicking. He's losing control. That's something that he doesn't like.
"We spoke for a long time."
"You still love him don't you?" Apollo asks me.
I hesitate. I look back at him. I put on a sort of frown, "Of course I do. But I'm loyal to the Zodiac system. So I'm yours."
"That's not enough. I want you to be mine completely, whether we are matched or not," he responds.
There was a point that would be such a romantic thing for someone to say to me. There was a point that I would have melted underneath Apollo if he said that to me. That was long gone, though. All those feelings had left. Right now I feel nothing but disgust for Apollo. Still, I manage to put on a straight face and a smile.
"It's nice that you say that. Truthfully...I think he wants me back."
"I'll kill Ryder before I let him have you."
"It's not up to Ryder. You know that though, don't you?" I state, "Ryder wants me back and I don't think there is anything he wouldn't do to have it. Just so you know. Don't want you to get scared or anything. I would be worried though."
"Worried?"
"Yeah. See Ryder is a man who does what he has to do to get what he wants. God knows what he's planning to do now. I think maybe he'll make a deal. You never know."
"A deal?" Apollo asks.
"Yeah. I wonder why Ryder was released from jail. I wonder why he was invited to this party. It's almost as if someone was on his side, you know? It's almost as if someone was trying to legitimize Ryder. I don't get it, though. Now who would want me with Ryder?"
I don't think I'm completely lying. Sure the High Liberty may not have invited Ryder to the party but the High Liberty did release Ryder from jail. In the bathroom Ryder even let me know that the High Liberty might have arranged his marriage to Loreal. Maybe the High Liberty is trying to get underneath my skin. Maybe he's trying to get under Apollo's but the placement of Ryder was a little too close to home. The High Liberty was enjoying this little love triangle that was happening. A part of me imagined loving everytime Whistler came back to him with an update about my love life.
There is suspicion written all over Apollo's face at that moment.
He's pissed.
There is a knock on the door.
It's Aeron. Aeron opens up the screen door and walks out onto the balcony with us, "Sir..."
"I'm busy having a conversation with my husband," Apollo states.
"It's the High Liberty sir," Aeron responds.
There is a tension in Apollo's eyes. We just finished talking about how the High Liberty might have been keeping Ryder in our lives intentionally. All that resentment that Apollo has for Ryder seems to be going to the High Liberty now. Apollo looks pissed.
"What the hell does he want?" Apollo asks looking more annoyed than ever.
"He says he needs to discuss something with you. Immediately."
Ryder had given the High Liberty some suspicions about Apollo. I had no doubt that the High Liberty wanted to clear the air with Apollo. God knows what was on that drive that Ryder handed over to the High Liberty. Maybe it was very incriminating but I doubted it. I think it was just enough to make the High Liberty solidify suspicions that he already had about Apollo.
"Give me a minute," Apollo states.
Aeron shakes his head, "The High Liberty said now, Apollo He was very clear about it."
I shake my head, "Isn't that your boss. Shouldn't you be calling him sir, Aeron?"
"Excuse me?"
Apollo nods grabbing my hand and taking y side, "Law's right. If it's official business you should treat it as official business."
"Sir. I highly recommend you fix whatever is going on with the High Liberty before this gets out of control. He's seems upset. He's not taking no for an answer."
"Ryder would never let the High Liberty speak to him like that," I state shaking my head, "Wow..."
This seems to drive Apollo right over the edge.
He looks over at Aeron.
There is silence. I think Aeron is smart. He knows that this decision is going to impact everything. I stare at Apollo dead in his eyes. I need to play to his pride. He wants to show he's the big man. He wants to show he can have his way. He's always had his way. This should be no change.
Apollo raises his head. He's defiant as ever.
"Go back to the High Liberty and tell him to go fuck himself," Apollo responds.
"Sir? The High Liberty has his Virgos here. They are armed to the teeth. I don't think it would be smart for us to start something," Aeron states.
Apollo is hesitating. I think a part of him wants to use his brain. The smart thing would be for him to go talk to the High Liberty. The smart thing would be clearing the air. One conversation could fix everything.
Right now Apollo is clearly on edge. He's still pissed about the High Liberty releasing Ryder. I am sure hte High Liberty did it to piss Apollo off. The thing is it worked better than he can hope. Aeron doesn't get it, but I do. Right now he is clearly trying to understand. Aeron was smart. I always knew that. He was trying to talk some sense into Apollo and that's something that I couldn't have. Before I know it I'm holding onto Apollo's hands.
"My husband doesn't take orders from the High Liberty," I announce, "Like he just said tell him to go fuck himself."
I turn Apollo around. I shove my tongue down his throat. I think at that moment he melts into me. I never doubted Apollo had some sort of feelings for me but right now it's clear that his feelings are really deep. It's almost like I'm giving him his bravery right now. I'm giving him his energy. By the time we are done kissing he is that proud Aquarius once again.
"Sir, he has Virgos. Let's just talk to him and see what he wants," Aeron states.
"Well I have Aquarius soldiers here. Tell them to arm up and get ready in case the High Liberty wants to make a move," Apollo states, "Tell the Gemini's the time is now..."
Aeron is hesitating, "Sir. We should be smart..."
"You heard my husband, didn't you?" I ask Aeron.
Aeron hesitates but he nods, "Yes. I'll go deliver your messages."
Aeron leaves at that moment.
I look over at Apollo. I'm smiling. I grab onto his hand.
"You are twice the man that Ryder is," I tell Apollo.
"You think?" Apollo states unsure at first but then solidifies himself, "I mean I know. I'll show you the type of person I am."
I don't know why I didn't think of it before to use Apollo's traits against him. His pride was probably the most annoying thing about him. He felt like everything should be handed to him. He felt like he was special. The pride that had put him on top would be the same thing that would be his fall.
"Go over to the conference room," Apollo states, "Take the other Libras with you. Lock the door. Things might get nasty from here."
I give Apollo another kiss just in case Aeron wants to talk some sense back into him when I'm not here. When I get back into the hall though I think it's a little too late for that. Sure enough on the other side of the room I see Virgos coming our way. The dark soldiers of the High Liberty look like they are pissed. I look over and see Whistler. She is leading the group. She must have gone back to the High Liberty and told the High Liberty what had happened. Maybe she even showed the High Liberty what had happened. The High Liberty himself isn't there but he's sent his puppets. It's clear he wants to get rid of Apollo now.
Aeron has come back though. He's come back with the Aquarius officers. They are distributing weapons to one another. People seem confused on what's happening. As I walk away I am stopped. It's Ryder.
"Did it work?" Ryder asks.
He hands me a drink. I see who he gets the drink from. Corey the Cancer. Sure enough there are others in the room that are part of the rebellion. They stand off to the side. They are clearing the way for what is about to happen, making sure that they aren't in the way of the gunfire. Ryder hands me the drink.
I nod, "Apollo is ready to measure his dick. Did your plan work?"
He nods, "The High Liberty is pissed."
"I'll toast to that," I respond, "Come with me. I'm going to hide out in the room wait until they finish each other."
"Go. I can't though. I have to stay out here," Ryder explains.
"Ryder..."
"I'll be OK. When it's safe to come out I'll give you a sign."
"What sign?"
"You'll know it when you see it."
"What are you going to do?" I ask.
I watch as Ryder stares at some of the servants. They are acting weird. The Aquarius soldiers don't notice them. They never notice them. They are headed outside. They are up to something. Corey and the others are up to something.
Ryder smiles, "I'm going to lock them in here with each other..."
~
"What's going on? Why the hell are we in here?" Loreal asks.
She's pissed. She's walking back and forth. I'm drinking on my glass of wine. Lizabeth and Lourdes are standing on the other side of the room in their huge glamorous ball gown and pretty make up. They look a little bit worried too. The other Libras are all in the room. We aren't warriors. We aren't close to anything like that.
"Apollo is rebelling," Lourdes states.
What I said to Lourdes must have stuck with her about Apollo. Right now she doesn't seem too willing to pretend like Apollo is a good guy.
"No it's the High Liberty. He's gone full fascist," another Libra argues with her.
I smile. They are debating whose right or who whose wrong. They are doing what Libras did. They are using their scales.
"You guys do realize this isn't a trial right?" I ask, "What is happening out there is real life?"
"You know what's going on, don't you?" Loreal asks me.
I shrug, "I might."
"It's you. I KNOW it's you," Loreal states, "You pulled us in this room."
"You're safe aren't you?" I ask.
"Safe from what? What's going on out there? Do you guys hear that? Lourdes did you just hear that outside? What the fuck was that! What the fuck was that!" Loreal asks.
Gunshots have broken out! She is freaking out. The Libras scream. I roll my eyes. The gunshots are getting louder and louder. There is no running. The Gemini and Aquarius are fighting the High Liberty's Virgos.
They are doing the rebellion for us.
"Stop this," Loreal states.
I shrug my shoulders, "What makes you think I can stop it?"
Seeing the room I can't help but to realize that all my live I've been so privileged. There are other people out there fighting for the future of the city and where are the Libras? We are hiding out. I'm annoyed at my own people to be honest because I know that deep inside they think that no matter what happens outside we are still going to be privileged.
"I know you're up to something. You and that stupid husband of mine. I swear after this is over I'm going to the High Liberty and I'm going to report you."
She is threatening me. She is threatening me loud and clear.
"It was me," I admit.
The room looks over at me.
Lourdes looks over at me, "Law you don't have to listen to Loreal. We all believe you now when you say Apollo was such a horrible husband. The High Liberty is going to make sure that he pays for what he did."
Lourdes has listened to what I say. I watch as Lizabeth walks over to me and she puts her hand on my shoulder.
"We'll have justice for Apollo."
I roll my eyes. The sisters probably have good hearts but they were all wrong.
"Now? After he got away with raping me?" I ask shaking my head, "Listen. Apollo isn't the problem. The High Liberty isn't the problem. This entire system is the problem. Those gunshots outside aren't coming from rebels. The rebels didn't have to rebel. Those gunshots are coming from the people that we trust to keep law and order. The High Liberty represents the law and Apollo represents the order. Lizabeth, think about it. What balances a scale?"
"The center beam," Lizabeth answers.
"Exactly," I respond, "The center beam balances the scales. It has a balanced beam and two pans. Law and order. When the pans contain exactly the same mass the beam is in balance. When the center can't hold things fall apart. Things have fallen apart."
"You knew this was going to happen," Loreal is screaming at the top of her lungs,
People look over at me. They seem unsure what to make of this. I'm not sure if they are listening to Loreal or if they are listening to me. It doesn't matter though. The Libras have no power here. All they can do is talk and point fingers. As much as they loved to judge it didn't matter now. Our judgement didn't matter any longer.
"This is what happens when you put your hands on the scale. They are doing this to themselves. This was bound to happen. When the center can't hold we need a stronger center. We need a stronger beam. They'll figure it out among themselves and we'll pick up the pieces of what's left."
"If there are any pieces left to pick up," Loreal says, rolling her eyes.
I shake my head, "The violence is being contained."
Ryder had locked them in the halls. Sure there were more Virgos. Sure there were more Aquarian police officers but this was the beginning. Ryder made a promise to me. He'd take back justice once and for all.
The room gets quiet. People are thinking. Even Loreal gets quiet at that moment. We just sit there in silence listening to the gunshots outside. We are listening to history happen outside of this room. Law and order are fighting one another and everything is going completely out of whack.
Everyone seems afraid. Who was going to win? Would the High Liberty win? Would Apollo win? It might change how everything happened from now on. The entire world would change completely.
"Guys," Lourdes states, "Listen to that. Do you hear that?"
"What?" Lizabeth asks her.
"Listen. The gunshots. They've stopped."
Sure enough the gunshots have stopped. It's over. Just that quick it was over.
Just at that moment we hear more popping noises. These ones aren't as loud but they are loud enough that they cause Loreal almost to jump out of her skin when she realizes it.
"It's still happening," Loreal states, "It's happening outside. It's spilled out into the streets!"
Fuck. This was bad if it's happening.
I'm trying to calm the others down but Loreal is getting everyone on edge. If the violence was happening in the streets that meant that it was out of Ryder's control now! He didn't have it contained anymore. Wasn't that the point of locking them up?
Loreal is being dramatic. You would think it was the end of the world by how she was reacting. She was sweating bullets at that moment. The look on her face said it all. The look on her face let me know that she was completely and utterly shaken by everything. It was effecting the others around her. People seem to be so concerned about what might be happening outside now.
"Calm the fuck down," Lourdes states.
I'm actually shocked when Lourdes finally says that to her. Lourdes isn't the only one thinking that. Lizabeth is thinking the same thing.
"It's not gunshots..." Lizabeth states running to the window, "It's fireworks. People are celebrating..."
She's right. The popping sounds now outside aren't gunshots that were going off before. Fireworks have filled the streets. That was the sign. That was the sign that Ryder told me to look out for.
"Oh my god...look...there's an army marching this way," one of the Libras scream out from the window.
We all head to the window at that moment. There is definitely something like an army coming this way. They don't have uniforms but they march. They are marching towards this building. There are hundreds of them. My mouth drops open. I couldn't imagine so many people.
"Who are they? More Virgos? More Geminis?" Lourdes states.
I shake my head.
"No. It's all of us. Together," I realize.
Sure enough there were representatives of all the signs out there. They were marching over here. There is a knock on the front door. The Libras panic. They run up against the windows far away from the doors at that moment. They are scared but I'm not afraid. I make my way towards the doors.
I'm unlocking it.
"What the hell are you doing?" Loreal asks me.
I ignore her Surprisingly the other Liberties are on my side.
"Move," Lizabeth pushes past her.
Lizabeth, Lourdes and the others help me open up the door and remove the barricades. I open the door and I'm shocked when I see the High Liberty and Apollo walk into the room. My mouth drops open at that moment.
Why are they together?
"High Liberty!" Loreal screams running forward, "Thank goodness you're OK. I'm here to report Law. He admitted to plotting against you. He was planning on this."
The High Liberty ignores her. He looks highly irritated. Loreal is confused but I see why he's ignoring her. He's embarrassed.
Just at that moment I realize that the High Liberty is looking down. His hands are behind his back. So are Apollo's hands. I realize they are being marched into the room. Apollo and his rebels are behind them.
The High Liberty is in handcuffs!
"If you want to report anything to the High Liberty, you might want to turn around," Ryder states, "Law is the High Liberty now..."
This was a citizen's arrest. The room all turns to look at me. I turn over to where the former High Liberty was with Apollo. They both are in handcuffs and on the ground. They are bloodied and bruised. Ryder let them fight amongst themselves and when they were done he marched his army in here to clean up the mess. They hadn't even seen it coming.
Loreal looks embarrassed. Her face blushes in red. She just nods at that moment. The others do the same.
I was now the High Liberty...
~
"The first thing you'll need to do is appoint a new police chief," Lourdes states, "Aeron has always been fair. He's always been smart as well. Maybe you can consider..."
Aeron was in citizen's arrest with the others. I know we can't keep them forever. There would have to be a trial for some. Others would have to be released. The Sagittarius reporters are already running all the stories about all the horrible things that the High Liberty was up to. They are turning the narrative around to make sure that the coo isn't looking bad. Lourdes is talking to me one end and I am trying to get avoid interviews from all the Sag reporters as well.
I roll my eyes at Lourdes, "Not now."
"Law."
"Not. Now."
The ambulances are pulling up. Everyone is looking at me to fix this city. I don't know where to start. My nerves are getting the best of me. The fight between the High Liberty and Apollo was bloody. Sure enough we were here to pick up the pieces. A lot of high ranking people were injured in the fight. There was a power hole that needed to be filled with so many high ranking officials either dead or being arrested for treason.
The chaos had ended but there was a void.
Everyoen was looking at me to fill that void.
"The trials are going to be important," Lizabeth states, "Rumor has it the High Liberty was in charge of the Zodiac Killers. The Libras are going to be really busy with all these goddam people..."
The gossip is being spread among the Libras. They stand at my side. I think the majority of them have the feeling that they are in power now with me. With the High Liberty gone there were so many people in my ear. I look around for Ryder. With all the confusion I've lost him for a minute. As I walk through the crowd of bodies I see Whistler.
She is laying there. The paramedics put her on a stretcher. For a minute I feel bad for her but then I realize she's nothing but wires. It's sad what they did to the Virgos. It's sad what they did to the Scorpios. It's sad what the people on top did to so many people. Seeing that everything has blown up in front of their faces seems like pure poetry.
But now there are all these pieces and I have no idea what to do with them.
"He's the most powerful man in the city right now. What makes you think we can trust him?" I hear someone saying.
It's so crowded that they don't see me but I know they are talking about me. It's Ryder's friend talking to him. I believe the boy's name was Roy. He looks worried. He seems even more worried when he turns around and sees me standing there overhearing him.
Roy turns and quickly runs away as though I'm some sort of rabid animal. He's scared of me.
"People don't trust me," I state.
Ryder gives me a smile. It's a warm smile.
"All their lives they have been abused by the system," Ryder explains, "For the first time in their lives they get a shot at real justice. The problem is there is a power vacuum and you are it man. You have that power now."
"I don't know what to do with it," I respond.
Ryder shakes his head, "Yes you do. I believe in you."
"I can't just change the entire system. I don't know what to replace it with," I tell Ryder, "I don't even know if I have the power to do that."
I'm scared.
I'm terrified.
"The hard part is over," Ryder says.
"The hard part is just beginning," another voice says.
The voice is familiar. I turn at that moment and I realize that someone has a gun to my head. At first I think it's one of the rebels. The rebels don't trust me. They are ready to kill me to make sure the power vacuum stays completely empty. That is what makes the most sense. Then I realize who is pointing a gun at my head.
"What the fuck!"
People turn. Unable to move. I feel him put my hands around my neck and straddle me.
"Simeon...what the hell are you doing?" Ryder asks him.
Simeon has the gun pointed at me.
Simeon seems brainwashed. He doesn't even seem to realize what has happened. The High Liberty was in handcuffs. He was on his way to prison. Simeon doesn't seem to know or care about that. Right now all he cares about is his mission.
"I have to kill him," Simeon states, "I told you Ryder. I told you I was sent here to kill someone tonight. I never said who. His name was moved to the top of the list. I have to kill Law..."
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