Gold Bug

Posted on Sat Jun 15th, 2024 @ 8:30pm by Solveig Kallestad & Cornelius Sinclair & McKenna Lockhart

2,537 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Summer's Fading Light
Location: Red Rock Academy
Timeline: Wednesday 8/17/2016

ON

McKenna was never quite at ease with her father around, and her life had been a daily habit of walking on eggshells and being as perfect as possible since she made the decision to live with him. He gave her money and all the things she could want, but they always came with a price.

“I’ll be right back.” She said to the gaggle of girls in her dorm room; some were sitting on the two beds and others were lounging on the floor. Her room was always a gathering space, and she preferred it that way.

“Where are you going?” Asked a brunette on the floor, but McKenna was already walking out of the room with her big blue eyes cast down at her phone. She hadn’t needed to make sure she looked her best, because she always did. She wore a pink satin night ensemble complete with shorts and a button-up with a turndown collar, making her look like the daughter of a wealthy man.

She emerged several minutes later in front of the main entrance and immediately spotted her father standing next to his conspicuously attractive assistant; the one her step-mother despised.

“Hi, Daddy!” She said, starting to jog over, a forced smile on her glossy pink lips. “I got your text.”

“Hello, Pumpkin.” Senator Morgan Lockhart greeted his daughter, his words giving the illusion of an affection he didn’t really feel, but he had always been good at acting. He was wearing his typical off white suit with a blue tie and white shirt; he looked pristine. A few of his security stood behind him near the car keeping a lookout. He eyed her coming down in her pajamas, but it would still work.

Nearby, there were a couple of photographers snapping pictures. When she drew closer, he opened his arms, commanding her to come and hug him.

McKennna pursed her lips to the swell of anxiety. Her father had come to the Academy for the Board meeting, so she was surprised to see his security and even more confused about the presence of press. She had learned the skill of mastering her face around her father a long time ago, however, so she didn’t allow her dismay to show. She was, as ever, the perfect daughter, at least as far as she could seem.

She approached him and put her arms around him slowly. He never touched her unless he wanted something or she had done something that pleased him. She assumed this was the former.

“How was your meeting?” She asked softly, her face pressed gently to his chest. She closed her eyes at the touch and her smile became quite genuine.

“Fine.” Morgan wrapped his toned arms around his daughter and brought her in for a long hug as the cameras snapped away. He was not overly strong, but he was a physically fit and attractive man which only added to his charisma. After a moment, he broke the embrace and placed his hands on her shoulders. “How are you settling in?”

“Year two is a lot easier than my junior year. It’s good to see all my friends again.” She answered, looking up into his eyes with a smile. “I join summer conditioning tomorrow morning, and I’m kind of excited, because I haven’t gotten a good workout all summer.”

“Yes, well, that is certainly something you should keep after at your age or you’ll end up like your mother.” He smiled at her and squeezed her shoulders. “I have a surprise for you.”

McKenna’s relationship with her mother had suffered greatly after she had decided to live with her father, and while they spoke on the phone once every few months, she hadn’t seen her in a long time. Still, despite all that, she couldn’t quite pretend to be amused by his comment. She ignored it instead.

“A surprise?” She asked, turning her eyes to the cameras for a moment before looking back at him. “For me?”

“Of course.” He said and took her hand, walking toward the back of his car and giving one of the men accompanying him a nod. The man spoke into a concealed device, and then Morgan gestured toward one of the nearby buildings. From behind it drove a very gold colored Volkswagen Beetle all shiny and new.

In the evening, the street lamps flowed off the sparkling finish as she convertible Beetle drew near to them. McKenna placed her hands on her face and started to jump up and down with excitement. The cameras caught her reaction, and one young cameraman in particular stepped forward and focused in on her as she jumped.

“Oh my GOD, Daddy, are you serious?” She asked, beaming at him with perfect white teeth, “This is mine?””

“As long as you keep your grades up.” Morgan nodded, a responsible and reasonable stipulation from a loving father. The beetle pulled up in front of them and stopped, and a man got out of the driver’s side. “Go on and have a look, Pumpkin.”

McKenna hesitated only a second before she darted quickly to the driver’s side door. Looking inside, the smell of new car welcomed her and the sleek interior, illuminated by the nighttime lights, was clean and modern. The dash was the same shade of gold as the outside of the car and there were all kinds of gauges she would have to really look at before she knew what they were. She did see one thing that confused her as she stepped inside of the car and looked for the lever to adjust the seat.

“I love it I love it!” She exclaimed excitedly as she found the lever and adjusted her distance to the pedals. She enjoyed the feel of being in the car for the next few minutes while beaming and squealing every second. Then she hopped out of the car and ran to her father again. “It’s great. Thank you so much; you’re the best! There is one problem though..”

She delivered the introduction to bad news quite smoothly, like a person training in keeping the negative at bay. Her smile saddened ever so slightly, but still retained most of its joy.

“I don’t know how to drive a stick shift.”

Morgan didn’t reply for a moment and looked at the car, his own smile disappearing and morphing into a thoughtful expression that gave all of his children anxiety as they weren’t sure what kind of reaction they were about to receive. After a tense moment, he looked down at her and smiled again.

“Sorry, Pumpkin. I thought I was specific when I sent Lucas to pick this out but I guess not. I’m sure someone around here can teach you and it would be a good skill for you to have, but if you just can’t grasp how to do it, we’ll trade it in. Maybe get something a bit older for you.”

McKenna frowned outright, the worry on her face obvious when he adopted that face which so often preceded him becoming upset. When he spoke about getting an older car, she shook her head.

“Why couldn’t we just get the same car but…get the automatic one I can drive?” She asked. The smile was gone and her heart was beating. She was anxious, as she always was when he was anywhere near her.

“Well, if you can’t learn a simple skill to drive this one, perhaps you don’t deserve it.” Morgan said with a smile and squeezed her shoulder. “But I’m sure you won’t disappoint me.”

McKenna blinked as he squeezed her. It didn’t hurt much, but it certainly wasn’t a comfortable thing and the implied threat was obvious.

“No, I can learn. Don’t worry about it.” She said, looking at him with the returned fake smile, but with fear in her blue eyes. “I think one of the boys in my class drives a stick. I can talk to him. I’m sure he’d be okay with teaching me.”

Morgan pursed his lips briefly. “Just don’t put yourself in any position that might reflect poorly on me, McKenna. I won’t take kindly to you playing whore.”

His voice was quiet and dangerous, he still wore his smile.

“What?” She asked, initially confused about his meaning. When she recognized it, she looked at his assistant for a second. When her gaze turned back to her father, she looked disgusted. She responded with less than subtle disgust in a low voice. “Daddy, ew. I’m a..I’m a virgin. I was just going to ask him normally..he’s a really sweet guy.”

“I don’t believe that any more than you would believe me saying that.” He laughed and shook his head. “Don’t make it my problem. Now, shall I have this car parked for you in the garage?”

The disgust on her face gave way to a meek sadness, like that of a little girl more than a grown woman. She was nearly a woman and certainly looked the part, but her eyes went down to the ground at the sharp insult.

“Yes, sir.” She said quietly. She knew better than to challenge him. It would only make things bad for her. All she had to do was wait a few minutes and he would be gone.

“Good girl.” He motioned for his man to get back into the car and take it to the garage, then he turned to McKenna fully. “Well, Pumpkin, I won’t keep you. How about a kiss for your daddy before you go?”

She felt like she was going to throw up, but that had become a rather normal feeling around him. She hesitated, but looked up and eventually managed to approach him and throw her arms around his neck. She kissed him on the cheek then, and tucked her head back down as soon as she could.

“Isn’t that beautiful.” Came a male voice from behind her. Cornelius Sinclair stood in the drive way still in his dark suit and tie. He’d left his glasses behind and his smile was left unadorned and, somehow, unnatural. “Senator. I assume this is your daughter?”

“Yes.” Morgan replied and turned toward Cornelius with a hand on McKenna’s shoulder. “McKenna, have you met Mr. Cornelius Sinclair yet? He is the new Executive Director of the academy.”

McKenna turned to face the new arrival, a look of mild confusion on her face, but she certainly wasn’t rude or disinterested.

“No, I haven’t.” She said and studied his features and age. “Does this mean you’re related to Dr. Sinclair and Mr. Sinclair?”

“Dr. Sinclair is my esteemed father.” Cornelius answered with a smile. There was even a hint of warmth in his expression. “And Jonathon is my son. As far as the unbroken line of Sinclair men goes, I’m the missing link, and here I am. Gravity abilities, is that correct?”

She nodded nervously.

“Yes, sir, it is. Gravity manipulation, creation, and negation. I can alter the force of gravity and control the weight of objects.” She said, her tone going down as she side-eyed her father.

“Those are very special skills. I hope you’ll consider putting them to use for the good of your country one day.” Cornelius said, and then turned his eyes to her father. “All due respect, sir, I’m surprised you have a mutant daughter considering your politics. It just goes to show how complex our leaders can be.”

“Yes well, it was a bit of a surprise given she was perfectly normal until thirteen years old. We all have our burdens to bear.” Morgan shook his head slightly. “McKenna, go back inside now, you’re showing too much skin.”

Another look of dismay crossed her features and she looked down in shame. Eyeing Cornelius for an instant, she hugged herself and turned, walking slowly toward the school. In truth, she was wearing a short -sleeve shirt with matching shorts, so she wasn’t sure what he meant, but the comment stung all the same.

Cornelius watched her go, his smile fading to a cool deadpan. He turned to the Senator again.

“I do mean It, Senator. We’re very eager to see what your daughter can do. The MIA suspects she’s an Omega in the making.”

“Yes, well, we’ll hope something good comes of it. Do you have any daughters, Cornelius?” Morgan asked, watching McKenna as she moved back into the building.

“I do. One daughter. She’s at college in Texas.” Cornelius asked, his fingertips meeting in front of his body. “A very smart girl. She takes after her father. Unfortunately, she takes after her mother as well.”

“Mm, I understand that. I have three myself and they have taken significant years off of my life, I’m afraid.” He sighed out, tired, and shook his head. “My son is much easier to look after, though his mother and society have poisoned his mind I’m afraid.”

“Oh?” Cornelius asked as McKenna finally turned down the covered walkway that led into the campus proper. “In what way has she managed to do that?”

“It is a talent all women and girls seem to innately possess just by existing.” Morgan chuckled and shook his head. “I’m sure she will be of some use here. I’m certainly paying enough for her to be useful.”

“In exchange for quite a lot of influence. Your charitable dollars got you on the Board, and you being on the Board got the US spy community a major headquarters right in the middle of the Sonoran. Some might say it was worth the money. Or it will be.” Cornelius said with a raise of his eyebrows. “By the way, I remember our arrangement. I made some calls and the majority leader has agreed you belong on Armed Services. Congratulations, Senator.”

“Ah, good. Thank you, Cornelius.” Morgan extended his hand toward the other man to shake his hand. “Well, I best be getting out of here now. Good luck being in such close proximity to these… people.”

“I have always been the first to say that mutants are capable of being incredibly useful. I haven’t been proven wrong yet.” Cornelius said, shaking the man’s hand firmly. “For the more unsightly ones, I will simply grin and bear it. Or bear it, at least.”

The two shared a chuckle and then Morgan withdrew his hand. “Good luck with that, Cornelius. Keep in touch and so will I.”

“I always do, sir.” Cornelius said. He shook the man’s hand and then turned away. As he walked away, he considered the Senator and his daughter. He didn’t understand what a strength the girl was, and Cornelius could. That made her a weakness to his current ally. And if there was anything Cornelius always managed to have, it was a backup plan. Control her heart, control gravity, and control her father.

END

 

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