Genesis

62

Tamsin growls long and low, "Just how do you know this?"

"Those men are from one of the mine's Mountain Homes owns. I don't know him or the others personally, but the miners have the same kind of look to them. I heard that there was some sort of trouble but the CEO refuses to tell me anything. And my damned parents made sure that I have no power in the company until I get married.

"I recently went on a tour of the facilities. The mine is being closed for some reason or another. There is a big outcry, for some reason the loss of the mine will cause a near economic collapse, I'm sure that Shelby would understand it.

"But right now the mine is nearly empty, it would be easy to hold someone down there. Hell it would be easy to hold an army down there without being found. I'm almost positive that's where they are taking her."

"Calus?" Tamsin calls out.

"They are fine. They are on their way home." Calus comes over he'd heard part of the conversation.

"Are  you talking about the Landsin mine's east of the city?" Calus asks.

"Yes." Tamsin needs Jeremy's help so he sends more healing to Jeremy. He doesn't like doing so much so quickly, but he doesn't have a choice.

"Shelby said that if they close the number of miners out of work would start a domino effect on the economy. The economy would basically collapse, business after business would go under. Not even the elites would be spared. There will be mass protests, mobs, people that are hungry will do much they normally wouldn't. Destruction will follow in the footsteps of the protesters. Starvation will run rampant. Soon there will be homeless living on the streets, homeless squatting in apartment buildings that people can no longer afford. Business that close will be broken into items stolen and squatters taking possession.

"It will be disastrous for all concerned. What the hell is the CEO of Mountain Home thinking?" Calus demands.

Jeremy shrugs, "Like I said, they pat me on the head and send me to the corner. I have no say in the business. Not until I get married. Perhaps you could have Shelby do a hostile take over like she did with Sunworx? I wouldn't care."

Tamsin shakes his head no, "I have plans for your company, I can't allow Shelby to dismantle it." But he smiles, "But I can give you power."

Jeremy shakes his head no, "The only way would be..." he jerks his head up and stares at Tamsin. "You wouldn't?"

"Oh, I would. The fact that she came in here and started kissing you after last night shows that she likes you Jeremy. You will care for her properly and her son. The son that already adores you and prefers you to anyone other than his mother. They need you, and from what I can see, you need them as well. Get used to the idea, we'll work out the betrothal like you first asked for after we get my daughter back." Tamsin is pleased with himself.

"We haven't even had a decent date yet and you're going to force her into a betrothal and marriage to me?" Now Jeremy is furious. He personally wouldn't mind marrying Jasmine, but he won't do it if it means she has no choice.

Jordan is getting angry as well. "You are going to force her Tamsin? What happened to promising that you would never force us to a betrothal?"

The angry words from Jeremy and Jordan make Tamsin shake his head. The beast backs off. "I will talk to her before there will be any signing of betrothal contracts. She will have the same right as Charry in refusing. But this is for the best not just for her, but for everyone in the city. An economic collapse such as Calus described could destroy this colony. We can't have that, we just aren't strong enough to survive what is survivable elsewhere, like Earth." At the mention of the other planet a strange look comes over Tamsin's face.

Calus manages to grab Darren before Jeremy collapse once more. "I thought you healed him Tamsin?" He demands.

Tamsin is frowning he had, he takes a deeper look. "Damn there was some substance on the knife. He's got a poison in him. Take Darren out of here if you can't get him to be quiet, we don't need the other kids up now." 

Calus takes Darren out of the room and goes to check on the staff in the living room.

Jordan stands back as Tamsin goes to the newly unconscious man. He goes deeper in his healing. He has no intentions of letting Jeremy get away from him now.

By the time he's done he's soaked in sweat. It had been almost as bad as when he'd had to change the DNA in Shelby's new uterus.

He helps the waking man back up to his seat then takes one himself. "Whoever those people are, whatever their game is, they are playing for keeps. They've attacked my family and now they need to learn what the price is for that. Are you going to help me with that Jeremy?" Tamsin says and offers.

"You don't think I'd just get in the way? I don't know anything about your way of life except that it's volatile and violent. Things that I myself am not. MY parents considered me useless and a waste, that's why they made sure that I had no power in the company." Jeremy allows his bitterness to show.

"Oh, you aren't useless Jeremy, quite the opposite in fact. Just because your talents lie in things that didn't matter to them doesn't mean that you aren't useful. There are other things as important or even more important than business and making money. You have a talent and ability with people that I envy. People are drawn to you not out of fear, like they are with me, but because there is something about you people trust innately. It's why Jasmine is falling in love with you even though she hardly knows you. It's why Darren will go to you and will calm down when he refuses to be near the rest of us. You are far too honest for your own good, but it's part of why people trust you. That's why after this problem is taken care of, I won't be forcing you near me. I corrupt people, I don't want you corrupted. I need you to be the good person you are.

"You know why Jenna calls me dark boy don't you?" Tamsin demands. Jordan is listening with wide eyes. He'd never heard of Tamsin sending his family away to protect them.

"Yes, after a short time around you it's rather obvious." Jeremy replies, tiredly. He just doesn't understand Tamsin. First he forces him to stay here, tells him he's basically going to make him and Jasmine enter a betrothal and now he'll be sending him away?

Tamsin nods, "Don't get me wrong Jeremy, you are family. I will require you to come by frequently. It's just I will be keeping my distance from you when you do. The beast demands that you be near. I will be upgrading your security at your home and you will be getting new staff to be taking care of you.

"Jasmine needs the person you are especially to counter the negative that she has absorbed. I have corrupted her far too much already. Charry and Jenna and even Shelby have personalities that fight the corruption to some extent. Jenna has always had a dark side to her, so she just embraces that, but still manages to help me control the beast.

"Even Jordan here has some abilities to fight the corruption if he chooses to use it, which he usually doesn't. But not Jasmine, she needs you."