by Chloe Gunter
His gaze never wavered from mine as he looked me over, no doubt taking in every detail, before he placed a hand on my shoulder and stepped aside, guiding me past him and into the living room. Directing me to one of the arm chairs flanking the sofa, he nodded for me to have a seat. I was in no shape to refute his request, so I complacently obliged.
"Reed, darling, why don't you go grab the ice cream and some booze, it looks like we're going to need it."
I raised my eyebrow at him as he sat his dark jean covered ass down on the coffee table directly in front of me, a move so uncharacteristic for his always cultured manner. He rested his elbows on his knees, leaning closer to me, making me clutch the armrests tighter. Having Ramsey's full attention was like being at the center of the sun, there was no room to hide, and my already frayed nerves sat uneasy beneath my skin.
"The boys leave?" he asked, looking deep in my eyes.
"Yeah," I said, swallowing audibly. There was no use trying to hide how I was feeling, they both knew the twins were departing tonight.
"You plan on going on another two week shutdown?" he asked, his jaw moving almost imperceptibly.
I had to hand it to the man, he was nothing if not to the point. The question stung, but it was fair since that was what I had done after initiation. Whatever Ramsey thought about me and my character, he only had the actions I had shown him to go on for how I might react.
"That was a one time special that I don't plan on ever repeating," I said, hoping my eyes showed the sincerity of my statement. "But," I paused, feeling like it was better to be up front about my plans for the evening, "I'm giving myself the rest of the night to wallow before getting back to business tomorrow."
He nodded his head slowly, the corners of his eyes creasing slightly like he was pleased by my admission, "Good. Join us," he said, reaching behind me to grab the drink Reed had made me before placing it in my hands.
"You guys are doing your own thing," I said, motioning to their movie and set up. I told myself I'd be fine with my drink and the promise of ice cream in my room, while I found some reality competition show that had more drama than my own life.
Taking a drink of the cocktail in my hand, I was pleased to find that it was cold, creamy, and sweet. The coffee liqueur and creme coating my tongue would definitely pair well with my pending dessert.
"I wasn't asking," Ramsey said, rising to his feet. "Now go sit on the couch so that we can all share the ice cream."
The command in his tone somehow set me at ease. I knew with his statement that they would both take care of me tonight, be the close friends that they had been in the past, and I was...grateful.
Looking at the couch, I saw that Reed was already sitting to one side, a half gallon of ice cream wrapped in a towel in one hand and three spoons in another. Tilting his head he looked at the ice cream making googly eyes at it before looking towards me, then back to the ice cream again. A laugh bubbled out of my chest as I took Ramsey's outstretched hand and made the short journey to the couch.
Ramsey immediately took the other end of the couch, removing one of pillows and placing it on the floor before he turned to me expectantly. Shaking my head, I sat my drink on the coffee table and then sank down in between them, tucking one leg under me as I accepted one of the spoons.
Reed took a big spoon full of ice cream before plopping it into his mouth and passing me the container. As the movie started up again, another one of Reed's beloved action movies, I took my own spoonful and passed the container to Ramsey.
"Thanks."
The word was spoken softly, not trusting my voice not to crack if I spoke any louder. I plopped the spoon in my mouth, relaxing into the couch.
"Anytime, Char," Reed said, stealing the ice cream back from Ramsey.
I knew he meant it, that they both did. They, and the twins, and hell, even Katya and Ridley had become my new family, my new home away from home.
We watched the movie, eating way too much ice cream and commenting on the overdone stunts and actors on the screen.
"I just realized, you watch these because the dudes are always shirtless for half of the movie, don't you?" I asked Reed who had just taken another bite of ice cream. He almost choked from my question, his mouth so full, and I started to pat him on the back.
"Is there even a different reason to watch action movies?" Ramsey countered from my other side, a rare grin on his face.
Dissolving into a fit of laughter at such a lewd statement coming from Mr. Prim-and-Proper, the weight in my chest lightened. Reed took the ice cream and headed into the kitchen, turning on the sink and wiping the ice cream that now decorated his beard and tee.
"It never gets easier, but you learn to live with it, and cherish the moments you do have together," Ramsey said softly as we both watched Reed. He knew exactly what I was going through, they both did at one point or another.
Giving him a soft smile, I nodded my head letting him know I understood. The look in his eye caught me off guard for a moment, unable to look away from the emotion in his eyes that he let me see. Settling my hand over his on the back of the couch, I knew that this was a rare occurrence for him. That him letting me see how he really felt was a gift and a show of trust, a step in the right direction for all of us, and I wasn't going to let any of us down.
The following week was filled with so much work that I barely had any down time, something for which I was thankful. The twins had checked in once they landed using our comm link and were able to send a quick message once a day. Things were a bit more complicated for them on the ground than expected, an increase in even more traffic to the port causing all of us to be on our guard.
After a week of practice, I had finally mastered the first Key, albeit slower than I would have liked. Reed was always there, guiding me through the different stages until I was sprinting and healing with the best of them. Katya even came and helped me hone in using the advanced vision, giving me tips and tricks on how to adjust the level of energy I was using for different situations.
My confidence grew every day, the surety in myself and my skills settling over my skin once again. I had made amends, and the frayed bonds of my friendships were healing, some faster than others.
Ramsey in particular seemed to be cautious, although I doubt he would admit it. While he didn't say anything outright towards me, I saw him watching me and my interactions with Reed. He was protective by nature, a trait that occasionally stemmed to me, like the night that the twins left. But no more rare glimpses of the man behind the mask emerged, and I couldn't help but feel that he was on the cusp of making an important decision.
Namely, about me.
Regardless, he offered to help with my training which brought me to where I was. Standing in the room with him, Lynx and Reed, all of them lusting over the weapons rack in the middle of HQ.
"Boys and their toys," I teased, getting a shrug from Lynx at the statement.
"There's a reason that this is my favorite Key," Lynx said, grabbing two small handheld weapons from the wall. "Ready to blow shit up?"
"With those?" I asked, looking at the small, sleek guns that resembled my normal weapon, if not for the fact that they seemed to be made of one continuous piece of sleek metal, the effect giving it definite other-worldly vibes.
"Come on, Bird. Let me show you what these bad boys can do while Bishop and Whistler get the other things set up."
He swiped a couple of thin crescent pieces of metal from the shelf and motioned for me to follow him to one of the practice rooms.
"What's this?" I asked, when he handed me one.
"Safety first," he said, placing one around his neck, almost like an avant-garde necklace. "Same concept as the first Key and Conclave, Bird. Instead of directing your Spark around your body, you're just going to direct some into the alloy."
He waited for me to nod before he gave me a smile, holding his arms out by his sides. A translucent net appeared to cast out from the necklace, molding perfectly around his entire body
, the faint lines becoming more solidified with a familiar electric blue comprising the hexagons that made up the net.
I watched as they solidified, turning into a matte black armor that encased him from head to toe, complete with blacked out visor. The whole look was intimidating and anonymous for the wearer, and took mere seconds.
"Is this what you wear on missions?" I asked, placing the crescent around my neck.
"It's what we wear on strikes," he corrected, his voice unmuffled and clear despite the gear.
Directing my Spark to where the metal met my skin, I pushed some of the energy inside me into the metal. Coldness lightly nipped at my neck, but it no longer bothered me as much as before.
The activation, like Lynx's, took mere seconds. Gazing down my body, I saw that I was bathed in black, the only indication I was even wearing something was the sheer veil over my line of sight. It did nothing to hinder my vision, but was almost a translucent screen of sorts.
"This is—" My words cut off as a screen came to life before my eyes, immediately zeroing in on Lynx and scanning him. Letting me know far more details than I needed to know about the man, including where and what weapons he was packing to a threat level assessment.
"Fun features, right? If it's done going all Predator on me, just mentally swipe the screen, and it will clear the stats. Now let's go have some fun."
Sure enough, as soon as the thought crossed my mind, the screen cleared. The intuition of the technology was astounding, leaving me wondering just what else they had up their sleeve.
Lynx turned to face a target at the end of the wall, and fired one pulse from the gun. It was some next-level Star Trek laser beam shit. The shot left a sizable hole in the target, meaning the damage it would do in the field was substantial.
"My turn?" I asked, receiving a nod from Lynx as he passed the other one over.
"Just send a tiny bit of your Spark to activate it, and then pull the trigger. Once it’s activated, the tech will fuel the rest so you don't have to constantly boost it. As soon as your hand comes off, it will immediately shut down once the circuit is broken."
Following his directions and combining them with my own experience, I settled into my stance and fired.
BOOM.
There was nothing visible in my line of sight. The target was completely obliterated, the blast quadruple the size that Lynx's had been. My wide eyes turned towards him when I heard him maniacally laughing from my side.
"So, you might have sent more than just a tiny bit of your Spark when you activated it," he said.
"Damn it. I'm on probation still Lynx, now is not the time for me to be blowing stuff up unless that's my job, literally or figuratively."
"It's not that uncommon when first learning the tech, Bird. You're going to be fine, anyone can see that you're totally working your ass off now."
He went towards a panel on the wall and called up another target to replace the one I had decimated, before motioning me to try again.
"Don't I need to recalibrate or something?" I asked.
"Nope, I told you that the tech does the rest. It was just that first shot since it had an extra boost from the activation. Go ahead and give it another try.”
Focusing in once more, I squeezed the trigger, landing a perfect blow in the center of the target. Working in tandem with Lynx, we continued to run through a series of drills, one after another, until there was nothing left but a few scorch marks and the incinerated remains of the targets.
The unsealing of the practice room door caught my attention, and I turned to find a familiar sandy haired sponsor standing in the doorway.
“I thought I was the only one who got to blow stuff up,” Reed said, surveying the scene before him with a low whistle.
“You wish,” Lynx countered, pulling the metal crescent off his neck.
Following his lead, I removed mine as well, watching as the thin veil in front of my eyes fell away. The difference in the change was so subtle, I would have forgotten I was wearing it if not for having Lynx across from me.
“If you miscreants are done, I do need Bird in here some time this decade,” Ramsey drolled from the other room.
Shaking my head, I moved to the main area where Ramsey was waiting, now with an extra person. It was the same woman I had seen eyeing me at the Conclave, her inquisitive eyes roaming all over me. When she saw she had my attention, she moved over to me and offered me her hand.
“I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself before, I’m Beth,” she offered with a smile.
“As a senior member of our organization, Beth will be observing your progress today,” Ramsey paused, internally weighing something in his mind, “her last name is also Russo.”
“You’re Gavin and Gage’s mom,” I said, confirming what I already knew.
“I am. Although, I wish we were meeting under different circumstances," she said sincerely. "Wellington asked me to check on your progress."
Tension filled my spine at those words, the need to prove myself rising to the forefront of my mind. An even breath escaped me as I held her gaze, wanting to show her that I could handle myself.
"Of course, maybe the next time we meet it can be in a less formal setting."
Her answering smile set me at ease, her body indicating that despite all that was going on with my probation and her sons, she was willing to keep an open mind.
“Alright, Char, we’re gonna have you go into this first one blind. We constructed a hologram in the other test room for you. You can head in. The room is equipped with audio already, so you’ll be able to talk to us easily.”
Saying thank you to Reed for small favors, like not having to sync with my boyfriends’ mom so soon after meeting her, I headed to the room across the hall they indicated. Turning the handle on the door, I stepped inside to a completely different place.
The dense humid air filled my lungs with each breath as my skin instantly began to dew from the shift. Turning in a full circle, I immediately looked for the exit, wanting to make sure I had all my bases covered, but it wasn’t there any longer.
I was in a backwoods swamp with not a single person in sight.
The bank I was standing on was surrounded by murky water and trees, the sounds of wildlife and a sense of foreboding sat on the edge of my mind as I looked over everything in the dim light.
The surroundings were so completely immersive that it was terrifying. The implications of what the tech could do if applied in certain situations was staggering. With each step I took, the damp earth of the bank seeped into my shoes.
“This is impressive,” I said at a normal volume, knowing that they would no doubt be able to hear. Looking around the swamp, I couldn’t help but wonder if the entire second Rite had been nothing more than an illusion, if they had just constructed every last detail, then sat back and watched the show. The moments they had drugged me, interrogating me for information they already knew in an endeavor to see if I would betray them floated to the forefront of my mind, followed by a gentle request.
Later, Charlotte. I can see the questions in your eyes, but save them for tonight when we’re home.
Ramsey’s voice slid seamlessly into my head with a gentle caress. The fact that he could tell what I was thinking in that moment made me regulate my features and check my mental shields.
You’re fine, she didn’t notice your preoccupation.
With a subtle nod of my head, I faced the direction I had entered from, staring through the mangroves that grew along the bank, the twisted roots making it hard to find an even ground.
“So, what now?”
“Every illusion produced is only as strong as its creator. Being able to discern the flaws in the design in comparison to reality will not only be useful when you try and construct one on your own, but also so that you don’t lose yourself in the illusion. Sometimes perception is reality, and that can be a very dangerous thing.”
Ramsey’s voice echoed around the space, the sound a harsh contrast from m
oments earlier. His words a warning that the longer I found myself here, the more my body would want to believe it was real.
"Break it down, Char."
I immediately began running down through my senses, figuring that was the best way to make sure I wasn't missing anything. I knew enough about Wetlands and Louisiana swamps to know what they should have, but not enough to recognize if anything was really out of place.
"It doesn't smell right, it still smells like stone," I said noticing that right off the bat. While the atmosphere certainly seemed spot on, and the low background sounds of insects buzzed in my ears, the scent was all wrong. Speaking of insects, "With this much standing water and the temperature around me, I should be getting eaten alive by mosquitoes."
At my words, a mosquito manifested in front of me, flying to land on my arm and feed. Quickly smashing it, I wiped my hand on my pants only for my eyes to widen at the raised bite on my arm from where the insect had fed.
Fuck. The layers just seemed to get deeper as I waded through them.
The more I called out the things I noticed, the more they corrected them, and the deeper I fell into the illusion. Gathering my hair off my neck and throwing it into a haphazard knot on top of my head, I sank to the floor, precariously purchasing on an exposed root that peaked above the water.
I wasn't sure how much time had passed since I first stepped in, but I knew that I clearly had to be missing something critical, and probably really clever. The conversations had long ceased between us, just me observing my surroundings as they observed me. Resting my head against the tree, I skimmed my fingers over the muddy water, a baby gray snapper darting between the roots.
Could it really be that?
Questioning my train of thought, I catalogued over my senses again, wondering why I had checked off taste so fast. Cupping my hand in the water, I leaned forward swallowing a small sip of the water. The taste of rich earth met my senses as the water ran against my tongue, but what was noticeably absent was the salt.
