Marked by Fate

by A J Kurtz

  The doorbell rang and all three of them looked at one another, not having expected any company. David stood up. “I’ll see who it is.” He stepped out of the room.

  Serenity poured herself some more wine before her parents finished it off. “I should get ready to go. I need to get home and get ready for my date.” She chugged her wine.

  “Have fun,” her mom said as Serenity walked over to lean down and give her a hug.

  David walked back into the room along with a man dressed in black with a ski mask over his face and a gun pointed at David’s back.

  Every movement began to play in slow motion for Serenity. Her heart raced uncontrollably. It was everything she’d feared would happen while Kensie was away. Was this the end? Was this how she and her family would die? She placed her hand on her mother’s shoulder, trying to block the attacker’s path. Adrenaline shot through every nerve in her body. Her next movements were going to be absolutely critical…

  6

  Morgan

  It’s funny how you bare your soul to someone you hardly know and have no idea how they’ll react to what you have to say. Will they leave your life completely or will they be willing to stick it out with you? All of it’s a huge gamble you take when you can’t afford to lie to the only friend you have. Everything is out there on the table—well, almost everything, what now?

  Ever since she’d had the conversation with Marcel, his face had haunted every waking moment. She’d told him about the mess she’d gotten herself into and could have sworn that a flash of hatred crossed his eyes. Marcel worked for the government and he could use all the information she’d given him and take her whole family down with only a call.

  It had been a few days since the last time she saw Marcel. She began to worry he wouldn’t show up for their regular training session.

  She woke up extra early in the morning and found some workout clothes that hugged every curve of her body. And she hurried downstairs with a bounce in her steps.

  She grabbed an apple from the bowl that sat in the center of the kitchen table and she took a juicy bite from it. She heard her father already awake and talking to someone in his office across the hallway.

  She checked the time on her microchip and it read 5:50 am. She had ten minutes left until Marcel’s arrival. What if he doesn’t show up? Would I have to tell dad what I’ve done? She didn’t see that going over very well. She pondered this over for a few minutes while she finished eating and then headed outback.

  She sat in the grass stretching out her legs and arms. She remained vigilant for any sign of Marcel. Am I really this desperate for a friend? Yes. She decided in her thoughts.

  “I see us having gone out did you some good,” Marcel said playfully as he came through the side gate with all his gear and set it down. Morgan noticed that Marcel seemed surprised to see her on time for once.

  She jumped up and strolled over to him with a smile plastered across her face. It was a relief that he hadn’t abandoned her in her time of need.

  “I told you that I would start taking this more seriously.” She stood before him.

  He stared at her for a moment that felt like forever and then a smile spread across his face. “You thought I wasn’t going to show up after what you told me the other night, am I right?’

  She nodded, blinking back tears. She had no idea where they came from, but he knew her better than anyone by this point. He stretched out his arms and waved for her to come in for a hug. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Usually, she wouldn’t get emotional, yet, he’d gotten to her in a way that no one else could.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered as his nose nuzzled against her ear. He backed up to face her. His thumb wiped a stray tear that began to fall down her cheek.

  “Thank you.” She smiled up at him.

  “How about you thank me by going out tonight?”

  Her eyes lit up. “Wait, is this a joke?”

  They both laughed at the same time. He shook his head ‘no’.

  “I had fun getting to know you the other night, and I thought we could both use a night to let loose.”

  “What did you have in mind?” She arched her eyebrows.

  A sly grin formed on his face. “This is a surprise. Now, let’s get to work.” He clapped his hands.

  That evening Marcel came by in his SUV to take her to a dance studio. That was all he’d given her. When they arrived, Morgan noticed that there were a few other couples there and a dance instructor.

  Morgan’s eyes widened when she saw what she’d gotten herself into. She turned to Marcel, who appeared happy with himself.

  “What type of dance is this?” she asked hesitantly.

  “The only kind I do, tango. And for the record, none of my friends know about this. It stays between us.”

  The dance instructor began with lessons, and while Morgan tried to figure out how to move, she accidentally kept stepping on Marcel’s feet. He’d correct her in a kind manner.

  She was mesmerized by his moves and how good he was at it. She couldn’t think of anything sexier than a man or woman who knew how to dance.

  As the lesson went on, Morgan started to get the hang of it, moving and swaying to the music in the background while she kept eye contact with her partner. They were both smiling and laughing, enjoying themselves.

  When it was over, Morgan felt a sense of happiness that she hadn’t experienced since being with Kensie and it was the best feeling in the world.

  She began to notice that Marcel was thoughtful in everything he planned, and it was romantic. It showed her that he was becoming more invested in their friendship, and she felt the same way.

  Back at the SUV, the doors automatically opened for them and she and he slid into their seats. Marcel gave instructions, and Morgan assumed that he was about to drop her off at home, but found herself pleasantly surprised when they passed by her road and continued on.

  “Where are you taking me?” she finally spoke up.

  He only smiled in return, and only minutes later the car pulled over at a lookout point to have an overview of the city. The doors opened and he helped her out. While she walked over to check out the spectacular view, he returned with a blanket for them to sit on, along with a bottle of wine and two glasses.

  Once it was set up, they sat down and he poured them both a glass and handed hers to her.

  “This is beautiful.” She spoke about the scenery of the town and the stars in the sky.

  “You really are,” he complimented. Their eyes connected and he set both of their drinks down to get closer to her, and he kissed her gently.

  When he pulled himself away to get a sip of his wine, Morgan could feel her body becoming lighter than ever. She’d never been so appreciated in a long time, by anyone.

  “Tell me, what made you want to become a teacher?” he asked.

  “I’ve always loved history and wanted kids to feel the same way I do about it, or to understand how important history is to us all. What about you?” She was referring to his job working for the government that he never spoke about, not even to her.

  “My father learned that there was much more happening in the government than what people are told. He found out too much and someone killed him. After his death, I made it my mission to find out what they were hiding from the world. Especially with the microchips, they want people to think is voluntary, so they can track time travelers, at least, that’s my theory,” he explained.

  “I’m so sorry, Marcel. What you’re doing is going to get you killed,” she reminded him. She was sure he already knew this, but now he had someone who cared for him, and the last thing she wanted to find out was that he was dead.

  “I need proof, and the only way I’ll get that is to be accepted into a secret group that’s a part of the goverment.. I’m waiting to hear back to see if I’ve been accepted.”

  “Say you get accepted and find proof, what then?”

  “I’m going to expose them.”

&
nbsp; “You’re putting your life on the line…” She trailed off. “I don’t want to lose you already.” Her cheeks began to warm thinking about losing someone she cared about, but she had a feeling that he already knew how she felt.

  “Believe me, I’ve thought this over a million times already. I know what’s at stake. You don’t have to lose me, you could help me.” He paused. “Enough of this serious talk. Let’s enjoy our time together.” He stood up and moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her as they pointed out the constellations in the sky.

  Just as I thought I knew what kind of man he was, I had no idea that he would be willing to take on the government alone. Should I consider helping him or continue everything as planned?

  Morgan soon realized that no matter how she was starting to feel, there was a plan bigger set in motion, one that she couldn’t let him in on, yet.

  7

  Kensie

  Kensie studied Jaymes as he placed their food on plates and served them on the center island where they’d be eating. He brought two glasses of wine to go with their dinner, setting them next to the plates. There was no doubt at this moment, even though she had plenty of questions to ask him, that the fact he was going all out for her was romantic. He didn’t need to buy her things. A simple dinner and conversation were always attractive to her.

  He took a seat next to her. “Can we discuss this after we eat? I want this to just be a moment where a guy cooks for a girl and pretends that things are normal in the world.”

  Her eyes fixed on his icy orbs, and she felt herself drifting towards him as if there were a magical line trying to connect them. She fought against it as much as possible, but the more she fought, the more she wanted to kiss him.

  He leaned closer, leaving only a small gap between their lips. The warmth of his breath against her skin, beckoning her to draw nearer. Part of her thought this was his way of teasing her, and it worked.

  “We don’t have to—” he started to say when Kensie closed the gap, tasting his luscious lips for the first time. His fingers stroked her cheek, and for a short time, it was only the two of them in their own world.

  As much as she enjoyed kissing him, she had to pry herself away. She knew the more they kissed, the more she would want him, and she wasn’t exactly ready for a relationship—although her friends and sister would say otherwise—she was loving her life, living it one day at a time, exactly the way she wanted.

  They gazed at each other as they pulled away. “You went through all this to make me dinner...I really appreciate it, thank you. This makes up for the last time.” She smiled with flushed cheeks.

  His face was glowing after their kiss, with a silly smile he couldn’t shake from his face. “You’re welcome.” His teeth grazed over his lips seductively. “I’m glad it makes up for that ‘non-date’ you thought we had.” He gave her a hard time.

  She shook her head. “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”

  He chuckled. “Not for a long time.”

  After they finished their meal, they sat there and talked about different things. She asked him what he would be doing if they weren’t off saving the world, and he told her that he’d be a police officer. His answer didn’t surprise her. He was good with people and protecting them. She told him that she would return to teaching because she had always felt drawn to it ever since she was in elementary school.

  “Once we find the orb, you can return to that, hopefully,” he said.

  “I hope you’re right. I can picture you in a policeman’s uniform. I’d have to make a few fake calls just so I could see you in action.” She grinned.

  He laughed. “You’re too funny.” His smile started to fade away, and he stared at her with a more serious expression. “To answer your question about the artifact, my boss, Agent Stone, and I have a way of finding travelers. For some reason, you stood out more than the others, and his guess was that you were more powerful than most, causing him to believe that you would be able to pick up the artifact, and it would give you some direction to where the orb could be. We know the artifacts are unstable. In some cases where people have tried to pick them up, it’s driven them crazy. It does something to your mind. We have absolute faith that you can do this. I’ll be with you when it happens. I know how this sounds, Kensie, but I need you to trust us that we know what we’re doing,” he explained.

  She rested her back against the wooden chair. She suddenly felt like she was drowning in quicksand. She fought the tears that were trying to escape. She needed to get away. Now.

  “I need a moment,” she whispered as she slipped down from the chair. She headed out front to the porch to get some fresh air and try to take everything in she’d just been told.

  It all made sense now, they wanted to use her to get what they wanted: the artifact, which would lead them to the orb. It was business to them, so, why would Jaymes kiss her?

  She wished she could call her sister and ask her what she should do, but she couldn’t. There was no way she could contact Serenity back in 2075.

  A roar of a motorcycle engine caught her attention. She looked up to find Riah pulling into the driveway. Riah put her kickstand down and slid her helmet off, then came strolling over to her.

  “She’s a beast, isn’t she?” Riah said, referring to her bike.

  “She really is,” Kensie agreed, admiring it. “Does ‘she’ have a name?”

  Riah placed her hands on her hips, deep in thought. “Not yet, I’m working on it. What do you think?”

  Kensie smiled, happy to see that Riah was opening up to her more than before. “Hmm...what about Quinn, as in Harley Quinn? I mean, it’s a Harley, right?” She pretended to second guess herself even though she knew exactly what it was. During her life, being the ‘smart girl or boy’ would get kids laughed at or bullied in school, so she pretended to be somewhere in-between. When she grew older, she started to show it off more to show the kids she taught that it was okay to be smart...Why the hell am I reverting to a child-like behavior?

  A slow grin spread across Riah’s stunned face. “You know your motorcycles? Color me impressed, Kensie. I’ll take that under consideration. By the way, what are you doing out here sulking?”

  It was clear that Riah was good at reading people’s expressions. In this case, she wasn’t ready to talk about it, but if Riah was opening up to her, maybe this would bring them closer? She decided she’d explain what happened with Jaymes without getting upset all over again.

  “Girl, listen, I’ve known Jaymes forever now, and I trust him more than anyone. I think it’s fair to say that he’s beginning to care about you. You can either trust him and help billions of people or don’t and go home. I believe in fate and I think it brought both of you together. Even after all of this is over, he’s still going to be at your side,” Riah said. Kensie could have sworn she saw Riah smirking.

  They walked back into the house and found Jaymes still in the kitchen. Jaymes had cleared the center island and Kensie went over to help him do the dishes.

  “I never meant to ruin the moment,” he whispered over to Kensie. “I’m sorry.” He went over to Riah to talk to her. Riah signaled for him to follow her around the corner, into the living room.

  Kensie finished the dishes and snuck around the corner to eavesdrop on what they were talking about. She knew how wrong it was, but she wanted to see if Riah would be joining them. They were starting to become friends, and if Riah joined them, Kensie wouldn’t be the only woman.

  “You made her dinner?” Riah asked in a hushed voice. “I can see that you have a thing for her, and I think it’s good for you to finally move on, but why didn’t you tell her upfront about the artifact and the role she has to play in it?”

  He frowned, taking a seat on the sofa. “I’m an idiot. I thought that if I told her right away, that she wouldn’t have come along with me back home. The last thing I wanted to do was scare her off. I like her, I couldn’t let that happen.”

  “Give her time to de
cide. I know we’re in a time crunch, but she deserves to decide without any of us bothering her about it. I think she’ll do the right thing. My advice: don’t keep anything else from her if you want her to stick around.” She ruffled up Jaymes’s hair and they both laughed.

  Their interaction made Kensie smile. Seeing a different side of him was a welcomed change. The serious man was nowhere to be found. She saw that he respected Riah’s opinion and that she was a good friend to him.

  “I don’t plan on it. Leave the hair out of it!” He tried putting his hair back in place with his fingers. “I tried fighting against liking her, yet somehow she’s good at shattering walls that I have built up...Anyway, enough about me, have you decided to come along with us?”

  Kensie felt relieved that he was only concerned about her feelings. There wasn’t any reason for her to be upset with him. She wanted to help prevent the pending civil war, and knew that she may be risking her life for a greater cause.

  She hurried back into the kitchen and pretended to be wiping off plates with a dishtowel. Seconds later, they walked back into the room together.

  “I actually talked Riah into coming with us,” Jaymes happily announced to Kensie.

  Kensie went over to them. “I’m happy you’re coming with us. It’ll give us a chance to get to know one another better.” She smiled.

  Riah inspected Kensie with her eyes. “Well, I suppose I could take on a new friend.” She winked at Kensie and pretended to think it over, which made Jaymes and Kensie burst out in laughter. “I’ll give you two a moment before we head out. Plus, I have to say my goodbyes to the love of my life.” She headed outside.

  Kensie and Jaymes sat down beside each other in the living room on the sofa. Jaymes put his head down as he was deep in thought.

  “I didn’t want to freak you out by telling you about the artifact too early.”