by Sophie Davis
“You know the drill, Tals. We’ve both been in trouble before, this is nothing new. Please, for the sake of everything you value, remember to think before you speak. Answer only the question asked, don’t say any more than you have to. Be respectful and polite. Use proper titles, the council loves that. If you start to lose your cool, count to ten and think calm thoughts. Do not let your temper show. Better yet, don’t talk if you can avoid it. Let Frederick or me answer for the group.”
“Your confidence in me is inspiring,” I snapped, my tone harsher than intended.
“I’m just trying to help, Tals,” Erik soothed. “I’ve seen the gruel they feed the prisoners on Vault. That stuff makes the kelp burgers on Eden look like fine dining. And don’t get me started on those containment smocks.” He shuddered. “The fabric is overly starched. It’ll give you a rash in places you definitely don’t want a rash.”
I spared him a glance so he could fully appreciate my eye-roll. Erik’s ability to crack a joke, no matter how inappropriate the situation, was just one of the many things I loved about him. But for some reason his flippant comments annoyed me just then.
My lectures from the peanut gallery weren’t finished with that, though. Apparently Frederick shared Erik’s concerns about my inability to practice humility. Strongly enough that he felt the need to say something.
“This isn’t TOXIC, Talia,” he stated flatly, speaking in a low tone.
As if I needed that particular reminder.
“UNITED is big on rules and has a very low tolerance for those who break them,” Frederick continued. “They see things in black and white. You have lived your whole life in a gray area. Hell, you are a gray area as far as the council is concerned. More than a few members voted against you becoming an agent, simply because you are Created. For them it’s straightforward: You are Created and the Created belong in containment. End of story. Those same people are just looking for an excuse to lock you away. Don’t give it to them.”
I swallowed over the lump in my throat. Frederick’s warnings struck a chord that Erik’s had not.
This isn’t TOXIC, Talia.
Evidently, I did need that reminder. Or, more accurately, that explanation. Like Erik said, the hot seat was nothing new for me. That was very true. During my tenure with TOXIC, I was in trouble more often than not. But what Frederick said was true, too. I had lived my whole life in a gray area. Rules and protocols were more like strongly advised suggestions, meant for others who were not me. Whenever I crossed a line, Mac was there to redraw the boundaries. Consequence was an abstract idea for which I never learned the true definition. For the first time in my life, I was about to see how the other half lived. Suddenly, I was not simply dreading this meeting, I was terrified to walk through the door.
“I didn’t mean to scare you, Talia,” Frederick added in a gentler tone, sensing my mounting fear. “I just want you to understand that this isn’t a game here. I do think everything is going to work out in the end.”
His smile was nowhere near as reassuring as he intended, and only succeeded in making my head spin with all the possible outcomes.
Smoothing his wrinkled tuxedo pants—he’d discarded the jacket and bowtie but still wore the white dress shirt, black pants, and shiny shoes—Frederick squared his shoulders and muttered to himself, “Time to face the music.”
Catherine was still lingering by conference room door, shuffling nervously from one high heel to the other. She stepped aside to allow Frederick to pass by.
Erik reached for my hand. I let him thread his fingers through mine, drawing much needed strength for his touch.
“We’re in this together,” he sent. “Always together.”
Just as I was about to enter the room, Catherine’s hand on my arm stopped me.
I met her gaze and raised my eyebrows questioningly.
“I’m sorry, Talia. I…I didn’t…I’m sorry. I just want you to know that.”
With those solemn words, Catherine turned and all but ran down the hallway.
As my fear grew even more potent, I looked up into Erik’s turbulent turquoise eyes. All traces of his earlier good humor were gone.
“Ominous,” I sent.
Unable to disagree, Erik simply squeezed my hand and led me into the conference room.
Frederick was already seated to the left of the head chair at the table. On the wallscreen, the UNITED council was assembled around their own long, oval conference table, with Victoria in the power seat. The majority of the members were holographic, their physical bodies located somewhere besides the Oceanic, Victoria’s current location.
Accepting my cue from a pointed glance at the middle chair from Frederick, I took my place at the head of our table. Erik sat on my right.
Behind us, a soft click signaled the door shutting. I felt, rather than saw, the un-dynamic duo, Chaz and Viktor, as they took up positions along the back wall. Under the table, Erik rested his hand on my leg. The contact was inappropriate, given the solemnity of the proceedings, but at that moment I cared more about the warmth and reassurance his touch provided than professionalism.
“This is a disciplinary hearing,” Victoria announced. “Thank you to my fellow councilmembers for coming on such short notice.” She turned her attention on the three of us sitting in her country home. “Agents Lyons, Kraft, and Kelley, do you all know why you were called here?” Victoria asked, her tone flat and gold eyes expressionless.
“Yes, Ma’am,” Frederick replied.
Heeding Erik’s warning about not talking unless absolutely necessary, I simply nodded. Beside me, Erik parroted Frederick’s deferential reply. Both guys had excellent manners, when they felt like using them. I decided I might need to take some etiquette lessons myself.
“And why is that, Agent Lyons?” Councilwoman Amberly Azevedo asked.
I’d first met the Portuguese councilwoman shortly after arriving at Ian Crane’s cottage several weeks back. Along with Victoria and a Dr. Kramer, she was on the panel of council delegates tasked with deciding whether to contain me. Since the panel’s decision went in my favor, I had no issue with Amberly. Nor she with me, I assumed. Still, given Frederick’s warning, I didn’t count her among my supporters just yet.
“Because we broke the rules,” I replied simply. Remembering Erik’s comment about respect and using proper titles, I quickly added, “Councilwoman.”
“Which rules specifically, Agent Lyons?” Amberly pressed.
For a brief moment I stared at the Portuguese councilwoman confusedly, as if she’d asked a trick question. Then, I realized she had asked a trick question. Sneaky, I thought. Having me enumerate my crimes, as opposed to the council listing them off, left open the possibility that I might accidently slip and admit to a previously unknown infraction. I loved this interrogation tactic, when I was the one using it. Being on the receiving end, though, sucked.
“Careful here, Tals,” Erik warned.
Keeping my answer as short and succinct as possible, I gave only a two word reply.
“Anya Pritcher.”
No way was I hanging myself with the rope the council was dangling in front of me.
Amberly’s smoky eyes narrowed in suspicion. Apparently she’d expected me to take the bait.
“Why is it you believe Ms. Pritcher is the reason we asked you all here?” Amberly prompted, once again trying to force a confession.
“Because Anya isn’t Created,” Erik interjected, his voice tight and controlled.
“Erik,” I groaned. “You just told me to be careful. What are you doing?”
“I’m tired, Tals. I don’t have it in me to play her games today. And I was telling you to be careful because I felt your temper rising when she kept asking you the same question over and over again. I didn’t want you to start screaming at her.”
Amberly pounced on Erik’s admission, satisfaction flashing in her eyes.
“So, just to be clear, you all knew that Ms. Pritcher is not Created? You, Agent Lyons,
were aware of this fact when you ordered Agent Kraft to purchase her?”
I sighed.
“Yes, I was aware,” I replied.
“You do not deny your guilt in this matter?” Councilman Neumann, a German guy in desperate need of a little eyebrow separation, asked.
“No, but—”
“It is a yes or no question, Agent Lyons,” Amberly cut me off.
“With all due respect, Amberly, I quite disagree,” Councilman Michael Tanaka interjected in that soft quiet tone of his.
Without thinking, I shot Councilman Tanaka a grateful smile. Of all the councilmembers, he was by far my favorite. He was fair and honest, never quick to rush to judgment. Also, he’d welcomed me into his home after the battle in D.C. and been a gracious host.
“The reasoning behind Agent Lyons’ decision is important. I, for one, would very much like to hear it,” Councilman Tanaka continued.
“I am not interested in excuses, Michael,” Amberly insisted.
Great, the council was fighting. That could not be a good sign.
Looking to Victoria, I expected her to rule on whether or not “excuses” were allowed. Oddly, she remained silent. With her expression carefully trained to neutral, the austere councilwoman folded her hands on the table in front of her and watched her colleagues bicker.
“This is ridiculous,” Erik announced, effectively putting an end to the battle of wills taking place between Amberly and Michael.
All eyes focused on the seat to my right, mine included.
“And you were worried about my temper?” I sent Erik, along with some calming vibes. Which had zero effect on my incensed boyfriend.
“Let’s just cut the bullshit,” Erik continued.
“Agent Kelley, you are out of—,” Amberly started to say.
But Erik talked right over the councilwoman.
“Talia did it for me. But you guys already know that, don’t you? Because you have our personnel files from TOXIC.”
“Erik, calm down,” Frederick warned.
The flash of rage that passed across Erik’s face made Frederick swallow any further protests he might have made.
Using everything I had within me, I tried to force Erik to relax. But I was exhausted from the mission, physically and mentally drained from wielding so much power, and there was not enough energy left to manipulate his emotions. Which was the worst-case scenario right now. If I couldn’t control Erik, and Erik couldn’t control Erik, then no one could control him. So they would contain him.
“You all know that Anya Pritcher and I were involved when we were in school,” Erik said, once again turning his anger on the council.
“Erik, please, relax,” I pleaded. “I am begging you. If you love me, you will count to ten and take some deep breaths.”
Just because I didn’t have enough energy to use my Talents didn’t mean I was out of tricks. Begging was not something I did regularly, and I’d never before employed the “if you love me” line of reasoning. My hope was that doing so now might catch him by surprise.
Expecting him to redirect his ire towards me, I steeled my nerves and prepared to match him glare for glare. But Erik refused to look at me.
“What exactly do you mean by ‘involved’?” Amberly asked, gray eyes wide with feigned innocence.
This, of course, succeeded in pushing Erik very near his limit. I wanted to leap through the wallscreen and smack the smug smile off Amberly’s face. It was just like Frederick predicted, she was goading us. She wanted a reason to send us containment. I’d assumed I was the target, though. Apparently, Erik would do in pinch. So much for their poster boy.
“Amberly, really, that is not necessary,” the councilwoman from New Zealand chastised.
“Councilman Tanaka believes the agents’ motives are important. I am just trying to make sure I understand them is all. To me, it seems Agent Kelley is the one with the relationship to Anya Pritcher. I would simply like to know the extent of that relationship.” Amberly’s cheerful tone was grating. “I imagine it goes beyond friendship, seeing as all three of these agents disobeyed direct orders on account of the young woman.”
Erik jumped to his feet. Palms pressed flat onto the table top, chest heaving in and out, he fought for control. I placed a tentative hand on his arm, desperate to find a way to tamp down his fury. He didn’t quite throw my hand off, but came close.
I opened my mouth to speak, unsure what exactly I planned to say. Fortunately or not, as it turned out, Erik spoke first.
“We had sex, Amberly. Repeatedly,” Erik ground out through clenched teeth. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”
I winced, both at the venom in his voice and his words. It wasn’t as though Erik’s admission was news to me, but hearing him say it out loud, to a roomful of people, still hurt.
“You do know what sex is, don’t you?” Erik continued. “Or do you need me to define that for you too? Maybe draw you a picture? I’m not much of an artist, but I think stick figures should give you the general idea.”
Frederick groaned and dropped his head into his hands. Even knowing Erik’s outburst was doing him no favors, I had to suppress a laugh. The look on Amberly’s face was priceless. Her eyes were still wide, but were now shocked instead of playing naiveté. This was her goal, to anger one of us so much that we threw a fit, but she hadn’t expected Erik’s raunchy retort.
“Agent Kelley, please, sit down,” Victoria said, her tone soothing yet firm.
Erik ignored Victoria, his attention still focused on Amberly.
“Erik, please,” I begged again. “Remember what Frederick said, this is exactly what the council wants. Amberly is a bitch, she’s intentionally provoking you. And you’re letting her. You’re stronger than this. You’re smarter than this.”
I dug down deep, reaching for any remaining drops of energy. Tendrils of power stirred inside of me and I knew I had enough left to fight Erik for control of his mind. At least, I hoped that was the case.
Erik’s own power was wild, untamed and unchecked at the moment. He no longer saw the conference room or the council or even Frederick and me. Erik was reliving those minutes back at Andrew’s Rock when Anya was up on that trifold wallscreen. Through my eyes, he saw her already pale face whiten further as one bid after another popped up on the screen. He recalled the pain tinged rage that had all but consumed him when I tried to block him from my head so he wouldn’t see the truth. Then, another emotion took over, this one somehow more intense than the others: failure. Erik feared my reaction to the reintroduction of Anya into our lives, and how her presence might affect our relationship. He couldn’t lose me. He wouldn’t lose me. And yet, he couldn’t live with himself if Anya continued to suffer because of him. He was letting us both down, failing us both. Again.
Over and over, those irrigational thoughts cycled through Erik’s mind.
Erik was so tightly wound, his emotions so out of control, I worried compelling him into submission might do more harm than good. If I was even capable of such a feat, at this level. Knowing the internal war waging inside of Erik’s mind, the chances of manipulating him lessened. He was stubborn on an ordinary day, under ordinary circumstances. In that conference room, guilt, anger, and ineptitude swirling inside of him, Erik’s will was beyond my reach, even if I’d been at full power.
I took a gamble.
“Erik, please. I love you. Nothing can or will ever change that. I know how you feel about me. I know how you feel about Anya. I understand there’s a difference. A very real, tangible difference. You haven’t failed either of us. You have done so much for me. You are so much to me. I love you. I cannot lose you. They will try to take you from me, and then I can’t be held responsible for my actions. We will both be contained. Not a joke, not a myth, really and truly contained. If you want to protect me, you will stop.”
The gamble paid off. Slowly the tension eased from Erik’s muscles and his heart rate evened out. He blinked several times, as if he’d just woken up. Then
, realizing where he was and why he was here, Erik sank back into his chair.
I sighed with relief. On my other side, Frederick blew out a long breath, apparently just as relieved to have Erik’s temper back in check.
Erik turned to face me.
“Shit, I’m so sorry, Tals. I knew someone would bring this up, I just…I’m sorry. And I’m sorry you ever had to hear me talk about her like that.”
I reached for his hand. This time he didn’t pull away from my touch. Instead of hiding our joined hands, I made a show of placing them on the table, on full display for the council. Solidarity, I thought.
Amberly, unnerved by Erik’s outburst, turned her saccharin smile on me instead. To her, I was an easy target.
“Agent Kelley’s reasons, while misguided, are understandable. However, yours, Agent Lyons, remain unclear.” She glanced pointedly at our joined hands. “Given your historically jealous nature, it seems odd that you would want to help your boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend. I seem to recall that you—,” she gave the electronic display in front of her a perfunctory once-over, “—destroyed Donavon McDonough’s cabin after catching him with another woman.”
The tables had turned. I was the one ready to leap from my seat, and Erik was the one begging me to reign in my temper. It wasn’t the mention of Anya’s and Erik’s past that set me off, though.
Donavon.
How dare Amberly utter his name?
Even in death, it seemed he could not find peace.
“Help me understand, Agent Lyons,” Amberly continued, oblivious to how dangerously close she was coming to being the lucky recipient of my wrath. “Because, if I were you, I—”
“You aren’t me,” I snapped. “And you are perverting the facts to suit your purposes. D-Donavon,” I tripped over his name, tears burning the backs of my eyes. Clearing my throat, I tried again, a razor-sharp edge to my voice. Maybe I could cut her with my words. “Donavon is not relevant to what happened today. And neither is that incident you referred to.”
Amberly started to say something, but I talked over her.
“Your attempts to manipulate this hearing are transparent, councilwoman.”
