Inevitable Truth (Broken Reality A Mystery Thriller Series of Alternate Worlds Book 5)

by Rhiley McCabe

  “What? Then what?! He punished me because he was pissed at himself?”

  “You wouldn’t back down. Even after he gave you a chance, you continued to push his buttons.”

  “But if I thought I was at risk of losing my wife, I’d never do that. Amanda,” he takes hold of her, shaking her violently, “I’d never risk losing her!”

  “You did, though…”

  He loses the strength to hold on to her. “I wouldn’t…” He starts to sob.

  “You wouldn’t listen. I wanted to tell you. I tried to warn you. Hell, even William warned you to tread carefully… but you refused.”

  “Why… why did he take her away from me?”

  “Because you chose the other side.”

  “What?” He sniffs and looks up at her.

  “You told him that you would walk away from your old life.”

  “That life, yes… but not my family! He was supposed to take the money. I was supposed to get my family back.”

  “It was never about the money.”

  The door clicks open. Amanda almost falls over as she jumps to her feet.

  “Gary? Sweetheart? What’s wrong…?” Gray Eyes rushes over, kneeling in front of him. She looks up at Amanda, “He’s starting to wonder where you two are.” Attention back at Gary, she starts wiping his tears and caressing him. “What’s all this? He’s a mess…”

  “He’ll be fine.”

  “Val?”

  He doesn’t hear a reply from Amanda; but hearing this woman utter Val’s name forces him to his feet.

  “You…” she steps back.

  “Stop! Gary, stop. Jenna is your fiancé.”

  He bursts out in laughter. “This…” he makes a random gesture toward her, “Even if I am divorced…” a hand slides through his hair, “she is not my type. No offense, lady.”

  “None taken.” She says casually before turning to Amanda, “You need to get back inside.”

  “We’ll be right there. Tell him we’re on the balcony.”

  She nods and turns.

  “Wait, where’s your ring?”

  “Oh… we had a fight.” Jenna looks at Gary, “You didn’t bring it with you, by any chance?”

  He examines the two of them.

  “Well?” She extends an open palm.

  “What makes you think I did?”

  “You always bring it back, sweetheart.”

  She winks, walks over, puts her hand in his right trouser pocket, and takes it out. With that, she slides the thing onto her left ring finger and strolls to the door, disappearing as fast as she appeared.

  “I know you must have a million questions.” Amanda positions herself in front of him and starts dusting off his suit. “But they have to wait. If we’re lucky, William has no idea that you had a blackout. So, I need you to act as if nothing is wrong. Can you do that?”

  “Why?”

  She examines him like a canvas and then starts fiddling with his hair.

  “We’re still trying to shut down Trans D. And, believe it or not, you’re helping us.”

  “What?” He slaps away her hand.

  “Ow!”

  “I’m working with you and William? After everything he’s done to me, I’m working with him?”

  “Mm-mm.” She adjusts his tie. “You’re his spatula, remember? But he can’t use you to disturb the status quo if you hate his guts, so…”

  “So he used Trans D on me and made me his friend?!”

  “He just helped you forget the… potent feelings you had toward him.”

  Gary sucks up the clear, Namibian air, readying himself to burst through those doors.

  He’ll kill him.

  His conscience is silent on the matter. There’s no accelerated heartbeat, no sweaty palms, no overwhelming feelings of guilt for formulating such a preposterous thought. It’s frightening… only a trained, vile mind would feel comfortable with that.

  “Then it’s time I told him I remember.” He doesn’t even recognize his own voice.

  “Don’t.”

  He wants to push her out of the way, storm through those doors, and…

  “Are you listening to me? We’ve made progress. This is bigger than your feelings toward him. It’s bigger than my feelings toward him.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “Yeah, that’s your problem… That was your problem three years ago, too. You didn’t care. All that mattered was you, your feelings, your opinion. Are you really willing to make the same mistake?”

  “Th—Three years?”

  “Elizabeth and Ruben… you care about them, don’t you?”

  “Of course.”

  “And Val, do you think she cares about them?”

  “She’d die for them.”

  “So would you… but if you stay alive and play your part, you can give them freedom from Trans D, from becoming victims of people like William. Their children can be born free.”

  Silence.

  “If you let your feelings toward William get the better of you, he will use that program against you. Again. And again.”

  “That’s the reason for this blackout?”

  She shakes her head; a hopeful smile creeps across her face, “No. You gave him no reason to use it. You did this all on your own.”

  “How…?”

  “I don’t know. You could have been experimenting when you thought no one was looking. Or maybe something triggered your memories and Trans D couldn’t suppress it.”

  “If memories kept my mind busy, William would know. The program would tell him.”

  “Memories aren’t a threat to Trans D. It just doesn’t know what to do with them. So, it’s plausible that the chip tried suppressing whatever you remembered and just overworked your brain.”

  “But if this information is useful, if it can help us switch off the AI, we should tell him. I’ll keep my feelings to myself.”

  “No. Not yet, anyway. I mean… now is not the time, okay?”

  And there it is. Amanda and her own, hidden motives again. She’s hiding something. From him. From William. But what?

  “Do you feel like you can trust me?”

  “I don’t trust you.”

  “That’s not what I asked.”

  “I… you’re hiding something. I know it.”

  “You can. Deep down, you know you can. I haven’t proven it yet. So give me a chance. Please.”

  He sighs.

  “We’re going in there, and we’re going to pretend like everything’s normal.”

  “I don’t know what normal is.”

  “It’s easy… You and Val are divorced. She’s outspoken about her hatred toward you, and you couldn’t care less. You’re engaged to Jenna, your agent and manager. You… bear with me for the next part, okay?”

  He doesn’t respond, but his eyes are focused on hers. He’s listening—for the first time, and it’s too late.

  “You dethroned your mother and aligned yourself with TaitCorp. No one, apart from the Elites, knows that we’re working on the Trans D program. You’re also a ridiculously successful, millionaire artist. Tonight, we’re hosting an auction for charity. Your art is on display; it happens twice a year. And finally, you’re an asshole… so act like one, okay?”

  “Where is my mother?”

  “She disappeared from the radar after you publicly shamed her.”

  “Did she deserve it?”

  If he hurt his mother, it’s a painful thought to bear. But there’s a more pressing matter in his heart, and so, when she doesn’t answer, he moves on. “Why does Val hate me?”

  “She…”

  “What? What happened? What did I do?”

  “Does it matter? Why torture yourself?”

  “Answer me.”

  “You changed; she hated what you had become. You fought with each other every day, until…”

  “Do I have to grovel at your feet for answers?!”

  “She met someone else.”

  “N—No.”

/>   “I’m sorry.”

  “That’s not true… she…” an invisible force clings to his airway, squeezing it tighter as the seconds tick by, “she wouldn’t exchange me for anything in the world.”

  “Maybe that was true for the old you.”

  The door swings open.

  “I knew it! I asked myself… ‘Self, if I were Mandy and Gary, where would I go?’ And here you are… am I good, or am I good?”

  Gary wants to rush over for an embrace—to fall into the arms of a friend who had once offered his silent company to a desperate man. He’s desperate now—more than ever—and no one will offer more comfort. But Amanda clamps on to his arm and squeezes. Message received, he stands like a statue.

  “Well, you’re okay…” she giggles.

  Eddy laughs, but it’s reserved. He, too, is not the same man anymore. The smile he offers Gary doesn’t reach his eyes. It’s not even a friendly smile. It’s simply one of tolerance.

  Amanda turns, still holding Gary’s arm. When their eyes meet, hers plead with his to do as she had said. He nods. But what does he have left to fight for? Why shouldn’t he let William torture him? If this is his life now, if this is who he is, he wants none of it.

  As they enter the dining hall, cheers and claps ensue, followed by camera flashes.

  “Look confident,” Amanda commands in a whisper.

  Because she’s now his only lifeline, he obeys diligently. He straightens his shoulders and back and lets Amanda’s arm lock into his. Gray Eyes—or Jenna—locks into his other arm and plants a kiss on his cheek. The touch of her sends shivers down his spine. But he shakes it off with the best fake smile he can manage.

  As they move, he becomes aware of how natural it all feels. The less he gives his mind time to think, the more he eases into this new role. The attention is… nice.

  But the little bliss is short lived as he realizes he’s slightly higher than the mass of faces looking up at him. Amanda, at least, is still at his side. The hall is quiet. Then he sees the microphone. Careful to obey, he doesn’t dare turn his head to her for help.

  “Uh…” his voice booms over the speakers.

  The crowd giggles.

  “Thank you all for coming.”

  They quiet down. He thinks for a second, formulates the perfect sentence, and opens his mouth. All he manages, though, is a gasp. This time the crowd breaks out in hushed murmurs. There must be close to 1000 people, but her face—her sweet, sweet face—is unmistakable. And she’s looking straight into his fractured soul. He can imagine a hundred things in in her expression, but hate is not one of them.

  “Val…?”

  Now the crowd gasps. They spot her at once, and all eyes fall on her. They circle her—not like vultures—but like a dirty thing that needs distance between themselves and her. His muscles contract, but Amanda tightens her grip, holds him back with all the might her slender body can conjure. His heart bangs so hard against its cage, he’s sure the speakers are broadcasting it.

  Break free. Pluck loose right now. Take your wife and walk away.

  His muscles contract again. As if she knows he’s made up his mind, Amanda’s grip loosens. It’s a solemn admission of defeat. One foot picks itself up. Before it goes forward, he spots dark, dead eyes gazing up at him intently.

  Fear is an irrational, powerful motivator. Irrational, because what one fears does not come true—most of the time. But, perhaps for the first time, Gary truly grasps the power that demon holds over him. If he dares put his foot down half a degree in the wrong position, if he blinks too fast, too slow, to frequently… all this can disappear. He’ll wake up in another place, in another time, aware that he had seen his muse—if but for a moment—and that he’ll probably never have the chance again. This—actually seeing her with his own eyes—he realizes, is William’s cruel mercy. His fear is rational, real, tangible… if this is the only way to have her in his life, it’s enough.

  He puts his foot down, nods at William with a sly smile, and looks at Amanda. He takes her hand and tucks it under his arm.

  “Val?” His voice resounds again. The crowd turns and refocuses its attention on him.

  “Are you lost?”

  Amanda’s grip relaxes. The crowd breaks out in hysterical laughter. Gary breaks down inside. Val stares at him, holding him prisoner in her sweet, hateful gaze.

  I’m so sorry, he screams in agonizing silence.

  She lifts her head and casually strolls toward the hall’s exit. Elizabeth, refusing to even acknowledge his existence, follows.

  Amanda leads him off the podium toward William.

  “Ah!” His arms swing wide open, “My pride and joy…” He embraces both of them. “Gary… that was harsh, but I liked it. Come, come…” He extends one arm to the table behind him.

  “William!” Someone calls as he readies himself to sit with Gary and Amanda.

  “Allan,” he looks down at the two of them, almost with an apologetic smile, “excuse me a minute, kids.”

  Kids…?

  “I need to see her. Can you cover for me?”

  “No.” Amanda’s hand pushes down on his arm, “Out of the question.”

  He slumps back like an angry teenager.

  “What did he mean by that?”

  “By what?”

  “Kids…?”

  “Oh! That… Right. I’m not sure how to break this to you without risking you losing your composure.”

  “Gary?”

  “Hello!” A finger snaps next to his ear.

  “Huh?”

  “Again?!”

  “What?”

  “Did you have another blackout?”

  “No. I was just…” He rises, “come with me.”

  He doesn’t give her a chance to protest. He only sees William’s guarded, perplexed expression from the corner of his eye as he marches on. Not far from the table, maybe seven meters, he halts to examine an arrangement of photographs on a rather dull-colored wall. Unable to comprehend what force pulled him here, his eyes scrutinize every face staring back at him. The top one, three to four heads higher than him, contains a portrait of a woman with dead, dark eyes. She looks terrifying—like the kind of person children would run away from at the mere smell of her perfume.

  “That’s your grandmother.”

  “Yeah…”

  Under her, gentle eyes look back at him. He cocks his head.

  “I know you…” he whispers. “Who is this man?”

  “That’s mister Singh, Gran’s right-hand man.”

  “Aadi…”

  Something like a click echoes in his head, like an old light switch being flicked on for the first time in ages. He can feel the cool air as it enters his nostrils, filters into his lungs, and makes its way out again. He closes his eyes, listening to the blood rush through his veins. Goosebumps crawl down his neck, spreading out toward his back, arms, stomach, legs…

  He shivers.

  “I’ll stay,” he had uttered with his back turned to William just after settling on a time to have dinner.

  “What was that?”

  “I don’t need to wait until dinner. The sooner we get this over with, the better.”

  Turning to William, he watched his left cheek twitch. The audible breath that escaped from his open mouth gave Gary the impression that some invisible force had hit him from behind, knocking the wind right out. He looked into the eyes of a confused man, which—considering it was William—was a novel thing to see.

  “Stay? What do you mean, you’ll stay?”

  “Isn’t that what you wanted? For me to accept the truth?”

  “Wh—” William scrutinized him, “You’re messing with me, aren’t you?” He burst out in a chortle, “Well done, my young friend. Almost had me.”

  But Gary stared, probably with more confusion on his own face than William had shown a moment before.

  “You want to stay?” William’s arm had violently flung itself, “Why?”

  “Is an explanation
required for the wager to end?”

  “Well… no…”

  “Good. Then it doesn’t matter why.”

  “I don’t think you’re fully aware of the consequences of—”

  “I don’t understand what your problem is. You wanted me to wake up and accept the truth. Well, I accept it.”

  William sighed. “I haven’t shown you—”

  “I don’t care.”

  “How did she do it?”

  “Who? Do what?”

  “Though, looking at you now…” William walked closer, “I wonder if you even gave her a chance. Mm…” A hand had slid over his chin, “You’re being arrogant, not confident. Why? What else did she tell you?”

  “There’s only one arrogant man in this hallway; it’s not me. And what the hell are you talking about?”

  William chuckled, “I’m more interested in the source of your newfound fearlessness. Tell me, how did she convince you to give them up?”

  “Your riddles are exhausting, old man.”

  “You don’t know.”

  Half of William’s mouth pulled itself upward. It wasn’t exactly a smile. A smirk, maybe. It was a nameless expression, but undoubtedly, it was the look of a man who had just realized he had the upper hand in a game of chess.

  “Know what?”

  “What you’re giving up.”

  “I don’t care about the money. Take it all. Just give me what I want.”

  The nameless expression disappeared. The new one would have unsettled Gary not too long ago, maybe as recently as the previous day. Still, he paid no attention to William’s rising brow, the deepening canyon on his forehead, perplexed eyes, or gaping mouth that desperately wanted to say something, if only it knew what.

  “He thinks you’re after his fortune.”

  Amanda leaned casually against room 101’s door frame, arms folded. The sight of her toppled Gary’s newfound confidence like a bird hitting a jet engine mid-air, causing his shoulders to slump a degree or two. His unhelpful helper looked on with sympathy, leaving a bile taste in the back of this mouth. Once—it seemed like a lifetime ago—he found comfort in those eyes. Yet, despite knowing better, he saw sincerity. He wanted to slap himself in the face, tell himself to get a grip, but digressed and stared at her with disgust instead.

  “He doesn’t have a fortune,” William had said, eyes still locked on Gary.