The Final Link_The Gateway Saga

by Erin Thornton

  “Yes, but our meetings have nothing to do with court and the pomp and circumstance that you like to flit here and there pretending to go on about this and that.” His voice was a deep and rich sound, like someone who might have been noble. Though Aggie snickered at her thought. Who was she to say what a noble did or didn’t sound like?

  “I don’t pretend anything of the sort. If I did, you’d think I wasn’t with you of my own choice and purely for social standings.” Yavari purred her words like the seductress that she was. Aggie heard that tone just a short while ago directed at Mathius. Without another word, the screen faded, yet again.

  “That didn’t sound suspicious at all.” Aggie deadpanned in hopes of getting a couple laughs. She was disappointed as stoic frowns met her smiling face, as she scanned the room. “Damn you all, Ren would have laughed at that. Next time I’ll endure Mitchell’s brooding and go with them.” Crossing her arms, she openly pouted, at her lackluster crew of the moment.

  “I don’t recognize the other voice.” Gryson didn’t acknowledge any of what Aggie said and just began addressing the mail. Now that Aggie thought about it, they were more like phone calls between places than mail. She would mention that when she was with a crowd that listened to her opinions and not just placating her by letting her tag along.

  “It’s familiar but I can’t place it either. Almost like it was a voice I heard once in passing, than from someone I might actually know or have been introduced to. I’m usually pretty good with voices and names.” Mathius’s tone was prideful and directed at Aggie with the last statement. She didn’t give him the time of day and glanced over at Eldon who was still deep in thought. She was sure that Mathius growled or grumbled under his breath at her response or lack thereof, for that she beamed.

  “It seems we need to speak to Yavari again, but I don’t want her to spook her. Is there anyone who might be close to this situation and have some insight into her day-to-day?” Eldon’s eyes never broke from the screen that had faded to the haze and swirls of colors. It reminded Aggie in some way of the colorful aspect of the knobs inside the secret room. She didn’t know how to refer to it yet. The guys called it the Gateway, but to her it was just another room in her Gran’s house, no matter what they have told her. To change that thought process would be like rebranding her brain.

  “What if we spoke to the servants? Delia seemed helpful enough this morning. I’m sure they hear things that we don’t and wouldn’t be able to uncover. People of this stature have a tendency to think of those beneath them as invisible. Did you notice Yavari didn’t even notice me this morning or question who I was? That could’ve been because all she cared about was to get Mathius in the sack or because I’m right.” Aggie didn’t bother to look at Mathius, she could hear his snarl plainly.

  “That idea has sound reasoning. Do we know who her chambermaid is?” Eldon acknowledged her disregarding what Mathius was grumbling about. “If we can find out when she is out on her next meeting, we may be able to get an appointment or a few moments with her, at the least.”

  Never ceasing in voicing his displeasure at Aggie’s jab Mathius spoke with a hint of frustration in his tone, “I’ll look into it and persuade her to hold court with us.” Aggie struggled not to laugh at his old language. She was going to have to get these guys to lighten up and teach them some modern speaking skills if she was going to be around them this much. She made a mental note and refocused her attention on the matter at hand.

  “Don’t you think all of us rushing in to speak to a servant is going to draw some attention?” Aggie spoke up expected to be ignored once again.

  “Why would that be of consequence to us?” Mathius was on the rougher side of life, Aggie had noticed. He was more of a ‘take and ask for forgiveness later’ kind of person than a person who thinks about someone’s feelings. He was the definition of caveman thinking. She wasn’t saying he wasn’t smart because the cavemen invented some pretty handy technology in their time, but he had a very one-track mind. If he had a goal that was all that mattered. Simple things, like perception, didn’t matter as long as the goal was accomplished. He was rather transparent like that and Aggie had picked up on this characteristic rather quickly.

  “I don’t know how much of our business you want to travel down the grapevine. If not the servants, I’m sure the nobles will whisper.” Aggie was sure he couldn’t be that dense to realize that people are going to talk.

  “We do not have grapes here or any vined fruit. There is no need for concern.” Aggie groaned in frustration at Mathius’s words.

  Taking a deep breath and then releasing it, “No, ‘to travel down the grapevine’ just means to gossip.” Aggie was just getting a small dose and could see what was to come. This was going to be beyond trying and hard to get through with any sort of grace. They were going to be a challenge, but if anyone could step up to the plate it was her.

  Mathius considered her words in silence for a moment. Aggie watched as emotions traveled across his face. First confusion, then that quickly moved into shock and then finally into understanding. She was thankful his emotions were so easy to read. “I believe you might be correct. I will go alone and report back.”

  “Do you think that is the best idea?” Aggie pressed her luck, hoping he wouldn’t get growly again.

  “What do you mean? Of course, I’m the best person for the job. These are my people and they will be more comfortable speaking with me.” His voice was raised slightly but not seemingly from anger or because she questioned him. It was more like he was astonished that she would suggest otherwise.

  “Not to disagree with you but perhaps I could throw out another scenario. What if say, I was to go with one of the other guys, whoever has the most experience with your people. We might be a bit less intimidating for a lowly servant than the head of the guard. If you were to go, don’t you think they might think they were in some kind of trouble?”

  “You’re saying I might scare them? Are you saying that I’m an imposing figure and I can’t relate to the common people? You make me sound like a pompous ass who carries himself as royalty.” Mathius laughed at the thought even though she hadn’t confirmed or denied anything. The other two were silently watching the exchange, enthralled as though they were watching a sporting event on television.

  “Have you seen yourself? You have been a bit of an ass to me since we met and your hulking form,” Aggie gestured at, well all of him, “isn’t exactly one to lean to endearment upon first glance.” With a huff, Mathius turned away and crossed his arms like a petulant child.

  Breathing heavily, he took a few moments to compose his thoughts. From his profile stance, Aggie could see his nostrils flaring open and closed, without warning he whipped back around and got right into her face. His eyes were cold and flat. The life in them was missing. Aggie wondered how he could turn it on and off with the flick of a switch. “I’ll have you know I’m more than capable of handling this job but instead of trying to stand here and convince you, I will send Eldon with you. He is the second most qualified person for this job that is in this room. He may not know my people but the way of his own will help him through this task.” Aggie didn’t know what that meant but the heat in his words was not lost on her. “Mark my words, I will prove to you my worth in due time.” Aggie also realized they were no longer talking about the task at hand.

  With her mouth agape, Aggie stood frozen at the display she had just witnessed. She didn’t know what to say. I didn’t mean to upset him, but I needed to convey my point and opinion about the next step. We could have easily lost all headway if we didn’t plan this properly. Thinking with our heads and not egos would play a huge part in all of this. I guess that is my role, to rein in the crazy from time to time. I’ll be needed to put things into perspective since obviously no one else was going to step up for the job. She added the last thought with a touch of snark as she looked up at the two silent observers still standing in the wings.

  Unable to stand it any lo
nger, “Neither of you gaping fish thought it helpful to jump in and help at all?”

  “We didn’t think it was prudent to choose sides in this particular situation.” Eldon shared his thoughts honestly.

  “Not to mention, it was pretty exciting and attractive to watch you hold your own.” Gryson added with a smirk in her direction.

  Rolling her eyes and sighing in frustration, “This job is going to be harder than I thought.” The words were spoken under her breath and not for the three men’s ears standing in the space with her. “I guess we should make arrangements with the maid.”

  “Why don’t we just speak to Delia and see if she can get a message to the girl we need to speak with, instead of tracking her down on our own? She can report back to us and let us know when and where to meet.” Gryson’s idea had merit and at least she knew he was thinking like a strategist and not a man with something to prove.

  “That makes sense. At least we know that we can trust her. Mathius, would you make the request?” Aggie was trying to mend the bridge at least a little for now even though he hadn’t had time to cool off completely. She wanted him to know he was still needed.

  Mathius didn’t look up right away, as though he was considering her request. Then he looked at her with a touch of fire in his eyes, “I’ll make the arrangements for you, but you will debrief with me immediately after the meeting, in your chambers.” Aggie wasn’t sure what he was getting at but the blaze was growing in his eyes and Aggie wondered if it meant what she thought. A chill ran through her body as she thought about all the reasons he would want to meet with her. None of them had anything to do with a rundown of the evening’s events.

  Chapter 10

  They all left the space and made their way to the common room that they had breakfast in it was only then that Aggie realized they had been in the security room for hours and she was feeling a bit hungry. That must have been the guy's intention because when they arrived a full buffet was laid out again and Aggie’s mouth watered.

  “If this is how every meal is going to go, then I’m going to need bigger pants.” Aggie wasn’t a big eater, but she did love her snacks. If she wasn’t getting her snacks here, this was going to have to be the next best thing. Her eyes roved over the food, everything from deli sandwiches to full steak and every side in between. “What happens to the leftovers?” Aggie’s thought came from nowhere, but it was a viable question.

  “Leftover what?” Liel looked at her with confusion painted on his face. He reminded her of a robot or a dog with his head cocked to the side and though his facial features were relatively blank. Aggie feared that she would never figure out who he was through this stony exterior. Surely, he had some sort of personality and he was just not showing it. Aggie wondered what it would take to find the real Liel.

  “The food, of course. I know we aren’t going to eat all the food. It seems a bit excessive. What do they do with the leftover food?” Her arms were spread wide to encompass the space, that now taking in all of it in this context, she realized covered three of the four walls of the room. “Who in their right mind thought we could eat all this food or would even consider it?

  At that Ren started laughing and Aggie shot him a look of daggers, stopping him instantly. Clearing his throat to regain his composure, “It’s not real.”

  “That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. We ate it this morning.” She walked over and picked up a bread roll and promptly threw it at his head, which of course he dodged making her even more upset at him. She did hear a couple snickers at the exchange though so she felt better that they thought it was funny she was attacking Ren. “Well had that hit you I suppose it might have knocked some sense into your dense head. They are real enough to bounce off the floor, the way it should have bounced off your head.”

  Gryson appeared beside her and the closeness was nearly enough to feel him, but he didn’t touch her. “What he means is this food is magic. There is a demon skilled in creating the image of food. Her spell, for lack of a better word, is designed to be a figment or an idea of what is available and upon touching it then it completes the design and it becomes just as real as it looks. So, there are no leftovers, as you called it. This food isn’t really here.”

  Aggie took a moment to consider this. For everything she had seen this wasn’t too much of a stretch of her imagination. It was more of a story brought to life. She reached down slowly, not quite touching an avocado. It could have been her brain compensating for what it knew, but she could feel the weight of it against her fingers and the slight chill from the refrigerator that it may or may not have been sitting in prior to being set out for display. It was unreal. On instinct, she pressed forward to touch it and the sensations only increased upon actual contact.

  “How is that possible, I can feel it before I actually touch it, as though it is real. I’m not saying I don’t believe you, I’m just trying to wrap my head around this as my brain is overpowering my senses.

  “Allow me to demonstrate.” Eldon surprised her as she didn’t hear him step over or notice his approach. “Please close your eyes.”

  “Close my eyes? What are you planning to do, shove this avocado in my face?” As expected, Ren chuckled at her question.

  “No, I’m merely attempting to draw a correlation between the magic and your natural instincts in your body. So, if you will bear with me and close your eyes, I believe you will understand in just a moment.” With a sigh, Aggie complied, and before she knew it she felt a pressure between her eyes pressing on her head. It was on the edge of bringing on a headache.

  Unable to control herself, Aggie pulled away from the weight, “What are you doing?” Her eyes flew open and there stood Eldon with his finger held in front of her face hovering right between her eyes. “I don’t understand.”

  “Your subconscious felt the pressure of my finger just by bringing it close to your face. Never once did I have to touch you in order for you to feel it’s impression. Some of that is from the shadows crossing your closed eyes. While you can’t see them, the light in the room changes and you ‘feel’ my finger. The same is true for the food. You can feel it’s presence just because subliminally you know what it should feel like. Even something you might have never encountered would feel of some substance, merely because you know it should feel like something.” Aggie was thankful that Eldon was the one who performed that demonstration. If anyone else had done it, she would have been more concerned she would have ended up pranked. Also, if Liel had done it he would have been so caught up in the scientific explanation that she would have been more than lost.

  “Can we please get back to business or are we going to spend the entire day coddling this girl?” Of course, it had to be Mitchell who ended the magic lesson. Aggie didn’t grace him with an indignant look.

  “Yes, how did your trail sniffing go, today?” Aggie wasn’t in the mood for Mitchell’s personal brand of jerk. Instead she wouldn’t let him be in control of this situation. If he wanted to be an ass then no one was going to stop her from retaliating or at least holding her own. His lip curled up and a deep growl rolled out of him from the pit of his stomach. “Easy, Fido, with that lip curl I’m going to think you are The King, but not in the Alpha sense.” Aggie was throwing her A game.

  Ren didn’t hold back he burst out laughing at their antics. “Would you two just make-out already?” As funny as this tension is between you, I don’t think we are going to get much accomplished until you figure out how to get past it.”

  “I believe we already tried that or something close. While it was a great distraction, it did nothing for the lasting effect of, well, him as a whole.” Aggie wasn’t going to hold back. This was her moment and while she didn’t know them all well enough yet, they might as well realize she wasn’t going to hold back just because it was the polite thing to do.

  “Enough, I’m not discussing this anymore. Our sniffing, as you so ineloquently worded it, wasn’t very effective. While we got a few traces of famil
iar scents the trails were, as expected, cold. I think we are going to have to compare a more recent space.” Mitchell wasn’t growling anymore, but he wasn’t happy either. Answering her questions was more of a duty than something he wanted to do. That much was obvious to Aggie.

  “Are you saying you want another kid to be kidnapped, so we can take advantage of the new-found evidence?” Aggie was appalled at the thought of this and her opinion wasn’t going to go unnoticed. “You can’t possibly want to wish this pain on another family or ruin another child’s life. It is bad enough they are taking children to begin with, but now what you are suggesting is inhumane.”

  “It’s a good thing we aren’t human then.” Mitchell’s words were flat and unemotional.

  “As much as you might dislike it, Mitchell’s words are very valid. It would be better for us to catalog the children who have powers that seem to be of interest to the people responsible for the heinous actions. Then perhaps we can better predict their next moves. If we are already on top of that front, perhaps they won’t have the upper hand after all.” Liel the robotic voice of reason. For some reason Aggie wasn’t as upset with his thought process. She didn’t know if it was because he was thinking practically or the fact that he didn’t have an actual emotional reaction in any way. So, it wasn’t like it was strangely absent in this case.

  “Ok let’s table this for now, Xavier what did you guys dig up?” Aggie couldn’t process what was happening. Perhaps it was her human side blocking her from seeing their side of things. It went against everything she knew. The only thing that she thought of as an option, would be to move on.

  “The townspeople are scared.” Xavier smiled and Aggie was surprised because his demeanor was always one of sophisticated suave but not friendly. His affinity for suits didn’t help in that either. He wasn’t very approachable and for that she was thankful that Kyrel had gone along for the ride. Since she was sure Liel wasn’t of much help outside of reading people.