by J. E. Swift
The dark haired fellow snickered. “I can’t believe they sent another one of you. You will not be able to penetrate my mind, you know.”
Garrett laughed coldly. “Well, we will just see about that. I am a bit stronger than the other two. Corporate sent for the big guns you see. You should feel flattered. I understand that you have been spending some time in our facilities. Why don’t you save me and you the trouble and tell me what information you stole?”
Stephan smirked. “Not gonna happen, but thanks for asking.” He cocked his head to the side and his smiled widened as if remembering a fantastic joke. “Well, now that is interesting.”
Garrett was quickly getting bored. He had a job to do and it annoyed him when he had to listen to inane chatter. It happened more often than not. A lot of people in the Cine Tofa were too full of themselves. With an irritated tone he asked, “What do you find so interesting?”
Stephan threw his head back in laughter. “I know you.”
Garrett rolled his eyes. “Sure you do.”
The man laughed harder. “Oh, this is rich. What would your daddy say if he knew that you were here, as a lapdog for the Trust?”
Garrett clenched his fists. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Sure you don’t. Of course you don’t. You’re pathetic. You would have been prince to an Empire, and here you are, as an Inquisitor, of all things, for a group whose ideals don’t even fully line up with your own. How many people here know the truth? I cannot picture many, because I am sure the members of the Trust would not be so open to knowing that Nathaniel Livingston’s son was walking among them, pretending to be one of them.”
Garrett seethed at the mention of his father’s name. “I think it would be in your best interest if you shut up right this instance.”
But he had not. “Garrett Livingston in the living flesh. After you left the Cine Tofa all those years ago, your actual existence became a thing of legend amongst the Cine Tofa. If I had not been one of your father’s devoted and met you myself when you were eighteen, I would have questioned your existence as well.”
Garrett’s mind reeled, his jaw clenched. He had worked so hard these previous eight years to erase the past. He knew somehow that the past would always catch up to him and he was on borrowed time within this organization. He should have been surprised it had not happened before. But it would not catch up to him today.
Garrett walked over to the man. He towered over him, his figure imposing when he wished it to be. “I gave you ample warning.”
Garrett placed his hands on the man’s head and closed his eyes, concentrating. Stephan had a complicated block, but nothing that he could not penetrate. He felt the member of his former organization fight against him, trying to push his attack back. The fact was, he could not establish his defenses quick enough to repel what Garrett threw at him.
Garrett probed his mind for what he was looking for. Images of Stephan befriending on the guards at the facility appeared. Stephan sneaking in, accessing records of floor layouts of various facilities, including the one in Maine, as well as hacking into the mainframe to gain access to passwords. Garrett retrieved every password, every floor plan, so the Trust would be aware and react appropriately.
He also saw that he had released this information to someone, a man. It was fuzzy at first, it appeared that the memory had been tampered with, which was very unusual, but Garrett pushed forward, digging deeper. He had seen this before, and with his advanced skill, he knew that he could get the answer. His face began to dampen with sweat as he probed the memory again, focusing specifically on the man’s face he handed the information to. With suddenness, Stephan’s mind gave out, unable to fight his advances any longer. Garrett saw the face that had taken the information.
With a final attack, Garrett erased the memory of Stephan and his encounter, and sent Stephan into a deep slumber. When he awoke much later, he would have no memory of Garrett and his Inquisitor session, only someone as powerful as he would be able to recall the memory now, giving him more time within the Trust. No one would know his secret that had not been privy to it in the first place. No one.
Garrett walked out of the room, Brandon and Lana waiting outside. They stood up, ready to hear if he had been successful. The information he needed to release needed to be done, and done now. “I need a plane to Maine. Now.”
Chapter 22
Declan walked along a deserted beach, trying in desperation to relax in the afternoon air. It was not working. His mind was racing, going over everything. The stresses of the past few weeks had been getting to him more and more. He thought that perhaps a vacation was just what he needed to clear his mind. It was not working.
Declan heard his cell phone ring. He chastised himself for blocking himself completely from telepathy, but not remembering the simple task of turning off his cell phone. He wondered if he subconsciously did this on purpose, because his life simply was his work.
He thought about not answering his phone, but his curiosity got the best of him.
“Hello?”
“Declan! Where the hell have you been?”
“Caleb. I am taking a vacation.”
“Well, get back up here now. I need to talk to you in person.”
“Did you find anything?”
“Yes, but not what you think. Meet me at my apartment.”
Declan took one last look at the turquoise waves, before closing his eyes. When he opened them again, he was back in Caleb’s apartment, the light of the Caribbean being replaced by the light of Caleb’s computer screen.
Caleb walked out of the bedroom. “That was fast.”
“Who is the person who stole the information?”
Caleb shook his head. “I don’t have that yet. I am close, really close. I’ll have it though. Very soon. I promise.”
“Then why am I here?”
“Because I found out something else. Garrett Stevens is not who everyone thinks he is.”
Declan did not see how this was pertinent. “Who is he then?”
“Garrett Livingston.”
“That is impossible. Garrett Stevens is not Garrett Livingston.”
Caleb paced quickly back and forth in the tiny room, unsure what to do with his hands. Declan could not recall ever seeing him this out of sorts. “He is. I checked out the information four times. He is the son of Nathaniel Livingston all right. Stevens was his mother’s maiden name and the name they took when his mother moved to Colorado. These past six years I have been best friends with the head of the Cine Tofa’s son.”
Declan tried to wrap this information around his head. “How could this have been kept a secret from the Council even?”
“The Council were the ones that agreed to give Mary Stevens clemency with her son when he was six.”
“Do we know if he has had contact with his father?”
“There is a three and a half year period that is missing in his file. Nothing is in there. I am not sure what to make of that.”
Declan clenched his jaw. “Three and a half year period missing? The Trust keeps meticulous files, unless someone disappears or joins the Cine Tofa. It must have been him breaching security. It had to have been him.”
Caleb shook his head. “Garrett may have kept hidden who he truly was all these years, but there are a couple of things wrong with your theory.”
“Such as?”
“One, he is, or rather, was one of my closest friends. He wouldn’t do this, Declan. He just wouldn’t. I know him. He is a good man.”
“He may just be a good actor, Caleb.”
“I refuse to believe that, Declan. But there is more than that.”
“What?”
“He did not have the security clearance to do so. I have traced the breach to someone very high ranking within this organization. Declan, the person who caused the breach has been with the Trust for a long, long time.”
Declan could not let go of the fact that Garrett was not who he said he was
all this time. He lied to him, he lied to his friends, and he lied to Caitlyn. He now had to question, what does Caitlyn know? Had she hidden this from Declan? His heart wretched at the thought his friend could be hiding a secret from him. But she was lovers with Garrett, not him, and it was feasible he told her the truth and she was hiding it to protect him.
Or worse yet, she did not know. What if Caitlyn inadvertently placed herself in danger? What if he was still associated with the Cine Tofa? Everything that Declan had known about Nathaniel Livingston is that he was ruthless, driven, and mad. Many people that were in the Cine Tofa adored him, but his methods were borderline ethical at best sometimes. How could they be sure that Garrett had not been in contact this entire time with the Cine Tofa? Worse yet, with Caitlyn being so obviously strong, what if Garrett tried to hurt her? It would be easy enough for him to take out a strong link. His Projectile Telepathy would make her a very easy target, as she would not block herself from him. Declan could lose her.
Caleb sensed Declan’s urgency and saw Declan’s face pale. “Are you okay, Declan?”
“I have to go. Have you brought this information regarding the breach being a high ranking member to my father yet?”
Caleb shook his head. “I can’t. He is at a Tribunal meeting in Maine. He blocks himself off completely and is unreachable, but you should know that.”
Declan would have to take care of this himself. “I forgot completely about that. When my father is available, let him know immediately. If it really is not Garrett, then he needs to be wary of everyone. If you find out who it is before then, let me know.”
Caleb agreed and they spent a few minutes going over the proof regarding Caitlyn’s former mentor. Declan made a backup of the information that Caleb had found thus far before leaving with the understanding to touch base later tonight. He transported outside Caitlyn’s apartment. He rapped at the door quickly, apprehensive of whether it would be Caitlyn or Garrett that answered the door.
He was relieved when he saw it was her. “Declan! Where were you this morning? I was worried. I knew we did not have training till this afternoon, but when you blocked yourself to me…”
Declan pulled her into the hallway. “Are you alone?”
“Yes. Garrett is gone again on Trust business. Why?”
“Do you trust me?”
Caitlyn’s eyes searched his. “You know I do.”
“I would prefer if we discussed this somewhere more private. Can we go to my house?”
“Of course.”
They both transported to his house, him to the kitchen, her to the living room. Caitlyn rubbed her left arm absentmindedly. “Declan, what is all this about?”
“Caitlyn, have you ever hid anything from me?”
She cocked her head to the side, confused at the question. “Of course not. I have always been one hundred percent honest with you. Why?”
Declan sighed loudly, running a hand through his hair. “Always?”
She put her right hand on his upper arm, staring him in the eye. “Always. Now tell me what this is about.”
“I think you might be in danger.”
She looked bewildered. “Why would you think that? What is going on?”
“Garrett Stevens is not who you think he is.”
Her eyes widened. “What? What are you talking about?”
“Garrett Stevens is not really Garrett Stevens. His name is Garrett Livingston and he is the son of the head of the Cine Tofa.” Declan thought it sounded ridiculous even saying it out loud.
“Is this a sick joke, Declan? Because it really is not very funny.”
“I am not joking, Caitlyn. I assure you, I am deadly serious.”
She swallowed deeply and began playing with the necklace that hung around her throat. “Garrett would not keep anything from me, Declan. I trust him as much as I trust you. You have to be mistaken.”
“I’m not. I’m sorry.”
“Do you-” Caitlyn’s voice began to catch and she stopped herself and restarted. He knew that she wanted to sound strong, pretend like this did not bother her as much as it really did. “Do you have proof?”
“I do.” Declan walked over to his computer, pulling up the information that Caleb had given him only minutes before. He indicated for her to sit down in the leather chair, showing her the information that Caleb had uncovered. The birth certificate, pictures, and tracking information that the Tribunal had kept on him over the years. It seemed that the Council had been keeping close tabs on him.
She pushed the chair away from the computer desk. “None of this makes sense. Why let Garrett mentor me in the first place?”
Declan did not have an answer to that. “I am sure the Council had their reasons.”
“If you are right, and he is not who he is, why would I be in danger now? I am stronger than him.”
“Because you let your defenses down around him. All he would have to do is touch you and perform Projectile Telepathy and then he would have you trapped.” His heart clenched again at the thought of Caitlyn getting hurt.
She stood up, her face calm. Only her voice betrayed her true feelings. “This is impossible, Declan. How do you know he is a bad guy?”
He was honest with her. “I can’t be a hundred percent sure he’s a bad guy, but why would he hide his identity from you?”
“I don’t know.”
He hated stating the following, but he needed to. “If he loved you the way he said he did, he shouldn’t have kept that secret from you. I know I couldn’t have.”
And with that last line, a lone tear fell down her cheek. He strode over to her, wrapping his arms around her as he had done so many times before.
Declan rubbed her back soothingly. He was livid that Garrett would do this to her. Caitlyn deserved better. He held on to her tightly, kissing the top of her head.
When she pulled away, her face was scrunched up in concentration and she looked down at the floor. “There was always something, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
She exhaled loudly. “I mean, all this time, ever since the first day I met Garrett, I have always felt like there was something that he was holding back, something he wasn’t telling me. It’s not like with you-” she glanced up at him. “With you, I feel like I know you. I mean, I really know you. You are good, you are dedicated, and you really only want what is best for me, for the Trust, and for everyone. I never have found myself questioning your motives.”
She bit her lip. “You asked me a couple of nights ago if I loved Garrett. And I couldn’t answer.”
Declan’s heart fluttered unexpectedly as he recalled the conversation and the way he had pondered, albeit briefly, what it would have been like to kiss those full lips of hers. “I remember.”
“I couldn’t answer, because even though I care for him greatly, I knew that he was always holding something back, something that he was not willing to share with me. I didn’t know the real Garrett. How am I supposed to be in love with someone when they won’t give me the opportunity to let me know them?”
“You can’t.”
She looked around his room. “What time is it?”
“Four o’clock.”
“Garrett’s plane should be back here by now. Ugh. How am I going to face him now? Do I confront him?”
“Wait. Garrett’s plane is landing today?”
“Yes. He had called me, letting me know that he would be back early, but would not be able to see me right away because he wanted to speak to your father directly when he arrived back about an important matter. Lionel showed up there after the arrangements had been made. I overheard him offer to pick Garrett up.”
Declan sighed. “Lionel can defend himself, not that I have any reason to think that Garrett would try anything with him. My father will most likely be unavailable for the next few hours. Still, we should get going and meet up with my father before he does, see if my father can shed some light on the situation with Garrett and how best to approach it.”
His student acquiesced, even though she was obviously nervous about a confrontation with the younger Livingston.
Declan’s phone rang again. He pulled out the phone noting it was Caleb. “Yes, Caleb?”
“I figured out who breached the system.”
“That was quick.”
“It’s not good. It’s not good at all.”
Declan held up a finger to Caitlyn, indicating the need to wait. “Who is it?”
“Shouldn’t you come here?”
“Just tell me now.”
Caleb’s voice was weary. “Declan, it’s Lionel.”
Declan dropped the phone. In his haze, he heard Caleb yelling for him, but it did not fully register. “Declan? Declan! Are you there? Did you hear what I just said?”
Caitlyn rushed over, and picked up the phone. “Caleb? He is right here. Wait one moment. Declan?”
She placed her hand on his arm. “Oh my God. Declan, are you alright?”
Her touch took him out of the fog he was in. “Lionel. We have to go to my father now.”
“What? I’m not understanding.”
“There was a major security breach a few weeks back. I’ve had Caleb working on it. He was the one that discovered Garrett’s true identity and he just found out that Lionel is the one who gave the information to the Cine Tofa. We have to get to my father.”
“No. We have to go to the airport where both of them are.”
“If Caleb is correct, they could both be in communication with each other. Isn’t it convenient that they are meeting up with each other?”
She turned to him. “And what if they are not? I am not leaving this to chance. Either way, together we are stronger than the both of them.”
Caitlyn put the phone to her ear. “Caleb, get to where Jonathan McPherson is now. Interrupt the Tribunal.” She paused, and Declan was sure that she was listening to Caleb argue that they won’t let him in. “Look, I don’t care if they don’t let you in… make it happen. Do you understand? We are going after Lionel.”
He heard Caleb yelling through the phone. “What? Are you fucking cra-”
She hit end on the call before he could finish and looked directly at Declan. “Are you coming with me or not?”
