by Jason Wilcox
“And there’s your wonderful second weakness that even Robert documented in some of his reports.” Matt smiled and leaned against a table, which let out a creak.
At first Caden was going to ignore the comment, but it rubbed him the wrong way so he decided to bite. “Which is?”
“You don’t do what it takes to get the job done when you’re afraid of someone close to you getting killed. I mean look at you. You think I’m wrong, and yet you won’t do what it takes and kill me.” Looking a little nervous about giving such information, Matt was rubbing his hand up and down his leg. “Didn’t you ever wonder why Robert only sent you on very specific missions? He did send us on the one with the Burton team, but I mean look how that one ended. No offense, but you gave up on that mission, we still had a fighting chance to kill the men in the hallway. Robert even wrote it up that way in a report that I confiscated.”
Truth or a lie, Caden knew Matt was right. He did give in too easily on that mission. It often ran through his mind that he had made a mistake, even though he kept that information to himself. After the horrible military incident when he led a battalion into battle and lost many men because of an ambush, he became fearful about losing men again. It was the incident his therapist said caused his PTSD. From time to time, he worried that others noticed but did his best to keep it a secret.
Hearing such words from Matt angered and hurt him. Caden wasn’t sure what Matt was trying to get at. Is he trying to manipulate me into not liking Robert, or is he trying to tear me down in the hope that I’ll submit to him, or…
Matt kept talking, never losing a beat. “The report I found, Robert had sent it to someone high up in the government to give a summary on why we weren’t successful. The report he got back, ordered him to get rid of you and your team. Funny part was he wrote that he was going to keep you because of your inventing capabilities, but you wouldn’t be involved with anymore of their missions to push their plot. Personally, I thought it was a positive thing. You were able to stay out of the corruption.”
“Prove yourself. If you say you have all these reports that you’ve confiscated, show them to me. Surely you must still have them.” Caden was tired of the games.
Swallowing, Matt shifted a little. “I don’t have it here. It’s all on my computer back at the office.”
Caden clenched his fists. “That’s what I thought.”
“Caden, I give you my word. It’s all there. At least give me the benefit of the doubt that it’s there. My password to get into it is ‘luckyseven’, all spelled out with no spaces. Go to the search and find the folder called Over Reaching. The folder is password protected so you’ll need to type in ‘truthtolight’, once again all one word.” Matt stopped leaning on the table as he spoke, a desperate look in his eyes.
“It’s hard to trust you. Look around. This has all been one huge lie, a secret that you’ve kept from me.” As Caden spoke, Matt walked to him and even put his hand on Caden’s shoulder. Emotion ran through Caden and he let his fist fly, punching Matt squarely in the face, knocking him to the floor.
Getting back up, Matt rubbed the left side of his face where his skin was quickly turning red. “I deserved that.” He twisted his head a little to pop his neck. “I’m not going to fight with you, if that’s what you’re looking for.”
He wasn’t looking for a fight either. The punch had come out of nowhere, fueled by the tremendous amount of hurt and anger that was tying his stomach into knots. “I think it’s time for me to leave before I sort through my confusion and decide to kill you,” Caden said while tightening his jaw.
“Maybe this will help you to trust me some,” Matt began as he wiped the blood that ran down his lip. “I won’t act until either the news has dug up the information about everything going on or until you call me that you have gotten into my computer and found what I am talking about.”
Rolling the information over in his mind, Caden decided that it was fair enough for the time being. They were both in a stalemate and something had to give. “I’m going to leave here and get Bridget and her mother in a safe place first. After that, I’ll run by our office back home to look at your computer, but if you’re lying, I’m coming back for you and all of your men. And my supposed second weakness won’t stop me!” He tightened his fists.
“That works for me.” Matt picked up his gun from the floor. Caden raised an eyebrow, but wasn’t too worried since it was worthless in Dead Time. “When you find out that I’m not lying, my offer will still be on the table. You’re my friend, Caden. I may have kept some secrets, but I would never lie to you.” Matt holstered his gun.
Seeing the gun put away helped relieve some of his stress. “I don’t think I can ever support you.” Caden took the letter opener out of the air and kept it in his hands, not knowing what he would run into while he tried to get out of the building. “Even if you’re telling the truth, the way you went about this was wrong. There are a lot of innocent people that you’ve killed.”
Matt didn’t have a response. Instead, he stood in silence, staying next to the chair, dragging a finger across the back of it. Caden stepped towards the door. Seeing that it was cracked open, he pushed through. Past the door, there was a hallway with a glowing exit sign at the end. All he would have to do is stay in Dead Time until he got out of the building to make sure no one would seize him.
Right before Caden left, Matt added, “By the way, congrats on your marriage. It’s about time.”
Unable to formulate any words, Caden left the room and closed the door behind him. More pain rushed into his heart as he walked away from Matt, knowing the next time he saw him he might be shooting him.
Caden quickly ran to a stairway door and stopped. He was surprised to see that Matt wasn’t following him or exiting the room. As he turned back, he noticed something move down an adjacent hallway. Turning to see what it was, he stopped. There were eight black creatures lining the floor, walls, and ceiling. One of them let out a scream and Caden hit the Dead Time switch. The void of sound was gone and normal sounds returned. Nothing was there. All the creatures were gone, but his breathing was elevated.
The door handle was cold as Caden urgently grabbed it, wanting to get out of the eerie situation. Something seemed to call out to him from the hallway, once again sending shivers down his spine. At first, he didn’t want to look, but he needed to know.
Turning, Caden watched as the lights flickered off, but it was still empty. He was about to shake off the feeling, when he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. A dark shape slithered across the ceiling slowly making its way towards Caden. At first, Caden thought he was seeing things and closed his eyes for a second. It can’t be real. It’s just a hallucination.
When he reopened them, the creature began moving very rapidly. It was the same type of creature he had just seen in the hallway and in times past, but it was smaller this time. He realized it was a different one than the one that had attacked him before. Caden threw the letter opener at it, but the creature easily dodged it, letting it fly past him and stab into the sheetrock ceiling.
A guard of sorts, with all black gear, came out of a door just in front of the shadowy figure. “Halt,” he yelled as he drew his gun. Before Caden could say a word, the creature dropped to the ground behind the man and jumped on his back. A dazed look came over the guard as his skin turned pale white. His veins protruded from his skin looking as if they were filled with black liquid. Void of any expression, the man dropped to the ground and the creature let out a scream.
Caden quickly opened the door to the stairway and slammed the door shut behind him. As he turned around, Caden froze. In front of him stood the same large red creature he had seen in Bridget’s room. His horns towered upward, and his black eyes were cold.
The demon pushed Caden to the side, smashing him into the wall. The creature ripped open the door, and ran into the hallway. While the door slowly closed in front of Caden, he watched the disappearing view of the red monster pinnin
g the shadowy personage against the wall.
Caden waited in silence, debating if he should run or see what happened. If he opened the door and the large red beast was still there, he might be able to get some answers. On the other hand, death could be waiting for him.
Caden’s hand shook as he reached for the doorknob but he had made up his mind, he wasn’t going to turn back. He opened it but there was nothing there. No demon, no black creature, no guard. Now he understood why no one came running into the hall after the scream, it had to be another hallucination.
Across the hallway, the door to the room Matt was in began to open. Have to go. Caden quickly made his way down the stairs and found an exit from the building on the bottom floor.
“Freeze,” a guard dressed in black gear called out as Caden exited the building into an alley. He was only a couple of feet away.
I don’t have time for this. By the way he held his gun, it was obvious to Caden he was an amateur. Matt probably only put him out there to scare people away. Another one of Matt’s inept people.
Caden dodged right while grabbing the man’s wrist with his left hand. The gun went off, barely missing Caden’s stomach. He smashed his fist into the man’s elbow, dislocating the joint. Screaming in pain, the man kicked him in the leg, while Caden seized the gun. With a quick spin, Caden drove his elbow into his opponents face, knocking him to the ground.
“Get up and I’ll kill you,” Caden’s voice was sharp as he pointed the gun at the man. The guard scooted backward along the ground. His chin trembled and tears formed in his eyes.
Amateur. Caden decided to let the man live. Just in case Matt turns out to be right. “Turn over and put your face on the ground with your hands behind your head.” The guard moved quickly, whimpering when Caden kicked his rear.
“If I see you turn over, I’ll kill you.” Caden ran from the alley. He was surprised to find himself on the other side of town where the city was more run down. Time to find a taxi and get to the airport.
CHAPTER 26
Once Caden was a block away, he slowed down a little. If Matt wanted to follow him, there would already be men on top of him. Caden figured he had nothing to worry about, except trying to get a taxi where taxis didn’t normally go. The streets were lined with random piles of garbage and junk. Screaming and fighting could be heard down one of the streets from a domestic dispute.
An old, beat up car drove by with a couple of men dressed in black clothing. Caden didn’t want trouble so he kept looking straight ahead. The last thing he needed right now were the cops called on him.
His phone vibrated in his pocket and he flipped it open. The casing was cracked. “Hello.”
“Caden,” Bridget answered. “Tell me where you are.”
“I’m not sure right now, but I’m heading back to you, so don’t worry about it.” A large rat made a hissing noise at Caden as he walked past a pile of garbage. He walked a little faster. He had heard stories about rats, especially ones that size. “I should be in some time tonight.”
“Tell me where to meet you, and I’ll come get you so we can go back home together.” She spoke calmly, but Caden was sure the tone could change at any moment.
“That would take too long. I’m going to get to the airport and fly back to you as soon as possible. Trust me. I’ll be there as soon as I can, because some serious things have come up.” Caden could see a major street ahead.
“I’m at the airport. I flew over here, so just tell me where you are and I’ll come get you. It’ll only take me a moment to get a rental.” The tenseness in her voice was becoming more apparent.
Caden stopped in his tracks. “I told you not to come.”
“Did you really think I was going to sit around at my mom’s house after you survived a plane wreck? Come on Caden, you know me better than that. When have I shied away from something?” She was right, even when Caden had first met her at the military hospital so many years ago; she wasn’t a nurse that shied away from danger.
“Look, just stay there and get us a flight back. I should be there within an hour. I need to get you and Elizabeth to safety.”
“What’s going on Caden? Wait. Does this have anything to do with the building that blew up? It’s all over the news.”
“I don’t have time to explain right now. I give you my word; I’ll explain everything to you later. And I mean everything.” Caden hoped that would get her to do what he was asking.
“About an hour?”
“Yes, about an hour.”
“I’ll get the tickets.” Bridget was short, and Caden couldn’t blame her. He wasn’t being too pleasant either.
“I love you.”
“Love you too.”
For a moment, he hid in a shadow on the corner, examining the main street. Conveniently, two taxis sat on the corner. They were in front of a large bar.
Caden was relieved the cab driver kept to himself. There was a lot to sort through and he didn’t want to be distracted by pleasantries. The trip to the airport seemed long because of all the things racing through his mind and the worry that he might be followed. There was no guarantee he was going to make it to Bridget, and he had to acknowledge that reality. Even if he did get to her, he had a tremendous amount of concern that he could be putting her in harm’s way. He had to stay vigilant.
He moved quickly to get out of the taxi and into the airport to find Bridget. He didn’t have to go far. Bridget was sitting on a concrete bench outside, waiting.
“Did you get the tickets?” Caden asked as he stepped out of the cab.
She jumped up and threw herself into his arms, holding him tightly. He nuzzled into her hug, soaking up the comfort she had to offer.
“I did, and you’re lucky you made it in time to get on the plane. They’ll be taking off soon.”
“Glad I made it too! I was worried. It was farther than I thought.”
“Now tell me what’s going on,” Bridget quietly demanded.
“No,” Caden tried to sound reasonable, but he knew he was going to come off gruff. “It won’t be safe to talk about anything until we’re off the plane and alone. I’m worried about standing out in the open right now.” Bridget stopped herself from asking a question, looking around anxiously, then clamped her mouth shut, nodding her head. He knew her well enough to know she was frustrated not knowing what was happening and scared, though he was sure no one else would notice that in her. She was quite a trooper! They walked to the terminal in silence. Caden worried that security might stop him, that they knew who he was.
Through the whole process, he was surprised he only ran into two security guards and neither of them paid him any attention. There must not be an alert out yet. Getting on the plane was a cinch.
The plane ride was awkward as neither of them spoke to each other, which made the trip feel long. To Caden it seemed like there was even a physical void.
When they landed, Caden rented a small car and they headed toward Elizabeth’s house. Tired and hungry, he let Bridget drive. He no longer feared anyone was following them. As they drove through the tree-lined streets, Caden knew it was time to explain.
“I don’t quite know where to start, so I guess I’ll start with telling you I’m a secret agent for a group called SDS.” Caden stopped, expecting a response, but nothing happened. Bridget stared out at the road. No jaw dropping, no hysterics, no nothing. “Within the SDS I led a team that included just Matt, James and I. We ran missions once and awhile, but we also tested a lot of equipment throughout the years. You might be surprised by this, but I even developed equipment.”
He waited for a response but again, nothing. Rubbing his hands together, he knew he had to keep going. “That’s why I would be gone for a couple of days here and there. I was sent on missions, developing equipment, or testing it.”
Still, Bridget just sat there, silent. Not saying a word.
“Okay, can you give me any feedback?” Caden asked. She glanced over at him but didn’t say anything. “Like
, how you feel about this so far?” She shrugged. Caden let out a deep breath of frustration. Here he was finally opening up, and all she can do is give him the silent treatment. A flash of anger went through him, but it was quickly extinguished as he thought about what it would be like in her shoes. He would certainly be upset if Bridget had lied to him for so many years, possibly even a deal breaker for him on their marriage.
Struggling to look at Bridget any longer and feeling guilty, he turned his gaze out the window and watched as the sun went down. The light flashed as each tree passed. Knowing he needed to tell her everything, he took another breath and pushed forward. “The building that was blown up on the news was ours.” He paused for a moment to see if that would get a response, but still nothing. “Matt believes in some conspiracy theory that deals with my director, the agency, and almost our entire government. According to him, they’re trying to kill off a large chunk of our society to create a superior population. So, Matt took it into his own hands to destroy what my director was doing and get the information out to overthrow our government, which included blowing up the corporate building, as you would’ve known it as.” Caden paused. His words were sounding almost sarcastic. Seeing Bridget not responding, he decided to lay it on thick to see if he could get her to talk.
Caden cleared his throat before he went on. “Our latest project allows us to stop time. I actually invented that one.” He raised an eyebrow as he looked at Bridget. “It’s called the Dead Time Project.” Scratching his chin, he leaned a bit forward to look at her eyes, but she stayed focused on the road. “Oh, and just to let you know, I’m a wanted man now. I’m back here to get you and Elizabeth in a safe place. I don’t know what all is going on out there, but I’ve always known that if things went down, my first responsibility would be you and your mother.”
Bridget lifted one of her hands off the steering wheel and rubbed her temple. Caden stopped talking for a minute to let Bridget digest everything he had told her. Turning his focus to the glove box, Caden wondered if he had pushed her a little too far. He looked back up at the road and watched each line speedily pass by as they glowed under the headlights. “Bridget, I know it’s a lot to take in, but could you at least try to tell me what you’re thinking?”
