by Kimbra Swain
I held his hand. “You did the right thing. He shot me. He was compromised.”
“It’s not black and white anymore, Abby,” he said.
“No, it isn’t,” I replied.
“Please be careful. I know he will take good care of you, but don’t do anything stupid. Stay with him. Promise me?”
“I guarantee he will not let me out of his sight,” I said.
“I love you, Abby. I’m sorry this happened on my watch. I pushed you, and I should have waited until you were ready to talk about us. The last thing I wanted to do was distract you and get you shot. He was my man, and he shot you. I’ve failed as regent,” he said and hung his head.
I moved over next to him on the seat. I kissed him on the cheek. “I don’t think you failed. I forgive you if that’s what you need to hear from me. But you have never failed me,” I said. “I need you to keep doing your job. Don’t give up.”
“I’m just tired, Abby,” he looked at me and slipped his hand in mine. “Please come home as soon as you can.”
“I don’t have a home,” I said.
“Yes, you do. The house in Malibu is still warded. I am awake now, and I will protect you,” he said. At one time in our lives, Lukas was my home. There were no more safe places.
“Take care of yourself. Be wary of Cassidy,” I added.
“Yes, I know. If I fall to that temptation, just go ahead and kill me. She is persistent, but I know better.”
“You know what is real. I taught you that a long time ago. I believe in you just like that day you walked into my dusty office with a box full of nothing.” I kissed his cheek again and got out of the car.
I met Tadeas at the stairwell, and we got on a plane to Atlanta, Georgia.
It was a quiet flight to Atlanta. Ashley ordered food for us to have en route, but neither one of us ate much. Abby, I could tell, didn’t feel like talking, so I left her alone. I closed my eyes trying to rest. Occasionally, I looked at her, only to find a blank stare. Her heartbeat was steady. I tried not to worry about what all was going on in her head. She was always resilient when it came to the job. I had no doubt that this trip would be the same.
After about two hours of silence, she spoke, “Lukas said that Darius’ mother and wife were held hostage. He was coerced to do the shooting to save their lives. However, according to our security records tied to his home, they were killed shortly after he left his house. Whoever it was didn’t intend to let any of them live.”
“We are dealing with ruthless people,” I said.
“Ruthless, yes. But not dumb. Most of my enemies know that it takes more than just a gunshot to kill me,” she said.
“So why would they go through the effort, if not to kill you?”
“I have been wondering about that myself. The only thing I can come up with is that they are trying to rip us apart from the inside. Creating strife by compromising our people and making us take extreme measures like killing him when that might not be the best course of action. The last thing we need is the team upset about the methods we use to protect ourselves and the Agency,” she said.
“I wanted him dead. I don’t care what happened at his home. Had Lukas not shot him, I would have killed him,” I said flatly.
“You sure you could live with an action like that? You’ve always had more compassion than me. When did you become ruthless?” she asked.
“When they put a bullet in your chest for no fucking reason,” I said.
“While I agree the man needed to die, it's because he compromised the network, not solely because of me. Proxies and canvas leaders are held to a higher standard. They know our rules, and if they compromise the Agency or one of our operatives, the punishment is death. Darius knew his life was forfeit the moment he pulled the trigger to shoot me. Unfortunately, the bigger picture is that the network is being compromised on the West Coast now.” I said. “I don’t want to see you lose yourself in hatred for those who will come after me, Tadeas. Your compassion is one of your greatest assets. Please don’t lose that in this crazy world.”
“No, hurting you pushes me over the line. You are the only reason I am here. My compassion dies when they hurt you.” I laid it all out. She didn’t respond. “I think maybe the bond makes me do it. I don’t know.”
“I don’t know what effect the bond has on you or me for that matter. I don’t understand it completely. Samara hasn’t called me back, and I could ask him about the bond as well as using magic in the spirit world,” she said.
“Did you ever use magic with Lincoln in the spirit world?” I asked.
“We did not spend much time in the spirit world, and his gifts inside the spirit world kept us safe,” she replied.
“What broke the two of you up?” I asked treading lightly.
“Something stupid. Isn’t that the way it always is?” she said.
“Not in the mood to talk about it?” I asked.
“It’s not that. I’ve just never talked to anyone about it,” she said.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry,” I said.
“I’m not upset. I just need to focus on the present,” she said.
“It does seem they are taking shots at our strongest points in the network,” I pointed out.
“Yes, up until now, Atlanta has been one of our most secure cities. Lukas held California safely for so long,” she said. “He was good right from the start. The first day I met him; someone shot at me. He stood between me and the shooter without hesitation. He was just a kid off the street. I put him in a suit, and he was good to go.”
“Like me?” I asked.
“No, you are very different. You’ve needed no training. You just managed to fly under the radar for too long,” she said.
“You don’t have to flatter me. There was a time when I lived on the streets in Guatemala. It just so happens I look great in a suit,” I said trying to make her smile.
“I’m not flattering you, and you make the suits look good,” she laughed. “But seriously, I have no doubts about your talents and abilities. You proved that in Paris. Shifting back and forth with ease was impressive. You’ve never fought like that before have you?”
“No. I didn’t really shift at all until I met you,” I said. “Paris was just pure instinct.”
She smiled, finally. “Perfect instincts.”
“Thanks,” I said. She returned to her thoughts. I laid my head back and closed my eyes. I’m not sure how long I was out, but she broke the silence.
“I need an aluminum Bo staff,” she said.
“You use a Bo staff?” I asked, because I’d rarely seen her use anything except the orbs.
“Yes, I need one that is aluminum and collapsible. My good one is in the vault,” she said.
“Why aluminum?” I preferred a solid wood staff if I was going to use one.
“It conducts electricity,” she said.
“Oh man, that’s got to fucking hurt,” I said imagining getting hit with a lightning charged Bo staff.
“Damn straight it does,” she smiled. “And as cliché as it might be, it would provide me with a focus for my magic. Perhaps it will help on the spirit side. Doesn’t matter. I want one.”
“I know a guy,” I said smiling.
“Oh, you do?”
“I do. I’ll make a call,” I smiled.
“I want it now,” she said.
“Spoiled brat,” I laughed at her.
“Yes, I am,” she said proudly. “No, seriously, when can you get it?”
I continued to laugh, “Let me call and see.”
“Call now,” she insisted.
“Damn, Abby, chill out,” I said and went over to the satellite phone on the back wall of the plane. I called an old buddy of mine. He lived in Texas, and I’d bought many weapons from him over the years. “Baxter, my man, how are you?”
“Tadeas, it’s been a while since I’ve heard from you,” he said.
“Yeah, I’ve been busy. Do you have or can you make an alu
minum Bo staff? Preferably collapsible?”
“I’ve got a few. I can text pictures to you,” he said.
“Sure. I’m on a flight right now. Can you send them to my email?” I suggested.
“Okay, sure. I will have them to you in a few minutes,” he said.
“Thanks, Baxter,” I said and hung up. “He’s going to email me pictures.”
I pulled out the tablet that Ashley gave me and opened up my email to find several emails from Cassidy. Abby looked over my shoulder as I clicked the first one. Cassidy wrote that she missed me terribly and couldn’t wait until I returned to California.
Abby looked confused and said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have read over your shoulder.” She turned away from me. I turned off the tablet and put it away.
“What about the weapon email?” she asked.
“I had nothing to do with that woman while we were in California, Abby,” I said
“I’m just interested in the staff. I’m a wizard. I need a staff,” she tried to make a joke, but still wouldn’t look at me.
“Abby, please, you know this right? Don’t tell me it doesn’t matter.”
She turned and looked at me, “Actually, Tadeas, it doesn’t matter, but I know you spent very little time with her while in California. She must be playing a silly Fae game.”
“Do you believe that?” I could still feel her tensed up.
She took a deep breath, “Yes, I do.” She almost convinced me.
“Perhaps it’s because we played good cop, bad cop with her,” I said.
“Or, perhaps, she’s just like her mother, and she’s a manipulative little bitch,” she said.
I laughed. She finally spoke her full opinion on it. “Maybe she’s a part of the breaking us all up. She definitely paid a lot of attention to Lukas, too.”
“Yes, and I warned him about her. He seemed to listen, but he’s vulnerable right now. He’s feeling bad about Darius. I just hope he doesn’t find comfort in the pretty girl,” she said.
“I’m going to delete the emails. We can’t let anything tear the team apart. When we get there call Ashley and warn her again, okay?” I pulled out the tablet and deleted all six emails. No email from Baxter. As she calmed down, I worried that I wasn’t the only one that reacted irrationally to things because of the bond between us. Our sources of information about the bond were slim. Edgar Donovan seemed to know about the bond, but speaking to him again would probably cost us our lives, especially if he knew we had his daughter.
The tablet vibrated, and I opened Baxter’s email. He sent several pictures, and Abby chose one that was retractable and had a rubber grip in the middle. I emailed Baxter back and gave him the address of the house in Atlanta.
“Thank you for that,” she said.
“I need to email him again and have him send two. We can train together,” I said.
“Good idea,” she said. The pilot came over the intercom.
“We will be landing in 30 minutes. Please buckle your seat belts,” he said.
When the plane came to a stop on the tarmac, I grabbed the tablet, stuck it in my pocket, and checked my guns once more.
“Are you carrying a gun, Abby?”
“No, you and Tony have plenty to cover me, plus where am I going to put a gun in this dress,” she said, waving at her outfit. It was only to her knees and concealing a gun might prove to be difficult.
“You need to have one,” I grumbled. She rolled her eyes at me.
“Next time, I will have one,” she relented.
“You ready?” I asked.
“Yes, let's move to the car quickly. Just assume everything is hostile territory until we get to the estate. It's just north of the main city on Lake Lanier,” she explained.
“You stay with me,” I told her.
“I know. You don't have to keep reminding me that I'm stuck with you now,” she replied with a little fun in her voice. She took my arm, and we stepped into the humidity of the deep South. Tony followed us down the stairs carrying Abigail’s briefcase. The sun beat down on us, and the air was soupy. On the tarmac, a long black limo and a small Cadillac waited for us. At the bottom of the stairs, a thirtysomething African-American male stood with a huge grin on his face. When we reached the bottom, Abby spoke. “Tavaris, you have got to do something about this heat!”
“You would be best talking to the good Lord about that, Miss Abby. I may be the King of Atlanta, but the Almighty does as he pleases.”
“He does indeed,” Abby replied and hugged him. “It is good to see you. I'm sorry. I've been gone for too long.”
“Since you pay my check, I can let it slide. I've got a car here to take you to the estate.” He turned and pointed to the limo.
Suddenly, I felt a wave of alarm flow over me. I turned to look at Tony behind us. He already had his hand inside his coat grabbing his gun. I reached inside my jacket and positioned myself between Abby and Tavaris. I felt her put a shield around us, just as the limo exploded in a violent detonation.
When I woke up, I smelled coffee in the kitchen. Since I didn't drink coffee, I found this to be curious. I walked into the main room wiping my eyes. Lukas was standing at the windows staring at the city. It was around 9 am. He had on khaki pants and a navy button-up shirt. I had to admit to myself that in just a day the kid had come a long way. I should probably stop thinking of him as a kid. My age gets in the way of my judgment. He lived on the streets for quite some time. If that didn’t make you a man, I didn’t know what would.
“I hope you don't mind. I made coffee.”
“Not at all, you are welcome to anything here. Except the bourbon,” I replied.
He turned with a questioning look, “Why not the bourbon?”
“Because if you drink my bourbon, I'll have to kill you,” I smiled at him. “I only share it with people I really like.”
He smiled. “I see.”
“What do you see?”
“That taking a bullet for you doesn't constitute bourbon privileges,” he teased back. I had started to fix myself a cup of tea, but paused when he mentioned the gunshot. I was joking with him, but he was right.
“My coffee not good enough for you either?” he teased.
“Lukas, you are right. You did take a bullet for me, and I should be more grateful. In fact, you were amazing last night. I don't know what possessed you to guard me like that, but I am impressed and thankful.”
“It was just instinct. Maybe from being on the streets. Maybe because it's been a long time since anyone cared about me. I didn't think,” he said.
“Not to demean anything you just said, but the reason doesn’t matter as much as your intuition to do the right thing,” I said to him. “You are welcome to all of my bourbon.”
Ashley walked in. “Damn, Lukas, she must like you.”
I rolled my eyes at her and started my kettle of water.
“Seriously, my coffee not good enough for you?”
“I don't drink coffee. I drink tea, and only chai.”
“The British are strange, Lukas. You will get used to it,” Ashley said.
“I’m not actually British, you know?” I said heavy on the British accent. She rolled her eyes at me.
“Well Ashley, you are welcome to her share,” he said.
“Why, thank you, Lukas,” Ashley said.
I let them banter while waiting for my water to boil. I thought about his reasons for protecting me. I found over the years that there were people in this world that had an inherent gift for protecting others. Generally, it was someone who was a shifter that had a pack mentality. Occasionally, I would find one that was just plain old human, and I made them proxies. Lukas did not hesitate to protect me. His instinct for my protection was not hindered by the fact that we were only newly acquainted. To me, that meant he would protect anyone like a proxy.
“Earth to Abigail,” Ashley said. “She drifts off like that, a lot.”
“Are you going to tell him all my bad habits in the f
irst day? I'll never convince him to stay,” I said. When my kettle sounded, I turned off the stove and released the steam.
“I'm not leaving,” he said.
“You may change your mind after today,” I said looking at Ashley. While my tea steeped, I grabbed some milk out of the fridge.
“Everything is ready,” she said.
“What's everything?” he asked.
I removed the teabag from the mug, tossing it in the bin. I poured milk in it and added a dash of cinnamon.
“I’ll be right back, and you will see,” I winked at him taking my tea into my room. I shut the door behind me. I wasn’t necessarily trying to scare him, but he seemed to be of a good humor As I got dressed, I sipped my tea. Opting for business attire, I wore a burgundy pencil skirt, an ivory lace blouse, tan pumps and no jewelry.
When I went back into the main room, they sat on the couch chatting. “Where are we set up?” I asked.
“Second floor,” Ashley said. “The overhead projector is there, and all the normal materials.”
“You work wonders,” I told her. “Now cross your fingers that he doesn't run screaming.”
“He won’t,” she said confidently.
“Okay, Mr. Castille, time for a look behind the curtain. You ready?”
“I guess,” he said. He had lost a little bravado. I was about to lay the world out for him. All the evil. All the powers. If he was up to it, I would provide him with every tool that I had to combat that evil.
We walked into the 2nd floor to a large open space with a couch and a chalkboard. The room was dark except for a few lights around the furniture.
“I hated school.”
“That's surprising. You did very well in high school,” I said.
“Oh, is that in the file?”
“Yes, it was. You had excellent scores especially in math and science. You should have taken those scholarships, but in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter if you join us,” I said.
