28
LEVERAGE
CONFUSION ENTERS THE rooftop and I ask, “What are you doing?”
“Give me a minute,” Stratton says to me as he turns to the brothers. “I have some loose ends to take care of.”
With his arm wedged under Miya’s armpit, he locks her up as the barrel of his weapon drives her head against his neck. With his right arm, he stuffs the disrupter into his pocket. Jax is having a hard time holding Caiden and Farren back. They’re in constant movement, fidgeting and eager to attack. I turn to Farren and put my free hand on his chest. Looking up, I remind him that we’ll only get Miya killed if we act now.
Harold and Percy sit still in the FlexViper. They know the device has made them vulnerable to a push. “What are you up to, Stratton?” Harold demands.
Dismissing the brother, he turns to Jax. “I understand why you couldn’t stand working for these archaic, self-absorbed fools.”
Stratton drags Miya with him as he approaches the brothers. He undoes the top button on his shirt and stretches his neck. “Now, that feels better. Why you force your people to wear this crap is beyond me. Your corporate ways have been obsolete for decades. Your time––”
Percy waves his arms, interrupting him. “Enough. What the hell is this?”
“Your part has played out. I’m done with you,” says Stratton.
His eyes close and I know what that means. Without hesitation, I shield Caiden from whatever might come next. He and Farren keep their weapons trained on Stratton, waiting for an opportunity. Nothing leaks into Caiden’s awareness. The push is not including him.
Percy’s breathing becomes labored. He clamps down on Harold’s shoulder, looking for help. Panic pours over his face. Harold’s attention becomes scattered. He too is unable to maintain his composure. Turning to Percy, Harold guides the younger brother out of the craft. Both of them are fully engaged in the push. Disconnected from the moment, their altered reality is playing out in front of us all.
Maybe it’s because I personally don’t know the Magnus brothers, but I find myself fearing for them. We are all conscious and connected, no matter how screwed up we can become as individuals.
The brothers embrace as they walk from the FlexViper toward the outer wall on the opposite side of us. Tears stream from their eyes as some sort of emotional havoc has infected their minds. Stratton’s ability is so precise and effective. Even Caiden has stopped pacing in place to watch.
“It doesn’t have to end like this,” I say. “No one deserves whatever you are going to do.”
“I could’ve shot them if I wanted to be boring,” says Stratton. “You of all people should understand that our abilities make us gods to them.”
It doesn’t matter what I say, the push has taken full effect as the brothers walk straight up to the edge of the thigh-high wall. Without losing stride, they step over. Farren grabs my waist as my instincts draw me to run to help. There’s nothing I can do, they have fallen ten stories to the outer courtyard. They didn’t even scream; they were completely committed to dying.
Jax steps a few feet from our group and asks, “What is the point of all this? Are you trying to take over Magnus?”
“We don’t want to take this group over. We’ve propped up your resistance from the very beginning to help us tear them down.”
“What do you mean, you propped us up?” asks Farren.
“Well, not me exactly, but us. The Vernon Society.”
Caiden explodes in laughter, nearly dropping to his knees. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Stratton stiffens at the reaction. He points his weapon at Caiden only to have his arm slowly lowered by Miya. With ease and no resistance, she removes herself from his grip. She slides in front of him almost as if she’s shielding him from us. The panic is gone from her face. In its place is a determined confidence.
Farren shifts his weapon in her direction as he tries to find an angle around her. Confused, he asks, “What’s going on? What are you doing to her?”
“He is not doing anything to me,” Miya volunteers. “I work with them, too.”
My mind disconnects from protecting Caiden as I wonder what is going on. Miya works with them? This is not making any sense. She is our friend and has been working with Farren for years.
“Hold on, hold on.” Farren grabs the back of his neck, trying to wrap his head around what he’s hearing. “What do you mean? Are you saying you work with the Vernon Society?”
“I’m sorry you were left in the dark,” says Miya. “The idea of working for another sector group wouldn’t fly with you.”
The Vernon Society is the same sector group that attacked the Magnus convoy that was originally transferring me to Talas. Was that all part of some sick plan to use me to help bring down Magnus? None of this feels real to me.
Caiden bumps into Farren as he steps to the front of the craft and asks, “What’s stopping us from just ending this and putting a couple of holes in your heads?”
Not wanting to get peppered by bullets, Stratton holds his hand up and then slowly reaches into his front shirt pocket. Carefully drawn out inch by inch, a strand of gold that connects to a familiar-looking pendant falls out. I reach for my necklace, thinking I’ve somehow lost it, but find it tucked under the collar of my shirt as usual. I don’t understand how he could have the same one.
“Where did you get that?” I demand.
“Oh, this little thing,” Stratton says, gleeful pride overtaking his face.
“That’s enough, Stratton,” Miya says before turning back to me. “The Society doesn’t just want to take down Magnus. We have bigger plans, and they involve you, Kaylin.”
A subtle laugh slips out and Stratton looks at me. “It’s not about Magnus, Kaylin. It’s about you… Oh, and your brother, too.” He points directly at Jax.
What is he talking about? Jax and I turn to each other, desperate for answers.
“Her brother?” Jax’s brow tightens.
“Oh, come on,” Stratton says, wrapping the necklace around his neck. “You guys really had no idea you’re brother and sister?”
Farren moves to the front, forcing Stratton to retrain his weapon on the group. “Why should we believe any of this?”
“Do you see this pretty little trinket?” Stratton points to the pendant. “It’s insurance. I’m not sure why, but as soon as you stumbled upon Kaylin, everything became about bringing Jax and her together. For some reason, the Society thinks they’re special.”
“Wait…” I pause. “Whose necklace is that and why do you have it?”
Miya inches closer to me and says, “It’s your mother’s, Kaylin.”
The word ‘mother’ blares out at me. I don’t have a mother… I don’t have a family… I only have Amanda. I shouldn’t feel this way, but Miya saying this jabs right at my gut. I’ve been without a family for so long that what they are saying makes no sense to me.
“Wait, are you saying my parents are still alive?” asks Jax.
He joined Magnus with the one goal of taking down the Society in order to reunite with them. Starting our resistance against the Magnus Order was his way of letting them go after so many years.
“Oh, they’re fine as long as you both join us for a little Viper ride,” says Stratton.
“Wait a minute,” demands Farren. “They’re not going anywhere with you.”
Jax rests an understanding hand on Farren’s shoulder and says, “Hold on, Farren, let me figure this out.”
Farren places his hands at his sides before looking to me. He understands what Stratton is demanding of me and it’s stirring his emotions.
I holster my weapon and with a deep breath gather myself. Slowly I walk toward Stratton. He raises his weapon before Miya eases his arm down again. She can see I’m not a threat at the moment.
“Kaylin, stop!” shouts Farren.
“Please wait,” I urge.
With each step, my stomach churns more, but curiosity driv
es me forward. “I want to see it,” I insist.
Stratton looks to Miya as I stand just a few feet from them now. She nods and he removes the necklace from his sweaty neck and hands it to me.
The gold necklace is tarnished. It barely holds the glimmer of the afternoon sun. I press my fingers along the delicate interlocked chains and follow it down to the pendant. Dinged and scuffed, it has seen better days. But it is exactly the same as mine. Only a few people have ever seen the one I conceal beneath my shirt. Miya is not one of them. You don’t find jewelry makers anymore. Especially anyone who can do the intricate work it took to craft these pieces.
“How did you get it from her?”
“She gave it to us,” says Miya.
Stratton rips the necklace from my hand and adds, “Your mother understands that we either bring you two into the family or the Society will prevent anyone else from using your gifts. It’s that simple.”
Silence falls over the group. A few seconds pass before Jax asks, “What about my father? Is he safe?”
“They are together and comfortable,” says Miya as she avoids Jax’s eyes. “I know they’re important to you. You’ll see them again if you come with us.”
Stratton adds, “But this doesn’t work unless you both come, you understand?”
Shifting my attention back and forth between them and our group, I turn to Miya and say, “Give us a minute, will you?”
I get an impatient huff from Stratton and an understanding nod from Miya before I slowly walk back to join the others. Miya was so convincing as part of our resistance. She really did fool us all. How she could work so closely with Farren and Jax only to turn on them is shocking.
Caiden is not thrilled with what he’s hearing. The idea that we have all been played for the benefit of another sector group forces him into an unyielding, folded-arms stance. The tightened brows and frozen scowl make it certain. He is furious.
Farren leans up against the perimeter wall unable to stand anymore with the uncertainty weighing him down. Shoulders slumped and legs crossed, he knows this doesn’t end well no matter what we do. All I can offer is a supportive smile and a gentle touch to his hand before I turn to Jax.
Jax is scanning me with an intensity I haven’t seen from him before. His expression changes from his normal peaceful demeanor into a frantic glare. “I knew I had a sister when I was very young, but she died.”
I rest a hand on his forearm, trying to settle his uncertainty. This only amplifies his state. The way he carries himself now reminds me of myself. How I never recognized this before is crazy. There was something there from the first time we met. An inner caring for someone you just met didn’t make sense, but it does now.
“Why would my parents lie to me about you? Why were you separated from us?”
I know his questions are not something I can answer, but he is processing this and I want to be there for him. I lean in and say, “I’m sorry. I know this is hard to accept.”
“Just because of some necklace, we’re going to buy this crap?” Caiden says as he again paces back and forth.
“It all makes sense. Everything is lining up,” insists Jax. “If Kaylin is my sister and my parents are alive, I have to know. I just have to.”
Farren takes my arm and pulls me a few feet from the group. Stratton adjusts to keep a better eye on us. I can tell he doesn’t like our little huddle over here.
“You can’t do this,” Farren insists. “Just because he has the same necklace doesn’t mean he’s telling the truth about any of this. They’re not going to let me come with you. I can’t keep you safe.”
“I understand, but there’s no way they could know about my necklace. And the way I felt bonded to Jax from the first time we met makes it feel real. I need to find out why I was left behind.” I inch closer to him. “It won’t be the last time I see you, I promise.”
Farren is silent for a moment before he places the cool metal of his weapon on the small of my back, pulling me closer to his warm core. His soft fingertips slide across my temple as he brushes a few loosened strands of my ponytail from my eyes. Following the lines of my cheekbones, he tilts my chin up as he makes eye contact. The deepness of his gaze gives me confidence in what he says next. “I will find you.”
Our lips meet for a brief moment. I’m not ready to let go, so I tug on the back of his shirt hoping to somehow absorb him into my consciousness and take him with me. One last kiss on my forehead reminds me of the delicate nature of what we have started. He releases me, not knowing what will happen once I leave this rooftop.
Caiden wraps an arm around his neck, pulling Farren back a step, and jokes, “Don’t worry, I will keep him warm at night.”
His humor helps me hold back the emotions that have seeped to the surface. I return a smile before looking to Jax. He nods at Caiden and Farren before leading us to the FlexViper. He reaches back for my hand and with hope I take it. In this moment, I have a brother, as well as a mother and father waiting for me at the Vernon Society.
Leaving people behind has never felt so heavy before. Not allowing myself to make new connections has always shielded me, but this time is different. Amanda has the resistance to look after her now. I wish I could say goodbye, but she will be safe and I WILL see her again. Something that I’m leaving unfinished is dominating my thoughts now. It’s a new feeling that claws at my heart. It’s the confusion and uncertainty that surrounds Farren and me. Even with my limited experience, I can only find one word to describe it.
Love.
End of Book One
***
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Acknowledgements:
Special thanks to my wife for her support on this journey!
Thank you to my Mother-in-law for being an early reader and giving great feedback.
Thanks to all my family for the support!
Credits:
Jen Blood - Editor
Patti Geesey - Editor
AAYAA - Publishing and Marketing Support
Leia Stone - Positive Motivation and Publishing Support
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Foolish Empathy
Chapter 2: Influencer
Chapter 3: Pushed into a Corner
Chapter 4: Belly of the Beast
Chapter 5: In the Thich of It
Chapter 6: A Moment of Change
Chapter 7: Reintroduction
Chapter 8: Resistance
Chapter 9: Push Radar
Chapter 10: Unleashed
Chapter 11: Hawthorne
Chapter 12: Chaos
Chapter 13: Catching Up
Chapter 14: Feast or Farren
Chapter 15: Moving Forward
Chapter 16: Moving Out
Chapter 17: Slow and Painful
Chapter 18: Hidden Clarity
Chapter 19: Restart
Chapter 20: New Motivation
Chapter 21: Magnus Insight
Chapter 22: The Gates of Talas
Chapter 23: Not So Fast
Chapter 24: Decisions
Chapter 25: A Familiar Face
Chapter 26: Perspective
Chapter 27: Introductions
Chapter 28: Leverage
Influence (Influence Series Book 1) Page 20
