Awakening Page 19

  His opponent was quiet for a moment. He knew the words he had spoken had stung. “You are giving her a God complex. You are as bad as some people in the Cine Tofa. She thinks she is invincible. She doesn’t realize that she needs to be cautious. I am not opposed to thinking outside the box, Declan, but there is something to be said about proceeding with caution. You have thrown that completely out the window with her.”

  Declan knew his lips formed a tight line as they always did when he was upset or in deep thought. He thought that Caitlyn was not taught caution? Caitlyn was always taught caution! She was well aware of the responsibility that came with this life. “Again, you underestimate her. Caitlyn is very vigilant but she is also aware that sometimes things require calculated risks.”

  “Caitlyn does not need calculated risks.”

  “Caitlyn does not need a lover who is controlling either, but here you are, trying to pull the strings on a puppet that doesn’t need it or want it. I’m sure she would not be pleased that you are here, Garrett. Really, what is your intention here, what is your purpose? Because it seems like right now, you just want to have a pissing contest with someone who you deem to be a rival for her affections.” He decided to get to the heart of the matter. It’s what he suspected Garrett was really here for anyways. Garrett was worried that something was going on between the two of them. Blind fool. Did he not see how dedicated she was to him? He made that last comment hoping to confront Garrett straight on.

  Garrett did not disappoint. His nostrils flared and he took a step towards Declan. Declan stepped out of the way keeping his abilities at bay. He did not want a fight. “Rival for her affections? It’s exactly what I thought. You spend more time with Caitlyn than I do. And when I am with her, Caitlyn is constantly talking about you, what a terrific mentor you are, and how amazing your talents are. You have her tucked neatly where you want her, waiting for her to come to your bed. You are a conniving bastard.”

  Declan saw the fear that was underlying beneath all that hate that was in his eyes. He could see he was terrified that he would lose her. He immediately felt remorse for going about this the way he did instead of coming straight out and alleviating Garrett’s fears. Garrett was just a man in love. Declan could never fault him for that. Everything regarding his character he had known previously, and from his in depth conversations with Caitlyn, indicated that he was a good man. Declan took a deep breath. “It’s not like that at all. I am not looking for Caitlyn to be in my bed, Garrett. She is a good person, one of the best I have ever come to know. But trust me when I say that she is completely devoted to you. I won’t deny that Caitlyn and I share something special, but it is the natural bond between the mentor and the student. I have to trust her and she needs to trust me. I need to know her inside and out, and she needs to know me the same way in order for this to gain the most benefit. Surely, I would hope that you understand this from your experience with your mentor.”

  Garrett did not respond. Declan placed a hand on his tense arm. “I do not have any intentions of going after Caitlyn. She is just a good friend.” Declan spoke the truth. The whole almost kiss with Caitlyn was a fluke, a moment of weakness. It was something that would not repeat itself.

  Garrett must have seen the truth in his eyes because his arm relaxed slightly and he did not say anything but instead nodded and walked out the door as suddenly as he came in.

  Declan walked back over to his desk, collapsing in his chair, rubbing his hands over his face. As if this week had not already been tense enough, now he suddenly had to worry about jealous lovers. He knew he would need to talk to Caitlyn about this to figure out the best way to get their training in, but not spend as much time together. Declan hated that because as much as he could appreciate Garrett’s jealousy, he really did value the time he got to spend with his blonde haired friend. There were few and far between people who understood him, and she was one of them.

  Declan decided that he really needed to get away from everything, just for a few hours and clear his head. But he knew he did not want to be alone. In a rare move for him, he tucked his report in his hidden safe and transported away, hoping to escape the weight of the world.

  When he arrived at his destination, he walked up to the house he was once so familiar with. He sent out a lone thought. “Lionel.”

  After a moment, there was a response. “I’ll be right there. Is something wrong, Declan? It’s been months since you have been here.”

  “I just need the friendship of an old mentor.”

  “Who are you calling old?” The thought was still ringing in his ear when Lionel opened the door, with an easy smile on his lips.

  “Well, I would certainly never call you old. Can I come in?”

  “Of course.” Lionel motioned for him to come in and Declan entered the foyer. Lionel always had an impressive house; he was never one to be subtle. The architecture and décor was bold and full of contrast, warm yet utterly cold at the same time. It wasn’t the style that Declan would choose for sure, he liked traditionalism. But Declan had been to the estate a hundred times before; he was used to Lionel’s eclectic nature. Lionel ushered him to his private study, where Declan settled into one of the big leather chairs across from his fireplace.

  Before sitting down, Lionel stood, appraising Declan for a minute. He was used to this. It was one of Lionel’s trademarks when he trained him ten years ago as a teenager. Every time they met for a training session, Lionel was always quiet for a bit. What Lionel was exactly evaluating, he was never quite sure. Declan knew that most in the Trust were unnerved by this, but his father and him were used to his quirks and did not think twice about it anymore. Finally, when Lionel was appeased with whatever thoughts he was thinking, he took a seat in the chair opposing his and spoke. “So what is on your mind?”

  Declan gazed into the empty fireplace. “To be honest, I am not sure. I feel stressed by the weight of everything. The negotiations did not go as smoothly as I had hoped. It was as if the Cine Tofa was making a mockery of the proceedings. I know that they are getting some kind of inside intel. They have to be. They have captured five spies in a matter of six months, two of them at the same time. Five. And that is with taking the utmost precaution not to disclose their identities.”

  Lionel pursed his lips. “If there was someone from the inside, who could it be? We have been keeping a very tight rein on internal matters, Declan. Ever since we lost Graham two years ago…”

  Declan shook his head. “I don’t know. And that is what is frustrating me. There are always spies on either end, but never one that was so close to the Council. The intel they are getting is too secretive to be someone who is in the outside circle. You know I have always had a knack for ferreting out traitors, but this time, the trail is stopping cold.”

  Lionel drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. “Yes, your father is very frustrated as well. The group of people that he trusts is dwindling dramatically. I frankly don’t blame him one bit. But there is something else bothering you.”

  Declan paused. “Yes, there is. Caitlyn. Or should I say, Caitlyn’s boyfriend.”

  “Ah, yes. Garrett Stevens.”

  Declan’s head shot up in surprise. “You know him?”

  Lionel smiled sadly. “I was very good friends with his mother, as was your father, before she died a few years back. I like to keep tabs on him, make sure he is okay. He has no family anymore so I know his mother would want me to.”

  Lionel always did have a soft spot for orphans, as he was one himself. “I never knew that.”

  “But what is bothering you about Garrett?”

  “As Caitlyn’s mentor, I need to spend a lot of time with her. Remember the hours upon hours you spent with me my first couple of years?”

  “I saw more of you than your own father did.”

  “Exactly! Well, let’s just say that Garrett has not taken kindly to that either and was thinking that there was something more than the mentor-student relationship going on.”

/>   Lionel’s eyebrows rose. “And is there?”

  Declan thought about the night before but quickly shook himself out of it, his response aghast. “No! Never! Caitlyn is a very good friend granted; sometimes I think only you, my father, and her get me sometimes, but that is it. Friendship is where it ends.”

  “Just making sure. It’s been a while since I have seen you with a girlfriend, ever since Janelle.”

  “Yes. And you and I both know that did not work out.” Janelle had definitely not worked out. Janelle and he were polar opposites; at first, that was the attraction. She was carefree and wild, while he was tight and reserved. They balanced each other out, or so they thought, he had even contemplated proposing to her at one point. But it soon became obvious that the differences were too great. Her father was the head of Trust Corporation and a Descendant, but yet she desperately wanted out of the whole Trust/Cine Tofa scene. She wanted nothing to do with the responsibilities of being an Actual; she wanted to live her own life, without the restrictions. She wanted him to come with her, buy a house somewhere, both get jobs, live a normal life forgetting about what they were.

  Declan could not make that sacrifice for her. He cared too much for the Trust, he was the Trust. He loved these people and wanted to protect them and the normal humans as much as possible. By leaving and living a normal life, he felt that he was abandoning them and his father. Declan couldn’t do that; wouldn’t do that. Janelle did not understand. Eventually he and Janelle went their separate ways. Sometimes he checked up on her to see how she was doing. She was living in Wisconsin of all places, attending graduate school. Last he had heard, she was dating a normal human.

  Lionel interrupted his thoughts. “I know the two of you did not. But if memory serves me correctly, that relationship was over two years ago, Declan. Don’t think that it has escaped your father and I that you have been busier than normal lately, and most of the time it is with Caitlyn. I think we both had figured that maybe there was more to the two of you. When we saw the two of you at your home a few months back, there seemed to be quite a bit of potential. Surely it would not be the first time that the mentor/student relationship bloomed into something more.”

  Declan shook his head at the absurdity of that. “Not in this case. As I have told you before, Caitlyn is a prodigy. Her talent is amazing. Not only is she learning at an extremely accelerated rate, but she is smart, strong, and capable. You met her, Lionel. Unquestionably, you could tell the same as I that she was someone who was going to be a tremendous asset to the Trust.”

  “Yes… I did see that. Your reports on her progress have been more than impressive. Caitlyn probably has the most potential of any new Actual since yourself, Declan. I understand why you would want to spend so much time mentoring her. But even you realize there is more to life than training and council meetings. I also taught you that there needs to be a balance, Declan. And you are precariously standing on the edge. Certainly there are plenty of women here to provide some distraction. And with all the stress of everything going on, you could use that. If you still plan to ignore what is right in front of you, then find a pretty girl and woo her. Who cares if it is not love? Companionship is nice too.” He winked at him.

  Declan rolled his eyes. He could not believe that Lionel was trying to play matchmaker with him and Caitlyn Young. “Well, I was thinking that I might take a few days to myself, get away from all of this. Not saying I want companionship, but a beach with nothing around to distract me sounds nice.”

  “That sounds wonderful! Get away; forget about the Trust and all its stresses. Even Trust members need a vacation. Remember a few days away, and the Trust will not fall apart, Declan.”

  “I’m sure it won’t.”

  With that, Declan hugged his friend and said his goodbyes. He would go away. It would give Garrett the reassurance that he was not after Caitlyn, would let him recharge, and hopefully give him an open mind when he returned to figure out who was giving away Intel. A vacation was just what Declan needed.

  Chapter 21

  The negotiation had been the last straw. Garrett being away was becoming par for the course, which he hated. The Trust was becoming more aggressive in its security measures and had captured several members of the Cine Tofa as a result. It had kept him away from Caitlyn for weeks at a time, but she understood never questioning when he could not tell her where he was going.

  The fact was he was feeling quite insecure about his relationship with Caitlyn. The time they spent together was wonderful, he felt like the luckiest man on the planet. But the time they spent together was becoming such a rare commodity and he worried that despite how happy they were, other factors would interfere.

  Specifically, Declan. Caitlyn was happy with her new mentor. Garrett should have been pleased that she was content and progressing beyond her wildest dreams, but there was something about her when she was in his presence that set him at unease.

  A touch, a glance. It was all very innocent. It was the look or hug that a friend gave one another, but he still did not like it. Garrett had always had an underlying possessive nature. It was a trait he had inherited from his father, and he despised it. He hated that very specific trait was what led him to Declan’s office earlier that afternoon.

  He had just returned from an Interrogation, and the Council had notified him that they needed him to head out to ferret out another Cine Tofa member. Garrett was looking forward to some time with Caitlyn when he had received word that he had to leave again that next morning to get down to Georgia.

  He consoled himself with the knowledge that at least Caitlyn would be there for the night, and he would be able to see her for a while before he had to catch his next flight. His last trip had been grueling, and he had not been able to communicate with Caitlyn. He knew that she would be pleased to see him.

  Garrett was not weary at first when she wasn’t there immediately after he sent her a text. He figured she was in training with Declan. He chilled a bottle of her favorite wine and got started on dinner. As time ticked by, he reached out to her to communicate, but she had a block up, which was par for Caitlyn. When she finally walked through the door, dinner was long cold.

  Her smile was ear to ear as she ran over to greet him. “Garrett!”

  Despite his frustration, he lifted her in his arms, drowning himself in her touch. “Where were you? I thought you would have been back from training long ago.”

  Her eyes lit up and he could only describe her as radiant. “I wasn’t training. Declan had an arbitration to attend and invited me to go. I’ve been gone for the past few days myself. It was amazing, Garrett. I learned so much. Declan is amazing, his negotiation skills are phenomenal.”

  Garrett set her down, his tone harsher than he meant it. “Wait. He had negotiations for the Trust with the Cine Tofa and took you along with him?”

  Her body stiffened. “Yes. Is there something wrong with that?”

  Garrett bit his tongue as best he could. “Who else went?”

  “It was just Derrick Adair, Declan and me. It was a closed arbitration, and there were only two members of the Cine Tofa there.”

  “Where did you stay?”

  “Declan and I stayed at the Trusts cabin.” Caitlyn picked up her abandoned bag. “Garrett, I am going to ask you again, do you have a problem with this?”

  “It’s just that I don’t think you are ready for that. That is very intense.”

  The truth was that Garrett thought she was more than capable of handling the negotiations, but he did not like that Declan and her went on the trip together. Garrett was seething inside. He had worked up in his head that Declan was trying something with his Caitlyn, and he did not like it. Garrett wanted to take her away from all this. In his own way, he wished that he had never introduced her to the Trust.

  The next morning, before he caught his flight, Garrett had confronted Declan head on. By the end, Garrett had left Declan’s office, still uneasy about the relationship between them. He had seen De
clan’s eyes, knew that he was not lying when he said he only viewed Caitlyn as a friend. But he had this nagging feeling that he was still losing Caitlyn to him. For so long she has been singing his praises, about his training, his personality, his drive.

  Garrett knew that he needed to be more supportive with Caitlyn, or else he would lose her. He decided that after this last interrogation, Garrett was going to cut back significantly, despite the protests that he knew would inevitably come from the Trust. By the time the plane landed and he walked into the Trust facility, he had made a decision that he wanted time off from this all, to spend time with Caitlyn, giving their relationship the opportunity it deserved.

  He had been sent to interrogate one particular Cine Tofa member that a couple of the other Inquisitors could not break into. This member was strong, his name was Stephan and he had been part of the Cine Tofa for the past ten years. Stephan had been trying to infiltrate one of the Trust’s minor sites, a level four facility in Georgia. Garrett’s role was to go in and figure out exactly how much information had been reported back to the Cine Tofa.

  Garrett had gotten to the facility only to find the other two Inquisitors, Brandon and Lana frustrated beyond belief. They nodded at him entering the room. Garrett was surprised to learn initially after taking this line of work that he was significantly stronger than most Inquisitors were. It was just what the Council had wanted, someone strong enough to step in when the other Inquisitor could not do their job sufficiently. Garrett was damage control. Unfortunately, he had been needed more often than not.

  Brandon had led Garrett to a room where Stephan lay in a room by himself. The room was uninviting, with only two chairs and a table, the walls painted black. Garrett stared at him for a moment; Stephan looked vaguely familiar to him, his sneer stirring some memory long forgotten. It didn’t matter; Garrett wanted to complete this mission swiftly and efficiently, so he could head back up to Maine.

  “Let’s get this completed now, shall we?”