Awakening (30 page)

Her face paled. “That… that’s not possible. It’s a lie. If that were true, he would not be here now.”

“Caitlyn, I promise, I will never, ever, lie to you. It is true. He came back at the age of nineteen, almost twenty. From what my father told me, Garrett decided that his father’s views were too extreme.” He did not want to continue, but he knew he must. “Do you know if Garrett was able to gather any intelligence about the Cine Tofa’s motives while he was on assignment? Did he ever mention anything?”

“Garrett did not disclose anything to me. But I knew that his assignments were top secret. I would never have put him in that position.”

Although it did not make Declan’s job easier, he respected that tremendously. He was surprised when Caitlyn asked her own question.

“How are you handling everything? This has not been an easy time for you either.” She placed her hand on his.

He closed his eyes for the moment. He was still reeling from the betrayal of Lionel. His own mentor. The man he put as much trust in as his father. And he betrayed him, lied to him. Lionel knew almost every secret about the Trust. He knew its strengths, its weaknesses. And Declan had played right into his hands. That is how the Cine Tofa was able to destroy so many of their spies. It’s easy enough when your own spy was practically the one deploying them.

He knew one thing. Lionel had sent a message by not killing Garrett; either that, or Nathaniel did not want him to kill him. Either way, Declan was hoping he could use this information to his advantage to exact revenge on Lionel.

When he had not answered her, she replied simply. “The time will come when you will get your vengeance. And when that time comes, if you need me, I will be there, with you.”

Her sincerity was overwhelming. He loved her more than he thought it was possible to love another person. But he could not tell her that. Not today. “Thank you.”

He asked a few more questions about Garrett, but it all came down to the fact that Garrett had kept some very important things from Caitlyn. She now had to be questioning her entire relationship with him. Declan did not want to say what he was about to, but he cared for her too much not to comfort her.

“I know that there are a lot of questions you have right now about your relationship. But there is one thing you should never question. Even though he may have kept certain things from you, I know he loves you. I saw it in his eyes whenever he looked at you. Nothing will ever change that. Just remember that.”

She stared at her tea cup. “I don’t know if it’s enough.”

He took a sip from his now cold tea, feeling guilty that he hoped desperately it was not.

L
ionel snuffed out the cigarette he was smoking with his left foot as he looked at the time on his watch again. Nine twenty-two. Nathaniel was making him wait yet again. He hated it when he did that. He stared at his boss’s office door impatiently, debating on what the ramifications would be if he just strolled in there alone and waited for him on the leather couch. After a few moments, he quickly decided not to press his luck. Nathaniel was already going to be unhappy with his report and Lionel did not need to piss him off any further than was necessary tonight.

He heard a pair of loud footsteps coming down the hall. Nathaniel came walking in with his assistant Kayla. It was silent, but he was obviously discussing serious matters telepathically with her. Nathaniel just nodded his head in greeting to Lionel as he brushed past him and walked straight into his office. He followed suit, sneaking in behind him before the door slammed shut.

Lionel took his normal seat in the ergonomic chair that was on the other side of a large mahogany desk and looked at his boss appraisingly. Nathaniel looked to be in a serious mood, but that was par for the course with him in private. It was rare when something made him truly happy. Yet, Lionel, playing the lapdog to Nathaniel for years, was very rarely on the receiving end of his anger. Lionel wanted to keep it that way, but he feared that tonight, that would not be the case.

He sat there for another twenty minutes while Nathaniel finished up business with his assistant. When their work was complete, she silently took a confidential folder in her hands and got up to leave. Kayla glowered at him as she exited the room as silently as they entered. They were never really on the best of terms. Kayla desperately sought the respect that Nathaniel gave Lionel and was continually frustrated when Nathaniel showed his preference time and again for him. Once the door was shut, Nathaniel leaned back in his chair, placing his sole attention on Lionel.

“What news do you have for me, Lionel?”

“I made contact with your son as you requested.”

Nathaniel looked eagerly at him. Nathaniel was a larger than life persona. His good looks and charisma made him a leader that people in the Cine Tofa eagerly followed. It was almost cult like in his opinion. Nathaniel spoke, people listened. Nathaniel ordered, people obeyed. His boss loved running the show, loved people loving him.

His public persona was affable and kind. It was what drew people naturally to him. People wanted a person who took charge, and Nathaniel was more than happy to take on that role for them. Although he would never admit this to a soul, Lionel personally thought that he was smarter than his boss and more fit for the role, but he knew people found his persona quirky and often times intimidating. It did not help his case that Nathaniel was naturally a stronger Actual.

Nathaniel had it all. He got whatever it was he wanted. Money, Power, and women all were part of the package deal of being head of the Cine Tofa. It wasn’t unusual for his friend to be off with one of his many mistresses that he kept around to keep him distracted. People gave money to him willingly and if Nathaniel got his way, in only a few short years after the Inception, he would have all the power he could ever dream of. Nathaniel had it all. Well, had it all,
almost.

His chief had plans for his heir to take over the family business. Garrett was his only child and was just as charming and motivating as his father. If his mother had not had a change of heart and moved over to the Trust, Garrett would be second in command right this moment, ready to take over the reins any second that was needed.

Instead, his mother had fled with Garrett in the middle of the night when Garrett was six years old. They moved to Colorado, which at that time was a safe zone to Trust members as deemed by an old treaty agreement. At that point, the Trust was stronger than the Cine Tofa and had larger numbers so the father could not go after the son. Nathaniel was furious at his heir being taken away and as the years neglected to produce another child, Nathaniel became more and more desperate for his only son to be back in his clutches. It was then that Lionel, who was already living a double life, was asked to further infiltrate the Trust and keep tabs on the prodigal son.

His mother had changed Garrett’s last name to her maiden name, Stevens. She did not lie to him about who his father was, but was not forthcoming either. Very few people in the Trust know the truth about Garrett’s identity. When Mary Livingston came to Jonathan McPherson, her friend since childhood, begging him to let her son and her live on Trust land, outside of the persecution of the Cine Tofa, Jonathan, being the conscious person he is, agreed. The only concession he made is that their true identities remain a secret for their safety within the Trust. Mary readily agreed.

Still, Nathaniel found ways to contact his son. Letters would mysteriously sneak through courtesy of Lionel and they would reach Garrett’s eyes only. The letters were from his father, explaining how much he truly loved his son and how much he wanted him back. When Garrett was sixteen, he had a rough patch with his mother who found the letters. Garrett ran away and ran straight to his father as his father had always hoped.

Nathaniel was more than pleased his heir had come back. For three years, Garrett lived with his father, his father teaching him everything he knew about the Cine Tofa. Garrett had not changed yet at that point, but he was showing signs as a Potential that the awakening would be soon. Nathaniel had convinced him that our people had a responsibility to others to protect them from themselves, that people who had not evolved like us were a danger to themselves.

Garrett had believed all of it. He was the perfect son and Nathaniel realized that he would be a great leader. When his transformation was complete, he was going to mentor Garrett directly himself to make sure that he was as strong of an Actual as he was.

It wasn’t until Nathaniel started talking of more extremist ideals that Garrett started to pull away. The younger Livingston did not agree fully with the ideals that his father felt. Garrett could not understand that since they were the greater beings, normal humans needed to be disposed of or controlled for our safety and for theirs.

Garrett ultimately decided that he did not agree with the Cine Tofa and left. He again went to Jonathan McPherson, asking to be let back. This time Jonathan was more reluctant but with some advice encouraging leniency from Lionel’s end, he had ultimately agreed.

Garrett was distraught to learn that while he was away with his father, his mother had passed on. Lionel had been the one assigned to handle that particular task. Mary Livingston never knew it was coming. Lionel decided to take mercy on her and make it quick and painless. She was just a meaningless pawn in all of this, and in truth, he felt sorry for her. The Trust investigated the death, but it was determined that she died of natural causes. Luckily, not everyone in the Trust is as honest as the McPherson family famously is, and the evidence that would have implicated him mysteriously disappeared.

Nathaniel had wanted Lionel to mentor Garrett, but he had already been disposed on mentoring Jonathan McPherson’s son, whom if Lionel was honest with himself, showed as much potential as Garrett did. Garrett was assigned another mentor when his change occurred and while they were not linked to the Cine Tofa, the mentor was sufficient. Garrett could always be taught more later when he rejoined back into the Cine Tofa as planned.

Lionel was assigned to reporting back to Nathaniel how Garrett was progressing. Nathaniel was pleased with Garrett’s ability with projectile telepathy; but was frustrated that he was not pushed further. He wanted Lionel to teach him more, but it could not be done without raising suspicion. So when Lionel was given the order to bring Garrett home, he knew it was the order to for him to return permanently as well after all these years and reveal his true identity.

Nathaniel was waiting impatiently for a response. “Where is he, Lionel?”

Lionel looked straight into his hazel eyes. His sons were identical. “I couldn’t retrieve him. I tried, but there were… complications.”

Nathaniel’s face turned into a scowl. “What kind of complications?”

Most men would flinch under that stare, but Lionel was used to his mannerisms. “Garrett was not particularly willing to come back with me, so I had to persuade him, so to speak.”

“What kind of persuasion?”

“Nothing several weeks of healing won’t fix.” Lionel lied easily. It would not do for Nathaniel to know that he had sacrificed Garrett so he could escape easier. He lifted his arm to reveal the deep gash that Caitlyn had given him during their fight. “As you can see, he did not leave me unscathed either.”

“So, my question again is, where is he?”

“I was ready to take him with me, when Jonathan McPherson’s son appeared with Caitlyn Young.”

Nathaniel placed his hands behind his head. “Declan. Yes, that man is more trouble than all of the Trust combined sometimes. You shouldn’t have mentored him so well. We would have been better off either having him be mediocre and not knowing what he was or killing him in an accident.”

Lionel conceded that he was right. Lionel created a dangerous weapon for the enemy. He knew his strengths and weaknesses and could control Declan easily, but Declan was now mentoring others and Actuals like Caitlyn were very, very dangerous.

As if reading his mind, Nathaniel continued. “Who is Caitlyn Young? You have never included her in your reports.”

Lionel left her out of his most recent reports. He knew that this would be viewed as a grave error. “She is a recently turned potential. She has not even gone through the Threshold. Do you remember how I advised you that Garrett was going to be mentoring?”

“Yes.” Lionel knew he had been surprised that his son had wanted to do that. By Nathaniel’s standards, Garrett still had much to learn and felt that mentoring a Potential was beneath him.

“She is the one he mentored. But then, the Council decided it would be best if Declan took over her training.”

“Why would that be?”

“Well…” he paused. “Caitlyn has quite amazing capabilities.”

“This should have been in a report. We need to be very aware of any Actual that you view as having strong capabilities.”

Nathaniel was staying very calm. That was not a good sign. “I realize my error now. Let me assure you a gross error such as that will not happen again.”

“Make sure of that Lionel, or else your services will no longer be of use to me. I am sure Kayla would suffice in your place. What are her abilities?”

Lionel cleared his throat. He had avoided the guillotine so far. “She learns at an incredible pace. She has only been with the Trust eight months and I’ve not heard of or seen a single talent that she is merely okay at. Declan is training her harder than I ever trained him, which is saying a lot, and she takes it all in stride.”

“Sounds as if she is a good weapon for them.”

“More than a good weapon. Nathaniel, she fought me blow for blow. She adapts very quickly and can think on her feet. Declan, while he could anticipate what I was going to do, could not do what she did.”

“I want a full report on her abilities, Lionel. I want a full report on Declan’s abilities as well. It better be very thorough.”

“Understood. It will be on your desk in the morning.”

Nathaniel studied his nails for a minute in silence before continuing. “So I don’t quite understand how they got away with Garrett. You are not dead so either you ran away like a coward or something else occurred.”