Tremors of the Past

by Jamie A. Waters

  A flash of fear crossed her face but was quickly gone. It was enough. Even if he hadn’t bound her with his influence, she’d think twice before spreading more rumors. As soon as Brianna rushed out of the room, Alec instructed Brant to follow her and then to check on Kayla. Brant merely nodded once and disappeared. Once Alec was alone, he slumped down in a chair and dropped his head in his hands. He’d screwed up on an epic scale.

  Kayla stared at the video feed. There was nothing. Absolutely nothing. It was almost as though the persons responsible were either invisible or had managed to erase any trace of themselves. She had to be missing something.

  She slid closer to Brant to get a better look at the screen. He’d come back an hour ago and offered to help her review the files. Alec hadn’t returned with him, but it was probably for the best. Her emotions were jumbled, and she didn’t know what to say to him. Even worse, though, was knowing Alec was probably with that other woman right now. The loss from their suppressed connection was a dull ache in the pit of her stomach.

  Kayla turned her attention back to the screen, determined to get the image of them together out of her head. Drumming her fingers on the desk, she froze as the realization hit her. That was it! That was what was missing. Brant had mentioned the dark-haired woman supposedly saw the attacker, but Brianna wasn’t on the video either.

  She grabbed Brant’s arm. “Stop. Pull up the metadata on the video.”

  Brant inhaled sharply dropped his gaze to where her hand rested on his forearm. She felt a slight tingle under her fingertips and slowly drew her hand away.

  Okay. That was freaky. She’d only felt that when she’d touched other Inner Circle members.

  “Sorry. Did I zap you?”

  She caught a flicker of disappointment on his face, but it was quickly gone. “No. You’re just siphoning off more energy. It’s fine.” He turned back to the computer and entered in a few commands. “So you believe someone may have edited the date and time tags?”

  Kayla nodded and leaned forward to look at the screen, careful not to put her hands on him again. Touching him felt far different than what she’d experienced during the attack. It wasn’t painful, and there wasn’t a cold chill. There was definitely transference though. At the earliest opportunity, she was going to investigate the whole “stolen shadow energy” thing. But first, she needed to find the person responsible.

  All videos and images contained metadata, which was essentially hardcoded information embedded into the file. It detailed basic information about the type of equipment used, the date and time the image was taken, and even the location coordinates where the file originated. If someone had manipulated the video footage, they should be able to tell right away. Granted, they could have scrubbed the metadata, but it was likely they would not have had enough time.

  After a brief moment, information flashed upon the screen. Kayla frowned as she read through the data. As she suspected, the timestamp associated with the file was from several days earlier. Someone had replaced the footage.

  Brant scowled and muttered a rather colorful oath under his breath.

  Despite herself, she grinned. It was somewhat entertaining to watch a straight-laced Omni lose his cool. “At least now we know why it didn’t pick up anything. They replaced the video.”

  Brant stood and yanked out his commlink. “That’s only one issue. Whoever is responsible for this has access to the security feeds. We already suspected Shadow involvement, but this confirms whoever else is responsible for this attack is highly placed within the Circle.”

  Brant called the head of security on his commlink and began detailing the discovery. As he paced the small room, Kayla stood and yawned. She raised her arms over her head and stretched her tired limbs. Brant paused, fixing his gaze on her for a long moment with a thoughtful expression on his face. He then turned away, continuing his conversation with Commander Thomas.

  Brant was an enigma. He reminded her of the ruin rats with how closed-lipped he could be about everything. But Alec seemed to trust him, and he’d proven himself back at Carl’s camp when he tried to save her. In some ways, Brant seemed uneasy around her. Kayla wasn’t sure if that was because she was technically an Inner Circle member, or some other reason. Part of her wondered what the security officer would be like if he ever let his hair down.

  When he finished his conversation, Kayla asked, “So… what did he say?”

  Brant glanced at her briefly before turning to the screen and entering a few commands. “I’m sending him the video files. He’s contacting Alec and then compiling a list of everyone who has access to the security feeds. We need to cross-reference that list with people who could have accessed this level. I should hear back from him in a few minutes.” He frowned and added, “We’re going to have to make some adjustments to your security detail and limit access to this area even more. Unfortunately, it appears the corruption goes even deeper than we suspected. From the looks of things, some Shadows and Inner Circle members are working together.”

  Kayla cocked her head. “You say that like it’s unusual for them to work together.”

  Brant hesitated for a moment. “In this context, yes, it’s very unusual.”

  Kayla frowned, puzzled by the strange dynamic between Inner Circle members and Shadows. There was a link between the two, but the relationship was something she didn’t quite understand.

  “You don’t like the Inner Circle, do you?”

  His eyes flickered to hers and then back to the screen. “I don’t have any issues with the Inner Circle.”

  “Bullshit,” she retorted and sat next to him, determined to elicit more of a response. Leaning back, she began ticking off the points on her fingers. “You seem to find Alec somewhat tolerable, but you’re clearly uncomfortable around me. You hide it well, but I’d say you feel little more than contempt for the rest of the Inner Circle. I overheard what some of your Shadow buddies said about Inner Circle members earlier when I was hanging in the rafters. So what’s the deal?”

  Brant’s shoulders tensed, and she knew she’d struck a nerve. “The officer who spoke out of turn has been reprimanded. It won’t happen again. As far as the rest, Master Tal’Vayr specifically requested me to be assigned to your security detail. However, if you have issues with my performance, I’m sure he will discuss my reassignment with you.”

  “Fuck that,” she retorted and crossed her arms, growing annoyed by the entire conversation. She wanted to yank the stick from his ass and beat him over the head with it. “Just play human for a minute, Brant. If there’s corruption that involves Shadows and the Inner Circle, I need to know why. I’m not trying to get all up in your business. You can hate me for all I care. I don’t give a rat’s ass what your buddies think of the Inner Circle either. Hell, I probably feel the same way. I just want to know why someone is targeting me.”

  Brant lowered his head, rubbed his temples, and sighed. “I don’t dislike you, Kayla. I don’t necessarily agree with your choices, but it’s not my place to criticize. My role is to act as your protector within the parameters Master Tal’Vayr has set. To be honest, I don’t know why someone would target you. Other than being a pain in the ass, you have little bearing on what happens within the towers.”

  Kayla gave out an unladylike snort. At least he was honest. “Okay. So it’s not me personally, but I know I’m not imagining the bad juju between the Shadows and Inner Circle.”

  Brant paused long enough that she wasn’t sure he was even going to respond. Finally, he admitted, “You’re not wrong, but I’m not certain I’m the best person to answer your questions.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

  He frowned, rubbing the back of his of his neck as though debating his next words. “The Shadows and Inner Circle have a long and somewhat adversarial history. It’s to be expected when our abilities are in direct opposition with each other. My perspective is going to be vastly different than someone from the Inner Circle.”

  Finally. She was act
ually getting somewhere. She leaned forward, eager to learn more. “Right. That’s why I want to know your opinion. I can always get Alec’s thoughts later, but it’s better to know both sides, so tell me from your point of view. What’s the deal?”

  Brant gave her a sharp look, as though surprised by her words. Finally, he shook his head. “Your willingness to consider other perspectives is admirable, but you’ll need to speak with Master Tal’Vayr on such matters. At the core of it, I am a member of a completely different sect. Inner Circle members and Shadows are vastly different. Differences can sometimes cause distrust. Shadows, in particular, have to be prudent about respecting certain boundaries, more so than many others.”

  Kayla fell silent. His words carried the resonance of a warning. She suspected she was putting him in a difficult position by asking such questions. Dammit. She needed information and didn’t have time to play these stupid games. At the same time, she was in a whole new arena and still learning the rules.

  Kayla scowled. “I really hate the stupid politics in the tower. You know, if people actually put aside all the double-talk and innuendos, we might actually get shit done.”

  Brant’s lips twitched in a smile.

  Encouraged, she leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms. “Let’s try this another way. I was told the Shadows help protect Inner Circle members. Carl said there’s a whole special-elite security division created for you guys.” She raised one hand, waving it in a grandiose motion. “You’re supposed to be a big deal. The big men on campus.”

  When he arched an eyebrow, she grinned and continued, “The fact you can shut down my energy is why I don’t mind keeping you around. You know I don’t like having someone all over my ass, but since we don’t want the towers to crumble from an earthquake, you get to stay. But why would you bother sticking around babysitting me if you don’t like Inner Circle members?”

  “When you’re given certain talents or abilities, isn’t it your duty to use them?”

  She shrugged a shoulder. “Not necessarily. Just because someone knows how to make a bomb doesn’t mean they should.”

  “True,” he admitted, “but this goes back to the original purpose of the ICS. Our unit was created and given special status within the towers because of our ability to handle adversaries both physically and psychically. My purpose at this moment is to protect you from both yourself and outside sources. However, we were not always utilized as bodyguards.”

  Kayla’s eyebrows arched at this information. “What else did you do?”

  Brant lowered his hand, and she noticed his fingers curl into a fist. His eyes hardened ever so slightly. “We were considered ‘jailors’ by some. When Edwin Tal’Vayr controlled the towers, he used us in that manner. Many Inner Circle members resent our ability to negate energy. That’s caused contention between us. How would you feel knowing a Shadow could interrupt your abilities?”

  She smirked. “If I remember correctly, I asked you to shut down my energy already. You were the one who refused.”

  His lips curved in a small smile. Wow, maybe he was human after all. “That’s only part of the reason you’re different, Kayla. You don’t rely on your energy to the same degree as other Inner Circle members. They’re dependent upon it.”

  Brant’s commlink beeped. He glanced at it and then answered, speaking in short, clipped sentences. He watched her as he spoke, presumably to the head of security. She returned his gaze, only partially listening to his end of the conversation as he outlined the current security surveilling this level. Her thoughts, however, were on their conversation. What Brant had said about the Shadows made sense, but she had the feeling there was more to it. She needed to find out the whole story, but Brant wasn’t exactly forthcoming with information.

  As he turned back to the computer and continued his conversation, Kayla stood. Her movement caught his attention, and he looked at her expectantly. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. He was taking this babysitting gig very seriously. She motioned that she was going to get a drink. He gave her a curt nod before focusing again on the terminal in front of him.

  She slipped out of the room and headed down the hall, considering her options. The relationship between the Shadows and Inner Circle was somehow significant. She was sure of it.

  Sadly, her best and fastest source of information was probably Alec, but she wasn’t ready to face him yet. Carl didn’t seem to know much about the Shadows, which wasn’t entirely unusual. He was just as new to this whole energy thing as she was. He may have grown up in the towers, but the Inner Circle was largely segregated from the general population. In short, they were snobs.

  The whole thing with secrets, conspiracies, politics, weird powers… It all just made her want to kick something. They were just more reminders she didn’t fit in here. In addition to the emotional turmoil from the earlier scene, exhaustion was creeping in. Unfortunately, the thought of going to sleep wasn’t appealing. The attack was still too fresh in her mind. She didn’t want to risk something else happening while her guard was down. If they’d come at her head-on with a physical assault she could combat or at least understand, it would be different. But this version of energy-based warfare was beyond her.

  Kayla slowed her footsteps as a thought struck her. There might be more information about the Shadows in OmniLab’s archives. Brant had mentioned Alec’s father earlier, so she had a timeline to use in her search. With a renewed focus, she headed toward her room to set up her equipment. As she turned the corner, Carl’s angry voice sounded from their bedroom.

  “—find out who’s responsible for the attack on Kayla. This entire thing is unacceptable. Someone’s gone after her twice today. I find the timing rather suspicious.”

  There was a pause. Kayla hovered just outside the door and watched his darkened silhouette pace back and forth. He was listening to someone over his commlink. As though sensing her presence, Carl stopped and looked up, the light from the hallway illuminating his features. His frustrated gaze met hers and he sighed.

  “Yes. She actually just walked in.” He listened for a moment and then snapped the commlink shut. “Is everything okay?”

  Kayla cocked her head and walked into the room, closing the door behind her. “Yeah. Someone replaced the video feed, so we don’t have anything. Brant’s looking into it.” She gestured to his commlink. “What was that about? Why do you think the timing is suspicious?”

  Carl slid his commlink into his pocket. “Two attacks in one day is a pretty bold move. Based on what I’ve gathered from Alec, you have three different assailants at work here. Supposedly, people who can channel multiple types of energy aren’t common. So it’s likely whoever attacked you tonight wasn’t the same person who tried to push you off the beam earlier.”

  Kayla nodded. She’d already considered the same thing. “Right. We have an Air channeler from earlier, then a Water and Shadow tonight. When I asked Brant about it, he seemed surprised a Shadow would work together with someone from the Inner Circle. He wouldn’t say much more than that, so I think it’s time to hack into OmniLab's files to get the lowdown on the situation with the Shadows.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “I’m assuming that means you’re avoiding Alec? You could always just ask him for the codes.”

  She made a face. “Don’t give me shit about it. I’ve had just about all I can handle with this energy crap. I need a break.”

  He chuckled and took a step toward her, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear. His hand slid down and curved around the back of her neck, drawing her closer. A small shiver ran through her at his touch. “I think we can both use a break.”

  Grateful for the distraction and a chance to firmly cement herself in the physical world, Kayla curled her fingers in Carl’s shirt and pulled him down toward her. She closed her eyes at the gentle pressure of Carl’s lips on hers but sensed the storm brewing just underneath the surface. Winding her arms around his neck, she gave herself over to the kiss. Even though she no longer felt ch
illed from the earlier attack, the heat radiating from his body was intoxicating.

  There was a hardened edge to his kiss, as though his carefully maintained control was quickly unraveling. Her heart thudded in excitement. She pressed herself against him, wanting to feel him let go completely. The promise and threat of the impending eruption hovered between them.

  His hands slid downward, their progress marking her like a brand searing across her body. He lifted her up, sliding her against his hardening length. In response to his silent demand, she wrapped her legs around his waist. With both hands on her backside, Carl carried her over to the bed and laid her down.

  Her mouth went dry at the sight of him yanking his shirt over his head. The man was a gorgeous specimen. She lifted her hands, wanting to feel every spectacular inch of him. He threw his shirt on the floor and captured her wrists with his hand.

  Her eyes widened at the intense, heated look on his face. Pinning her hands over her head with one hand, he covered her with his body. One of his legs slid between hers as his free hand moved up her thigh. It slipped under her dress, pushing it upward. She was beginning to understand why Omni women wore them. The access thing was more than convenient.

  She hooked her leg over his, wanting to draw him closer. The evidence of his arousal pressed against her, and her head fell back as he began kissing her neck. She let out a soft moan and squeezed her eyes shut at the sensations he evoked. The man seemed to know her body better than she did. His fingers brushed over the silk of her panties and she trembled, craving even more of his touch. She was already damp with arousal.

  Kayla arched her back as he dipped his hand inside her panties. His fingers slid through her wetness, teasing her with the promise of everything he offered. She whimpered and rocked against him as he stroked her, begging him to grant the release building within her. When it finally reached a crescendo, she cried out his name and shattered beneath him.