by Chloe Gunter
"Reed!" I shouted, diving for the knife in his hands but the damage was already done.
Dropping the knife, he placed his free hand over mine, trying to calm my reaction. But I couldn't take my eyes away from the smooth rivulet of blood that was flowing from his forearm. His jaw was clenched slightly, and I could tell that he was in pain.
Why isn't he doing anything?
"Watch, Char. Full attention on my arm. Now." His voice garnered no room for deviation as I followed his directions, locking my gaze to the open wound.
The blood began to slow, I could tell from the cadence of the scarlet drops hitting the floor, until there was no more blood coming from the wound. I leaned closer, trying to tell exactly what was happening. Thread by thread, the layers of his skin were repairing each other, closing seamlessly until they reached the top layer, only leaving a thin pink line in a wake on his skin.
"Fuck," I breathed out, stunned.
"For a small cut like that, the mark will probably be gone by the time we leave here today, maybe a bit longer than that, given the fact that I just transferred to you a few weeks ago." He explained calmly, waiting for me to speak.
"So we can what, self heal? Are we immortal or some shit, Mountain Man? Because I really think that is something you should include in the brochure." My voice had taken on a slightly manic tone, there was no hiding it.
"Not immortal, we just tend to live about fifty years or so longer than the average human." My mouth gaped open, I'm almost positive I looked like a fish out of water. Forget keeping calm and trying to pretend like I had everything under control, this was insane.
"Just fifty years or so," I mumbled under my breath. Yeah. No biggie.
"But yes, we can channel our Spark and the extra energy it produces to increase and speed up our healing. That's part of the first Key. Probably the coolest part of the first Key, which is why I wanted to show you that first."
"Maybe next time you could, you know, just list them all out before you play show and tell."
"Aww, Char...were you worried about me?" he teased.
"Alright alright, you've had your fun. What else besides healing comprises the first Key?" I asked directly, wanting to know what all I was getting into today.
"Activation, which you've already experienced during Conclave and when I keyed you into the door for the lair, plus focusing on the amplification of your Spark within your different systems. Have you noticed maybe some improved speed, better reflexes, improved eyesight? Anything like that?"
I thought back to the second GRAVITAS Game and my time spent on the track with Ridley. Yes, I had definitely experienced some of those things.
"Yes," I said slowly, "but it wasn't like I meant for it to happen, it just kind of did."
"Exactly. We're going to work on your control. Make sure that you're using your Spark intentionally. The longer you have it, the more symbiotic the relationship is. Eventually, a mere thought will be all it takes for you to accomplish things like that with ease. It's all about intention and focus with the first Key."
Standing up, he offered me his hand, pulling me to my feet. I muttered a thanks, stepping around the small puddle of Reed's blood marring the pristine white floor.
"Let's get that cleaned up and get to work, you ready?"
"No, but when has that ever stopped me before?" I quipped, without thinking, my thoughts straying to a time it almost had.
"Fair enough, Char," he said solemnly, his tone suddenly somber, and I wondered if he was thinking about my initiation like I was. When I still went through with the ceremony despite all the tension between us.
Maybe this Spark could heal more than just ourselves.
We started with what Reed considered the easy things. More like doing the same circuit over and over again, directing my Spark to enhance various places of my body, it was like getting stabbed with an icicle over and over again.
I had finally gotten the enhanced eyesight down, the numbness behind my eyes a throbbing reminder of the relentless 'vision' tests I did with some illusions that Reed had set up, until I could distinguish different grains of rice from a ridiculous distance.
Katya, of course, had been right to chew me out after the second round of games. If I had been in sync with my Spark during that test, then I would have noticed the clues she had been giving me in the interrogation, trying to provoke me into response. Well, it looks like she got her wish. There was no way in hell that I was going to take this for granted, freezing body parts be damned.
"It gets easier, and you won't always fill the drastic chill that you are now. You're expending energy into yourself, the chill is the side effect. Honestly, I hardly notice it anymore, Char," Reed remarked as I was running through his holograph, trying to master increased speed.
You in my mind again? I thought towards Reed, my eyes narrowing at him over my shoulder.
I'm always in your mind, babe. Now run like you mean it. He raised an eyebrow, motioning for me to turn back around and face the path he had created. Truth be told, I was stunned.
Reed had thrown two small cubes, made out of what I'm guessing was Atlanteum alloy, to the other end of the hall. In the next second, there was a crisp autumn scene, complete with a well-worn path cutting through the foliage, the umber and goldenrod tones warming my heart even though I knew logically we were in the dead of winter.
When I stepped into the scene I was completely immersed, hell, it even smelled like autumn, with faint scents of cinnamon and pumpkin on the air. Well, I guess it would be whatever Reed considered fall to be like. Even when I turned around to look at him, he was standing in the forest behind me, no bare white room in sight.
"You dropped your shields, Char. It's not like I was searching."
"Fuck," I said shaking my head and picking up the pace.
"It's not an issue with others because you'll have to be actively thinking of them if you don’t intentionally fully sync with them. Unless you want me to hear every thought that goes through that pretty little head of yours, you need to keep that shit locked down tighter than Fort Knox."
"I know, Mountain Man, my attention is just divided right now with everything going on. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it after more of your wonderful torture sessions."
"Until then, I'll do my best to ignore all your nefarious thoughts. You're really not going to eat rice anytime soon, are you?" he asked, making us both laugh when I sent him a resounding Hell no.
"Does it work both ways?" I asked, curiosity taking over.
"If I were to consciously let you in, otherwise you'll only get what I send you. You have to remember that I've had my shields in place for a couple years, Char."
"Wait, even with Ramsey?"
"For the majority of our time together, yes," he said, and I could tell by his tone and the hint of huskiness that colored his voice that sometimes they didn't have anything between them. "For fuck's sake, Char, I heard that too."
"My bad," I said, increasing my stride yet again, trying to refocus on channeling my Spark to my lower half.
"It's fine, I knew what I was opening myself up to when I decided to be your sponsor, and if that means that I end up knowing you better than you know yourself, so be it. But back to your original question, the majority of the time, I have my shields up, there are just some things you don't want your partner to have a running dialogue of."
I let out a laugh, imagining Reed singing ridiculous songs while grooming his beard and the pep talks I know he gives himself when he's in the gym. I've heard him muttering under his breath some early mornings.
"Congrats, Char. I guess you just need to laugh at my expense," he chuckled, moving to pick up the discarded alloy cubes.
Just before the illusion faded, I noticed that my legs were moving far faster than even my best time in any races I had done. Now I just needed to practice until I had it perfect. Until there was no room for anyone to say that I was nothing short of dedicated.
The next day, after a full morning
of going over every inch of the Catania mission and lunch with Gavin, followed by working on the first Key again with Reed, my brain officially needed a break. It was Friday night, which mean that Veritas was open, and I had some free drinks to cash in on.
Gavin and Gage had been pulled into a last minute session before their departure the following evening, but I knew they would try and come out afterwards. At the very least, I would end up in bed with them their last night here.
I knew that I would be meeting up with quite a few people, so I decided to keep my outfit understated for the night. Some agents went all out when they went to Veritas, the only time we were really out of uniform outside of classes, whereas some just came in comfy jeans and a tee. Pulling out my black denim jeans and a tee, I paired them with my leather jacket and moto boots. It was my go-to 'going out' attire, but I decided to take the time to straighten my long espresso-colored hair and applied a little leave-in conditioner until it shone.
Grabbing my key card and phone, I headed out of my apartment building and into the brisk night air. I really should have worn a heavier jacket, but I reasoned that Veritas was only a short walk away, and I didn't want to have to lug my coat around all night. Watching my breath on the air, I pulled my jacket tighter and quickened my pace, cutting across the quad until I finally breached the steps of the bar.
The front porch was empty, no doubt from the weather, but as soon as I opened the door warmth and camaraderie on the air spilled out. I scanned the crowd briefly, seeing Ash and Katya at one of the pub tables and headed that way. Katya slid a gin and tonic over to the vacant chair as I approached and gave me a rare smile.
"Good timing, Ptichka. Ash just got on break and brought us a fresh round," Katya greeted, raising her own glass in the air. And no, she wasn't drinking something as stereotypical as vodka, as she often pointed out. Where was the fun in drinking vodka, when it was basically water to her? Tonight, she was drinking a Sazerac, complete with the little green fairy, which is probably the only liquor that even put a dent in her sobriety.
"Thanks, guys," I said taking my seat and a sip of my drink, "I'm glad I caught you during your break, Ash. We should all get together for lunch sometime next week. I never see you now that we aren't required to train on the obstacle course of doom."
"I had to go back to my cave and work off that tan," Ash said, laughing and gesturing to her still very pale skin. "Lunch definitely sounds good. But enough of that, you know what I want to talk about woman, give me the details."
"How am I supposed to give you details about Cody? Don't you basically live with him now?" I asked playing dumb. Truth be told, I was pleased to see that her and Cody were still very much together and thriving despite their vast differences. Somehow, they just worked.
Just like me and the guys did.
"You know damn well I'm talking about those sexy Mediterranean twin gods of yours," Ash said, leaning in towards me. "Don't think I'm letting you off the hook this time."
"We have a wonderful relationship together, I love them, and we have hot sex," I finished taking another drink. "And don't think you're getting another word out of me," I warned.
"Yes, but are you loving them and having hot sex with them all together?" Ash pressed, waggling her eyebrows at me.
"Yes, Ptichka. Please tell us you're actually taking advantage of the fact that they're twins," Katya said teasingly. "Tell me, is everything identical?"
That sent us into a fit of laughter, which led to me miming zipping my lips and throwing away the key. By the time Ash had to get back to her shift, we had finished our drinks and managed to get reasonably caught up. It was nice having a set of girlfriends, it wasn't something I've had before professionally or personally, except the bond I shared with my sister, Alicia. But there are just some things you didn’t feel comfortable telling your little sister about.
Making my way to the bar behind Ash to grab Katya and I another round, I leaned on the counter and waited for her to get settled. She knew what we were drinking tonight, and I knew it wouldn't take long for her to slide the drinks across the lacquered oak bar top to me.
"Ready for that drink, DeWitt?" A familiar voice asked behind me.
"I already have one on the way, Donahue, I'll just go ahead and place it on your tab. Make it nice and easy on you," I said as he came to stand next to me.
"I thought the whole point was to have a drink together to celebrate your win," he said, his bottom lip jutting out slightly.
"Are you actually pouting right now?" I asked incredulously. While Everett definitely gave off sweet and outgoing nerd vibes in his thick-rimmed glasses and plaid shirt, he definitely wasn't someone who I thought would throw a fake tantrum over not having a drink with me.
"Hey, now, I just want to have a drink with the woman who beat me fair and square. You're obviously a very intelligent, capable woman. The least you could do for my wounded ego would be to take pity on me and provide me with some stimulating conversation."
I gave him a once over, trying to see if he was trying to play some kind of game with me despite his jesting words. He stayed still, letting me take my fill of him while I weighed his measure.
"Here you go, Charlie. Kat already grabbed hers, said she had some asses to kick at darts," Ash interrupted, sliding my gin and tonic to me. "Hey, Donahue, anything for you?"
"I'll take one of those seasonal lagers if we still have some on draft," he said, dragging his eyes off mine and to Ash, to whom he offered an easy smile. "Can you put DeWitt's on mine, please?"
"Sure thing," she said, grabbing a pint glass and moving to pull him a glass. She shot me a questioning glance as she placed his beer down before heading back down the bar to take care of other customers.
"So, this stimulating conversation you want to have," I began, turning my attention back to Everett, "are you looking for it to be about anything in particular?"
"Look, cutting the bullshit, you seem like a genuinely cool person. I know our paths are going to cross with work and such, which would be a great excuse to get to know you a little better, but in all honesty, you just seem like the kind of person I want to be friends with. And I don't know if you noticed, while people may know me, they don't really get to know me. I don't have real friends here. That's something I'd like to change."
I had to give him points for honesty. It took balls to lay all your cards out in front of someone who could analyze and pick apart every word.
"I don't feel like you should be hard up for friends, Donahue. But, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt since I know you weren't lying with that little speech of yours." I said, taking another sip of my drink and motioning for him to join me at an empty high top next to the bar.
"So, tell me about yourself, Charlie,"
"That's a very open-ended question, one that, if I answer, might tell you more than I want to share upfront. Did you forget that we're in the same line of work, Donahue? If we're going to try and become friends, then you should know that I only reserve the mind games for competitions. No one should live like that 24/7."
He looked a little surprised by my answer, and I could have sworn I saw a flash of sadness cross his face before he grabbed his beer and took a long pull. Interrogation 101 is to ask open ended questions to see what your target says first, and then narrow down from there. Sometimes people will tell you what they think you want to hear, but between all the bullshit fluff, there's usually a grain of truth.
"Okay, I can respect that," he said, placing his now half-empty glass down. "I'll go first then. I've been here for two years. Only child, older parents. I have a strong need for approval and a drive to prove myself, which probably stems from my upbringing and not being loved enough, since I was shipped off to boarding school. I'm addicted to Laffy Taffy, the banana flavored kind, and sometimes before I go to bed at night, I stare at the ceiling and wonder if it's ever all going to be worth it."
His eyes didn't stray from mine during his delivery. They didn't blink, and he didn't
flinch as he delivered his raw truth to me. Why the hell he felt like he could bare his soul to me was beyond my comprehension, and I wasn’t really sure where to go from there. Even though he just offered that all up to me on a plate, I didn't know him enough to trust him. Certainly not enough to tell him about the important things in my life, like Alicia or the guys, not to mention the fact that I was harboring a whole other life with a secret society.
I broke eye contact first, not caring if it meant losing ground and showing him that I wasn’t one hundred percent comfortable with what he'd just told me. I finished off the rest of my drink before slowly looking back to him, noting his eyes scanning my face and tracking my movements. Though I did the same to people all the time, being on the other end of it was a bit unnerving.
"Banana Laffy Taffy, huh? I would have pegged you more for a blue raspberry or grape guy."
We both smiled wryly as he accepted my peace offering and our conversation turned toward the games and the different phases that were more surface level than his confession. I found out in addition to his situational analytics and non-verbal skills, that he was also a strategist. He actually brought up Ramsey in conversation, given that he worked in that department as well, which was insightful to hear someone else give perspective on him.
"I don't think I've ever met someone more intense. I swear, if I ever saw him smile, I'd probably faint," Everett said dramatically.
If you think you'd faint over his smile, just imagine what he looks like while he comes undone. Trust me, it's a sight that you'll never be able to forget.
"Are you talking about me again, Donahue?" a familiar voice asked behind me, and I watched as Everett's eyes grew wider.
"No, Director Ridley, of course not," he said quickly, looking to me for help. It was hilarious to see him panicked over one man, given what we do for a living.