Occasionally he glanced toward Maya who stared at the fire, lost in her own thoughts.
"We'll stop him, Maya."
She held up an olive, impaled on a silver swizzle stick. "You know the thing that's kept me going all these years?"
"Love?"
She laughed, shaking her head. "Love? Well, maybe for a while, but over time, rage replaced any notions of love."
"I can understand. I forget sometimes Cameron not only killed my father, but your lover."
She rolled her swizzle stick between long fingers. "He wanted to destroy me. Sometimes I wish he had."
"You don’t strike me as the death wish type."
She glanced at Addison. "Yes. He took away everything important to me. My husband—"
"I didn't know you were married."
A tear rolled down her cheek. "Yes. Once upon a time." She smiled sadly. "I had a son. I never got to see him grow up. Grim--" She hesitated, as if the memory caused her physical pain. "Cameron stole a normal life from me." She took a sip of her martini. "You've inked a few lives. You understand that every time you enter someone's life, their memories, their joys, and sorrows haunt you."
Jake, in pieces on a muddy battle field, the idiot in the lion pit, his navigator buddy shot all to hell in a B-17, Jules trapped in Kushirimay, Pizarro's insatiable lust for wealth and power. Yeah, I understand.
"I've been inking, it seems, for many lifetimes. I journeyed those years with each host. The wins, the losses, the births, the miscarriages, the miracles, the murders, all of it."
"You're in the present now. All of that is behind you."
She wiped a tear away from her cheek. "Yeah. I should be happy, shouldn't I?" She put a hand on his arm. "Addison?"
He glanced over, her eyes imploring, mouth open to speak, when, as if a switch flipped, her eyes went cold, lips a thin line on a determined face. "The last time, Cameron came out on top. This time," she slipped the olive into her mouth, chewing briefly before swallowing, "the tables will be turned."
They sat in silence, Maya staring off to some place Addison imagined she spent much of her time trying to avoid.
"I can't begin to fully understand what you've been through as an Inker, but I need you, Maya. Together we can stop Cameron."
Her lips curled into a smile. "Oh, we'll stop him alright. You have my word on it."
***
The next morning, he came downstairs to the thick aroma of coffee and frying bacon. Maya stood in the kitchen busily scrambling eggs. She had converted one of his white dress shirts to sleepwear, the top three buttons undone. The doorbell pulled his attention away. Addison opened the door to Jules, who held a familiar white pastry bag from a neighborhood shop, the buttery aroma of croissants wafting between them.
"Morning, Addison. I thought maybe we should talk."
He didn't know if he could reject her again. His head knew telling her to go away would keep her safe, but his heart didn't want to let go.
"Jules."
"You're not the only one with currency credits." Her voice had an edge of angry determination. "I switched out my lovely dirigible ride for the next supersonic flight to SeaTac, which was this morning." She held out the bag. "I brought pastries."
He blocked the door. "Jules."
"Addison, I don't know what happened in Tonkaweya, why you dumped me. You said you never loved me, which you and I both know is a lie. So why lie to me and put me on the slow blimp to SeaTac?"
He knew he had made a mistake in Tonkaweya. If he needed anyone right now, Jules was the person he wanted at his side. He could trust her with his life. He knew he had wanted to protect her, but maybe love, if what he was feeling was love, was about risking everything for each other. Addison took the bag, letting his hand linger on hers.
"Jules—"
"Shut up. I know why. You were trying to protect—"
"Addison?" Maya's voice called from the hallway.
He glanced back, wondering why he felt nervous. "Yeah, what is it?"
Maya stepped beside him barefoot and in nothing but a shirt. "Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt." She ran a finger down Addison's back, her voice a silky breathiness, as if she had just awakened from the warmth of spooning under an eiderdown comforter. "Addison, where's the milk?"
Jules' face flushed as she bit her lower lip. He couldn't tell if Maya's presence stunned her or really pissed her off. Probably both. He moved away from Maya's touch.
"In the refrigerator door, Maya."
"Really? I looked."
Jules fumed, arms crossed, glaring. Addison, impatience in his voice, just wanted Maya to go away. "It's in the door. Trust me."
Jules' gaze followed Maya down the hall toward the kitchen. "Why didn't you just tell me, Addison? Why make a fool of me?"
"It's not what it looks like." Why am I being defensive? It's not like I've done anything.
"So Maya isn't walking around in your house, making you breakfast, in panties and one of your shirts."
"Well, yes, but—"
"She is wearing panties, isn't she?"
"Come on, Jules."
"Here, take these." She threw the bag at him, stepping past him toward the kitchen. Maya stood at the counter, pouring cream into a cup of coffee. She looked up, amusement in her eyes.
"Hi, Jules. Can I help you, dear?"
"Don't play all sugar and spice with me. Walking around in nothing but a shirt. You could be his mother, you old cougar."
Maya smirked, and sipped her coffee with slow intention. "Are you done?"
"Done? I haven't even started." Addison stood at the entryway, watching the train wreck unfold before him. While there was no fire between Addison and Maya, Jules had definitely felt the heat of embers. "Addison may not understand what you're doing, but I sure as hell do."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't pull that innocent bullshit on me, Maya. You know exactly what you're doing. Strutting around half-dressed, keeping Addison's head out of the game, driving a wedge between us."
Maya set her cup on the island counter. "Now Jules, really, I don't know what you mean."
Jules stepped up to Maya, prodding her finger into Maya's chest. "I know your game and you're not going to win."
Maya winced, falling back a step before grabbing Jules' wrist, twisting it back, anger in her voice. "Be very careful what you say next."
Addison, anticipating an all-out fist fight, intervened. "Jules, Maya, please. Come on. We're adults. Let's talk about this." Maya continued to put pressure on Jules' wrist while Jules grabbed Maya's hair, the two women locked in each other's grasp. "Stop, you two! We've got more important things to be doing than having you fight each other."
He tried pushing them apart, but they were in some kind of death grip. "Jules, let go of her hair." Jules grimaced as Maya twisted her arm further back. He wedged his hands between Maya's grasp on Jules' wrist, finally breaking her hold. Maya screamed as Jules continued pulling a fistful of her hair. "Jules, let go. Let go!" She glared at Addison, a hint of the warrior he knew his Jules to be, and released her grip. The women backed away from each other. Jules massaged her wrist while Maya put a hand to her head as if making sure Jules hadn't ripped a chunk of hair right out of her scalp.
"Maya, Jules is right. You need to put some clothes on. And Jules, she dated my father. You think I'd jump into bed with my father's ex-girlfriend?"
Jules shook her head. "God, you don't see it. Addison, she doesn't want to fuck you. She wants to fuck with your head. I don't know why, but she's working hard to distract you."
He had to admit, even though Maya was quite a bit older, he couldn't stop watching her move through the house. "I think I'd know if someone was trying to manipulate me."
An impatient pleading seeped through the anger in her voice. "Addison."
He put his hand on her shoulders. "Back off."
Maya, seated at the counter, held her cup in both hands. "Listen to him, dear."
Addison sighed with impatience. "I thought you were putting some clothes on."
She stood, angling her head and smiling. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"
"What? No. I just think it would be better if you wore more than a shirt around the house."
Maya leaned over, brushing a light kiss on his cheek. "You're a good boy. Don't let my biscuits burn now. Okay?"
She padded across the hall and up the stairs.
Jules watched Maya leave. "What a bitch."
"Jules, give it a rest."
She held up her hands in mock surrender. "You're right, you're right. I didn't come here to talk about that geriatric tramp. I came here to talk about us."
He needed her to leave. He knew he couldn't do what he needed to do if she stayed. "Jules, I'm not who you think I am. I'm not your Addison."
"I don't accept that. I know you."
He turned, facing her, grasping her shoulders. "No, you don't. I'm your Addison's body controlled by the consciousness of another Addison from a different time continuum."
"You're still my Addison."
He turned away in frustration. "I'm not the guy you love, dammit! Listen to me, I'm not your Addison!"
"How do you know? Maybe this other Addison isn't so different. Maybe the other Addison makes you better."
He wasn't getting through to her. He had to make her understand. "Would your Addison kill you?"
Jules startled. "What?"
"You heard me. Would this guy let someone slit your throat? Would he?"
"You told me this already. I know you left her in Peru in the other continuum."
A pain, lurking in his gut, raised its ugly head. Tears welled in his eyes. "Yes. I'm the one who failed you. And if I'm successful resetting the continuum, I'll kill you again. How do you feel about me now? Still in love with me?"
Jules stood her ground, her face calm, her voice firm. "Yes."
Addison screamed out his truth. "How can you say you're still in love with me? At least half the guy standing in front of you couldn't save you from psychopathic Inca oracle and the other half is doing everything he can to obliterate you in this time continuum. You can't love me!"
"But Addison. I know you. The only way you would leave me is by force. I'm certain of it. It doesn't matter what time continuum you're from, I don't care if I died in a different life. That's all in the past, somewhere else, some other time. You say you're going to shift this continuum. Maybe you will, maybe you won't. If you do, it's meant to be." Jules stepped up to him, nestling her head in his chest, her arms wrapped around his waist. "All we have, all you and I have, is the present. I love you now, here and now, in the present." She lifted her face, their eyes meeting. "So I don't believe all that crap you said in Tonkaweya."
"You don't?"
"No, I think you wanted me out of the way and instead of telling me you were afraid of losing me, you told me you didn't love me."
"Jules."
She put a hand on his chest, taking a step back. "I've been thinking about what I wanted to say to you, so just let me finish. You thought telling me you didn't love me would keep me safe. Right?"
He nodded, not being able to bring himself to lie again or to look at her.
"Well, here's the thing, Addison. Love is not about being safe. I knew you were lying because I know in my heart you love me as much as I love you. I don't understand everything that's going on, but Addison, we can face this together. If love is anything it's got to be about speaking the truth to each other."
The woman before him was not someone afraid of what might be, but a woman determined to live in the real world. In the present. He could send her away, but if his plan worked, he may never see her again.
"You're right, Jules. I tried to protect you. I'm sorry. It was the only way I could think of keeping you out of harm's way. I'm sorry."
She leaned into him and Addison enveloped her in his arms. They kissed and held each other, keeping chaos away for just a moment longer.
***
In the afternoon, they decided to move to Maya's condo, where they hoped to lay their trap for Cameron. Before the deaths of Magnus and Yuji, Addison had agreed to call Cameron when Maya contacted him. As Maya opened a bottle of wine for the three to share around the kitchen island, Addison made the call as planned, but with the purpose of turning the tables on Cameron. Addison made a point of sounding rattled and anxious, rambling about how Maya killed Yuji and stole his pen. Cameron listened until Addison mentioned the meeting with Maya.
"Did she say what the meeting was about?"
Addison let out a sigh. "We're supposed to be planning how we're going to kill you."
"So, Maya wants to kill me." He laughed. "Well, I think it's time we put the brakes on her sordid little scheme. Don't you?"
"This seems pretty risky. I mean, I've got the only remaining pen. What if she gets that one too?"
"Calm down. She'll have to get both of our pens to succeed."
Addison hesitated, uncertain if he had heard Cameron correctly. "There's a sixth pen?"
"Yes."
Addison glanced lovingly to Jules, who sipped her wine. However, Maya’s eyes bore into him, as if she could read his mind. He turned his attention back to Cameron. "Why don't I know about it?"
"No one knows. Not even your father. It's one of Tobias Faryndon's security measures. A back-up, of sorts.
"A back-up. Okay." He shook his head in disbelief. "I guess I feel better knowing you've got another pen."
"You just need to settle down. You won't have to deal with her in person. I'll take care of it."
"By yourself? I figured you'd bring some of your special-ops guys. The guard in the lobby looked like he could take us all on."
"I can handle Maya. Besides, this is League business, not something I can share with others. You and I are all that's left."
"I guess…"
"All I need you to do is let her know you'll be coming to her condo on schedule. Will you do that for me?"
Six pens. What other surprises does Cameron have in store for us?
"Addison?"
"What? Yeah, sure. I'll tell her."
Cameron chuckled on the line. "She'll be having an unexpected guest. We'll put an end to this. All right, Addison?"
"Yes, sir. A definite end."
Addison touched his ear to end the call. Maya spoke first. "A sixth pen?"
"Yeah, he said it was one of Faryndon's security measures."
Maya stood, pacing the kitchen. "Could it be true?" She turned to him, her tone accusative. "Why haven't I heard of it before?"
"It's the first time I've heard of it. He said my dad didn't know either. Some kind of secret between Tobias and Cameron, I guess."
Maya banged the counter with an open hand. "Dammit! Tobias, I swear to God…"
Jules interrupted her rant. "It's a good thing, right? Having another pen out there?"
"Nothing has changed." Maya glared at her. "Cameron has this sixth pen, so he still needs Addison's to complete the set."
Addison's eyes met Maya's. "One more thing. He's coming alone."
She raised an eyebrow with a satisfied smile. "Good. We go forward, as planned."
Collateral Damage
Addison stood by the balcony window, his back to a gas fireplace with stainless steel surround, columns of flame coming up through a bed of sand, as he watched a golden sun slip behind the Olympic Mountains. Within the hour Cameron would walk into this condo. They would subdue him, he'd tell them where the pens are and Addison would bring the pens together in order to shift the continuum, hopefully stopping a global war and bringing Nikki and the Jules he left in Peru back to reality. He gazed at dancing lights sparkling from high-speed hydrofoil ferries crossing Elliott Bay to Bainbridge Island. Jules played with a touch-screen remote, searching Maya's music collection, finally selecting a channel filling the room with a techno-beat. Maya came out of her bedroom in a long tee-shirt.
Jules didn't hesitate to comment. "I though
t we had this conversation already."
"Oh, don't be such a stick in the mud. Besides, this isn't for Addison." She stepped over, brushing Jules' cheek with the back of her hand, her gaze lingering. "Or you for that matter. This is for our dear friend, Cameron. Nothing says weak and vulnerable like bare feet and no underwear. Don't you agree, Addison?"
Addison rolled his eyes, hoping Jules didn't take Maya down for the count.
Maya walked over to a wet bar by the fireplace to pour herself a bourbon. "The last time Cameron visited, he parked his car across the street, put on black gloves and tucked a revolver in his pants. I imagine he's doing the same thing right now."
"You sure about this, Maya? Why don't you and Jules get out of here." Addison touched the gun in his jacket pocket. "I can handle Cameron."
Maya took a sip of her drink, then studied the melting ice. "Oh, I wouldn't miss this for the world. Besides, you'll be here to protect me. Right?"
"And if you think I'm leaving you alone with her…" Jules nodded in Maya's direction.
Addison imagined Cameron's surprise when he discovers Maya, not sitting alone in her condo, but with Addison hidden behind a Japanese screen having a clear view of the apartment, and Jules, ready to play the part of the houseguest to distract Cameron. Maya had a .357 at her desk and he had the snub-nosed .38.
A knock on the door set their plan in motion. Watching Maya, he slipped behind the screen, which afforded a view of the doorway, while Jules stepped into the bedroom out of sight. The door-chain lock jangled and the deadbolt clattered open. She pulled the door slightly ajar. Addison admired her calm, professional demeanor, but willed her to look a little more rattled so Cameron wouldn't assume a trap.
Cameron, a head taller than Maya, smiled. "May I come in?"
She feigned delayed recognition, pushing to close the door. Anticipating her move, Cameron blocked it open with his body, bursting through the doorway with a loud crash, tearing the chain lock from the door frame. He moved her away, his gun aimed at her chest. Even in the process of committing murder, Cameron looked the part of a high-level executive in his European, tailored black suit, silk tee shirt, and loafers. Addison considered stepping away from the screen to confront Cameron, but Maya had insisted on letting him walk deeply into their trap, so she could get him to tell them where he hid the other pens.
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