Reditus

by Mary M Wallace

  She was startled by a male voice breaking the silence of the room. “Sawyer!”

  Everyone turned in the direction of the voice. The man let out an excited laugh as he quickly closed the distance between them. Then something happened that shocked Bree completely. Sawyer threw back her head and laughed loudly. Her entire demeanor was transformed and she looked like a new woman. Bree couldn't help but gape at the sight.

  “Ro!” Sawyer said and threw her arms around the man when he reached her. The two hugged tightly. “It's so good to see you,” Sawyer said, still smiling as they pulled back to look at one another. “Ouch! Watch the ribs,” Sawyer said with a grunt of pain. He quickly loosened his grip on her and began to look her over, assuring himself that she was okay.

  Then he said with a smile, “I'm glad you're home safe. This place isn't the same without you.” He pulled her to him in another quick hug, this one much gentler than the first. When he pulled away, he kept an arm looped around her shoulders.

  Sawyer turned back to the group, her smile fading slightly as she caught sight of Corbin’s dark expression. The other man looked at Corbin with a broad smile and said, “The band is back together! Man, it's been too long.” Corbin’s dark look seemed to register and the man rolled his eyes. “Come on, man! Can you stop being so serious for a second and just be happy she's alive? That you're both alive?”

  If possible, Corbin’s eyes grew even harder, his gaze colder as he said, “I'm not sure it matters what I feel.” His ice gray eyes cut to Sawyer's for a split second before he stalked past them both.

  Sawyer closed her eyes, but not before Bree saw a flash of pain there. Sawyer took a deep breath before opening her eyes and turning her attention to Bree, her parents and Declan who were watching with obvious curiosity. She flashed a small smile at the man beside her before saying, “Everyone, this is Rowan Lee.”

  Bree turned her attention from Sawyer to Rowan. He was shorter than Declan and Corbin, but not by much. He wore his brown hair long, nearly to his shoulders and parted down the center. His black rimmed glasses were pushed up on top of his head and he had brown eyes that seemed to continuously sparkle with amusement. His distressed jeans, graphic t–shirt and Converse seemed out of place alongside Corbin and Gwynn in their combat gear. The two of them looked like they were members of a SWAT team while Rowan looked more like someone who was heading to the movies or to the mall. In other words, normal. He had a build that said he clearly worked out, but he didn't have the same bearing as the others. Bree knew he was probably a trained killer, just like Sawyer, but he didn't broadcast it. He was cute, but she thought that came from the kindness she could see in his eyes as much as from his physical appearance. She wasn’t sure why, but she felt instantly at ease with him.

  Bree was also amazed at the change that had come over Sawyer since the moment Rowan shouted her name. She knew they'd just met, but she decided that she liked this man. Anyone who could make someone like Sawyer lighten up a little was okay in Bree’s book. In the entire time she'd known her, she’d never once heard Sawyer laugh. She could probably count on one hand the number of times she'd seen her smile. Sawyer always looked so serious, verging on angry. Now, she actually looked happy. It was a good look on her.

  “I'm Bree,” she said, stepping forward to shake Rowan’s hand.

  “Nice to meet you, Bree,” he said, shaking her hand. “Welcome to the madhouse,” he added, sweeping his arm around for emphasis.

  Declan stepped forward and introduced himself to Rowan, shaking his hand. When it was time for Rylee and Jon to make their introductions, Rowan’s smile grew even larger, if possible. “Mr. and Mrs. Warren,” he said, moving forward to greet them. “It's a real honor to meet you both,” he said, his voice sincere. “You guys are legendary around here. Your team had one of the highest mission success rates this compound has ever seen. I mean, I was just a kid when you guys left, but man! The stories people told.”

  Bree was shocked. Her parents had grown up here? Apparently, they were also some kind of legends who were still being talked about 20 years later? Sawyer had said something similar weeks ago but she’d never elaborated on it. Bree looked at the two of them and raised a questioning brow when they met her gaze. Why hadn’t either of them mentioned that before they arrived? They both smiled politely at Rowan and shook his hand, looking slightly embarrassed.

  “You can snap a selfie later, Rowan,” Corbin’s condescending voice cut through Rowan’s chatter and the room went silent. “Maybe we can get this debrief going soon so everyone can get cleaned up and rest?”

  Bree watched Sawyer's expression shift from happiness back to her usual blankness in record time. She wondered again what was between Corbin and Sawyer that caused them both to seem so angry toward one another. Whatever it was, Bree wasn't the only one who noticed.

  “He missed you,” Rowan said to Sawyer in a low voice. “He's just too stubborn to show it.” Rowan gave Sawyer's shoulder a little squeeze and she leaned into his embrace for a moment.

  Sawyer's voice held a note of sadness when she replied, “I don't know about that, Ro. He's changed.” She pulled away from Rowan’s side and walked to an empty chair as far from the one where Corbin as possible.

  The door they’d entered through opened and a man walked in. He appeared to be close to Rylee and Jon in age, or perhaps a few years older. His dark hair, graying at the temples, was cropped short on his head. He had the look of someone who bore a great deal of responsibility and took it very seriously. His dark brows were drawn low over his eyes, but the expression was more of concern than anything else. His eyes scanned over each person individually, seeming to assess and catalogue each one of them and file away information for later. He walked past the seated group to the desk and leaned against it, facing them.

  “I want to take a second to welcome you all here. My name is Conrad Brooks and I’m the senior agent at this facility. I’m happy you’re all here and in one piece. I know it wasn’t easy to get here and I know that it wasn’t your plan,” his eyes seemed to linger on Jon and Rylee for a moment before moving on to Bree and Declan. “All of this is probably very overwhelming to you, but we’ll do our best to help with the transition.” He turned his attention to Sawyer now. “You did well, Sawyer. Thank you,” he said with a nod. Sawyer looked uncomfortable with even that minimal praise.

  She met his gaze and gave a mumbled, “Thanks.”

  “Now,” Conrad said as he rose from his perch on the edge of the desk. “Let’s get the debrief over with so we can get you all patched up and let you rest.” He began to walk back toward the door. “If you’ll follow me,” he said over his shoulder.

  Declan looked at Sawyer, his brows raised in question. She nodded in Conrad’s direction, motioning for Declan to follow him. He didn’t know what else to do, so he stood and followed the man from the room, the rest of the group trailing behind him.

  Once out of the office, Conrad turned left and Declan could see a long hallway extending ahead of them. He remembered their conversation in the van earlier about mind readers and human lie detectors and felt his stomach tighten with nerves. He didn’t like the idea of anyone poking around in his thoughts. He didn’t have anything to hide, not really. Still, it was disconcerting to imagine a stranger knowing your every thought or feeling. Was that even how it worked? Maybe they could only see what you were currently thinking. Or could they root around in there like it was their own personal library? He felt his stomach clench again and tried to push those thoughts from his mind.

  They were now moving down the empty hallway and Declan could see doors on each side. When they came to the first one, Conrad stopped and faced the group, his hand on the knob. “You’ll wait in here. You’ll be debriefed individually. It won’t take long. We already have quarters arranged for you all. Gwynn can take you there as soon as you’re finished with the debrief. I hope you’ll find the rooms to your liking.” He opened the door and motioned them inside. Declan entered the room and
was reminded of a waiting room at a doctor’s office. There were several chairs and low tables placed around the well–lit room. He turned to face the others, looking to Sawyer for direction.

  As he looked back, his gaze caught on the man on the other side of the doorway. Conrad’s expression had changed from the tight, worried look of before. His brows had softened and he wore a small smile. The object of that smile had stopped in the doorway beside him. Gwynn gave him a small smile and Conrad reached up to briefly cup her cheek in a gesture of tenderness that made Declan turn away. It felt very intimate to be witness to that moment and he didn’t want to intrude. He imagined what it must be like to send the person you cared about on a mission and not know whether they would return safely. No wonder Conrad wore a constant look of worry.

  Declan’s gaze sought out Bree, as it seemed to so often do, whether he wanted it to or not. That sense of calm washed over him as it always did when he looked at her. He craved it, even as he knew he shouldn’t. As though she could sense his eyes on her, she glanced up and caught him looking. He quickly directed his gaze back to the rest of the room and moved to sit in the nearest chair, ignoring the little voice in his head that told him to go to her. That voice had been getting louder and more persistent in recent weeks and he’d found it more difficult to silence.

  Not long after the door they’d entered through clicked shut, another door on the other side of the room opened. A woman stood in the doorway, her lips curled in a small smile. She was tiny and delicate–looking, her dark brown pixie cut only adding to her air of youth. She exuded sweetness and a kind of childlike innocence. Her dark blue eyes swept over the group, landing on Declan.

  “Mr. Thomas?” she said with a smile. “Can you come with me, please?”

  The nerves in Declan’s gut tightened even further, but he ignored them and stood. He took a deep breath and managed to give the woman a small smile in return as he started walking toward the door that she held open. Although he told himself not to, he glanced over to Bree and met her concerned gaze. He gave her a small nod to reassure her that everything was okay. She smiled back but the worried look didn’t leave her eyes. Turning back to the woman in the doorway, he tried to focus on what was coming next.

  Chapter 5

  As the door closed behind them, the woman, whose head barely reached Declan’s shoulder, turned to him with a smile and said, “I’m Lydia Wilks. Don’t be nervous, Mr. Thomas. This isn’t going to hurt.” Her voice was sweet and lilting, reminding Declan of someone singing. He couldn’t help but return her smile.

  “Call me Declan,” he told her as they began to walk down another hallway, this one much shorter than the last. He was really beginning to wonder how big this place was. How many people lived here?

  Lydia smiled again and nodded. “Declan,” she said. “I’m not sure what you’ve been told to expect but try not to worry. We’re good people here. We’re all on the same side. This is just precautionary to make sure you are too.” Her voice was sweet and soothing, but her words didn’t have the effect she intended. He was still nervous about what he was about to encounter. He only nodded in response.

  They came to the end of the short hallway and Lydia opened the door in front of them, gesturing for him to enter. The room was brightly lit and held a large table that looked like it was made for the board room of a huge corporation. Around it was a dozen or so chairs, all made of polished wood that Declan could tell was mahogany. The legs of each piece were carved intricately in the way that antiques often were and he wondered how old the furniture was. Momentarily distracted, it took him an extra moment to notice the small child sitting in one of the chairs, rolling a toy truck across the polished surface of the table.

  He looked to be no more than 6 or 7 years old, but Declan didn’t have a lot of experience with children, so he wasn’t the best judge of that sort of thing. The boy continued to roll the truck across the polished table, seemingly oblivious to the two adults who had just entered the room. Declan looked back to Lydia, a question in his eyes. She gazed lovingly at the boy and he understood that she was his mother.

  “James,” she said gently. “This is Declan.”

  The boy didn’t look up from his truck when he answered. “I know.” Lydia smiled again.

  “James,” she said, more firmly this time. “Will you put the truck away for a minute and talk with Declan?”

  James sighed as though long–suffering. “Okay, Momma.” He moved the truck from the tabletop to his lap and gave her his full attention. Declan saw that James’s eyes were a perfect match to the dark blue of his mother’s. His dark hair was a riot of curls around his face as he smiled and Declan couldn’t help but smile back at the missing front teeth in the boy’s grin.

  “Hello, Declan Thomas,” James said in his little boy voice. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

  Declan didn’t know what was happening, but he went along with it. He walked over to where James was sitting and shook the boy’s outstretched hand. “Hello, James,” he said. “It’s nice to meet you, too.” Lydia came over to sit on one side of James and motioned for Declan to sit on the other side of the boy. He did so, still wondering why this little boy was here.

  No one said anything for a full minute. Declan was beginning to feel uncomfortable and opened his mouth to say something to Lydia when James finally spoke. “He’s a good guy, Momma.”

  Lydia smiled and kissed James on the top of his dark curls before standing. “Thanks buddy. I’m going to take Declan back now and bring in some of his friends, okay?”

  James had already brought his truck back onto the table and was rolling it back and forth across the table. “The pretty girl?” he asked, not looking up from the truck.

  Lydia smiled. “What pretty girl?”

  James didn’t look up from the truck. “The one in Mr. Declan’s head.” Lydia gave Declan a smile that looked slightly embarrassed. Declan felt his cheeks burn slightly but said nothing.

  “We’ll see, honey,” Lydia told James as she motioned Declan back to the door they’d come through earlier.

  Declan turned to Lydia as soon as the door closed behind them and said, “What was that?” pointing at the door.

  Lydia’s smile faltered for the first time and she took a deep breath. “He’s my son. He’s sweet and smart and mischievous, and perfect.” Declan was shocked to see her sweetness turn to steel when she spoke of James. “And he can see into people’s thoughts. We don’t know the depth of his ability yet, but he’s never been wrong. He says you’re a good guy, Declan so I believe him. So will everyone here.” She looked away for a moment before looking directly at him. Her dark eyes were intense. “I know this is a lot to take in and you’re new to all this, but you’re going to be okay.” He wasn’t sure why, but he felt better. He gave Lydia a small nod.

  “Thank you,” Declan said. “He seems like a great kid,” he added with a smile.

  Lydia’s mouth curved into a proud smile, “He is. Thank you.” She began walking back in the direction of what he thought of as the waiting room. Halfway there, she stopped at a door on the left and opened it, motioning for Declan to enter. “Wait in here. The others will be along shortly.” He did as she said and entered the room. It was similar to the waiting room from before and he again wondered how large this compound was. It seemed insane to imagine all this existing under the city streets with no one the wiser.

  He took a seat in the closest chair, wishing he could relax but it seemed impossible. His mind was reeling with all the events of the day and he was exhausted. He didn’t know what was going to happen next. He wondered if Bree was talking to James now. He wondered if they were really safe. He trusted Sawyer to protect them and she seemed to trust this place and these people, so he supposed that would have to be enough. Rylee and Jon had seemed uncomfortable since arriving at the compound, but they didn’t seem on guard. He wondered how difficult it was for them to come back to a place that they’d ran from all those years ago. He couldn’t
imagine what was going through their heads.

  He leaned back in the chair and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands, wincing at the pull in his shoulder as he did so. He’d almost forgotten about the injury there. He knew it was minor, but he was sure it needed cleaning and possibly stitches. His shirt was stuck to the skin and he imagined it was due to dried blood. With the immediate danger over, he had time to catalog all the little injuries he hadn’t noticed before. It was also hitting him all over again that they’d survived something they shouldn’t have. His hands trembled slightly as he recalled the explosion that had nearly killed Jon, the second explosion that had nearly killed Bree and himself, the man who’d come so close to stabbing him. The events of the day swirled through his head in a loop he couldn’t seem to turn off, ending with the image of the unarmed spotter’s head snapping backward as the bullet hit him. He leaned forward, shaking his head to clear away the awful vision. Sighing, he stood and began to slowly pace the room, waiting for someone to join him so he wouldn’t be alone with his thoughts.

  Sawyer found it impossible to relax after Declan left with Lydia. She paced the length of the room, waiting for Lydia to return. She needed to talk to her before anyone else went back to be debriefed. She hoped it wasn’t already too late. She didn’t know who was conducting the interviews now, but it was next to impossible to keep anything a secret in this place. She had to get to Lydia before the info came from someone else. She knew how she’d feel if she were in her place.