Reining In (The Network)

by Dawn Judd

  “How about you make yourself presentable, and then we’ll see.”

  “What, I don’t look charming like this?” Blood still dripped from his face, and his hair reminded me a lot of Albert Einstein. I shook my head and laughed.

  “Go clean up. I’ll come back for you in a few hours. You need some clothes?”

  He nodded his head and started walking back in the direction we had come from. The sun started to peek through the trees as we neared the abandoned house. Markus picked up his pace, and we made it through the front door before it was too uncomfortable for him.

  “You know, you might wanna get used to that. You might have to be out during the days more often than you like if you’re going to hang out with me.”

  “Hmmph. We’ll see about that,” he grumbled. I laughed and headed out the door. I felt like running back to Jake’s house as fast as I could, but forced myself to walk slowly. I was going to have to explain all this to him. I wasn’t really sure what I should tell him, or how much of it he really needed to hear.

  I probably should’ve mentioned to Markus that there were some things that my human companions did not know, and that I preferred that they didn’t know. I sure was making a lot of mistakes lately. It was a wonder I was still alive.

  Jake was waiting for me when I let myself in the door. I rather expected he would be. I knew him better than he knew himself. I did my best to explain what happened, and who Markus was, and told him as much as I thought he could handle. It’s hard to wrap up thousands of years into a few short sentences.

  He took it better than I thought he would, and actually seemed eager to meet Markus. Why this surprised me, I do not know. Jake never did things anyone expected him to. I suppose that was one of the things I liked about him.

  I had hoped to convince him to get a few hours sleep before we met up with Markus, but had no such luck. So instead, I asked him to go with me to pick up some things for Markus to wear.

  “You know, that property was for sale some time ago?” Jake blurted out as we backed out of his driveway.

  “And?” I was trying to maneuver through the tight road that led through his property, and wasn’t really sure where he was going with this conversation.

  “Well, if your friend is staying there, and someone discovers him, that could be bad, couldn’t it? But if you or I purchased the property, he could stay there undetected.”

  “Who says he’s staying?”

  “Well, I just…. I mean, I thought…. You just kind of made it sound like he wanted to stay here. Permanently.” Jake let out an exasperated breath. I guess I forgot to mention to him that Markus was a man-eater. I thought about it, though. It wasn’t such a bad idea, really. Up to this point, it had been Jake that had kept close tabs on Vyktor; something that I was not comfortable with.

  Jake was no match for Vyktor, and it was probably one of the worst ideas that he and Mack had ever come up with. Markus, on the other hand, was quite capable of taking care of himself, and could easily keep an eye on Vyktor without being detected. No voodoo tricks for him. He didn’t need them. Markus was a chameleon in human form.

  “What do you know about it? The house, I mean.” Jake rattled off what he knew, suggesting we make a stop to talk to an old friend of his, who just happened to be a realtor. Since I wanted to give Markus as much time as possible to prepare himself for his meeting with Jake, I decided it wasn’t such a bad idea. A way to kill a little time, I figured, if nothing else.

  So there it was; my human boyfriend and I were off to buy clothes and possibly a house for my vampire friend who had just been locked up in a crypt for nearly three hundred years. And then we would present said gifts to my friend, all the while hoping that he didn’t decide to make the human boyfriend his mid-day snack. Nothing strange or twisted about that.

  Chapter Eleven

  Time is a funny thing, to me. Especially me, I guess, because I have so much of it. Time is ever changing. Sometimes the days drag by, and others disappear in a blink of an eye. It is something a vampire never gets used to. Humans don’t see it. Yeah, they talk about it, but they don’t really see it; not like we do. Because we have an infinite amount of time on our hands; we see it all, as though it were a drawing on a wall.

  My time with Markus was slow and steady. He would always be there. I knew that. But with Jake, time flew by. The days blurred together until I could barely tell them apart. I knew why. My time with him was limited. He would not always be there.

  I guess that’s why it irritated me so much that Jake and Markus got along so well. They spent a lot of time together; bonding, if you will. Jake jumped at the opportunity to fix up the dilapidated old house that Markus had claimed as his own. With the help of me and the network, he could do so without fear of discovery.

  The two of them spent endless hours cleaning, fixing and restoring the old mansion. Normally, I would have joined right in. I was every bit as good a carpenter, electrician and plumber as Jake was; and I enjoyed the work.

  But my heart just wasn’t in it. I helped pick out a few colors and furniture, but that was as much interest as I could show. I felt bad, of course, because I was happy to have my old friend back, and I certainly wanted to spend time with Jake. But for some reason, I just didn’t want to spend time with the two of them, together.

  I wanted Jake to myself. That was why I was here, after all. Spending time with Markus meant the two of them hanging out and me feeling like a fifth wheel. So I spent much of my days researching the information Mack had sent me on our friends at the river.

  I was alarmed at some of the information Mack had uncovered. It seemed that the man who had killed Raymond was not just some worthless thug. He had connections. The type that threatened everything I had worked so hard to build. His name was Nikolas Baranov. He was the son of an influential Russian business man who was based in Los Angeles. He was an only son; the pride and joy of his father.

  There were rumors that the news of his son’s death had brought the man to his knees. He had vowed revenge on the person who had taken his son from him. This concerned me, more than I cared to admit. I was sure there was no way to trace the boy’s death back to me, but if there were….. The last thing I wanted was to put my people in danger; and it would. There was no doubt about that.

  I spent several days researching the boy’s family, and the more I discovered, the more alarmed I became. I knew now why Mack had hesitated to send the information on to me. He was just as concerned as I was, and knew my reaction would not be good. There were plans and preparations for such scenarios; ways to shut down the network and put the people who worked for me out of harm’s way.

  I never dreamed that I would ever have to put that plan in action. But now, I was faced with that decision. How much danger were my people in? They were my responsibility; that was for certain. If something happened to them, it would be my fault.

  I had called Mack several times to see where he stood on the whole situation. He did his best to calm my nerves, always assuring me that there was nothing to worry about, but I could hear it in his voice. He was worried, too. There was something else. I couldn’t put my finger on it. Something in the back of my mind, like a puzzle piece I just couldn’t fit in. The more I tried to put it all together, the more confused I seemed.

  So I spent several days trying to put it all out of my mind; tried to relax. I knew that if I ran back home now, Mack would just chastise me and send me back here. Even as worried as he seemed, he would make me stay put. But try as I did, I couldn’t let it go. A slow panic started to rise in me.

  I couldn’t concentrate on anything, and to make matters worse, Jake had been spending so much time working with Markus, that I hardly saw him anymore. He would come home late and just fall into bed; asleep before his head hit the pillow. In the mornings, he would be gone before I awoke; leaving me to my disturbed thoughts.

  I finally decided I needed to be around people, before I went insane. It was a beautiful day; the sun shinin
g, and a nice breeze coming off the gulf. I decided I would pack a lunch and go visit my boys. I had been so preoccupied with my own problems that I hadn’t been by the plantation house in several weeks.

  As I packed up the sandwiches and drinks, I felt lighter, happier than I had in a long time. My excitement grew as I thought about the work Jake and Markus had gotten done. I was almost dancing as I put the last few things in the basket and got ready to head down to the pathway along the beach.

  The phone rang just as I closed the door to the back porch. I stopped dead in my tracks. I knew. I didn’t want to believe it, but I knew. When I turned around again, the basket laid scattered on the ground. I didn’t even remember going back in to pick up the phone. I barely remember saying hello. Before I even heard her voice, I just knew.

  “Khallie, he needs you. Come home.”

  That was all she said. I mumbled something in compliance and just hung up the phone. She didn't have to say it, because I knew. Mack was in trouble, and I needed to get to him right away. As though they had heard my thoughts, Markus and Jake walked through the door as I ran to my room and started packing my things.

  Jake, seeing the lunch I had prepared him scattered everywhere, started to panic. I barely heard a word he said as I flew from room to room, gathering the things I would need. When he finally grabbed my shoulders to stop me, I could barely see him. I was dizzy and ready to collapse.

  “What the hell is going on? Are you hurt? What are you doing?” He barely finished one question to ask another. When he finally stopped, I crumbled to the floor, trying desperately to breath.

  “Khallie, please, tell me what’s going on.” Jake’s eyes pleaded with mine.

  “It’s Mack. Something’s happened.” My voice cracked at the weight of the words. I pushed Jake’s hands aside and pulled myself up off the ground. I didn’t have time to have a breakdown, and I didn’t have time to explain everything to Jake. I had to get to Mack. I had to make sure he was ok. Jake’s resolve dissipated. He just stood there as I continued to pack my things.

  I knew what he was feeling. Mack had been like a father to him. Jake was actually Mack’s nephew, the last living relative that Mack had. When Jake’s parents were killed in a car accident, Mack had taken him in. With no other family left in the world, they grew to rely on each other.

  Jake loved Mack, and losing him would just kill him. I knew what was going through his mind, and immediately I regretted telling him. He couldn’t come with. Not now. I knew why Mack was in danger. I had no doubt in my mind what had just happened. I couldn’t let Jake put himself there too. I stopped him just as he started towards his closet.

  “Jake, no. You can’t come with me.”

  “What? What the hell are you talking about? I have to come with, Khallie. You know that.” I sighed. This was going to be hard, but I couldn’t let him go.

  “Jake, Mack & I…. We stumbled onto something big; something that has put Mack’s life in danger. I can’t; no, I won’t let you put yourself in that danger, too. Do you understand?”

  Jake pushed past me reaching for his closet door. I closed my eyes. How could I convince him? I looked up at Markus, pleading with my eyes for him to help me out. Markus, quick as he was, got to the door before Jake.

  “Please listen to her, Jake. She can take care of herself. You are just a little more vulnerable. I’m sure she will call for you when she feels it’s safe for you to come.” Surely I underestimated how much the two of them had bonded, because I couldn’t believe it when Jake stopped and turned around, clearly having just conceded defeat.

  “I will call as soon as I get there, I promise.” I didn’t wait for him to respond. I needed to leave.

  “You shouldn’t drive. It will take too long. I’ll call the airport.” He sounded brokenhearted. He was, I knew. But I couldn’t give in. I wasn’t sure how bad things were with Mack. I wasn’t going to put Jake in danger too.

  I nodded my head, and Jake went back out to use the phone in the kitchen to book my flight. I gathered the rest of my things, while Markus stood and watched me.

  “He is a good friend?” he finally asked.

  “Yes, Markus. He is my best friend.” Tears started to run down my face. For the second time in months, I faced losing someone I loved. This just couldn’t be happening.

  “I’ll take care of Jake. I can see he is quite upset. You won’t have to worry about him. I’m certain I can take his mind off of things.” I looked up at Markus. Only weeks before, I would’ve never trusted him alone with Jake; but now, I needed to trust him. I nodded at him and started grabbing my things, lugging them behind me as I headed for the hallway. Jake ran up to me to grab my bags, and help me carry them out to my car.

  “I’ll drive you. They have a flight leaving almost immediately. If we hurry, we can get you there in time.” I shot him an appreciative glance and squeezed his hand. We drove in silence; neither one daring to look at the other. I knew I was on the edge of breaking down, and I didn’t want Jake to see that. As much as Jake loved me, he was still hurt that I wouldn’t let him come with.

  I was relieved when we finally pulled up to the Biloxi airport. There wasn’t a whole lot of time for goodbyes. Jake wasn’t wrong when he said I would barely have time to make my flight. I hugged him tight and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. He barely hugged me back and I could feel him tense up, until I started to pull away.

  He suddenly pulled me closer, holding me as tight as he could. How I wished I could just stay there in his arms. I didn’t want to let go when he finally pushed me away, reaching up to grasp my face in his hands, kissing me on the forehead.

  “I’m sorry Jake. I don’t want to leave you here.” He just kept looking at me, not hearing the words coming out of my mouth. I could see the last few people boarding my flight, and started to pull away, but he didn’t let go. Finally, he spoke, his voice barely a whisper.

  “Khallie, marry me.”

  “What”

  “Just promise me; when you come back, marry me.”

  “Jake,” my voice was filled with doubt and concern.

  “Just say yes.” I didn’t know what to say. It was something we had never talked about; something neither of us had ever considered. It raised questions that I wasn’t ready to answer. And yet, at this moment, I wanted nothing more than to spend my life with him. Somewhere, deep down inside, I found the courage, for the first time in my life to say yes. And then he was gone, and I was staring out the window of the plane, heading towards something that I wasn’t sure I was coming back from.

  Chapter Twelve

  Marlene was waiting for me at the airport when I arrived. I knew she would be there, but I was also surprised that she had left Mack’s side. Few words were spoken between us as we headed to the hospital. She was shaken badly, I could tell.

  What little bit of information I got out of her was jumbled and confusing. Mack had been shot, several times, after walking in on what the police thought was a robbery in progress. Two men had broken into Mack’s office and were tearing the place apart when he walked in. Marlene had been the one to find him.

  I pieced together the bits and pieces of information, and tried to come up with some kind of logical explanation. Mack didn’t keep money or valuables in his office. Anyone who was local would just know that. Whoever broke in wasn’t looking for valuables. They were looking for information. But who and why? Those were the questions that bothered me.

  Mack’s main priority was the network. Even the corporate legalities were handled by the Valdis legal department. Mack wasn’t even a part of the legal department, and handled the network on his own. Secrecy was necessary, and Mack didn’t trust anyone.

  So the question remained: what kind of information did Mack have that someone was willing to kill him over? I had my suspicions, of course. But they weren’t exactly grounded. I knew where Vyktor was and what he was doing, and I knew he was not personally involved in this.

  The car stopped suddenly, bring
ing me back to reality. I climbed out and quickly followed Marlene into the hospital. I was impressed with her calmness. She was clearly upset, yet she was completely in control. As we climbed into the elevator, she handed me an envelope, then turned to push the floor button.

  I opened the envelope, which held only a California driver’s license, bearing my picture on it. It read Khalida Shaw. “Relatives only,” she explained, not looking up. The elevator jerked to a stop and I followed Marlene out into the hallway. Two armed guards stood outside the ICU. I folded the envelope, stuck it in my pocket and followed Marlene towards the guards.

  “We’re here to see Mackenzie.” She said calmly. The armed guard smiled at her, with a hint of sympathy in his eyes. He obviously recognized her, as she had surely been here since they had admitted Mack. Then his eyes fell on me and the smile disappeared.

  “And this is?” he asked, curtly.

  “This is Khalida Shaw, Mack’s sister.” She replied, gesturing for me to show him the license she had just given me. I held it up and the guard quickly grabbed it from me, first looking at me, then the ID, then me again. When he was satisfied that it was me in the picture, he handed it back to me.

  “I’m sorry Mrs. Shaw. You know we have to be cautious.”

  “Of course, Derrick. We do understand. Ms. Shaw here has come a long way and would like to see her brother now, so if you don’t mind….”

  The guard stepped out of her way, and let us past. Once the door closed behind us and I was sure he could no longer hear us, I piped up.