by Ali House
“Well, have a good night. I’ll try to have twice as much fun to make up for your lameness.”
Nathan said goodbye to Christian. He walked into the lobby and headed for the stairs in the back right corner. He walked down one flight of stairs, coming to a stop in front of a door with an “Electrical Room” sign on it.
Taking out a keychain that contained four keys and a small metal token, he used one of the keys to unlock the door. Inside was a small grey hallway that slanted downwards. After walking for a few minutes he came to another door. He waved the metal token in front of a small sensor, and there was a soft click as something unlocked.
Nathan pushed open the door and stepped into the Tecken compound.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Later that evening, Kit gathered everyone together to let them know what had happened. She was nervous, but also as prepared as she was going to be.
“As you all know, Vaughn and I had planned to go out and look for Nathan,” she began. She was trying not to look at Vaughn, who was standing on the other side of the living room, not looking at her. Every time she looked at him, she thought about what had happened in her room, and what could have happened if she hadn’t stopped. It was very distracting.
“You obviously saw him,” Cale remarked. “Otherwise this is the worst reason for calling a meeting ever.”
Kit nodded. “I was at the cafe, waiting for Vaughn, when Nathan came up to me.” She paused for reactions and was not disappointed. Everyone but Vaughn leaned forward, eyes wide with shock.
“He what?” Zenyth burst out.
“He walked up to me and introduced himself.”
“And where were you?” she asked, turning on Vaughn.
“I was running late.”
Kit took a deep breath. “Nathan had heard about my fight in the mall, and he wanted to talk to me. He figured that we’d have a lot in common.”
“Did he take you to that club?” Bryanna asked. Something in her expression told Kit that she wanted to ask a lot of follow-up questions.
“No. We went to the museum.”
Zenyth let out a frustrated groan. “You went on a date with him?! What is wrong with you? Does this guy have magic hair or something?”
“Go on,” Naydir said, ignoring his sister.
“Well, we walked through the exhibit and talked about it. I mostly just complained about Humanists, but I think that was enough. He never outright said that he was with Tecken, but he definitely spoke like a Tecken sympathizer. He was good at twisting everything towards his viewpoint, so that you agreed with him no matter what he said. He said that he was in public relations, and if he’s recruiting people to sympathize with Tecken, then he’s very good at his job.”
“And after the museum?”
Kit willed herself not to blush. “I left and came home.”
“And where were you during all of this?” Zenyth turned on Vaughn again.
“I was following them,” he said. “I got to the cafe in time to see them leave.”
“And where did Nathan go after Kit left him?”
Vaughn paused. “I didn’t follow him. I went after Kit to make sure she was okay.”
Zenyth’s look said so much more than words could have. Kit found herself feeling sympathetic for Vaughn. Zenyth would never let him live this down.
“So we still don’t have any actual proof that the guy’s with Tecken,” Cale complained.
Bryanna rolled her eyes. “He’s too smooth to be just a Tecken sympathizer. He’s totally with Tecken somehow.”
“Which is why none of us should go running off with him,” Zenyth said angrily.
Bryanna laughed. “At least I got his name. What have you done?”
Zenyth’s look could have melted concrete. “I’m the one who found him in the first place, and I did it without approaching him. You took an unnecessary risk.”
“Risks are there to be taken.”
“And in taking them you lose something. You and Kit can’t follow Nathan anymore, because he’ll recognize you both. That’s one-third of our team rendered useless.”
“If he’s so dangerous, why don’t the cops pick him up for questioning?” Cale asked. Zenyth rounded on him so quickly that he put up his hands in defense. “I’m just curious.”
“It’s not that simple,” Naydir replied. “The cops don’t have an address for him so they can’t search his premises for the gun. If they stop him on the streets and search him, then they can’t take him in unless they find a gun on him at that moment. If they don’t find a gun, then there’s no justification for arresting him – especially if we have no idea where to find said gun.”
“And if you stop him, then he’ll know we’re on to him and he’ll disappear,” Vaughn finished.
Naydir nodded.
“So what do I do if he approaches me again?” Kit asked. Even if she stood Nathan up on Friday, there was always the risk that he would see her around town.
“I guess you have to play along with it.” Naydir stood up. “But I’ll phone Triton and ask him, just to be sure.”
“Do I have to worry about anyone else running off with him?” Zenyth muttered.
“He is cute,” Naydir admitted.
She glared at her brother.
“Definitely do-able,” Cale agreed.
“If I didn’t hate him so much…” Vaughn added.
Zenyth groaned and put her head in her hands.
Even though she could justify her actions, Kit was nervous about talking to Triton. He wasn’t supposed to meet with anyone other than Zenyth and Naydir, but this was a special situation. When Naydir called him, he’d asked to speak to Kit and set up the meeting for the next evening.
They were meeting at a bar on the outskirts of Drakkar in order to avoid suspicion. Now that Nathan knew what she looked like they couldn’t risk him seeing her with someone who worked at the ISS. The drive was pleasant, but Kit spent the entire time thinking of what Triton would say to her. He was normally quite nice, but this wasn’t a normal situation.
When she entered the bar, Triton was already there, sitting at a small table at the back. The bar was surprisingly clean, although the windows were shaded and the inside was dimly lit. There were only two other people in the bar, and they looked like they hadn’t left the establishment for forty years. Kit guessed that nobody would bother listening to their conversation, including the bartender.
“You should try the scotch,” Triton said as she sat down across from him. “It’s fifty years old.”
“I’ll remember that for next time.”
“So, tell me about Monday.”
‘Cutting right to the chase.’ Kit took in a deep breath and began to tell the story for the third time. She was getting tired of telling it, but Triton didn’t say anything as she spoke. He listened to her with an expressionless look on his face, taking a drink once in a while. She tried to figure out what he was thinking, but he wasn’t giving her anything to go on.
When she reached the part where they left the museum, she stopped and waited for him to say something, but he sat silently for an entire minute.
“Okay,” he finally said. “Even though we don’t have any positive proof, we’re going to act as though Nathan is the enemy. He’s definitely suspicious enough to be one. The problem is that without proof we can’t call it in. If someone asked him, he could always pretend to be a defector who was too nervous to register.”
Kit nodded. “Understandable.”
“I know that this isn’t what you signed up for, but I need you to see him again. He might introduce you to friends of his, which could help us ID other soldiers, or he might let something slip about where he lives.”
“Do you think so?”
“It’s possible. I don’t want you volunteering to join the Tecken army, but if you can maintain contact with him, then you could get a lot of valuable information. You’ll have a very fine line to walk.”
Kit already knew this, but his words still made
her nervous.
“So it’s okay if I see him again?” Kit asked.
He nodded. “In fact, I hope you do. This is the best chance we’ve had so far.”
“Then I guess I’ll show up on Friday.”
“What?”
She braced herself. “Before I left, he asked me to meet him on Friday. I said yes, because I didn’t know what else to say. I didn’t mention it to anyone because I wasn’t sure if I was going to show up.”
Triton fell silent again and took a drink. “Three days isn’t a lot of notice. We don’t have time to set you up with anything.”
“Like what?”
“Like a tape recorder, so that we can listen to everything he says.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m not wearing a wire. It’s too risky, especially with a guy like Nathan.”
“You’re not thinking of...” Triton’s voice trailed off awkwardly.
“No! No, it’s just... This will be tough enough without having to worry about electronics.”
“Okay. But you have to remember everything suspicious that he says. You should probably also remember the non-suspicious stuff as well. We don’t want to miss anything.”
‘So remember everything.’ She nodded. “I’ll do what I can.”
“Good. Have someone call me as soon as you get back to the house on Friday. I don’t care if it’s ten or two – I really hope it’s not two – but have someone call me right away. I doubt I’ll get any sleep until I hear that you’re back safe and sound.”
When Kit arrived at the house, she noticed that Vaughn’s motorcycle wasn’t in the driveway. As much as she hated to admit it, she felt relieved. They were both keeping their distance after what had happened in her bedroom – or, to be more exact, what hadn’t happened. She felt like she owed him an explanation, but couldn’t tell him the truth. It made sense that they shouldn’t date when they had such an important job to do for the ISS, but she was afraid that if she used that as her excuse, he’d bring up a counter-argument and she’d have nothing else to fall back on.
Even though Triton wanted her to meet up with Nathan again, she was nervous about mentioning it to everyone else. She’d have to tell them. If she went behind their backs and saw Nathan again, they’d be even angrier.
Before turning off her El-car, she noticed that the charge was getting low. She switched off the ignition and walked to the hood.
‘Electricity was a good choice,’ she thought as she lifted the hood. Putting her right hand on the battery, she summoned up her power and channeled it into the battery. As the electricity flowed through her, she knew that her eyes were glowing a bright yellow colour. After twenty seconds, she stopped. If she charged the battery for too long, she could end up cooking it.
As she lowered the hood, she thought about the Electricity element and how it only worked for her if she was touching the thing she wanted to charge. Each element had its strengths and weaknesses. For example, Ice gave you the ability to control cold air, chill water, and – for those who practiced – you could create snow, but it was weaker than water and air. All elements were weak after Acceptance, but it was practice that made them stronger. Well, for everyone except her.
Kit looked at her El-car, but she’d run out of reasons for staying out of the house. She had to go inside and face whoever was in there. Maybe she’d luck out and it would be Bryanna.
Luck was not on her side. When she walked through the door, she saw Zenyth sitting with Naydir in the living room. They acted like they were watching the television, but she knew that they had been waiting for her.
Kit took in a deep breath. “Triton wants me to see Nathan again, and it just so happens that I have an opportunity to see him on Friday. I promise to be careful.”
“If Triton’s okay with it, then we’re okay with it,” Naydir replied.
Zenyth looked like she wanted to say something, but stayed silent. Kit quickly walked past them before Zenyth changed her mind.
That Friday Kit was confident only in the feeling that she might throw up. It was just her nerves getting to her, but she had a talent for working herself up. She tried to calm the tempest in her stomach by taking deep breaths, but the feeling never left her completely. The thought of what she was going to do tonight made it almost impossible for her to concentrate on work.
When her work day ended, she drove back to the house. She didn’t want to face anyone, but she also didn’t want to wander around Stanton for three hours. Nobody said anything more than a casual greeting to her as she walked up to her room – for which she was thankful. She changed out of her work clothes and, after going through her entire closet, into a pair of jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt. Then she changed her mind and put on a black short-sleeved shirt. Then she changed her mind again and put on one of the shirts that Bryanna had made her purchase. She almost changed her mind a fourth time, but stopped herself.
It had taken almost an hour for her to settle on her outfit, but there was still time to try to eat something. It had been easier when Nathan’s approach had been a surprise. Now that she had time to go over everything in her head, she was freaking out. Kit wasn’t sure if she’d be able to eat, but she knew that she should.
Bryanna was in the kitchen, tearing up lettuce. She noticed Kit and smiled. “I’m throwing together a salad, do you want some?”
“Sure,” Kit replied. “I don’t know how much I’ll be able to eat, though.”
“Then I’ll just give you a little to start.”
Kit sat at the table as Bryanna mixed fruits and nuts into the salad. Bryanna was the only person that wasn’t treating her like a child, but it was probably because Bryanna had already done what she was about to do. Whatever the reason, Kit was thankful for it.
“I’m glad I made you buy that shirt,” Bryanna said. “That green looks good on you.”
“Thanks.”
“I wish you’d get rid of those black bracelets and try some bangles, but I guess I shouldn’t push my luck.” She smiled at Kit before turning back to the salad.
Kit didn’t feel like mentioning her father, so she left the comment alone. Instead she tried not to think about all the things that could go wrong tonight, like Nathan discovering that she was working for the ISS. If he found out that she was a spy, he’d probably try to kill her. What were the chances that she’d be murdered by Nathan tonight?
When Bryanna put the salad in front of her, Kit thanked her. She wanted to say something else, something about how glad she was that Bryanna had gone off with Nathan because it made what she was doing seem less dangerous. Unfortunately there was no way of phrasing such a thought without it coming across like a back-handed compliment, so Kit stayed quiet.
Bryanna talked about her work while they ate. She always had interesting stories about patrons, and it helped to keep Kit’s mind occupied. For a while it began to feel like a normal day, and Kit managed to eat what was put in front of her.
Before she knew it, it was time to leave. Bryanna gave her a wink and wished her good luck. Kit laughed in spite of herself and thanked Bryanna. She didn’t pass anyone else on her way out, which was a relief. Sitting in her El-car, she took a deep breath and started the engine. It was time.
The drive downtown went by too quickly and she was soon near the cafe. She tried to ignore all the thoughts running through her head and reminded herself that she had to do this. This could help the ISS immensely, and maybe she’d actually be able to pull it off. She was due for something in her life to go right.
Nathan was waiting for her on the sidewalk in front of Tea’d.
“Should we go inside?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I’ve got another place in mind. Shall we?”
She nodded. He put his hand around her shoulders and led her down the street.
“There’s a bar that I want to take you to. I figure it’s Friday night, we might as well live it up.”
“Sure,” she said, trying to sound excited. Was this the same
bar that he’d taken Bryanna to? Maybe she could get the bouncer to remember her and let her in without Nathan some time.
He led her through downtown, towards a bar called Fire. Kit couldn’t help being a little disappointed by this – Fire was a bar that was open to anyone. There was no secret to it, which meant that she probably wouldn’t find out anything important here.
They managed to get a booth in back of the bar. The bar was mostly lit in red, in keeping with its name, and the lights over their booth were actually quite dark. Nathan sat next to her, somehow managing to constantly be touching her – whether it was a hand on the knee or an arm across the shoulders. He purchased their first round and drank his beer fast. Kit tried not to match him. She reminded herself that not only did she not drink very often, but she also hadn’t eaten much for dinner.
“So how are you finding Stanton?” he asked her.
“It’s nice. I mean, other than the whole ‘site of the first war in 600 years’ thing.”
“Yeah, but that’s all in the past.”
“Yeah,” she said. “I didn’t really think about it much until the exhibit.”
“Well, the past is there for us to learn from,” he said.
It was statements like those which worried Kit the most. The idea behind that thought could go either way – that we learned that war is horrible and should never happen again, or that Tecken learned what not to do and will try to overcome their failure in the next war. You could agree with him without knowing what you were actually agreeing with.
He brought the conversation to something more lighthearted by talking about a recent night out he’d had with one of his friends. After that the conversation veered towards Humanists and what kind of ridiculous things the two of them would like to do if they were in charge. Nathan suggested making the Humanists live in caves like their much-loved ancestors, and Kit couldn’t help genuinely laughing.
They talked for a while, with Nathan ordering drinks every time one of them had an empty glass. Kit was happy that they were just talking. Maybe he’d taken her first-date rule to heart and was actually going to take it slow. The longer she dragged this out, the more information she could get.