by J. E. Swift
Regardless of whether it was, she took her few belongings that were not packed in storage already and brought them with her to start this new chapter of her life. Garrett had tried to keep her mind busy. He spent the road trip answering questions she had for him, such as if the current head of Trust Corporation, Jonah Pasquino was an Actual. It turns out that he is actually one of the Descendants. It was strange to think of a celebrity as being what she is.
He had also spent a large amount of time on his cell phone, setting up arrangements for her to have a place to stay when they arrived. He wouldn’t tell her exactly where they were going, except that it was in Northern Maine. She did have to admit, when the houses began to disappear and they were surrounded by nothing but green firs, she became uneasy.
“Welcome to the great North Woods. The next few months you will call a town named Millinocket your home. It’s a small town, population of about five thousand.”
“How many Actuals live up here?”
“Well, most do not live up in Northern Maine, but you have probably at least two hundred that live in the direct vicinity and are at the facility on a day to day basis. Most of the Actuals that report to Trust Headquarters on any kind of regular basis do live in the New England area however. Many reside in Massachusetts and Connecticut. There is a small airport right in Millinocket, so if there is an important meeting that the Council needs to attend in person, the members that are not available can just fly in.”
“Why is this so far north and out of the way?”
Garrett shrugged. “Less questions asked. The facility is not even part of the town; there are sections of Maine that are not even designated townships.”
“Not to sound ungrateful, but is there anything to do up this way?”
“There is a lot of wildlife, so fishing, boating, hiking… if those are your things, you will be very happy here. If not, the Trust has an amazing library and some activities for its members that stay here regularly. Besides, if you became really bored, I am sure we could just fly into Boston for the day.”
As he turned onto another dirt road, several large houses appeared in the distance. Garrett pulled up to a well-maintained white farmhouse, parking next to several other cars. He stepped out of the car quickly, familiar with his surroundings, and walked over to open her door.
“Thank you. Is this where I am staying?” Caitlyn pointed the old farmhouse in front of her as she gave her legs a much-needed stretch. The house was extremely large for one person. Garrett grabbed her bags from the trunk, closing it tight as he looked to where she was pointing.
“Yes. The house is actually comprised of multiple apartments. Actuals that are here on temporary assignment stay in one of these three buildings. The main facility is only another mile and a half down the road.”
Caitlyn sighed happily in approval as she took in the wrap around deck, with its well-used porch swing. The paint was peeling just slightly, but Caitlyn thought it more to be for effect than actual negligence. The perfect gardens made up of early blooming flowers that surrounded the house were evidence of that. “How many people live here?”
Garrett handed her the backpack. “They can hold up to twenty. But right now, there are only seven others. It’s fairly quiet at the moment.”
Caitlyn fidgeted as she slung it on her back. She knew he could hear her thought. “I’m nervous.”
He patted her shoulder reassuringly as he walked her up onto the farmer’s porch. “Don’t be. I’ll help you get settled in. Once that is done, I’ll take you to dinner. I know just where to take you. You’ll love it.”
A blonde woman in her mid-thirties came walking through the door, her smile appearing to be genuine. She sashayed over to Garrett, wrapping him in a warm hug. “Garrett! How have you been! It’s been ages.”
He returned the embrace. “Hi, Trish. I’m doing well. Trish, may I introduce Caitlyn Young.”
Garrett guided Caitlyn towards the woman, who in turn greeted Caitlyn with a warm demeanor that made her feel more at ease.
Trish stuck out her hand and she shook Caitlyn’s strongly, a trait Caitlyn liked right away. “Welcome, Caitlyn dear. How are you?”
Caitlyn twisted the bracelet she was wearing, answering honestly. “Nervous, but well.”
The woman wrapped her arm around Caitlyn’s waist and led her inside. “Sweetheart, we all felt that way in the beginning. I promise you, you are in good hands with Garrett. Plus-” she whispered loudly knowing that the man behind them could still hear, “he is quite a pretty thing to look at.” She craned her neck behind her, winking at Garrett. Caitlyn could not help but let out a small snicker.
Garrett rolled his eyes affectionately at her. “I’ll have you know, Trish, that there is more to me than just my good looks.”
“Sure there is, sugar. Sure there is. You keep telling yourself that.”
“Caitlyn, Trish is an official concierge of the Trust. She takes care of all the guests that stay here for any extended period. She is also the resident flirt.”
“Well, I get to have some fun, don’t I? Besides, from what I hear, Garrett Stevens, your reputation is almost as bad as mine is. Caitlyn, let me show you where you will be staying.”
As Garrett excused himself to make yet another call, Trish led Caitlyn inside where she was greeted by a foyer and a large set of stairs. “Your apartment will be the second one to the left on the second floor. It is small, but has a lovely view and is really one of the most comfortable apartments in the entire compound in my opinion. The so-called important people always want the bigger apartments in the newer houses, but I’ve always preferred this building myself. It gives more of a feeling of being at home. Your entire apartment is already furnished. Since you will be staying for an extended time, if there is anything that does not suit your tastes in there, please let me know. We can change things to meet your needs.”
Instead of climbing the stairs, Trish turned left to take her on a tour of the common rooms, beginning with the small, but extensive library. “I’ve also seen to it that you will have your own transportation. The car should be dropped off tomorrow. Nothing fancy mind you, but a car to get you here to there, unless you show to have other talents.”
Caitlyn was left wondering what that meant as she continued with the tour, making small chitchat regarding the architecture of the building. They walked through the pantry into a formal dining room, before ending up back at the stairwell. Trish led her up the stairs, not stopping until she reached a door on the far end of the hallway.
Although the place was older, Caitlyn noticed that she opened up the door with a card key and combination pad. Caitlyn raised her eyebrows at the concierge.
“For privacy. A lot of people that stay here are here due to important business. You will get a card key, but you will establish your own key code that only you and I shall know. I’ll never enter your room unless it is of an urgent medical emergency.”
Trish stated this last statement with complete seriousness. As the door creaked open, it revealed the apartment to her for the first time. Caitlyn walked through it, examining the place she would be living. Trish was right. The place was small, just three rooms, but it held a spectacular view of the stream behind the house and the apartment was pleasant. Caitlyn could picture herself cozying up by the chair next to the window on a winter evening reading a book.
Once Caitlyn had completed checking out the apartment, Trish turned to the young woman and handed her yet another card, this one silver.
Caitlyn flipped the card over in her hands. “What is this?”
“The Trust has provided a stipend for you during your training. It should be more than enough to cover your expenses while you are here. If however, you find that you need more, come to me and I’ll talk with accounting.”
“I… I can’t accept that.”
Trish lips curved upwards as if expecting that response. “All the new ones always say that. The nice ones anyways. Caitlyn, the Trust is very well funded. They
want you to be comfortable while you are here. While you are training, there is not going to be time for you to get a job. Besides, this is a tiny town, even if there was time, it’s not like there are a ton of jobs available. Those are for the actual residents of the town. If you are uncomfortable with taking the funds, just think of it like a loan. Most people that belong to the Trust end up giving back to the Trust more than they take over time anyways.”
When Caitlyn did not look convinced, Trish placed her hand on Caitlyn’s shoulder. “Caitlyn, you are an investment to this organization. If they did not invest in you, it’s possible that the Cine Tofa would try to recruit you. Trust me when I say that is what nobody wants.”
Caitlyn could hear Garrett coming up the stairs. He appeared with her large duffle bag, the only indicator of Caitlyn’s previous life as of right now. He put the bag down in the living room before inspecting the small space. “This is nice. Thank you, Trish. Do you like it, Caitlyn?”
“Yes. Much more than I expected.”
“Good. I was thinking we could get you settled in, and then have dinner, if that’s alright with you.”
Caitlyn unpacked her few belongings in her closet while Garrett waited. When she was finished, she peered out the window, pondering yet again how her life could change so dramatically in such a short period of time. It was bound to change her completely, and Caitlyn determined that she was going to make the most of this experience.
When she walked out of the bedroom, Garrett grabbed his keys.
“Where are we going?”
“Out. To the best burgers in town.”
Garrett and her drove through the town. Instead of stopping at one of the restaurants in the town, he pulled into a tan house.
“Where are we?”
“My house.”
“I thought you said these were the best burgers in town.”
He grinned. “Not to brag, but they are.”
Garrett gave her a brief tour of the house. The more modern preference that Garrett had was evident in the décor of the home. Slick clean lines and bold colors made up each room. As the tour ended in the kitchen, Garrett lowered behind the granite countertop island, popping up with two wine glasses and a bottle of Merlot.
“Wine with burgers?”
He leaned back against the kitchen counter. “You need to relax, have a drink, and eat some comfort food. Tomorrow we can begin our training, but tonight is going to be just about enjoying the fact that you are getting the journey you wanted, even if it is not exactly what you had planned.”
Caitlyn drank her first glass of wine slowly as Garrett expertly prepared burgers and some homemade French fries. Caitlyn couldn’t help but admire her new mentor as he worked around his kitchen, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, drinking his wine as he cooked their food to the sound of relaxing jazz.
As he flipped one the burgers, she took a sip of wine, asking a question. “So tell me about Colorado.”
He twisted his head to look at her. “Colorado? What do you want to know about it?”
Her finger played with the rim of the glass. “What was it like growing up there? You obviously liked it.”
Garrett took one last glance at the stove, deciding that the burgers were done. He assembled the burgers and then placed her plate in front of her before answering her question. “Colorado was nice. We had a lot of land. It was a good place to grow up as a kid.”
“Did you know any others like us?” She asked as she took a bite of her burger. She did have to admit that the burger was one of the best she had ever had.
He placed down his food. “No, not until I was much older. I always knew what I was since I was eight. My mother never kept it a secret from me, but she did ask that I keep it secret. At that age, it wasn’t hard, because I just wanted to be like everyone else. As I grew older, I became more curious. When I was fourteen and a half, my mother finally introduced me to others like us that were in the area.”
“Anyone your age?”
He wiped a bit of ketchup from his mouth with his napkin. “There was a girl named Isla. At that time, there were not a whole lot of Actuals in Colorado, never mind teenagers who held that kind of secret. So she and I naturally became friends.”
“Did you become more than friends?” she raised her eyebrows.
Garrett knew where Caitlyn was taking the line of questioning. He replied, “We were really close friends, but not quite that close. I left Colorado when I was sixteen, so we never really explored that path.”
“Are you still friends with her?”
“Actually, yes. Over the past few years, when I moved up to Maine, I ran into Isla and we became reacquainted. I see her now and again at different events. If she is in the area, she will give me a call and we will get together.”
“Ah, I see.” Caitlyn replied in a teasing voice.
He shook his head at her, laughing, throwing a fry at her, which Caitlyn dodged easily. “It’s not like that! Really, we just hang out, reminisce about the past. Isla is far too refined for someone like me. She couldn’t stand my laid back ways and I would never be able to stand her needing to be involved in everything. As friends, we work just fine. As anything else…” he trailed off.
Caitlyn mulled over that while finishing her glass of wine. She could easily imagine Garrett having a line of girlfriends from the past. He was smart, charming, and good-looking. She could see people naturally gravitating towards him, women especially. Why she even thought about this or cared, she was not sure. But it was a thought that plagued her in the back of her mind throughout the evening.
After they finished dinner, Garrett suggested that they spent the rest of the evening getting lost watching the latest comedy that had come out on DVD. Caitlyn hesitated at first, her mind still focused on her change. However, as they settled in with some popcorn and sodas on his couch, she had to admit he was right; it was nice getting some normalcy in for once after the past several days. It reminded her that life does still go on, even in its most simplest of forms.
Chapter 6
Garrett knocked on her door too loudly, sounding far too chipper for someone who had stayed up extremely late watching a movie, and was awake by seven am. Caitlyn was tired; nothing like the fatigue of the past several months, but she was struggling with the fancy coffee maker that the Trust had provided and could not get it to work.
“Caitlyn, I can hear you grumbling in there. I brought coffee. And food. Just let me in.”
Giving one last evil glance at the dreaded machine, she opened the door. Garrett as promised delivered sustenance.
“I swear I am normally a morning person.” She responded as she repressed a yawn.
“I know you are. Remember, I had to watch you for weeks before officially meeting you. You made me get up at six am every morning to watch you at six-thirty.”
They walked down to his car, Caitlyn inquiring what they were going to do that day for her training. Garrett was surprisingly mum, just answering with a quick, “You’ll see.”
The road the car traveled down was shockingly well maintained, even though the dirt appearance of the road did not make it seem such. The ride was short; Garrett had not exaggerated when he advised her that the facility was only a mile and a half from where they were. He pulled the vehicle up to the compound and Caitlyn was initially greeted with a standard two-story brick building, nothing of any real consequence. There were some other small buildings on the outskirts of the compound but nothing truly impressive in nature. It was underwhelming really.
Caitlyn could not help but think to herself that this was the grand center of the Trust for North America? She had expected more somehow. Garrett had explained that there were lots of smaller facilities all over the United States, Canada, and Mexico under the guise of Trust Corporation, one of the biggest companies in the world, but she could not believe that this was the headquarters. She said as much to Garrett.
Garrett let out a huge belly laugh. “Corporate Headquarters? Hell, no! Co
rporate is located in Napa Valley, California.”
Caitlyn was perplexed. Napa Valley was of course the natural choice for a tech firm’s headquarters, but her knowledge of Trust Corporation had been fairly limited prior to all this and she knew that was not what he said. “But I could have sworn you said…”
Garrett shook his head. “I said we were at the headquarters. Headquarters for the Trust. There is a massive distinction between the two. Corporate is the public façade, how the Trust makes its money. Now where we are, this is the real powerhouse. It’s important to understand the difference.”
The car was parked in a dirt lot, with a deteriorating concrete pathway leading up to the non-descript door. Caitlyn walked through the murky glass entryway. She was greeted by two rather imposing security guards, who stood under an older sign that read: Welcome to Trust Corporation.
The receptionist to the left of them sat slouched at her desk wearing a blank expression. Silence filled the small space; the sole exception being a loud pop coming from the chewing gum in the woman’s mouth. Garrett walked up to her, flirting easily with the brunette, before advising her that he was here for “Orientation.” It was only then that the woman looked past him towards Caitlyn, eyeing her up and down before finally deciding to talk to her.
“Welcome to Trust. You will take the left wing elevator for orientation.”
Garrett gently put his hand on her back, guiding her through the left wing. As they strolled through the unimpressive building, he explained that this was one of their manufacturing facilities, very insignificant to the public eye, nothing controversial about it all. Caitlyn would have to agree with that statement. They arrived at a plain elevator, waiting for it to open. When the doors slid open, they walked in, standing side by side.
The doors shut and Caitlyn leaned down to press the button to the second floor. However, what she found in its place was a high tech panel in front of her, which she stared at for a brief moment, unsure of what to do. Garrett leaned in front of her and placed his hand on the monitor. When it completed its scan, he then placed his eyes in front of another device, which performed only what she could guess was a retinal scan.