The Radical (Unity Vol.1)

by Lynch, S. M.

  A week prior to meeting Seraph, I was in my apartment when I received a vis-call from an unknown number. I answered and recognized the person on the screen. I had seen her at Red Rock all those years ago.

  She was a mousy looking woman, but you could tell she knew how to hold her own. ‘I hear you’ve managed to get yourself quite high up in the game, Ryken,’ she said, in an English accent mixed with a twang of French.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘You took the bait, but you didn’t realize who had really thrown it to you.’

  UNITY was present everywhere you went, and yet just as Officium was, neither of them was ever mentioned, never talked about, only whispered amongst the people. They both existed silently, but eerily.

  ‘You represent the resistance?’

  ‘Of course. We hear you’ve just completed your training, and now we need you to attend a family gathering in Manchester… can you make it?’

  ‘I will try…’

  ‘You won’t try, you will be there. We need you to see what you can find in their labs there…’

  ‘Okay. How will I get out of work?’

  ‘Tell your employer you’re taking a holiday for a family matter.’

  ‘I’ll see what I can do. How do I get in touch?’

  ‘Oh, we’ll be in touch Ryken, don’t worry. Just get on the next available flight. We’ll know when you’re coming. Just don’t disappoint us.’

  I snuck into the labs in Manchester but found nothing there. Frustratingly, I traveled all that way to get nothing and became an enemy of Officium in the process. They realized I had betrayed them by breaking into the Manchester labs. Scared for my life, I decided I would fly to Africa on a fake U-Card and get myself lost in the wilds of Kenya somewhere.

  Then I bumped into Seraph at the airport when all flights were grounded. I recognized her from the paper and had scorned her when we first came into contact, knowing how ruthlessly she worked. Then I realized why she paraded the streets of New York as she did. She didn’t know that I was also trying to get to the truth, but in a different manner. And within minutes of talking to her, I was smitten. Her brusque manner was accented with such womanliness, it was so appealing. She was so innately beautiful and she didn’t even know it. She was also a woman’s woman, fiercely loyal, affectionate to those of her own sex and subtly maternal. I was absolutely raving mad for her!

  Still sat on my brown leather couch, I received a message on one of my devices: ‘Seraph is being followed. She needs you.’

  I got up and spoke to the walls, ‘And so it begins…’

  CHAPTER 26

  I had just left Ryken in the hoversine and knew how I looked. Spending time with him in confined spaces was not a great idea. The pallid stone I usually swathed my complexion in was gone and replaced with crimson blushes which would do nothing for my reputation. I stormed into the building, straight past other residents, before leaping into an elevator nobody would dare join me in. Heat in my cheeks made me look bothered, and I never was, before anyway.

  At my apartment door, I keyed in a code before saying my name into the voice recognition entry system. The screen flickered for a few seconds. An automated tone communicated, ‘Retinal scan also required.’ That meant someone had tried to break into my condo while I had been gone.

  I followed protocol and seconds later, several mechanisms released along with the greeting, ‘Welcome home Seraph Maddon.’

  Once inside, I looked at myself in the hallway mirror and tried to rub away the blushes on my cheeks. I knew how I looked. Stood in the kitchen making coffee, thoughts of his scent, his mouth and the look in his eyes were haunting me, invading every other process going on in my mind. Yet I still couldn’t stomach his betrayal. It hurt so badly because I had unconsciously given up so much of myself to him already.

  I slung my xGen on the coffee table, loaded it up and waited for the messages to come crashing in. However, there was nothing really of note, apart from the ones from the lawyers. That was another thing I had forgotten about ‒ all that money I had no idea what to do with.

  I scrolled further down the list and was surprised to find something from Camille I had so far overlooked. It was sent the day I absconded from York. All I found were the words: ‘Check your pockets. No need to thank me.’

  I started rummaging through my bag, which had pockets upon pockets for everything a journalist possessed to be stored in. I tried the front four pockets, the two side pockets, the three inside pockets – and nothing! Shaking the bag, I could tell it still contained something, even though I thought I had emptied it. Then I remembered a back pocket under a flap. In there… something…

  A ceramic P7-handgun with a pouch full of bullets. I could have used it all that time.

  Thoughts whizzed around my head. I remembered the letter Eve had left for me. I looked at the first page and re-read: “answers await you there.”

  Where are these answers?

  I flicked through the other pages and wondered why Eve had needed to include so many other blank sheets for just one small message. Jolting me out of my jumbled musings, a vis-call came through. It was Francesca.

  ‘Hi boss.’

  ‘I heard the planes were taking off again?’ The ferocious, fast-talking Australian could be your best friend as long as you were straight with her.

  ‘Yeah, got back first thing.’

  ‘Thought you might have. So, when’s my best journo coming back in?’

  ‘I was hoping for some time, to, you know. I mean, you know I wouldn’t unless absolutely necessary.’

  ‘Say no more, hon, I know a thing or two about loss too. Look, when do you think you might come back in? Next week?’

  I knew I would need longer, but Francesca might think I was pushing my luck.

  ‘Fran, I’m really sorry, but I just don’t know. I have a lot of affairs to tie up. My aunt left me some money, quite a lot actually.’

  ‘Oh, I see, that’s it then?’

  ‘No, I mean, god no. No, I’m not gonna quit on you. Never. I mean, there’s a lot of admin. Plus, I have a lot to follow up. Turns out she had a whole other life nobody ever knew about. It might make a story yet!’

  ‘You nearly had me worried then. Couldn’t find another one like you anytime soon. Well, let’s say, you call me first thing next week and let me know what’s what. I need you back though, don’t forget that. And if you need anything, just let me know.’

  ‘Thanks, Francesca. Oh, by the way, I may have somethin’ else in the pipeline. Somethin’ big. Ryken Hardy finally talked, but it’ll have to simmer first. Will get back to you on that one.’

  ‘Stone me, darl. I knew you wouldn’t take off your journalist hat even though you’ve been out of the city. Good girl. Speak to you soon.’

  Later that day, I went out for groceries in a blonde wig and short skirt, stopped off for a coffee and came back. I unpacked, set the filtration systems to perform a deep clean and decided it was time to relax. Everything could wait until tomorrow, I decided. I needed to catch up and take stock. So much had happened in the past few days, I felt as if I didn’t know whether I was coming or going.

  I lit candles around the bath and was just about to dive in when I heard my xGen sound off in the other room. I discovered it was a message from Ryken and was just about to delete it when a pang forced me to read: ‘Forgive me? I miss you. Ryken x’

  I couldn’t help but smile. I felt alone without him near. He had been indispensable the past few days when I needed someone to talk to, someone to protect me. Someone to help. Someone to hold onto on the back of an insanely fast motorbike. Although, in my subconscious, he was much more, though I hadn’t fully realized it yet.

  ‘I’ll call you tomorrow. Get some rest, this isn’t over.’

  He replied: ‘I’m here whenever you need me. Night or day. R x’

  I got into bed that night and slept deeply.

  The next day I spent half an hour laid in bed, just trying to figure out wha
t I was going to do about Ryken. I had spent most of my adult life thinking I would never meet anyone who shared my anxieties and fears about the world in which we lived. However, now I could hardly ignore what my heart, mind and body were telling me.

  My stomach lurched every time I found those dark, searching eyes on mine. His whole being was electric and made me feel alive. Deprived of his presence, I felt the withdrawal and didn’t like it. I felt like a crazy, needy woman, and that’s why I had always avoided entanglement. He had more respect for me than I deserved and it only made me want him more – and feel sick for having carelessly flaunted myself for so many years.

  However, it was a new day. I got some coffee from the kitchen, flicked on the holo-stream TV pad on the coffee table, switched on my xGen, opened the blinds to look out onto the city and felt that mind over matter was the order of the day. If I willed Eve to talk from beyond the grave, maybe it would happen. If I willed a great big sign to appear outside my window, maybe it might tell me exactly what I needed to know. If only…

  No missed calls or messages. Damn, I’m not very popular.

  Two hours later, I had endured about as much trashy TV as I could manage. After showering and eating a couple of donuts, I looked at the clock and saw it was 11:30am.

  What to do? What to do?

  When a jagged thud came from behind the door, I assumed it might be just some creep checking if anyone was home.

  I shouted, ‘Who is it?’

  ‘It’s me. Let me in.’

  ‘What the hell are you doin’ here?’ I exclaimed.

  ‘Just open up!’

  I heard him wince behind the door and curiosity got the better of me. I opened up to discover Ryken bruised and battered, bloodied and in pain. He tumbled inside, a heap of muscle clutching at his arm.

  My immediate reaction was to get him inside so we didn’t attract attention from my neighbors or wandering fools. I pulled him in and slammed the door. I looked him up and down and the sight of him tugged at my heartstrings… and yet.

  His shoulder bag fell so I motioned for him to move to the sitting area and sit down on a rectangular, white leather couch.

  ‘How the hell did you get in my building?’

  ‘It wasn’t too difficult.’ He reached inside his jacket and slammed a piece on the table.

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘I should have had better security. I barely got out alive. I had to hijack a car to get here.’ He started to take off his jacket, but pain engulfed him and he slipped on his side against the couch. I went over at once to pull him back up and help him get his jacket off.

  ‘Oh Jesus, oh god, look at your shoulder.’ I helped him off with his jacket and discovered his arm was dislocated.

  ‘You’re going to have to push it back in for me. I’ve done it loads of times. Just lift it back, don’t be afraid of hurting me. Just do it Seraph, please, I’m in agony.’

  His eyes were bloodshot and pleading, and every capillary on his face seemed to be tinged purple.

  ‘Oh god, Ryken,’ I moaned in agony, seeing him hurt. I gave him a brief kiss.

  His eyes began to dart around and I knew he was suffering unbearably. I smoothed down my clothes and told him, ‘Ryken, I’m going to do my best for you. Just don’t move, okay?’

  I stood behind the couch, holding the palm of one hand on his back to steady myself, sliding the other underneath his armpit to feel where I needed to pull.

  ‘Seraph, just yank it hard. Do it,’ he pleaded.

  ‘Okay.’

  With that, I pulled his shoulder back with a shove and heard what sounded like the crack of several bones shifting back into place.

  He stood up and shouted, ‘Fuck! Fucking hell! Bastard! Mother fucker!’

  He held his arm, pacing back and forth in agony, before seeming to relax. He flopped back on the sofa and fell back into the cold leather.

  ‘Thanks. Thank you, Seraph.’

  What was I meant to do with myself? There was a large elephant in the room and I didn’t know how to react to its presence. One part of me still wanted to kill him and the other felt compassion upon seeing him in such a bad way. I guess I just did what I wanted to do. I sat close to him and held his hand. While his eyes were closed, I stroked my fingers over his face.

  He said nothing but didn’t complain either. Seeing him bending the couch, I realized just how heavy he was. Prostrate post-combat, he was floppy and seemed larger. He was a giant weakened, because of me. He would fight to the end for me, I knew it.

  He seemed to come back to life and asked, ‘Have you got an ice pack or something? And painkillers.’

  ‘Sure, I’ll have a look.’ I left him in the seating area and went over to the white marble kitchen diner to retrieve the items.

  He pulled his shirt off with some effort, revealing his torso underneath. He took the ice pack and held it to his shoulder while I recoiled at the sight of him. He was badly littered with bruises.

  I handed him a glass of water and Co-codamol. ‘What the hell happened? Look at the state of you. Jesus.’ I fetched several more ice packs while he explained.

  ‘I got back to my apartment yesterday with no hindrance, but after I’d been out to get groceries and came back this morning, they were waiting for me. I shouldn’t have used the front entrance, I guess. One of them crushed my shoulder between the front door, hence the dislocation.’

  ‘I told you. You should never have gone back home. Why didn’t you fuckin’ listen? You always know what’s best, don’t you?’

  ‘I just didn’t reckon on them outnumbering me so greatly. I thought I could handle a confrontation and maybe get some information out of them.’

  ‘How many were there?’

  ‘Three towering bastards, all as big as me. It was no mean feat getting out of there. Luckily I left a few ropes rigged up near a window, otherwise I wouldn’t have got away. The thing was, they wanted to take me in, they didn’t want to kill me. But there’s no catching this dog.’

  He was out of breath and started coughing, still getting over the ordeal.

  ‘I didn’t know where else to go, but here.’

  ‘Ryken, calm down, you’re here now. Take a breath. They can’t get you. Just relax. The bathroom is through the bedroom, go and clean yourself up, alright?’

  He nodded and looked pleased that I was instructing him. Meanwhile, I went to the security panel near the front door to set it to stun if anyone were to attempt entry. I closed the wooden shutters in every room.

  He came back out after a few minutes but still looked the worse for wear. I got him a blanket out of the closet and laid it out on the couch for him.

  ‘Take it easy for a minute Ryken, while I think.’

  He didn’t have the energy to argue, simply wrapping the blanket around himself and falling down on the sofa. He breathed a deep sigh of relief and closed his eyes. I was pottering about in the kitchen, trying to look busy while I considered the situation.

  ‘What’s this?’ he asked, nodding at the sheets on the coffee table.

  ‘It’s what Eve left for me. Only, it seems she only wrote on the first page.’

  He lifted his head slightly and asked, ‘Pass it here.’

  He looked at the papers and turned onto his back to get more comfortable as he held them between his hands and turned them over.

  ‘You know what kind of paper this is, don’t you?’

  ‘No, what? What is it?’

  ‘Pass me my xGen from inside my bag over there.’

  I rummaged around and found what he wanted, passing it over to him. He took out the miniature torch and switched it to UV lighting.

  ‘It’s translucent printer paper. Spies used to use this kind of stuff.’

  As he shone the torch on the pages, I saw letters appear.

  ‘Oh my god Ryken… all this time.’

  I grabbed the papers from him and flicked the torch over them all, checking there were words on each page. I arranged them in page o
rder and eyed Ryken. He had a serious look on his face as he pulled the blanket back up around him. I dared not believe in resolution, I was so wrung out of hope, but knew the words within that letter needed to be read.

  ‘I don’t know if I can handle what’s in this.’

  I knew another emotional scolding from Eve might finish me off. This would mean, once I had read it, my connection to Eve would be broken. It would all be over and my beloved aunt would be lost to me forever. There would be no more late-night conversations when one of us got lonely or upset and needed to just feel that connection to someone who understood. No more messages or greetings cards. No way of reaching her. It was a hard reality to face.

  ‘You don’t know what she was like, Ryken. She was the deepest, truest person I ever knew.’

  ‘It might be best to just get it over with.’

  ‘You’re right. I know you are.’

  ‘I’m here if you need me.’

  He beckoned me close and nuzzled my nose, kissing the tip. I reached down and planted a lasting kiss on his lips, a hand against his bruised cheek. His groan of approval rumbled desire throughout my body. Without chance of imminent intercourse, we just kissed for a long time, licking and nibbling until my face scorched.

  I tore myself away and moved toward the bedroom. ‘I’m gonna go through and read it in there.’

  ‘Okay’, he groaned, shifting his huge bulk on the sofa in a bid to get himself comfortable.

  CHAPTER 27

  My darling Seraphina,

  I hope you’re sat comfortably. I’m sure by now you will have uncovered the truth about me. Officium wouldn’t imagine their greatest enemy writing a pathetic little letter on paper, so I’ve no doubt this will have found you safely. But, this is not going to be an easy read. There are a lot of things you need to know and I’m sorry they have to be revealed in this manner but it’s the only way. By now, I will be gone and there is so much you need to know.

  I always regarded you more as a granddaughter and I hope you thought of me somewhat as a grandmother. I let you believe so many things, but I will tell you the truth now, even if you’ve already found it out for yourself. I hardly know where to start, but I guess at the beginning might be best. I married Tom Bradbury in 2013, the best year of my life. I was so, so content with him, you cannot imagine. Our love was a kind rarely found. We shared so many laughs, so many happy times. There was non-stop laughter between us, hardly a tense moment. We loved each other, pure and simple. There were no hidden motives, no agenda, just love. We had each suffered our own hardships since we were teenagers, and that only made us appreciate what we had, and cling on to it.