by DCS
Caleb frowned, but he didn't let her go. Instead, he touched her cheek. "No. Because they were your family, Simone, and now they're gone. Or, we skip right over them and go to the part about why you're avoiding me."
Simone jerked back and pushed Caleb away from her. "Don't," she said, pressing a hand to her cheek. "Don't do that. You can't do that."
Caleb’s brows rose as his hands dropped to his sides. "Why can't I?"
"Because everyone is dying!" Simone curled both of her hands into fists. Her nails cut into her palms. "Don't you get it?! This isn't 1927, Caleb! This isn’t the world we used to know. This isn't the life we used to live. There won't be entire afternoons wasted in hammocks or stolen moments in our offices. We won't be picking the kids' vegetables out of the potted plants in the dining room or washing mud pies out of their mouths. There will be no happy ending!"
Understanding dawned, echoing in the silence around them. Caleb loved those memories. They had helped him through some of the more trying moments in his current life. He didn’t miss Simone’s point, though. "I know what year it is. I know what's going on here, and I know how it may end. I'm not asking you to recreate the past, and the only thing I'm planning on in the immediate future is keeping you safe." He closed the distance between them and did what Simone told him he couldn't do again: took her face between his hands and looked into her eyes. "The only thing that is certain is this moment, right now. So, you tell me what you want for it."
"This moment?” Simone closed her hands over Caleb’s, pressing desperately. "Members of my family were murdered while you and I were having a moment like this. Nothing is certain! Any one of us could go, at any time, and I won't lose you!" Her eyes were glassy with unshed tears, and her nails dug into the backs of his hands. "I can't lose you," she whispered fiercely.
Caleb felt the desperation and all of the pent up emotion, in the dig of Simone’s nails. "Now you're talking to me," he whispered and pressed his lips against her forehead. He drew his hands down, so he could wrap his arms around her and pulled her tight, resisting form against his chest. "They would have died even if we weren't having that moment, babe. You can't think about the what ifs. You'll drive yourself crazy. Your job wasn't to save them. You're here to finish this, and I'm here to keep you alive so you can. And love you, a lot, through it all. That's it, Simone. That's it."
"They're not what ifs. They're certainties,” Simone whispered. "This won't end well. And I can’t do whatever is necessary if I’m standing this close to you.”
Caleb had a feeling that he wasn’t going to like what came next. “What are you saying, Simone?”
Simone closed her eyes for just a moment, calling up that famed Terenzio resolve; the kind needed to make impossible choices. She pulled Caleb’s arms from around her as she looked up at him. “I’m saying you’re right. I need to finish this. And I can’t do that if we’re trying to rekindle a relationship that has its place in the past.”
Caleb stiffened. “You think that’s all this is?”
Simone released his hands, thickening the veil around her eyes when she saw the emotion in his. “I’m not her, Caleb, and you’re not him. Just because we had something once upon a time doesn’t mean we get to have it twice.”
Caleb’s jaw tensed. “You’re not going to blow off my feelings for you as nothing but a pretty memory of what was, because you’re afraid of loss. I love you. You, Simone.”
Simone struggled with a sudden knot in her throat. She loved Caleb, too. Just him. She would have without the memories of Kyle to lie on top of it all and sweeten the deal, deepening her natural affection for him, but she couldn’t be wasting hours in bed with him, or sharing a private moment when, in sixteen days, the fate of the world would rest in her hands and her brothers’. If she wasted time thinking of a future with Caleb, instead of the battle—if she got her hopes up and she lost him in that battle—what was she to do, then? What was the point of dreaming if the end game was nothing but a field of land mines that she or someone else in her family might willingly step on, just to call checkmate?
She drew her arms around herself and looked away, slowly shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter.”
Caleb looked as if Simone had struck him. She might as well have. He stared at her in the thick silence. At length, he shook his head. “Fine. I’ll play it your way. Nothing but professionalism. Excuse me, Madame President I need to go make my rounds.”
Simone nodded mutely, watching Caleb walk away from her. It was for the best, she assured herself. But that didn’t make it hurt any less.
From the next room, Vasco came to stand in the doorway, settling his gaze on his motionless sister. He had been eavesdropping, though not intentionally. “Everything doesn’t have to be either or.”
Simone whirled around, narrowing her eyes “Keep your opinions on my personal life to yourself.”
“Redirecting your anger at me isn’t going to make the decision you just made any less stupid,” Vasco said quietly.
Anger Simone could do. Anger felt a lot better than the ache in her chest, and what better target than her big brother? “It was necessary. And you know what, Vasco, while you were making secret decisions regarding my life, you should have done the smart thing and kept the gag order in place.”
“Do you remember grandfather’s recording?” Vasco continued, as if Simone had not just taken that shot at him. “Specifically, the part about love?”
“Don’t you do it. Don’t you fucking dare lecture me about love!” Simone came at him, eyes blazing. “You lived your last lifetime wrapped up in a cocoon of self-loving arrogance, and you’ve spent this one pretending your way through your existence. I don’t even think you care about winning. All you’re doing is going through the motions. So unless you feel something, don’t begin to think you can understand me.”
Vasco was the expert at veiling emotion—or had been, as Stefano Terenzio. Perhaps he was too good at it, but Simone’s words were not completely inaccurate. “The mp3 player is in the library. You ought to listen to it again. We have a conference call with Xavier in an hour.”
“You listen to it. I have work to do.” Simone strode past him.
Vasco watched her go and sighed. Turning around, he went back into the den, sinking down in the plush confines of the leather chair, and closed his eyes.
§
December 5, 2012 - 11:30 AM
Alcyone Island
Phoenix Isle Detention Center
Leone was in rough shape. For the last three days, he had been beaten, tortured and drugged. By some miracle, he had found the will, the strength, to not tell his captors anything. After an hours reprieve they had literally dragged him out of his cell and strapped him to a chair. Blood and dirt marked his face. His right eye was swollen shut. He was so exhausted, after being alone for about five minutes, he passed out.
When Victoria was escorted into the detention room and saw the condition of her husband, she gasped, a hand flying to her mouth. “What did you do?” she whispered.
Olivia shoved Victoria forward. “What the fuck does it look like we did? Get him to talk.”
Victoria shot a brief glare at Olivia, but her gaze gentled in sympathy when she looked back at Leone. She might have had an affair, but she still cared about him. This was cruel. She never imagined sleeping with Amadeo would lead to something like this. She had foolishly believed that Amadeo was just ambitious. Swallowing, Victoria slowly reached out and touched her husband’s hand. “Leone,” she said gently.
Leone thought he was hallucinating, at first, and didn’t open his eyes. When Victoria called his name a second time, he slowly turned his head and looked. Shock stained his face. “What are you doing here?”
Victoria’s eyes watered as she trailed her gaze over his badly beaten face. Leone had been such a handsome man. “Tell them. Please, just tell them where the triplets are.”
Leone stared at her through the one eye that wasn’t swollen shut. Finally, he asked, “Did
you ever love me at all?”
For a moment, Victoria felt the sharp pangs of remorse. She slowly nodded. “Yes, yes I did.”
Leone sighed. “That’s something, I guess.”
“Answer the fucking question, Leone,” Olivia’s agitated voice echoed out.
Leone continued looking at his wife, pointedly ignoring Olivia. “Did you fuck him in our house?”
Victoria went very still. She couldn’t bring herself to admit to her wrong doings, even now. “Who?”
“Amadeo. It’s him, right? Since you’re helping them.”
Victoria lowered her eyes and said nothing. That was all the confirmation Leone that needed.
“Three out of five nights a week.” Olivia pushed off the wall and stood behind Victoria’s chair. “And he’s going to do it again after your dead. Which can be a quick or slow process. It’s all up to you. Where are they?”
Leone didn’t even bother glancing in Olivia’s direction, just continued looking at Victoria, sadly. “He’ll never love you. But you don’t care about that at all anymore, do you?” He sighed again. “Do what you want to me, Olivia. I’m not telling you a fuckin’ thing.”
Olivia’s eyes narrowed. The smile that curled across her lips was like ice. “You know, I had a funny feeling you’d say that.” She pulled out her gun and pressed it against Victoria’s temple. The terror that shot across Victoria’s face went bone deep. Tears sprang to her eyes and quickly spilled over. “So, how about you tell me, or I’ll kill her.”
Leone’s eye shot open. “What are you doing?”
“Aww, you really love your wife don’t you? This lying, cheating, whore.” Olivia grabbed a fistful of Victoria’s long blonde hair and roughly yanked her head back, bringing a startled cry from the woman as Olivia ran the gun barrel down her cheek. “I bet you can’t stand to watch this? Can you?”
Leone clenched his jaw. “How can you be so cruel?”
“How can you be so naïve?” Olivia sneered, and then looked down at Victoria. “Open your mouth. I said open your fucking mouth, bitch.”
Whimpering quietly, Victoria parted her lips, and Olivia shoved the gun between them. “I don’t give a fuck about you, and I really don’t care about her, so it’s nothing, Leone, for me to kill her and let you watch her die. So, who’s got your loyalty? The triplets, or your wife?”
Leone’s brow creased. His hands tightened around the arm of his chair. His gaze remained glued on the barrel of the gun in his wife’s mouth. The silence sprang up, hot and thick. Olivia didn’t let it linger too long.
“Guess that’s your answer, then.” She cocked the gun, and put four out of five pounds on the trigger.
“Stop!” Leone jerked in the chair, but the restraints kept him immobile. A harsh tear mixed with the blood and grim that caked his cheek. “I don’t know where they are. But I know a small part of what they’re going to do.”
Olivia watched him closely. “Are you fucking with me, Leone? Because your wife here seemed to think you knew where they were.”
Leone shook his head. “No, no. It’s a compound my grandfather built, and I know it’s somewhere in Africa but what country I couldn’t tell you. Only Marcello knew that.” His lie, he prayed, would be convincing.
That much they knew themselves. Olivia pursed her lips thoughtfully, her grip still tight enough in Victoria’s hair to pull a chunk of hair out by the root, the gun still shoved in her mouth. Occasionally, Victoria would whimper fearfully around it. “All right, Leone. What do you know?”
“We don’t have this discussion until you let her go,” Leone said determinedly.
Olivia laughed. “Not a chance. You don’t get to negotiate.”
Leone glared. “Oh, no, I do. You need to know something about the triplets, otherwise your employers are going to know just how fuckin’ useless you are. And I don’t trust you. So you either let her go, or we both die and you get shit from me. Good luck figuring it out on your own.”
Olivia’s eyes narrowed. “You fuckin’ weasel, I’ll kill her just to—”
“Olivia,” Amadeo’s sharp voice echoed out.
Olivia snapped her gaze over to the doorway where he stood. “What?”
“Let her go.”
Olivia frowned at him. “You care about this bitch?”
“I care about the information,” Amadeo snapped back at her. “Let her go.”
Olivia hesitated, but finally pulled the gun out of Victoria’s mouth and roughly released her hair. “Free pass, whore.”
Victoria set her tear filled eyes on her husband. She touched his hand, a gesture that was both apologetic and affectionate. Leone’s lips quirked into a sad smile, and he nodded.
“Come here Victoria,” Amadeo ordered.
Victoria rose quickly to her feet and obediently stood next to him. Amadeo centered his gaze on Leone. “She leaves when you’re done. Start talking.”
§
December 10, 2012 - 10:10 PM
Denver, CO
Penthouse of Tony DeMarco
Tyranny kept a person busy. Especially when that person was a double agent for such a regime. Tony glanced down at his watch, sighing. He was home just to shower and shave, and then he’d be going right back to the base.
Climbing out of the car, he popped a piece of gum in his mouth. Gabriella had made him give up smoking. His guardian angel, whose presence had been a wonderful, constant light the last four months, took up her usual place underneath the collar of his shirt, humming to him in a pitch only he could hear. He kinda liked it. It kept him calm and clear-headed.
“Hey, Ricky,” Tony called out hurriedly as he walked past the desk and over the elevators.
“Um, hi, Mr. DeMarco.” Ricky kept his eyes glued to his computer screen.
Tony pressed the button to call the elevator and glanced over at the kid. Ricky glanced in his direction, and then quickly looked back down. Tony quirked a brow. Stepping away from the elevators, Tony walked back over to the front desk. “What’s wrong Ricky?” he asked flat out.
“I do not know what the protocol is for this, sir.” Ricky continued staring at the desk.
“Protocol for what?”
Ricky hesitated. “You outrank Mr. Medicci, don’t you, sir?”
Mr. Medicci, Tony thought. Sonofabitch. With the triplets’ escape, the SVT offices empty, and the SVT Think Tank gone with the crystal, Caesar had been in deep shit; possibly awaiting his death. What the fuck was he doing here? “Is he in my apartment?”
Ricky looked uncertain again, but slowly nodded.
“Don’t worry about it. You don’t have to tell them you told me. I won’t say anything. Thanks, Ricky.” Tony smiled reassuringly at the kid, and then went back to the elevators. “This could get ugly, Gabriella. Move to a safer spot, honey.”
As he stepped into the elevator Gabriella fluttered out from underneath his collar and perched on his shoulder. A second later, she faded from sight. Tony pulled his 9mm out from underneath his suit jacket when he got off on his floor. Inching over to his door, he pressed his ear against it. No movement inside. He used his keycard on the door, kept one arm behind him, and walked in.
“Drop it, Tony. Slowly,” Caesar’s voice echoed out from the shadows.
Tony stilled just inside the doorway. “You know, you’ve got a lot of fucking nerve, subordinate.” He took the step inside and kicked the door shut
“You’re caught, you fucking traitor.”
“That’s a big accusation coming from the idiot that just fucked up his last assignment.” Tony searched for him in the darkness, and saw the shadow of Caesar’s figure in front of him and just to the right.
“Save it,” Caesar snapped. “I knew it had to be you when Kayla reported that Leone told us Simone’s going to blow the underground bases. What she knows she could have only gotten from you, or your brother.”
“You’re pointing a gun at a member of the Illuminati. You better think real hard about what you’re doing. Drop it now, and
I’ll think about asking them not to feed you to the Greys.” Tony took one step forward, keeping his gun hand slightly behind his back.
“No, I’m pointing a gun at a traitor to his God. Drop the act. I knew you’d find the bug on your balcony, that’s why I put one on the roof.” Tony could hear the smug smile in Caesar’s tone. “You can imagine what I have recorded. And I know that all the information we’ve been collecting from the triplets HI-MENS are going to a dummy server. Enlil isn’t getting any of those reports is he?”
Fuck, Tony thought. This would be a big kink in the plan. Caesar had to die before he told anyone else. “You know what, Caesar, you were a real lousy agent. I bet you can’t use that weapon, either.” He didn’t remain standing to find out. Tony dropped to the floor, whipping his arm around him and fired at Caesar, just as Caesar’s bullet lodged itself into the door where Tony’s head had been. Tony’s bullet didn’t miss, though. He heard Caesar grunt and fall to the floor.
“Fuckin’ mook.” Tony clambered to his feet, walking through his dark house and over to Caesar’s motionless form. Tony kicked his gun away, pointed the muzzle down at Caesar’s face, and was about to put one in his temple, when Caesar’s eyes suddenly sprang open. He kicked Tony’s legs out from underneath him. Tony released a startled grunt as he landed on his back. He brought his gun up again, only to feel something that felt suspiciously like a needle stab into his calf. Three seconds later, he couldn’t feel a thing, and he couldn’t move, either.
Caesar stood over Tony, smirking. He pulled apart his shirt, exposing the Kevlar underneath. “You really thought you were going to win, didn’t you?”
§
December 11, 2012 - 12:12 PM
Somewhere in Egypt
Terenzio Compound