DARK FAÏZ Book 3: Dawn never keeps its promises

by Sandra L. Kiss

  "You don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders," said Faïz in a harsher tone.

  "What are you doing here?" I asked worriedly, although I already knew the answer.

  An arrogant smile slit his face and bile immediately rose up my throat. His hand grabbed the newspaper that was lying next to him and he held it up.

  "The Los Angeles Times has very good informers!" said Faïz in a far too calm voice, indicating that his anger threatened to erupt at any moment.

  I walked to my desk in a hurry and stood right in front of him.

  "I talked to Jul about it just now. Leave him alone," I said curtly. "I assure you he's by no means our number one concern."

  Faïz kept staring at me without answering.

  "Don't do anything to him," I said in a softer voice. "He's not a bad guy. He's just doing his job the way I could have done it."

  A disturbing expression then crossed his features and he let out a long sigh as he ran his long phalanges through his hair. His gaze pierced me, making the Earth slightly oscillate on its axis. I wanted to turn my eyes away from him, but I was as if bewitched. He grabbed my hands gently and with a natural gesture, drew me closer to him.

  "I'd like to snap this little bastard's neck," murmured Faïz, looking frustrated and furious. "But it's not worth another fight between us. If I wanted to see him, do you really think I would have come to your office before, to warn you? Is that my type?"

  Gradually my back muscles relaxed and I allowed myself to take a deep breath of air. I was happy that he spared my work colleague, even though he was on slippery ground. Indeed, Faïz wouldn't hesitate to attack him at the slightest misdeed he might do again.

  "You're often... unpredictable," I replied in a muffled voice, as if I didn't want him to hear me.

  His fingers came to lift my face. His devastating beauty was matched only by his devastating sensuality. His lips laid a delicate kiss on mine, and then touched my forehead with such delicate softness that my brain immediately released a flood of endorphin. My head buzzed as my organic emotions exploded inside me. I closed my eyes to savor the moment.

  "Kiss me," I whispered.

  With one hand, he gently pushed my hair back while he pressed with the palm of his other hand, the hollow of my kidneys. Faïz kissed me gently before sticking his lips harder against mine. I heard his breath accelerating little by little and felt his mouth sink into our passionate kiss. I adjusted my breath to his and ran my fingers through his thick, already messy hair.

  After long seconds, I detached myself from him. He then looked at me in a way that made me regret having to end that carnal moment.

  "I think it would be better if you left," I said uncomfortably.

  I touched my cheeks with both hands and found that they were boiling. A pleasant bewilderment passed in Faïz's eyes, still ardent with desire. He raised his face to stare at the ceiling. When his gaze returned to me, it was full of questions. I took another two steps away.

  "I didn't come for the front page of this morning's newspaper. In fact, I just needed to see you," Faïz confessed to me whispering. "A day without... it's too long."

  A sly laugh escaped from me.

  "Yet you went five years without contacting me!"

  He blinked like I slapped him. I bit my lip, immediately regretting my harsh words. He lowered his gaze, his jaw tightened.

  "Don't do this, Zoe!"

  "Just give me some time. It's impossible for me to forget everything overnight," I said in a softer voice. "The last time you told me you loved me, I didn't see you again. Give me time, please."

  For the first time, I felt this man, so strong, breaking, in front of me. His gaze, so intense, forced me to look away. I forced myself to concentrate on the tiny details of the room.

  "All right! I'll leave you a lot of time," Faïz said without enthusiasm.

  He approached me and kissed the top of my head before moving away towards the door. An immense pain oppressed my chest at that moment.

  "I love you. I love you more than I desire you, yet it's true, you're right. I did everything to forget you."

  Tears were streaming down my cheeks, but he didn't see them. I barely heard the door close behind him, taking everything in his path.

  "I love you," I whispered.

  The emergency operations center wasn't very large and was soberly decorated. Maps, plans, and several portraits of people hung on the walls. A single light barely illuminated the space and cast an indecisive glow on the closed faces around the table. In the end, there was nothing flamboyant about the FBI premises, quite the contrary. Asarys, next to me, whispered to Lexy her dismay about Ray's strange behavior towards her. David and Julio were standing in front of us and talking with several agents about the domestic policy of the government and the growing concern of the population since this morning after the article appeared in the Los Angeles Times. A little further to my left, at the end of the table, Barthey and another man were taking Masha's words very seriously. They were writing down what they considered to be essential information.

  I scanned the room with my eyes. Agent Martinez seemed to be missing. Faïz was late for that late afternoon meeting. Surely he had to sort out as many things as possible before coming? Trac-Word, his divorce, and the world... it was a lot.

  "It's this whole story that got him in this state. He's completely losing his mind."

  Lexy was trying her best to reassure our friend.

  “I know that no one can be completely normal right now," she continued. "But you should see him. I don't recognize him anymore."

  I leaned over to Asarys and put my hand on her back to comfort her.

  "When all of this is over, you should go away for a while, so you two can be together for a bit."

  "Zoe's right,” Lexy added. "You've always dreamed of going to Europe. Now that you know a few words in French, this is your chance to visit Paris. You'll be telling Parisians how boring their language is and on top of that, the most illogical in the world!"

  Asarys laughed and gave Lexy and me a little glance of gratitude. Suddenly Barthey clapped his hands to get our attention.

  "Good! We'll be able to start this emergency meeting."

  The inspector examined the room, probably looking for Stephen. When he noticed his absence, he continued in a monotone voice:

  "People want answers. Indeed, the color of the Dome has never been more worrisome and this morning's article in the Los Angeles Times didn't help. It highlights our government's ineffectiveness in ensuring the security of the country in the face of the attacks that are brewing against it, and accuses us of creating misinformation with fuzzy answers. The newspaper also talks about the actions being taken to cover up a possible future global natural disaster."

  Karl Barthey took a break. The expression on his face was worried, frozen by the tension in the room.

  "The White House is calling for swift communication measures to prevent riots and panic in the country. However, it's important to reveal only the bare minimum about the true nature of the situation. A press release will therefore be sent to all news channels in California to inform them of the findings of investigations carried out by the State Department and the World Health Organization. Tonight we will confirm the risk of a pandemic of international proportions and, at the same time, issue a Level 5 alert."

  "Which is what exactly?" Asarys interrupted him.

  Barthey and the FBI agents briefly glanced at each other. I realized I wasn't going to like what they would say next.

  "Which is to show only the tip of the iceberg. We will ask everyone to stay in their homes and then we will close airports, roads and borders. The government will requisition stadiums, gymnasiums, campuses, all indoor public places, to gather the population. We have to prevent people from being scattered all over the place if we want to control the situation. Some of the Leviathans as well as the army will guard these places."

  "This mode of lockdown is impossible to set up!
You're gonna set off a stampede to the banks, but not only."

  My answer was vehement. The door of the room opened just as I was about to argue my answer. Faïz entered on the fly. Without apologizing for the delay, he left directly to sit around the table, right in front of me. I risked a glance in his direction, he stared at me with his eyes charged with intensity. Uncomfortable, I tried as best I could to resume my exchange with the inspector after clearing my throat.

  "So, I was saying that citizens are going to loot food stores, pharmacies, hospitals. Los Angeles is a port city. If in addition to the nuclear attacks we were really facing a pandemic, the contagion would spread very quickly. The danger is also present across borders. The whole planet is concerned."

  "All the armies are getting ready," Julio replied. "The Sylphs reduce the ocean currents as much as possible to slow down the progress of the container ships that have been transformed into attack ships. The Leviathans are also on the warpath at the moment."

  "That's right!" Karl replied, hands on his hips. "On Earth, our strategy is to lure Pavel's men out of the city while the population is confined."

  "What about the virus?" I asked. "It can't fight with weapons."

  "Trac-Word is about to find the vaccine for Dn-vara 18," Masha said with a smiling face. "Indeed, that's what we were talking about with Mr. Mattew during our interview this afternoon."

  I was stunned by this revelation. I was unaware that Trac-Word was working specifically on this vaccine. Faïz hadn't told me that. Perhaps he felt it wasn't necessary, or that I wasn't trustworthy enough, unlike Pavel's daughter. I tried not to turn my face in his direction, preferring instead to stare at Barthey, even though I could hardly distinguish him because of my inner rage. My breathing lifted my chest in a rhythm that was a little too fast, betraying my state at that moment. Without compromising himself, Faïz answered, slightly incredulous:

  "With the rest of the research team, we met earlier to talk about the progress of a viable vaccine. Despite the fact that the virus is mutating all the time, they have managed to cultivate it. Scientists in our labs were able to isolate it and put strains of Dn-vara 18 in place using samples taken from Zoe when Pavel injected her with the virus. Researchers have now to verify the effectiveness of known antiviral molecules before modifying the germ."

  "We're close to the goal, it's just a matter of a few days," Masha hastened to add, addressing a knowing glance at Faïz, without losing her charming smile.

  “She's starting to annoy me," whispered Asarys in my ear.

  I repressed a sigh as my pen frantically banged on my notes in front of me.

  "Faïz doesn't know where to put himself anymore," my friend continued to whisper. "He's just waiting to meet your eyes. Damn, I would almost feel sorry for him. Please, Zoe, give him a little smile, I don't know."

  "No way! He and that squirrel can spend as much time as they want together. After all, we're no longer one front page away from the tabloids."

  Karl's voice echoed through the room again:

  "Businesses, stores and all public places will be closed tomorrow. The aim is to limit crowd movements as much as possible and to gradually bring the population into the confinement spaces that will be dedicated to them."

  A slim, square-jawed man to Barthey's left cleared his voice and uttered, “We must prepare for a severe impact on the country's economy. Think about the severity of the repercussions these measures will have. Financial markets will collapse. I think it is important to seek the help of other nations to help us deal with this unprecedented humanitarian and economic crisis that is threatening us. The reaction of citizens, following the announcements that will be made shortly, will determine the future of the nation."

  "The Leviathans will come to support you," said Faïz. "They will easily be able to mix with the population and thus calm the revolt movements, if there are any, from the inside."

  The inspector was easily persuaded and immediately nodded his agreement and then added:

  "As for Pavel, Zoe was able to provide us with the address and plans of the house where he currently lives. The place is secluded, which isn't bad."

  Taken aback, I stammered:

  "Yes, it was my colleague Jul who took care of this delicate mission. I think it's important to analyze these plans carefully before proceeding with an infiltration."

  Faïz whistled in amazement. My naivety seemed to irritate him.

  “Do you really think he's not waiting for us already?" he asked abruptly. "Your plans won't do us much good. His purpose isn't to hide in this ruined house, on the contrary! He wants us to find him."

  His mouth twisted, drawing a cheeky little smile in a barely perceptible corner. I moved backwards in front of the hardness of his face before quickly continuing:

  "If I were to disappear tomorrow without a trace, wouldn't you like to have all the information that would allow you to find me?"

  Faïz wrinkled his delicate nose and the muscles of his jaw tightened. For a brief moment, a painful emotion ran through his dark eyes. The room was plunged into a heavy silence until he decided to break it himself:

  "Of course, every bit of information would be valuable to me then. Believe me, I wouldn't leave anything out."

  His dark features and his voice filled with a certain sadness disturbed me deeply, almost making me regret my words. I had touched one of his sensitive points.

  "Stay in touch during the next few days. If the situation worsens or gets out of control, we will consider evacuating you from the country," Barthey said to close the emergency meeting.

  "For my part, I will stand by the people of L.A. until the end, no matter what it costs me."

  All his life, Faïz had chosen to risk his life. Once again, he took the same path.

  Outside, the clouds had gathered, making the night fall faster. Lexy hugged Asarys to say goodbye, reminding her not to worry, then she walked towards me. I closed with my hand, my jacket at the collar. The strength of the wind was increasing and literally freezing me.

  "Are you sure you don't want to sleep over tonight?" I asked her one last time. "It's been so long since the two of us have been together."

  "I would have loved to," Lexy confessed with a little grin. "It's the first time you've been home since you were in the hospital. I'm still not going to let you sleep on the couch."

  From smiling, I moved on to laughing. Then I opened my arms to welcome my friend.

  "I forgot you requisitioned my room!"

  "And to be honest with you, I'm seeing Jul again tonight."

  When she saw the expression on my face, she immediately reassured me:

  "Oh no... don't worry. I won't say anything more. It's not a business meeting this time. It's a real date."

  "You better keep your tongue in your mouth,” said Asarys. "We'll need him to publicize some of our cases in case the virus spreads. He absolutely has to be on our side."

  Lexy looked up to the sky and rushed to her car before the storm hit the town. Asarys approached me and nodded, Faïz and Masha talking to each other a little further away.

  "Are you gonna be OK?"

  A small pinch of jealousy crushed my chest.

  "Yes," I answered a little too fast. "I don't know which of the two viruses is more dangerous. Dn-vara 18 or her."

  Despite my efforts to turn my remark into a joke, my friend wasn't fooled.

  "Faïz has no choice but to trust her. She can..."

  "I know. She's Pavel's daughter."

  As I pronounced his name, the image of this monster became clear in my mind. I could see his tattooed body everywhere. His face like a skull and crossbones. This vision was partly accentuated by his implants under his skin and the mutilation of his ears and nose. The distant voice of Asarys brought me back to the present moment:

  "You should go home, too. I'll give you a ride home."

  "Thank you, but I'll take Zoe home," said Faïz who had just arrived behind me.

  My acolyte opened her eyes,
as surprised as I was by his sudden intervention.

  "Zoe?"

  My friend stared into mine and was waiting for an answer from me.

  "Faïz will take me home. Go home quickly. Ray's probably waiting for you already, it's getting late."

  "All right. Kiss Georgia for me. We'll have lunch tomorrow, OK?"

  I nodded and put a reassuring smile on my face. Violent thunder sounded at that moment. A deluge came down without warning on the whole city.

  Faïz and I ran into the underground parking lot where his car was parked. I took off his jacket that he had kindly lent me to cover my hair when the rain had begun to flood the streets.

  Once installed in his Mercedes, he immediately turned on the heater and looked at me with a preoccupied look. I was frozen and trembling and couldn't stop. The icy leather seat underneath me and my jeans soaking against my skin didn't help. Faïz caressed my cheek, always concerned about my condition.

  "The heat is already warming me up," I reassured him in a low voice, contemplating him from my seat.

  He stared at me for a little while before deciding to start the car.

  "Your lips are all blue. We'll stop at the first clothing store and buy you some dry clothes."

  "That won't be necessary, I'll change when I get home. I want to get there before Georgia falls asleep."

  I sat in the back of my seat. The heat in the car gradually relaxed my muscles and my shaking stopped after a few minutes.

  "Do you still have things to do tonight?"

  Surprised by my question, Faïz took a quick look at me before looking at the road again.

  "Barthey won't need me tonight. I'll go straight back to the apartment after I see Georgia."

  "Why don't you stay in Elora? And spend some time with your parents?"

  "Is it really necessary for me to justify myself?"