Chapter 38
Kieran
I leaned back in my chair, thinking hard.
“What do you think?” Dev asked. Elliot looked intrigued.
“It’s a solid lead.”
“So, this dinner, you want me to search the office for some files?” Sable asked, her feet up on the table.
“Can you hold it long enough to do that?” Elliot asked.
“I’m getting better. I can hold it for a few hours now.”
“I’m sorry, hold what?” Seph asked at the end of the table, looking a little sullen.
Sable sighed and turned. “My ability. I can use the UV light to make myself appear invisible. I may be able to transfer it to other people soon enough.”
“It’s why her call sign is Phantom.” I said finally.
Sable grinned at me. “I’m just a regular, neighbourhood ghost.”
Seph stared at her, confused. “That’s …incredible.”
Sable softened. “Thanks. It’s pretty handy in the field.”
“So, you are just going to walk in there?”
“More or less. Dev knows where the cameras are. I can avoid them.”
“My house is a disgusting monstrosity up in the highlands of Telluride. There are at least twenty cameras around the perimeter, and there’s a regular patrol of soldiers. If Dominic is coming, this number will double,” Dev said.
“That doesn’t sound possible, Dev,” Seph said, frowning.
He looked at her. “I know every inch of that place. Trust me.”
“You will tell your father you are considering the company. Keep them talking as long as you can. Sable, you will need to find a way in that is not the front door.”
“Show me a blueprint and I’m there,” she replied.
“We’ll keep a wire on you Dev. We need a code word if Dominic leaves.”
“How about lunacy? What happens if you get caught? What happens if you can’t get out?” Seph demanded. “You need back up!”
I looked at her. “Seph, you don’t need to be here for this.”
She glared at me. “I’m sure you’d love that.”
“Kieran will be on call if crap goes sideways. We will also have a team nearby to extract you, Dev if you need us. Code word is ‘new daggers.’ Say it and we come in.” Elliot said.
Dev nodded.
“And what about me?” Seph asked.
“You stay here on the compound,” I said.
“Alone?” she countered.
I sat back, my eyes narrowing.
“You won’t be able to leave here.”
“I’ve heard that before,” she shot back.
“I wouldn’t advise it Seph. You aren’t trained for a job like this.”
“Maybe I’m not. But I won’t just sit by while Dev goes into danger.”
“It will probably be fine. Just my father posturing. If I get in, I will be in a strategic position for the rebellion.”
“And if it all goes wrong, you’re dead.”
Dev sent her a crooked smile. “Good to know you still care.”
She didn’t smile back. Her eyes narrowed. “You know I do.”
Dev swallowed and looked down.
She shook her head. “Great. And what about Echo? Marr? Cara Long?”
“We’ve talked about this, Seph.” Elliot sighed.
“We didn’t decide anything. I remembered what you asked me. And my answer is no.”
“Well then so is mine. Echo is still not our priority.”
I turned to Elliot. “What did you ask?”
Elliot didn’t answer right away. His jaw tightened as he kept staring at Seph.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Seph scoffed. I narrowed my eyes. “Elliot?”
He looked at me. “It’s irrelevant now,” he said, his voice tired. He closed his eyes and rubbed his brow.
“Have you seen something?” Sable asked.
“I’ve seen a lot of things,” Elliot sighed.
“And?”
“And. Nothing. Let’s stick to the plan.”
A knock came to the office door and Jess stepped in. Seph saw her and smiled.
She was dressed in fighting gear, her hair neatly pulled back. She stood at ease.
“You called me, sir?”
Elliot looked up at her. I saw something flash through his gaze, gone in a heartbeat.
It looked almost like pity.
But that didn’t make sense.
Then he smiled.
“Jess, hello. Yes. I’m hoping you will stay with Seph tomorrow night. As a precaution.”
“I’m twenty years old. I don’t need a babysitter,” she complained.
I flicked my gaze to her, my eyes widening. I saw the same look reflected in Sable’s eyes.
“It’s your birthday,” I said finally.
No one said anything.
Seph looked at me, then away. Some of the fire drained from her shoulders.
“Tomorrow,” she said quietly. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Damn, Seph I’m sorry,” Sable said. “I should’ve remembered.”
Seph forced a smile. “It’s ok. Everyone’s preoccupied. I don’t really care.”
Jess grinned at her. “Don’t worry, Seph. We can party all by ourselves.”
Seph didn’t laugh.
She stood abruptly. “You know, you don’t need me here. You probably have a lot to do. I might go lie down.”
I watched her slide her chair back in and head to the door. I could see Dev following her with his eyes, even if he refused to admit it.
Sable stood.
“Seph!”
“Sable, I’m ok. Really. I’ll see you later.”
I jumped up and followed her.
“Kieran we aren’t done here – “
I shut the door behind me, but she had already vanished. I ran through the halls, looking for where she went, but couldn’t find her. I was about to head back, when I spotted a flash of white hair walking out to the balcony overlooking the valley.
I couldn’t blame her. It was beautiful out there.
I spotted her perched in a corner on the floor, holding her knees close to her chest. She was watching the sunset over the hills, looking away from me. As I stepped closer, I could feel the warm sun on my back.
I called out to her. “Seph?”
She jumped, turning around. I paused when I noticed tear tracks smearing her creamy skin.
She wiped them away quickly.
“Kieran. What are you doing out here?”
“Looking for you.”
“Why?”
I slid on to the floor beside her. “I don’t know. I thought you might like company.”
She chuckled softly.
I looked at her. “What?”
“Nothing. I was just remembering a few years ago. I was sitting on my roof to my house, and you came up to sit with me. All those gulls had been nesting by our chimney. There were feathers everywhere. The moment you sat down – plop.”
I felt my cheeks redden as I recalled the massive bird shit that had dripped from my hair. “Why do you have to remember these things?” I grumbled.
She shrugged. “I like them. It reminds me that even Kieran Hawthorne was once human and covered in bird shit.”
“I remember things about you too, you know. I have a whole barrel of information I could shoot at Dev or Ash you know.”
She smiled at me. “You have nothing on me, Hawthorne.”
“Oh no? The bottle of vodka you stole from your dad at 16 ring a bell.”
She narrowed her eyes, flushing red. “Ok, fine. I’ll keep your secrets if you keep mine.”
“Deal.”
She took a deep breath. “I wouldn’t bother with Dev. He’s made his feelings about me pretty clear.”
“And what feelings are those?” I asked quietly.
She looked at me. “We are friends, apparently. Didn’t we look friendly in there?”
I didn’t answer right away.
“Did something happen between the two of you?”
Jealousy stirred in my gut, twisted and bitter.
She turned away. “Maybe.”
Maybe.
“Seph, what did he do?”
She met my gaze. “Nothing I didn’t want. So don’t go all cave man on me, Kieran.”
“Seph.”
“Kieran. I am a grown woman. I’m not the kid you thought I was any more.”
“I don’t think you’re a kid, Seph.”
She scoffed again. “Look whatever happened – it’s not happening again. So don’t worry.”
“Seph, talk to me.”
“And tell you what? That I’m scared? That I’m weak?”
“No one thinks you’re weak.”
“Yes they do. They all do. You do. And I am tired. Tired of being a side character in my own story.”
She looked away toward the mountains again.
“I hate that you guys are going. I hate that Ash and Sy went.”
Her voice dropped.
“I’m just so goddamn lonely, Kieran.”
I leaned back into the wall of the building and watched her.
“I shouldn’t have left you, Seph.” I said finally, surprised at how true the words felt. “I wish I had gotten you out sooner. And I’m sorry.”
I’m sorry.
Tears glistened in her eyes. She closed them, like she was forcing them back.
“Thank you for saying that.”
“You’re welcome.” I said finally.
And together, on that last quiet night, we watched the sun set.