Awakening Book One of the Trust Series(81)

Lionel shrugged. “Now. Now. Behave. I see that you had decided to use your telepathy. Well, since my bluff is out on the table, I guess I don’t have any choice. You are not in any position to argue here.”

Lionel grabbed onto Garrett. Within a millisecond, the young man felt paralyzed, his body only responding to the spy’s will.

Lionel quickly began to drag him through the old building. Garrett could hear Lionel’s voice reverberating through his head. “You just couldn’t obey. I am afraid that your uncle Lionel will need to make this a bit more painful to teach you a lesson. Your father will not be pleased, but I am afraid that there is not much I can do to prevent that.”

Garrett’s body attempted to recoil as it reacted as if it were beset by a thousand razors, all in a desperate fury, cutting him from the inside out. He tried to react, but Lionel had somehow managed to set up blocks that Garrett could not penetrate. He could feel the metallic taste of the blood on his tongue, he felt his head become thicker, heavier; it was difficult to think.

He attempted to center himself, his Inquisitor training preparing him for an assault like the one he experienced now. He tried to remind himself that this was not real, that the pain was just an illusion, the blood was just an illusion, but it was so excruciating that he found he could not hold back the scream that ripped from the very depth of his soul.

He was not aware that two figures came running over from the distance until they were practically on top of him. He shook his head, looking around. When did Lionel move him to an upper floor in the abandoned building? He could not even recall being moved. He stood near the top of a metallic staircase and could hear the blades of a helicopter revving up above him.

He peered down at blonde hair billowing towards him about twenty feet below. “Caitlyn!” He attempted to call out, but it came out as a whisper.

“Oh my God! Garrett!” She stepped closer towards him.

Lionel gripped Garrett’s arm tightly. “Don’t come any closer or else I’ll kill him right here.”

Caitlyn, accompanied by Declan McPherson, stopped. “What do you want with him?”

“I myself want nothing with him. His father on the other hand…”

Garrett could see her grimace. She murmured. “It’s true then.”

Garrett, even in his pain, spoke as loud as he could muster. “Caitlyn… Please. I never…”

Lionel sent a new surge of pain through him. “We don’t have time for this, Garrett. As much as I enjoy talking to your girlfriend and her other boyfriend, we must be going.” Lionel reached for the hatch that led to the rooftop.

Declan spoke up then. “I don’t think either one of you are going anywhere.”

Lionel rolled his eyes. “Declan, don’t play the hero. He is going back to where he belongs and then you can get the girl as you always planned.”

Declan crossed his arms. “Fine. If you want to play it that way, Lionel.”

Lionel sent one last surging pain through Garrett before throwing him over the railing, where he landed with a hard thud on the ground, certain he had broken several bones. Garrett saw Caitlyn transport over to him, before the stars in front of him took over and the pain made him pass out.





Chapter 24



Caitlyn looked at Declan with desperation. “I’ll be back.”

His student grabbed Garrett’s unconscious form and transported out. It was just himself and Lionel now. Lionel’s usually content face contorted, his lips curving upwards into an evil grin, his face now reflecting the true nature of a sinister man. Declan barely recognized his old mentor.

Lionel’s laughter bubbled up from his chest, his voice cold as he slowly circled around Declan. “So you came to find me. I must say, Declan, it took you long enough to find out, discover who I was. It’s only been twenty years.”

Declan’s mind tried to wrap around what he was saying. Twenty years? Twenty years he had been a traitor to his people, twenty years he had shared the secrets of the Trust. His friendship with his mentor- No, not his mentor, not his friend, he was now his enemy- had been a lie. Declan was sick to his stomach.

Declan could only ask one question. “Why?”

Lionel sneered. “Why? You want to know why? Declan, you of all people should understand. I was a secret founder of the Cine Tofa. It’s in my blood. When I was presented with the opportunity to serve my people by infiltrating the Trust, so deeply, so intimately, how could I say no? My people have benefited from my loyalty, my dedication.”