Advancing ((Advance Industries #2)) (9 page)

All too soon we’ve stopped and I’m walking to a building one befitting the President. I’m taken inside and placed in a bright and cheerful room. High-ceilinged with a sparkling chandelier that makes the surfaces glisten from the crystals adorning it. Two sofa’s face each other and a massive fireplace stand behind them. The walls are a sky blue, the drapes are a silk white and skim the floor of the three windows they cover. A white wood bookcase encases the whole other end of the room. It’s dreamy, I think I could sleep peacefully in a room like this.

The door opens behind me and I turn around. I instantly feel sick. I’m looking at Fraser, a much younger version of him anyway. I mean I know I’m not but the likeness is scarily accurate. He looks young, younger than I expected, probably in his twenties if his smooth face is anything to go by. I feel my blood drain away and start heaving. Not again! I look for somewhere to expel it and find what I hope is a bin, I lean over it and throw up.

When I’ve finished, he’s holding out an embroidered handkerchief towards me. He Comms a servant to come and remove the offending bin. I wipe my face. “I’m sorry,” I mumble.

“Please don’t be. I’ve never had a woman throw up just from the sight of me. It’s both amusing and concerning,” he says dryly.

He gestures for me to take a seat on the sofa and he sits on the one opposite, his leg crossed over his other knee and arms splayed out on the back of the chair.

“To what do I owe the pleasure Faith?” He asks.

“Don’t look so surprised. It is I who should be so. Mr. Clark had no wish for us to meet but here you are anyway. I take it he does not know?”

I nod meekly. “He will soon enough, though.”

“Ahh right, so enough chit-chat and let’s get down to business?”

I nod again and wring my hands in my lap. He’s so at ease, he speaks in that posh way Fraser did, that ‘I’m better than you’ voice but he’s both putting me at ease and unnerving me. His eyes have me transfixed because that is the only part of him he didn’t inherit from Fraser.

“I... I need your help in order to travel back to my own time.”

He purses his lips before running his finger over them, he sits forward clasping his hands between his legs. “Why would you want to do that? Do you not enjoy this city?”

“I have my reasons.”

He laughs. “But you will not divulge them to me?”

I don’t break my gaze away from his but I don’t answer either. I haven’t the energy for games or questions, I just want to go.

“I can see why he was so fascinated with you Faith. You’re very determined.”

I raise my brows. “Kye?”

“No Dear, my father.”

“He spoke about me - to you?”

“Every day. Again I’m surprised you don’t know this. Do you and Mr. Clarke not communicate with one another?”

No not recently I think to myself. I just want this over. “Did he... Did he have any remorse?” I don’t know why I ask it but I thought Fraser was a friend at one time, a very fleeting time but nonetheless I feel like he was conflicted too. That Advance Industries made him into the monster he became. I saw good in him, tiny flecks of it at least.

He thinks it over. “He was incapable of remorse. He thought only of himself and what he wanted. He hated the fact you slipped away. You became an obsession.”

“Look I don’t want to be rude but I didn’t come here to make small talk. Will you help me or am I wasting my time?”

“I need to know why. Advancing has become dangerous, I may look like my father but I do have morals and I won’t allow a lady to travel without an exceptionally good reason.”

“I need to get back. He has my sisters. I need to change back whatever we wronged in the first place. I need to go without Kye knowing because he’ll stop me and I need to do it soon so either help me do it as safely as possible or I’ll go to the black market!” I stand up gesturing with my hands, glaring down at him. I’m desperate can’t he see that?

He stands as well palms raised and grinning at my outburst. “Valid reasons.” He says, “Take a seat and I’ll prepare my team. When I return we will talk about the destination you need to return to.”

I sag. That was actually very easy, too easy but I feel queasy again so take a seat and watch him walk gracefully from the room.

I’ve turned into a sullen sonofabitch. I know it, the team know it but I can’t shake it off. I’m being deliberately distant to Faith and even I can’t explain why. I guess I blame her on some level. What for I don’t know. My heart was torn out that night, firstly watching her lose it, then finding out... what I found out. I just can’t be around her without my strength. I’m meant to be the strong one. I haven’t faced half of what she’s faced and I’m embarrassed to let her see me like this. Why would she want me when I’m not the man she believes me to be? I know I’m hurting her and I hate myself for it. I’ve created a distance between us and I can’t find a way to bridge it so I’m being a typical bloke and spending all my time with the team or helping Jack at the labs. I avoid Faith as much as humanly possible and can see the pain that causes her. I’m just waiting to sort my feelings out in my head before I can give her the me, she deserves. I can feel her pulling away from me, no truth be told I’m pushing her away. This is so unlike us. We always talk through any issues instead of letting them fester. We’re strangers and I can’t change that until my eureka moment.

I’m at the hotel the guys have been staying at still working on our plan to go back but I’m dragging my feet. I can’t send her back feeling unloved, can’t say goodbye when my emotions are so raw. I shake my head. Man, the fuck up!

Saunders comes breezing into the room, grabs me roughly and drags me over to his bedroom slamming the door behind us.

“What the fuck, Saun?” I round on him.

“Shut up!” He says and starts pacing. “I shouldn’t be telling you this. It’s none of your Goddamn business but I can’t watch this anymore!”

He turns to me. “You love her?”

“Saun...”

“Just answer the question!”

“Yes! You know I do.”

“Then sort your shit out. She doesn’t deserve the way you’re treating her.”

“What the fuck does it have to do with you? Our relationship is none of your fucking business. You’re crossing a line, Saun!”

“Screw your imaginary line. I just had her results!”

“What results?”

“The blood I took a few days ago, I never fast-tracked because she miscarried so I put it aside. When she carried on throwing up though something nagged at me so I ran the blood.”

“And?” I ask feeling the blood drain from me. I take a seat on the bed.

“I think she’s still pregnant, Kye. Her CG levels were so high; I can’t be sure until she has a scan but I think she was carrying twins.”

I sit down on the bed. Twins? Baby, no baby, twins and now one baby? Is that what he’s saying, she lost one but is still pregnant? He’s right she’s been throwing up all hours of the day but I bought his ‘it’s shock’ theory and left her to it because I’m a bastard.

She suffered horrendously that night and I shut her out focusing on my pain. I never took Saunders advice to talk with her and grieve. We went separate ways because I forced us to.

“She’s still pregnant?” I ask in total disbelief.

“I honestly don’t know but for her levels to be that high it points to twins. Her being sick constantly isn’t from a bug or stress I think it’s morning sickness. I need to scan her Kye. She’s fragile right now and if she is still pregnant she needs to look after herself and her body otherwise this one won’t survive either. I’m not sure she’d cope if it happened again. You need to step up. Be the man she needs Kye, you’ll regret it otherwise.”

“Yeah,” I mumble. “Be the man she needs. I don’t know where he’s gone.”

“Well find him and do it quickly. I never got what she saw in you to start with,” he tries joking, I think, but I ignore it. My Comm beeps and I see its Trask. I cancel the call, he’s on my shit list for providing Faith with what I’ve been unable to. I’ve been so out of it even my jealousy has lain dormant. He keeps Comming me but I have no intention of speaking to him. Childish? Yep.

“What do I do, Saun?”

“Go home. Talk to her. Ask your new friend, Mr. President for access to his scanners. I might be wrong, unlikely as I’m the dog’s danglies but still you need to know.”

I Comm the President and he doesn’t answer so I sit on Saunder’s bed and try to figure out how I’m going to broach this with her. I’ve been a bastard but I miss her. How do I put right the neglect I’ve given her the last week?

My Comm beeps again and it’s the President. I answer the video call and his holograph opens in the room.

“I need your help,” I tell him.

“A popular theme today,” he muses.

“What?”

“I’m aware that you do not trust me fully and I can understand your reticence so as a goodwill gesture, an act of faith if you will, I’m getting in touch to warn you that Faith is here, asking for my help in being sent back to her time.”

“Shit! Why?”

“She has her reasons, she’s very despondent and she was sick in my bin. I’m happy to help her. I just thought you would like to know.”

“She’s pregnant. Do not let her travel.”

“I know she is, she, however, does not.”

“How do you know?”

“Whoever steps over my threshold is scanned before they can get anywhere near me. Concealment of weapons, etcetera but she was concealing something else. I think six weeks along would be my estimation.”

“Do not let her move I’ll be there soon.”

“I will not force the young lady to do anything she doesn’t want to but I also will not prevent her from doing what she feels she needs to.”

“She’s pregnant!”

“So you keep saying. I don’t understand the relevance, though. Travelling while pregnant in this time is perfectly safe. Imagine the uproar if only un-pregnant people could experience Advancing. It was meant to help the old and the injured get from place to place with less hassle. Pregnant women were in that demographic too.”

“Did you Comm me just to piss me off?”

“I Commed you to give you a chance. I can hold her back no longer, she’s suspicious as it is. I’m giving you a head start but won’t guarantee you’ll win the race.”

He deactivates his Comm and Saunders and I stare at each other.

I Comm Faith – no answer. I send her a hurried message apologising for being a twat, telling her I love her and not to go. Begging for her to give me a chance to make this right. Pleading to let me just see her before she makes a rash decision. A Comm message won’t put anything right and sending it is a cop out but it’s all I have until I can see her face to face.

How did I let it go this far? How could I let it get to the stage where the only option she feels she has left is to travel back alone. To get away from me.

Trask Comms again and I reluctantly answer. It’s not his fault, he’s done nothing wrong as far as I’m aware. As soon as it connects he’s yelling at me.

“You stupid fuck! Faith is with the President!”

“Tone it down Trask. I know!” I grit my teeth.

“You know? But you’re still sat on your arse?”

“I’m leaving now!”

“Don’t bother. I ‘m already there and I’m dragging her out. This is your job Kye but if you don’t want it anymore I’m happy to take over!”

“You fucking...” His Comm deactivates and now I’m furious. Did he just threaten to take what’s mine? Does he have a death wish? I knew that lairy fucker wanted my girl and I gave him ample opportunity to swoop in. Does she have feelings for him now? Lord knows they’ve been inseparable lately, spending every minute possible together doing fuck knows what! I left her defenceless against predators and now they’re all circling. Despite anything that has torn us down, I worship her, I seem to have forgotten that recently. She needs to know every day that she’s adored and I promised myself to do that if I got her back. She’s right – I do break promises.

“Where’s Arlen?” I snap at Saunders. “I need him to override our Comm system and get me a hoverride now!”

“I’m on it,” he says. “I’ll find him!”

“Pack up our shit too, we need our packs… Just in case.”

I read his message and tears fall down my face. It’s the nicest he’s been to me all week. I love him too and don’t want to be without him but losing a baby changes nothing, we knew we were going back it makes no difference if I go alone or not. I type out my own message then delete it, then try again. It just doesn’t sound right, I can’t convey my feelings and I don’t want him to stop me as a sense of duty or out of guilt.

The President walks into the room with two AIG and a beaten Trask. His face is a mess. I wince just from looking at him, his lips are split, his left eye swollen and closed up but he’s still smiling at me. Why is he looking so triumphant?

I jump up and rush over to him but they won’t let me close. I turn on the President. “What have you done? Why is he hurt?”

“I assure you we never wanted this. He attacked my guards and this is the result.”

“Trask...”

“I’m okay girl. Don’t look at me like that.”

“Will you let him go, please. This is all just a huge misunderstanding.”

“Faith your safety is most important to me I can’t just let a Neanderthal loose in my home.”

“He wouldn’t hurt me. He probably thought you were and that’s why he lashed out. Please, he won’t hurt anyone. Will you?” I direct at Trask.

He shrugs noncommittally obviously not willing to agree to that. My eyes flutter closed, he’s not helping himself. I take a deep steadying breath. Why are the men in my life so hell bent on making things difficult for me?

“Fine, send me back, then let him go?”

“Agreed.”

“Not agreed!” Trask shouts, “You’re going nowhere Faith, not alone anyway!”

I pivot my body back in his direction. “What are you proposing Trask? That you come with? Don’t be so stupid. I don’t need chivalry or help. I’m capable of dealing with more than you give me credit for.”

“I’m more than aware of your capabilities Girl. I’m doing this for me, for my conscience. Being with you is an added bonus.” He smiles and winks at me playfully with his good eye.

Before I can respond he head-butts the guard to his right with the back of his head disabling him. The guard grabs hold of his nose in both hands and blood drips over his fingers. The other guard who was also concentrating on our exchange increases his grip on Trask’s arm after flicking a look at his mate. It’s useless, though, Trask is slightly shorter but better built. Before the guard has time to register what’s coming his way, Trask butts him too, this time using the front of his head. I squint at the brutality and notice the President has his comm prepped to call for backup.

“Don’t!” I warn him as I move closer.

He smiles at my command. “How do you propose to stop me Faith?” He asks with genuine interest.

I look at Trask as his knife comes flying through the air still sheathed thank God and I catch it, thanking the heavens that my reflexes are still going strong. I pull it from the cover and step even closer to the President.

“I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to leave. Trask doesn’t deal well with restraint and your guards got what they deserved after the beating they gave him. Just let me go back and let’s do it now before the rest of the team turn up.” I look at Trask needing confirmation that he ratted me out to Kye and he nods.

“Please.” I try again desperate to leave before I have to face Kye and his compelling eyes, the eyes holding so much pain in them that it physically hurts me now to look at him.

“I was always going to let you leave. There was no need for all the theatrics, the violence. I admit my guards get a bit rambunctious. On learning that this is the Trask my father spoke of he is, of course, welcome to say his goodbyes to you. Those are my terms. I can’t allow him to travel with you. You understand?”

“Yes and I agree.”

“Well, I don’t! It’s not fucking happening Faith,” Trask roars.

I look at the President again. “Can you please give me us a few minutes?”

“You have two minutes, any longer and our deal is null and void!” He turns and leaves the room.

I walk to Trask his chest is still heaving, the guards throw him looks of pure hatred and leave with the President. We’re alone and I need to use this time wisely to get him to see sense.

“Why are you fighting me on this? This was always going to happen. It was the plan from the start. You knew I had to go back.”

“I agreed to take orders from a man I respected whether I agreed with them or not. He no longer has my respect Faith. I’ve watched you these last few days; you’ve retreated into yourself. You remind me of when we first found you. I’ve watched him break your spirit. I’ve watched you cry and I’ve watched you wrap yourself in guilt. He may not be watching out for you anymore but I damn well will be. You really think I can let you go walking back into danger in the mind frame you’re in and be at peace with it?”

“Trask, I...”

“Faith he’s not the only one who loves you... we all do! Most of them see you as an annoying younger sister or an amusing friend. But we love you... I won’t watch you walk away out of a twisted sense of duty.”