Awakening Book One of the Trust Series

chapter 15

The weekend had been more than pleasant for the most part. Garrett had returned late Friday night. The Councilmen had kept him more than busy over the past week; their primary objective had been to get him to resume his role as an Inquisitor. After Caitlyn had left the briefing room, the Councilmen made it no secret that they wanted to promote him within the group. They acknowledged his talent level, for the ability was rare and as a result he would be most useful in the more difficult cases.

Garrett was not very inclined to oblige, especially after they took away his mentorship. They reiterated time and time again that the change was in no way a reflection on him, but it was simply that Caitlyn was exceptional and needed guidance beyond what he could provide.

He refused to believe that. Caitlyn was exceptional; there was no doubt about that. But she was still advancing far beyond her peers at this stage. The change to Declan was not a well thought out one and a rash one at that. Caitlyn and Declan were a dangerous combination. Both were extremely too driven. He firmly believed that Declan did not understand that Caitlyn would need to learn to pace herself.

He did not want Caitlyn just to become another tool that the Trust could use. He had seen it happen before with Actuals of significantly less power than she had. They became soldiers of the Trust; their lives completely dedicated to the Trust only, their personal lives second to their loyalty of their organization.

Declan was the embodiment of this belief. Declan was so wrapped up in Trust business, it was well known that it he had not even had a personal relationship in more than two years. His life was the Trust and nothing else. Garrett hated the idea to losing Caitlyn to that. In the past three weeks since the Council handed down their decision, he had only received a few intermittent phone calls from Caitlyn. He felt that Declan’s influence was already beginning.

Garrett was a little more than surprised to see Caitlyn at the door when he arrived home. He was pleased to note that she appeared almost relaxed as she waited for him, with a bottle of wine in her hand. She smiled that beautiful smile that made him relax every time he witnessed it. He missed her more than he wanted to admit.

Garrett could not keep the longing out of his voice. “You are here.”

Her voice was as soft as her smile. “I’m here for the whole weekend. Unless…” a look of uncertainty crossed her face. “You have plans?”

He shook his head no. Even if he had, he would have canceled them immediately just to spend time with her alone. He crossed the final four steps over to where she stood before taking her in up his arms. It was as wonderful as he remembered, her body molding perfectly into his.

He kissed her, a thousand sparks igniting between them in that moment. When they finally pulled away from each other, breathless and with lips swollen, he spoke. “I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

The early fall night air was cold, and he opened the door letting the both of them inside the house. She placed the wine on his kitchen counter, fumbling through his drawer looking for the wine opener. Garrett couldn’t help but reach out and touch her.

The rest of the evening was spent in front of a warm fire, with Caitlyn’s back laying against Garrett’s chest, catching up on what had happened during the last three weeks. Caitlyn listened with interest as Garrett talked of the Trust reinstating him as an Inquisitor. She turned her face to his, her hand resting on his cheek.

“Are you happy with that?”

Garrett shrugged. He did not know if he was. There was a time he loved his old job, but now, in the past couple of weeks, it left him somehow unsatisfied. The gratification that he used to get from finding a memory that was altered or hidden in the recesses of one’s mind when other Inquisitors could not, was no longer there; instead, he found himself missing the excited expressions that Caitlyn wore when she discovered some new talent.

The Trust had technically given him the option if he wanted to return to his old job. They advised him that the choice was his, but if he chose the private sector, then he would be relocated from this town, away from her, and that was something he was not willing to give up at this point.

“It’s a job. It keeps me closer to you, which is all that matters.”

She looked at him pensively, and he could not tell what she was thinking at the moment, which frustrated him. Did she want him closer? Her answer did not clarify things. “I think you should do what you think is best for you, not me. I do not want to be the reason for holding you back.”

“Held back?” The laugh that fell from his lips could not be prevented. “Caitlyn, being an Inquisitor is not being held back by any stretch of the imagination. Most Actuals would love to have my abilities and an Inquisitor is a very high-ranking position. They have even promoted me as a result of you. I had my security level clearance increased to a three.”

“Oh.” Was the only reply that fell from her lips.

He cupped her face. “Besides…if I am with you, I could never be held back.” It was the closest thing Garrett could do for a declaration of his affections to her.

Caitlyn leaned into his left hand but he felt her pause slightly beneath his touch. “Garrett, why is that you have never taught me subjective telepathy?”

“Caitlyn, I am sure you have heard the saying, ‘Too Much, Too Soon’?”

“But for me it is not. I can handle it. I wish you would give me credit where credit is due.”

“Of course I give you credit where credit is due. I know you are capable of it, but just because you are capable doesn’t mean that you should be taught it yet. I had already passed the Threshold when I began just to study the concepts. I’ve told you a hundred times; the Threshold does not mean the ending to your education.”

“But it does delay it. You study it in between your profession. It does not allow you to solely focus on it and refine it. How can you expect to master as much as possible if you are not given the time to?”

“I mastered them.”

“But most Actuals have not, nor will they ever.”

“Most Actuals do not have the capability that you and I have, Caitlyn. You make it sound as if each Actual is as talented as you are. When are you going to understand that you are the exception, not the rule?”

“And when are you going to understand that the Trust will never achieve its true potential until it lets its members do the same? I guarantee that there are probably Actuals out there who are stronger than they are aware, who have the capability I have, but it just takes them a little longer to learn. We do not have the luxury of time on our side anymore, Garrett.”

Garrett was stunned for a moment. It was amazing that how in just a span of three weeks, she could truly sound like a dedicated member of the Trust. He was not sure exactly how to respond. So, he simply did not. He held her tighter, his mind wandering down various paths as to where this relationship would lead the both of them.

He spent the weekend doing activities with her that was specifically not related to anything having to do with the Trust. They spent Saturday locked in the house, watching the October leaves fall around them, reading a couple of novels and watching movies. Whenever she briefly mentioned something regarding the training, or the Trust, he redirected her thoughts elsewhere or only gave her a brief answer, hoping that it placated her.

He wanted to enjoy Caitlyn just as she was those first couple of weeks he had come to know her. She was relaxed and excited about the world of possibilities that lay in front of her. When he was able to pull her away from the allure of the Trust, he saw a piece of that again from her.

Garrett just hoped that he could keep that piece all for himself.