Artifice - Man x Man - Book Six

Chapter 31 ( M)

I shut my eyes as the car moves quietly through the streets. David Malcom had agreed that I would need a few weeks to come up with my next move, I needed time to decide if this city required more help and to figure out what influenced the weather. 

We would be under the protection of the government, within reason. Upon the completion of my next event, we would receive our remaining friends. Marcello warned me, in the privacy of the car, that that might be months away. 

Since lycans were illegal, their shifting on public property was banned though we did have permission to use the parking garage below the building we are assigned for exercise. Somehow, I struggle to find any joy in the idea of wolves trapped in an underground, concrete box. 

My mind is adrift as we climb out of the vehicles and get, once more, into the elevator that lifts us to the top floor of what Marcello calls an apartment complex. He agreed it would be best to separate ourselves from the compound, still going there at times but conducting most of our work where the government could see we were working to achieve our goal. 

"No respirators needed today."

Artifice chimes as the doors slide open, and we enter the complex. Tyler follows me, his arm wrapped firmly around Helen, who is on the brink of tears. Tonic and Reid are next; Reid watches the floor as if in a trance, finding a chair and slowly sitting down. 

Marcello and Rhea are last; silence falls over us as I slowly sit, and what felt like a victory now feels like a funeral. 

"Eddie?" I ask.

Marcello shakes his head. 

"Where are Randy and Marisol?" Rhea asks. 

"Detained," Marcello responds for me. "We'll get them back after we complete another 'miracle'." He slides onto one of the bar stool chairs and runs his hand over his closely shaven head. "We have plenty of time to think of something else, I think everyone needs to take a few days to decompress. This was tough, for all of us." 

The words make me sick. Decompress. Was I allowed to decompress after any of our battles? Was I allowed time off after I was brutally raped? Was I permitted space after discovering the truth about what had happened the last night in our own time? 

Time waited for no one; if I had learned anything it was that the march of time was prompt and on schedule if you wanted her to be or not. 

I straighten in my seat, "There is no time to decompress. We have to get started, tonight if we can." I tell them, and yet, I'm met with exhausted expressions and the familiar groan of sore bodies. 

"I'm sorry, forgive me, but why did you pick Reid instead of Verando?" Rhea demands. 

Reid waves her off. "I'm wondering that myself." He allows. 

"I understand Helen." Rhea gestures to the trembling girl. "But Reidy is more than capable of handling jail. You let them keep the other piece to this puzzle. Did you forget you drew power off the wolf? You used it that night, I saw it on the news, your eyes were blue-" She exhales in frustration, crossing her arms over her chest. 

"Tonic says Verando will die if you draw too much. Then what? What makes you think any of those officials will revive a dead lycan?" 

Truthfully I wasn't thinking about it that way. It all happened so quickly; how was I supposed to argue when I didn't even want to speak to him? He was different, he was apologizing, he took me off guard, and I didn't expect Helen to look so pitiful. 

"I understand you are upset with him-"

My head snaps up, and I narrow my eyes at her. "Do not act like I did this over some lover's quarrel!" I shoot at her, standing up now. "I did this because he told me to. I did this because it was the right thing to do."