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“What did I say?”
He repeated everything back to me verbatim. As he finished, my phone began to ring.
I saw Jace’s name on my screen. I looked back down at the man. “If you ever see Horatio again, end him and make sure it looks like an accident.”
I left Jaxson and Kade gaping at me as I pushed past them and went to go outside. I was in desperate need of fresh air. I barely noticed my lack of a coat as I stepped outside. I closed my eyes and took in great gulps of air. The cold was uncomfortable against my lungs. I felt weak.
He was one of the strongest guys I ever had to go against. He had to be high on Horatio’s payroll. It took everything in me to submit him to my will.
“It’s Jace,” Jaxson said quietly as he handed me my phone and wrapped my coat over my shoulders.
“Blake,” Jace said in a slightly clipped tone. “I asked you to please be careful. That’s Lorenzo Holt. He’s Horatio’s left-hand man. He’s insanely strong.”
I had to push back the urge to laugh. I knew it was an inappropriate response but I was still out of sorts. “Hopefully he makes it back to Horatio then,” I said bitterly.
“What did you do, Blake?” Remy barked out.
I realized then that I must be on speaker. “This needs to end,” I insisted. “I’m done fighting this man. I’m done letting this man drag all of the gifted into the mud.”
“Get back to the cabin, Blake,” Will said firmly. “We need a debriefing.”
I was shocked to hear his voice. I wondered if they had patched us through to the base.
I bristled. “I’ll go when my replacement gets here,” I insisted. “I’m not going to be left wondering if she comes in for her cup of coffee while no one is here waiting for her.”
“They’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Jace said before hanging up.
I looked up with Jaxson and leaned into him. “Guess I pissed them off again,” I sighed. “Our replacements will be here in twenty minutes.”
I felt another pair of arms embrace me from behind and felt their slight body shaking. “You did exactly what you needed to do,” Kade said, his voice quivered.
I turned and looked at him, surprised by the feelings of fear and pain coming from him.
“What’s wrong Kade?” I asked.
“Jr. pretended to be my sister. He made me believe she was alive and well. Horatio used him to deceive me for so long. If he’s with Joey and Moe, it can’t be good. They have no souls. They are like the sons Horatio never had. They’ll do anything and everything for him.” Kade was clearly fighting back the tears.
I hugged him. “No more. Together, all of us will take them down.” I said with determination.
I couldn’t believe the transformation that the techies’ cabin had gone through. Laptops covered the entire dining room table. Printers and other gadgets were neatly lined up on the bar. Their large television that nearly spanned an entire wall had wires attached to a computer tower.
The techies seemed opposed to light because all the windows had their curtains drawn. The only light coming in from outside was coming from the skylights above us.
“What happened?” Jace sighed as I walked into the house.
“Get Pops on the line,” Remy nudged Darren gently.
Darren almost flinched at Remy’s touch but he immediately began to click away on his laptop.
“Blake,” Pops said with heaviness in his voice.
I turned in surprise to see him, now in nearly full length, behind me on the television screen. Paul was standing slightly behind him. My reflection was on the left-hand side of the screen. I couldn’t resist the urge to walk closer to the screen as I tried to figure out where the camera was. I moved left than right before I realized that they had mounted a ‘webcam’ on the tall lamp to the right of the television.
Being around Jaxson must finally being wearing off on me. I felt like his spirit took ahold of me as I leaned into the camera and pretended to check my teeth. I hated feeling like a recalcitrant child. I was blessed with a powerful gift, powerful gifts even. From my past mistakes, I knew I had limitations, but I also knew to trust my instincts. I wasn’t arrogant enough to believe I still didn’t have a lot to learn, and I still needed their guidance but I shouldn’t have to clear everything with them when I felt something had to be done.
“Blake,” Will said with a weary sigh.
I heard Jaxson and Noah stifle a laugh and turned to see that Jace, Jaxson, Remy, Drake, Noah, and Troy had taken seats on the couch. Only Jaxson and Noah seemed to be amused by me, even though I’m pretty sure I saw Troy try to hide a smile. Their laughter only added more fuel to the fire as I imagined one of those vintage school desk with the desk and chair attached. I imagined myself in a dunce cap and wearing a catholic girl school uniform (although mine was the rated PG-13 version, not the rated G kind). I plopped myself down at the desk and folded my hands and blinked up at the television.
