Brink by Mikel Parry
Chapter 18 - Symbol price

CH – SYMBOL PRICE

Streams of cool air passed by Thomas’ face. His mind felt fuzzy and dislodged. He wasn’t sure where he was or what he was doing. But one thing was for certain; he was moving. Doing his best to open his eyes, he could see the hazy outline of the man driving. He appeared to be intently focused on the road ahead.

“You up, Tommy? You alright?”

Thomas heard the man’s words and immediately recognized who they belonged to. It was Vaun. At first this came as a great relief. Vaun had come to the rescue. But that thought was quickly spoiled by the obvious—how had Vaun found him? Racking his brain for answers, he couldn’t remember just how he had arrived at being in the car. He needed some answers.

“How did you replace me? Where am I?”

Vaun glanced over for only a heartbeat. He appeared nervous and flustered.

“It doesn’t matter. That place was falling to pieces back there, Tommy. I had to snatch you up before the law did. Just what the hell were you doing back there?”

Thomas struggled to gain his bearings. Slowly his sight returned to him, painting him a clear picture. Suddenly a brilliant dawn burst through the foggy mist in his brain. Instantly, he remembered everything—the utter chaos that had nearly taken his life—the same chaos that had taken the lives of so many others. Just how many had died in the explosions? Was this justice demanding its needs be met?

“Vaun, it matters! I told you not to follow me. You could have very well been in that building, buried a hundred feet under. Just stop the lies for once and tell me the truth!”

Vaun took a sudden turn into an alleyway and brought the car to a screeching stop. The smell of burnt rubber only heightened the burning anger he held inside.

“Because I don’t trust you! Nobody does, Tommy! You go all rogue on us, just up and leave, and now this? It’s crazy, that’s what it is. I’m not going to let you run around starting fires! I’m just not!”

“And what about you? Should I trust you? All these years you’ve been riding me into the ground? You’re always trying to take a piece of me every time we’re together. And for what? Just to see me fail?”

“I just saved your life! The least you could do is thank me. I could have left you behind so those blue buzzards could slap one indictment on you after another. But I didn’t! Stop believing that there’s something there that isn’t!”

Thomas felt the anger inside him swell. He let the words drop into his boiling vat of resentments. Vaun’s jealousy had driven a wedge directly between them, built of doubt and paranoia.

“Thanks, thanks for picking me up. I apologize that I reamed you so soon. I’ve just been through a lot lately.”

Vaun’s demeanor shifted from one of anger to a more relaxed, receptive one.

“Why can’t you just tell me what’s really going on? You go pull Pete’s chain to come down to the docks? The docks, Tommy—really? Look, I’m no spring chicken. Just what have you dug yourself into?”

Vaun looked over at Thomas’ exposed watch. His eyes dwelled there. Thomas tucked it out of view.

“I don’t know what to say. To be honest, you wouldn’t believe me even if I told you.”

“Try me. I was paired up with you, remember? There’s a lot of things that I’m willing to stretch on these days.”

Thomas felt the urge to say something but refrained. To do so meant condemning his relationships with Roslin, Banks, and whatever organization had granted him his overwhelming responsibility. But he felt betrayed as well. The killer had shown him one of his cards. A card etched with a cryptic message that had kept his mind revisiting it. It was obvious that he wanted Thomas to know something. But what was it? Was the supposed untouchable organization contaminated? With Roslin’s own brother being reached, just how far did the treachery go?

“I’m changing things; things that when set in motion have the potential to create devastation, much like you saw back there. I’ve struck a deal with the Feds and have been working with them ever since. Really, that’s all it is.”

“Then why all the secrecy? Why now? You treat the rest of us like strangers. People you’ve worked with for years are suddenly ostracized by you and your secretive quest. You can’t just keep pushing people away, Tommy. Heaven knows you’re already running thin.”

Thomas looked out the window into the dark alley. A part of him wanted to abandon it all and just go back to mourning his loss. Everything had become so horribly complicated. Nothing was what it seemed. Every corner now harbored the dark shadow of death; one disease-filled tide, sweeping its way through time, destroying the future.

“It’s because I can’t. I can’t bring someone else into this. Whoever this is, is winning. People are dying wrongfully. This isn’t about me anymore. I left me back with Jen.”

“Tommy, what are you talking about?”

Thomas closed his eyes. For once he didn’t know what to do. Everything was so woefully out of place. But he knew he was right. Vaun wasn’t ready for the world he was in. The last thing he wanted was innocent blood on his hands merely to satiate his human need to not feel alone. The puzzle was becoming a literal hell. Without words, he reached for the door handle to exit the car. This immediately set Vaun off like a fire alarm.

“Tommy, think about what you’re doing here. You can’t just go back and change this.”

Thomas felt his heart sting. Despite their rocky relationship, Vaun had stood with him many times before. But now he had to leave him behind. He had already left behind almost every other aspect of his past self; now he was shedding what little was left. He was being bored down to the very core of who he was and he didn’t like what he saw.

“I know.”

Thomas slammed the door behind him. He could feel Vaun’s emotions practically oozing out, submerging him in their reflective abyss, trying to pull him back in. But it was too late. With the screech and burn of rubber, Vaun was behind him.

“I’m sorry, Vaun . . . I really am.”

Thomas knew that he needed to get back and glimpse again. He needed to push himself to the very fringe of time and stop this madness. He needed to see this through.

“So, it’s not just me, then? Man, you’ve got a real way with people.”

The voice came from somewhere in the shadows. It only took a moment for the source of the voice to walk into the open. It was Roslin—the very man who had plagued his thoughts since the beginning of this insanity.

“I thought we agreed to no following—you’ve got a way of hiding things—things people should know about,” said Thomas, eyeing the small pendant he was wearing.

Roslin nodded.

“I’d recite to you the gravity of me telling you any of this and the implications therein, but something tells me you just don’t care.”

“At least you’re finally getting something right.”

“I’ve known about your little gift for some time. We’ve had our eyes on you for some time. It’s what we do. But I guess your question is, who are we?”

“Spare me the backstory. Why would he show me that symbol? Why would it matter?”

Roslin turned and began walking away. Cautiously, Thomas followed.

“The symbol is a reflection of what our organization does. It goes back ages, has survived the rise and fall of many governments. It has been weathered, tested, and proven. But everything comes with a price.”

“What are you talking about?”

Roslin stopped for a moment.

“The world can’t know what we do; it isn’t ready. We stand between humanity and utter chaos. This often requires sacrifice.”

“Like your brother?”

Roslin turned, his posture turning aggressive.

“No—not like my brother. He had nothing to do with this. I made my own choices. He’s done nothing wrong.”

“It’s those choices that are haunting us all now. You can’t possibly believe that you’re untouchable. Everybody has their boiling point; even you.”

Roslin looked down at the ground. He appeared to be in deep thought.

“I’ve worked tirelessly to remove everything I was in order to become something more. All that matters now are the results. I won’t condemn the many just for my own selfish desires.”

“You’re a monster! How can you just stand by and do nothing? This isn’t about some secret organization. This man wants to destroy you and everything you stand for! It’s no longer about results. If you don’t start telling me the truth, he’ll win!”

“Don’t you think I know that? It’s not that easy! When much is given, much is required, plain and simple. I’ve earned my stake—have you?”

“I couldn’t care less about what stake I have. I’m trying to save people’s lives! Innocent people who are being destroyed. I just watched a building collapse on top of a crowd of people. They may not have been innocent, but many didn’t deserve to die like that. Whoever this is will do whatever it takes to win.”

Roslin put a hand up as if to refute the remarks but let it fall back limply to his side.

“So what do you propose? We’ve already lost most of our team. We almost lost you.”

“Let me do things my way. You’ve had me in handcuffs ever since I came onto this program. Take them off. Let me do what I’m good at.”

“I know what you’re trying to ask me but the answer is no. We are struggling too much as it is to track one disruptor, let alone two. To have both of you playing a game of cat and mouse could be disastrous. I just can’t risk it.”

Thomas took a few steps towards Roslin. He did his best to look him straight in the eyes.

“If you don’t, we’ve already lost.”

The comment struck Roslin who sat quietly for a time. He was considering the idea poised against his twisted sense of duty. But Thomas had played his card with purpose. He knew that Roslin wanted results. It seemed that was all that mattered. Had he pressed the right button?

“Jo isn’t going to like it. You’ve already got him rambling off line after line of adjunct possibilities. He won’t like the idea.”

“Believe me, neither do I. If I felt like I had another option, I’d take it.”

Roslin turned and began walking away.

“Where are you going?”

“You know.”

Thomas sat quietly in the dark. Was he alone? Was he truly ever? His sense of loneliness was quickly being replaced with one of paranoia. He wasn’t safe. He was never going to be safe again.

“I know, but I just don’t like it.”

He took a moment to reflect. There was something wildly out of place inside of him. His heart seemed to jostle around in his chest with every breath. What was real anymore? Who or what could he trust? He had enticed anger at almost every turn. Now the killer was undoubtedly studying him down to every last detail. And yet he was still alive. What twisted game was being played? There was only one person he wanted to see now. In a prayer from his heart, he just hoped she was still alive.