Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

 

Rhys gave her an odd look but did as she asked, leading her down the beach to a group of large rocks jutting out of the sand.  She took a seat on one of the rocks, and he claimed another one a few feet away.  They sat in silence for a moment, just taking in the breeze and the sight and sound of the waves. 

 

Finally, he was the one to break the ice.  “Thank you,” he declared without taking his eyes from the ocean.

 

“For what?”

 

“For not leaving right away when you were so obviously upset.  I appreciate you staying,” he explained, his eyes finally coming to meet hers. 

 

She cleared her throat nervously.  “It’s nothing big.  There are a lot of things I want to talk to you about as well.”  She bit her tongue the minute she said it, knowing she’d sounded like she wanted to be here.  His small resulting grin went a long way to take her mind off that, though.  “So,” she said, covering the silence again, “what did you want to talk about?”

 

“I am curious as to why you followed me the first two times we met.  I was not bothering you, and you never tried to attack me, but you were quite insistent about following me.”  She could tell he had been planning this conversation for a while. 

 

She thought for a few seconds before she answered.  “I thought you were my enemy the first time.  When I looked up, you were holding a Stealer’s wand, so I acted on instinct,” she said, lifting one shoulder in a half shrug.

 

“And your instinct was to capture this �" how did you say? �" Stealer?” he asked in confusion. 

 

“Of course,” she replied immediately, “it’s my job.”

 

“And why are these people your enemies?”  His eyebrows had drawn together as he listened to her speak. 

 

Her eyebrows came together to mimic his expression.  “Because they skip through time trying to steal ripple energy from the fabric of time, which could destroy the world as we know it,” she explained slowly, as if he should already know all of this.  Every Weaver learned of this age old war as a small child.

 

She waited for some kind of understanding to cross his face, but it never came.  “You mean to tell me you have no knowledge of the energy source Weavers around the world have fought to protect for millennia?” she asked in astonishment. 

 

Rather than an answer, he asked, “What are Weavers?”

 

Her eyes widened until they almost hurt and she choked on her breath.  “You’re joking, right?”

 

“No,” he replied, but it sounded far more like a question. 

 

“You honestly don’t know what a Weaver is?” she verified, and he shook his head slowly.  “Wow,” she murmured in disbelief and rubbed her eyes with her hands.  “Ok, um, Weavers are basically people like you and me, people who can use their minds and hands to Weave webs to travel through time and space,” she told him, sure he must know these people by another name. 

 

“You are the first person I have met who can do what I do,” he admitted, and she just stared at him for a moment. 

 

"That's not possible."  There were some revelations she was willing to accept, but this was a little too far.

 

"But it's true," he insisted. 

 

"No it's not.  Even if the Company didn't bring you in as a child, someone had to teach you how to Weave �" how to jump through time," she amended when he still didn't look comfortable with her terminology.

 

He was shaking his head as she finished speaking.  "No, no one taught me to do what I do.  I stumbled upon my abilities many years ago.  I didn’t understand at first, but soon I learned to master them," he corrected her.

 

"You �" you taught yourself to Weave?" she asked incredulously.  She was halfway to believing this was some elaborate joke her brothers were playing on her, which would have been much easier to believe, except she had seen him Weave out of the Company.  If there were one thing she knew for certain, it was that the building was impenetrable to Weaves of the normal kind �" she'd already tried years ago. 

Her eyes narrowed when he seemed almost annoyed with her.  "What?" She asked impatiently.

 

"I do not understand why you refuse to believe me.  I have been nothing but honest with you."  His expression might have shown annoyance, but his tone was simply factual.

 

Without meaning to, she felt chastised.  "It's just...a lot to take in," she finally offered, though she wasn't sure why she felt the need to explain; he was the one spouting the crazy talk after all.

 

"That I do understand," he agreed with her, and her eyes snapped to his.

 

 For just a moment, she tried to see this all from his perspective.  She tied to imagine what it would be like if she thought she was the only one of her kind for her whole life, only to wake up one day and find out she wasn’t alone.  If he'd really never met another Weaver before, her existence had to be very confusing and possibly exciting to him.  That would explain a lot of his actions up to this point.  "You've really never met another person like you before?" she verified in wonder.

 

"No, never," he responded honestly.

 

"Well," she paused, trying to think of something suitable to say.  "That's new," she ended up with lamely.

 

"I suppose I did not consider the prospect I would be as much a surprise to you as you are to me," he mused out loud.  "After I saw you with those men who are also like us �""

 

"Oh s**t!" she exclaimed, interrupting him as she jumped off the rocks.

 

His eyes widened in alarm. "What?  What is it?" he asked, standing as well.

 

“I’m supposed to meet up with my brothers at noon!” she cried, glancing about herself frantically as if she were looking for something.  “How long have we been here?”

 

“I do not know,” he replied slowly, wary of her outburst. 

 

“Crap, I need to get back,” she muttered, more talking to herself than to him.  She took a few steps away from him, intent on Weaving home, when a thought struck her.  “Oh no,” she murmured in horror, eyes wide.

 

“What is it?” he asked in concern, but it was more muted this time.

 

She turned her wide eyes on him.  “I can’t get back in,” she muttered cryptically as if it were the most horrible thing in the world. 

 

He looked at her blankly for a moment, hoping she would elaborate.  “I do not know what that means,” he finally told her. 

 

She threw her hands in the air with a frustrated groan.  “It means I can’t get back in the building back home!” she exclaimed.  A second later her eyes narrowed on him in accusation.  “And it’s all your fault!” she pointed an incriminating finger at him. 

 

His head snapped back in surprise.  “My fault?  What have I done?” 

 

She was really beginning to hate his legitimate honesty and confusion.  It made him seem so innocent and genuine, and worked to drain her anger.  Still, she gave it her best effort, huffing, “Every time people leave my building, they have to scan out so they always know who’s in the building and who’s not.  Then when people come back, they have to scan in again.”  She paused, catching her breath. 

 

“Oh, I see,” he said in understanding before she got the chance to finish, causing her to choke on her next sentence. 

 

“You do?”

 

“Yes, you cannot scan in without having first scanned out,” he explained simply.

 

“Well, yeah,” she replied, slightly deflated.  He’d cottoned on quickly. 

 

“It is not truly a problem, however,” he continued. 

 

She bristled at his calmly confident tone.  “Oh really?  And how do you figure?” she snapped. 

 

His eyebrows drew together quickly at her colloquialism, but he continued, “I will take you back if you wish.” 

 

She eyed him guardedly for a second, thrown by the straightforward way he made the offer to her.  “Why would you do that?” she wondered, thinking about the way he’d essentially kidnapped her in the first place. 

 

“Because you need to get back,” he stated simply.  “Also, as you said, it is my fault you cannot return on your own.  I never wished to inconvenience you.” 

 

She bit back her snort at that last part as she considered his words.  “You’re serious?” she finally asked.  “You’ll take me back right now?”

 

“Of course.” 

 

“What’s the catch?”

 

“I am sorry, I do not understand,” he responded slowly.

 

She rolled her eyes at his language difficulties.  Honestly, where had this guy learned English?  “I mean what do I have to give you for this favor?”

 

His confused look didn’t change.  “Why would you need to give me something?  You have a problem, and I simply wish to offer my help,” he explained as if it were the most obvious concept in the world. 

 

She contemplated him for a moment.  “You’re really that pure, aren’t you?” she finally asked, almost unbelievingly.  She could see he was about to ask another question and cut him off.  “Never mind, can you really take me back?” 

 

“Would you like to go now?” he asked, opening his arms and taking a step toward her but not pressing into her personal space. 

 

She appreciated the gesture, as it showed she had a choice this time.  That steeled her resolve.  “Please,” she replied, stepping close enough for him to transport them both, but she adamantly refused to touch him.  He brought up his hands between them to begin, but she interrupted, “Wait!” 

 

He recoiled slightly, startled, and then raised a questioning eyebrow. 

 

“Can you take us back to my bathroom?” 

 

“If you wish,” he responded, but she could hear the question in his tone. 

 

“It’s just my roommate could be in the room, and it would be really bad if she saw us come in,” she explained quickly. 

 

“I understand.  Shall we go?” he asked, raising his hands once more, and she nodded, bracing herself for the trip.  In a bright flash of light, she felt the pull as they disappeared into the web. 

 

Seconds later they cracked back into existence in the confined space of her bathroom.  As soon as her bare feet hit the linoleum floor, they slipped out from under her, and she was flung forward into his chest.  With an, “Oomph!” his arms immediately came around her to steady them both, and they remained that way for a few seconds as they regained their balance. 

 

Realizing that they were effectively embracing, she took a hasty step back and cleared her throat.  “Um, thanks for bringing me back,” she said as she pushed her hair behind her ear.

 

He gave her a small smile.  “It was my pleasure.”

 

They stood there awkwardly, letting the silent seconds stretch onward as neither knew what to say.  She was anxious to get to her room and see what time it was, but it felt wrong to just leave him standing there, especially since he hadn’t turned out to be that bad �" maybe a little insane and uninformed, but not that bad.

 

Finally, he spoke, relieving her of the responsibility of finding something appropriate to say.  “I shall go now.”  He took a small step back from her.

 

“Right, right,” she hastily agreed.

 

“However, may I ask one favor?” he continued uncertainly. 

 

Her eyebrows contracted in suspicion.  She knew the free ride was too good to be true, and here came the catch.  “What?” she asked guardedly. 

 

“Would it be possible for us to meet again at a more convenient time?  I feel there is much left to discuss,” he qualified, and she could hear the truth in his words.

 

She considered the request for a moment, along with all the questions she still had.  There was also the fact, as of yet, he had shown no signs of being dangerous.  As she was taking her time to decide, she got distracted by his expression.  He hadn’t looked very hopeful when he’d made his request, but as the seconds passed, she could see the muscles in his face loosen as his countenance became neutral, as if accepting her unwillingness.  She couldn’t tell why that bothered her so much.  Logically, she should be irked by his defeatist attitude.  Illogically, she didn’t want to disappoint him.  She was definitely not interested in exploring that thought further.  “Yes,” she blurted, and his eyes snapped to hers.

 

“What?” he asked in surprise. 

 

“We can meet again.  You’re not the only one with questions,” she clarified, hoping he knew nothing of her feelings a few seconds ago.

 

He nodded sagely.  “I understand.”

 

“I’m on call for the next two days, but we can meet the day after that,” she offered.

 

“I would appreciate that greatly.  Should I meet you here?” he asked innocently enough, but her eyes widened in alarm.

 

“Oh no, definitely not!” she exclaimed, raising her hands in front of herself as if to hold him off though he hadn’t moved.  Her reaction startled him, and he took a half step back.  Scrambling to make up for her outburst, she continued, “I can meet you somewhere else, just not here.”  Rather than respond, he continued to watch her, waiting for her to continue.  “Um,” she stalled, casting about for a viable option.  “Hang on a sec.  Let me make sure Nikki isn’t out there,” she indicated the room on the other side of the door as she walked over and peeked out.  Not seeing her roommate anywhere, she waved him forward.  “Come on.”

 

She moved toward her bedside table, which held her utility belt, and she felt rather than heard him tense behind her as her hand slid over her weapon.  However, her fingers didn’t stop there and continued to a different tool on the belt.  With a jerk of her wrist, she dislodged her scanner and held it in two hands as her thumbs skimmed over it. 

 

“If I give you coordinates, will you be able to meet me?” she asked without looking up from the device.

 

“Pardon me?” he asked, not understanding her terminology.

 

She glanced up from the screen to watch his reaction.  “Coordinates,” she repeated.  “Have you ever used them to Weave?”

 

“No, I have not.” 

 

She noticed most of the tension she had sensed in him was gone now that she was using her scanner and ignoring her weapon.  “How do you lock on a destination when you Weave?”

 

He considered her foreign terms before answering.  “I can either reach a location from memory or I can see it on a map,” he responded. 

 

“So if I show you a location on a map, you can meet me there in three days?” she verified. 

 

“That is correct.”

 

“Ok, come here,” she indicated for him to come to her side, and she angled her hands so he could see the screen in her hands.  “This is a map of the Waterfront here in the city, and here,” she used her finger to zoom in on a particular location, “is a coffee shop that’s easy for me to get to.  Can you meet me there?”  She watched him analyze the screen out of the corner of her eye. 

 

“It should not be a problem,” he replied a few seconds later, and he took a step back to look at her.  “What time should I arrive?”

 

“Do you have anything else going on that day?” she felt compelled to ask.

 

His small smile returned.  “No,” he shook his head.  “I have no other engagements.”

 

“Ok, well, I guess ten a.m. should be good,” she suggested. 

 

“Then I shall see you at that location on Monday at ten in the morning,” he confirmed. 

 

“Yeah, see you then,” she replied in a small voice, watching him lift his hands in front of her.  She could already see the faint tendrils between them, and before she could blink, he brought his hands together and was gone in a flash of light. 

 

She clumsily sat on her bed as her knees gave out.  She’d started out today not sure she ever wanted to see Rhys again, and now she’d been kidnapped by him and had managed to have a conversation with him before he’d simply brought her back at her request.  There was also the fact she’d gone ahead and made plans to meet with him again. 

 

She sat there for a few minutes, reliving various parts of their conversation, trying to make some sense of it all.  How could it be possible he’d never met another Weaver?  She was past the point where she thought he was lying to her �" he’d already proven he could do things no one else could, so why shouldn’t other strange things be true as well?  However, questions from their encounter weren’t the only things she had to consider.  She had just knowingly met with the rogue Weaver twice in two days after he had been branded a level one threat by the Company. 

 

There had been an opportunity, however brief, where she could have grabbed her weapon and immobilized him rather than reaching for her scanner.  She would have been commended for single handedly capturing such a threat to the Company, possibly promoted.  It was a tempting prospect, but she had foregone it to let him go.  If anyone ever did find out she’d met with him and let him leave, the repercussions would be much more severe than anything she’d experience up till now. 

 

That didn’t change anything, though; she was still going to meet him again in three days, and this time it would be voluntarily.

 

© 2012 Padfoot101