"Does this mean we're speaking to each other?" he asked, still looking down at the glass panel in his hands.
"Enough, Omari."
"What's the problem this time?"
"This personal attachment you seem to have," she said. At this he stopped reading and looked up at her.
"I think it's impeding your ability to perform your duties," she continued. "And it needs to end right here, right now."
"My personal attachment? What are you talking about?" he demanded, standing up to face her.
"Lately, you have been too involved with my private life, and I believe you’ve forgotten to behave like a professional. You need to either ignore any feelings you may have for me or remove yourself from this position."
"I don't have any feelings for you," he asserted.
"Call it whatever you want, but things have become too personal and I think it's affecting your job."
"The only thing affecting my job is your irresponsible behavior."
"My behavior should be irrelevant."
"You've been behaving like a child, and forcing me to act like your babysitter."
"Call it whatever you want, but things have become too personal and I think it's affecting your job."
"The only thing affecting my job is your irresponsible behavior."
"My behavior should be irrelevant."
"You've been behaving like a child, and forcing me to act like your babysitter."
"That’s exactly the type of talk I’m referring to."
"What talk?" he screamed. "Your cooperation is essential to your security."
"What talk?" he screamed. "Your cooperation is essential to your security."
"Not if you're good at your job," she said sternly. "Omari, you haven’t been behaving like a member of my security team."
"And how have I been behaving?"
"Like a jealous boyfriend."
Omari stood still and silent. A part of him agreed with her. He had been speaking to her on a personal level.
Omari stood still and silent. A part of him agreed with her. He had been speaking to her on a personal level.
When he watched over Sun, he hardly ever spoke to her. Once in a while, he would brief her on security procedures for certain events. But that was it.
His relationship with Kate had taken a different turn. He had even shared with her his memory of their first encounter. Perhaps it had gone too far.
"Our bodyguards are not supposed to be seen or heard,” she told him. “Focus on your job or I'll demand someone else do it."
"Our bodyguards are not supposed to be seen or heard,” she told him. “Focus on your job or I'll demand someone else do it."
After several minutes of silence, Kate spoke up again.
"I’m headed to the library to do some research," she told him. "I will need to spend time with the base librarian. Please, complete your procedures for clearing him so that we can work together."
"Yes, m’am." Omari stepped outside and called over one of the base officers. He told him to escort Kate to the library and watch over her until he arrived.
Kate and the officer walked off. She did not speak to Omari again, or even turn back to look at him. Her plan was underway, so she kept her gaze on the path ahead. No matter how difficult it was.
•••
James followed his parents from the council chamber. He had gone there to speak with his mother about Ceres. The plan was to plant seeds of doubt and paranoia, about anyone but him really. But, as he approached the balcony, he heard his father’s voice.
He couldn’t make out exactly what they said, but somehow he knew they were speaking about him. He couldn’t shake his concerns that they had figured him out. He believed his father had, and what he caught was his father sharing that information with his mother.
He couldn’t make out exactly what they said, but somehow he knew they were speaking about him. He couldn’t shake his concerns that they had figured him out. He believed his father had, and what he caught was his father sharing that information with his mother.
He stood behind the curtains near the balcony, trying desperately to hear their words. He could only make out a few, but his mind filled in the rest. And, the paranoia grew like a wildfire.
When the two left the balcony, he stood behind the curtain as motionless as his shaking hands would allow. They passed through the council chamber and into the main alcove. He slowly opened the doors to the chamber and peeked out just in time to witness the couple step inside the library’s vestibule.
James continued to follow them through the library. They walked past the map rooms, and toward the Alexander wing, exactly where he anticipated they were going.
James continued to follow them through the library. They walked past the map rooms, and toward the Alexander wing, exactly where he anticipated they were going.
But they did not stop.
They moved past the entrance to the wing and continued to walk, down into the depths of the library toward his father's office. James watched the pair enter the hallway that ended with the door to the Curator's office. What was his father doing? No one was allowed in there except the Curator.
They moved past the entrance to the wing and continued to walk, down into the depths of the library toward his father's office. James watched the pair enter the hallway that ended with the door to the Curator's office. What was his father doing? No one was allowed in there except the Curator.
He stood by the entrance to the hallway for some time wondering what was happening inside. Did Yori have evidence against him? What was so important that his father could not take the evidence to his mother; he had to take Sun to the evidence? He needed to speak with his aunt.
James decided to leave the library. He walked out through the lower exit near the vault, the spot where Yori had died. He had not been there in person since Yori's death.
Standing in the atrium, the damage from the explosion was still visible. Columns were missing. Piles of stone were waiting to be removed. He eyed the cracks across the stone floor as they crept up the walls and into the ceiling like bony fingers.
This is what he had done.
James decided to leave the library. He walked out through the lower exit near the vault, the spot where Yori had died. He had not been there in person since Yori's death.
Standing in the atrium, the damage from the explosion was still visible. Columns were missing. Piles of stone were waiting to be removed. He eyed the cracks across the stone floor as they crept up the walls and into the ceiling like bony fingers.
This is what he had done.
He was the one responsible for this destruction. He placed his hand on his chest, trying to grip the heaviness within, and started to cringe when the door to library opened.
William and Sun stopped. They looked at their son staring at the hole in the ground. James looked at his parents, and noticed his mother glance over at the doors to the vault.
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