Possibility of the Future

Chapter Nineteen

Unedited.

Chapter Nineteen

The numbers I dialed hadn't changed in years. I knew them better than my own birthday. I didn't hesitate before I hit send, knowing I would lose my nerve if I waited any longer.

And the voice on the other end was as familiar as a cold bottle of Jack.

"Sword and Arrow."

"I need to speak to Upper Management."

Gregori's eyes dropped closed, thinking I was about to spill the beans on everything. I told him to trust me, as I now held everyone's future in the palm of my hand. There was only one person available for an Upper Management phone call since Gregori and I were here and if I told her everything, it spelled disaster for him beyond proportion.

"ID number."

"7254365 Vertigo."

There was a lengthy pause on the other end, one I wasn't used to and I suspected it had something to do with all the personnel he had to alert concerning who was on the line. There was a tension, one placed there by all the restrained questions he wanted to unleash. But Hank followed protocol, no matter the circumstances. Otherwise he wouldn't be a good first line of defense for the Guild.

The line clicked and I slid back into SC mode like I'd never left. I took the phone away from my ear and put it on speaker so Gregori could hear.

"Speaking," Lena's voice felt like a shot of ice down my spine. Oh yeah, we were in trouble.

"I heard you were looking for me." Gregori ticked his head to the side, waiting for it. "For us."

Lena noted the phrasing. "You left without telling anyone. A lot of people are worrying about you."

"My apologies. There's no reason to worry. Everything's fine and we're safe." Gregori's eyes snapped open the second he knew what I was doing. He reached for me but I leaned back, avoiding his touch. "This is all a simple misunderstanding, one I am happy to partially clear up if I'm allowed." I paused, considering what I should say next, how much I wanted to admit out loud to anyone, including myself. "There are some things going on that you don't know about, that no one knows about."

"Go on."

This was my moment.

My final Christmas present.

Even though it meant I crossed a line to give it.

"Let me make myself abundantly clear. Phillies did not abduct me nor did he do anything else anyone might've thought up during the time we've been gone. To think otherwise is not only false but completely absurd. I needed some time away from the Guild and New York for reasons I'm not willing to discuss at the moment."

"No," he mouthed, anger drawing his body tight.

I shook my head. No more sacrifices. "I needed time and he gave it to me. That's the only thing he's guilty of."

Lena didn't speak for several moments. "Is anyone forcing you to say this?"

"No. I'm saying this of my own free will and when we get back by New Year's Eve, I'll be happy to explain in more detail."

"You understand your actions will have consequences."

I'd lose being Leader, which wouldn't make me cry, and the possibility of losing SC was high. All I cared about was keeping Gregori as Security Head. Climbing the ranks for me was just something to do, a forced progression on my part to see how far they'd let a Slayer Hybrid go within the Guild.