Piece by Piece

53. Introduction

The rest of the way to Washington DC seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye. They reached a dark compound in what was likely the middle of the night, and Edwards showed Davyn to a simple room with only a bed, a nightstand, and a dresser.

"Don't get too comfortable," the man said. "You'll leave early next morning to meet the other recruits."

Davyn dropped the duffle bag on the bed. "Can I know where I'm going?"

Edwards smiled. "Egypt."

Egypt sounded exotic and filled with possibilities. Now that he knew a proper briefing was coming soon, he could relax for the evening and let everything that had happened sink in.

It was hard to believe that early that morning, he'd left New Haven with hope for a bright future. So much had happened, it was hard to take in. Not seeing Millie and showing his weakness in front of Freider still gave him a sinking feeling in his stomach, but even that paled in the face of what had happened in the last few hours.

His life had been so hectic since he'd become Snitch Gravel that it was just too easy to forget about his father and what he'd been training for his entire life. But it had come calling at a time when he felt truly lost, there to give him the purpose and direction he'd always needed and wanted.

Despite everything, he felt he was where he belonged. Where his father had intended him to be. Except Sirius was no longer there to guide him. A wound reopened inside his chest, one deep and filled with pain. It was so strong, it was almost physical.

Clutching his chest, Davyb laid down in the small cot and closed his eyes.

That night, he dreamed that his father was alive again, his death a mere fluke meant to confuse the people out to get him. They had a conversation about this secret organization he'd been working for, one Davyn unfortunately couldn't remember once Edwards woke him up the next morning. The dream's confusing tendrils still held him as he brushed his teeth, repacked his bags, and got back inside Edwards' pickup.

"Are you coming with me?" he asked as they drove to an airstrip outside the city. The sun hadn't come up yet, so he probably hadn't slept for more than a couple of hours. He only wished he could remember what his father had said inside the dream.

"Yes, of course. We have work to do when we get there." Edwards seemed cheery and well-rested, as if he'd had a full night's sleep. "Here, you'll need this." And he handed him a Styrofoam cup filled with what appeared to be coffee.

Davyn took a sip, even if he hated coffee. "Am I the last one?"

"Of the recruits? Yes. You were much harder to come by. But don't worry, the others haven't started training without you."

Davyn wasn't worried about that, considering his father's extensive training regime. He was probably well above the others unless they'd had parents teaching them what they needed to know as well. He did, however, start wondering just how much this organization knew about him and what he'd been up to since his father died.

Did they know about Snitch Gravel? Did they know about Millie and his troubles with Freider and Ron? His committed mother? Did they even care about all that, or was he nothing but a clean slate they were looking to fill according to their own agenda? He wasn't even sure which answer made him feel more uneasy.

When he boarded the small private jet, the thoughts felt like a swarm of bees overtaking him. Even with the coffee, he felt sleepy and confused. Edrwards' silence didn't help, so he just blacked out a few minutes after the plane took off. By the time he jerked awake, they were preparing to land.

"Wakey wakey," Edwards said in a merry, sing-song voice.

Davyn sat up, his muscles aching and his bones numb. What the hell was wrong with him? His mouth was dry, and his tongue felt swollen. "How long was I out?"