Black Butterfly

Chapter 31

He doesn't say anything, just looks at us. Silence enveloped the room as we stared at each other. 

"You are the stupidest two people I've ever met." Jordan spits. The words hit me harder than I expected, like a slap across the face. I blinked my face settling into confusion, a hint of surprise. 

"Uncle, I can explain-" Nick started but Jordan cut him off. 

"I don't want to hear anything from you." He hisses. "You," Jordan points a finger at me, "You are endangering everyone in the compound by being here." 

I had no idea. "I'm sorry, I didn't know-"

"Of course you didn't know. There are certain rules in place that we have to keep you from knowing. That's why we've operated for so long." Jordan's eye are ablaze, he's beyond angry. 

"Well, maybe if those ruls didn't exist, we wouldn't have this problem." I say back, startling both of them. "All those rules have done is complicate the situation. If you had told me what was going on sooner, we could have planned for everything faster." I glared at Jordan. "You have done nothing but degrade and demean me since I came here. You know nothing of who I am and what I can do. And it's time for that to change." 

Jordan looked like he was about to explode. I must've been to harsh, but so what? He deserved it. From the corner of my eye I could see that Nick was trying not to squirm. The tension in the room had gotten thicker and it was obviously hard for him not to break it. I continued to stare Jordan down, refusing to give in to a look that had probably broken so many others. 

His voice was a quiet contrast to the anger on his face as he said, "Well said Ms. Bringer. Perhaps you're right." 

"You mean-. I-. Of course I'm right." I stuttered. 

It was Nick's turn to step in. "Uncle, she does very well. I think we should give her full clearance."

Jordan cocked his head, eyes trailing him. Nick swallowed. Finally Jordan nodded. "See that it gets done." 

Nick dipped his head and stood, waiting for me to rise as well. I took that as my cue to leave and lifted myself out of the chair. When the door closed behind us Nick let out a breath and laughed. I smiled despite myself and chuckled a little as we walked down the hallway and down the stairs. 

When we reached the bottom of the stairs Nick turned to me. "I've never seen anyone stand up to him the way you did just now." 

"Is that a bad thing?" I ask. 

"No, it's fantastic." His eyes lit up. "I can see why Mason loves you." 

The words knocked the air out of me. The whole world was spinning, I couldn't breathe. 

"What?" I speaked.

Nick stopped smiling and realized his error. "Oh shit, I don't think I was supposed to tell you that." He ran a hand through his hair. "It was kind of obvious, wasn't it?" 

"Not to me." I muttered. 

Before Nick could elaborate Ivy came sautering up with a hand on her hip, smacking gum. "We need you both in the War Room." 

Nick didn't hesitate as he followed her. It took me a minute to get my feet and legs to move. 

"I can see why Mason loves you." 

Mason loves me? But, why? Since when? Why didn't he tell me? 

I almost knock into Nick as he stops at the War Room. Those thoughts will have to wait for now, the atmosphere in the room was thick with strain. I noticed Juliana and Deeya staring up at the biggest screen before them. Juliana saw me first an gave a warm smile, Deeya turned and did the same. I sent them the best smile I could muster and truned back to Nick and Ivy. 

"...Uncle gave her full security clearance as well." Nick said. 

Ivy rolled her eyes. "Of course he did." She breathed. Ivy turned to me, "Full clearance is not something to be taken lightly. Share anything you see or hear, and you'll be dead within the day. Got it?"

I nodded. 

"Good. Let's go over what we know." 

We walked over to the line of computers infront of the big screen. 

"So," Ivy started, "What happened?"

"A week after Ms. Bringer was taken Ace ordered a search and rescue on the warehouse where she was kept," I saw Deeya stand as she coninued to speak. "Ace refused to let anyone else go in excpet himself and a member of his Circle; A1."

Of couse he didn't let everyone go in. Mason you stupid, strong-hearted idiot.

"When we tried to reach him, Ace shut off his communicator and we went into radio silence from that point on. When A1 came out carrying Ms. Bringer," I blushed at the memory. "We questioned him as to Ace's whereabouts. A1 told us that Ace had given Ms. Bringer to him and told him to go. When Ace did not resurface we sent the rest of his team in, as well as King's Circle. We didn't find him or his body. Without any other leads to follow we were forced to wait until Ms. Bringer woke up." 

My heart ached at what was about to come next. 

"When Ms. Bringer awoke she informed us that Ace had gone after Caden. Since then we have searched the warehouse where he was last seen multiple times with no trace of him and we have exhausted every lead that has come up. That leads us to where we are now. Did I forget anything?" Deeya finished. 

The others in the room shook their heads. Deeya nodded and gestured to Julie. 

Julie dipped her head to Ivy. "Our tatical teams have been prepared and are ready to be launched at a moments notice."

Ivy aknowledged and started speaking, "Our biggest concern right now is getting Ace back and keeping Bringer out of their hands. We can worry about killing Caden later, but Ace is our main focus right now." She focused on Deeya and said, "We need to find anyone who could possibly be in connection with Caden. They might be able to give us information." 

A small memory was itching at the back of my brain, but I couldn't bring it to the forefront. Then it hit me. 

"I think I know someone."