After the seven-hour flight back, Liam felt exhausted as he stepped inside his room. As soon as he turned around after closing his door he spotted Jillian sitting on the floor by the bed her eyes red and puffy.
"Jillian?" He asked concerned.
"Liam, I need to know what is going on," she told him in a tired voice and then raised the bloody sweater she was holding for him to see. "The truth, now."
"Jill…"
"No, Liam, if you can't trust me with this, if you can't be honest with me, then I'm leaving!" Jillian said rising to her full height from her spot on the floor. Her voice was trembling but she sounded resolved.
Liam slowly realized that the night would probably end with her leaving either he told her the truth or not. He quickly made up his mind and nodded solemnly. "You might want to sit down for this."
As Jillian slowly lowered herself and sat at the edge of his bed this time Liam added, "For your own safety, you can't tell this to anyone. Absolutely anyone, Jill. This is the top state secret level of information, which is why I couldn't share it with you."
At her nod, he took a deep breath and slowly began explaining her everything about the meteorite and the Tanz industries' involvement.
A couple of rooms away from where Liam and Jillian were having their conversation, Harris was pacing uncomfortably around the so-called "tree-house" as Darius was working.
"I shouldn't be here and neither should you, Grace," Harris said in a serious tone. "If the Pentagon catches up on this after ending the collaboration with Tanz we're done."
Grace looked at him reassuringly as Darius answered, "I might just have a plan that could change your mind."
The tall man approached Darius and Grace glancing at the computer monitor. "What is this?"
"3-D imaging scans I got from the target. It's Nicholas Tanz's castle. He has the mother rock from which the piece I had in here was chopped off."
Harris looked at Darius suspiciously, "Shall I guess this is why I'm here?"
Smiling Darius answered, "we were hoping you'd consider lending us some men to engage in the operation."
Harris scoffed incredulously, bringing a hand to rub his chin, "You want me to authorize an operation on UK soil to steal a meteorite from your uncle?"
"Well, technically we won't steal it, that thing weights tones. The crystal must be extracted there," Darius answered in what he thought was a reassuring tone.
Seeing the man contemplating it Grace intervened, "Harris, if we manage to get the crystal we'll be able to build a new EM drive and prevent a war. The US won't have to proceed to send troops to Russia to retrieve the stolen one. This could save millions of lives…"
Sudden muffled yells and noises suddenly sounded making all three of the small company turn their head towards the door.
Clearing his throat Darius said, "I am guessing something's going on with Liam; he's staying a couple of rooms down the corridor. Please continue discussing this and I'll be right back!
When Liam stopped talking he sat beside her silently. He wanted to reach out and hug her but he could tell she needed her space right now as everything tried to sink in.
"Oh God, Liam… How… How could you keep this from me?" she said as tears started flowing freely.
"I was trying to protect you!" Liam tried to explain.
"Protect me?" The girl asked incredulously as she jumped to her feet and run her hands through her hair. "It's my life, Liam, I get to choose how I want to spend my last days!"
Liam got up too and made an effort to touch her shoulders, "Look I get how overwhelming all these are, but we're working really hard to solve this. We're gonna make a new EM drive and we'll save the planet…"
Jillian pushed his hands away. She turned around and reached for her bag and backpack as she whispered, "I got to go…"
"No, wait! Where are you going?"
"Home, Liam. I am going home," she said as she looked at him for what she thought would be the last time before closing the door of his room.
"Jillian! Jillian!" Liam yelled as he ran to follow her.
Jillian kept walking fast towards the staircase as Liam yelled behind her, "Nobody knows this outside the Pentagon if word gets out…"
As Liam's words left his lips, Darius exited his attic and his eyes flew between him and Jillian. He quickly caught up to what must have happened and all but flinched as he watched the girl pausing on the stairs only to throw Liam a death glare and loudly yell at him, "Screw you, Liam!"
Darius' eyes met Liam's and he remained glued to his spot as he watched the young man walk slowly back to his room and closing the door.
Darius felt at a complete loss of what he should do. If at any other point he had found out Liam had shared the secret he'd have serious words with the kid. The secret was not his to tell and the possibility of chaos erupting if it was to get out was too big of a risk. But seeing him like this and with all of the things he had gone through the last couple of days, he didn't find it in his heart to do so. He had half a mind to return to his meeting with Harris and Grace until Liam cooled off a bit but then he heard screams and smashing sounds. Whispering a "Bloody hell!" under his breath he jogged to the kid's room and made quick moves to open the door, enter the room and close it behind him.
For a few stunned seconds, he watched Liam literally breaking anything he could reach, banging on walls and screaming his lungs out. Acting solely on instinct, the man took the few steps between them and tried to hold the young man and steady him, hoping he'd calm down if he saw him there.
When Liam only pushed him off and continued with what Darius could only describe as a tantrum, acting again solely on instinct he raised his hand and brought it down twice, very hard to the jean-clad behind of the young man.
Just as if the sound button had been clicked off, Liam turned around silently with a shocked expression on his face and looked at the older man in sheer disbelief.
Darius managed to keep a serious face as he gently pushed the young man to sit on his bed. He then proceeded to check his hands. He was relieved when he saw no cuts from the smashing only some tender areas that would soon bruise up from banging everything around him.
"Are you calm now?" The man asked his tone dead serious.
Liam could only nod.
"I understand you told Jillian and she didn't take it well?"
Again, a simple nod.
Darius sighed. "Liam beside the apparent reasons that have to do with chaos and anarchy that is exactly why I didn't want you to tell her. You can't be in this state…"
"Why, because I won't be able to do your dirty work?" Liam spat back feeling some of his anger boiling up again.
Darius' eyes narrowed now as he sternly reproached, "No, because you are in a state that makes me rather unsure and uncomfortable of leaving you alone as you're evidently hurting yourself through acts of sheer stupidity!"
"This is all your fault! You should have let me tell her from day one. She wouldn't have told anyone and she'd be here right now!" Liam yelled in an aggressive tone, to which the older man was highly unaccustomed.
"Blame me all you want, but this secret has been kept from all of our loved ones, not only yours. Stop acting like a self-absorbed four-year-old and get back to your senses! Do you even realize the gravity of your actions? What will happen if she shares this with someone who will share it with someone else and so on?" Darius answered fighting hard not to yell at the distraught young man.
"I don't fucking care!" Liam all but screamed.
Getting to his feet Darius crossed his arms and raised his voice as well, "You should care, Liam, because if she does, and people start dying out there, this will be on us! I am sorry for all the shitty things that have happened to you these last few days but we are in a very critical spot with very little time at our disposal. I need you to get it together!"
At the lack of a response, the man continued, "Fine, have it your way. Sulk all you want in here, while I am trying to find a way to extract the crystal with Grace and Harris. We'll be in the tree-house if you decide you're ready to act civilly and you want to talk."
With these words, the dark-haired man walked briskly out of the room and tried hard to push all that happened to the back of his brain, so that he could focus on forming the plan they needed.
"Everything alright?" Grace asked as Darius joined them again.
Forcing a reassuring smile the man answered, "Yeah, Liam had a rough couple of days and needed some cooling off. No worries." Then turning to Harris he asked, "Do we have a deal?"
Harris, still struggling to agree, answered "Darius even if I manage to gather special op. men and weapons, I can't sneak them in foreign soil unnoticed."
"I might be able to help with that," Grace said making both men look at her surprised. She smiled before adding "I know a guy."
Harris nodded silently before saying, "Let's get planning."
"Nicholas will be away this whole weekend. He has seven armed and highly trained men guarding the perimeter of the castle. It will be challenging but doable with a special op. team."
As on cue to the last sentence, the room's door slid open and Liam walked in.
Looking at him in what he hoped passed as a warning look, Darius said in a neutral tone, "Liam! Perfect timing! We are discussing the extraction operation. I need you to draw detailed instructions for the extraction process for Harris's team."
"No," Liam answered in a quiet voice.
"Excuse me?" Harris asked as Darius' brow furrowed ever so lightly.
Liam shook his head before answering, "I'm going to London."
Darius feeling his patience running thin answered in a tight tone, "Okay, Rambo, do you want a team or is this a one-man mission?"
Trying hard to keep his voice even Liam said: "Look, I need to see this through!"
"Well, I need you here with me…" Darius tried in a calm voice.
"Yeah, well it's not your damn decision though, is it?" Liam yelled back angrily.
Darius counted slowly in his head backward from ten trying hard not to jump up and bring Liam to his senses like he had done moments ago in his room.
"I've given up everything to make the EM drive a reality. I have lied for it, I have killed for it, and now I've lost the woman I love because of it!" Liam yelled.
"Look, Liam, I am with Darius here. I can't have any liability in the field. My men are specially trained people," Harris tried to intervene sensing the tension between mentor and protege.
"Oh, yeah? How many years of lab experience do they have then? I am the only person alive that has ever done this process before! What will your men do if the diamond tip of the extractor breaks? Or if the extractor fuses in the rock? I am the only one who can do this!" Liam continued his voice slightly lowered, his tone resolved and his eyes tired.
Harris glanced at Darius, who looked seriously at Liam before slowly nodding. "Fine."
Harris looked at the kid and informed him with a hard voice " But you follow my orders to the letter. I won't have us all killed because you didn't listen or tried to play the hero out there!"
"Of course, yeah," Liam answered immediately a little startled that he had brought them to agree so fast.
"Are you completely clear on that note Liam?" Darius asked as he got up and walked to the young man looking him straight in the eye, "You follow their orders to the letter, or so help me God! Are we clear?"
Swallowing hard Liam couldn't explain what he found so imposing in his mentor's words and stance at that very moment, but he quickly nodded vigorously before stating, "Crystal!"
Harris nodded, "I am going with him. I'm not leaving a kid alone with a team he doesn't know and trust."
"I am not a kid!" Liam interjected glaring at the tall man.
A simple stern utterance of "Liam!" by Darius, was enough to make the exhausted young man roll his eyes and stay silent.
Darius regarded the man with renewed respect. "Thank you, Harris."
Shaking his head, Harris answered, "I have a son too."
Stunned by the man's words both Liam and Darius glanced at each other but neither denied the implied dynamic of their relationship.
A few hours later, as Liam was about to board on the small plane that would take them to England he felt a strong hand tugging him in the opposite direction. Turning around he was met with Darius intense gaze.
"I really need to board, Darius," he said a bit awkwardly.
"This will only take a minute. I just want to stress to you how imperative it is that you follow Harris' orders to the letter."
"I know, Darius. You've all made it very clear," the young man said in an exasperated tone.
"Getting yourself in harm's way won't bring Jillian back," the man added looking at the kid knowingly.
His eyes flaming up with newborn anger, Liam spat at him, "This is your fault! You brought her into this! You ordered me to keep her in the dark!"
Darius answered in a pensive tone, "I had my reasons."
"I don't care about your reasons!" The young man said in a flat tone, looking at the man angrily. "I told you, I don't want to have to lie to her, but you didn't give a crap! You're a heartless prick, just like Nicholas."
Darius managed to school his facial expression in order to not show how much Liam's words hurt him.
"We don't have the time to discuss this now, but I promise we will upon your return. For now, all I want is your promise to follow orders like a good little soldier and not risk your safety to spite me or somehow atone for the Jillian situation."
Rolling his eyes and shaking his head the young man answered annoyed, "Fine, I promise!"
Nodding the man answered, "That is very good to hear, Liam, because honestly, I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you." His expression turning sterner than before he clasped a hand to the kid's shoulder. "I need to be perfectly clear with you, if you defy orders or compromise your safety or the team's safety while on this mission, no matter how pissed you are with me right now, you will answer to me." Letting a couple of emphatic seconds of silence to linger after his words, the man added, "Am I clear, young man?"
Feeling his face flushing at the warning tone, Liam only nodded before attempting to turn away from the man in order to board. Darius' hand still restrained him and when he turned back to see what the man wanted he found himself enveloped in a strong hug. "Be careful, kid."
After watching Harris, his team and Liam board and the small jet taking off, Grace and Darius made their way to the tree-house. In less than four hours a loud beeping sound broke the quiet atmosphere and both of them sat up in their chairs.
"They've touched down," Darius stated. "Tess, activate surveillance screen!"
The dark figures, dressed in black special uniforms moved quietly and quickly along the trails around the Tanz Castle.
Liam was right behind Harris and even though throughout the day he made every possible to convince everyone he was more than capable to see this through, he couldn't but admit to himself he was more afraid than he had ever been in his life.
When they slammed themselves against a wall for coverage Harris glanced at the young man with concern evident in his features. "Liam? Are you all right?" He asked.
Liam glanced at him uncertainly but still manage to whisper a "Yeah."
Remembering his own first missions and considering the fact that Liam didn't even have training experiences to draw some sense of confidence from he told to the kid, "Hey, stick to me like glue, and I'll get us both home safe. Deal?"
Again with uncertainty, Liam nodded. Deal, he thought to himself.
Darius voice was then heard over each of the team's earpieces, "Go twenty meters straight!"
"Go!" Came Harris whispered order accompanied with the relevant sign and the team moved from their hiding spot to the indicated direction.
Darius again, "Hold it there! Security will be passing you in ten seconds."
Liam, even though he tried, could not bring himself to get annoyed overhearing Darius' voice. If he wanted to be honest with himself he drew some comfort from its presence. He glanced at Harris and again stack himself on the closest wall for coverage.
Darius again, "Three guards in front of the south entrance!"
Harris signaled his men and they proceeded to get out of their spot and shoot the tranquilizing guns to them. When all three figures laid on the ground still Darius was heard once again, "You've got thirty minutes before their waking up."
The next seconds passed like a blur for Liam. They moved quickly through the property, entered some kind of tunnel and soon enough Nicholas' weird museum, where the stone laid, appeared in front of them.
As the men spread through the room and the word "Clear" was heard, Liam turned to Harris waiting for his cue.
The man nodded, "Liam, you're up!"
Feeling his hands sweating beneath his gloves, Liam took in two large breaths and proceeded to pull his extractor from his bag. Working as quickly as possible he tuned everything else out and focused solely on the task at hand. He watched as the small container on the extractor filled slowly.
Before it was full Darius' voice echoed through their earpieces, "You've got company! Eight men, heading your way."
Harris immediately signaled every one of his team before turning to a still working Liam. "Liam, pack it up, it's time to go," came the man's order.
Liam shook his head, "I need some more crystal!"
Darius' voice was heard through the earpiece, "Liam! Do as Harris tells you!"
"I need a few more seconds! We need as much as possible in case something goes wrong!"
"Liam, right now," Harris hissed.
Liam ignored the man as he frantically looked around him. A few more seconds ticked by, as fast approaching steps were heard. Finally seeing the container filled to his satisfaction, Liam pulled his tool out, secured it in his bag and whispered to Harris, "Alright!"
Before the man could give any directions, Liam walked briskly towards the exit. He completely ignored Harris' "Wait for us Liam!".
He had a gun for God's sake. He could make sure he'd get out safe or at least move ahead of the others! It was upon that thought that he stepped in the next room and he heard the gunshot. A second later Harris barked "Liam! Take cover!"
The young man lunged forwards and hid behind another exhibit as their team barged in and started exchanging fire with the newcomers. Gunshots and yelling pierced his ears and he suddenly felt all his bravado leaving him. He covered his head with his hands and tried to remember how to breathe as panic slowly built up and flooded his senses and thoughts.
Darius' voice began to be heard in the earpiece but it suddenly cut off leaving a static sound behind it. Realizing their contact was probably cut off, Liam felt bile rising in his throat and fought hard not to throw up at that very moment. Looking around him he couldn't help but obey his instinct to run. He rose and dashed through the room towards a smaller one on their right. As he entered he realized it was some sort of utility room filled with shelves and old furniture. He moved quickly and hid behind a large bookcase that served as a storage room for cleaning products.
Gaining some control over his erratic breathing he managed to stay calm. A new surge of panic hit him when he heard cautious steps entering the room. He glanced from his hiding spot and saw a man from the hostile team carefully scanning the room with a big machine-gun ready to shoot. Taking in deep breaths, Liam patiently waited for them nab to come closer and when he stood at the other side of the bookcase he shoved it with all of his bodyweight causing it to fall on the man.
Springing to his feet he took a step back and noticed that the gun had fallen from the man's grip. He made fast moves of grabbing it and with shaking hands pointed to the general direction of the now struggling to get up man.
As he caressed the trigger with his finger a flashback of him shooting Kroft engulfed his mind. He felt like he was suffocating and realized he couldn't possibly shoot. As the man got up from under the piece of furniture, he drew a small handgun from his waist and immediately turned it to Liam.
The young man remained still his face a mask of pain and shock and he drew in a sharp breath when the gunshot was heard. He took in a couple of seconds to realize that it wasn't him that was shot, but the man in front of him. Turning back jerkingly he spotted Harris still aiming at the now unconscious body.
Harris looked at Liam but any sign of his usual kindness and sympathy that the kid was used to seeing in his features were gone. A serious and stern expression had replaced them. "Come on. Our ride's waiting."
Liam all but fell over his own two feet, as he immediately followed the order, by following the man.
Grace was anxiously watching the camera feed of the castle's yard as Darius was pacing through the room, with hands tugging at his thick black hair. They had no communication for over five minutes and for all they knew, every single one of their team could be dead. Darius rubbed his hands over his face and struggled hard to keep his composure over that very thought. His thoughts traveled to Liam, to the moment when he ignored Harris and ran headfirst into the hostile fire. If anything had happened to that kid, it would be his fault for allowing him to go. He'd never forgive himself.
Grace's calling his name pulled the man from his thoughts. "Darius!"
He walked briskly close to her and brought his hands to his mouth when he saw the small bullets of their team, all 9 of them, running towards their jet.
Liam was alright. Liam was alive. They were all safe. These thoughts flooded his mind as he turned and hugged Grace tightly.
"I am gonna kill him! I am gonna bloody murder him, Grace!" He whispered unable to keep the trembling out of his voice.
The woman found herself nodding hard against his shoulder, "You'd better! If Harris hasn't already done that of course." She might have only known Liam for a couple of weeks now, but she had grown to like the kid and admire his intelligence and his charming character. She could more than understand Darius' anger over how stupidly he endangered his life today.
Breaking their embrace, Darius regarded her a bit surprised. "You were supposed to try to talk me out of it."
Grace narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side in her usual manner, "Was I? May ask why?"
"Well... " Darius started before pausing. "He is an adult for starters?"
Grace scoffed at that. "My daughter is an adult too but still needs to be taken down a peg or two every once in a while," Then she regarded the man again. "Darius I've seen how you act around him and how he acts around you. It is more than evident that you both see more to your relationship than what meets the eye. Why are you trying to second-guess your instincts right now?"
Darius remained silent for a few seconds. "I feel a bit responsible for this as well."
"For tonight?" Grace asked surprised. "How on earth are you responsible?"
"I am the reason he's in this situation. He is so young and now he carries with the rest of us the weight of the world on his shoulders. Plus, the whole thing with his girlfriend…"
"Jillian? What with her?"
"Well, Liam was not allowed to let her in on what's been going on. She found out though and left him. And he blames me. And he is right to blame me because he had asked me to allow him to tell her the secret. But I was a selfish prick as he so eloquently informed me, and did not want to risk exposure." Darius said feeling more and more awful with every word that left his mouth.
Grace rose to her feet walked to him and grabbed his hands. "What I gather from all of these is that Liam is tired and agitated and acted out in a very dangerous situation. And from what you're just telling me he also screwed up big time by telling Jillian. I get that his position was hard, but hell, I can't tell my own daughter, Harris can't tell his son! No, Darius. The only one acting selfishly in this situation from that perspective is Liam, who tried to save his relationship by risking something huge getting out there. As for the fact that he has to carry this huge responsibility, that I get. I also wish that at his age he didn't have to worry over things like that. But then again, he wants to be here, to help with his skills. Nobody's keeping him here hostage and nobody forced him in."
"It all sounds so logical through your words, but when I have him looking at me and telling me how everything he is suffering for is on me, I just can't help it, I feel responsible," Darius answered looking at the woman with a pensive face.
"That's your parental instinct. Even when you know it's your child who has done something wrong, even if you are angry as hell with them, you still tend to find a way to blame it all on you. I've done it a million times and I can get where you come from with these feelings. I also know how important it is to not let things as important as these slide. What will Liam learn if you strip him of the responsibilities of his choices? If he is not held accountable for his own decisions and actions?"
Nodding solemnly, Darius knew she was right. He also knew that he had half a mind to spank the living daylights out of the kid right in the jet the moment it would land, but he also knew such an action would only serve to ease his own feelings of exasperation and embarrassment over his protege behavior and not really teach him a lot.
He didn't for a second question his decision to spank Liam. Simply grounding the young man would not cut it, not for endangering his life, especially after being warned multiple times against it. No this warranted serious discipline and a memorable lesson. The only question was how the hell was he going to manage to deliver it.
As the small aircraft rolled inside the oversized jet garage, Darius and Grace stood aside waiting impatiently. Darius felt his heart pounding like crazy and he almost laughed at himself for being more anxious than even Liam should be at that very moment.
When the door slowly lowered through and the men started filling out all his thoughts scattered away. The moment he saw the chestnut head with the big brown eyes walking out of the craft behind a very displeased Harris all he managed to do was jog to the kid and crush him in a hug.
Liam couldn't bring himself to play the angry card. He felt like shit. He felt worse than shit. Feeling Darius hugging him made him feel even worse, for all the things he had said to the man during the last 24 hours, for all the attitude and the insults… He couldn't believe that after everything the man still wanted to be around him, still worried about him. "I'm sorry," he mumbled in a trembling voice.
Darius brought his hands from around the kid's slim frame to rest on his shoulders putting some space between them, "Are you hurt?" he asked, his tone thick with worry.
Liam gulped uneasily but nodded lowering his eyes.
Grace walked towards her father hugging him tightly before doing the same with Harris, "I am so glad you're all safe!"
Harris glanced towards Darius who fussed over Liam before returning his gaze to Grace and forcing a smile to his lips, "Good to see you, Grace."
Grace's father glancing towards the young man and Darius as well, patted Harris' shoulder, "It was good working with you, Harris. Try to not throttle the kid now," small smirk in place he turned to his daughter and ran a hand through her silky hair, "I'll get going now, Gracie. Call me if you guys need anything at all."
Smiling and landing a soft kiss on his cheek the woman nodded, "Thank you, dad. Go and rest please."
As the man walked away, Darius walked towards the pair with Liam following close behind.
As soon as Liam was close enough, Harris clamped a hand on his shoulder startling the young man into looking up to the man's eyes.
"I have a real hard time to control myself and not tell you things I might regret. So It will suffice to say that you royally screwed up tonight. We almost lost you for absolutely no reason. If you were my responsibility, your ass and my belt would get thoroughly acquainted with not to mention the amount of physical training I'd impose on you to teach you some much-needed discipline."
The man's words were spoken in an even but deadly serious tone. It made Liam's face flush a bright red and he just wished for the earth to open up and devour him that very second. He lowered his eyes and managed to get out a strained, "I am really sorry." Then, he fell silent.
Darius regarded the young man with a determined expression. Turning to Harris he said, "I assure you that Liam will be held accountable, Harris. My sincere apologies for the trouble he caused."
Nodding satisfied and a bit surprised that Darius planned on actually stepping in and somehow dish out consequences Harris added, "Well, at least the mission was accomplished and the crystal extracted. He did a fine job at extracting the damn thing even under stress and pressure."
Managing to steal a glance at Harris, Liam offered a hint of a smile at the positive words.
Darius turned to Liam and told him in an even voice, "To your room with you. Shower and get to bed. You need to rest."
Liam deemed it wise to not argue with the man. " 'Night Grace… Sorry again, Harris." With these words, he slowly walked away towards the closest entrance to the main building.
TBC