Declan acts on his instincts.
(11Dec07)

(Previous chapter: Disconnection)

Chapter 13:
Trust

Declan fought to concentrate on the road ahead as the car bumped and swerved on the overgrown Route 12. He glanced over his shoulder to check that Kyle was still securely wrapped and hadn't fallen off the back seat; he seemed to be fine. After a few minutes, Declan reached a junction and turned onto the main highway heading for home. He tried to flex his shoulder muscles. Every part of him was aching for a hot shower, something to eat and a warm bed to sleep in. He let out a long sigh; it felt good to be behind the wheel of his car again, and it felt especially good to be heading away from the forest and all that had transpired there.

The sounds of the rain on the windshield and the steady beating of the wipers were hypnotic. Thoughts of everything that had happened slowly filtered into Declan's mind causing an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. All the weird events of the past year had culminated in today's near tragedy: it had nearly been the end of Kyle. It was too real. Declan had managed to push it all down in order to survive the ordeal, but now visions of needles, cold lips, Foss' eyes, and darkness all did nothing to dispel the bad feeling. All the fear and desperation surfaced in one gut-wrenching cramp and Declan had to stop the car at the roadside. He leapt out and vomited a few paces away. His knees were shaking as he expelled the last of the distress from his body and finally stood upright. He looked up and let the rain splash onto his face and into his mouth. He spat out the taste of vomit and searched his pockets for something to wipe his face with. An old napkin did the job. His stomach felt a lot better.

He was just about to turn back towards the car when a different feeling caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. It felt like static electricity crackled all around him. His head snapped round to the car, but nothing had changed: the engine was still idling and the door was still open. It was a strange feeling, almost as if someone was watching him. He peered into the dark trees some distance away but could see nothing. Back at the car he squinted through the rain-spattered window at Kyle, who was still wrapped in blankets on the back seat, then clambered back in the driver's seat and locked all the doors. The feeling wouldn't leave him alone and set his adrenaline pumping. He threw the car into gear and was just about to accelerate when Kyle stirred.

"Jessi!" It was the first intelligible word Kyle had said for hours.

Declan spun round, hoping to find his friend awake, but he was still soundly out of it on the back seat. Declan continued to watch him for a long moment, just in case, but Kyle was quiet once again, though looking better somehow. Declan drove off at speed.

The feeling of being watched wore off the further down the road they traveled, and Declan started to feel his mind coming back to him. Jessi was in his thoughts after hearing Kyle say her name. Something hammered against his brain. If Foss knew that the drug in the tranquillizer dart had been specifically tailored to Kyle's physiology, then why had he prepped the gun for use against Jessi? Foss also knew that the quantity of the drug was deadly, even for Kyle, without the neutralizer, which was also specially tailored to Kyle's physiology. That would mean…"Foss intended to take Jessi out," he finished his thought out loud. He shuddered.

Declan's paranoia began to build once more. What if Foss had killed Jessi, and that was why Kyle was running away from him? What did Foss know about her that the rest of them didn't? Or were they working together? How was Madacorp connected with ZZYZX? Why did Foss think Kyle would run away from him again to the point of putting him into a forced coma to prevent it? Why did Foss hold back on so many important things when they were supposedly on the same side? The questions kept coming. And where was Foss now? What did he have to do in the woods that was more important than getting Kyle to safety, especially after carrying him all that way? Things just didn't add up. Declan felt like a puppet on Foss' string, and he didn't like it. One thing he knew with certainty was that next time they met, Declan was going to find out once and for all exactly who Tom Foss really was and whether or not he could be trusted. Kyle's life, and possibly everyone else's, depended on it.

Deciding to take matters into his own hands empowered Declan and he felt himself relax slightly. Kyle was in his hands now. Declan had seen the sense in Foss' insistence that he take Kyle somewhere Madacorp didn't know about, but he also knew that the Tragers would be worried sick. He fought with himself and decided he needed to follow his conscience. He needed to tell Kyle's parents that their son was safe, at least for the time being. Foss wouldn't approve, which meant it was undoubtedly the right thing to do. He searched out his cell and dialed the number.

It was obvious Kyle's family was waiting for news, because Stephen Trager picked up half way through the first ring.

"Mr. Trager?" Declan's voice sounded less confident than he'd hoped.

"Declan," Stephen confirmed, at which point Lori piped up in the background. Declan couldn't hear exactly what she said, but he knew it was something caustic about wasting his time before Stephen snapped at her after which there was silence. Nicole was there too.

Declan launched straight in with, "Mr. Trager, I've been with Tom Foss. We came to find Ky–"

"Did you find him?" Stephen cut in.

Declan took a breath. "Yeah, he's with me right now, but the thing is–"

"Did you say Kyle's with you?" Stephen cut in again.

"Yes, we're about thirty minutes outside of town," Declan said. Nicole thanked God somewhere in the background. He heard her ask about Jessi. Declan could feel his frustration building. "No, not Jessi. The thing is–"

"Let me speak to Kyle," Stephen ordered.

"I'm afraid you can't," Declan squeezed out, feeling like he was fast losing control of this situation. Stupidly, he hadn't anticipated having to go into it all. He'd imagined a quick 'Kyle's safe, we'll see you soon' scenario.

Stephen's voice grew icier as he said, "Declan, put Kyle on the phone."

"Mr. Trager, I really can't–" Declan wanted to hang up.

"Now!" Stephen's tone was arctic.

Declan took a breath and bit the bullet. "He's unconscious."

"Unconscious?" Stephen's voice had lost its ice, and then Nicole became animated in the background. "How long for?"

Declan wished he hadn't had to say it, his intention had been to stop them worrying, but he saw no point in lying to them. That's what had caused this whole mess. "Two or three hours, I guess," he stated flatly. It was the truth.

"Two or three hours?" Stephen repeated, incredulous. "For crying out loud, Declan, you get him to the hospital right now! We'll meet you there."

Declan winced as he said, "Please, Mr. Trager, you have to trust me on this. I can't do that. It's too complicated to explain right now, but it's not safe to take him to hospital. The drugs Foss gave him would arouse too much suspicion." He kicked himself at the way that came out.

"Tom Foss drugged Kyle? Why?" Stephen sounded totally confused and horrified. Nicole had gone quiet. "Where is Foss now?" frost was settling in his voice again.

"He's back in the woods where we found Kyle," again it was the truth. Before Stephen could say anything else, Declan panicked. "It's a long story, but Foss said Kyle will wake up soon, and that I am to take him somewhere Madacorp doesn't know about."

"No, Declan," Stephen's voice became deadly serious. "You will bring Kyle here. You let me worry about Madacorp."

"But Foss said," Declan started to argue, his voice cracking slightly.

"I don't care what Tom Foss said," Stephen stated. "Kyle is our son and we will take care of him. You bring him home now."

Declan felt strangely relieved. "I understand, Mr. Trager."

"Good," Stephen said. "And how are you doing?"

Declan hadn't expected that. He didn't know what to say.

"Declan?" Stephen asked again.

There was a lump forming unexpectedly in Declan's throat. He tried desperately to push it down. Why did his own father never ask him that? In fact, his dad probably hadn't even noticed he wasn't home. His mom had left years ago with a rich airline guy who didn't have time for kids. They were living in Hong Kong the last time he spoke to her. He spoke to her awkwardly maybe once a year on his birthday. "I've been better," was all he could say. He seemed incapable of keeping secrets all of a sudden.

"Hang in there," Stephen said as though he sensed Declan's vulnerability. "I'm trusting you. And you need to trust me on this: if you're not back within the hour, I'm calling the cops. Do you understand?"

"Yeah," Declan said ever so quietly.

"Be careful," Stephen said and hung up.

Declan threw his cell phone onto the passenger seat and wiped a rogue tear from his face with the back of his hand. For the next fifteen minutes he tried to think of nothing but his driving. He was exhausted.

The sky glowed orange as they approached civilization, and Declan was relieved once the street lighting was there to chase away the dark shadows. He had just pulled onto the last major highway before town, when Kyle suddenly gasped and sat bolt upright, still firmly wrapped in the bedding; Foss had made a pretty good job of restraining him. Declan glanced over his shoulder, having jumped half out of his skin. Kyle's eyes were wild in the dim light and he was breathing heavily as if he'd just woken from a nightmare. He was shivering. Declan remembered what Foss had said about Kyle probably waking up confused and scared. At least that wasn't a lie.

He pulled the car over and turned to look back over his seat. He put his right hand out towards Kyle in a calming gesture. "It's ok, man. You're safe now. How are you feeling?" He was so happy to see his friend awake.

Kyle looked down at his blanket restraints then looked straight at Declan. "My body feels weird," he shivered, sounding like he'd been drinking for a week.

Declan couldn't help but smile with relief as he said, "You've been in some kind of coma, so I'm not really surprised!"

Kyle stared at him in silence, the all too familiar creases appearing on his forehead. It warmed Declan's heart to see. Eventually, Kyle spoke again, his expression serious.

"Adam Baylin's still alive," he said quietly, almost to himself.

Declan shook his head. "What?" He was sure he'd misheard, so dismissed it as Kyle's post-coma confusion.

Kyle looked at the rain on the windows. "Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you home," Declan stated.

Kyle snapped his head back to Declan. "No! It's too dangerous!"

"Kyle, they're expecting us soon. Like really soon. If we don't show up, your dad will call the cops," Declan swallowed. "And he meant it!"

Kyle's face contorted. "But Foss said…" He definitely sounded like he'd had a beer or twenty.

"Kyle, I'm too tired and scared to argue," Declan interrupted, completely missing the fact that somehow Kyle had known what Foss had said. "You didn't hear his voice. There is no way I'm going to disobey him on this one. Stephen is your father, Kyle, not Foss. Besides, it's where you should be."

Kyle started to wriggle inside the blankets. "You don't understand! I can't be near them. I can't be near anyone."

"What are you talking about?" Declan was genuinely confused.

Kyle's face contorted again. "Please, Declan, you have to let me go!"

Declan couldn't bear to look Kyle in the eye so he turned round and went to drive off as he said, "I'm sorry man, I have no choice. You'll have to argue it out with your dad. Just leave me out of it. I've had enough stress today to last–" He was cut off in mid-sentence just as the car rocked and a loud cracking noise ripped the air around them. Declan was pushed forward onto the steering wheel by an invisible force and hit his forehead. The engine cut out and everything stopped as suddenly as it had started.

When he finally lifted his head after a few seconds, Declan's eyes followed a huge crack that ran the whole width of the windshield. He touched his forehead and tried to check for blood in the rear-view, which also sported a small crack. Fear crept into his chest as he caught Kyle's face in the mirror. He turned, not quite sure what had just happened. Kyle was frozen with his eyes squeezed shut. Declan scanned the inside of the car; every window was cracked, but thankfully none had shattered.

"Holy crap, Kyle!" Declan uttered in shock. "Did you just do that?"

Kyle's eyes snapped open and he nodded slowly. He was panting. Something was different about him, but Declan couldn't put his finger on it. However, he didn't think he'd ever seen a person look so frightened, not even himself. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Foss' actions were starting to make sense; no wonder he wanted Kyle sedated. Declan tried to hide his own fear, but knew it was probably useless, because Kyle always seemed to know what people were feeling. He tried to imagine how Kyle was feeling, but couldn't get past 'scared' and 'freak'.

"It's ok. Just calm down, man. Don't worry about it. What's another set of windows, huh?" was all Declan could think of to say as a memory of Kyle walking through his dad's patio doors flashed into his mind.

An awkward silence ensued.

"I really need to pee." It was Kyle.

The banality made Declan laugh out loud. The timing was perfect. He chuckled out the tension and suddenly Kyle was just Kyle again. Kyle wasn't laughing, however. He looked completely pathetic wrapped in his blanket straightjacket, his face so intense it probably could have cracked a mirror without the aid of special abilities. Once the amusement of how absurd his life had become abated, Declan considered Kyle's immediate problem. Foss had told Declan to use whatever means he could to stop Kyle from running away. Foss' approach was always so heavy-handed and extreme. Declan thought a moment and came up with a solution straight from the Lori Trager book of manipulation: emotional blackmail. It had worked on Declan often enough, and he was apparently 'an insensitive brute'. But this was Kyle.

Removing the keys from the ignition, Declan got out of the car and climbed into the back next to Kyle. He put his arm across his shoulders. "Do you really need to pee?"

Kyle looked Declan in the eye. "I really need to pee."

"Ok," Declan said, "I'll let you out."

Kyle looked taken aback and pursed his lips briefly. "What makes you so sure I won't run away?"

Declan drew his secret weapon. "Because even after everything you've put me through, I choose to trust you."

Kyle jolted, his eyes widening. I choose to trust you. It's what he'd said to Jessi before she betrayed him. Declan saw something move behind his friend's eyes. Kyle looked so stricken that Declan, unaware of the painful memory he'd just triggered in his friend, felt instantly guilty that his emotional blackmail plan was working. He reached down behind Kyle's back and began tugging loose the tightly bound bedding. He helped him out of the car, noticing that he moved like a drunkard too.

As Declan led Kyle to the edge of the grassy bank in the rain, he said, "Make it quick. It's cold. And if we're not home in fifteen, the only way either of us will get warm again will be on a spit over the open fire. Not that you would feel the heat much." He slapped himself inwardly for saying that, but remembered Kyle and the burning beach shack nonetheless.

Kyle worsened Declan's guilt with a kicked puppy look and wobbled a little way down the wet bank to relieve himself. Declan turned and leaned against the car, praying Kyle wouldn't try to escape. Luckily, Declan's prayers were answered, and within a short time Kyle was back. He wanted the back seat, so Declan helped him back into the car where he sat in the center of the seat and wrapped a blanket round himself. Soon they were driving towards the Tragers' neighborhood.

After a few minutes of silence, Kyle said quietly, "I know you tried to save me. In the forest."

"What?" Declan asked absently.

"I remember you…trying to get me to breathe," Kyle said. "I want to thank you."

That's not what Declan expected to hear at all. "You…remember?"

Kyle nodded and the car swerved as Declan's eyes stared Kyle down in the rear-view. "But you were…"

Kyle began, "I know, but–"

Declan looked away, embarrassed, and interrupted him, "Yeah, well anyway, don't thank me. I couldn't do it. I gave up."

"But you tried," Kyle persisted.

Declan swept his hand through his hair. "Sure. You'd do the same for me."

"Yes. I would," Kyle stated simply and turned to look out of the window.

In the awkward silence that followed, he understood Declan's feelings of helplessness and failure totally. Kyle felt that way about Jessi. About the pain he'd caused his family. About breaking his promises to Amanda. About every lie he'd had to uphold. Would his family ever trust him again once they knew the truth? How could he explain to them what he was when he wasn't sure himself? He imagined the look on Amanda's face when she saw him for what he truly was. That realization hurt so badly…but he couldn't live like this anymore.

Declan glanced at his friend in the rear-view. He looked so lost, so sad. "Wanna talk about it?" he asked gently.

Kyle's eyes glistened in the darkness and bored into Declan's. He frowned and bit the corner of his lower lip awkwardly as he slowly shook his head.

Declan didn't push it. He could tell Kyle had been through something terrible. "Ok, man, but you know I'm here for you. You can trust me. Whether Foss likes it or not."

Kyle's mouth almost curled into a smile and he returned to staring out the window. He pulled the cover round himself more tightly for security. In a very short while he was going to put an end to the secrecy that had held him to ransom, then he would have to leave. He was scared, but he was also ready.

(Next chapter: Revelations Part 1)