16.

*Joe*

Katelyn.

I was reunited with her again. Sure, it was complicated, but at least I had found her again. I had held her and smelled her shampoo and felt her lips on mine. I had seen her smile at me and watched her blue eyes look into mine. Maybe she was engaged to Rider and everything, but it hadn't really seemed like she'd been too crazy about that idea. I figured it was just like everything else in Katelyn's life: her parents had decided it for her.

It was raining outside, the sound soothing against the windshield. The wipers were rhythmic as they swept across the glass and I watched as I got closer and closer to my destination.

Winters-McHenry: Putting America Back on Track. I sometimes wondered who came up with these ridiculous campaign ideas. I, of course, knew that they were planning to ride through on a train, so that made the words so perfect, but why couldn't they just say Here to Help America for once? Not that any of them every really did anything good.

I adjusted my suit and tied my bow tie a little tighter. I checked my reflection in the car mirror, making sure that my hair looked good and there was nothing on my face. (I had eaten a package of powdered donuts on the way up because I simply wasn't all that crazy about party food. It's just too small to really fill anyone up.)

I showed my invitation at the door, smiling and dealing with the flirting lady with the clipboard like the debonair guy that I was. Inside, the station was beautiful. There were beautiful carvings on the ceiling fifty feet above me. A string quartet played from the second story balcony; I recognized the song as one that I had heard the New York Philharmonic play. Some Canon or something. Women were eating and drinking, each of them dressed as formally as I was.

Someone offered me a drink and I took one, just to be polite. Discreetly, I tested it for any poisons and when it was confirmed that none were present, I took a drink. I walked around slowly, pretending to be interested in what was going on. I already had a cover story and fake credentials ready in case anyone decided to inquire of me. In fact, several ladies were already looking my way. A group of women that looked about ten years older than me were whispering over their drinks and giggling. About me.

Why did everyone always seem to think that the good looking guys are players? I would never cheat on Katelyn. Even if we weren't technically dating at the moment… I still would consider it cheating if I flirted with another woman. Maybe that sounds weird since Katelyn was engaged to Rider and everything, but I just knew that I would never love anyone as much as I loved Katelyn. It would never be the same.

The energy in the crowd began to change and everyone turned towards the platform. When the train rolled by, I could see the presidential candidates and their families and I had to keep from making a face. The country didn't ride on them as much as people thought. It rode on people like me; people who eliminated major threats under the radar. People whose lives were at risk everyday. And that crowd of people would never know it.

I saw Zach then, disguised as a man with crazy white hair and wild eyebrows. He was moving with purpose through the crowd, toward the train tunnel. After a few seconds of watching, I followed. It took about a minute to reach him and I smiled when I did. I considered Zach something of a little brother; he acted like me often enough. "How are you, Zach?"

He made a face. "Being on the run isn't very much fun, Joe."

"I can understand that," I said with a nod. I'd run from the Circle before and I knew that he was sort of doing the same thing. And I appreciated him defying the Circle. Doing what's right.

"I don't have a lot of info for you," he warned. "There's only so much I can get now that I'm not at Blackthorne and I'm not around all of the hustle and bustle of it all."

"I understand that," I said. "But anything you can get is fine."

He nodded and it wasn't until his next sentence that I realized we had been speaking German. "The Circle, they're not after Macey."

My mouth fell open in shock. "Not after Macey? But she's a descendent of Gilly… Who are they after, then?"

"I told you I don't have much info for you," he said softly. "I have no idea who they're really after, Joe. I'm sorry."

And I knew that he truly was. "So am I." I put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure this out, Zach. It's okay."

"I've tried to dig up info on your friend Matt, too."

My heart stopped for a split second. "What have you uncovered there?"

"Not much," he admitted. "But I wouldn't count him off as dead quite yet."

I shook my head. "Hoping is much worse, Zach."

"Assuming the worst just makes you depressed."

I would never be depressed as long as I had Katelyn. But I didn't tell him that. "Maybe that's true, maybe it isn't. Where did you get your psychology degree, again?"

He laughed. "Point taken. When are we meeting again?"

"Let me know when you have any more information and we'll find a time and place."

He nodded. "Do you mind if I keep using your cabin as a place to stay?"

"As long as you need it."

He gave me a small smile, unused to needing help. "Thank you, Joe."

I put a hand on his shoulder again. "Anytime, Zach. You know that."

"If you ever need anything…"

"You're doing enough by passing along information," I said. "Keep up the good work."

"Count on it," he smiled and then departed.