Title: Trust and Betrayal

Summary: Continuation from 'Destinations'.

Authors Notes: This fic is like a soap opera. It just goes on and on. This picks up 3 months after Destinations. For those who wanted more Raphael when I wrote the other books, this is the story for you. Enormous thanks to Jaxink for the beta read and edit.

Chapter 3:

"The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool."
Stephen King

Pulling her hood up over her head and tucking her braids inside, Sen hurried down the sidewalk. The temperatures were beginning to cool, but that wasn't why Sen was hiding in her cloak. She knew what she was doing would cause trouble if Leo found out.

But she hadn't been able to resist the note.

That morning, not long after she opened up the bookshop, a messenger had arrived. The message tube bore her mother's seal and Sen had at first hesitated to open it. She hadn't heard from her mother in all the months Sen had been here, and what was there to say? Sen had escaped a possible prison sentence; a sentence her mother had arranged to bend Sen to Taka's will. Sen had left the message tube on the counter, and had gone about the business of the day. Dealing with customers, straightening shelves, and ordering stock; a completely ordinary day. A day Sen spent alone as Leo was at the martial arts school teaching classes, doing the accounting, and generally running things. Leo was supposed to manage the bookshop with Sen, and he had done so for a while after their return from Maora 2. But as the weeks went on Leo was called more and more to the school to see to things there. Sen couldn't blame Leo. It was his school, he had started it with his brother Raphael, and teaching there obviously brought Leo joy.

But Sen was lonely, whether at the bookshop, or at the busy house with Leo's lively family. Sen wondered at times if she was homesick. With these thoughts in her head, Sen glanced again at the message tube. Would it hurt to open it?

She had read her mother's note several times. Sen knew, deep down, that her mother would not change. But she couldn't help but have hope, a child's hope, for the love and acceptance of her parent the message seemed to suggest was waiting for her.

Sen looked up at the sign on the front of the beautiful hotel. It was the sort of place her mother would choose to stay in New York. It was the closest thing to her mother's shining tower back home. A doorman opened the glass door for Sen, and she stepped inside the gleaming lobby. Everything was clean, bright, and sleekly modern. Sen headed for the elevators, and once inside pushed the button for the top floor. Only the best for Lady Taka, she mused as the doors slid shut. The elevator sped upwards. Sen breathed deeply, trying to calm her nerves. She wasn't certain what she was more afraid of; facing her mother, or having Leo find out about this clandestine trip.

The elevator doors opened with a soft chime, and Sen stepped out into a short hallway. There were only two doors, and in front of the left door was one of her mother's servants.

"Good evening, Lady Sen," he greeted, bowing. Sen nodded, and approached cautiously. She saw none of her mother's guards about. The servant opened the door for her, and ushered Sen inside. The hotel room was similar to the lobby, only with more ornamentation. The drapes were pulled back to reveal the city outside the large windows. Taka stood in the center of the room, dressed in a vivid red robe. She turned, and upon seeing her daughter she smiled widely, opening her arms.

"My daughter," Taka greeted warmly. Sen froze where she was. Where were the shouts and recriminations? She had expected a lecture, a familiar sign that there was nothing left to salvage of her relationship with her mother. "Sen, my sweet, don't just stand there. Come in, and we will have tea together. We have so much to talk about," Taka invited, waving a hand to the tea table near the window. Sen stepped forward hesitantly. She glanced around, looking for others in the room. There was no one. No servants, no guards … Only her mother.

"Sen," Taka said softly. "Please, my daughter."

Sen stared openly at her mother, stunned. Please. Her mother had never said please or asked for anything. Not in Sen's entire existence could she recall her mother using such a gentle tone. The servant lifted Sen's cloak from her shoulders, and Sen barely felt it. She still hadn't formed words when the door quietly closed behind her.

333

"Dr. Hamato," Susan greeted rapidly when Don entered the lab in the morning. "Major Klein is …"

"Here," Major Klein rumbled from the far corner of the room. Don looked over at the military man, a sponsor for his project for the British government, and immediately Don frowned. The Major came regularly, always in a hurry for the Transmat to be built. Don had been assured that the Transmat was not for military application, but he remained suspicious with obvious armed services representation on the project.

"Major," Don replied cautiously, moving toward his desk. He did a quick scan of the surface. No papers were missing, and his computer was still locked. He assumed, of course, that his computer was under surveillance at all times. He had a personal laptop in his briefcase, and carried it everywhere. The important parts of the project were on his own computer. Don considered it a form of insurance. "May I help you with something?" Don queried, facing the Major.

"Just a progress check," Klein responded, scanning the physicist. The Major wasn't thrilled that his expert was an alien, but Klein would have worked with a unicorn if it meant he had the Utrom technology. "I have a team on standby for prototyping."

Don knew very well there was a team standing by. He was reminded on a near daily basis. "I'm finalizing the calculations," Don stalled. He tried reading intention in the Major, but the man was very careful, and probably well trained. Don wished for Leo's abilities at reading humans. Leo, of all his brothers, had spent the most time with Splinter working on the art of deception. Leo could spot a lie. Don could with some people, but not Klein. But he had a strong feeling he couldn't put faith in the Major, and if he did, it would be to his detriment.

"That's good," the Major commented equably. "We have a demonstration scheduled in two weeks for the Transmat."

Don's eyes widened. "We can't possibly be ready …"

"Not an option, Dr. Hamato," Klein interrupted coldly, walking toward the door. The Major stalked out, and Don released a sigh of frustration. He pulled out his chair, and sat down facing his computer. Don absently stroked the keys, his mind ticking over the same options he had been considering since the meeting with the Utrom. He could build the Transmat, he could refuse and go back to New York, or he could … Don's ruminations were abruptly ended by a gentle touch on his right shoulder. He whipped his head around and beheld his assistant. Don blinked. He had completely forgotten she was in the room.

"Don?" Susan questioned, a concerned look on her face.

"Susan," Don stated, his voice rough. He cleared his throat, and forced a smile. "I'm sorry, I'm a little distracted." That was an understatement.

"That's okay," Susan offered, her voice gentle and soothing. Her small hand squeezed his shoulder. "Is there anything I can do?" Susan asked, her thumb rubbing the back of his shoulder.

Don's eyes widened, and he abruptly stood up and stepped back. "No," he said quickly. Susan's face reflected sudden hurt. "I … No … thank you, Susan," Don added, picking up a notebook from his desk, and flipping it open. "I need some things from the supply room," Don stated, hurrying to the door. Susan watched his swift exit, her shoulders slumped, and her face red with humiliation.

333

Over the candle burning low in a green glass wine bottle, Raphael studied Haven. She had talked almost non-stop during their dinner at the small Italian restaurant. Right now she was twirling her hair with one hand, and chattering about work.

"Erica said I may have a chance at the promotion, but it is totally up to Harry whether I get to transfer or not. I haven't been in his division very long, and maybe it looks like I'm job hopping or something, but I really want to work on something bigger and more important than entrance and exit procedures. And escorting the occasional diplomat or celebrity through Transmat security …" Haven blathered. Raphael tuned out her voice, and considered her carefully. The forced nonchalance, the diarrhea of the mouth, and Haven's inability to meet his eyes for more than a few seconds at a time …

She was hiding something.

He wasn't sure what yet. It could be work, because her voice rose and she spoke faster when she turned to that topic. Raphael had first suspected something the previous evening at the store. Something was off about her, but Raph hadn't addressed it directly as there was often something off about Haven. Or at least there was something off the last couple of months.

At first, Raph had found Haven to be good company. She would laugh with him, and he was attracted to her physically. Haven was, without a doubt, a beautiful woman. Recently she had become … needy. Raph picked up his glass and took a sip, nodding blankly to whatever Haven was talking about now. He knew Haven wanted him to move in, to make a commitment, but Raphael balked at it. It wasn't that he didn't want Haven, but he wasn't so sure he wanted to settle down. His brothers had mostly taken the plunge, although Leo hadn't made things permanent with Sen … yet. Leo was waiting for something, and Raph wasn't going to question it. Why would he when Raphael, himself, was skittish on the idea of making things even semi-permanent with Haven?

Raph looked at Haven again, and her eyes avoided his. He could feel his temper flare, and clamped down on it. He rarely lost it these days. But he really disliked liars.

"You gonna tell me what's wrong?" Raphael interrupted abruptly.

Haven froze, her eyes widening, before she got ahold of herself and her expression smoothed out. "Nothing's wrong," Haven replied, a little too swiftly.

Raph's eyes narrowed down. "Haven, how 'bout you try again?" Raph stated flatly. "Only with the real story this time."

Haven drew in a deep breath, and she looked down at her plate. Her right hand toyed with her hair again. She was stalling.

"Haven," Raphael growled.

She looked up, and then glanced away yet again. Raphael could feel his frustration mounting, but she stayed silent. Raphael stood up, pushing his chair back with a loud scraping noise. Other diners peered at him curiously. Haven kept her eyes down.

"You decide you wanna talk 'bout what's really goin' on, you know where to find me," Raphael stated angrily. He pulled out his wallet, dropped cash on the table, and turned toward the door. Right up until he had his hand on the knob and pushed it open, he thought she would come after him. But Raphael walked out into the cold night alone.