The Control Freak: A Kip and Ezra Novel

2.

I slipped my key into the metal slit and turned it, dropping the smile I had held for most of the day as I walked into the cozy house. I threw my bag over my shoulder and walked straight into my office, hearing thuds on the wooden staircase. Sure enough, Willow poked her head around the door. I spun my chair and without any words, she cocked her head at me. I held out my hands.

"Carter," I said, simply.

She grabbed my hand pulling me into a hug.

"I'm sorry, my love," she whispered, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek.

I pulled away and held my hands at the side of her face and just admired her.

"Willow Kip, I love you."

She put her hands on mine and smiled.

The smile that was like no other. The reason I fell in love with Willow.

She was my best friend and somehow always knew what to say. She knew when I had had a day with Carter. I never had to tell her anything. She was just always there. I hugged her one last time, pressing kisses to her hair before I pulled away.

"I gotta finish up some last-minute stuff, gorgeous. I'll be done soon, okay?"

It was in the slightest, but I saw her face fall. She nodded, her perfect brown hair falling around her shoulders, and billowing towards her breasts. Her green shirt caught my eye as I noticed how it complimented her green eyes which shone brighter than mine ever could. It never bothered me. Except when people would say she looked like Father with them, and I had to resist the urge to sock them.

Or at least tell them off.

"I'll go make dinner. Pasta alfredo okay, love?"

"Anything you make, I'll have."

She smiled and quietly shut my door and walked down the hall to the kitchen. I twirled my pencil in my hand, watching her walk away.

Willow is the strongest person I know. She knows me better than I know myself. We were together for five years before I finally built up the urge to pop the question. Not saying that our love was easy. It's romantic but not in that fairytale sort of way sometimes. It was hard being engaged, then married, while I was still in training. There were many nights where we just went at it and fought. But our marriage was something that I was proud of and for both our sakes, I hope she felt the same way.

I spun my chair back around my desk and opened my black laptop. My fingers hovered over the keys before I pressed them hesitantly and typed what I wanted: 1999, Walter Estes. I let out a breath I knew I had been holding as I scrolled through the search results, my heart beating faster and faster.

Now, I know what you're thinking. I do believe Carter. What I don't believe; however, is what he believes in.

Carter is a pushy person. And at times, that is the best thing for him. Other times, it gets him in trouble that a human mind can't even imagine.

Mind over matter. Remember.

And with that trouble comes me getting in trouble. I'm technically his supervisor and trust me, no one hates when we argue and disagree more than me. Carter is an excellent agent. 29 years old and he's at the prime top of his job. But just like anyone else you would ever meet, you can't believe everything you hear.

You can bet my surprise when I found an article titled Man Shoots Man- Is Mind Control Real? I felt like time was flying by as I stared at the article and I felt that boom ticka feeling ever-present in my chest as I read the author's name. Martin Bastillion. This wasn't just some article Carter had pulled out of my shelf, I had realized. No, this was something of great importance to him. Something more important than I ever could have known or even imagined in my wildest nightmares. But as I sat there, staring at my computer screen, my heart pounding and my head rushing, I knew that as hard as I tried, I would never understand. And I would never side with Carter's belief.

And that was probably the biggest mistake of my life.

And my biggest regret.

The gentle drum of the elevator almost lulled me to sleep as I leaned against the cool metal walls, closing my eyes trying not to relive my night. Complete with the thirty-minute nightmare and ten-second break before I delved back into the world of loss that is my life. Well, maybe I'm being a little dramatic but it wasn't like my life was the way I always imagined it to be. I got the girl, but not the romantic life I wanted to live.

I was jealous of people that lived like that. I knew some nasty people who tended to balance on the high wire of pridefulness and it made me want to walk the other way and vomit.

Great, again reminded of that feeling I went to sleep with.

The elevator finally made that awful ding as the doors opened with a roar and a squeak as I made my way down the hall and into my office. There was a paper on my desk and I circled the note as I put my bag in the chair and ran a hand through my hair.

When you and Carter get here, meet me in my office. We need to talk~ Daniel Jacobs

I set the paper down and that feeling returned, swimming in the base of my stomach as I placed my hands on the edge of my desk. Carter poked his head around the corner and he was silent.

"What, Carter?" I asked.

"How'd you know it was me?"

He must have seen that I was confused because I heard his footsteps come deeper into the office as he moved a chair.

"Because your eyes are closed. 'You alright?"

I hadn't even noticed. "Are you alright?" was becoming my least favorite question in the world right now.

"I'm fine. Just didn't get much sleep last night. Come on. We have to get to Jacob's office. He needs to speak with us about a project."

Carter's eyes lit up as he followed me down the hall like he was a dog and I was carrying a large juicy hot dog and luring him with the smell. We knocked on Daniel Jacob's door and he answered, his usually bright smile was taken by the place of a dull careless one.

"Come on in."

He shut the door behind us and paced behind his desk as Carter and I looked at each other as we sat down daintily on his chairs.

"So what's up?"

Jacobs looked at Carter and then stared at me.

"We have to talk about The Control Group."

And my life was never the same since that day. Behind that closed door, I felt my world closing in. Closing in on my world that barely existed and threatened to crunch it into itty bitty pieces, just like those memories that threatened the very existence of people and things.