Deep Secrets, Deviants

Chapter 6

Desmond

My eyes pop open, but in my delirious half awake- half asleep stage, I begin to question if I really heard anything. As I shift in the bed to see what time it is my doubt is wiped away when I hear another pounding on my front door.

Three in the morning?

I jump from my bed, my heart pounding with fear and excitement at the same time as I rush down the stairs. When was the last time? When was the last time I saw Raevon?

I jog to my door, wondering if this could be the night. Could this be the night she's had enough? Is she finally running away? Will she actually be able to get to me this time?

I open the door- not Raevon, to my disappointment- but a knew wave of shock comes over me as I study the dark brown-haired man before me, who stands at my exact height, his blue eyes bloodshot and his facial hair grown out to a long beard. He is dressed in simple jeans and tee, with a duffle bang hanging over his shoulder.

"Liam?" I voice, just to be sure I'm not dreaming.

"Desmond. I need your help." He states. I hesitate to open the door, but for what? This is Liam. Though he has yet to say that to me.

I open the door to let him in and he gives me a quiet thank you as he walks past me and into the hall.

"Would you like something to eat or drink?" I ask, leading him under the arch way and into the kitchen.

"No. Thank you.' He says. I motion for him to take a seat on one of the bar stools as I get into the fridge for some water. As I sip at it, I study him. He doesn't look into my eyes, but instead glances all about the house, his nerves clearly on edge. Yeah, something is definitely not right.

"What's going on, Liam? Why are you in Paradise Falls?" I ask. He finally looks at me.

"Ouch," he says, and I chuckle, shaking my head.

"Man, I know you. You're not here for a vacation." I state. He has an uncomfortable look on his face before nodding his head.

"Not up to my usual business," he confirms. I think back to when I had first met him as a rebellious teenager. All those times he confided in me. I guess I helped him out in some sort of way over the years, but this time is clearly different. This time he actually said he needed my help.

"Is someone after?" I ask bluntly. He messages his neck, his eyes searching me as if he's thinking of all his options.

"You could say that," he says.

"Who?" I ask without hesitation. He doesn't answer, but instead looks behind him, out of the glass doors that lead to the miniature backyard. "Liam," I say, and he looks back at me. "I have family here. People I care about. I want to help you, but I can't until I know the full truth. Who is after you?" I ask, a brow raised in question. He sighs as he brings his hand to his neck again, his shoulders slouch as if he carries the world.

"Let's just say... all of my old co-workers," he says and my heart drops with dread.

"Are you serious? You've gone rogue?" I ask, too shocked at the realization of the entire I.O.E. government agency after what must be a massive reward bonus over Liam's head to even congratulate him on finally getting out of that shithole.

"How do you know so much about I.O.E.?" Liam asks, out of what seems like mere curiosity. Raevon's bright green eyes come to mind and my heart thumbs with pain. Man, I miss her.

"Everyone has a secret," I say instead. After a moment of silence, I decide I want much more information. "What did you do?"

"Desmond, if I give you too much information I.O.E. would target you," he says.

"If they find out I was harboring a rogue agent they would target me, so what's the difference?" I say.

"I held you hostage for a couple of days," he says. I can't help but chuckle, though out of humor or sarcasm, I'm not sure which.

"Who's going to believe that? In my own home? Why didn't I call the police as soon as you left?" I ask.

"You'd be surprised what some agents have done. And you can call the police, or whoever you want. You saw that I had a plane ticket to Australia." He states and I stare into his eyes for the longest time, and he into mine, as if we are challenging each other.

"Are you going to Australia?" I ask. His eyes don't even blink.

"Yes," he says after a long moment. I'm able to read the message he sends me, but I still want to know everything that's going on.

"Are you staying in Paradise Falls?" I ask. He again stares at me with a subtle message in his eyes.

"No." He says firmly, but I don't miss a beat. He's after something in Paradise Falls and he's not going to be leaving until he gets it.

"Why are you here?" I ask.

"I'm looking for someone," he says, which I believe, but that answer makes this situation a hell more complicated.

"Who are you looking for?" I ask, but before the first word is even out of my mouth, I already know he isn't going to answer that. Not even with a subtle message. My patience is suddenly at an all time low as he shakes his head.

"Okay, were you followed? Is someone else in Paradise? Is there someone outside watching us with a scope and their finger on a trigger?"

"I don't believe so," he says, which is slightly relieving. "Someone is definitely on my tail, there's no doubt, but I don't think are in Paradise yet. There's one in particular that I can't shake."

"But for now, this very minute, we're safe to talk?" I ask. He nods his head, though he rubs his neck again, clearly reluctant to give me anymore information. But I' not about to give up. "What did you do, Liam? I want the truth." He sighs, his manner clearly stressed.

"Okay," he mutters, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes. "It started with Ocean," he says. I stay quiet, not wanting to miss a single detail. "I was assigned to protect her because she had some very valuable information. She was scared though. She didn't know who to trust and I was with her for months to gain her trust." His hand rubs the back of his neck as he looks away, and I notice his entire frame shaking. "She... she was the most fragile person I've ever met," he says, his voice becoming thick. He stands from the chair and turns his back to me. My chest suddenly hurts with sympathy for him.

"You were more than her bodyguard, weren't you?" I voice quietly.

"It's not even the half of it," he says turning back to me, his voice full of frustration. "I was supposed to protect her. It was my job to keep her alive... and I failed." I swallow the lump in my throat but stay silent. He shakes his head, his eyes full of pain and guilt. "She didn't deserve what she got. Her death was plastered all over the news as some freak accident, but she was murdered."

"Wait," I speak up. It was on the news? That's not like I.O.E. "Who was she?" He's quiet, staring at the ground for what feels like an eternity before looking back at me.

"She was the President's daughter," he says. Holy shit, is all I can think. "And she was murdered under my protection. And you haven't even heard the best part!" He says with an extreme amount of sarcasm. "Because of the information she had, she was murdered by an I.O.E. mole and I was framed for it. So, I had to go rogue before I ended up in my own grave, they think I was the mole all along, and I let Ocean down." He rubs the back of his neck, turning away from me as it all sinks in. I can't think of a worst pinch someone has been in, but my ability to help him is so small that I know I'm not the reason he came to Paradise Falls.

"Who do you think can help you?" I ask, attempting this one more time. He turns to me.

"An agent a couple of years ago gave a reference to someone that if I was ever in a jam, they'd help me out. All I need to do is get their attention."

"Who is it?"

"Desmond... Everyone has a secret."

A/N:

My readers are slacking, got like one comment on the last four chapters? I am very disappointed. It's making me loose my motivation :(