Tares City

94. Power Moves

Jerald stands with his arms folded, his mouth set into a thin line. His teeth ground against each other in his anger. Annoyed and angry, he watches his brother help her out of the car - Naomi Reid.

Beside him, Quinn scoffs, shaking her head before stomping back into the building. "You have got to be kidding me! " He hisses, walking to them. "Josh! A word? Now." He exclaims.

Josh excuses himself, leaving Naomi by the car and walking to Jerald. "Look, I know what you're going to say. I know what you're thinking." Josh starts.

"No. No. You sure as hell don't. If you did, we wouldn't be having this conversation!" He retorts.

"I don't expect you to understand," Josh starts.

You're right! I don't! I can't! Why is she here, Josh?" Jerald demands.

"She's coming around, Jer. She just needs closure and support." Josh says excitedly. "What happened worked in my favor! Look at her. She's distraught, lost, confused, and sacred! I was right. Everything I told her and she sees it now. But she's hurt by everything and confused. She needs closure."

"Closure? As in seeing the thing?" Jerald hisses. "Josh, you brought her here to see the damned thing?!" Jerald yells. "She knows where we have him now. Don't you think that's a problem?"

"Jerald, it's not like little Naomi or her friends can break in here if they tried. Besides, it's not like I'm going to show her the way and tell her the codes. I'll blindfold her. I'm not an idiot, Jerald!"

"Could have me fooled!" Jerald says in return, watching Naomi, who was watching them. "She is trouble. She's more trouble than -"

"No, she's not!" Josh interrupts.

"She doesn't care about you, Josh. Naomi doesn't feel for you. She's only here to see the beast." Jerald argues.

"She's coming around. Why don't you see that?"

"Wait till Dad hears about this mess."

"You and Dad have no say in my personal life!" Josh yells.

"We do when it affects the organization, stupid! Get rid of her!"

"Screw you, Jerald." Josh huffs, walking off toward Naomi.

He apologizes to her and then leads her toward the building. As agreed, she let him blindfold her, putting her hand in his so he could lead the way. Josh smiles, happy he wasn't the one to initiate the touch. Keeping her close, he leads her through, head down to where they kept Lycan Jensen.

Josh was thankful now that he hadn't killed the thing before. Otherwise, he might not have had this chance.

~

Jerald marches to their father's office, knocking on his door. Entering at his father's command, he storms in, unable to control himself. "You would not believe what your son is doing!" He starts, his father raising a brow at him. "He's brought her here! To see the mutt!" He spits out.

"What?"

"You have to knock some sense into him, Dad!"

"He has her walking around the organization?" His father enquires.

"Well, no. He's blindfolded her..." He starts, stopping when his father begins to chuckle. "You find this funny?".

"She's no threat to us, if we're honest. Josh is a threat to himself because of her. Josh is a threat to us because of her. At least he had the sense to blindfold her, but she makes him stupid. She makes him careless and rash. I believe I told you to handle it... her."

"I had plans to. But now Josh..."

"Dismissed."

"Dad?"

"I will think on it. Dismissed. I have work to do. Just keep an eye on your brother."

"I don't want to be a babysitter!" I want to go on missions and patrol out there! We have so much to do, so much to put in place still. I can't waste time watching Josh. The lovesick fool!"

"Dismissed, Jerald," Luke says to his son, his tone stern.

With a sigh, Jerald leaves the office, knowing he could argue no further.

~

"I'll be leaving the city tonight. I have Saffire tailing them. So far, since they've landed, they've gone to an electronic store, and then they got picked up by someone. They're still running a search on the person."

"Very well. Remember not to move in too soon. Let them lead you to her. And let her lead you to Rockwell. Very good thinking. Using the co-captain as a mole? You continue to impress Quinn. Now. Go get me Rockwell and all his work."

~

NAOMI REID

"What will happen to him... it?" Naomi asks softly, seeing the small smile Josh gives at her self-correction.

"My dad has a few more events planned, and after that's done, we'll." Josh shrugs as he focuses on the road, not glancing at her. Naomi nods in understanding, knowing he meant they'll kill Jensen when they're finished parading him around.

"Today must've been so hard for you," Josh says to her.

"It's... all still so... I don't know, crazy I guess. Everything you said..." Naomi responds.

"Don't worry, you've gotten past the hardest part. Now that you understand the truth, everything else will come easier." Josh says reassuringly.

"Thank you for being so understanding today. For helping me through it." Feeling him glancing at her, she turns to him, looking through her lashes. "I appreciate it a lot. It helped."

"You know I'm always here for you. I knew you would need to see it to grasp the reality of it." Josh says proudly. "You're a smart girl, Naomi. I knew you'd come to your senses."

"Thanks again for today, Josh." She whispers, placing a hand over his before she opens the car door.

"Call me if you need anything. Day or night, I'll answer." Josh says to her as she closes the door.

"I think I need some time to process a bit... Good night, Josh."

"Good night, Naomi." He says before driving off.