Love & Deceit

Chapter 8: Rekindling Hope

Once I'd collected myself, I went into the archives in hopes of finding something to aid me in my actual purpose of returning to the Plight: saving James and finally eviscerating The Darkness ...for good. I had to search for hours before realizing that I wasn't going to find anything in these archives. I have this weird feeling that someone may have hidden away the files that I need...Maybe it was Gareth? I mean he expressed his concern about this entire darkness ordeal. No...he wouldn't do that, Gareth is a lot of things, but he is a man of his word. I sighed heavily. My brother on the other hand is...a different story. That's it, I'm going to ask Gareth, point blank where the hell all of my old information about The Darkness went, the ones I used to find it the first time. So I appeared in his gloomy but nicely decorated office with a flash. He was swimming in a bunch of official looking papers. He looked towards me, when he noticed that I arrived.

"I know you're my favorite agent and all, but you really need to learn how to knock."

He's right, I work here now, and I need to invoke that layer of professionalism again. I mean I know he's technically my dad, but at work he is my director, and that's how should treat him...at least when I'm at work.

"Old habits die hard; sorry...I'll knock next time."

"It's okay, Raven...I was joking. I mean I'd expect that from the others, but you're my daughter..."

I let slip a genuine smile.

"...I know, that doesn't make my insubordination right though."

He let out a hearty guffaw.

"Right, cause bursting into my office unannounced is 'insubordination'...right."

I rolled my eyes at him, with a slight smile on my face, and then I tried to get things on track, with my reason for visiting.

"...While I wish I was here to just hang out and distract you from your work, I'm not."

He nodded, gesturing for me to continue.

"I...need to know where my old research is."

He stiffened at the mention of my old research.

"Euphemisms were never really your thing Raven...Which ones?"

"...You know which ones."

"...They're in the archives."

I rolled my eyes at him, before relaying my fruitless search in the archives.

"Wait...they aren't there?"

"Nope, although I have a feeling you knew that already."

He sighed in defeat; I always could call his bluff.

"...You're right. They went missing a few weeks ago. Around the time that we found out that there is still a fragment of James' soul in The Darkness."

"Missing how?"

"Agent Nakamura went in the day after we found out to try and see if there was a way to get him back, but by then it was gone."

"Do you have any idea who might have taken it?"

"...Well."

"Just say it."

"I think it was Ash."

Well...that proves my inkling was right.

"Oh goody, and just when I was thinking of hearing him out."

"He's trying to protect you – granted in his own twisted way – but nonetheless, protecting you."

"Gee that makes me feel so much better." The sarcasm was evident in my tone.