「 The Professor & I 」VOLUME II

(318) Slippery Slope

Lynn's POV

"But we managed to neutralise one of his sidekicks," Trask articulated in a collected tone but I frowned, disoriented by his strange choice of words.

"The rest absconded, leaving her in the lurch. We have her in custody and she's leaked some intelligence," he claimed, almost proudly, as Raven and I stared confusedly at each other.

"We're trying to track them, sir. We're working hard," Trask maintained with an earnest face but a strong, albeit unexplainable, hunch landed me at odds with his trusty yet moderately suspicious front.

"We cannot let him do this," the President denounced, pacing around furiously.

"You know I agree, sir," Trask readily concurred and the peculiarities reached a peak I could no longer resist.

Covertly, I sneaked into his mind and beyond the glory radiating from generations of his impressive forefathers serving high ranks in the military, I finally unraveled the appalling mystery that had been deservedly bugging me.

Being the initial point of contact Hank had, freshly entering the government sector, Trask, then still decorated with just one star, naturally developed into a form of stable reliance. Coincidentally, he harboured great interest in engineering and physics, and would have pursued his career academically if not for that imposing family history.

Quickly, their inherent similarities drew them even closer together and a camaraderie—not quite reminiscent of the one Hank had forged with Charles but definitely just as robust—was shaped. As the months aged delicately into years, the pair, thriving on each other's devoted assistance, readily rose through the hierarchy of their respective grade systems.

Until Raven suddenly emerged to drastically alter Hank's behaviour.

Recognized solely by her husband, her clandestine appearance drove Hank towards conduct predominantly solitary. He veered from almost all social contact apart from shadowing her fraudulent impersonation intently.

Inevitably, he and Trask drifted but both had each other etched indelibly into their hearts of gold that remained charmingly loyal.

In addition to Kelly, or Raven really, Trask was another determined soul toiling tenaciously to have his buddy promoted into the ministry. It was rumoured by many that he did so just to repay exactly what Hank did for him but the ignorant whispers were unimportant, for Hank comprehended that his intentions were nothing but genuine.

When Raven officially stepped into the picture, their friendship was sought to be rekindled. With due resolution on Hank's part and generous understanding on Trask's, they reconciled almost as simply as a click of the tongue.

A rapport built this solid surely garnered the benefits of authority but blind decision-making was contrarily, especially in this case, not gratifying.

Holding the utmost position in the country's defense as both its Secretary and General, Trask possessed power in the said sector just second to the President. As a trustworthy associate, Trask even earned himself the unrivalled ability to command armies without further jurisdiction.

Using—or, perhaps more harshly, abusing—this influence, Trask rashly endorsed Stryker's proposition even before the extortion video had been properly validated, and blatantly against the President's explicit instructions.

Whilst his motives were expectedly kind, fuelled by the innocent notion of extricating a fine compatriot, that perilous contract bearing his signature dreadfully toppled the uncountable dominoes of danger now just waiting to devour this nation.