Shadows Creed (Shadows Creed #1)

Bridges

“So, you going to tell me what’s doing with you, Jimmy?”

Matthew and Jimmy were taking a breather in a small hollow off the main tunnel. Jimmy swigged from his water flask and glanced at his friend.

“What?”

“How did you know about this?” Matthew gestured around the Bridge. Jimmy’s lips curved in that same secretive smile. Matthew glowered at him. “James.”

Jimmy sighed and stared up at the damp bricks. “There’s a lot you don’t know, Shads. About me.” He paused, staring into space for a moment. Matthew shifted his weight and frowned more at his friend. Jimmy laughed roughly, shaking his head. “Everyone thinks I’m this crazy ass slacker who has nothing better to do with my time than sticking my nose in everyone else’s business…”

“Yeah, you do that a lot,” Matthew agreed with a wry smile. Jimmy tapped the side of his nose.

“The General knew I was onto something a long time ago.” He paused again then went on. “My family left New Huntington a year ago. You remember?”

Matthew nodded slowly, not sure where his friend was leading with his story. He remembered that day. It had been a big confusion for everyone. The Sullivans just upped and left without saying goodbye to anyone. No explanation, save Jimmy coming in and announcing they’d gone.

“Yeah, I remember. You were a fricking mess.” He glanced sideways at his friend. “What of it?”

Jimmy looked at him finally, eyes guarded.

“I needed them to distance themselves from me because it wasn’t safe.” He smirked. “You think Papa Gates started this whole thing on his own?”

Matthew blinked. “What?” He was confused by the apparent change of topic. He stared hard at his friend. “What’re you saying?”

Jimmy smiled more. “It was never his idea to run for Mayor.” He crossed his arms and looked pointedly at the other male. “It was mine.”

Matthew’s brows crashed down over his eyes, consternation evident in his expression. “You? But…PG told me…” He stopped unsure of what it was the elder Haner had told him. “Wait…he said the idea was put to him by an associate. That was you?”

Jimmy nodded. “The one man Liberation front.” He smirked. “Well, not one man…I had help. You know her.”

Matthew frowned. “Her?”

Jimmy chuckled softly as he got up to stretch his legs. “Eli’s assistant.”

“Melissa…” The former Commander rubbed at his forehead. “The riots back then…were you a part of that?”

Jimmy lifted his shoulders a little. “I wasn’t there.”

Matthew’s eyes narrowed. “That doesn’t answer my question.”

“Does it matter? We’re here now.” When his friend didn’t respond Jimmy sighed heavily and conceded, “Yeah. I was there. But, you were too busy gunning for Mel.”

Matthew tightened his lips. “If I were still…”

Jimmy looked directly at his friend. “The Creed would have a field day with this information. You would have to shoot me.”

“I would’ve.”

“I know.” Jimmy patted the wall of the tunnel. “No room for sentimentality, right?”

Matthew clenched his jaw, but admitted, “It’d kill me.”

Jimmy shook his head and murmured, “You were already dead inside, after Luke.”