Power Play

Chapter 8: Lily

Chapter 8: Lily

   When Lily arrived home to her apartment, she was still thinking about what had happened. Wondering who she should tell about the agents, what she should do. She still hadn't come to any decisions, in fact she wasn't any closer than when she'd started thinking. Which is why, when she spotted someone sitting on her couch, for an instant she panicked. What if they'd followed her home, what if it had been her they'd been after and they'd waited to ambush her alone? She couldn't feel an aura from the person, but then she hadn't been able to feel one from the agents at first either. But then she got a good look at the person's face, and a surge of relief rushed through her.

    "Lord Talen," she greeted with a faint smile as she moved over to drop into a chair across from where he was sitting.

    "Hello, Lily. It's good to see you," Talen said, smiling back at her.

    "It's good to see you too, m'lord. Is there a reason you came?" Lily asked, hoping against hope that he might be there just to see her, but logically knowing the chances of that were extremely slim.

    "Unfortunately, there is. You had an encounter with some NSA agents tonight, and I need to talk to you about it," Talen told her.

    "You knew that they were in this city, m'lord?" Lily queried.

    "I've known for awhile now. And I need to ask that you not tell anyone else about encountering them. I don't want anyone else knowing about their presence here," Talen replied.

    "But... Why, m'lord?" Lily pressed, feeling confused.

    "They're here for a very specific purpose, Lily. They're looking for someone, and when the time comes, they need to find him. They won't harm you, or any other freak in this city, I promise you that. Other freaks finding out that they're here could make things far more complicated and difficult than they need to be. So for now I need you to keep quiet about running into them," Talen informed her.

    "There was another freak there tonight, m'lord, who called himself John Doe. He has a larikin that... Well, I'm sure you already know all about it, but... Is it him that they're looking for, at least whoever he is when he's in his real form, without the larikin?" Lily questioned.

    "No. He's not the one they want," Talen answered.

    "But he knew about them, I'm sure he did... If he's not the one they're after, then why did he know what they are?" Lily asked.

    "It's not my place to reveal the secrets of others Lily. If he wants you to know the answer to that question, one day, he'll tell you himself," Talen stated firmly.

    "But what if he decides to reveal the presence of the agents to others in the city, m'lord? After all, he sensed them just as clearly as I did," Lily prompted.

    "I already had a discussion with him before I came here. He's agreed not to tell anyone about the encounter. Now I just need you to do the same," Talen told her.

    "I... If that's what you want my lord, I won't speak of it to anyone," Lily finally agreed.

    "Thank you, Lily. I appreciate it," Talen said, smiling again. "Anyways, I'm sorry to come here for only that reason, but there are matters that need me elsewhere, so," he finished as he rose from the couch, clearly intending to go.

    "Lord Talen? Before you go, can I ask you one more question, please?" Lily queried. There were a lot of things she wanted to say to him, after all her crush on him was still as strong as it had always been, but she wasn't going to keep him here for that. However there was something unrelated to her feelings for him that had been plaguing her lately, something she'd been worrying about a great deal, and she felt like it was something she needed to settle now, while she could.

    Talen just offered a quick nod and said only, "Ask."

    "Evan is planning an attack to kill Vanning, a plan that he, Alaine, I, and Silver are already a part of, and he's gathering others. He thinks that when you said Vanning was going to go down, since Harken hasn't made a move against him, that you must've meant for us to do it. Our lives will be at stake if we do this, and I just want to know... Is that what you meant?" Lily asked softly.

    Talen's eyes met hers and he stared into them for a second before speaking. "All I can tell you Lily, is that things are progressing precisely as they should. What's happening is what needs to happen." And then in the next instant he was gone, vanishing in the way that only True Minds could.

    With a sigh that she hadn't been able to talk to him more, Lily rose and strode into the bedroom, almost immediately spotting the blinking red light on her land-line phone. Walking over to it, she reached out and pressed the button to play her messages.

    "Lily," Evan's voice came through clearly. "We're having a meeting tomorrow night, you should be there. Call me to get the details." After that came the click of a disconnection. The fact that he hadn't wanted to leave the details on the machine showed that the meeting had to concern their little group. And she would call, after all the goings on of the group concerned her too, she just wanted to relax and think a little more first.