Dark Faïz ( Book 1 ) [ COMPLETED]

Chapters 8-11

FAÏZ

He parked his car in his parking space in the basement of the building. Before going down, Faïz dialed Barthey's number on his phone. He hoped that he would pick it up despite the late hour.

— "This is Karl. I'm listening," a deep voice answered after the first ring.

— "Where are the negotiations with the government?" said Faïz, immediately getting into the subject without embarrassing himself with politeness.

— "Faïz," sighed the inspector at the end of the line, "for the moment it's complicated. They talk about a few months, maybe a year at most."

— "What a load of crap! They don't realize they're getting into The Maestro's diabolical game!"

— "Unfortunately, accidents are increasing. Let us take the example of the latest event, the riots that broke out in prison. The Maestro is beginning to take more and more control over the weakest souls in this country. Do you have any news from the other Leviathans?"

— "They have already combed many of the cemeteries and other places in the United States, but nothing. They're quite busy trying to keep order in LA. Try to get as much time as possible from the government so they don't close the Dome. I'm counting on you."

Faïz hung up and let his head fall back. "Everything is going to hell," he thought, disenchanted with the current situation.

**

When he opened the loft door, Rachelle was admiring the view of Los Angeles through the large bay window that ran through the living room. She was always there, present at his side, in good times and bad. She was his peace, his only escape in his perpetual confrontation with death.

— "Are you all right, baby?" she asked him in a gentle and comforting way.

— "It's just one more day," he whispered as he hugged her.

Faïz kissed her on the forehead as he stroked her long, smooth hair.

— "Rachelle, I need to talk to you about something," he said, reserved.

She stepped back to better observe him. The steel blue of her eyes reflected a certain concern. She had been sensing for a few months that Faïz could one day leave her, without knowing for whom or for what. She had always known that an evil was eating away at this young man she loved so much, but it was impossible to know what it was all about. Faïz, without realizing it, restrained her with one hand to prevent her from fleeing.

— "Nothing serious, I assure you. I have to go to New York on Thursday for an important meeting. I'll be back on Saturday."

Rachelle's face relaxed, relief replacing doubt for a short while before Faïz added, head down,

— "I'm taking Zoe with me."

The young woman immediately removed her hand from his. Her facial features distorted in anger when she heard the name she hated more than anything.

— "That's out of the question!" she said, irritated.

— "Look, it's just for work, for her internship. It's important to her."

She crossed her arms and stared at Faïz angrily.

— "And what's important to me? Does it matter?" Rachelle said.

— "Of course." Faïz began to get impatient.

He was walking towards her, but she stopped him with both hands, obviously determined not to stop there.

— "You have to choose now! It's either her or me. If you go to New York, it's over between us. Come on, Faïz, another member of the family can do it for you. I don't know, William, for example. From what I've heard, they get along more than well."

— "No way!" Faïz protested in a burst of impulsiveness that he immediately regretted.

Rachelle put her hands over her mouth to muffle a scream.

— "So I was right," she whispered. "It's her. It's been her from the beginning."

Faïz looked up to stare at the ceiling and then closed his eyes, confessing in a low voice what he feared most.

— "Yes. It's been her from the beginning."