Chapter 13

Thomas didn't bother to stay at home this morning. It became such a usual occurrence these past days for Avril to infiltrate his mind and he'd decided that it had much to do with the fact that he was alone in a house with a woman. He persuaded himself that he would be equally distracted had it been anyone else. Whether he actually believed such persuasion was another issue.
He got rose from his bed, showered, and got dressed. The only thing on his mind this morning was leaving his house. He'd managed to avoid both Avril and Trish on his way to his car, not that he needed to avoid them but mostly because he wouldn't have the answers to any questions they might ask him. He didn't know what his plan was today, all he knew was that he was not going to stay at home.

He sat in his car and drove off. He was certain the sound of his engine would have alerted Trish of his leaving. At some point, he pulled to the side of a road, switched off, and pressed his eyes shut. He was at the corner of some street. He didn't even bother to know precisely where he was, he just needed some time to breathe in an air that was not seducing or intoxicating him. He had to come to resolve himself on how he was to behave around Avril. He didn't want to be some creepy older guy who couldn't resist the allure of a younger female.
His phone rang, dragging him out of his trance. The number was unknown to him. He stared at his and contemplated whether he should even answer. He stared out the window, phone in hand as his ringtone blasted in his ear, before he could decide the ringing ceased.

A sign that he was not supposed to answer it. At least that was what he told himself. However, not two minutes later the ringing started up again. Thomas groaned and declined the call. He was in no mood to speak to anyone and he was certain there would not be a third ring.
He was wrong of course, his cell began ringing again. Obviously whoever it was was persistent. He finally accepted the call and brought the cell to his ear.

"Speak!" his voice thundered. He was very much annoyed at this point.

"Thomas?" the female voice on the other side sounded vaguely familiar.

"Who is this?" he questioned sternly, not caring why the voice was familiar.

"You've forgotten my voice already?" the woman questioned as if it was the most horrifying revelation.
Thomas gritted his teeth, his features hardening, his grip on the steering wheel enhancing until his knuckles turned white. The whining tone was enough to solicit terrible memories and he regretted not throwing his cell phone out the window when it began ringing earlier.

"I made it clear to you, do not reach out to me and never call me again." He growled unforgivingly before ending the call. Had he known it was her, he never would have answered. Thomas rolled down his window and threw the cell outside. If she had this number, he no longer wanted to weld it. This was a signal that it was time for an upgrade.

**********
Avril awoke with a start. It had seemed as if someone had placed a Leviathan bell in the house and was constantly striking it. It was only after a few seconds, once the aftermath of sleep had started to disappear did she realize that the phones in the house were ringing nonstop. She grabbed her pillow and squished it on top of her face in frustration. Where the hell was Thomas? Didn't this noise bother him?

After a few more moments she grudgingly kicked off from her bed. She didn't want to intrude and answer the Lynne's home phone's but the noise was threatening to tear her head straight from her shoulders. She answered the phone with as much patience that she could muster....which wasn't exactly much and hoped that answering their phones wasn't a pet peeve. With Thomas, she could never quite tell what he liked or didn't like.

"Good morning." Her voice droned. Her head swirling from getting up too quickly.

"Ah miss Avril, I assume." A deep, rich voice spoke out.

"And this is....." she almost wondered if she'd answered her own phone.
"Oh forgive me, my dear, this is Thomas' father, I am terribly sorry for awakening you this early." the man elaborated and her eyes widened. She was almost rude to her caretaker.

"Oh, Mr. Lynne! No not at all....is anything the matter?" Avril questioned since she was moved by the aura of caution attached to his voice.

"It might be nothing, but is Thomas at home? I tried calling his cell numerous times and he just won't pick up." his father questioned. Avril took a few seconds to register what he said.

"Oh, I am not that sure....I can check...Give me a minute." she responded, her heart pounding in her chest at the thought of actively seeking out Thomas. She took a quick look in the mirror and squinted. During her sleep, her hair tie which secured her hair neatly and tightly at the top of her head was now half-way down her hair. Her hair sagging to her neck in the most unflattering way possible. She pulled the hair tie from her hair and thought messy was better than what she had going on before. There wasn't much that could be done about the oversized t-shirt she slept in as she was pressed for time.

"Sure my dear. Take your time and Thank you." Mr. Lynne called out cheerily from across the phone and Avril wondered how such a good-mannered man be the father of Thoman Lynne?

Avril walked up to Thomas' room and proceeded to knock on the door. Her heart thundering with such force that she began to feel dizzy again. She waited for a few seconds but there was no answer. She knocked again, this time calling out to him, "Thomas? Your father is on the phone for you." she yelled and was certain that Mr.

Lynne was also an unfortunate recipient of her shrill voice. There was no answer. She put her hand on his door knob and slightly turned. Her mind screamed at her that this was a bad idea. What if he was inside?
But alas, his room was also empty. She pulled the door shut and made her way downstairs. She looked in all the rooms she could but there was no sight of him and it didn't seem as though Trish made it in yet so Avril couldn't look to her for advice. She searched a couple of the other rooms before she decided to check if his car was still in the driveway. It wasn't. Avril pulled the phone back up to her ear and spoke.

"Mr. Lynne, Thomas' car isn't in the driveway so he must be out," she said.

"Okay, my dear. I don't know why he isn't taking my calls." His father responded pensively. To Avril, his father seemed so concerned and it irritated her to know that

Thomas was giving him cause to worry.

"I'll keep trying to get through to him as well." She offered. Hopefully, it would give him some peace of mind.

"I would greatly appreciate that my dear. Thank you." he responded. His voice sounding less strained.

"It's the least I can do." she said. They muttered their good bye's and the call ended.

************
Thomas switched off his car. He'd picked up breakfast on his way back home. He felt it would be more convenient than having Avril prepare breakfast for herself. Well, that was the reason he told himself. Truth was, there was an innate need to take care of her in some shape or form.

As Thomas entered into the house, Avril ran down the stairs. He instinctively smiled but the look on her face stopped him dead in his tracks. She gazed at him as if he was the only person she ever wanted to see and he had to stop himself from going closer to her.

In an instant the subtle expression that he didn't dare put a name to changed.
"Where have you been?" Her voice shaking. Her eyes widened.

"I went out." He answered cautiously raising the bags in his hands as evidence. He looked at her carefully, unsure of how to approach her.

"I tried calling you." She said, knowing he would understand that she never got through.

He swore he saw her eyes softened and glistened. He didn't respond. How was he to say that he's thrown his phone away?

"About a hundred times." she clarified when he didn't speak. Her chest heaving.

"Oh.." he responded. He didn't know why the way she appeared in front of him made him lose all brain function. He knew he should say something. He had enough experience with women to know that his responses wouldn't bode well for him.

"Oh?" She repeated unbelievingly . " I was so worried and all you can say is 'oh'? Why didn't you answer me or your father?" she interrogated.

"My father?" Thomas found this morning getting more and more curious.

"Your dad tried calling you earlier and when he didn't get to you he called home and he was so worried. When I also tried calling and didn't get you I was scared that...." Her voice trailed off and she bent her head. Something told him it was to prevent him from seeing that tear trail down her cheek. Although, he still saw it all the same.
Without thinking, he dropped the bags in his hand and pulled her into his arms. He felt her body relax.

"I am okay, Avril. I lost my phone. But nothing's wrong...I am fine." His voice was soothing as he passed his hands over her hair.

" You lost your phone?" She sniffed. Her voice muffled since her face was buried in his chest. Her hands gripping the front of his jersey as if he would easily disappear.

"Yes. I got a new one. I will give you the number and I will always answer whenever you call."

"Promise?" She questioned.

Thomas arms tightened over her. "I promise."

********

Thomas called his father after he was able to let go of Avril. Something about that morning made him feel different. He couldn't describe how she made him feel. Hell, he wasn't even sure if he should be feeling like this.

"Thomas! Thank God you're alright." He heard his father sigh in relief.

" I really don't understand why you are so worried. You even startled Avril. She was...." He couldn't finish his sentence. The memory of her tucked away in his arms triggering unknown reactions.

" I am sorry my boy. I didn't mean to startle the poor girl. It's just we have an issue." His father responded.

" What sort of issue?"

"A few of our agents have been targeted. Ten to be precise. Two of them weren't lucky to survive."

"Do we have an inkling who is behind it? Where were they targeted?" Thomas immediately morphed into business mode now.

"No, we don't have any leads. But it's very peculiar that the agents that's were targeted were all on vacation at their homes."

" No one outside of the organization knows the home location of agents. " Thomas interjected. He knew what that would mean.
They had a mole. Fuck!

" I had the same thought. So we sent messages for our agents to be extra cautious. When I couldn't get a hold of you, I am afraid I got paranoid."

"Do you want me to come out of my downtime?" He questioned, he wanted to find these people and ensure they paid. It also wasn't safe for Avril if anyone came after him at his home.

" It's not yet necessary but see what you can dig up on your end. I don't have to remind you to do so cautiously. These people seem highly trained so don't take any chances."
"Don't worry dad. I am always careful."