Chapter 39

Tobias tapped his fingers meticulously on the table as he stared at these two men, one was stocky and short with blond hair and glasses while his partner was tall with dark hair and left cheek burned and bruised, Tobias guessed as a result of some acid or chemical attack from work. They were from another organization. The organization that damned near had him killed so that they can have seniority over this community. The community that he and his own dominated for decades.

But now they were invoking the treaty provisions to ask Tobias for his and his organization's aid in a current mission. His entire being wanted to have them killed on the spot. They knew nothing of honor and he didn't want his organization affiliated with them. Reputation was easily spoilt and he didn't want him tainted by them.

But these were his personal opinions and he needed to think like a leader. As a leader, he didn't dare cause an uproar. He had to abide by the treaty obligations or it could spell disaster for himself and the people who worked for him. He was responsible for many people and he had to put his personal feelings aside for the greater good.

"What exactly do you have in mind?" He questioned, swallowing the bile rising in his throat.

"We would appreciate it if one of our agents is allowed to work side by side with your team." The leader of the other organization spoke first; the man with the burnt cheek.

"I don't have a team assigned to this mission," Tobias responded with a shrug of his shoulder.

"No team?" The leader was stunned, he stared at his blond partner. "We were led to believe that this was one of your biggest missions." his partner matched the anger that the leader felt. He was younger than the leader and Tobias pitied the organization more if this man was to be the successor. He seemed too rash...not good traits for a leader or a warrior. He already foresaw their organization having more enemies in the future.

"It is. But I can't exhaust my resources on one mission. We have had multiple big missions. " Tobias replied carefully. "We are not easily excited around here." he crossed his arms at his chest.

"Then, what are you planning to do?" The leader questioned, the spot in his cheek flaring redder than the rest of his face.

"Two men." Tobias leaned forward, uncoiled his arms, and began tapping his fingers on his desk. The sound echoing throughout the office.

"Two men?" Both men exclaimed in unison. Their voices rushed out together in protest.

"Gentlemen." Tobias raised his voice and stood, the two men quieted.

"Tell me by the end of the week if you still desire to place one of your employees on this case. This meeting is over." Tobias dismissed the men and had them escorted out of his office.

***

"Can you please listen to me?" Thomas pleaded as he eased down onto her bed, his hand reaching out to encase hers. She was standing at the edge of the bed and eying him. Her eyes were two balls of fire. She placed her hands on her hips. She remained silent, urging him to speak.

"It's a touchy subject for me." He began, averting his eyes and dropping his hand when she refused to take it.

"I hadn't noticed." Avril retorted bitterly, throwing a pillow at his head. Thomas grabbed it and tossed it aside. He sighed, but didn't respond to her comment, he just continued.

"My father almost died because of her." he'd sat straight up and patted the bed next to him, but she was too caught off-guard. Avril didn't make a sound. The words striking her guilty conscious. She shook it off. No matter the reason...he didn't have any excuse to speak to her in any way he chose. His defensiveness had made her think he wasn't interested in her but in Lilith.

"She used to be part of our organization. " He sighed when she didn't respond. "She went on a mission with a couple of our people, my father went as well since the group was particularly amateurs...it was to serve as an 'on-the- job' training exercise. However, another organization tried to take the opportunity to murder my father since he was the head of our organization."

He paused gazing at her to see her reaction and also because he was not sure how to re-tell the events. " No one was supposed to know of the mission outside of that small group, it turned out she was a double agent for the other organization and had set up the hit. Most of the group was killed or injured, my dad almost died as well." His body shook as she said this and his voice trembled.

Avril couldn't stand still any longer. She'd slowly crawled onto the bed and sat directly in front of him. She took his hand in hers and she felt their instant steadying.

"She shot him a couple of times while he was escaping with the survivors. The odds against him surviving were slim." Thomas squeezed her hand, grateful that she was finally close to him. "I hated myself for not being on that mission but I was new and my relationship with my father was not good then." he faltered, lowering his head.

"You can't blame yourself," Avril said, tilting her head so that he could see her. " What she did was despicable, there was no way you could have known."

He sighed. "I hope you can understand, my reaction wasn't personal...it was just..." he ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled. He didn't want to think of an alternate universe where he'd lost the opportunity to build a relationship with his father.

"It brought back the trauma...I know." She said calmly, passing her fingers in his hair.

He moved closer to her, he just wanted to hold her. Avril leaned back, stopping him." But I am still annoyed at you. " she confessed, hanging her head.

He grinned. "I can accept that," he said, feeling better that he was open with her.

"Can I ask a question?" She looked at him when he nodded she continued.

"Why did they want to assassinate your father?" she asked carefully, there was so much new to her and she was dying to understand.

"Our corporation has been running over five generations. The company takes in only the best of the best and we are one of-if not the most powerful and influential in our community." he began.

"So it was a usurpation of power play?" Avril said incredulously.

"Exactly." he smiled.

"So conquest is a legitimate means of gaining sovereignty." She said to herself in fascination.

Thomas was a bit taken aback by how well she was grasping this.

"In our community it is." He replied.

" So I am guessing, your community doesn't abide by the rules of international law." She laughed.

"No, it doesn't... It can share some aspects since we do create treaty agreements and recognize that each organization is the sovereign over its own territory but, title by conquest is very much still alive...." he explained.

"I guess it makes sense especially since the companies don't adhere to the UN Charter and its provisions, especially the one banning use and threat of force." She replied critically.

" Nope. The world practically doesn't know we exist. So we don't adhere to those rules. And we don't usually act on behalf of the countries so our actions are not accountable to those rules. We have our own rules that apply only to us. Our wars are never against another country, it's internal." He had never thought he could have such a conversation with someone outside of their Organisation and have it grasped.

Avril considered this. It seemed that this community he spoke of was an entirely different world.

" Am I forgiven yet?" He interrupted her thoughts, distracted by the way she licked her lips.

" Wouldn't it be too easy to forgive you now?" She teased.

He gave her an amused expression. " What if I asked you to move into my room with me? " he asked as he tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

"What?" She had turned pale.

"I want to go to bed with you and wake up next to you." He was so close she could feel his breath against her neck.

"Are you just asking this to get back on my good side?" She questioned sternly.

" I was thinking about it since the first night you fell asleep in my bed." he confessed. He never felt this comfortable with a woman and he wanted her by his side as much as he could.

Avril blushed.

"Besides there is only a week left until you go back to school, and I will be busy as well. I want to spend as much time with you as possible." He searched her eyes for an answer. Part of him felt strange asking her to do this. He had fought against his character not to demand she moved her things to his room, but he needed to go at a suitable pace.

"Uh..if it's what you want...I guess it couldn't hurt." She said, her cheeks on fire.