"Agent Foo... Futere? From San Diego?" I ask looking for the agent I had met over 10 years ago.
Seeing some one stand up off in the back, I see that he's been through a few things. He has some burn scars on his neck and cheek and his eyes have hardened along with his walk.
He looks at me hard and sticks his hand out for me to shake. "Been awhile, Officer Sin. You haven't aged a day." His voice has gotten rough, probably from what ever gave him those burn scars.
"It has Futere. Agency or other?" I ask him glancing at his scars for a mere second.
"Agency, I was relieved of duty for it too. Not long after I heard you went rogue. Was that Agent Lacroix I saw earlier or do I need some Psyche meds now?" He asked.
"Futere, I'll tell you all about it after we wrap this up." I tell him to receive a nod.
"Where do I sign then?" Futere asks nice and loud so people around him can hear and the bearded man named Suites stands up and joins Futere and hands me back my badge and ID.
"I'll sign too."Suites said loud enough for everyone to hear in the hall.
With those two signing the blood oath, the rest pretty much got in line and I sent them off with some of the caretakers to have their lodging and other needs taken care of for the moment. Futere and Suites stuck around and I had them follow me to the other side of the compound where John had his crowd already dispersed except for a few who had wanted to meet me.
John was taken aback from the vaguely familiar face with me.
"I know you don't I?" John hesitated for a moment.
"Futere. San Diego." He stuck out his hand and recognition flashed in John's eyes.
"That's right." He finished shaking hands and turned to the few that were hanging out. "Guys this man right here, worked with us on a case over a decade ago."
The men all nodded in respect to Futere. John then turned to me and smiled, "This is Sin."
I awkwardly waved, "Hi, knew I was heard of but didn't realize I had become this popular."
Futere scoffed, "Popular? You almost became a damn legend after you went rogue. The agency was pissed. Then when you went on the wanted list, everyone realized you actually existed. They tried to paint you as the bad guy but those of us who knew better, we got sent on assignments that either killed us or relieved us of duty."
He motions to his face.
Guilt hits my mind, remembering others that I knew of that had suffered because they knew me.
"It doesn't fix anything, but I am sorry." I convey to him.
"Don't apologize. You didn't do it." Futere shakes his head at me.
One of the guys from Johns crowd asks me, "Is it true that took out an entire compound of drug dealers single handed?"
Another one asked, "Are you really like indestructible, shit just bounces off of you?"
I laugh at the second question but I let them know the truth. "I have never single handed taken down an entire compound of drug dealers. I've always had a team with me on those assignments. After I stir things up inside, then the team would be called to come in."
I look to the guy who asked the second question, "I wish I was indestructible and things would bounce off me, but no, I am not. I get hurt and feel that pain."
They all seem impressed still anyways and John sends them off to go check in and get lodging handled. He turns to Futere and looks to Suites.
"Sorry, John Lacroix." He sticks his hand out for him to shake and he takes it.
"David Suites."
"Did we ever work together?" John asks him.
"No, but I trust Futere and I'd like to stay nearby and get more information on my situation."
'Ah trust issues' I think that makes sense, he'll fit right in with everyone.
"Okay, follow us to the mess hall. We can get some lunch while we talk."
We escorted them to the mess hall and informed them of everything that they wanted to know. How we were interacting with the governments who were willing to help or listen and how we were attempting to make sure we had enough fighters or those willing to fight. What kind of tactics that the Erl-kings army would most likely use since his underhanded schemes were exposed.
"Wait so we're expecting them to just attack us at any moment and we do not have hardly anything assembled to fight back at them with?!"
Suites was shocked to say the least to find out that so far only a few countries had agreed to send men to fight, but they'd only be sending a portion of what they could. They didn't want to send their troops out and leave their homes with out enough to try and defend their people.
Our resources had informed Thietian that the Erl-king had started to assemble his troops, which meant we didn't have much time before he'd make his first move. However, we were not as unprepared or as insane as Suites was probably thinking we were. Thanks to Cass and his beautiful intelligent mind, he had made drones the size of houseflies that could easily be released and paralyze large amounts of the Erl-kings forces. How drones were already deposited in countries just waiting to be activated if the Erl-kings forces showed up suddenly.
"Still! They could show up anywhere at any time?! They can just show up and obliterate an entire city before we could even rally to help. Even with those drones I don't feel like we stand a chance. I mean do we?" Suites asks and Futere even looks like our prospects are grim.
"The kind of energy to move enough troops somewhere is not easily come by. Most Fae can snap to a place, but there are enough who can't. So he has no choice but to try and funnel men through certain areas around the world and that is where we will need to focus the majority of troops." John informs them and after a while, they are more convinced that we have a chance than what they were.
We left them with a caretaker who would help them get situated and help bring family or any belongings that they would want from their place. It had been a long day for us, still going on little sleep from moving everything we could from our place and the others.
We snapped back to our compound and headed to our residence. It was on the other side of the bridge where the highest tower was located but not up that high. There was a small two bedroom cottage style place built back into the mountain, but it had a garage for my car. Very few places had them but it's not like I could drive it out of the compound. There are no roads coming or going from any of these places.
After a shower and a trying to find some clean clothes through out our stuff still all over the place, we walked over to where Cass's house was. Or Thietian's house .... that was still a confusing situation.
Upon us knocking Elena opened the door and looking disappointed let us in.
"He still hasn't made it home yet?" I ask her noticing that she has been busy as almost everything has been unpacked except for the larger boxes and items.
"No, he sent a message earlier, that it's going to be a late night. To not wait up too late for him." Elena told us.
John sighs, " There's a lot of work for him to take care of at the moment since we need to be ready. Too many countries are having issues and this will only fuel the Erl-kings ire since his cohorts can't control their populations. It will get a little better until the Erl-king decides to start attacking us."
"I know... It's just stressful." She sighed and took a seat. "Because I'm pregnant, I am not required to do anything. And because I'm pregnant with his baby.... My offer of help is being refused by everyone I've offered it to so far. I feel useless and lonely... and it's only the first day."
We sat with her and talked some more until our stomachs began to rumble.
"Oh you're both hungry? Please stay, my sister and Alex are coming over for dinner soon. You can eat with us."
"That sounds wonderful." I let her know.
...Cass's POV....
'We've been at this all day Thietian, we've had three hours of sleep, let's wrap it up for the night. Too much is going on for our tired mind and body.' I'm pleading with Thietian to tell them to let it go for the night, get a good nights rest, so we don't make any mistakes or forget something.
'Cass I know.' Thietian grumbles to me.
We start to call some of my team over that are helping me and I start delegating certain tasks to be handled by them while we go get some rest. Snapping to our place I knock on the door before entering and walk in to be greeted by Elena, her sister's family, along with John and Sin. All are eating dinner.
'Guess we are a little late.' I glance at a clock and it's half past eight in the evening.
"Hey everyone." Thietian greets them sounding exhausted and morphs back to me.
"Hey guys." I give them a tired smile and Elena comes to my side. She places a kiss on my lips and hugs me.
"Would you like to eat first then sleep or sleep first?" She asks me, controlled concern in her eyes.
"Food then sleep." I wrap my arm around her and give her a light smile, which she returns to me. It's little considerations like that, that make me love her even more.
I join everyone and even though the atmosphere is a little tense with questions in the air, they leave them there and just let me eat and bid them good night.
I was fast asleep when Elena came to bed after everyone had left, but her warm arms around me woke me from my sleep.
"Hey beautiful." I mumble enveloping her body next to mine.
"Cass, what's going to happen now? Elena asks anxiety fills her voice as her hands clench and relax against my skin.
I take a deep breath and try to muster some wherewithal to answer her.
Sighing I tell her the truth, "I'm not sure, eventually the Erl-king is going to deploy his troops and we will end up having to fight against him. For now, we just need to convince the countries that are on the fence to help with sending troops to fight where the vast majority of the Erl-kings forces will be coming through. Making sure that we get as many of the countries to join us right now is our main goal.."
Yawning, I stretch a bit and look at the clock. It's only midnight.
"You're going to be fighting too?" She whispers the question, as if she is afraid to hear the answer.
I pause, holding my breath before continuing, "Yes, I have to."
She nods and just holds me closer trembling.
"Oh hey, don't be worried for me honey. Me and Thietian are not stupid. We both know how to fight and protect ourselves, also Thietian has magic as a back up. Nothing is going to happen to us." I squeeze her tightly as she starts to sob.
"You don't know that for sure."
"Elena... I could have a freak accident at any point in time... All I do know, is if Thietian and I don't fight, no one else will either. We're doing this not just for you and our family, but everyone else out there too. Sure we can save some people in the compounds but that's not going to last forever, we'll run out of room in these eventually."
"Can't we make more? Couldn't we turn the whole planet into a haven?" She asks me.
"No we couldn't turn the whole world into one. It was hard enough to make as many as we have now." I tell her as Thietian tells me. I go ahead and let him morph.
"Elena, to make each and every one of these places required a huge sacrifice from my people. I do not have the heart to ask for any more to do the same."
"What do you mean sacrifice?" She pulls back to look up at our face.
'Shit. Do I tell her the truth?' Thietian asks me.
'Yes.'
Sighing he looks her in the eyes, "To make these havens, a total of four hundred and twenty three Fae gave their lives to protect the lands these are each occupying. To cover the earth would be too much."
She gasps at the reality of it. "That many gave up their lives willingly?"
We nod and pull her close, Thietian lets me regain my body, and I just hold Elena until I'm opening my eyes to dawn breaking through the window.