Trials in Walls of Ivy (Triskelion Trilogy Book 1) (21 page)

Ash came to my door with flowers in hand. His grin was held in place, like he was wearing it as a shield.

“For me?” Warwick laughed, when he opened my bedroom door.  “Gosh, cheers mate.”

Owen whistled at Ash from the desk. “Aw, you shouldn’t have.”

“Piss off,” Ash said, and kicked Warwick as he passed. He crossed the room and handed the flowers to me, without word.

I bit my lip as I accepted. Only once in my life had I ever been given flowers. While I was in the hospital after the hold up at the beach bar, June brought me them as a thank you. My stomach didn’t flip in the same way then. I smiled up at Ash in thank you.

I didn’t have a clue what to do with them. I looked round the room as if looking for a vase to spring into my hands. 

“Oh for god’s sake. Give them here,” Owen said, with a snigger as he grabbed the flowers from me. “You get ready; I’ll put these in water downstairs.” He grabbed Warwick by the sleeve and dragged him out behind him.

Ash had his fists thrust into his pants pockets. He looked ridiculously fantastic. His black pants and blue shirt were a shocking contrast to his usual training clothes.

“So, the first time I bring a date flowers. Wasn’t expecting her to have a room filled with other guys.” His nervous smile lifted at the corners.

“Not filled with other guys, just two teammates. We were researching.”

“I know. You ready?”

“I don’t know. We’ve got so much to do. I can’t take the night off.” I picked up a pile of papers to highlight my point.

He took them from me and put them back on the bed. “Yes, you can. It’s one night. We’ll be back to it in the morning. And, I’ve booked a table, so you have to go.”

I sighed and looked at the ever growing stack of work. “Alright, but we’re working the whole day tomorrow.”

“All day. Got it,” he grinned.

I couldn’t hold back the grin in return. “Now, get out and let me get changed.”

*   *   *

The restaurant couldn’t have been more different from my last venture into town. Ash had selected a hidden jewel amongst a shamble of old buildings. The restaurant was so narrow, only two tables fit across, one on either wall. I looked through the candlelit room to see table after table lining the two walls. It looked like two or three buildings had been lined up together, providing the restaurant with a runway of customers. Beside each table on the wall was a unique painting or sculpture, each following a different culture and theme.

A man in a black tie took my coat at the door. He wordlessly led us to our table, which sat snug in the corner. He pulled back my chair and waited for me to take my seat. I fumbled myself into place and tried not to look too awkward as he pushed my chair in. I always hated that part of nice restaurants. I sucked in a breath as he reached forward to pick up my napkin. I snatched it away from his hand and laid it on my lap with a smile.

Ash sniggered as he watched the man move on to the next table. “I don’t think you could look more uncomfortable.”

I looked behind before speaking, not wanting to be overheard by the enthusiastic waiter. “I know he’s just doing his job, but I can tuck my own chair in. And unfold my own napkin.”

“He knows. It’s just that kind of place.”

“It just makes me feel weird. Back home, I worked in a beach bar. He’s probably on double my wage, and
he’s
pushing
my
chair in.”

“Wage has nothing to do with it. It’s his job, doesn’t matter who the customer is.” He handed me my menu.

I tried not to shudder when I saw the prices. This was going to make a bigger dent in my savings than I’d planned.

“You went to talk to Wang today?” Ash asked, sipping his drink.

“It was quite helpful, actually. Just talking it through made me think about things in a different angle. For a start, he made me realise I’d presumed it was a man.”

“That’s a good point. I’d presumed it was too.”

“But, the biggest thing we realised was the targeting.”

“Targeting?”

“Yes. At each bombing, there were deaths from the toxin.”

“Except from the one at the university.”

“Well, yeah. But, think about it. He doesn’t know who will be at a location. They’re always busy places, so he can’t really set them there. But, the toxin doesn’t affect everyone. Meaning…”

“Meaning, he has some way of selecting specific people in a group.” Ash whispered.

“Yes, there must be something each of the victims has in common. That’s what we need to find. If we can discover how they were targeted, then maybe we can predict it.”

The waiter sauntered back to our table. I chose one of the first things I saw that I knew I would like: burger and chips. Ash grinned, then ordered the same. The waiter smiled at us like we had just given him a birthday present as we handed back the menus.

I watched him walk back to the kitchen. “Bit eager, isn’t he?”

Ash simply grinned at me.

“What? You’re laughing at me, what’s so funny?”

“Not funny, just awesome,” he laughed.

“Okay, what’s awesome?”

“You are. I’ve never had a girl go for the burger before.”

I folded my arms, immediately feeling defensive. “Exactly how many girls have you brought here?”

“Here? None. I took a few lasses out back home.”

“I see.” I fought back the pang of jealousy. “And, what’s wrong with me having a burger? You ordered the same.”

He held up his hands. “Hey, I didn’t mean it in a bad way, just the opposite. I can’t stand dainty girls who only eat a side salad. The last girl I took out would only drink water and refused point blank to even look at the pudding menu.” He held up his glass toward me and waited for me to do the same. He chinked his glass against mine. “Cheers.”

“I’m not completely sure how to take that, but I’ll see it as a compliment, for now,” I said.

“As it was intended. I’m sorry, I tend to blabber on when I’m nervous. I am glad you wanted to come out with me. It’s been quite a while since I’ve been out like this.”

“Me too. Back home I fell into a rut of working practically every day. No time to socialise when you’re the only waitress on the beach.”

“Where did you work?” He asked, leaning forward, his arms crossed on the table.

“June’s beach bar. It was more of a café really. So small and filled with sand, you could only fit about eight tables in there,” I laughed. “It’s the usual job for people my age in the village. In my part of Cornwall, pretty much everything is right by the sea. So, most jobs are on the beach.”

“What was it like to live there? I bet it’s fantastic to live by the beach.”

“It was okay. Living so close to the sea seemed to concentrate the storms and cold. Sometimes we got wind so strong, it felt like it would blow the house over. Luckily we lived in a valley which sheltered us. What about you? You’re from Scotland, aren’t you?”

He shook his head. “No, just below, in Carlisle. It’s a few miles below the border. I wasn’t as organised with a job as you though.”

“You didn’t have a job? How did you earn money, rich family?” I laughed.

He shrugged, his face closing slightly. “My Dad didn’t want me to work.”

I looked at him, waiting for him to continue when the waiter brought our food. The burgers didn’t remotely look like the take out I was used to. The bun looked homemade and the chips were stacked neatly in a tower. An arrangement of sauces was placed between us in miniature individual dishes.

“Wow, this is posh,” I whispered. I picked up my fork not knowing if I was expected to use it to eat the burger with.

Ash looked as clueless as I did. “Tell you what, I’ll use my hands if you do.”

I grinned back, as we both put our cutlery down and scooped our burgers up.

“So,” I said, through a mouthful of food, “your Dad didn’t want you to work? Why?”

He wiped his mouth with the napkin. “I told you that my family were all military?”

I nodded.

“Well, my Dad didn’t think I had time to work. I had training almost every day of the week. With that and college, there really was no time.”

“He didn’t want you to come to uni?”

He huffed as he took another bite. I waited while he finished chewing. “He flipped. I was so careful sending out applications. I asked my mates Mam if I could use their address. I left out the parental support section on the forms. I explained to my tutors at college that it was secret. Everything was hidden from him.”

“How did he find out?”

“He didn’t find out about the applications. The rejections came through online, they were easy to hide. But, when the acceptance for Terram came through, he blew.” He gulped back his drink and held up his hand for a refill. “He didn’t believe me when I said I hadn’t applied there. I was telling the truth, I hadn’t.”

“Neither had I,” I said.

“Anyway, he wouldn’t let up. I had to get out.”

“You mean, you left right there and then?”

“Had to. I heard him while I was in my room. He was calling in his base. He was shipping me off the next morning. I had to get out or I would be sat in an army barracks right now.”

“But, he couldn’t force you to enlist. Why did he push you so much if you didn’t want to?”

He looked away, examining the sculpture beside us. “I’ve no evidence and he’s never been evaluated. But, ever since I can remember, he’s been obsessed. He told me the stories of when he was in combat. The things he saw, and had to do. I think he knows how to hide it from his command, but at home, at times he seems deranged. Like some part of him thinks he’s still out there, fighting. Something in him got knocked loose while he was out there, and it’s just waiting to pick the fight right back up again.”

He laughed, shaking his head. His fingers plucked at the chips, ripping them apart on his plate.

“You know, I used to love the idea of being in the military. I joined the cadets the moment I turned twelve. I was going to follow the family tradition.” He paused and pushed some of the food around his plate. “Then I saw who my Dad really was; the way he would bark orders at my brothers and my Mum. How we trained. When I joined the cadets, I was already advanced in every area.”

“He wanted to prepare you for what you wanted to do.”

He shook his head. “I mean, I was
really
advanced. Nothing was a challenge. They said I was a natural, that I was made for that life. They were half right. I was made for that life, by my Dad. He made me become what he wanted. He forced me into all those wrestling and martial arts clubs, the training routines, just so that I would become what he needed me to be. I never had a choice.”

“Now you do.”

“None of us do really. We’re all trapped. We’re just trapped in a comfortable box.”

I couldn’t disagree. Although I had been enjoying my time training to be one of the Consummate, I never felt like I would ever have the freedom to choose.

“I’m sorry for bringing it up,” I said, gripping his hand.

He gripped back. “I’m the one who’s sorry. My Dad’s a great guy really. He just needs help. Unfortunately, he’s also brilliant at hiding the fact he needs help, so probably won’t get any.” He shrugged and smiled. “Ignore me, I tend to get a little frustrated when I talk about back home.”

“Then we won’t talk about it.”

“Agreed. Tell me about your family,” he said, smiling brightly.

I shrugged. “They’re your everyday family. My Mum and Dad are teachers. My sister, Lynette, is two years younger than me. She wants to be a surfing instructor.”

“Awesome. Do you surf?” He looked enthralled.

I laughed. “Not well. I’ve tried it, but to be honest, I don’t like being that far out in the water. I prefer body boarding.”

“I’ve never done that.” His eye lit up at the thought of something new.

“Then you should, providing you can swim?”

He shrugged. “Of course I can,” he said, in mock offence. “I’ll make you a deal?

“What deal?”

“You take me body boarding, I’ll teach you how to get through the physical training.”

“You’re already teaching me how to get through the physical training,” I said, throwing a chip at him. He caught it and put it in his mouth.

“That’s true. I guess it’s a deal then.”

“Talk about manoeuvring yourself into position,” I said, picking up my burger for another bite.

“Best way to get to know you.”

“You think you know me?” I teased.

He threw another chip in his mouth. “Getting there. I’ve got most of you clued up now.”

“Oh yeah, like how? Tell me about me.” I sat back in my chair, grinning.

“Let’s see, you’re smart.”

“In comparison to what?”

“Alright. You’re not used to having lots of friends around you. But, you’re completely loyal.”