Friends

No answer.

'He must be busy.' Jake frowned reprovingly.

Will could delay the inevitable all he wanted, but he would have to be held accountable for taking liberties behind his back. Jake had warned him in the past, and he'd been extremely clear on the subject.

Will and most of his comrades needed him, or at least an Evolver strong enough to take on the role of Faction Leader, but he didn't need them. He was a loner and an individualist. Aside from his family and those he really cared about, he could emotionally detach himself from almost anything.

Jake was happy to lend his name and authority, but the least they could do was to reciprocate by respecting his opinions and keeping him in the loop when making such crucial decisions.

Now, that' s not to say that he was always cold and disliked everyone. In fact, his introverted nature hid a certain degree of hypersensitivity. He guarded his heart by keeping people at bay and barricading himself under a wall of indifference.