BACK ON TRACK- CHAPTER #4

AFTER THREE MONTHS AT THE TEMPLE IN THE EAST BORDER OF ARARAT

ANNA POV

The Temple, an organization to gather all kind of intelligence, then use it to keep the balance. The Temple even adds to the hit list of the sect, well you might ask why, but it's all to keep balance of this new order. They are directly linked to the council of elders but they answer to no one. Why I'm here? Well, I'm not here as part of the sect but because I'm one of the founders, I come here from time to time to check on things and to stay away from overthinking. This place just have this effect on me, forests and mountains surround it making it hard to access, so I'm still accessible to the others and not in the same time. I have spent two months in my home mostly unconscious. Another month here trying to free my mind and breathe. But this morning proved me wrong. I wasn't that hard to reach after all.

I was in my room finishing some work with Samuel over a video conference.

'So that concludes our work today! I will send the remaining reports later'

'You do that!' I was still working when I noticed he didn't end the call so I shifted my eyes to his screen 'is there something else?'

'Actually two!'

'I'm listening!' I could already guess one of them.

'My grandpa says that your relationship with him tensed since what happened' didn't see this one coming. And yes, I don't have the mood to talk to him or see him, even if I know he is worried about me.

'Leave it between us! But your grandpa became so old and stubborn to the point he can't understand simple language'

'He is worried!' he tried to plead for him.

'I know! But he keeps treating me as a kid and that's suffocating. So, I'm taking a break of all his drama'

He smiled at me 'OK!' He kept silent for a moment before looking anxious 'Can you promise me you won't get angry over this one?'

'I can't! But I don't think I have the energy to get angry at the moment so shoot! What is it?'

He looked hesitant and barely kept eye contact with me 'It's about Andrew GILLIAM!'

'What about him?' I said calmly. I already knew this was coming.

'He didn't stop digging, even with your instructions to not hurt him, my grandfather's overprotective side was getting the better of him. He even toughs about starting to break his bones one after the other each time he recuperates and restarts digging

around you so..' hmm this is not new coming from Douglass.

I interrupted him without losing my calm 'So you told him about my location, this way you get him out of reach from Douglass!'

He looked stunned 'How did you know?'

'I didn't, I just deducted it since I saw him this morning in the introductions! And you are the only one with balls enough to pull something like this'

His pupils grew dark 'wah! it took him only three hours, the time to fly there! I know he have the money and resources but, is he nuts?'

'He might be!'

'I'm really sorry! I should have consulted with you first or at least given you a heads up. I just didn't think he would act so rapidly. At least he should have taken the time to think how to break there' He sounded like a bitten puppy, well of course you can't predict someone like Andrew, he isn't known as the grim reaper successor for nothing, wait is he really supposed to be considered my successor?

'You said it! Maybe he is nuts! That's why he is here and he got in by the front door!'

Samuel looked at me surprised 'You aren't angry?'

'No! I can imagine that you didn't have time to think much before telling him, and after that, you just worried about my reaction. So don't do that again! If there is anything of the sort just call the emergency line and I will take care of it'

He smiled 'hope it never come to it! So, what are you going to do about him?'

'I will try to put an end to his quest. Is there something else?'

'No! Except that, Celeste misses you! She is still complaining that she didn't have enough time to catch up with you'

'Tell her I will come by in two days but she must keep it a secret'

'OK! (He smiled showing those cute dimples) Have a good day! And try not to kill him, I don't want his blood on my hands!' Glad he has faith in me.

I smiled back 'He is nuts and I'm short fused, I don't think that the outcome will be any good'

Hhhh and now he looks frustrated, maybe he really cares about him, which is strange 'I don't think he is a bad guy!'

'You did read the background check your grandfather did, and you think he is not bad?'

He looked at me with serious eyes as if I have done something wrong, did I?

'I have seen how he treated you when you were at your lowest. I know you didn't see the footage till now and I think you really should'

I really didn't need to hear that now. For F**k's sake I'm supposed to be away from trouble and here it comes knocking on my door.

I smiled at him 'good night Sam!' I ended the call.

After two hours, there was a knock on the door then old GAREN entered. Well, he isn't that old only sixty, and like everyone here including me he is wearing his white monk robe except half of mine is crimson, well they think I should stick out one way or another.

As usual without waiting for an invitation, he just entered and went to sit on the sofa as if my office is his home.

'Did you pick someone this time?'

I smiled 'should I?'

He smiled back 'Won't you stop your games? It's been forty years since you took your last disciple!' there it starts again; unfortunately, I have an idiot to take care of this time.

'You remember what became of him!'

'No one can control how people's heart changes, so if any one of the new recruits picks your interest just go for it.'

'Ok, I will take one but on one condition!' He looked surprised but composed himself rapidly.

'And that is?'

'His life is mine! I do have the final say on his missions.'

He looked surprised but not so much, this cunning old man.

'Isn't it too much? You know the rules!'

'I was there when they wrote them!' I deadpanned.

He looked at me intensely for a moment 'ok! So, who is this lucky bastard?' He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees.

I showed Andrew's face on a floating screen 'this one!'

He looked suspicious 'why him?'

'Why not him?'

'Because he looked like he is in the wrong address!'

'I think he is twisted enough to keep up with my training!

'But you still want to protect him!' Ohooh here it comes.

'I don't think that you can call that protect, especially when we are talking about someone like me, I just don't do "protect"'

He smiled 'Ok! Since we have an agreement, I will send him Up' He stood and headed toward the door.

'Don't give him his room yet, let him stay with the others for the time being'

He turned to face me 'I will inform them. What about the meeting tonight?'

'I will be there on time don't worry!'

'Perfect! I will get the arena-ready' I didn't see this coming.

'I didn't agree to that!'

He laughed and went out 'You will, you will!' before he closed the door, he looked at me smiling 'In the end. I did play right in your game. It's obvious that you know the kid, and cares about him, so I will make sure that no harm will come to him unless you are the one to inflict it' This cunning lizard.

'No need! He should know what he got himself into'

Smiling he just winked at me, that's the last thing I want to see right now 'as you wish!'

After thirty minutes, a knock on the door then someone entered. It was Andrew. The moment he saw me his eyes grew so big that they could explode from surprise, and suddenly they became way too dilated to be considered normal, even his heart beat has accelerated. Well, I know he wants my head but isn't it too much?

I stood and sat on the corner of my desk and crossing my arms over my chest. This idiot have lost more weight again. Is he that obsessed with his vengeance?

'I see that you weren't even sure that I was really here' I raised my brow, when he didn't answer 'come in, and shut the door behind you!'

He was wearing only a white shirt and pants, which means they stripped him of everything he was wearing or carrying.

He did as I asked without breaking eye contact.

'Sit!' while he was taking a seat I started talking, both of us didn't break eye contact 'So let's get the story right. Samuel contacted you and gave you my location, and even though you knew you could be heading toward a trap, you took a plane and landed here without a plan'

Without even taking time to think he answered 'that sums it up!' this is infuriating, does his life means nothing to him?

'I know you are not stupid, but didn't it occur to you to check where you are heading? At least when you saw what kind of building it is, surely you knew you just don't get in by the front door to such a place, unless you are forfeiting your life, so what the hell is going on in that brain of yours?' For a moment there, I lost my temper, again, just a brief moment.

Despite the s**t he got himself into he is still composed and even answered me calmly, wait, is he checking me? His eyes didn't stop wondering over my body. 'Nothing actually! I was desperate to find you, and when I finally got a lead, I just jumped on it'

'Do you have any idea where you are or what you got yourself into?'

When I realized he doesn't have an answer.

'This is the kind of place where you don't turn your back until you are dead.so tell me how are you gonna get out of this mess?'

'I don't know!' I think his mind isn't really on this subject.

'I will answer that for you! You can't! Once you entered the gates of the Temple, they have everything needed to be known about you and your family. You are to be trained and used to

gather whatever information the Temple needs'

'And you choose to be my mentor!'

'Yes!'

'Why?'

'To get your ass out of this with as little damage as possible. Does your parents know where you are?'

'I'm not a child!'

'You are their only child! don't forget why I spared your life! You are no saint. Over the years you have turned into a monster and if I did let you go, it was only for your parent's sake'

'And my brother!' he just threw the word waiting for my reaction.

'That is none of your business!'

He looked surprised 'You are not even denying the fact that you knew him!'

I opened a drawer on my side and got a communication device that I tossed to him. He caught it surprised 'use it to call your parents and whomever you want, it's untraceable, just keep it hidden and don't try to get away. since we don't need introductions, that will be it, you can go! for the next month just train with the others, if you need to go see your parents tell me, I can arrange it, but not until you pass at least a month.

He stood 'you know why I'm here!'

'If you want to kill me, go ahead I won't stop you!' I said calmly and I meant every word.

Well, that took him off guard, he looked stunned by my answer, but the truth is, I am someone he knew nothing about.

'Don't lose your vigilance around here and don't ask a lot of questions' I warned him, hopefully he will listen.

While on his way to the door. I called him.

'Andrew!'

ANDREW POV

I admit it. It was a dumb move to come to this place without any planning, heck I'm not even sur if she is really here, come on Drew just accept your situation, let's see first what's going on here.

When Garen told me I got a mentor and it was one of the elders, I didn't quite understand how huge of a deal it was, until I heard the others talking on my way to my so-called mentor, apparently, he was a legend a beast, like I needed any more complications.

The moment I opened that door I saw her on the other side of her desk. I froze in my place, I fucking froze and all my hatred and anger toward her just flew, how can that even happen? It was my hatred that fueled my obsession with her, or was it something else? Because I'm freaking right this moment and my heart beat became erratic. She moved to stand in front of her desk, and the look on her face changed. There is no way she can know what's going on with me, can she?

It took me all my concentration to keep my calm, but I couldn't stop myself to check her over to make sure she is ok even if she was reprimanding me on the stunt I just did. Somehow, her worrying warmed my heart. What the heck is happening to me? Am I attracted to her? Is this how it feels to be attracted to someone? what the.. No way in hell will I let such thing happen! I should remember why I'm here. What I'm seeking isn't her love but her head rolling on the ground, if she has anything to do with Mat's death.

On my way out, when I heard her call my name, a chill run through my body, and all I could do is stop in my track and turn toward her. Is that hesitation I see in her eyes?

'Thank you for what you did back then, and thank you for using the veil' well I didn't see this coming, and she surely looks sincere. The veil is a barrier we use in case the patient is uncomfortable with being naked, she wasn't even conscious when I took the decision, so I decided to answer truthfully.

'You know I did it for myself, even when I used the veil while treating you it was for me' she looked confused by my answer like she was trying to analyze it. Truth be told I Andrew Williams I was frustrated and uncomfortable for the first time in my life while treating a woman when she was the patient. That freaked the hell out of me; I couldn't even talk about it.

She just took my answer without saying anything, to break the silence I said the one thing that was going on in my head this whole time in her office.

I smiled 'Glad you are doing well'.

For a moment she was surprised than her poker face was back on.

'When you are asked to duel, fight like your life depends on it because it does!'

I just nodded then exited the room.

IN THE BACKYARD OF THE TEMPLE

The first thing I did was to find a spot well hidden in the backyard and call my parents; the second call was to my friend Ethan. Who like usual is making it an art to boil my blood. Why the hell am I calling him!

'Don't you get it? She is my freaking mentor. Not only she didn't deny her connection to my brother but I can't even ask her anything!'

'Did you hear yourself first? You said she got your back. You are the one who is not making any sense! If you got yourself in this shit and she's still trying to help you, then you better forget whatever nonsense is going on that brain of yours and start thinking about kissing the dirt under her feet!'

Well, this is getting to me. And heck, I know he is right! And as much as I want to persuade myself that I want her head, I know now, that I will be unable to do so even if she truly killed him, and hell I don't even know why I can't bring myself to do it.

I said angrily 'I can't believe I'm hearing this now!'

'When you do s**t you hear s**t! Who told you to follow her blindly? Not only she doesn't look her age, but you knew too well she is a dangerous person, so of course, the places she would frequent are no Mecca!'

I took a deep breath this fucker is a pro at pushing the right buttons 'I know I screwed up!'

'You did! Big time! If they know about your parents, you better bow your head and do what you are told, since she is apparently looking out for you. So, take your time and don't screw this again! (When I didn't answer him for a period) Drew!

'Yes!'

'You do realize that you trust her, don't you?' why is he saying this now?

I asked surprised 'what is this nonsense now?'

'Man, you are really slow when it concerns your feelings. Listen! If you didn't, you wouldn't be using the phone she gave you without suspecting that she would be tapping it!'

It took me a moment to let it sink, but I knew too well that Ethan was right.

I scrubbed my face with my left hand 'I can't believe this! What I'm getting myself into?'

'Just let it be for now! Try treating it like one of those training camps you are used to, the only difference this time is that you will be trying to empty your mind so you can think clearly. And Drew?

'Yes!'

'I know you are an idiot, so I'm reminding you! Don't screw this. She, on any of the occasions she met you, she didn't hurt you or tried to, so don't try to attack or hurt her'

I took a deep breath 'I will try!' it's not like I can in the first place.