SHADOWS INSIDE THE LIGHT

Samantha's POV Long shadows on the ground were created by the flickering light from the clearing across the woods. With our breaths almost audible, I could feel my pulse pounding as I bent behind a thick cluster of shrubs. With my phone clamped to their ear, the shadow stood in the middle of the clearing and I found myself unable to look away from them. The voice of Royce kept returning to me. You correct me. They were in front of us. Every instinct in me cried to flee and create as much distance between us and this location. I understood, though, that doing this would just validate his authority over this game. No; we had to get closer to listen and figure out why he was still one step ahead. Alex looked at me, resolve mixed with concern in his eyes. He had that familiar look—one that trusted my judgment but also indicated he was willing to do whatever it took to keep us both safe. This glance had come to represent more than words could say. He murmured, "What now?" his voice was almost audible as he looked across the clearing. "We get closer," I said, my own voice firm despite the thrumming terror in my blood. Should Royce be involved, we must find out to whom he is speaking. Alex nodded, and we crawled around the edge of the clearing together. The voice of the stranger was low and calm, too weak to discern any details, yet it was clearly familiar. My imagination ran with possibilities as we neared Royce—and buddy of his, one of his enforcers, or maybe someone from his past. The person turned slightly, the light lighting their face just enough to let me see. That man from the estate was the one advised to depart. My heart skipped a beat as I realized his uncertain allegiance might not be as such after all. Was he dragging us more into Royce's trap or aiding us? I strained to listen to his chat. No, they have not left the vicinity. Moving fast will allow us to—' I stopped at the sound of a twig underfoot. The sound seemed to resound across the silence of the clearing, and the man's head sprang up to survey the edge of the trees across the darkness. I forced myself against the ground, my body stiffening as I held my breath. "Who's there?" The man's voice commanded and was vigilant. Alex stroked my arm silently, a cue to remain still. We had lost the element of surprise, though, as the man moved forward his eyes narrowed in our way. Alex jumped out from behind the bushes before I could respond, diverting the man's focus from me. "Take back!" The man's eyes fixed Alex, his countenance rapidly changing from shock to a cold, mechanical gaze. Reaching beneath his coat, he pulled out a pistol with a smooth, trained action. His voice low and menacing, he whispered, "You shouldn't be here." "You are walking over hazardous terrain. Panic shot through me as my pulse sped. Not when we were so near to discovering the truth could I allow this conflict to spin out of hand. Rising gently from my hiding location, I stepped out beside Alex with hands slightly up to indicate we lacked weapons. "Wait," I replied, maintaining a firm voice in spite of the terror stranding my chest. "We are not here to fight. Simply said, we want to chat. The man's eyes flew to mine as he tightened his hold on the revolver. And why ought I to believe you? He turned back, looking between us as though he expected us to move quickly. Trying to buy us some more seconds, I inhaled slowly. "Aren't you working for Royce? My voice became softer as I said. He dispatched you here to look after us. Something flashed in the man's eyes for a fleeting second, too fast for him to name. Then his mask of disinterest came back rather rapidly. With a derisive tone, he remarked, "You don't know what you're talking about." But I sensed I had touched a chord when I heard his little pause in voice. Alex stepped forward while still raising his fists. His voice strong and demanding, he replied, "If we're wrong, then prove it." "Who are you essentially working for?" The man hesitated, his eyes narrowing as though he were considering the implications of coming clean to us. At last, he dropped the rifle just slightly, his posture slackening, but his face still wary. "I'm not here for Royce," he responded, his voice tinged with irritation. "At least not as you believe. Trying to stop him is me. The admission seemed large and unexpected, weighty. I looked at Alex quickly; he seemed as surprised as I did. Then why did you not state that straightforwardly? I asked, a mixture of relief and mistrust evident. "You could have supported us right from the beginning." The man curled his lips in a sour grin. "Because it is not that straightforward. Others are observing—people who would murder to bury Royce's secrets. Should I publicly support you, it would point a bullseye on all of our rear ends. Though the words fit, I couldn't get rid of the impression that he was hiding more. "What do you want?" I pressed, speaking softly and with caution. Why lurk in the shadows if you are attempting to stop Royce? The man looked at me, and for the first time I sensed a flutter of something real—a profound tiredness. "Because I have to," he responded gently. "I have done certain things that I cannot reverse. Should I deviate from the norm, The Order will follow me exactly as fast as they have followed you. Alex turned his eyes to become firm. Then why support us at all? he questioned. "Why expose yourself to such danger? The man's face changed, then he inhaled slowly, measured. His voice firm, he added, "Because I know what's at stake." "And you are more likely than anybody else to discover the truth. Should you be able to discredit Royce, maybe, we could also be able to undermine The Order itself. A cold crawled over my back. His comments had weight beyond Royce's plans and even our current situation. Should The Order indeed be as strong and ingrained as the guy said, we were confronting forces far more than we could have ever dreamed. "So what now?"? I asked, trying to keep the discomfort from slinking into my voice. "What do we do with this material?" The man stopped once again, as though he were debating a choice. He then lowered the rifle totally and slipped it back into his coat. "You have to locate Marcus Hale," he replied, his voice sharp. "He used to be a member of The Order and among the few who might still have a conscience. Royce is the only person who understands where his actual loyalties are. "Marcus Hale?" I repeated, the name bringing something from my past alive. The woman had provided us with exactly the same contact. We have heard that name before, I said warily. "Someone else mentioned him.," said The man's eyes hardened, and his speech adopted an urgent note. Then you have to move quickly, he said. "The Order is not waiting for your catch-up. You might never get another opportunity if you search for Hale after they do. He turned to go, but Alex moved forward with a stiffening attitude. "Wait," he yelled. You never told us your name. The man stopped, slightly smiling as he peered over his shoulder. " Names are dangerous," he said. But if you insist, refer to me Gray. And he vanished into the woods, leaving us in the clearing and raising more questions than answers. The evening pressed in over us like a black veil, the walk back to the vehicle quiet. Alex seemed tense as he negotiated the tiny, twisting roads that headed away from the area. My mind kept returning to Gray's words, and the way he had looked when he had discussed The Order's might. "So, what do you think?" Alex broke the quiet by asking. His voice was slanted with doubt. " Can we really trust him?" Shaking my head slowly, I battled to put my ideas into words. "I have no idea," I said. He did, however, provide us the same lead that the woman did. That cannot be a chance occurrence. Marcus Hale must be located if he is indeed our greatest chance to reach Royce. Alex's hold on the steering wheel became more firm, and his countenance betrayed irritation. "This seems like a wild goose hunt," he said. "Everyone keeps pointing us in many directions, but we're not getting any closer to the truth." Seeking some comfort, I extended a hand to lay on his arm. "We will," I responded, my voice harder than I felt. "We are already farther into this than anybody else has found. We simply have to keep the course. He turned to look at me and had the same old determination. Then let's locate Hale, he said. And learn exactly how far this conspiracy stretches. The headlights of an approaching automobile momentarily lit the road ahead as we neared the city's outskirts. Rather than passing us by, though, the automobile slowed and swirled quickly into our path, blocking the road. Alex slapped on the brakes, and the automobile came to a startling stop with protestful tire squealing. Two individuals came out of the other car, their shapes almost discernible against the strong brightness of the headlights, and my heart surged. They moved slowly, deliberately toward us, and I felt a chill of identification slink down my spine. Royce among them was one of them. "Looks like we found you first," he replied, his voice tinged with frigid gratification. And at that instant I realized our quest for solutions was about to veer dangerously.