Brianna Acero and the Second One's Return

53. I get a text from a cemetery

Mara, who has come back inside, goes to open the door, and I stretch as Christian and Daniel walk into our little apartment.

"Well well, if it isn't my favorite students," says the latter, a smile stretching across his face. His joy is contagious, and soon I find myself across the room and in his arms, embracing my mentor.

"You have no idea how glad we are to see you," I say into his jacket, stepping back to properly acknowledge my Director.

"Miss Acero, it looks as if I was right about sending you on this mission after all. I wasn't expecting results so soon."

"Soon? I'm sorry sir but it's hardly soon."

He chuckles and pats my arm.

"But it is sooner than what most of us were expecting," he turns to Kalen and Mara, and I watch as a happier looking Ash interacts with Daniel. He may not have met them, but we've talked so much about the compound and our mentors that he probably feels like he knows them already.

I guess that leaves me to go and fetch Simon, who has no idea what is waiting for him when he emerges this time. The look on his face when he spots Christian is priceless, eyes bulging out of his head as he struggles to get away.

"Not so fast." Christian grabs Simon by the arm and pulls him closer to him, making sure he has no chance of escape.

"You and I are going to have words."

He congratulates all of us once again and steps out of the apartment, dragging a panicked looking Simon Says behind him.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye," says Daniel, aloof, but I can tell he is sad to be leaving so soon.

"You know that if you ever need my help, you can call me right?"

We all nod, and he takes in our faces one last time before he starts to follow Christian out the door.

"You've grown," he says, before he leaves, and he looks at me, smiling. "He would be so proud of you."

The warmth that had invaded my heart when I saw him before is nothing compared to the explosion of emotions that erupts inside of me at his words. I nod, standing a bit taller, and watch as my mentor, and friend, disappears from view. 

We all stand in silence, still staring at the door.

"Well," says Asher, pursing his lips and raising his eyebrows. "Now what do we do?"

Just then Mara's TekPad starts to vibrate, and I get a text alert on mine. We look at each other, puzzled, and check our devices.

Mara gasps as she sees the caller ID.

"Its Jay!" She exclaims, relief evident in her voice.

I open Dove and find a new text from Diana waiting on my screen.

"Well, I know what I'm going to be doing next," I say, turning my TekPad around to show my friends the message. Mara nods and walks out of the room, presumably to go talk to Jayson privately, as Kalen and Asher both stare at the floor as if it personally offended them.

"Come on guys", I say, trying to cheer them up "don't be down. We need you. Kalen, I would have been toast today if it weren't for you, and if it weren't for Ash we would have never been able to get Daniel and Christian down here so soon."

But my words do little to encourage them, and they just nod dejectedly, pained expression still on their faces.

I sigh and look at the text message, frowning when I see what it says.

"Need to see you, it's urgent. Meet me at Burkenceys."

My frown deepens. Burkenceys? Where the heck is that? And why does Diana want to meet there?

"Ash, I may need your help finding a place."

At my words his face lights up like a Christmas tree, eager to finally be able to help. I show him the text again and watch as his eyes quickly scan the words. He nods once and disappears, coming back a few seconds later with his supercomputer in hand. Kalen reads the message as well, coming to the same question I had just moments before.

"What in the world is Burkenceys?" He says, looking up from the screen, dark brows furrowed above his eyes. I shrug, turning off the TekPad and putting it back in my pocket.

"Don't know, that's why I need Ash's help."

He nods, but his eyes never leave my face once. He sees something, something I'm not even aware of, in my eyes. I know that look by heart now, the way he stares at you as if he were looking straight into your soul. As if he knows your deepest darkest desire.

"You missed them, didn't you?" He says finally, gaze softening when he finds what he was looking for in my stare. It takes me a moment, but I realize he is talking about Daniel and Christian and their visit. I smile, shrugging.

"Didn't you?"

He nods, black hair falling in front of his eyes before he swipes it out of his face.

"But I guess I'm used to being away from the compound for long periods of time. It's normal, I think you just feel homesick."

Homesick. Did the compound really turn into my home? I think about the people, about all the friends I made. About my mentors and fellow Elite trainees, about my classes and moments spent with my team. I guess the compound has become like a second home to me. I even talked about it to mom when we had our weekly video calls. She had insisted they were necessary, so that she could make sure I was okay. But I knew deep down it was because she missed me. I had even debated whether I should tell her about my feelings for Kalen, but I decided against it. I would tell her eventually, once things were a bit clearer.

Ash calls me over, and I lean over his shoulder to peer at the screen of his laptop.

"It looks like an old cemetery, just about a twenty-minute shuttle ride from here." He shows me the location on the map, and the picture that pops up with it.

"What does she possibly want to talk about at a cemetery?" Says Kalen, crossing his arms over his muscular chest and cocking his head to the side like a confused puppy, both actions so opposite to one another that it makes me smile.

"Don't know, but whatever it is must be important, she told me that I shouldn't expect to hear from her in a month, yet here we are."

I grab my coat and start towards the door, hesitating before I open it.

"How about you come with me?" I say to Kalen, turning to face him, watching as his gray eyes widen in surprise.

"Why? wouldn't it be better if you went alone?"

I shrug.

"Maybe, but I don't want to risk running into any more trouble. Please?"

I know I've won him over by the way he lets his arms fall to his side. He smiles, and I know he's happy to be included in something after having felt useless for so long. That may be the main reason I asked him to come with me, but I also asked because something doesn't feel right. Diana sounds worried in her text, just by the way she rushed what she wrote. I don't know what she wants to talk about but, whatever it is, it's important.

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" Says Kalen, opening the door and walking out with confident steps.

"We have a cemetery to get to."