Secrets of the Fall (7 page)

            I
wanted to go back to help Tito through the fence, but he was right, now that
the cyber-criminals know about us, they could very easily go in and change
everything in their system, rendering everything I’ve just accomplished,
useless.

            I
only had a few minutes to get to the next step or everything, including, and
I’m hoping it was not the case, giving up the Special Force’s lives for this
mission would be in vain.

Chapter
9

Nat

I
t took me less than five minutes to weave my
way to the van hidden in the forest and covered up by bushes as camouflage. The
van had served for our headquarters for the past week, and held our computer
equipment, satellite, and everything we needed. I opened the door, jumped in,
and went straight to the computer, typing as fast as I can through the security
and then to another hidden wall.

It
was the special private space set up for Donovan Dynamics Elite. I typed in the
information I saw at the criminal headquarter, downloaded it, and immediately
got an answer.

“Well
done,” the message said. “Now let’s go home.”

It
was from John.  John was code for my Dad when he was in the field.

“Will
this get her out? Will it get you out?” I typed back.

“The
key is opening the vault. It was the right code. You did it. Amazing work,
son.”

I
breathe a deep sigh of relief, while starting the van. As much as I wanted to
stay around to help out the guys, I also knew that if caught by the ruthless
criminal of that operations, with this van full of sensitive information and
equipment, it would be far worse. I had to make the decision to leave. Tito had
barked the order for me to “Follow Plan”.

The
Plan was simple. Get the job done. Get the hell out. That was the Plan.

So
I was getting the hell out. Driving out of the forest and onto the road as fast
as I could. Too much was riding on me completing this mission without my
emotions getting in the way. I felt horrible, devastated even for leaving Tito
and the men behind, but they were professionals. They knew the danger and what
was the priority. They also knew how to get the hell out if they needed to. I
felt bad for them, but I also had the utmost confidence in them.

I
dialed my phone to the hidden voicemail system that Donovan Dynamics used for
the field. “Left 5 men at CS2 location. Send backup or at least transportation
to pick them up.”

I
pray to God, this wasn’t in vain. At least I knew the vault had opened, because
of the code I found on the computer back at CS2.  That meant my father had
fulfilled his obligations to those who were holding him, meaning he was going to
be let go, along with another very important person in my life:  Major Jones,
Summer’s mother.

*****

Just
when I thought my father was a complete a-hole for cheating on Mom with his
secretary, I discover another side to him that made me withhold judgement. Dad
had taken on this dangerous contract for Donovan Dynamics because he got word
from Aunt Sookie the last week before she died about how worried she was for Summer’s
mother going on a super secret mission which she didn’t know when she would be
returning. That was why Aunt Sookie had Summer move into the Pad permanently
that summer. Aunt Sookie had gotten my father to promise he’d use Donovan
Dynamics’ influence to help keep track of Major Jones, and if something
happened, to step in.

It
turned out shortly after Major Jones left to go back to work, to the mission
straight from seeing Mom in San Francisco after Mom had her suicide incidence;
she went missing. There was far too much bureaucratic work to even get a search
team looking for Major Jones, so we took this under our own hands, privately
and quickly. Summer didn’t even know her mother was missing. With everything
she had to deal with following Aunt Sookie’s death, telling her would only
cause her more worry and grief. No, my father and his team was going to go in,
locate Major Jones, and bring her home safely even before someone from her
division would lift a finger to start the paperwork to get a search team out to
bring her home.

Because
her mother was involved in this and was in a life and death situation, the
utmost discretion was necessary. I couldn’t let Summer know anything. I
couldn’t let Drew know. Nor Rachel or Mother. Not letting her know was for her
own good. Also, me disappearing for this mission was necessary. I knew it would
cause her pain and grief thinking I was missing, but then again, it was
necessary for me to accomplish this mission. What was more important…her mother
being found and alive or me lying to Summer about me being alive and well? It
wasn’t even a lie, it was a circumstance, an impossible one, which I was bound
from revealing.

I
checked into the voicemail and found a new message. From John.

JOHN:
They got what they wanted and released Major Jones Will be releasing me when
they get the second vault opening. Taking some time.

BTW
Drew followed the plan. Summer was informed.

My
heart sank. Summer knew now about my other secret…one I just found out
myself…that there was a possibility I was closer to Summer than we both could
imagine. It was a shocking revelation for me to find out that I could be Aunt
Sookie’s son. That I could be closely related by blood to Summer. Mom never
confirmed it, and Aunt Sookie never mentioned it, even on deathbed.

Dad,
well, he said there was a possibility. When Dad and Mom first married, they
couldn’t have a child for a while. They were desperate and looked into adoption
agencies. They were young, too, and barely starting out in their careers. Well,
one day Dad heard from Mom that she had a baby boy to adopt from a mother who
was single and didn’t have the means to raise the baby. Mom knew the mother
very well and could vouch for the health of the mother. When they saw the baby,
they fell in love with the baby boy, and didn’t care who gave birth to him as
long as he was theirs. So, Dad never did cared or realized who my real mother
was. Until now…if there was a possibility that Summer and I were blood
relatives, then for sure, we could not be together.

I
didn’t know until the night before I took off for the mission and found a
harmonica from someone named Suzanne to me. My father had kept it for a while
along with some of his most valued possessions. I wouldn’t have found it if I
had not been searching for one of the codes, which only Dad had, but had given
me access to, too.

Of
course I was devastated when I thought of the possibilities. Could I still have
a future with Summer if we were related? I don’t know. I was such a stickler to
tradition and doing what was right…by society’s rule. If she was my first
cousin, could we get married? Could we have children?

All
I wanted to do was to answer “yes” to all of these questions. To screw
society’s expectations and norms. I loved this woman to death, and I want her
entirely including sexually. I didn’t want something like our love becoming
some kind of perversion.

Yet,
deep down inside, I knew it was the right thing for her to know…even if there
was a possibility…so she could decide whether being together would be worth the
scorn, worth risking everything for, worth the taboo or for her to move on,
maybe find another love without those extra challenges.

To
move onto Drew, whom I knew deep within me, Summer also loved. The heat between
them was undeniable, and if she chose him rather than me, I knew for certain, I
could not bear to see them together, at least for a while. Yet if she chose me,
there were going to be challenges for us. Biologically, we may not be able to
have children together, which if she does choose me, I know I would like to
consider with her.

So
Drew had told her. I wonder how that made him feel. Was he able to tell her
without gloating to her about it, and then quickly stepping in to replace me? I
was jealous just thinking about Drew and Summer being together. If they were
together, I’d move far away from them, live on some kind of remote island so I
wouldn’t even have the possibility of bumping into them.

I
heard a buzzing and turned to my phone. A message had come in through the
remote voicemail. I had just set up.

JOHN:
I am free. Walking to meet Major Jones at the nearest location where they have
taxis. See you soon at our hangar.

My
heart lifted, and I let out a deep sigh of relief. “Thank God!” I yelled
punching the air. I almost had tears in my eyes, I was so happy and emotional.
A whole wall of worry lifted from my shoulders, and for the first time in
weeks, I was able to really smile.

Chapter
10

Summer

D
rew and I were called in for an emergency
meeting at Donovan Dynamics shortly after we left the Donovan Mansion. From the
look on Drew’s face, he didn’t know what it was about, either. Whatever it was,
I was trying to prepare myself. Sometimes mentally preparing for some news
could help with stressful news, but I knew whatever the news was going to be, I
would be deeply affected.

I
loved Drew with a passion, loved being with Drew physically like the way we
were, but I still loved Nat, no matter what we were. Again, there was no
closure. So, heading back to Donovan Dynamics was the closure I sought. I had a
feeling deep down inside that there would be breakthrough news. We have all
been hoping. We have all been praying.

Rachel
was even going to meet us there. She had decided to take the company’s private
jet to fly here for this meeting, and if I was having any problems with Drew,
as I had text her earlier about, she would fly back home with me, while Drew
could drive back on his own.

While
we were driving, I glanced over at Drew, who was gripping the steering wheel so
tight, his knuckles were white. “Hey Drew,” I said. “You okay?”

Drew’s
head jerk up for a second, startled, as he said, “What? Oh, nothing wrong. Just
thinking.”

“More
like worrying,” I said. “What are you worried about. Share, Drew. You told me
to open up to you a while ago, now you could do the same with me.”

“Okay,
Summer,” Drew said. “I did, and I should.” He smiled at me, reaching out his
hand to cup my cheek while thumbing my lower lips, rubbing them until they were
swollen, as though they were bruised from hard kissing. “Gosh, Summer, I know
we just fucked as long and hard as possible, but I’m getting hard just sitting
here touching your lips.” He stuck his thumb into my mouth, and I instinctively
wrapped my lips around it, sucking on it, while he closed his eyes in pleasure
slowly and then opened them. “Oh, that about made me pull over by the highway,
Summer.”

As
much as I was trying to stay focus about going to Donovan Dynamics, I was just
as aroused. “Why don’t you?” I asked.

Drew
gave me a pointed look before he raised his eyebrows. “Are you asking me to?”

“I’m
saying, if you need to check out something, for the sake of safe driving, maybe
you should.” I said innocently.

“Well
then, that makes sense. For the sake of driving safely and getting my mind out
of my dick, I’m pulling over to check something of yours out.” He pulled over
into a remote area off the country road. Somehow he took the long route to
Donovan Dynamics from the Donovan Mansion…one that involved country roads,
private fields, and hidden hills.

As
soon as the car parked, Drew unbuckled me and pulled me on top of his lap,
where he had unzipped his jeans. He pushed my pants and panties off, and
nestled me right on top of him. With a swift thrust, he entered me, and I was
writhing on him, riding him, while he pushed aside my shirt and bra to suck on
my breasts. We kept riding and thrusting until we both climaxed. Afterwards,
Drew cupped my face and pulled me up close to gently kissed my lips. “I think
after that, Summer, you are officially mine.”

He
was staring at me so intensely with such confidence and determination, I almost
wanted to agree with him. But I just couldn’t. Not until I have closure.

As
though he could read my mind, Drew sat back down, pulled my shirt and bra back
down, and fixed my pants before lifting me to place me back in my seat. He was
silent the entire drive to Donovan Dynamics.

I
was still high on my Drewgasm but a bit awkward with the silence between us. I
know he wanted me to say “yes” and commit only to him now, but I just couldn’t
until I knew what happened to Nat and where he was.

The
awkward silence was happily broken when I spotted a familiar figure bounced
into our view.

Rachel
Donovan was wearing her signature Rach look with a plaid skirt, purple tights,
black patent lace-up boots, and a black bustier satin top under a black leather
jacket. Her hair was still straight black with a streak of purple chunk around
her face. She was bouncing up and down in excitement as she ran over to my side
of the car, trying to open it.

“Hey,
Sum!” she squealed. “My gosh you look great!  Love that wild bedroom hair. So sexy,
Sum!”

“Hi
Rach,” I squeezed her, hugging her so tightly.  I love my best girlfriend
Rachel like no other. Although she was Drew’s fraternal twin, she was not like
him at all. Cute, bubbly, and downright bold. “Did you just get here?”

“No,
been here for half an hour so I couldn’t wait to see you two. So awkward
sitting there in the boardroom by myself with all the suits, you know.”

“Dad’s
team,” Drew corrected. ‘”Technically our team.”

“Suits,”
Rachel said. “They were all wearing suits. You know how uncomfortable I am in
that kind of environment. It’s like being in the Principal’s Office, you know.”

Drew
shot me a look and rolled his eyes. “They are our staff, Rachel. They’re
helping us find Dad and Nat. They’re the ones we’re relying on to get them back
home. Be nice.”

Rachel
looked offended. “I am nice,” she said. “I’m always nice.” She looked at me,
“When have I not been nice?”

“Well
when you dumped your milkshake over one of the mean gossip girl’s heads at the
nail salon,” I recounted. “When you concocted a grand and masterful publicity
stunt for Astor’s breakup with me…”

Rachel
was indignant. “Those girls were talking crap about you without even knowing
you. When someone is mean to you for the sake of just being mean and hateful,
you have a right to stand up to them. Dish out their own medicine. Put them in
their place. Mean people should face the music. Treat those as you would have
them treat you. So if they’re mean they should get treated meanly by others,
too.”

“I
don’t think ‘meanly’ is a word, Rach,” Drew said.

“Can’t
I make up a word when I feel like it?” Rachel said. “If I can’t find a word to
describe something, can’t I make up a word for it. It’s a free country. I’m
free to do what I want.”

“Oh
brother,” Drew said, lifting his hands and shifting his feet. “And we’re going
to be taking over this massively successful very professional, highly
trustworthy organization our father built one day? Rachel,” Drew grew a little
serious. “We’re not in high school or middle school anymore. Your attitude and
manners are still pretty immature. How are you going to stand up and talk
numbers and security to CEOs of multinational corporations, to top politicians
around the world, to agents and managers of celebrities who employ us? Rachel,
Summer and I had to grow up overnight to deal with the details on finding Nat
and Dad. We had to sit through logistics, plans, and stuff that are crucial in
helping us accomplish this. There are no room for childish complaints right
now.  I know you want to deny everything, that it doesn’t exist because you’ve
shoved it under the rug, but it’s there, and we have to deal with it as mature
and grown up as possible.”

I
was stunned, and Rachel just stood there speechless, her mouth hanging open in
shock.

Then
her blue eyes squinted close, opening them again to reveal unshed tears. “How
dare you, Drew!  How dare you question my love and loyalty to Nat and Dad. Just
because I’m not in that stuffy boardroom poring over plans like you and Summer
doesn’t mean I don’t care. I do. I want them back as badly as you. I missed
them, too. But I guess you haven’t noticed. I’m not in your group of two to
share in the comforting and the supporting. You two have each other. You two
understand what it’s like to go through all this, but I have no one. It’s just
me. Ryan’s not even my boyfriend. He hasn’t been for months. He’s there as a
good casual lay, but other than that, he’s shallow, and he doesn’t understand
us. Doesn’t care to understand our crazy family. We broke up a while back, but
get together just to hook up.”

Rachel
broke down crying, and I went over to hug her tightly. “I’m so sorry, Rachel. I
should have been there for you. I’ve just been so preoccupied in my own grief,
I haven’t noticed anything else. I’m sorry about Ryan, too.”

“It’s
okay,” Rachel said. “I’m glad I broke up with Ryan. Besides our style of
dressing and music, we didn’t have anything else in common. He wants to work on
cars and one day manage his father’s garage. I have zero interest in that. Plus
I’m young, and I want to act. I love kids. I love teaching at the Academy.”

I
smiled. “I’m glad you are there, Rachel. You are a lifesaver for taking on a
lot of the Academy management duties. It’s true…although you’re not here doing
the logistics planning and stuff like that for Donovan Dynamics, you’re helping
out by helping take care of things at home. I am so so sorry for not being
there to help right now. I can’t believe how dumb and thoughtless I was…how low
I’ve sunk into despair and depression over this whole thing that I’ve abandoned
my best friend in the world.”

Rachel
loudly blew her nose on a tissue she found in my purse, which she’d opened to
look for one. “It’s okay. At least I got to hang out with Astor a bit at the
Academy whenever he could make it in. He really loves the place, and has his
heart in the right place. He wants to keep Aunt Sookie’s legacy alive, and I
think he’s the coolest person for doing all that.”

I
smiled. Oh Astor, how I miss my first so-called boyfriend, who happened to be a
celebrity actor. “He’s amazing, isn’t he?”

Rachel
smiled widely. “Yes, he is. After teaching a class with me, he even offers to
buy me ice cream down the street from the Academy. It’s so easy to talk to him,
Sum. He’s more down-to-earth than anyone imagines. He’s funny, too…does a mean
impression of Lady GaGa.” Rachel bent her knees and started shaking her booty
back and forth, her arms raised in the air.” I laughed.

Drew
even laughed.

“He
does the entire get up, too. Arrives in a space alien costume or a large
sandwich,” Rachel went on. “The kids love it.”

I
could imagine Astor doing that on stage. “I bet.”

Astor
was an incredible actor, boyfriend, and student. He was Aunt Sookie’s star
student, and I met him through her school. I sighed. I still had such an
affection for him. I couldn’t help myself. He was charm personified. But
between his crazy fans, the long distance relationship, his jealous starlet
co-stars, and my own complicated relationship issues, it was too hard for us to
stay together. I loved him but my connection with the Donovan brothers was so
much deeper. Between having a lifelong crush on Nat to finally noticing Drew
who had a lifelong crush on me, my love life was too complicated as it was. To
have Astor even be part of that…

Rachel
was fixing Drew’s hair. Not that he needed it, but she was fussing with it.
“You should wear your hair this way, Drew, like Astor. Astor has the hottest
hair. It has body, it’s shiny, and it very grabbable.”

“Rach!”
I laughed. “Oh my God. You do not have a crush on Astor.”

Rachel
turned around so quickly to look at me, I thought she’d have whiplash. “What do
you mean, Sum?”

“The
way you’re talking about him,” I said. “You are gushing.”

“I
am not,” she denied, turning pink.

“You
are,” Drew got into it. “Rachel, it is obvious. I bet he could even tell, but
he’s too much of a gentleman to tell you to back off.”

“Nice,
Drew,” Rachel said. “That’s a nice way to talk to your sister. If you can’t say
anything nice about someone, then don’t even open your damn mouth.”

“Alright
alright,” Drew raised his hands in surrender. “I’m just messing with you. I’m
happy you found a guy who could stand being in the same room with you for even
five minutes…”

Rachel
shot daggers at Drew. “Really? Is that the best you could come up with?”

“Don’t
even get me started,” Drew said.

“Um,
talking about getting started you two, we need to go into the boardroom. I bet
they’re waiting for us, and here we are throwing insults at one another,” I said,
straightening my pants and shirt. I checked my make-up and hair, making sure I
looked presentable. Drew was right. When you enter a professional organization,
you have to be professional, especially when we were supposed to represent the
founder and CEO, Mr. Donovan.

Drew
came around to me and put his arm around my shoulders. “Come on, Summer,” he
said. “You’re right. We don’t need to add to the suspense already.” He looked
at me with the most sincere eyes. “Maybe this is closure.” He put his other arm
around Rachel’s shoulders and led both of us inside the Donovan Dynamics
building.

Nothing’s
changed since the last time I was here with Drew except Rachel was here. As
much as I loved Drew, having Rachel here made me feel much better. We were a
family, no matter what. As we made our way up to the executive meeting rooms,
that bond we had felt stronger and stronger. All this…all the people working at
Donovan Dynamics were hoping for the same thing…that Mr. Donovan and Nat would
be safely arriving home soon.

We
walked into the Executive Boardroom where Timothy and Karen, along with the
other international security team members were waiting.

“Hi
Drew, Summer, and Rachel,” Timothy said, standing up to shake our hands. “Glad
you could make it in on such short notice. Since everyone’s met before, no need
for introductions so please have a seat.”

 I
greeted everyone and then sat down between Rachel and Drew at the large oval
table. I looked at the faces of everyone and tried to decipher their
expression. Did they know the news already? Was it good news or bad news?