"You know you did quite well, time to start work I believe", the other man replied to him.
"Thank you, I'm looking forward to continuing my work...but properly this time", Nicholas replied to him.
What was his work? Why was I even here?
"Good your home will be here from now on," the man replied.
"Oh and if I find out Sims in Arms know anything about this, I'll hold you personally responsible, and trust me you don't want that to happen," Nicholas said, a sinster smile appearing on his face.
"Is that a threat?", the man said outraged.
"No, would I threaten you? Its a promise and I never break my promises, so watch your back", he said, still smiling.
The other man frowned and walked away, I wasn't sure why he was just taking that, but I guess whatever Nicholas was working on had something to do with it.
Nicholas then pulled out his cellphone and dialed a number. "I'm here, prepare to bring it in. I want full survelliance on this place, I'm talking guards, snipers everything, oh and anybody trespassing is killed on sight. Understand", he said.
I gulped. I really didn't want to be here right now.
Nicholas walked into the barn/house not really sure what to call it and I decided to chose now to get out of here.
I moved as fast and as quietly as I could and as soon as I was outer of range I ran.
It wasn't until I was back at the market, I realised maybe I should of stayed to see what was coming in, but wouldn't that be unnesscarily putting my life at risk. I also realised that the man I had gone to get the package for had been talking to the man Nicholas met.
I saw him at the market and decided to talk to him, dig for information. "Have you seen the man that wanted me to get his package?", I asked innocently.
"No, he hasn't come back at all, said he cancelled his meeting to get it after you refused. Its not that far to the Dragon's Maw anyway", he said dismissively.
"Oh okay, I guess he went home, I was going to apoligise", I muttered.
"Yeah", the man said walking away.
So that person had lied to me the Dragon's Maw was in the opposite direction, so maybe he wanted me to stumble upon the spot. Why, though when he's not even here to tell me? My mind kept telling me this was wrong. Nicholas didn't want Sims in Arms to know what he was up to, so it was obviously illegal and someone had obviously been buried in the ground. He probably had contacts in Sims in Arms as well, considering everyone believed it was him that died. Maybe Victoria Chambers she was engaged to him, maybe thats why Alexander didn't sound happy when he said her name, but I was jumping to conclusions again. I needed facts, and the only place to get them, was from Nicholas Graham I had to go back, no matter what the personal cost.
I went back at nighttime, sneaking out of the base camp. I felt guilty I hadn't said anything to Olivia, but she would of persuaded me not to go. I was bargaining on that fact that Nicholas won't have had time to get all his security in place. I would just sneakily come in and out, no harm done to anyone. Of course my mind knew that I was lying to myself, but it wasn't like I had a choice. It wasn't because I was curious, I was doing this because Nicholas was doing something bad I could feel it. My feelings had been right about his death being off and I was sure they were going to be right again.
I made my way to the little house again and saw Nicholas outside talking to a guard by the looks of it.
He pointed somewhere and they began to walk away, I pounced on the chance and went to investigate the house. There was nothing really on the first floor but soon enough I found stairs, I followed then down, knowing that if Nicholas came back I was well, dead.
There was a little room filled with scientfic equipment and then another door made of steel and beyond that another door made of stone. What were they hiding, it obviously needed to be protected. I thought about many things in the few seconds of deciding when to go in there, home, life, the people who had become my family. Then I thought about Alexander and his mother, Nadia and the lie they had both been told.
I went through. Opening that stone door frightened me, I couldn't explain my way out of this one, if I got caught it was going to be the end. I opened the door to a brillant, dazzling light, and in it I saw clarity, I saw my life so clearly, for a second, before everything went black.
Work was the one thing that made me smile, or maybe it was Alexander Graham. Ever since we met in the graveyard he actually would stop and talk to me when I served him his food.
Okay, I know he's my boss, but I can't help it. The fact that I get tongue-tied when I talk to him, or blush when someone mentions that me and him have been talking. I'd never really had a boyfriend and if this was what having a crush was like, then I was glad this was my first one. As Olivia had pointed out, I had it bad. Not that I had forgotton about Nicholas, he haunted my time alone and I began distracting myself with anything, mainly the gym. I was figuring that unless someone actually came up and told me how he died, I wasn't going to figure it out, but I couldn't help that my mind kept drifting to it.
So the dark circles under my eyes, must of tipped Olivia that was something was off. I had been working at the base for eight months now, and was diffentely hoping another promotion was coming. So I didn't want to do anything that might ruin my chances, however Olivia had other plans.
"Guess what?", she pounced on me, as I walked through the door, tired.
"What", I moaned.
"You, me, China, my parents brought as both tickets. They visting my Uncle in Shang Simla and they thought a trip might do us good", she said, I knew the us really meant you.
"I don't know with work", I started.
"It's only five days so you can just take four days off we leave on Friday night. Thats a good week to prepare", she interrupted.
"Why do I feel, I'm not being given a choice?", I asked.
"Your not, unless you want to call mum and dad and explain why you aren't using their non-refundable ticket", she said rather to innocently.
"Fine I'll asked for the time off. Thanks Livvy", I said hugging her.
I knew underneath it all she was worried about me, and maybe what I needed was a break.
I put through a request for day off on Monday and was told Alexander would let me know later on that day. He said it was fine and that I was due some time off anyway, so thats how I ended up in China. We had to stay in a base camp as Olivia's Uncle's house was getting renovated.
It was really nice and it was a relief to see Aunt Jade and Uncle Santoz again.
They both completly fussed over me telling me it was my holiday to relax, and I shot Olivia dirty looks knowing she had been sprouting off to them. Doing nothing was fine for about a day but the next day I decided to visit an old tomb.
I loved the feeling of being in a place so old and well remembered. I found some old coins, but I'm pretty sure they were just put in their so tourists would feel special about finding something.
When I got back to the camp, Olivia's Uncle Andy started telling me about other places I might be interested in.
"Then there's one in the city, you can have a look at bits of the Terracouta Army, oh and theirs the tomb I've nicknamed the Treachrous Truth", he told me.
"Why is called the Treachrous Truth", I asked, interested.
"Oh no, now you've got him started", Livvy wailed walking away.
"Don't worry about her, I'll tell you the short version. It's about a man and the choice he made. There was a terrible sickness spreading through the village. One day the man found out that a wealthy family had found the cure, but would only sell medicines that weren't the cure as it would give them more money. The man confronted him about it, but the men repeatedly said he had no proof. Afraid of been ridculed and being called a fool, losing his standing the man left it. Many died of the sickness even members of the man's own family. On the tomb wall he said, "The truth is always treachrous and death follows closely behind it, who would want to know it? But if you do what will you chose, your life, or many others?"
"He must of felt horrible", I exclaimed.
"Of course but he made a choice to refuse to do the right thing and he had to live with the consequences of his actions", he said sadly.
"I would never do that", I said.
"How would you know?", he asked.
My last day in China I decided to take a trip to the market, I decided not to take a trip to the tomb of the Treachrous Truth as maybe Andy was right maybe I would make the other choice. For my job, for my friends, for everything, isn't that what the mans standing was. The market was pretty empty and I took my time looking through the shops.
"I can't go back there now", I heard a man complain.
"Stop fussing its not that far", another person replied.
"Yes but I have a meeting and then my plane leaves", he cried.
"Well, ain't nothing I can do about that", the other man said shrugging.
"Can I help?", I asked walking up.
I don't know why I did, but the man's innocent looks made me feel kind of bad for him.
"Oh yes, I left something somewhere could you get it for me?", he asked.
I nodded and he gave me the directions to were he had left his package, I promised to met him back here in a few hours. I was totally aware I could be walking into a trap, but the man seemed completly trustworthy.
I used Andy's bike to get half way there and then hiked the rest of the way. I searched the spot for what seemed like ages, under bushes in dirt piles, but nothing. I was sure by now that I had the wrong spot. Voices came up to where I was standing and something about the sound of them, made me hide behind some bushes. One man came up, waiting around for a bit, obviously waitng for someone.
When they second person did come up, I had to do a double take, because I'm sure I had seen that face before.
Except that face was meant to be buried beneath the ground dead. It looked exactly like the pictures I had seen of Nicholas Graham, but I had to be worng, he just looked alot alike him thats all, I thought.
"Nicholas Graham, back from the dead", the man said as he came up. Maybe I wasn't crazy then.
He smiled, saying, "Ha, you should of seen my funeral. It was worth it just to see them cry over me like they actually cared." Okay maybe this person was Nicholas Graham.....so what did it mean?
Going to work the first day was diffentely nerve-working. The fact the person driving me wouldn't even talk just added to it. Though when I got there, I found things weren't as bad as I had expected them to be. Maragret, the lady I worked with was lovely and totally turned a blind eye to my many mistakes. She had been working here most of her life and she understood what it was like to come in from "the outside." She treated most of the high up officers like her own kids and I guessed it was alright, considering she had known them since they were babies. I learnt alot about the Sims in Arms military base from her. Mainly that there were five mainly families that had been serving here for generations, and there were others who had come in from "the outside."
My first few weeks of work went by without any trouble. I was beginning to get used to the quiet contentent that seemed to ooze out of the base. Everyone knew their place, and they enjoyed life here alot, it made me want to be part of it so much more. People didn't seem to mind me as much either, but I think it was more because Maragret trusted me than anything else. Olivia and I hardly saw each other as one came in the other went out.
She said it would calm down in a couple of weeks, its just she was on call. I didn't mind so much all I wanted to do was sleep when I got home. I wasn't used to the early mornings, and physical work. Pretty soon the drain on my energy took its tool.
I got a cold, and all the way to work I couldn't stop sneezing. Maragret just shook her head and said, "Better get down to the doctor, ain't allowed to be sick here."
I sneezed my thanks, and made my way to the medical side of the base.
After Angelica was finished checking me over she told me," Well its only the common cold, but the policy here is if your sick you stay home."
"Sorry I didn't know, I can walk home", I replied aplogetic.
"No, you won't. I want you to relax so you can get over it, lots of sleeping over the next few days please", she said.
"Well, how will I get home?", I asked.
"You can stay in the infirmanry, until your carpool leaves, no excuses", she told me firmly.
"Fine", I muttered in defeat. I spent the day reading books in the infirmanry, I started feeling alot better straight away and I guess Angelica was right I did need rest.
When the time can for my carpool I started to get up but stopped when I heard voices outside the door. Angelica and Alexander Graham, by the sounds of it.
I would hate to say I'm an eavesdropper but I couldn't help here snippets of their conversation. "Against policy.....straight home......Victoria is not...", said Alexander.
"....report to Victoria......about Nicholas.....do no...", Angelica had retorted.
"Nothing to do with Nicholas......to late.......for her."
"....going to happen......job to do."
Angelica came in, silghtly flurstered and not looking to happy.
"I'm sorry if I caused any trouble", I said to her.
"And no, you haven't caused in any trouble, its just been a bad day for everyone. Anyway I'll take you home and you are going to have the rest of the week off", she said, beginning to smile.
"Really thats to much, I feel better already", I smiled, but a sneeze betrayed me.
"Sorry, Angel but you need lots of rest", she said.
"Fine", I sighed.
I was confused about the whole exchange between the two of them and even though I shouldn't of heard it I culdn't stop thinking about it. The Victoria mentioned had to be Victoria Chambers, but she and Alexander were meant to be best friends, but the way he said her name sounded angry. I tried to do more research into the base, but I came up with nothing. Maybe I wanted something in this base to be amiss, it didn't make sense it was so secretive, yet it operated like a normal base. I decided that I was trying to imagine something that wasn't there and I put the thoughts to rest in my mind...for now.
Returning to work on Monday was good I had been bored stupid at home and I was glad I had something to distract me again.Angelica gave me another look over to much sure I was completly recovered and she was very happy with my overall progress thank goodness. I had to go see Alexander after and I wondered what it was about. "Oh Angel, good sit down", he said, sounding well different.
"What can I do for you sir", I asked a little nervous.
"Nothing, I'm just telling you, that you have tomorrow off, everyone does. There's a funeral", he said, sounding a little I guess sad, which would make sense.
"Okay and I'm sorry. I mean if you knew the person who died, then I'm umm sorry for your loss sir", I said, cringing as the words came out. Nice one Angel, you should of just not said a word, I thought to myself.
"Thank you, I did know him", he said, staring at his computer screen.
I took my leave, angry at myself. I sat down next to Maragret at lunch and was suprised to find she was sitting alone.
"Such a damn shame about that Graham boy", she said shaking her head.
"What do you mean?", I asked confused Alexander seemed fine.
"Oh right, you won't have heard bout Nicholas yet, he served at the base before you. He was Alexander's twin brother, poor boy. It's his funeral tomorrow you know", she said sadly.
Nicholas, I remember that name, I guess it made sense why Angelica and Alexander were both upset, maybe thats when they heard he had died.
"Were they close, him and Alexander?", I asked.
"Yes, best of friends, he was coming back to marry Miss Chambers, Alexander was going to best friends. Poor kids, lucky they have each other", she told me.
"Mmmm", I mumbled, but by the sounds of it Alexander and Victoria weren't that happy with each other, or I was just imagining something, but my gut told me something was up. Although I was having trouble fitting Angelica into all this.
The next day I set about finding out about Nicholas Graham, apparently he was some sort of military poitician, but other than that I couldn't find anything. There had to be something going on, but what? I decided considering Olivia had some free-time I would ask her advice, considering she was the level-headed one and would tell me if I was making it all up. I hoped nobody found out I was telling her about the base, because something told me I probably wasn't allowed to. "So, I mean do you think I'm making it all up?", I asked, after telling her what I knew. Which when put into words wasn't much, Alexander not saying Victoria's name nicely and a death plus a really bad feeling.
"Do you know how he died?", Olivia asked quietly.
"No, why?", I asked.
"Because all deaths in Twinbrook have to be told to the hospital, and within your timeline we have only had one unexplained death, not that I meant to be telling you this, but he died really weirdly, his whole body kind of shut down. That was complete private information and by telling you about it I'm probably breaking like a hundred laws, but if somethings going on their well I'm worried about you", she said.
"Thats just the point, I have no evidence, I just feel like somethings off. Plus he apparently wasn't even in Twinbrook when he died, but nobody else has died otherwise it would be in the newspaper. So I don't know, maybe I just want a mystery, but things don't add up. It just doesn't make sense", I wailed, annoyed.
I knew why, I was being like this. I was a logical person and this whole situation was illogical, but lots of things are. Except I had a bad feeling about it, and I was almost never wrong.
"Maybe you should just wait to see if anything else happens, you enjoy your work. Your right, unless you have some evidence in concrete, there is no need to worry. People die everyday", she said gently, and I nodded in agreement.
The next few weeks things got back to normal, at least sort of. Everyone seemed a lot more reserved than before, but I felt like I couldn't trust my instincts and I wondered if I was just imagining it, being paranoid. After I had been working there for about five months Alexander called me into his office. "So you've being doing quite well, and I think its time you got a promotion", he said.
"Really", I smiled happily. "Yes, its just up to mess hall server though", he said, and I was sure I detected just the hint of a smile. "Oh, right well thank you sir", I said happily, not letting anything dappen it.
"You can go now", he said, in a more serious tone. I wondered why he so quickly changed his mood, but didn't really mind.
The next day was the weekend so I decided to jog out to the military base, since it had such pretty views. I soon made my way to the military graveyard and stared down at the grave of Nicholas Graham.
Okay I had never really put the matter to rest in my mind. Steps behind me startled me and I turned to find an older woman standing behind me, holding flowers. She had obviously come here to leave them on the grave I was standing over. I stepped back embrassed. "Sorry", I muttered.
"Oh, its alright dear", she said, smiling.
"I'll go", I said quickly.
"No stay, I'm Nadia Graham", she said, turning away from the grave to me.
"He was your son", I stammered.
"Yes, I don't mind you being here if thats what you think", she told me.
"I'm Angel", I replied smiling, she seemed so nice.
"Oh, yes your new to the base, you never met my Nicholas", she said sadly.
"No, I mean I shouldn't even be here, its just I don't know", I muttered.
"Its okay, I get understand, sometimes you want to the truth, but be careful the truth can be ugly", she told me staring hard into my eyes.
"I know", I told her, but I didn't really. I nodded and left her, but her words just gave me more of a bad feeling than ever.
Why had she said the truths ugly, what had happened to Nicholas, was he that body that Olivia told e about?
I was so lost in my thoughts I nearly walked straight into Alexander who was obviously waiting for his mother.
"Sorry", I said, ashamed at getting caught at this graveyard.
"Angel, what are you doing here", he said sounding well nervous, not as accusing as I expected him to be.
"Oh nothing this place is just really old and pretty. I'm kinda haunted by it", I said, honestly.
"I've always been obessed with it to, in a way. Anyway it was good to see you", he smiled. I smiled back, because I was happy that he had said it was good to see me.
You know when your really little and your convinced there's a monster in your room? And nothing and nobody can possibly persuade you that your wrong. You curl up, cry, bring all this misery to yourself only to learn it was all in your head. I think life's like that, for most of my life I blamed myself for my mother's death. My room was fulled with her trophies and her achievements and I felt like I had to be better than her, to prove I deserved to live.
I became a person I didn't recognised, focused on nothing else but doing well. My father didn't understand it and our relationship has been tense to say the least. He gave me everything I wanted, but the more he gave the more guilty I felt. The only person who I felt understood me was Olivia Rivera, my best friend, the child of my parents best friends. I spent most of the time at Aunt Jade and Uncle Santoz's, because with them came a guilt free environment.
Now here I sit all alone, in this house that had given me nothing but misery, and it had just added to it in a form of a letter from my father.
Dear Angel... By now you would of realized I'm not home, what you haven't realized is I'm never coming back. I'm sick, and I'm dying, so I left. I won't let you watch me slowly die, I want you to remember well. I'm sorry for everything, I wish I could fix our relationship, but I don't know how. We never talked, how could I possibly know what was wrong? But then again I never really tried. The truth is you were worth it, you were worth giving up your mother for. Everytime I saw you I was so proud and I knew your mother would be to. She would be so pleased to see how far you've come and I believe firmly if given the chance she would go through the pregnancy anyway.
I love you my darling Angel. I wish you all the best, and follow your dreams not mine.
Love Micheal Darvill
Why had he never said that to my face, maybe it would of made it all better, that and my mother's letter. It seemed there truly was no monster, just the one residing in my head, my mother would still have had me. The problem was now I had no idea what I wanted, I was use to being told what I should do, be a doctor like my father, like most of the Darvills before me. Its what I had spent the last few years at college studying, but I didn't want to be a doctor. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life, I just wasn't so sure I should follow that path.
I met Olivia at the Bistro, she had been in France for the last year and I had missed her advice. "Livvy", I smiled as she walked up.
"Angel, its been way to long", she said, pulling me into a hug
We got our food and I was bombared everything she had been doing in France.
"And what's up with you?", she asked, a slight frown marking her brow.
"Dad's gone, he got sick and just left", I muttered.
Olivia nodded saying, "What are you going to do?"
"Get over it, I guess", I replied confused.
"No I mean with your life, your not seriously planning on being a doctor now are you?", she asked. "No, how did you know I didn't want to be a doctor?", I asked suprised.
It was Olivia's and my plan to become doctors, I had waited a year for her so we could work together, she to was from a long line of doctors.
"Its obvious, plus ever since our trip to the old military graveyard, all you wanted to do was be in the military.", she said simply.
"Fine, you got me", I said, the first smile of the day appearing on my face.
"Look, I'm not trying to tell you to not follow your dream, but Sims in Arms military base is dangerous. I mean the people who work there are so isolated. They never come to town, they have their own village", she told me firmly.
"Just because they don't hang around here, doesn't make them dangerous", I retorted, I wasn't going to add that their isolation was the reason I was so intrested in them.
"Fine, but be careful", she sighed.
"Anyway I was thinking of selling the house, moving in with you guys", I said changing the topic. "Nope can't do that, mum and dad are moving to China and selling the house. Which is why I wanted to move in with you. I love that house", she replied.
"Good idea", I mumbled not happy, I hated that house.
Now that I had a plan in mind, there was no stopping me. I was going to join the mlitary, and work in this military base. While at city hall, changing dad's house and assets over to my name, I inquired about getting a job there. I found out what I had expected, getting a job there was not going to be simple. I made calls to my father's old friends and finally I was able to secure an interview there, for a job as Latrine Cleaner. It wasn't much, but it could have room for promotion especially with my college degree, if I managed to impress my superiors. Apparently this base wasn't use to taking newbies.
The next morning I got ready for my interview, deciding against dressing like I normally did. A simple ponytail and jeans would suffice I decided.
My nerves were at all time high, I didn't doubt I would get the job it was just the impressing I was worried about. Entering the interview room I was confused, should I call the person sir, didn't it matter?
"Take a seat", came a voice from the desk. A rather young sounding voice, a rather young interviewer, not exactly what I had expected.
"So, it's Angel?", he asked, looking me over.
"Yes", I said trying to sound confident.
"Right", he said typing something on his computer,"Angel Darvill...hmm...that's weird. You want to be a latrine cleaner?", he asked.
I decided the thats weird was because of my qualifications, "Yes, I'm hoping to work my way up but yes for now a latrine cleaner", I replied.
"You are aware, you could start higher up in another military base", he told me.
"Yes, but I want to work here", I said.
"I think its a complete waste of your ablities, but I have to give you the job", he said, in a rather brusque manner.
"Thank you", I mutter confused.
"You can collect your uniform and go for you medical check now and you can start on Monday. You are also required to call anyone higher than you Sir or Maam, you can report to reception" he said dismissing me with an hand movement.
I got my uniform and waited outside for my doctor.
"Come in", she called. She checked me over and told me I was medically sound.
"My names Angelica Andrew and I'll be your doctor throughout your employment with us", she said smiling.
"I didn't know I would get a doctor...maam", I said.
"Don't worry about the mam, and I suppose Alexander Graham forgot to add that fact", she said annoyed.
"Yes I guess so", I muttered, recognizing the name of my interviewer. The Grahams were one of the oldest miltary families in Twinbrook and rumours had it that them and the Chambers ran it.
"Don't worry about their attitude, they just don't really like outsiders, they are all really nice, after a few years", she added, I guess in a effort to make me feel better it made me feel worse.
"Thanks", I said.
"It was Angel Darvill right?", she asked as I was leaving.
"Yes", I said.
"Hmm that is weird", she remarked quietly.
I was tempted to ask, but I decided that wasn't a good idea.
I spent the weekend helping Olivia move into the house and I had my offical goodbye dinner with Aunt Jade and Uncle Santoz on Sunday.
With them leaving, I felt the lasts strands of my connection to my parents disappearing. It made me feel sad, but almost in a way relieved. I was finally free, the problem was the feeling was scaring me. Life seemed so much more simpler when someone had planned it out for me.
