"You drag your ass anymore there, and I'm sending all of my men in at once Royer! So help me..... You've never pulled bull like this before in all the years you've worked for me."

      Having his captain scorn him had placed a massive headache behind Justin's skull. He had no activity detected whatsoever, and was beginning to believe all of the time and energy he had placed in this assignment was done in vain.

     What had he been doing?

    He stalked his small apartment for days, going back to the drawing board which presented itself as  a complete jumble to the mind he had today. He was set in the ways of Justin as his temporary role. He had yet to penetrate the thickest outer layer of The Family. Until this week that is.

      Affiliates of The Family showed their ignorance in revealing a key development in the falling of their clan. A rookie mistake. A careless one. Of course they had no idea it had been made. Paul did not doubt that they knew of being under surveillance by the likes of the government, and he had little reason to think they would fear such interference. Politics was such a smorgasbord of dirty tricks, that had the right people crossed their paths, they would surely be paid requital and dealt with accordingly, leaving all activities to continue as they were.

        They had mastered and manipulated the use of an electromagnetic pulse bomb. Paul's mouth turned sour, body became limp when he fully processed the damage that could be done behind this type of power. There were novels based on this kind of catastrophe, past events that were a result of this in other countries was well known among some, and he had no idea what kind of outrageous outcome could be produced from such a corrupt group.

      He had yet to relay the news that everyone who was involved with his set up under the eye of The Family had been waiting for. It didn't add up. An EMP fit nowhere in Paul's outline that he had drawn up from the months of studying and what he thought was close observation. He refreshed his memory on all that he knew of this type of weapon.

     How successful could they be with this?  Their intentions of the use of the bomb were nowhere in sight for Paul, and he had to run to it, see what lied ahead and prevent it. His instinctual reaction was to immediately get in touch with Blaise.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

        "You know, for as long as I've known you, you've rarely came by here. Same goes for me with your place. What's up with that?" Blaise casually lounged on his sofa across from Justin. He watched the ticking of his temple, the layer of moisture gathering on his face.

      " If you're sick, don't you think the hospital would give you more help than I?"

      " I'm sick beyond just some antibiotics or a shot Blaise. " Justin closed and opened his fists rhythmically to the beat of his heart." You're going in today, aren't you?"

     Blaise naturally took glances to his bedroom door, seeing it ajar and the shadows of Niamh walking past the door. "Bathroom," he thought, "She must be going to the bathroom."  Justin and filtered out any other noise in the home, the only things he could hear were the questions fighting for positions to be asked, and his heartbeat in his ears. The possibility of preventing mass destruction shook Justin to his nerves.

       " I'm not quite sure how you would know, but yes I am. Going the extra mile, you know?"

       " You mentioned it once."

      " No I haven't."

     " No, no, I'm pretty certain you did."

     " I haven't spoken to you in a week. I just found out a day ago." Blaise's posture changed, stiffening slightly as he threw his legs from over the arm of his couch, planting them on the floor. Justin had a tendency to spend most of his cleaning time in offices, it was something Blaise had noticed since he began working at the original Apex. He had always figured that it was just part of his job, and maybe Blaise lazed around watching the janitors work too many times.  He had been sent an urgent email calling for the attendance of the seven elite members.

     Blaise would never slip up to anyone who never sat in the room during these meetings about any information.

     " Stayed late a few nights, heard talking about it earlier." Justin lied.

     " Why are you bringing it up?"

      " I think I've finished bullshitting with you." Coming forward on his elbows, Justin locked eyes with the man in front of him." What king of things exactly do you Kincaid's build for the purpose of eclipsing it, placing them in the shadows?"

     " I'm not sure I know what the hell you're talking of." Blaise let out defensively taking a lower tone.

     " I've been there long enough to catch on. Something about me is obviously different from my other co-workers, don't you think? From what I know they have long term connections with your father's company, yet here I am setting a precedent as being a minority amongst them. What's so special about your line of work?"

    " We build buildings. People buy them. People use them. You don't need to take quantum physics in order to understand that concept fully."

     Blaise couldn't decipher Justin's sudden change in attitude. He teetered along the lines of damn near erupting. He tried to contain himself. He couldn't ruin his relationship with Blaise in the blink of an eye because of his adrenaline rush.

   " Well, you know. Sometimes there are more things beneath the surface. I just figured maybe a project was underway. Any way I could help you out." Justin said nonchalantly with an innocent smile. He saw the pressure between Blaise's eyes release as the wrinkles flattened themselves out.

    "How do you figure that? By dragging your cleaning lady cart around with you?" Blaise finally felt his back collapse back into the couch. He brought a hand to his face rubbing it along the stubble that had grown there.

     " That cart has got me a lot of places. Don't underestimate its abilities."

     "Blaise?" A feminine voice entered the room from the bedroom door. Niamh stood in a white t shirt and dark blue jeans. She pushed her arms into the sleeves of a light cardigan as she watched both of the men sitting in the living room. She had been in the shower as she heard the conversation being carried on. Blaise's guest spoke in a loud voice while it had seemed like Blaise meant to keep his at a calmer level. When she noticed the difference in volume, she ceased the humming she used as a way to not even accidently overhear anything being said.

      "Oh, Nia. You've met Justin before, but here he is again. Justin this is Niamh." Justin had not expected for there to have been any extra people in the house at the time, and upon seeing her a mental list of the background information of her came to thought.

     Raised by a single mother named Lorraine Deges along with her older brother Niall Deges.

    Twenty six years old.

     Recipient of various awards from high school on through college for the myriad of contests she entered and conquered for architectural design. From the many articles in local newspapers he had read up on many interviews she had as a young person to watch. Niamh Deges had graduated top of her class, dueling it out with few effortlessly. Job offers fell into her lap immediately after her graduation.

    She never answered to one of them.

      She could have been set for life, had her name posted to great structures by now, yet she passed by the chances without a second thought.

      "It's nice to see you once again Niamh." Justin stood and walked to offer a handshake.

     " Same can be said for you." Niamh nodded her damp head as she gave a friendly smile. She walked to the couch, taking a seat in the corner with one leg propped up underneath her chin. She looked from under her eyelashes as both men seemed to rock around from being uncomfortable.

   " What time do you have to leave for this meeting?" She asked. Blaise clenched a fist as he turned in Justin's direction.

     "You heard that?"

    "Well, it kind of just came through."

   "In the next hour or so. Will you be fine here?"

   " Of course I will. I just didn't know you would have to leave." While she spoke to him, her focus was on Justin.  The way he had spoke of the meeting now made Niamh curious as to what he was going for also.

     " I think I should be on my way then." Justin said under the watch of Niamh. He turned to Blaise, clapping his shoulder." When you finish up, you should call me up. We can go down to the bar, catch up and ...other things."

     " You must be pre menstrual. If I can remember then yeah, I guess I'll give you a ring." Blaise walked towards the door, wanting to help Justin move faster to his exit. He felt slightly alarmed by Justin's appearance, and he would prefer that he left then.

     The sooner, the better.

    "That's my cue then. Niamh, it would be great to have you come along to. If you're available later."

   " Thanks for suggesting. That wouldn't be too bad."

   " We'll talk about this later Justin." Blaise cut in putting an end to the visit. When Justin finally walked out his door, Blaise found himself waiting and listening for the sound of him driving away.

       " I hate him for coming to remind me of where I need to be." Blaise tossed back his head and let out a stress bubble of air. When he looked to Niamh, he saw her fidgeting with the seam of her jeans, tracing it with a finger as she bit her lip. She was in deep  thought and Blaise could read it all over her face.

     " How serious is the meeting?"

     " What...what do you mean?"

     " Like... Is it just to address normal things within the business, or bigger issues. Possibly something dangerous?"

     Blaise shook his head in confusion." What the hell are you saying?"

    "What I am trying to say is, oh hell. I don't know. Is there something I should know about who I work for? What Justin was saying started to make some kind of sense to me. Joseph is the head of the company, yet he literally comes to work and goes home every day, and I know he isn't the hands off kind of boss. "Niamh had much time to sit and converse with him over any and everything. His description of his nights always had something to do with going to read a book, paint one of the rooms in his house. Yes, she understood that she in no way had any right to be in on every detail of his business, but it was just unusually for a man of his caliber to never bring up and express excitement for new ventures he took on.

    "Niamh."

    " I'm not trying to invade or force my way into your business, but I don't even ask questions about Joseph's success...his future. Those are thoughts consuming me each and every day and they only intensify when I'm around him."

    "Niamh disregard what Justin-"

     " There's so much I've wanted to learn from him, yet no time seems like the appropriate time to ask!" Niamh had stood in the middle of her heated one way conversation. She was simply speaking the things on her mind and completely forgot she was even really talking to Blaise. It was as if she were opening up her skull so that her thoughts could be audible. Blaise grabbed her by the cheeks seeing that she intended to ramble on.

     "Niamh!" He said in a voice that wasn't too loud, but firm.

     " Yes?" Niamh felt her heart skip a beat at hearing her name spoken so suddenly. She knew that she was well on her way towards throwing a hissy fit, and was glad it was cut off before it really let out.

      " How much....would you want to know?" Blaise said his words carefully, studying her face as it lit up in a way that made his appear crestfallen. He didn't know what drove him to believe in that split second that he must share something...anything with Niamh. It couldn't be just anyone, but her.

      " You're going to give me the inside scoop?" Niamh wiggled her eyebrows as she held down a wide grin.

       Say one word, and you sign her life away to them. The voice in his head brought Blaise back to his sanity. One lick of information passing from his lips to her would only cause for Niamh to be forever a playing piece on The Family's game board. She wouldn't be able to rid herself of the behind the curtain hectic mess .  Kissing her forehead, he pushed away from her, feeling guilty of dirtying Niamh with his hands. He pushed them into his jeans pockets. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that introducing Niamh to the deceitful lifestyle he was involved in would only trap her into a relationship where options were never allowed. She would become a stooge along with him, and he refused to put her in that position.

     Even though he felt that he may have already ruined any chances of her from living normally from here on out.

      Looking at the digital clock on his DVR, Blaise excused himself." I have to get ready if I want to get there in time."

     Niamh shook her head as the pleased look she once held dissolved into something less intense. "Yeah, you're right." Walking to the kitchen, Niamh left Blaise to stand alone in the living room.

    "Would you like to drive me? I'd hate to leave you all stuffed up in here. I definitely don't want you taking a bus or anything so, I'll give you my car to use."  Just as he expected, she came barreling through the room, hugging his waist from behind.

      " That's my boy. I'll finally get to see where you work. I wonder what kind of hidden passages-"

     " No, I didn't mean for you to come in and trespass." He laughed." I don't think it's safe for you to be dallying around in there, especially outside of regular work hours."

     " Not safe? There will be at the most fifteen people in that whole building. It's a big ass building I'm sure Blaise! What are the chances of me running into someone?"

      " I don't want you in there."

     " It's nothing serious..."

      "Look, I promise to show you the inside. One day when I can be with you. Deal?" Niamh laid her head in the crook of his shoulder, lightly sucking on the strong flesh there as she accepted his words. His fingers interlocked with hers as he tilted his head to watch her nearly black eyes.

      " I can take that." Capturing her lips in a slow sensual kiss, Blaise smiled.

      " Damn, I don't feel like having a woman who agrees so easily with everything."

       "Don't worry about that...Once I get you in, I show my vindictiveness and suck the life out of you."

       " Sucking?  You know what sounds really good right now..."

       Giving him a shove to the bedroom, Niamh let out a loud boisterous laugh.

       " Homeboy, what do I look like? You should have been talking that talk when I had my ass in that shower."

      "You should have told me your ass was down then!"

     " With company?"

     "Shit, my house. I tell people when to leave."  When they entered the bathroom, Niamh began adjusting the water temperature as Blaise got undressed. Stepping around her, he climbed into the shower.

      "You know what I have to say to that?" She asked in a low sexy voice, giving Blaise a look over as water began falling on his body.  One eyebrow was raised as he allowed her to have a free look.

     " Let me know."

    "Too damn bad." Smacking his teeth, he pulled the shower curtain with emphasis to her chuckles. Before walking out of the bathroom, she shut the lights off to his curses and left him to himself.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

       The sight of the steel structure standing grand against the sky filled Niamh's vision as Blaise slowly crept into the parking lot of the Apex. The lines and planes were all too familiar, but something she had never seen before. The  only thing that she knew for certain was that it was a mind child of Joseph, being born to beautify the land we were blessed to live on. She wondered how many everyday people drove past this and not once stopped to appreciate the advancements of the human's ability to create. She could only think of the vivid images and inspiration she drew from Ayn Rand novels as a child.

     Niamh would read from cover to cover and grasp the book and its hefty weight against her chest, praying for the chance to one day fulfill her dreams, her destiny.

        " I'm sure this will run for a few hours, so don't be in a rush to come back." Blaise said as he unbuckled his seat belt, putting the car in park. He looked to the security tower just across the way void of an overseer. They exited the car with Niamh taking over the driver's seat. Beyond the tinted glass doors, there were the faint silhouettes of figures moving about languorously, but with power.

     " Do you have an hour to shoot me?"

     "Not a specific one. Now, don't leave me here all day, I'm not saying that. But I seriously give it two hours. No more than two in a half." He brought his attention back to her as he gripped the door handle, leaning down into the window. Niamh tapped her thumb atop the steering wheel as she took notice of the people inside the building also.

    " Hey..." He softly called.

      She saw two figures stop suddenly, turning to face the large sliding doors in a way that cause Niamh to feel like a locked target.

     "Nia.." Blaise held on to her chin, turning her head to his own so as not to be bothered with whoever was on their way outside.

     " This is the first time you've let me drive this thing. I'm going to front in it as much as I can." She said with a deep sigh, peppering his lips with kisses of her own.

     " When I get out of here, we'll do something nice. Relaxing. Maybe take Justin up on his offer." Before he knew it, Daniel and Darla Saslow stood on the other side of his car watching the couple in their exchange. Darla peered into the clear windows which held no tint whatsoever.

     " Blaise, Niamh." She greeted with a smile as she walked in her heels and skinny jeans to join them. Niamh watched the expert walk. Well, less expert and more natural. A genuine smile graced her face just for Darla as she approached. Niamh was already opening the door when Blaise forced it shut with a slam.

     "Hey sweetie." Taking Darla in for a warm hug Blaise made sure to keep his weight against the door Niamh continued to open. He watched closely to the man who strode slowly to get closer to where they all were.

      " Blaise, I would really like to get out...so I can properly say hello." Niamh said with an awkward laugh.

     " Come on B, let the girl out. Wait, he's letting you drive? I let this kid feel my boob for free in the sixth grade, and he has yet to let me drive any one of his cars." Darla whispered harshly in a teasing voice.

    " So long ago Darla. So long ago." Blaise mumbled.

    " Blaise sure does have his ways when it comes to a daughter of mine, doesn't he?" The deep voice soaked through the air reaching them. Daniel stepped to them without a care in the world, comfortable where ever he placed himself.

     " Dad, you say that like you weren't a cheerleader for us some time ago."Darla waved him off as she moved Blaise from out of the way and released Niamh from the car. The two women were naturally inclined to wrapping their arms around each other. Niamh's mind raced in confusion at her action, something she didn't even remember thinking of to do. She expected herself to just give a wave or a smile for Darla. A force she couldn't place sent her in a different direction. Niamh could feel the intensity in Darla's hug-she really meant it-while at the same time knowing that the one she gave in return was lesser.

      Niamh's mind told her that the emotional pull to the woman she felt was a good thing, but she couldn't get her brain to connect with her body and allow her physical self to convey what she felt. Her brow was burrowed as her mind also told her something else.

     Daniel Saslow.

     " Hello Mr. Saslow." She was the first and only to speak. She remembered Blaise's mentioning of his importance. She remembered the arrogant and devilish aura surrounding him the day in the restaurant. Niamh's  mind told her to not ignore Mr. Saslow. Acknowledge his presence, and let him know that she in fact saw him.

     Possibly for everything he was.

     Daniel's mouth curled into a snarl as he glanced over her with seemingly disinterest. " Blaise. Do you always pick your toy of the week from among the employees?"

     " Dad." Darla condemned him openly.

      " With all honesty Mr. Saslow, if you prefer to pretend that I am not standing here, tall and visible, then I do suggest you not speak of me. I don't expect you to hold an ounce of like for me, but I cannot and will not tolerate your blatant disregard for me."

     No one spoke as the woman stared the man who she did not know gave his part in her being brought to her mother's womb. Niamh could feel an energy enter her that she only felt once in her life. The first time she met Daniel face to face.

      "Such courage. I've never experienced this before young lady. Where do you get it from? Not your mother." Daniel stepped to Niamh, so close that the heat of both of their bodies collided with one another.

     " Who are you to speak of my mother Mr. Saslow?" Niamh answered in a neutral expression. She never thought to coward from his domineering gestures. Daniel's shoulders rose slightly, his own way of shrugging.

     " It's a quality I've only seen in a man, Ms. Deges." Her insolence towards him; the moxie to even look him in the eye with such contempt, they both intrigued him to no end. The look of anger she had when he touched on the subject of her mother. Lorraine. It was a look that nearly mirrored some of the feelings toward the woman he felt himself and one that Daniel assumed to mean that the woman before him was truly a fruit of his loins.

      " I'm glad to have given you such an experience." 

     Yes.

     From what he could see, could sense, there was much in store within the body of Niamh. He knew of her achievements and if he were another person, he would be fully impressed and desperate to reel in such a highly motivated, highly skilled person for his own use.

     " Daniel, I do believe that we should head in now. I'll see you later." Opening the door for Niamh, Blaise intended to end the talk between the two. With a less than concerned look, Daniel turned on his heels, making his way to the entrance doors on his own.

     " He can be an asshole sometimes Niamh. I could apologize, but I would be doing so for the rest of my life." Darla's hand fell to her shoulder apologizing on Daniel's behalf.

     " You start apologizing for your love ones, and you'll never stop. You're right Darla." Niamh spoke without taking her eyes from the back of the man leaving them to be for now. He moved in a stealth manner, like a lurker, and Niamh felt every hair on her body stand at attention from the feelings he was able to inflict upon her . Stepping away from the car, Niamh took the door from Blaise's hands sending him a loving smile as she hugged him. He watched the change in her, the change in Daniel.

     The uncomfortable feeling always standing just a step away from Blaise came into full contact with him.

    Taking a deep breath, hoping but failing to clear his mind, he left.

    " So.... I'm going to hop into the passenger seat and we are about to go off together." Darla strolled to the said door, and invited herself in.