(no subject)
Title: Eddies
Author: Icewormlj
Rating: PG
Summary: Dykeman wants to know what happened to Kyle and goes to Declan for answers.
Disclaimer: Obviously this series belongs to other people, not me.
Pairing: Appearing Declan and Dykeman
Warning: Can’t think of anything offensive or in need of a warning.
Spoilers: Last episode.
AN: Why Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson made an appearance is beyond me. Neither rank high on my list of poets.
Ripples, Eddies, Waves
Eddies
“Lori, we’re going to be late!” Hilary grabbed her purse and gave her watch a meaningful look. “We’ve got to go. Now!”
“Late?” Declan inquired as he released Lori’s hand.
“Homecoming Committee...” Lori sighed and at his bemused look continued. “It’s Hilary’s latest idea. We’re padding out our ‘Other Activities’. You know, it’s a section on college applications.” She patted his cheek. “Not everyone has college recruiters come to their front door, lover.”
She studied him intently. “No more gloomy faces, McMannus. We’ve heard from Kyle; he’s doing fine; and he’s settling into his new..,” her forehead creased, “I mean old life.”
“And you got all this information out of a five minute telephone call?” Declan asked sarcastically.
“So I’m reading a little between the lines. He sounded okay. That’s what’s important.”
Declan thought he heard a note of defensiveness in her voice, “Right. And we’re all such experts in how Kyle sounds.”
“You and Josh! You two just want something to be wrong and you’re disappointed when nothing is. He’s your friend. You should want him to be happy.”
Declan wished he could share his concerns with Lori but they were only a little less vague than the ones she accused him of having. He knew something was wrong but not what. He was sure, however, that if Kyle had wanted him to share anything with the Tregars, he would have let him know. Kyle had certainly found a way to let him know about his phony parents.
Lori looked over her shoulder at Hilary who stood tapping her foot impatiently. She bent down to give Declan a quick kiss and then picked up her book bag.
“See you after school?” At his nod she and Hilary hurried off to their “other activities.”
Declan reopened his American Lit reader and stared morosely at the pages in front of him. He tried once again to get past his overwhelming lack of interest in the poet imposed on him by his teacher. In desperation he read a poem he hadn’t tried yet:
The Heart asks Pleasure - first -
And then - Excuse from Pain -
And then - those little Anodynes
That deaden suffering -
And then - to go to Sleep -
And then - if it should be
The Will of its Inquisitor
The privilege to die -
He rested his head in the palm of his hand as he went over the poem in front of him. His index finger followed the lines and his lips moved as he read them over silently to himself. A shadow fell across the page. His gratitude at the interruption turned to confusion when he looked up to find the last person he would expect standing in front of him, watching him with great concentration.
“Dykeman, you’re in my light.” Declan growled with what he considered to be great restraint. “Move it!”
“Real cheerful reading material you’ve got there, Declan,” was Dykeman’s response.
Irritated now, Declan focused his full attention on the smaller boy. “What are you talking about Dick Man?” Declan suffered a moment of guilt as he watched color spread into the other boy’s face.
He reminded himself that he tried not to play those games anymore. Being friends with a certified weirdo had had that effect on him. It had made him more aware of such slights. Not that Kyle ever seemed to notice them when they were directed at him. Kyle’s innocence allowed the things said about him to pass right over his head. Declan, however, felt the sting of every joke and insult directed at Kyle. He’d resolved to do better and he had just shot Dykeman down. Declan sighed. He found being the “new” Declan harder without Kyle.
Dykeman ignored both Declan’s irritation and the insult. “Being given ’The privilege to die’ is not the kind of uplifting thought for the day that you find on a daily calendar. You got Dickinson, huh?”
Declan frowned down at the book in front of him. “How do you know that? Reading comic books won’t get you beat up, Dick Man;” he cautioned, “but I wouldn’t let people know that you read Emily Dickinson.”
“I don’t read her.” Dykeman said indignantly. “I can read things upside down and saw what you were reading. It’s one of my abilities.” He said putting emphasis on the last word. He grimaced. “It’s not a very useful one.”
Declan nodded in agreement with that assessment. “Yeah, very limited usefulness. So why don’t you and your useless ability stop blocking my light.”
“At least Mr. Edwards didn’t vent his odd sense of humor on you.” Dykeman paused before taking Declan’s curious glance and silence as permission to continue. He recited,
”We two boys together clinging, One the other never leaving,
Up and down the roads going, North and South excursions making,
Power enjoying, elbows stretching, fingers clutching,
Arm'd and fearless, eating, drinking, sleeping, loving,
No law less than ourselves owning, sailing, soldiering, thieving, threatening,
Misers, menials, priests alarming, air breathing, water drinking, on the turf or the sea-beach dancing,
Cities wrenching, ease scorning, statutes mocking, feebleness chasing,
Fulfilling our foray.
I got Walt Whitman. That’s going to be an interesting class presentation.”
Declan raised an eyebrow. “Is he saying…?”
“Yep. Good catch!”
Declan wasn’t sure if Dykeman was paying him a compliment or expressing surprise that the dumb jock got it.
“I could give you some more quotes with ‘comrades’ kissing or sleeping naked in each other’s arms if you want.” He trailed off at Declan’s expression. “Right, so old Uncle Walt was as queer as a three-dollar bill and pretty upfront about it too. Frigid spinsters writing about death sounds pretty good to me.”
“Better you than me but there must be other stuff of his you could use in your report. You know, something that wouldn’t get you beat up.”
Dykeman smiled as he pushed his glasses back into place. “Mr. Edwards gave me Walt Whitman and I’m giving Walt Whitman right back to him. As for the knuckle walkers, I run faster than I did last spring and…” Declan saw a gleam of anticipation in his eyes. “If they try anything, their lives around here will become very difficult. Just like last Spring.”
Suddenly the answer to last semester’s biggest mystery became obvious to Declan. A group of football players had tormented Dykeman last Winter and for the rest of the school year their lives had been one long series of disasters. It had started with the school computer refusing to recognize their presence in school and notices of truancy going out; it had progressed to failing grades in PE that eventually expanded into an entire semester of failing grades; and ended with the school’s computers unable to generate transcripts for the hapless four. Their entire high school history had somehow disappeared. He’d heard that it took certified letters from the school board to persuade universities to accept the typed transcripts they had had to use.
“You pretty much run the school’s computer labs, don’t you, Dykeman?”
“I help out there.” Dykeman replied. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “I clean up viruses, install new software, and keep the school’s network up and running. That’s all.”
“Yeah, that’s all.” Declan commented sarcastically. “I guess I hope your report turns out okay for everyone.” He studied Dykeman. “So is that another one of your ‘abilities’ - the memory thing?”
Dykeman nodded. “I can pretty much remember everything I read. Just like Kyle. Only I don’t read as fast and I certainly can’t…” He paused and Declan saw wonder in his eyes, “integrate it the way he does.”
He looked like he was about to continue when Declan caught sight of something behind him that caused his face to grow serious. Three guys were approaching his table and their expressions on seeing Dykeman were not friendly.
“Out of my way Dickhead,” Said the leader pushing Dykeman roughly out of his way.
The smaller boy ricocheted off a table but caught himself on a railing and managed to stay on his feet. He stood bent over, holding the side that had collided with the table. Declan’s expression didn’t change but his eyes grew colder. He was glad the boy’s assailant had his back to Dykeman now. The emotion he saw reflected in Dykeman’s face would have gotten him into a lot of trouble had it been noticed.
Obviously disappointed that he hadn’t managed to put Dykeman in his proper place on the ground, the leader directed his attention to Declan. “First that weirdo, Kyle, now Dick Man. You’ve got to be more careful with who you hang out with, Declan.” He warned with a tone of false concern that didn’t fool Declan. “People will start to wonder about you.”
“What do you want, Ethan?”
Declan refused to show his irritation at the jibe but marked it down against him for the future. He noted that Dykeman who was still hovering in the background had slipped off to the side and wondered at the reason for his persistence. Declan knew the kid tried, with good reason, to maintain a low profile around members of the football team.
“Charlie asked me to remind you of his party Friday. His folks are out of town; the weather’s great; his pool is still full; and there’ll be beer. You know Charlie - always lots of beer.” His friends laughed loudly as he repeated himself, “Lots of beer.”
“Yeah, I remember. I haven’t asked Lori yet if she wants to go.”
Ethan shook his head. “Declan, you used to have a pair but now you are so whipped. I don’t know why Charlie bothers.”
He threw a contemptuous look in Dykeman’s direction. Declan was surprised that the smaller boy was still there and watched in amazement as he stood his ground and met the big lineman’s glare without flinching.
“I don’t know why anyone bothers anymore. Come on guys.” With that he and his friends departed leaving Declan to consider whether he was at all concerned about his position in the school hierarchy. His Dykeman problem, however, did not give him time to ponder that question before it positioned itself once again in his face and demanded attention.
Dykeman spoke before Declan had a chance to say anything. “Where’s Kyle?” He hurried on without waiting for an answer. “I haven’t seen him today; and I always see him; and I heard what your girlfriend said and the way she said it; so I think something is up and I want to know what.” He paused for breath.
Declan regarded him with surprise. He hadn’t even known that Kyle knew Dykeman. “Nothing’s up,” he said slowly. “Kyle’s parents…”
“His parents?” Declan interrupted.
“”Yeah, his folks found him and with his memory back…”
“His memory’s back?”
“If you want to hear this Dykeman you’ve got to stop interrupting.” Dykeman looked like he was ready to explode with more questions; but he held his tongue as Declan continued. “The parents showed up a couple of days ago, then his memory came back, and he went home with them yesterday.”
Dykeman slumped into the chair across the table from Declan as though all the energy that had animated him before had drained away. The boy seemed stunned by the information Declan had shared with him; but after a moment he straightened in the chair and looked Declan in the eyes.
“I don’t believe it,” he said flatly. “Nothing’s ever that tidy. Something’s wrong.” Dykeman stared at him suspiciously. “Why did Kyle really go?” He leaned forward as though searching for clues in Declan’s face. “You know something. I can see it in your eyes.”
Declan watched a smile spread across Dykeman’s face. “He’s protecting someone…the Tregars. Sure! Heroes always try to protect the people who are close to them. Kyle figured he was putting his ‘family’ in danger by staying and so he went away with those people.” Dykeman paused and then added triumphantly “They weren’t his parents and you know it.” He leaned back in his chair confidently, daring Declan to contradict him.
Declan was amazed. Dykeman had taken a couple of pieces of fragmentary information and had spun them into a whole fabric of conspiracy theories. Unfortunately, he thought, they were all correct. Maybe the best course of action was to co-opt him. If he didn’t get Dykeman inside the problem, Declan was afraid that he’d go to Lori or Josh next with his questions and then their parents would start looking for answers to questions that Kyle didn’t want asked.
“If I tell you, you can’t say anything about this to anyone, Dykeman, especially not Lori or Josh.”
“You mean I’m right?” Dykeman straightened in his seat and seemed to keep himself from bouncing in his chair only with the greatest difficulty. “Sure, whatever you say but you’ve got to tell me everything.”
“There’s not much more that you haven’t already guessed. Kyle’s memory did not come back. He faked that for the benefit of the Tregars. And, you’re right, the people he went away with weren’t his parents. Kyle managed to clue me into that before he left. That’s really all that I know.” He saw Dykeman’s face clouding up and hurried on.
”That’s the truth. I don’t know why Kyle went with those people. You could be right. It might have been to protect the Tregars. He’d been warned that they would be in danger if too many questions about his past got asked; but he’s also been desperate to know where he came from. He might have gone with them for either reason.”
Dykeman zeroed in on the one piece of information that Declan hadn’t shared with him. “Who warned Kyle about asking questions?”
“There’s this creepy guy, Tom.” Declan began. “He’s been working for the security company that protects the Tregar’s house. Tom knew about Kyle’s past somehow; but if he ever told him anything more, Kyle didn’t share it with me. I do know that he told Kyle that there were people who wanted to get their hands on him and who would hurt the Tregars if they learned about their involvement with him.”
“What about you?”
“Huh?” Declan looked at him quizzically.
“Seems to me that you might also have been in danger. You know a lot about Kyle.”
Declan considered the possibility. “I don’t know. I never thought about it.”
“Maybe you should. Sounds to me like you know more about Kyle’s secrets than anyone else. A lot more than the Tregars do. Maybe you should add yourself to the list of people Kyle was trying to protect by leaving.”
“Yeah, maybe I should.” Declan agreed. He wondered why the idea that Kyle
might have left to protect him made him feel so uncomfortable.
“Have you talked to creepy Tom since Kyle left?” Dykeman asked. “I mean, he’s your only lead. He might know where Kyle went. Do you know how to find him?
“He quit the security agency.” Declan said.
Dykeman eyed him suspiciously. “Why do I think there’s something else?”
Declan looked down at his hands. “Kyle and I sort of broke into his apartment last week looking for clues to Kyle’s past. So, I guess you could say I know where he lives.” After a pause, Declan continued. “His apartment was filled with monitoring equipment. He’d bugged the Tregar house - cameras in every room.” Declan didn’t know what to make of the glee he saw mirrored in Dykeman’s face.
“So when are we going to see him?”
“We aren’t going anywhere.” Declan declared. “I’ve been there twice since Kyle left and no one’s been there either time. He’s probably gone.”
“And you’re just going to give up without making certain?”
The disbelief in Dykeman’s voice was hard for Declan to handle. Actually he had considered doing just that but the accusatory tone in the boy’s voice and the possibility that Kyle might really have left, if even in part, to protect him made that impossible.
“No, I’m going back tonight to find out.”
Author: Icewormlj
Rating: PG
Summary: Dykeman wants to know what happened to Kyle and goes to Declan for answers.
Disclaimer: Obviously this series belongs to other people, not me.
Pairing: Appearing Declan and Dykeman
Warning: Can’t think of anything offensive or in need of a warning.
Spoilers: Last episode.
AN: Why Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson made an appearance is beyond me. Neither rank high on my list of poets.
Ripples, Eddies, Waves
Eddies
“Lori, we’re going to be late!” Hilary grabbed her purse and gave her watch a meaningful look. “We’ve got to go. Now!”
“Late?” Declan inquired as he released Lori’s hand.
“Homecoming Committee...” Lori sighed and at his bemused look continued. “It’s Hilary’s latest idea. We’re padding out our ‘Other Activities’. You know, it’s a section on college applications.” She patted his cheek. “Not everyone has college recruiters come to their front door, lover.”
She studied him intently. “No more gloomy faces, McMannus. We’ve heard from Kyle; he’s doing fine; and he’s settling into his new..,” her forehead creased, “I mean old life.”
“And you got all this information out of a five minute telephone call?” Declan asked sarcastically.
“So I’m reading a little between the lines. He sounded okay. That’s what’s important.”
Declan thought he heard a note of defensiveness in her voice, “Right. And we’re all such experts in how Kyle sounds.”
“You and Josh! You two just want something to be wrong and you’re disappointed when nothing is. He’s your friend. You should want him to be happy.”
Declan wished he could share his concerns with Lori but they were only a little less vague than the ones she accused him of having. He knew something was wrong but not what. He was sure, however, that if Kyle had wanted him to share anything with the Tregars, he would have let him know. Kyle had certainly found a way to let him know about his phony parents.
Lori looked over her shoulder at Hilary who stood tapping her foot impatiently. She bent down to give Declan a quick kiss and then picked up her book bag.
“See you after school?” At his nod she and Hilary hurried off to their “other activities.”
Declan reopened his American Lit reader and stared morosely at the pages in front of him. He tried once again to get past his overwhelming lack of interest in the poet imposed on him by his teacher. In desperation he read a poem he hadn’t tried yet:
The Heart asks Pleasure - first -
And then - Excuse from Pain -
And then - those little Anodynes
That deaden suffering -
And then - to go to Sleep -
And then - if it should be
The Will of its Inquisitor
The privilege to die -
He rested his head in the palm of his hand as he went over the poem in front of him. His index finger followed the lines and his lips moved as he read them over silently to himself. A shadow fell across the page. His gratitude at the interruption turned to confusion when he looked up to find the last person he would expect standing in front of him, watching him with great concentration.
“Dykeman, you’re in my light.” Declan growled with what he considered to be great restraint. “Move it!”
“Real cheerful reading material you’ve got there, Declan,” was Dykeman’s response.
Irritated now, Declan focused his full attention on the smaller boy. “What are you talking about Dick Man?” Declan suffered a moment of guilt as he watched color spread into the other boy’s face.
He reminded himself that he tried not to play those games anymore. Being friends with a certified weirdo had had that effect on him. It had made him more aware of such slights. Not that Kyle ever seemed to notice them when they were directed at him. Kyle’s innocence allowed the things said about him to pass right over his head. Declan, however, felt the sting of every joke and insult directed at Kyle. He’d resolved to do better and he had just shot Dykeman down. Declan sighed. He found being the “new” Declan harder without Kyle.
Dykeman ignored both Declan’s irritation and the insult. “Being given ’The privilege to die’ is not the kind of uplifting thought for the day that you find on a daily calendar. You got Dickinson, huh?”
Declan frowned down at the book in front of him. “How do you know that? Reading comic books won’t get you beat up, Dick Man;” he cautioned, “but I wouldn’t let people know that you read Emily Dickinson.”
“I don’t read her.” Dykeman said indignantly. “I can read things upside down and saw what you were reading. It’s one of my abilities.” He said putting emphasis on the last word. He grimaced. “It’s not a very useful one.”
Declan nodded in agreement with that assessment. “Yeah, very limited usefulness. So why don’t you and your useless ability stop blocking my light.”
“At least Mr. Edwards didn’t vent his odd sense of humor on you.” Dykeman paused before taking Declan’s curious glance and silence as permission to continue. He recited,
”We two boys together clinging, One the other never leaving,
Up and down the roads going, North and South excursions making,
Power enjoying, elbows stretching, fingers clutching,
Arm'd and fearless, eating, drinking, sleeping, loving,
No law less than ourselves owning, sailing, soldiering, thieving, threatening,
Misers, menials, priests alarming, air breathing, water drinking, on the turf or the sea-beach dancing,
Cities wrenching, ease scorning, statutes mocking, feebleness chasing,
Fulfilling our foray.
I got Walt Whitman. That’s going to be an interesting class presentation.”
Declan raised an eyebrow. “Is he saying…?”
“Yep. Good catch!”
Declan wasn’t sure if Dykeman was paying him a compliment or expressing surprise that the dumb jock got it.
“I could give you some more quotes with ‘comrades’ kissing or sleeping naked in each other’s arms if you want.” He trailed off at Declan’s expression. “Right, so old Uncle Walt was as queer as a three-dollar bill and pretty upfront about it too. Frigid spinsters writing about death sounds pretty good to me.”
“Better you than me but there must be other stuff of his you could use in your report. You know, something that wouldn’t get you beat up.”
Dykeman smiled as he pushed his glasses back into place. “Mr. Edwards gave me Walt Whitman and I’m giving Walt Whitman right back to him. As for the knuckle walkers, I run faster than I did last spring and…” Declan saw a gleam of anticipation in his eyes. “If they try anything, their lives around here will become very difficult. Just like last Spring.”
Suddenly the answer to last semester’s biggest mystery became obvious to Declan. A group of football players had tormented Dykeman last Winter and for the rest of the school year their lives had been one long series of disasters. It had started with the school computer refusing to recognize their presence in school and notices of truancy going out; it had progressed to failing grades in PE that eventually expanded into an entire semester of failing grades; and ended with the school’s computers unable to generate transcripts for the hapless four. Their entire high school history had somehow disappeared. He’d heard that it took certified letters from the school board to persuade universities to accept the typed transcripts they had had to use.
“You pretty much run the school’s computer labs, don’t you, Dykeman?”
“I help out there.” Dykeman replied. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “I clean up viruses, install new software, and keep the school’s network up and running. That’s all.”
“Yeah, that’s all.” Declan commented sarcastically. “I guess I hope your report turns out okay for everyone.” He studied Dykeman. “So is that another one of your ‘abilities’ - the memory thing?”
Dykeman nodded. “I can pretty much remember everything I read. Just like Kyle. Only I don’t read as fast and I certainly can’t…” He paused and Declan saw wonder in his eyes, “integrate it the way he does.”
He looked like he was about to continue when Declan caught sight of something behind him that caused his face to grow serious. Three guys were approaching his table and their expressions on seeing Dykeman were not friendly.
“Out of my way Dickhead,” Said the leader pushing Dykeman roughly out of his way.
The smaller boy ricocheted off a table but caught himself on a railing and managed to stay on his feet. He stood bent over, holding the side that had collided with the table. Declan’s expression didn’t change but his eyes grew colder. He was glad the boy’s assailant had his back to Dykeman now. The emotion he saw reflected in Dykeman’s face would have gotten him into a lot of trouble had it been noticed.
Obviously disappointed that he hadn’t managed to put Dykeman in his proper place on the ground, the leader directed his attention to Declan. “First that weirdo, Kyle, now Dick Man. You’ve got to be more careful with who you hang out with, Declan.” He warned with a tone of false concern that didn’t fool Declan. “People will start to wonder about you.”
“What do you want, Ethan?”
Declan refused to show his irritation at the jibe but marked it down against him for the future. He noted that Dykeman who was still hovering in the background had slipped off to the side and wondered at the reason for his persistence. Declan knew the kid tried, with good reason, to maintain a low profile around members of the football team.
“Charlie asked me to remind you of his party Friday. His folks are out of town; the weather’s great; his pool is still full; and there’ll be beer. You know Charlie - always lots of beer.” His friends laughed loudly as he repeated himself, “Lots of beer.”
“Yeah, I remember. I haven’t asked Lori yet if she wants to go.”
Ethan shook his head. “Declan, you used to have a pair but now you are so whipped. I don’t know why Charlie bothers.”
He threw a contemptuous look in Dykeman’s direction. Declan was surprised that the smaller boy was still there and watched in amazement as he stood his ground and met the big lineman’s glare without flinching.
“I don’t know why anyone bothers anymore. Come on guys.” With that he and his friends departed leaving Declan to consider whether he was at all concerned about his position in the school hierarchy. His Dykeman problem, however, did not give him time to ponder that question before it positioned itself once again in his face and demanded attention.
Dykeman spoke before Declan had a chance to say anything. “Where’s Kyle?” He hurried on without waiting for an answer. “I haven’t seen him today; and I always see him; and I heard what your girlfriend said and the way she said it; so I think something is up and I want to know what.” He paused for breath.
Declan regarded him with surprise. He hadn’t even known that Kyle knew Dykeman. “Nothing’s up,” he said slowly. “Kyle’s parents…”
“His parents?” Declan interrupted.
“”Yeah, his folks found him and with his memory back…”
“His memory’s back?”
“If you want to hear this Dykeman you’ve got to stop interrupting.” Dykeman looked like he was ready to explode with more questions; but he held his tongue as Declan continued. “The parents showed up a couple of days ago, then his memory came back, and he went home with them yesterday.”
Dykeman slumped into the chair across the table from Declan as though all the energy that had animated him before had drained away. The boy seemed stunned by the information Declan had shared with him; but after a moment he straightened in the chair and looked Declan in the eyes.
“I don’t believe it,” he said flatly. “Nothing’s ever that tidy. Something’s wrong.” Dykeman stared at him suspiciously. “Why did Kyle really go?” He leaned forward as though searching for clues in Declan’s face. “You know something. I can see it in your eyes.”
Declan watched a smile spread across Dykeman’s face. “He’s protecting someone…the Tregars. Sure! Heroes always try to protect the people who are close to them. Kyle figured he was putting his ‘family’ in danger by staying and so he went away with those people.” Dykeman paused and then added triumphantly “They weren’t his parents and you know it.” He leaned back in his chair confidently, daring Declan to contradict him.
Declan was amazed. Dykeman had taken a couple of pieces of fragmentary information and had spun them into a whole fabric of conspiracy theories. Unfortunately, he thought, they were all correct. Maybe the best course of action was to co-opt him. If he didn’t get Dykeman inside the problem, Declan was afraid that he’d go to Lori or Josh next with his questions and then their parents would start looking for answers to questions that Kyle didn’t want asked.
“If I tell you, you can’t say anything about this to anyone, Dykeman, especially not Lori or Josh.”
“You mean I’m right?” Dykeman straightened in his seat and seemed to keep himself from bouncing in his chair only with the greatest difficulty. “Sure, whatever you say but you’ve got to tell me everything.”
“There’s not much more that you haven’t already guessed. Kyle’s memory did not come back. He faked that for the benefit of the Tregars. And, you’re right, the people he went away with weren’t his parents. Kyle managed to clue me into that before he left. That’s really all that I know.” He saw Dykeman’s face clouding up and hurried on.
”That’s the truth. I don’t know why Kyle went with those people. You could be right. It might have been to protect the Tregars. He’d been warned that they would be in danger if too many questions about his past got asked; but he’s also been desperate to know where he came from. He might have gone with them for either reason.”
Dykeman zeroed in on the one piece of information that Declan hadn’t shared with him. “Who warned Kyle about asking questions?”
“There’s this creepy guy, Tom.” Declan began. “He’s been working for the security company that protects the Tregar’s house. Tom knew about Kyle’s past somehow; but if he ever told him anything more, Kyle didn’t share it with me. I do know that he told Kyle that there were people who wanted to get their hands on him and who would hurt the Tregars if they learned about their involvement with him.”
“What about you?”
“Huh?” Declan looked at him quizzically.
“Seems to me that you might also have been in danger. You know a lot about Kyle.”
Declan considered the possibility. “I don’t know. I never thought about it.”
“Maybe you should. Sounds to me like you know more about Kyle’s secrets than anyone else. A lot more than the Tregars do. Maybe you should add yourself to the list of people Kyle was trying to protect by leaving.”
“Yeah, maybe I should.” Declan agreed. He wondered why the idea that Kyle
might have left to protect him made him feel so uncomfortable.
“Have you talked to creepy Tom since Kyle left?” Dykeman asked. “I mean, he’s your only lead. He might know where Kyle went. Do you know how to find him?
“He quit the security agency.” Declan said.
Dykeman eyed him suspiciously. “Why do I think there’s something else?”
Declan looked down at his hands. “Kyle and I sort of broke into his apartment last week looking for clues to Kyle’s past. So, I guess you could say I know where he lives.” After a pause, Declan continued. “His apartment was filled with monitoring equipment. He’d bugged the Tregar house - cameras in every room.” Declan didn’t know what to make of the glee he saw mirrored in Dykeman’s face.
“So when are we going to see him?”
“We aren’t going anywhere.” Declan declared. “I’ve been there twice since Kyle left and no one’s been there either time. He’s probably gone.”
“And you’re just going to give up without making certain?”
The disbelief in Dykeman’s voice was hard for Declan to handle. Actually he had considered doing just that but the accusatory tone in the boy’s voice and the possibility that Kyle might really have left, if even in part, to protect him made that impossible.
“No, I’m going back tonight to find out.”