Novel ✪ Memory Corruption (R-18) (Book 1 and 2 Finished) (Book 3 on release now)

So ryan try to join daniel in the cult..im eager to wait for him to appear in the palace if im not wrong...

 

Thank you @GiBro for this explanation. This story is amazing

 

No,Ryan was working undercover, pretending he was trying to be recruited, but faked his death with Vincenzo's help to get away. He's now trying to find the palace on his own, without the FBI's help(and Riviera is having trouble and risking her career to cover him).

 

Did Ryan officially quit the FBI as he threatened to do when he last spoke with Riviera? And are we going to get another chapter of Ryan’s POV soon? I miss him

 

Chapter 11 is really exciting to be release.tp i cant wait for chapter 12 because of its title masterplan. Even im worried because of after 4 months belle still in the palace. Miss ryan and belle to be together

 

Yes, unfortunately even the progressive countries have that 20-30% of right wing, homophobic, racist, sexist, bigots with a penchant for fascism. They usually were disenfranchised but thanks to Trump and the ridiculous GOP who sold out to him, those extremists were politically legitimized thanks to those politicians who gave them a voice. Let’s hope that the 70-80% of the rest of the population who has an ounce of brains will prevail.

 

Wow, those notifications are kind of a serotonin source

Spoiler: About Ryan leaving FBI

Ryan did leave his badge and gun at a precinct along with his resignation letter. Riviera has his gun and badge, the letter was burned. Does that mean he didn't quit? There are rules undercover cops and agents have to follow, and now it turned into a federal issue, so there are likely to be consequences for his absence, not only for him.

Spoiler: When will Ryan appear next?

A bit in chapter 11, although I wouldn't call it a POV and, if I don't change order of events, in chapter 13, although not in Ryan's POV. If you're talking about the side story, I don't have anything ready to post, and since I'm finally getting to write in a satisfactory rhythm and having lots of inspirational sources of absurdity and hate speech(I don't know if you heard about it, but our shitty President is finally about to be kicked out of the chair, so things are a bit rioting here), I'm focusing on the main story for now.

but, to be honest, I miss him too.

Just one corrections I feel like I owe you this: Belle doesn't know how long she's been inside the palace. She knows it's been more than two months for a reason

Spoiler: ...

she'll spend Christmas there

, but she's mentally and physically ill eat that moment, and lost track of time.
I miss them too let's hope their time together after reunion will soothe your hearts =.

Yeas, that's exactly my perception too. And I don't even think that the right wing is the problem, even though I consider myself centre-left, I do understand a lot of the arguments from republicans, and I believe extreme left wing radical ideals are utopians to say the least. What I can't accept is that outrageous idea about attacking someone's existence based on petty arguments like "your race is lower than mine" or "you shouldn't be like that because my religion says so", you know? It's cancerous. You said it all, bigots with a penchant for fascism

 

Wow tq for precious info. I hope you done well in the country. And everything good in family and work . Cant wait for next wednesday​

 

Thank you for this valuable information, you are an angel.
Glad to hear that we will get a glimpse of Ryan in the main story for the upcoming chapters. So far the storyline has focused on Belle in the palace, but we didn’t get much about what Ryan was going through during this time except for the chapter with Agatha. Looking forward to the next chapters!

 

Dear readers, sorry but I'm gonna delay posting today =\ just got home and need to cook dinner (I'm also starving) =. Go. A try to do it fast and come to post =) sorry

 

Take your time, we will patiently wait

 

I keep refresh from yesterday until now. Hahaha.. Dont worry settle down 1st

 

Thank you so much for understanding Here's the chapter

 

@GiBro, was the chapter posted? I don’t see it

 

Chapter 11


Belle was swinging to the rhythm of the song, not exactly dancing, but the next thing close to it. Since Ryan had just gone upstairs to take a shower after working out, she felt comfortable enough to sing, although in the lowest tone she managed to.

Cooking always had that relaxing effect on her, and she would usually lose track of time, especially on days like this, when she felt happy and inspired.

Ryan hadn't worked again, like the day before, and now that she knew he was doing it to be able to spend more time beside her, a selfish part of her didn't feel like it was wrong.

They were closer than ever, and Ryan was behaving a bit differently than usual, but for the good. It was like the day before the shooting in his house, which he had named “well of wishes”, but this time it had lots of kisses, and sex, and it lasted for days, from dawn to midnight.

Belle couldn't get enough of him, and felt anxious and vulnerable every time she stopped to think about when it would end. They had a bad habit of destroying their sweet moments with really bad fights or catastrophic events. She hoped this time would be different.

At least until the Marshalls came and took her away, which could happen at any moment. A stubborn and silly part of her mind kept hoping that Ryan would give up. That he would change his mind and decide that keeping her near was the best thing to do, to keep her safe and to make both of them happier. But she knew better, and thinking about it hurt too much, so she tried to push those thoughts away.

There was no point in dreaming. He didn't love her, and she had come to the realization that if he hadn't fallen in love with her till now, he would never do, so all that was left for her was to enjoy it while it lasted.

Belle had just started singing the chorus of “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran when she felt his arms wrap around her waist and his chin fit to her neck. The scent of his perfume had escaped her attention, but now hit her like a hot wind and she took a deep breath to savor it. His hair was still a bit wet and tickled the side of her face when he brought his lips to her earlobe.

Don't stop. Ryan whispered in her ear, producing waves of goosebumps. He reached out and turned off the burner, then pulled her away from the stove. I said go on, don't stop singing…

But she was too embarrassed to go on, so she just turned and kissed his lips, throwing her arms around his neck.

Goddammit, Belle! He sighed, clearly disappointed. She didn't understand why he was annoyed, but he just huffed and took both her wrists to untangle from her. Fuck…

For a moment, she thought he would storm out of the kitchen, but instead Ryan took a colander she had set aside for straining the pasta on his way to the door, then just hit the switch beside it to turn off the lights.

What are you doing? She frowned, even though he wouldn't be able to see it, since they were in absolute darkness. The tip of his fingers fondled her buttocks from behind and she jumped, getting startled. Ryan!

Close your eyes. He chuckled. She heard it when he put the colander down over the island. His other hand delicately touched her face, then slowly felt for her closed eyelids. Keep it like that, don't peek.

What are you doing, Ryan? Even though she really wanted to see what he was doing, she kept her eyes closed. She trusted him, but curiosity was making her feel anxious. Tell me, please.

I'm setting the mood, don't ruin it. He scoffed and she tilted her head when she heard him moving the colander around, dragging it over the marble counter. Ok, we're almost done here, keep them shut just a bit more. Damn, you're so beautiful, even in the dark, did you know that?

Belle felt her cheeks burn and bit her lower lip. Ryan carefully took her headphones out and she heard him putting her music player down over the counter, then a last metallic sound of the colander being moved, and silence for a couple of seconds. When she heard the song being played from the start she tilted her head. It was another version, the one with Beyoncé. She liked the original better, but that wasn't what was bothering her.

Can I open…? She started to ask, but felt his right hand pull her left wrist to his shoulder, then fit on her back, on the armpit level.

His other hand reached for her right hand and he stopped her from intertwining their fingers, keeping her palm open instead. He led her, in pace with the song, and she opened her eyes when she finally realized what was happening: he was dancing with her, to the song she had told him she had dreamed of dancing to when she was younger.

How...? She looked around when she saw the small points of light reflected all around the kitchen's ceiling and walls, then glanced at the colander to see his phone with its flashlight on under it, from where the sound was coming. That's so sweet… Thank you.

Belle smiled, feeling her eyes brimming.

Might I stop being a gentleman and put my hands where I really want to? He smirked and she giggled, but didn't answer. I'll take your silence for a yes.

And just as he had warned, he pulled her arms to place them around his neck, making her body cling to his, then slid both his hands through her back and sides, until they reached her waist, fondling it.

They kissed while he spun and turned them, and at one point he even led her in an underarm turn, then leaned her back, taking the opportunity to kiss and nibble at her neck, making her giggle and squirm in the process. His hands would sporadically slip to her buttocks, but she made a point of pulling them up every time it happened.

When the song ended, he leaned on the counter and they kissed and cuddled for a while. She was trying to understand why she was crying, although there were no sobs, only silent sporadic tears rolling down her cheeks.

Why are you crying, baby? He tried to wipe them with the back of his fingers. Are you embarrassed?

No. She shook her head and wiped the new tears with her wrists. I'm sorry, I don't know… I'm sorry.

Don't be. Ryan smiled and kissed her mouth, then her cheek. He moistened his lips, then wrinkled his nose. Salty.

Belle sniffed and looked up at the ceiling.

It looks like a sky full of stars… She smiled after a while. Ryan clicked his tongue and shook his head. Thank you, Ryan, really.

I'll take you to see real stars when we can. Magda, Richard and I attended a Stargazing Tour in Chile once. It was amazing… They cried. I bet you'd weep like a baby. Ryan smirked, then stared at the ceiling, lost in thoughts, and Belle could bet he was seeing the stars he had gazed at with his brother at least a decade ago. When he noticed she had been staring at him for a while, he cleared his throat. Is dinner ready?

Almost. I just need to cook the pasta and mix it.

Nice. He nodded and walked away from her. Let me finish it for you, then. You sit and entertain me while I cook. Tell me something new about you.

Why? She squinted her eyes when the lights went on, blinding her for a moment.

I wanna hear your voice. He smiled and retrieved his phone before putting water to boil and arranging things to finish cooking. I want to fill my head with it. And you denied me the pleasure of hearing you sing, so you'll have to compensate me now.

Belle couldn't help but smile. She sat on the stool, then told him about how she had met Chloe and how they had become friends. Ryan would turn to stare at her with a silly smile from time to time, and she was still talking when they finished their meal.

I love you, Ryan. She sighed, leaning back on her chair and playing with a strand of her hair.

Ryan just stared at her for a moment, then smiled. He took a deep breath before opening his mouth to answer.

Belle woke up with a sudden jerk. When her eyes popped open, the first thing she saw were green angry eyes. The light of the candles made him look like a nightmare come true.

-Daniel? -She sat up and held the duvet to her chest. -What are you doing here?

This was new. He had never visited her room while she was sleeping. Sometimes she would wake up with one of the maids checking the candles in the living room area, but she couldn't remember ever catching any of them inside her bedroom while she was in bed.

She wondered what could have happened to make him act so weird and get so angry, especially since he seemed to be in such a good mood about her the day before.

After she had successfully memorized and recited the three verses for him, Daniel hadn’t visited her until the next morning, when he had come to take her to greet the newcomers to whom he referred as “new knights''.

Maids had put makeup on her, attached shiny pins to her hair by making tiny braids here and there, then helped her put a long sleeved mustard colored dress on. It had a ribbon on one side of the waist and a layer of lace from her waist down to the middle of her shin. The dress was light, but too hot for the merciless sun that hit them when they got out of the car and stepped into the middle of the private airport, more like a huge clearing among trees and fields.

The whole procedure lasted about fifteen minutes. The men were all lined up close to the airplane, in a soldier's posture. They were wearing dark coveralls and saluted them briefly when they approached. Two of them seemed to get specially excited by seeing Belle, but didn't dare talk to her. After a brief speech from Daniel about loyalty, freedom, faith and patriotism, a bulky man approached him and she recognized Bruce, the guy she had seen with Diana and Ryan at the bar. He showed something to Daniel on a clipboard, while Corey stood beside him, interrupting him now and then to correct or add some information. After Daniel's approval, Bruce turned to lead the men to a van, but Corey escorted them both back to the palace right away.

Daniel had seemed satisfied with her performance as his supporting and obeying bride-to-be, and had treated her nice and well, taking her to see another garden and one of the kitchens, although she hadn't been able to meet Vanessa there.

His playful mood was gone now, though. He seemed to be enraged, on the verge of stabbing her as he had done to Coyote. Her heart was slamming her chest and she was feeling anxious and afraid.

-What are you doing here? -She frowned and his face contorted even more with anger.

-You were moaning his name again. -He spat the words. -A maid heard it and told Pelican. You nasty bitch, what kind of filthy dreams are you having?

Belle gulped and looked away. So Pelican wasn't trustworthy either. Good thing she had kept her walls up with him, since she had considered trying to bring him to their slowly growing resistance group. As Bob had let her know, that group had been building up for a while before she got there, and they identified each other by the motto she had heard before knowing what it meant: I'm with you. It was simple enough to not sound suspicious.

-I don't remember dreaming about anything… -She lied. -I think she misheard…

-Liar! Get the fuck up and let's pray, now. -He sprinkled saliva as he shouted on her face. -Now! Can't you hear me, you stupid whore?

Belle made all efforts to avoid rolling her eyes as she got up and paced toward the side of the fireplace, where there was a pit of sorts with stones in it.

-No, you'll kneel in glass tonight. -He pulled her by her biceps and looked around. -Where is that stupid woman?

-What do you mean by glass? -She was really confused by his words.

-I mean broken glass, you'll kneel in broken glass tonight, so you'll learn not to dream about that demon ever again.

Belle was baffled for a moment, then followed him as he headed for the door, looking for the maid.

-Listen to yourself, your lunatic! The other day you were vowing to me that you'd never hurt me, and now you're planning to do that to me? -She saw two men standing guard outside her door, but didn't know either. -And with the sole objective of teaching me not to dream about something! Are you stupid? How do you control what you dream about?

Daniel turned to face her with his cheeks and eyes red. The two men had turned to watch the exchange but quickly gave their backs to them at Daniel’s angry glare. He closed the door and took a deep breath to calm himself.

-You can't keep having those dreams about him. You need to take him from your mind. -He looked like he was on the verge of crying. -Why are you doing this to me, after everything I've done for you? I need you to get clean from those impure thoughts. I need you to behave as my wife, not some second handed whore. What do you think I should do to make you stop?

You could let me go, you crazy perverted. Belle stared at him for a while, then pressed her lips.

-I don't know, Daniel, but hurting me won't help you. -She shrugged. -It'll make me hate you, is that what you want?

She didn't believe she could hate him more than she already did, but he apparently was still unaware of it.

-You can't hate me. You're mine, as if you were flesh of my flesh. God gave you to me, you'll never walk away from me. -He said it as if it was obvious. -And you do deserve a punishment for dreaming of him!

They stared at each other, both looking like they thought the other was demented.

-Do you dream of your husband too? -He frowned after a while.

Belle was caught off guard. She always felt terrified when he asked about that, never knowing when he would find out that Ryan was alive and that he was the one who had played the part as her husband for months.

-W-What do you mean? -She tried to keep looking into his eyes, afraid that he could realize how scared she was.

-What is there not to understand? Do you dream of him too or not? -His impatient tone was a warning that he was about to burst again, but his expression smoothed as she shook her head vigorously. -Good. If you dreamed of him too, it would mean it was not only the demon. You'd be beyond mending.

-You shouldn't mind him. -Belle gulped down the knot in her throat. Her back was hurting from the tension. -You should let him be, he's not important.

-That is for me to decide, not you. Tell me his name and where to find him, and I'll forgive you for dreaming of the raping pig. -Belle just looked away. She had thought about it, and had even discussed it with Bob. If Daniel found out Ryan was alive, she, too, would be in danger. -Won’t you tell me? Then don't come and tell me I'm being paranoid, I'm gonna find him, even without your help, and when I do, I'm gonna tear him up inside out in front of you. Only then I'll know the truth, either through your mouth or through his.

Belle just shook her head, trying not to let any emotion show. Daniel looked like he wanted to beat her, but after a while huffed and shook his head too.

-But you're right… I must not make this decision with my emotions. I'll pray, and God will guide me about your punishment. -He looked tired and sad. Belle watched him while he rubbed his eyes vigorously and let out a grunt of annoyance. -Now go there and pray until morning. I'll come back to check if you're doing it right.

He pointed to the stones and waited until she got to her knees over them, then strode out of the room, banging the door at the wall.

Belle sat on the floor and waited. She would kneel only if she heard some noise at the door.

A couple of hours later, she was nodding off when the door opened without warning. Belle quickly got to her knees over the stones and pretended to be praying.

-Belle? Hi… -She immediately looked up when she recognized Corey's voice. -Daniel won't come, don't worry, I've convinced him to let me come check on you instead. I don't know why you did that, but apparently he believes we're enemies. That was clever, we will probably have more opportunities to talk, this way.

Belle stared at him blankly, trying not to show how angry she was to see him.

-I'm glad you're ok… He was out of control when he summoned me, I was afraid he had found out that Desmond is alive, or something worse. -He approached her and offered his hand to help her to her feet. She eyed his hand and then lifted her eyes to his, with a cold glare. -Are you ok?

-Corey, I don't know if you believe you're incredibly smart or if you just think I'm very stupid… But I'm not this naive. -She said, calmly. -What do you want? Why are you here?

Corey looked confused. He was still holding out his hand for her to take and just blinked a few times, with his eyebrows creased.

-I don't get it… Wasn't it just an act? Are you really angry at me? Why? -He struggled to keep his voice low and finally put his arm down. He took a few steps back, shaking his head. -Belle, I'm with you, you know that, don't you?

Belle was taken aback by him saying their motto, even if by accident. She'd have to talk with Lion and Bob about changing it.

-Belle… You can't be serious. -He looked like she had just punched him in the face.

-You were with him when he took me! You did absolutely nothing to stop him. -She got up and strode toward him. -You betrayed me, Ryan, Roy!

At the mention of the deceased cop, Corey closed his eyes and turned his head abruptly.

-Yes, at least you recognize that you are responsible for his death. He trusted you. Ryan trusted you... You betrayed every single one of your colleagues. -She repeatedly stabbed his chest with the tip of her index finger with all her might, to the point it hurt. -I, how stupid I am, I trusted you! Even after he told me I shouldn't. I even played a part in your perverse plan of making me say those things about him, and you almost made me tell Daniel where he lived, you're so cruel and disgusting and…

-Belle, no. -Corey's voice was strangled and quiet. -You're being so… So unfair.

-Am I? Why did you switch with Roy that night? Why did you break into Ryan's apartment? -She saw him tilting his head and narrowing his eyes, as if questioning how she knew about it. -And above anything else, why are you here? And don't try to say you're undercover, ‘cause, if that was the case, why wouldn't Ryan be aware of it?

-At least let me explain myself before concluding I'm a traitor.

-Go on, I can't go anywhere, anyway, can I? -She gave him her most condescending look.

Corey sighed and sat on the sofa, but Belle was still standing in front of him.

-First of all, I am undercover. It's complicated and you might conclude I betrayed Desmond, but I swear I wanted to help him, I mean, not help, I wouldn't meddle with evidence, but I knew that if I didn't take it, someone would, and it could be someone that didn't have as much respect as I do for him.

His words confused her, so, as much as she didn't want to, she found herself trying to hear and understand what he was telling her.

-About two years ago, I was invited to help in an investigation against Desmond. Samantha's death raised some eyebrows and put his reputation in check, especially because Andrews wouldn't let the subject die and kept coming with new accusations against him… I am kind of close friends with her. -He saw Belle's outraged expression and knew that his words were only feeding her hatred toward him. -I mean, not that I like her, but I care for her. Look Belle, it's not about her… It's just…

He looked like he wanted to go back in time and never mention the woman’s name.

-She has a sister… She's ill and I care a lot about her. -Corey sighed when Belle rolled her eyes and looked away. -She's very important to me, that's all. She's very important to Alyssa too. We're bound by that.

-So you've been plotting behind his back to help her destroy his career?

-On the contrary. I've been helping Riviera keep him on track so they can't shut him down. You have no idea how relieved I felt when I learned he'd have the opportunity to join WPP and retreat from that case. -He creased his eyebrows and gesticulated with his hands, although Belle couldn't understand his intentions. -It was draining him, and after he learned about your connection to Daniel, it became even worse, it was an intense obsession.

Belle's cheeks burned. She remembered when Ryan had told her that he had wished he hadn't saved her life when he had found that she was friends with Daniel.

-I had hopes that, being distracted by you and being away from the case for a while, he would calm down and stay low long enough for the dust to settle. But then there were the accusations of sexual abuse. Alyssa probably thought that I'd frame him somehow, but I have nothing against him, really, and I don't believe he deserves to be busted. Not for Samantha's death, anyway. -Corey seemed to be ashamed, but kept looking into her eyes. -He does a lot of wrong things, and I'm not gonna lie, I don't admire him as much as I did before I was aware of them, but he's a good man. He's not half as bad as Andrews paints him.

-Corey, I don't really care what you think of him. What are you doing here? -Belle sighed, then sat beside him.

-While I was investigating him, I found a line of evidence that he hadn't shared with us…. -He hesitated, seeming uncomfortable talking about it. - I've followed it, and now I'm here. To be honest I did it for my own benefit, I thought it would be easier to boost my career if I was the one responsible for closing it faster. So I shared what I found, omitting his investigation, and the director appointed me to a parallel team that had been working on the same thing, but hadn't managed to advance. I couldn't tell anyone, since we believe there’s a mole inside the JTTF. Only Riviera knows about me.

Belle narrowed her eyes. She found it very unlikely that someone with his rank would be appointed to a mission this big, even though she didn't really know how it worked.

-You may not believe me, I literally don't have any means to prove it, for my own safety. But that's the truth. -He pressed his lips. -The thing is, when I learned through a friend that Desmond was doing dangerous shit, trying to infiltrate a group of recruits, and, I have to tell you, I saved his ass a bunch of times, making sure Daniel or his headhunters never met him, I had to make him stop.

-By letting Daniel take me?

-By sending an ally to talk with him and convince him to back away. -The redhead shook his head vigorously. -To make him worry for you enough to ask to be removed. I just didn't expect him to kamikaze and send you alone. And to screw everything up by setting a trap for my friend. Daniel might kill her for the mess he made. God only knows why he decided to stay and plot for her to be brought back to the palace…

So it is exactly as I thought, your friend is Diana. And you didn't know that Ryan knew her. Belle thought to herself.

-The thing is, you two should be safe, somewhere else by now, and Desmond is the one to blame for you being here by now. -His face was red, but he kept his voice very low. -He should've sent you, at least, and I can't for the death of me understand why he took this long. Why did he leave you alone, anyway? I couldn't believe it when I found out about it!

-He tried to send me away, but Andrews has a creepy friend, or lover, or whatever, in the Marshals. He sabotaged it.

Corey's eyes opened wide. He didn't know. At least this.

-I'm sorry, I didn't know. I couldn't know. Do you know their name?

-Denovan. -She saw realization in his eyes and scoffed. -I see you know him. Your friend is the meanest woman I've ever met.

-She's not… I mean, she believes she has a reason for that. I've tried everything I could to change her mind, but Desmond doesn't help either. -Corey looked away, with his face all red. -Denovan is the wrong one in it, he shouldn't compromise his duty and your safety for their relationship's sake. It's wrong. I'm really sorry for what they did, Belle.

They sat in silence. Belle still didn't trust him. Daniel acted as if they were too close, he trusted him too much. They both started to talk at the same time, but Corey finished his question first.

-Why did he leave you alone, Belle? Why did he let you go and meet a drug dealer alone?

-I lied to him. -She said simply. It wasn't just because of the shame. She really didn't know if she could trust him, so she didn't want to give him any information about their life in Florida. -I told him I'd go to a friend's house, and I went to the store instead.

-Still… I can't understand how he made a mistake this big. He should've stopped you, he should've followed you. I gave him all the signs that Daniel was coming for you. Was he out of his mind? -He shook his head in disbelief. -That day, when I called him and you answered… By the way, how did you know I was in his apartment? Did he take you there?

-No. -She said simply. He insisted and she didn't see a problem in revealing the truth. -I heard him talking to Riviera about it. He was really mad when Denovan came after us and he said a bunch of things about you. One of them was that you had broken into his apartment and called him. I think she asked what you told him, but he said he didn't know, cause you had talked with me instead, and that you had tried to manipulate me into betraying him.

-I didn't want you to betray him, I wanted you to help me convince him to take you two out of Daniel's reach and protect my friend. -Corey quickly explained. -I wanted to ask you some questions too, but I guess now it wouldn't help me.

-What was it about? -She kicked herself internally for being so curious.

-It wouldn't help you either, Belle. -He sighed, clearly feeling uncomfortable. -I don't even think you'd know the answers, it would only bother you and probably make you feel bad. I just don't like that modus operandi of hiding things from you in order to protect you that Desmond has established.

Belle thought about it. It was probably something about Ryan or their relationship. She didn't want to share anything about it with Corey or Daniel, so she swallowed down her curiosity and focused on what really mattered.

-You're saying you're not loyal to Daniel, then? -She lifted her chin defiantly. -I heard you left this place more than once. Why didn't you ask for help? Why did you allow those things to happen here?

-Daniel keeps me close and on a short leash. I do what I can, I tried to call Desmond from his own computer at his place exactly because I knew it would be safe, but I didn't have a lot of time alone. I've made a mistake, should've called Riviera instead. I was afraid her phone could be tapped…

Belle kept silent. She didn't know if she should believe him or not.

-I need to ask you about something, Belle. -He reached out to touch her hand but she jerked away from him. -Daniel told me that you're planning to meet the investors. What is your intention with that?

-I don't have any plans. -She didn't even feel ashamed for lying, and did it looking straight into his eyes, without any remorse. -I just want to please Daniel so he'll stop hurting me, and I think he would be pleased if I met his investor and bid them goodbye. That's all.

-Belle, I know there's more to it. Tell me your plan, just so I can ensure it will work or explain to you why it wouldn't work. -He sighed and she glared at him. -You won't be able to leave this place with one of them. Believe me, it's impossible, the place is well guarded and the airplanes are searched right before departure. He'll make worse than hurting you if he catches you trying to sneak out, and he won't give you the opportunity to make it.

-You must indeed think I'm stupid. -She clicked her tongue and looked away. -Even if I had a plan, I wouldn't tell it to you.

-Why? -Corey didn't really seem to understand why she was acting so coldly toward him.

-I don't trust you. Go back to Daniel and tell him that you won't manipulate me again. -She bit her lower lip and felt a lump form on her throat. -Why didn't you tell him about Desmond?

-What do you mean?

-Why didn't you tell him that he's alive and that he was the one who was living with me? -She felt her face and eyes burn, the fear that he would use it as leverage to force her to tell him her plan, crushing her. Still, she needed to know. -I don't understand why you hid it from Daniel.

-Why, indeed? Why wouldn't I tell him about it, if I had any intention of betraying Desmond or helping Daniel? -Corey lifted one eyebrow.

-To gain my trust. -She lifted her chin.

-And what would I get from it, Ross? What power do you have to use against me, or to my advantage? Uh? Look… -He ran his fingers through his short red hair. -I'll tell you something: when I heard that they had managed to get you, I panicked. I lost it, but I had to keep my composure, so I locked myself inside the airplane's toilet, and then I threw up. Have you ever tried to throw up in silence? I had to.

Belle just stared at him for a few seconds, not knowing what to make of it. After she recovered her voice, she murmured.

-Why was that?

-Because I was afraid of what might happen to Desmond, and to you too, although I really don't believe Daniel would order someone to hurt you. Still, his followers aren't exactly disciplined, they could harm you by accident… -He looked blankly at the wall, seeming to be reliving the night. There were drops of sweat at his temples. -But Desmond… I was so afraid of what they'd do to him when he came after you, I was so sure he would be on their heels… I almost blew my cover, I insisted so many times that Daniel let me help them take you instead of Trevor, he told me that if I dared to keep questioning his orders he would have my tongue ripped out. I don't doubt he meant it.

Belle still didn't believe him. She stared at him, still wondering why he would hide the information about Ryan, if he was on Daniel's side. It didn't make sense. She started to question herself, to question Ryan's judgment about Corey. Maybe he had been wrong. Maybe his impressions about the man were based on the fact that Corey had been indeed lying to him all the while, since he had been investigating him for years now.

-I still don't trust you. -She shook her head. -But I don't want to fight you, if you want to talk, I'll listen.

-I'll take that… Just, please, don't do something dangerous, alright? And be careful of who you trust in. -He was clearly defeated. -Look, I know you won't believe me, but I've built this community here…

And then, to her surprise, he explained the resistance group exactly as Bobcat had done, word by word. Her heart sank. Maybe everything she had hoped for had been nothing but a trap. Maybe Daniel knew about every member of their small group and was just waiting for them to make a mistake to dismantle and destroy them. Maybe his plan was exactly to identify enemies infiltrated. And she had just given information about her, and about Ryan to two of those, and they could try to use them to negotiate their chances of survival.

Or maybe it was even worse. Maybe they weren't Daniel's enemies at all. Maybe they were just acting. Ryan had told her countless times how terrible at judging character she was. She could've been fooled.

Still, Bobcat and Corey, both of them knew about Ryan, and Daniel didn't know about it. Or maybe he did and was just pretending he didn't, testing her, to see how long she would take to tell him. No. This was impossible. Daniel would indeed try to test her about a lot of things, but she didn't believe that would be the case with Ryan. If he knew about him, he would've sent his dogs for him and would be torturing her about it nonstop.

-Corey… If you're really not on their side, why didn't you stop this yet? Why haven't you dismantled this place yet? Daniel trusts you. Why haven't you taken advantage of it?

-I can't do this alone! I don't know where we are, Belle. -He sighed. -I'm trying. I really am. There's only one computer in this whole place that has access to the internet. It's located near here, one floor up, and I've managed to conquer enough of his trust to get access to it, but it's not that simple. I can't go there alone. The men responsible for the security there are loyal to him. And it's not like I'd gain anything from getting in, I have nothing I can transmit to help them find us.

He went on to explain that when he was still at the precinct, they had tried to find where the messages on their Deep Web blogs were sent from, but it had traced back to China, or Africa, or India, or Russia, or small countries, so he didn't believe it would do any good to simply go and send a message asking for help. They needed to know the coordinates.

-But the employees call their family, can't they track the calls? -She almost choked on her words, as she remembered she shouldn't know about it.

When Corey didn't show any signs of surprise about it, she guessed Bob had told him what he had told her about the palace. It hurt to know that she shouldn't trust the man that had kept her sanity almost intact over the last week.

-The palace starts all the calls. It's also untraceable. They use a third part to connect the lines, so when we track it down, we get to a shell company in India, not the original caller. -Corey shook his head. -And it's very hard for us to find employees’ families too, if I'm not wrong, we only had one family contributing to the investigations and, guess what? The man was found dead in a roadside hotel’s bed two months later. Overdose.

That information made her wanna cry. She remembered her nightmare, when she had to watch Ryan kill Bill, making it look like an overdose. Corey reached out and took her hand. Surprisingly, she didn't feel like pushing away.

-I'm sorry for everything you're going through, Belle. I want to get out of here alive and take you with me, I really do. -She stared into his eyes, but no matter how much she tried, she couldn't tell if she should or not trust him. -But we need to work together, and you need to believe me when I say that I'm by your side, not his.

Belle thought about it. There was nothing she could do, she'd have to keep an eye on him, and in Bob, to be sure about Corey's intentions.

But one thing was certain, there was nothing to gain from having him as her enemy, or at least letting him know that she saw him like that. So instead of fruitlessly confronting him over and over, she decided to take another path.

She thought about a passage from one of her favorite books, which led her to another, from the same series. The first passage was from “Faith of the Fallen”, by Terry Goodkind. The most important rule there is, the Wizard's Sixth Rule: the only sovereign you can allow to rule you is reason.

It meant she had to swallow down whatever bad feelings she had toward Corey and use her head instead. Traitor or not, he had information and power she would need to have access to, or avoid. If he thought she was his friend, and that she believed he was working on her behalf, even if his intentions weren't good, he'd have to pretend they were, and she could take advantage of it.

The second passage was Wizard's Fifth rule, in “Soul of the Fire”. Mind what people do, not only what they say, for deeds will betray a lie.

With all this in mind, she looked into his eyes and gave him a weak smile, nodding slightly. Corey's face transformed into a smile full of relief, and he reached out to hug her, but stopped immediately.

-It was true, wasn't it? -He got up and put some space between them.

-What? -She tilted her head, feeling confused.

-I thought Desmond was just being jealous, but you really hate being touched, don't you?

Belle nodded. It was almost certain that Bob had told him everything they had talked about. She decided there was nothing to lose from getting confirmation.

-Did Bob tell you that? -She sighed.

-Bobcat? -He frowned. His smile was gone in a blink of an eye. -Did he do something to you? Did he push the limit with you?

She shook her head, now even more confused.

-I believe he's one of us, but to be honest, I don't know much about him out of here. He seems to be a good fellow, but let me know if he bothers you, I can make Daniel send him to another floor.

-No, he doesn't mistreat me, I'd prefer if he stays.

-I can make this happen too… I can't get him to come everyday, it would look suspicious, could put him in the spotlight, but I can make him be appointed to come more often. -He assumed a professional posture. -Someone else in mind?

-No. He's not my friend. I just don't dislike him. -She feared she had just put Bob in Daniel's aim. Apparently he wasn’t directly related to Corey.

-He talks a lot. And he's funny, you should encourage him to talk, he really seems to be trustworthy. Just don't talk about our meetings, ok? -He shrugged. -If you can get me the names of the ones you dislike, I'll see what I can do to keep them away from here.

She nodded, trying to decide if that would be a good way of testing his intentions.

-I want Pelican out. -She bit her lower lip.

-Consider it done. Go have some sleep, Belle. Don't worry about Daniel, if he changes his mind about coming here, I'll let you know in advance. I'll order the maids not to come either, until morning. -He murmured it and headed for the door. -Goodnight, and thank you for the chance of proving my innocence to you.

Belle just nodded again and he got out. She waited for a long time, but no one came in, and she was exhausted.

Assuming he would be true to his word anyway, either to gain her trust or because he was really on her side, she laid down there, on the sofa, and fell asleep almost immediately.

 

Gosh im finish already..agony to wait for next week..im really excited. To know about corey. And belle dream of ryan ease me a bit.. Thank you

 

Was it a dream? Did Belle dream about dancing with Ryan or was she recalling a memory of the 3 days that Ryan called in sick to be able to spend more time with her? I always had it in the back of my mind if Ryan would dance with Belle at Magda's wedding or some time sooner.
Another great chapter, our dear author didn’t disappoint us.

I wonder if the “line of evidence” that Ryan hadn’t shared has something to do with the investigation on Belle’s father? If you all remember in chapter 59 of Book 2, Ryan had a huge file on Belle’s father and was contemplating burning it ? He also suggested that he had kept this from Riviera. And I believe that we also got some information that Belle’s father and Daniel’s father were business partners at some point early on in Belle’s life. Maybe my fertile imagination is getting stirred, but could Belle’s father have been involved with founding the terrorist group that Daniel is now leading? Did Ryan withhold that information from his investigation to protect Belle?

 

Agree, it’s going to feel like an eternity until the next update

 

So I was kinda figuring it out right this whole time huhhh

 

I hope author can clarify this soon