Equinox Security Bonus Chapters

Jacob

Sitting in the meeting room, listening to the CO debrief the team was excruciatingly mundane. Same thing, different meeting, except this was my last. I couldn’t wait to leave this shit hole and go home, never having to come back. I finished my last deployment, decided to tap out, and felt incredibly relieved. Too much nasty shit has happened at my hands, and I’m done with the whole thing. I can’t do it anymore.

“Wheels up in 2 hours, gentlemen. Thank you for your service,” Turner said before dismissing us, and I had to stop myself from shouting at him. He’s a good guy, been in his role forever it seemed, but he just didn’t get it. He would admit himself he had hardened his heart to the shit we have to do in this service, but not all of us can push it away and ignore it like he does.

Mia was my saving grace during my whole time in service. Knowing she was at home waiting for me and believing in me makes me believe in myself, even though I know I shouldn’t feel that way. She’s always been my shining light ever since the very first day she was brought into the children’s home at five years old. The memory of that day surged to the surface of my mind.

I was watching the doors, aware that there were going to be new arrivals today. We had three beds empty, and the government hated it, so Mrs Bentley told us at breakfast three new children would be coming to live here. As one of the oldest in the home, I took it upon myself to help them get settled in. I’ve been here for five years and no one has ever considered me for adoption. Most people want babies or infants. That much was clear even then, but more so now that I’m older and understand it more. When the doors to the large room where they kept the beds opened, there were two infants and a young girl around four or five. The poor girl was sobbing, clutching a small bunny in her hand, and my heart broke for her. Her eyes darted around the large room, and the look of pure fear on her face had me moving towards her. I crossed the room quickly and cautiously so I didn’t spook her. Mrs Bentley bent down and spoke to her. As I got closer, I heard what she said.

“Hello Mia, my name is Mrs Bentley. I look after everyone here, you are safe here little one,” she said, but the look on Mia’s face said she didn’t believe her.

“Where’s my mommy? Where’s my daddy?” Mia asked, tears streaming down her face. Mrs Bentley looked at the two ladies who came in with them and glared her signature glare.

“Has this poor child not been told what happened to her parents?” she asked them in a growly voice I’ve only ever heard twice in my whole time here.

“No, she is still unaware,” one of them replied, and Mrs Bentley got very angry, but her face softened when she saw me approaching.

“Jacob, sweetie, would you show Mia where her bed is? She’s right next to you and I’ll be right back, I promise,” she said, and I nodded and stepped closer to Mia.

“Hello little one, I’m Jacob. I promise you are safe. I will never let anything happen to you,” I said, and she smiled a small and brief smile. “Come with me. Mrs B will be right back, and she will explain everything.” She gave me a small nod and reached for my hand, which I took, and from that moment on, I vowed I would protect her, and I always will.

I shook my head to clear the memory and focused on what I needed to do: pack up and ship out, get home, complete my pass-out parade, then go see Mia in New York for a few weeks.

************************************

Two weeks later

Driving onto the campus of Columbia university I took in the amount of people wandering around. I followed the directions to Mia’s building and pulled into an empty parking space. Shutting off the engine of my truck, I grabbed my phone and sent her a message to let her know I was here.

“Finally made it, you done with classes yet?” I sent with a massive smile on my face as I watched the little dots dance across the screen as she replied.

“Shit, I have forty-five minutes left. You’re early, Dawson. There’s a coffee shop 5 minutes away from my building if you want to wait there?” she replied, and I scoffed at the audacity.

“Serioulsy Costello, coffee?”

“LOL, there’s a bar ten minutes away, just off campus. I’ll be back at my building in an hour”

I laughed and started the truck. I knew which bar she meant, having passed it on my way in, so I pulled out and headed in that direction.

Upon entering the bar, I noticed there weren’t too many people here. A few groups of people here and there, one group playing darts. I went straight to the bar and took a seat, and waited for the barmaid to come to me.

“What can I get you?” An absolutely gorgeous woman asked. I couldn’t help myself from checking her out. She was stunning. She had the bluest of blue eyes, long brown hair, and a pair of ample breasts. “Um, buddy, my eyes are up here. Are you ordering a drink, or are you just here to ogle women?” She sasses at me and man if it wasn’t the cutest thing I’ve seen in a while.

“Sorry, but you’re gorgeous and I’m only human,” I say, and I watch as she blushes and fights a smile. “I’ll take a bottle of Bud and a whiskey chaser and take one for yourself,” I tell her, and she gets to work grabbing my drinks. She pours two shots of whiskey and opens a Bud and places it in front of me. She takes one whiskey and knocks it straight back before smiling at me, then moving down the bar to serve someone else. I tried not to watch her, but she made it impossible. I must have watched her for a good ten minutes before some blonde bimbo stepped up next to me, blocking her from my sight.

“Hey there sexy, wanna join me for a quick fuck?” The bimbo asked, and I nearly choked on my beer. Was this woman for real?

“Excuse me?” I say, completely taken aback by her brashness.

“I said, do you want to join me for a quick fuck?” she repeated, and I laughed.

“Oh, I heard what you said, but I wasn’t sure if I heard you right,” I said. This girl screamed slut and that type of girl was not for me.

“So, do you want to?” she asks again.

“Um, no, I don’t,” I tell her, and I hear the barmaid chuckle.

“Excuse me?” the girl asks.

“I didn’t stutter, did I?” I say, and this time the barmaid barks out a laugh.

“What does that even mean?” The girl asks, and before I got a chance to reply, the barmaid speaks.

“He’s not interested, honey,” the barmaid says, and the girl turns on her.

“Stay the fuck out of it, of course he wants me, everyone wants me,” the girl says, and I laugh.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t. I’m not interested,” I say, and the girl squeals, stomps her foot, and then walks away. The barmaid takes one look at my face and laughs before pouring me another whiskey.

“Did that seriously just happen?” I asked her, and she laughed.

“Unfortunately, it did. It happens here a lot with her. She likes to get around, if you know what I mean,” she says quietly but with a chuckle.

“Wow, I thought so, but okay then.” I say as my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out and see it’s a message from Mia. She’s on her way home. “How much do I owe you?” I asked the barmaid, and she brought me a receipt.

I pull out the cash and leave her a big tip before getting up to leave. “Thanks for the drinks, beautiful,” I said, flashing her a smile before I left the bar and headed back towards Mia’s building. Pulling up outside, I park and get out, and that’s when she sees me.

“Jake” she screams as she sprints towards me. She drops her bags as she gets closer, then throws herself into my open arms. God, my heart feels lighter just being in her presence.

“How you been, squirt?” I asked her as I held her close.

“I’m a grown ass woman now, Dawson. I haven’t been a squirt in a long time,” she sasses me, making me laugh. Putting her down, I stepped back and really looked at her.

“Hi babe, god I’ve missed you,” I tell her, and she smiles.

“I’ve missed you too, meathead. Come on, let’s get inside,” she said, turning and grabbing her bags off the floor. I grab my duffle bag and follow behind her.

We entered her building and headed up to her floor. She walks us to her room and unlocks the door before motioning for me to follow. I entered her dorm, and it was bigger than I expected it to be. I knew she had a roommate, but I was expecting it to be a tiny living space, but it was practically studio sized.

“Want a beer?” She asked, and I smiled.

“Sure. Where’s your roommate?” I asked as she handed me a beer.

“She’s at work right now, but she gets off in an hour. So how does it feel finally being out? I’m sorry I couldn’t come down to tap you out,” she says, and I smile. I had to have a buddy of mine tap me out as I have no family and Mia couldn’t leave so close to finals.

“Being out is great, although I’m not sure where I’m headed or what I’m going to do just yet, but I needed to leave. I couldn’t take much more,” I tell her honestly, but I leave out the details. She doesn’t need to know what I did.

“What happened, Jake? You loved serving. I thought you would be in for life?” she asks.

“Things change Mia, I no longer agreed with certain things I was being asked to do and that shit changes a person, don’t get me wrong I still love tech and using it to help people but I had to leave for my sanity,” I tell her and she crosses to me immediately.

“You’re okay, right?” She asks and I nod, hoping she can’t see in my face that I’m actually far from fine. “You would tell me if there was something wrong, right?”

“I’m good, Mia, and yes, I would. I tell you everything, don’t I?” I say with a laugh, and she stares at me. Please don’t push this Mia I need time. I prayed in my head, and she finally took a step back.

“Okay, but I’m watching you, Dawson,” she says, and I breathe a sigh of relief. “So tell me, what do you want to do? We can go out. There’s a party over at a frat house, or we can order in and watch a movie. Carly won’t be here. She has a date, so we have the place to ourselves if you just want to relax tonight,” she says, and I smile as I’m in no mood for drunk college idiots.

“How about we order in tonight and catch up, then I’ll take you out tomorrow?” I say, and she laughs and points to the drawer to the right of the small sink.

“Menus are in there. Pick what you want. I’m just going to change into some sweats,” she says before walking down to what I assumed was her bedroom.

I walked to the drawer and pulled out the menus before heading to the couch and taking a seat. Flipping through them, I decided on Chinese. As I was browsing the menu, the door to Mia’s dorm flew open and someone I assumed was Carly was shouting her name. My head turned to find the gorgeous barmaid from the bar standing in the doorway.

“Holy shit!” she says when she clocks me sitting on her couch. “Mia” she shouts again. As Mia walks down the small hallway.

“What the hell, Car? Why are you shouting?” she asked her friend, who still hadn’t taken her eyes off me.

“I need to talk to you,” was all she said, finally taking her eyes off me and looking at Mia.

“Okay, but that still doesn’t explain the shouting,” Mia says, and I chuckle. “Shit, I forgot. Jake, this is my roommate and best friend, Carly. Car, this is my Jake,”

“Hello again,” I say, and she whips her head towards me, but she doesn’t seem too happy.

“Hi sorry, but I need her,” Carly replied before dragging Mia down the hallway. Laughing, I got up to grab another beer from the fridge, and I could hear them talking.

“Holy shit, Mia, you didn’t tell me he was that hot”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t exactly look at him like that. He’s my brother, for God’s sake,” Mia replied, and I had to stifle a laugh. “Why exactly were you shouting?”

“Well, I wanted to tell you about this gorgeous guy who came into the bar, but I walk in here and he’s sat on my fucking couch,” Carly exclaimed.

“How the hell did you not recognise him, Car? His photo is in the lounge and has been for nearly five years. You walk past it every day.”

“I don’t pay attention to shit like that, Mia. Come on now, you know this about me,”

“So what about it?” Mia asked her.

“What about what?”

“Fucking hell, Car, have you been drinking or working? What about the hot guy did you want to tell me?”

“I can’t tell you now!”

“Why not?”

“Well, how will you feel when I say I wanted to climb him like a damn tree?” she said, and Mia groaned, but my cock twitched in my pants.

“No, just no. That’s gross, Car. That’s my brother”

“Exactly, but holy hell, girl, the dirty things my mind conjured up,” Carly said, then I heard the distinct sound of a slap.

“Stop, just stop. Right now,” Mia says as Carly is laughing. The sound does something to me. It’s so beautiful. I walk away and sit back down, not needing to hear more, and I get back to looking at the menu.

About ten minutes later, Mia walked back into the lounge, shaking her head but with a smile on her face. She plops herself down next to me and takes the menu from my hand.

“What did you decide?” she asked.

“My usual, if you remember what that is,” I say, bumping my shoulder against hers, making her laugh.

“Of course I remember. I’ll go order it,” she says, getting up to go grab her phone.

Carly came back into the kitchen, and she had changed into a deep blue dress, and she looked gorgeous, and I couldn’t stop myself from checking her out and imagining that dress on my bedroom floor.

“See something you like?” She asks, and it took me a couple of minutes to actually reply.

“You’re stunning, so yes,” I say, and I wink at her, and she blushes. Mia chooses that moment to walk into the room.

“So you’re still going to the frat party?” Mia asks her, and she laughs.

“Of course I’m going, not all of us a boring spinsters like you Mia”

“I’m not a spinster. I just prefer a small bar to a house full of asshole frat boys who are only after one thing,” Mia says.

“James isn’t like that, Mia, he’s a good guy,” Carly replied, and it instantly had my back up, and I had no clue why.

“Yeah, so you said. Just be careful, Car, and call if you need me okay,” she says, and Carly hugs her.

“You know I will. I’ll try not to wake you when I come in. See you both later,” she says, then leaves the dorm, and Mia sighs.

“What’s wrong?” I ask her.

“It’s nothing, really. I just don’t trust James. He gives me weird vibes, but she seems to like him. I just hope I’m wrong,” she says with a shrug. Slightly concerned now, I wondered whether we should go to that party after all, but Mia didn’t seem too worried, so I let it go.

Grabbing two more beers from the fridge, she walked to the couch and passed me one. She grabs the remote and turns on the tv and goes straight to Netflix. She finds our favourite movie, which makes me smile, and she hits play. Twenty minutes into the movie, the food arrived, and we just ate out of the cartons, sharing like we used to. A peace settled over me the longer I was in her presence, and I felt lighter than I had in years. We had finished eating and had watched the film and were just settling to watch another when her phone rang. She answered it by putting it on speaker.

“Car, what’s wrong?”

“Mia, help me,” she slurred down the phone, and we both jumped up.

“Where are you, babe?”

“Party, bathroom, feel funny,” she replies, and I grab my keys and head for the door.

“Text me the address of this party, Mia. Try to keep her talking,” I say and leave Mia’s dorm absolutely fuming. I jumped in my truck as my phone beeped, and I headed straight for the frat house, praying she would be okay and that I got there in time.

Carly

Today had been a hell of a day to add to a hell of a week, and I was looking forward to the party later tonight. James wasn’t exactly my type. I tended not to go for frat boys because they were only after one thing: getting laid. James seemed different to the rest of them, though, and that’s how he managed to wear me down and agree to this date. I wish Mia was going to the party, but her best friend Jacob was visiting, so I highly doubt she will come with me, but I knew this when I agreed to the date with him. I was wiping down the bar, counting down the minutes until I could get out of here when the door opened and a drop dead gorgeous guy walked in. He caught my immediate attention, and it seemed everyone else in the bar also turned to watch him as he walked towards the bar. Taking his order, I poured his drink and the one he offered me. When I downed it in one, he gave me a small smirk that I immediately felt in my core, making me suppress a moan. I immediately moved to other customers, trying not to look back at him. I could feel his eyes on me, which made me smile. That was until Britney walked over and asked him to fuck her. She is so fucking brazen it makes me sick. She’s in here every day and she sleeps with literally everyone. When he turned Britney down, it was the funniest thing I had seen in a while, the look on her face was of pure shock that he didn’t want her, then turned to pure fury, turning her into her usual toddler self because she didn’t get what she wanted. His face looked completely shocked, like something like that didn’t happen to him much. Which I found very hard to believe, he was gorgeous.

After he left the bar, I couldn’t stop thinking about him, and I couldn’t wait to get home and tell Mia about him. Imagine how shocked I was to find him sitting on my damn couch, looking hot as hell. After a brief but heated conversation with Mia about the guy who turned out to be her best fucking friend. I paid closer attention to what I was going to wear. Knowing how it makes me look, I made sure to wear my blue dress. I don’t know what I was hoping for, really, but the reaction he had made me smile and did things to me that James hadn’t stirred at all. Even knowing that, I still left and headed to the frat party.

I messaged James to tell him I had arrived, and he met me out front. There were people everywhere out front, and inside was even worse. There were people dancing and making out pretty much everywhere I turned. James pulled me into the large kitchen, and there were people playing beer pong. James let go of my hand and passed me a drink, which I took. I don’t normally drink out of Solo cups, but I didn’t want to seem ungrateful, so I took a small drink. He then dragged me over to his friends who were playing beer pong and introduced me. I’d met most of them before, but I hadn’t met a couple of them. There were a couple of girls I’d seen before and a few I hadn’t, hanging off the guys, and they looked a little worse for wear considering how early it was.

“Wanna play, Carly?” James asks me.

“Yeah, why not” I say, and join in.

We played for a while before I started to feel a little weird. I excused myself and headed toward the bathroom. I stumbled toward the stairs and headed up, which I found really hard to do. My coordination was all over the place, and I hadn’t even had that much to drink. Everything was spinning, and I nearly fell, but I managed to keep myself upright by clinging onto the banister. Finally, I made it to the top, and I stumbled down the hallway towards the bathroom. Finding it empty, I got inside and shut and locked the door before stumbling to the sink. I turned on the cold water and splashed my face, but it didn’t help any. I pulled my phone out of my pocket as the room spun violently, so I slid myself down to the floor and asked Siri to call Mia.

I vaguely remember speaking to her and telling her I felt unwell and needed help, but I couldn’t tell how long ago that was. Time seemed to have lost all meaning. Hearing the bathroom door open and close and someone walking towards me scared the crap out of me. I had no idea who it was, and my head was spinning so fast that I could barely open my eyes.

“Look at you, so beautiful, lying there defenceless. I’m going to ruin you,” the voice said. I felt hands on me and I tried to push them off, but I could barely move. “No, no, don’t try to move. It won’t help you, you’re at my mercy now,” the voice said, and I tried like hell to get my body to cooperate, but it wasn’t working. I hoped Mia got here quickly before this guy hurt me. The guy started to pull my dress down, and I tried to get my body to fight him off, but I couldn’t make it do anything. He bit my nipple hard and I couldn’t even cry out from the pain. He moved his hands down my body into my panties when someone shouted my name from the other side of the door.

“Fuck off, she’s busy,” the guy growled. Then, not two seconds later, the bathroom door burst off its hinges and Jake stood there absolutely fucking raging. I prayed this was real and not something my mind had conjured.

“Mother fucker!” Jake growled as he stormed towards us, then the guy’s weight was off me. I couldn’t move my head, but I heard fighting, and I hoped Jake was okay. “What did you give her?” “Fuck you, asshole,” smack. “What the fuck did you give her? Answer me now?” “Ket, it was Ket,” smack, “Lose her number, if you ever contact her again or breathe the same air as her, I will fucking find you and I will kill you,” smack, smack. I then felt hands on me, but they were gentle this time.

“Hey it’s just me, Jake. You’re safe. I’ve got you,” he said as he pulled my dress back up my body, then wrapped something around me before picking me up. I sighed when he picked me up, knowing I was safe now and he would get me home. He carried me through the sea of bodies growling at them to move, and I’d never felt safer in my life, and I finally allowed my mind to rest.

*********************

When I next opened my eyes, I found I was in my room, and Mia was pacing beside my bed and Jake was checking my temperature and my pulse.

“What happened?” I asked, and they both shot their eyes at me.

“Oh my god, Car, you scared the crap out of me. Some guy spiked you with ketamine. Can you move yet?” She asked, and I tried to move my arm. It worked, but my movements were sluggish. They both helped me to sit up as I couldn’t do it myself.

“That’s good you couldn’t move at all when Jake brought you home. Are you hurt?”

“A little?” I say my speech still a little slurred.

“Where?” she asked, and I turned my head to look at Jake.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go and make some coffee,” he said before leaving my bedroom and shutting the door behind him.

“Where are you hurt, Car?” she asked again, and I sluggishly moved my arm to my dress to show her. Recognizing my intention, she helps me lower one strap. She gasps when she sees the bite mark before jumping up and leaving the room. She returned two minutes later with our first aid kit and gently she cleans where the guy bit me before covering it with gauze and taping it down. “Who did this Car? Was it James?” she asks, covering me back up.

“I dont know. I was pretty out of it, I tried to fight him off, but my body wouldn’t do what I wanted. He said he was going to ruin me, Mia, who the fuck does something like that?” I say as Jake knocks on the door.

“Come in, Jake, it’s okay,” Mia says, and Jake walks in carrying three mugs of coffee and a bag of ice. He placed the drinks on my dresser before turning to us. I tried, but I couldn’t read his face.

“All okay? Do we need a doctor?” He asks softly, and I shake my head.

“No doctors. I’ll be fine. Did you hurt yourself?” I asked as I looked at the ice he held to his hand.

“It’s nothing, you sure you don’t want a doctor to check you over?” He asked, clearly not happy with my answer.

“I’m sure. I still feel a bit funny, but at least I can move my limbs again. I never want to feel that way ever again,” I tell them.

“It looked like you were in a K-hole,” I told her.

“A what?” Mia asked.

“A K-hole is a symptom of ketamine. You lose control of certain things, like the ability to move, and it alters your way of thinking.”

“I just felt funny, so I went to the bathroom. When I felt worse, I called you, I think, I’m not sure, but I must have. Anyway, then the guy, whoever he was, came in and started to touch me,” I tell them, but I watch Jake. His reaction was pure fury, and I swear I heard him growl.

“Did he, um, sorry Car, but did he rape you, honey?” Mia asks, and I shake my head no.

“It was close, way too close,” I tell her, and my body shudders at the thought of what could have happened to me tonight.

“We need to get you into some warmer clothes. Do you want to come watch a movie with us or stay here?”

“I don’t want to be alone right now,” I say weakly. Hating how that sounded coming from my mouth, but right now I need to be with them.

“That’s okay, I’ll help you get changed, then Jake can help you into the lounge,” Mia says, taking charge.

Jake leaves again, taking our drinks with him, and Mia helps me out of my dress and into some sweats and a hoodie. Which was no easy feat, considering my coordination was severely lacking right now. Mia called Jake in and left me sitting on the edge of my bed.

“Hey” he said, walking into the room.

“Hi” I replied shyly.

“I’m going to touch you to pick you up, okay? It’s just me. I would never hurt you,” he says, and a tear slips down my cheek. He gently wipes it away with his thumb. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” he says, leaning down and gently picking me up. He’s so sweet. He carried me to the couch that Mia had opened out into a bed, and he gently laid me down right in the middle.

“You okay? Comfy? Do you need anything?” He asked.

“Got her covered, Jakey,” Mia says as she walks around and places a bottle of water, my coffee, some Advil, and my favourite snacks next to me.

“Love you, Mia,” I say, and she smiles.

“Love you too, honey,” she says before grabbing more things from our kitchen before settling next to me. “I should have come with you,” she said, and I sluggishly shook my head.

“It’s not your fault, Mia. You couldn’t have known, hell, I didn’t even know this would or even could happen to me. But thanks to you and Jake, I’m here and I’m safe,” I tell her, and she sighs.

“I think we need to report this Car, it could happen to others.”

“I have no idea who the hell it was, Mia, just a blurry outline of someone,” I say as Jake walks back to the couch after changing. I didn’t even realise he had left.

“I’m pretty certain I broke his face, it wouldn’t take much to find the guy,” Jake said as he sat down on my other side. “He was about 5’6 had brown hair, was wearing dark blue jeans and a blue hoodie,” he says, and Mia gasps, and I shake my head.

“He wouldn’t.” I say.

“Car, it could be him?” Mia says.

“Who? What’s his name?” Jake asks.

“Justin Porter. Hes had a thing for her for years,” Mia tells him.

“Well, if he turns up with a busted face, you know it was him,” Jake said, but I knew it had to be him. He’s been a thorn in my side for a long time, and he doesn’t seem to take no for an answer. My phone buzzed with a message, and Mia read it before I could.

“It’s from James asking where you are,” she says, and I sigh.

“Tell him I wasn’t feeling well and have come home,” I tell her but it pings again with another message.

“Someone told him you had been carried out of the party by a huge guy,” she says with a bark of laughter.

“Tell him I’m home and I’m okay. Then turn it off,” I tell her, and she does just that. “Pick a movie and pass me my coffee, please”

Jake passes me my coffee, and Mia picks a movie before going and shutting off the main light. We all sit watching the movie, but I’m not really paying much attention. I finish my coffee, and Jake takes the mug from my hands, placing it on the coffee table. I thank him with a small smile, and he flashes me one back before turning to watch the movie. Mia links her hand with mine and leans her head against my arm. Knowing she’s here with me helps, but Jake’s presence also made me feel so much safer.

I don’t know when it happened, but I ended up turning into him and resting my head on his chest. He put his arm around me and rubbed gentle circles on my back until I felt sleep pulling me under. My final thought was that I needed to know this man, and I also needed to find a way to thank him for what he had done for me tonight.