Chapter 201 Complicating Matters

“I thought you said this was the easy part?” Ashleigh sighed into the phone.

“It should have been!” Clara replied in her defense. “Most people don’t lock down basic memory cards like Fort Knox!”

“It doesn’t make sense….” Ashleigh said. “He was worried about someone getting ahold of it, so he had to have believed there was a way to get the files open without his passwords.”

“Well… it’s possible it doesn’t need his passwords,” Clara said.

“You literally just said it’s locked down.”

“Yes, and it is,” she replied. “But it’s possible that it’s only locked down because of where it’s being opened.”

“What does that mean?” Ashleigh sighed, irritation seeping into her voice. She wasn’t used to all this technology, wasn’t it supposed to make things simpler? Instead, it just seemed to be complicating matters for her.

“It means that the memory card might be formatted to only be accessible on the hidden partition,” Clara said, turning the small black device in her palm. “It would be the safest way to secure his files.”

“Ok, and have you had any luck cracking that lock?” Ashleigh asked.

“Nope,” Clara stated flatly. “I have a few ideas, but honestly, I think it will take time to get through. Like, a month, minimum… unless….”

“I’m not asking Caleb for Cain’s passwords,” Ashleigh said. “He trusts me enough to let me do this without him. But if I ask him for anything else, especially a way to access a hidden file he didn’t know about… he won’t be able to help himself.”

“Are you sure it’s best not to get him involved?” Clara asked.

“We can’t,” Ashleigh said. “Not yet.”.

Ashleigh sighed. She had debated it again and again. But every time she questioned it, the answer remained the same. Without the whole story, Caleb would be left with more anger than understanding.

He might not blame her father for Cain’s death, but he would go after Tomas. If she couldn’t provide him with clear evidence of Tomas’ guilt, he wouldn’t be able to hold him accountable without causing a war between the packs.

And Fiona… Ashleigh wasn’t sure what Fiona knew exactly, but if Ashleigh confirmed Tomas’ involvement in Cain’s death… there was no telling what Fiona would do.

“No,” Ashleigh repeated. “We need to figure this out on our own.”

“Alright, if that’s what you think is best, I’m down… but it will take time.”

“I understand,” Ashleigh said. “Now, I have a question.”

“What’s up?”

“You said that the memory card would only open on a Summer computer, right? And the partition, I assume it only exists on Cain’s computer?”

“Yes…ish?” Clara replied. “So, yes, the memory card needs to recognize our systems to open. That being said, if it is formatted to the partition, it would recognize that partition as a Summer system.”

“Ok…”

“But as far as the partition only existing on one computer… that isn’t accurate,” Clara continued.

“So, this device works as a lock but also a bridge. Alpha Cain’s partition exists in the network somewhere. But, it lives in its own little black hole hidden away from prying eyes or snooping analysts. This device is the only way to access it.”

“So, it wouldn’t need Cain’s computer to use it?” Ashleigh asked.

“It wouldn’t actually need a Summer computer at all,” Clara said. “These devices connect through a USB. So it just needs to be plugged in.

“Summer provides the electricity and internet for all the packs, which means they are all indirectly connected to the Summer networks. Once this guy is plugged into any computer, as long as you have the password, boom, instant access to Alpha Cain’s hidden partition.”

“So, Tomas must have known about the partition… or at least Cain thought he knew. That’s why he wanted this protected.”

“Tomas… Alpha Tomas?” Clara asked.

“Shit…” Ashleigh groaned. “Listen, you can’t tell anyone….”

“Ashleigh, I am already bound to secrecy. So whatever you tell me is between us… but… really? Alpha Tomas has something to do with what happened to Alpha Cain?”

“Yea…” Ashleigh replied. “I will tell you everything, but not yet, ok?”

“Alright, I trust you.”

“Thanks, Clara.”

They said their goodbyes, and Clara went back to work, trying to figure out how to decipher the password for the partition.

Ashleigh sat quietly on her bed once they had hung up the call. Something was bothering her.

“He wanted it protected…” she whispered.

She thought back to what her father had told her about the night of Cain’s death. He had begged Wyatt to destroy the tree and him with it. Made it clear he didn’t want his body found.

“Why didn’t he keep it?” she asked, standing up from the bed and pacing around the room. “Why did he give it to dad and ask him to protect it? If he just wanted it kept from Tomas, destroying it would have guaranteed he never got ahold of whatever information he hid.”

She paced back and forth, trying to figure it out.

‘It’s the blood… the magic… it’s the blood..’

Those were the words Cain had said to Wyatt.

“Why tell him?” Ashleigh whispered. “He was trying to tell him something else… there is something else he figured out… something he wanted us to know.”

Ashleigh suddenly felt dizzy. She felt a heavy pressure behind her eyes. She gripped at her hair as a sharp pain filled her head.

Her lungs were heavy, and the sound in the room abruptly became muffled. She closed her eyes, trying to breathe through the pain. When she opened them again, everything had changed.

All around her was a dark blue haze, and in the distance, every way she turned, a bright light.

The air around her felt charged as it did before an electrical storm. It left a metallic taste in her mouth.

“Your bond with Caleb is special.”

She recognized the voice, Lian, the Priestess. But there was no one around her.

“Unlike any other in existence.”

Lian’s voice echoed in this vast open space.

“What does that mean?” Ashleigh’s own voice asked.

She remembered it now. This was the dream she had had before.

“Your connection is stronger, purer. You are both descended from–” Lian’s words were cut off.

Ashleigh looked around her for the source of the voices, for the window she had seen before.

“Descended from what!?” she called out into the void of blue light.

“It is still not time yet for you to remember.”

Lian’s voice was softer now.

“Lian?” Ashleigh called out. “What is this? Why do I keep seeing this?”

“It is not time yet.”

“Don’t give me that!” Ashleigh shouted angrily. “This is my memory, right? I have a right to know what it is!”

“It’s not time,” Lian whispered.

“Bullshit!” Ashleigh screamed.

The pain was getting worse, the pressure behind her eyes. Finally, she cried out, falling to her knees as she gripped tightly against her head.

“Your mind is not ready,” Lian whispered. “Giving the memory to you now will kill you.”

Ashleigh lifted her head before her Lian kneeled, giving a soft smile.

“You are strong, but even you cannot accept this burden without help.”

“Then help me!” Ashleigh cried out.

“I am helping you,” Lian whispered. She reached her hand out to Ashleigh, smiling once more. “I hope you will be strong enough soon before it’s too late.”

Ashleigh furrowed her brows; her vision was fading. She saw Lian’s hand moving to touch Ashleigh’s forehead. The light around them grew blinding, and Ashleigh was back in her room in an instant.

The pain had eased, but she still felt dizzy. She felt a trickle on her cheek. Was she crying?

Ashleigh reached her finger to her cheek, wiping the tear, but when she glanced down, she saw something unexpected.

She tried to hurry to the bathroom, stumbling and running into the doorframe as her balance felt out of her control. Finally, Ashleigh managed to get herself to the sink.

Ashleigh stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, horrified by what she saw. Blood trailed down from her eyes and nose.