The Lies That Bind

by Lyta


Disclaimer:  Earth: Final Conflict and its characters are copyrighted by Tribune Entertainment Company.  All rights reserved.



Summary: Liam makes an announcement that shocks Renee. Sandoval and Liam iron a few things out.



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Renee Palmer rubbed her eyes sleepily and stretched in an effort to rid herself of the tension that concentrated in her shoulders. It helped, but the muscles were still tired and every cell in her body seemed to be telling her that she really ought to be sleeping now.

She leaned back and stared at the screen of her computer, but her mind was far removed from the workings of Doors International. Instead she found herself reliving the events of that afternoon and the bombshell that Liam Kincaid had just dropped on her lap.

She had gone to Augur's, still irritated by Kincaid's summons but he had ended the global conversation so abruptly that she had not had time to fire off a reply. Augur had been demonstrating some of the capabilities of his computer system and describing the upgrades and changes he had made to a clearly enthralled Alex Devers when he arrived. Both hackers turned in her direction, their expressions making it blatantly clear that they knew whatever it was that Liam had called her here to say. Augur had more experience in masking his emotions, but he looked troubled, Alex had traces of a shock lingering on her features. She mumbled something about grabbing a bite to eat and promptly fled the premises, Augur followed with less haste a few seconds later.

Getting out of the way of the fireworks, Renee thought. She glanced around for Liam for a long minute before finally spotting him sitting alone in a corner where the shadows seemed to cloak his features. Renee walked purposefully over to him, folded her arms across her chest and cocked her head slightly, waiting.

Liam rose slowly and looked straight ahead. Renee hated when he did this, it made her have to look up or stare at his shoulders.

"Good afternoon Renee." Liam said in a calm tone that surprised her. From the way Augur and Alex had disappeared she had expected fury.

"Liam." Renee answered. "What do you want?" There was a time and a place for formalized chit chat and Renee did not think this was either.

"I've decided to resign as leader of the Resistance." Liam informed her in a flat tone that was all the more chilling in its delivery than any amount of emotion.

"What?!" Renee found herself answering as her mind struggled to assimilate this new and unexpected bit of information. She had thought maybe he had learned of one of the black projects, anything but this…

"I'm a threat to what's left of the Resistance." Liam said, his voice picking up emotion as he went telling Renee how very strongly he believed in his decision. No way anyone was going to be able to talk him out of this. "Sandoval knows I'm Resistance, he hasn't said anything because I know he lied to Zo'or about Da'an." Renee caught a brief flash of pain as he spoke the Taelon's name. "Now that I'm working as Zo'or's protector I can't keep such a secret as easily. Suspicion is Zo'or's nature. I'll still be part of the Resistance and provide intelligence and assistance, but I'm too exposed to lead right now."

Renee nodded carefully. She wondered if Liam was finally maturing into the kind of leader the Resistance needed, but quickly squashed the idea. Still, she had to respect the guy for coming to the decision of turning leadership over to another without prompting. Vaguely Renee recalled her father telling her that walking away once you've had a taste of power is one of the most difficult things in the world to do.

"Are you sure you can be under somebody else's command, take their orders?" Renee asked softly. Whether he admitted it or not Liam would chafe under someone else's authority.

"I won't like it, but that is the way it has to be. I'm compromised…and so are you. Sandoval has to suspect you. We need someone new."

Suspicion crystallized in Renee's mind. "You already have someone to nominate?"

Liam nodded. "Halley Simmons."

Renee's mind reviewed what she knew of the woman and could not disagree with his choice.

"Halley won't like leaving the Pacific coast." Renee warmed.

"It might be better that way." Liam responded. "We have headquartered the Resistance in Washington for years. We have fallen into patterns, now is the time to destroy the molds."

"I'll make the calls."

"Thank you."

Hours later Renee found herself still trying to overcome the shock. Liam was absolutely right on this one. She had disagreed with him a lot in the time they had known each other, now she admired him. Renee wondered if she would have been able to step aside and allow another to assume command, even though Jonathan had never turned full control of the Resistance over to him in the first place, a necessary deception that.

She doubted it very much.

***

Thirty six hours later, Liam finished clearing out his desk at the embassy. He hefted the box he had just filled onto the desk from its previous position on the floor and glanced around the room. It was in here that Da'an had covertly revealed through a game that he knew Liam was not entirely human. It was here that he had confronted Da'an about his betrayal, had come to Da'an for advice about his shaquarava all the while trying to hide his fear of the most obvious manifestation of his Kimeran heritage.

Liam closed his eyes. Memories of Da'an seemed to parade through his memory like an out of control merry-go-round until he was fighting back tears. It had not seemed real somehow that Da'an was dead until now, there was a finality to emptying his desk. Soon another Taelon would be chosen as North American Companion and another protector would use this desk.

Liam opened his eyes to see Sandoval standing in the doorway. For a moment Liam saw a pained expression on the man's face, but it vanished as though it had never been once he realized that Liam was staring at him.

"Major." Sandoval said in his usual manner, but there was something in the way the implant surveyed the room with his gaze that made Liam realize that Sandoval was here to discuss his Resistance affiliation.

"What can I do for you Agent Sandoval?" Liam asked tiredly. He wanted this conversation to be over and done with.

The implant approached until only the half meter of the desk separated them. "I know that your allegiance does not truly lie with the Taelons."

"And I know that neither does yours."

Sandoval's dark eyes narrowed. "Make no mistake about it Major, tread carefully. Do not try to expose me, I will present evidence to Zo'or that proves conclusively your liberation connections. It will be far more convincing than anything you present and will appear a desperate attempt on your part to cast doubt on me before I could expose you."

"I would not be so certain." Liam said icily. "I was not the one who talked his way out of an execution less than a month ago. Let's face it Sandoval we are at an impasse."

"Perhaps for now." Sandoval conceded. "Listen to me carefully Major, I have seen far more of the Taelon agenda than any other human, and it does not bode well for us. I support the Resistance only so far as their goal is the same as mine, though my means differ significantly."

"And you need the Resistance to cover your own operations. You need that attention deflected and a place a lay blame." Liam told him.

"Yes. You watch your step, if you are exposed as a Resistance agent I promise that I will use every resource at my disposal to hunt down our contacts." Sandoval responded. "I don't want to do that as it would put my plans in jeopardy. We'll get along fine as long as you remember that."

Liam stared at Sandoval for a long moment before answering. "Agent Sandoval, whatever you may think of me, I know you better than you might think." Liam allowed himself a small smile thinking of the memories he had inherited from him. "And definitely well enough to know you mean what you say."

"Good. I wish I could say it will be a pleasure working with you, but you'd never believe me."

"Since we are being honest, no I wouldn't." Liam watched him leave, thinking of how ironic his own words were. He had never been honest with Sandoval, not about his loyalties, his identity, even his species, but now he did not care. Sandoval had undoubtedly lied to him as well during the course of their conversation. The implant was worried about something, that much Liam knew. What exactly he could not put his finger on.

FIN