A Tale of Two Masks

Amos had agreed to the meeting suspiciously easily. That could only mean he had something up his sleeve, or that was how it had been in Ashton’s experience. There was also the fact that the CEO had made it clear that Ashton was also expected to be present for this. He must really be planning to tell Mr. Aster the truth. But what would he be getting in exchange?

Mr. Aster was eager to Ashton beside him for this meeting. He had told him something along the lines of “When facing an enemy, it is better to have someone you trust,”. Would he still feel the same after he found out the truth?

Be it fortunate or unfortunate, Ashton would not have to wait long to find out. Luckily he managed to escape Mr. Aster’s offer of a ride there since he would be going in early to report. The ride there would likely be fine. It was the ride back… Ashton had prepared himself to be forced to break up with Summer after this.

“How much do they know?” Amos asked the moment Ashton stepped into the office to report.

“Nothing,” Ashton replied, “But they suspect most everything. I’m sure most people do by now.”

“Not everything,” Amos corrected, “Or have they figured out your secret as well?”

“I don’t think so,” Ashton replied, “But if you really want me to protect Summer, I’m not sure how much longer I can hide it. My voice is exactly the same, and makeup, no matter how heavy, won’t disguise a face she knows well.”

“What about a mask?” Amos asked with a little smirk.

“That flimsy eye covering? Does your wife no longer recognize you when you take your glasses off?” Ashton countered.

As always, rather than rebuke him, Mr. Wyndart seemed amused whenever Ashton spoke his mind. “I suppose you are right. Then I will offer Mr. Aster the chance to know everything, as well as the power to offer that same deal to his daughter and wife.”

For some reason, the idea of Summer finding out that he had been Shadow Phoenix all along made his stomach sink uncomfortably. She would surely reject him. It was only natural. He would do the same.

“What will happen to them if there is a leak? They won’t be accused in that situation, right?” Ashton checked.

Amos smiled wryly. “A leak. Ashton, do you really think SI is going to survive this?” he asked, “In fact, it was never meant to last forever. SI has always been a means to buy some time.”

That sounded very much like an incredibly important secret Ashton was not supposed to know. Nor did he have any interest in gaining permission to know it.

“I’m glad you have a backup plan,” he told him, “but please leave me out of it. The only thing I want is the compensation you promised me for living that sham.”

“And you will get it. As long as SI stands you can never be demoted or fired. After that is up to you,” Amos told him.

Ashton felt like there was a trap in those words. A trap he had no intention of springing. “I’m sure I can find a way to take care of myself,” he told him. Perhaps it was his small feelings of rebellion bubbling up that caused him to pull out Amber Gale’s business card. He wasn’t even sure why he had kept it on him.

“That is certainly one option,” the CEO agreed. His reaction was far more calm than Ashton had expected. “More importantly, how do you feel about the Aster family know the truth?”

“Do I have a choice?” Ashton asked.

“Not an easy one,” Mr. Wyndart admitted, “but the longer you keep a secret from someone you care about, the harder it is to tell.”

“So rip the bandaid off?” Ashton questioned.

There was a knock on the door. “Mr. Aster has arrived for his appointment.”

“Fine,” Ashton told him, “but you have to clean up the aftermath.”

Amos smiled. “I intended to from the beginning.”

The door opened and the CEO’s original secretary guided Mr. Aster into the room. As Always, she shot Ashton a look of pity before she left. It always gave him the feeling she knew something he didn’t. Something he never wanted to find out.

“Take a seat,” Mr. Wyndart told him, offering the second chair in front of his desk.

Mr. Aster took it, eager to get to the point. “I want in on SI’s secrets. Only up to what Ashton knows.”

“He knows quite a lot,” Mr. Wyndart warned, “I cannot reveal any of them to you without a confidentiality agreement.”

“Give me you terms,” Mr. Aster told him without hesitation. The contract was handed over and Mr. Aster poured over each line in complete silence. Once he was finished, he set it down without signing. “I have some questions.”

“Ask away,” Amos prompted.

“What happens to this agreement once SI disappears?”

Ashton flinched. Mr. Aster certainly didn’t pull his punches. If the CEO himself had not just been discussing the end of SI, he would have been afraid of future retribution.

“If SI were to disappear, there will be a grace period before information can be leaked,” the CEO replied, “Depending on the information in question, it can be from a month to a year. Not all secrets are equal.”

“I want a list of the secrets and their contractual release date in my copy of the contract,” Mr. Aster told him.

They hashed out a few more details, making Ashton feel like his presence here was a useless waste of time. That is, until the moment Mr. Aster signed his name on the bottom of the contract.

“Ashton, you are now free to answer any questions he has for you,” Amos prompted.

There was that evil side Ashton had been expecting. He wanted him to confess to the truth with his own mouth. That was what he had meant about having a choice. Ashton had come to the conclusion that he had been right, though. There was no point in hiding.

He told him everything. The truth about villains he had been asking for, and his own role as Shadow Phoenix. Mr. Aster was not as surprised as Ashton had expected. It was as if he had already guessed everything.

“You must not let Summer find out. Not yet, while her life is in danger,” Mr. Aster told Ashton, “Right now, focus on making her stronger like you have been. Protect her. Once the greatest danger has passed I will let her learn the truth.”

“Ashton has access to the contracts when that time comes,” Mr. Wyndart supplied helpfully, “There will be no need to wait for a meeting with me.”

“Are you telling me to hand out contracts willy nilly?” Ashton asked.

“You only have permission to distribute them to Mr. Aster’s immediate family,” Amos corrected.

The door burst open as they were about to leave. This time it wasn’t the secretary, but one of the heads of PR. Something big must have happened.

“Collin Mcshay was murdered in prison!” the panicked head of PR reported, “Every news outlet has turned the blame on us.”

“Murdered?” Amos asked in shock, “How?”

“The bomb was planted in an old style walkie talkie. The camera footage the police were able to reclaim shows him talking to someone before it went off.”

“How much of this is public knowledge?” the CEO demanded.

“Only the bombing and the victim.”

He was gone in a flash, following the poor head of PR to most likely attempt some kind of damage control. Was the person who set up RefRain’s big reveal tying up loose strings? Why wait until now?

In the moments where Ashton was frozen in thought, Mr. Aster had also hurried out. Right. Summer must have also heard the news by now. In his ascending confusion and frustration, Ashton suddenly remembered the other promise he had made to Summer. He needed to let her meet Shadow Phoenix.