Escape from Harrizel (21 page)

“What?”

“I’m sure Reid told you to stay put.”

“
Excuse
me?”

“You ran into that mob like an idiot. What’d
you expect would happen?”

I glance at Pratt and the other two who seem
as interested to know my response as Clark. With a huff, and,
trying to keep my aggravation contained, I admit through clenched
teeth, “I expected to save Raj.”

“Good job,” he rolls his eyes.

“Where were you?” I push myself from the
wall. “If I recall, you didn’t show up until
after!
”

“Yeah, that’s because Pratt went for Reid
first. She tried his room but
obviously
,” he stresses the
word, trying to make an uncomfortable point, “he wasn’t there, was
he?”

“That’s
my
fault?”

“It’s not mine. Pratt was too busy, running
around trying to find Reid, she forgot to send Irie for me. I only
found out because Sampson came to get me.”

“Again…” I step closer, halfway across the
room as my hands ball into fists at my side, my tone growing icy.
“How is that
my
fault?”

“And then,” he ignores my question, “all you
had to do was not intervene. And what’d you do?” he rolls his eyes
at the idiocy of it again, “Painted a target on your back for
Tetlak and the Kings. If Reid was trying to keep you a secret, you
just announced it to the world.”

There’s truth in his words, but just as a
flicker of guilt rises in my stomach, reason returns. Knowing Raj’s
safety was questioned—that’s what mattered. Gathering up my
remaining nerves, I shoot him a glare that could kill.

“First of all, I’m nobody’s secret. And
Mantis already has his own idea of who I am…” I shrug sardonically,
“so, cat’s out of that bag on that one.”

“This is true,” Able adds in the
background.

“Secondly,” I step closer to Clark, “Raj was
in trouble. That’s all that’s important. Not your little games,” I
glance at the two Rogue Commanders as if they were on his side, “so
I’m not about to apologize for doing what
I
thought was
right. You don’t like it? Bitch to someone else!”

Sampson arrives as I spin back to my wall,
Reid, Vix and Tucker entering after him. Vix takes a seat on the
bed next to Pratt as Reid and Tucker hover near Clark’s wall,
Sampson taking a place next to me. With the room completely
compressed now, the new attendees feel the tension in the air.

Sampson addresses it first. “Everything all
right?”

I shrug and everyone else remains
silent.

“Okay…” Sampson’s soft voice goes on,
turning to Pratt. “Was Irie notified?”

She shakes her head, ashamed.

“It’s fine,” Reid says, walking toward the
center of the room, “he’ll be notified tomorrow. Now what happened?
Who was on patrol?”

“Simon and Merritt,” Able is first to
answer, “I guess Pike tried seizing Raj on her way back from
Leisure Time. They tried holding them off but more Kings showed
up.”

“Raj was screaming,” Jace shakes his head,
for once his indelible grin erased. “I had Pip send word to the
Rogues and then tried to help Simon and Merritt.”

Reid turns to Tucker. “How are they
doing?”

“Could be better,” he shrugs, arms crossed
with the same expression as Reid—a mix of anger, frustration and
exhaustion. “Could’ve been worse. I think Merritt took a hard one
to the ribs.”

“From?” Able asks.

“Ike.”

“Crap…” Able mumbles, shaking his head. This
is bad.

“He went down fast,” Tucker agrees with the
dismal news, “but… he’ll live.”

“By Ike?” Pratt gasps. “He could’ve killed
him!”

Able shakes his head. “Tucker’s right. I saw
the hit. He’ll live.”

“And the others?” Reid goes on, “how many
injured and how bad?”

“A few,” Tucker reports, “not more than some
bruising. Maybe a few broken limbs.”

“Pratt,” Reid says, making his way toward
Sampson’s bed. Under it, he retrieves a small glass bowl which has
the same dark color and clear, smooth consistency as the square
sheets of dried gibb for transport. Handing the bowl to Pratt, he
motions to Sampson’s door. “Make the rounds. You know what to do.
Jace, go with her.”

“On it, Boss,” he moves from the bed along
with Pratt, both leaving the room.

Once they’ve gone, Reid turns to me. “How’s
your head?”

Rubbing the throbbing crown, I lie. “Fine.
Don’t even feel it.”

His eyes flicker between mine, knowing I’m
holding back but he bites his lip, accepting my answer. He turns to
Tucker and the others, “And Raj? How did she fall on their
list?”

Able clears his throat.

“Yeah?” Reid asks after a minute.

“It was Perry,” Able clears his throat
again, “when Raj failed to report Fallon’s interactions with you,”
he sucks in a breath, “they turned her over.”

I feel everyone’s eyes on me, my face
reddening with shame. Did I do this? Did I cause Raj’s capture? The
air stills for a moment, Reid holding the room in apprehension of
what he’ll say next.

“I think what needs to be decided,” Sampson
intervenes, “is a time and place for this discussion to further
unfold in less cramped conditions. And I’m sure,” he’s speaking
directly to Reid now, “you’d like to include the other Rogue
Commanders?”

“Sampson?” Clark starts, a trace of
whininess lingering.

“Camp’s the only place with enough room and
privacy,” he turns to Reid, “…if you feel it’s time?”

Reid inhales, securing his chin with his
pointer and thumb. He locks eyes with Tucker and Able, considering.
“Tomorrow, beginning of Leisure Time. You two plus Jace. We’ll meet
here.”

“You want to keep the other RCs out of it?”
Tucker steps forward, keeping his voice low as if hoping the
comment would stay between them.

“Yeah,” Reid nods without hesitation.
“They’ll find out when we have more information to share.”

Tucker accepts his answer, retreating the
step.

“And that goes for everyone,” Reid spins,
making sure we all heard him. “We’ll meet here, beginning of
Leisure Time. Able,” he turns to him, “let Jace and Pratt know.
Also…” and he’s considering now, “…Griffin.”

“The Client?” he blinks.

Reid nods.

“You got it, Boss,” Able offers a weary
smile.

But Reid focuses on me, lighting me up. He
looks like he wants to say something but holds his breath instead,
a slight flicker of disappointment in his eyes. Without breaking
contact, he speaks over his shoulder. “Tucker, Able—take Fallon
back to her room.”

Clark shakes his head disgustedly, a motion
Reid doesn’t miss. He casts Clark an angry glare and the boy
instantly freezes, going white. But I can’t see anymore. Able and
Tucker have gathered to either side of me and are ushering me out.
I don’t have time to offer Reid a final glance before finding
myself in the darkened corridor again, the long row of crimson
doors on my right.

We walk in silence for a bit, ascending the
stairs as Tucker and Able continually look around. Finally, unable
to take the stark quiet any longer, I turn to Able on my left. “We
can still save her, right?”

“Who?” he frowns, “Raj?” By the look on his
face, I already know the answer. But he confirms it anyway with a
defeated sigh, “No.”

“Really? No
possible
chance?”

“If Tetlak has her,” Tucker shakes his head,
“there’s nothing we can do.”

“Maybe we can find out where they’re keeping
her…”

“It’s upstairs,” Tucker sighs, “and we’re
not allowed upstairs.”

My mind swims. Maybe I can get my hands on
something that could
force
Jeb to take me to her. But what?
And
how
? Suddenly, Clarence’s face flashes in my mind. Could
he help?
Would
he? And does he even know what’s happening
here on Harrizel? Where he’s taken me?

“I’m sorry, Fallon,” Able interrupts my
thoughts.

“Why are
you
sorry?”

“I know you want to help her. It’s just…” he
shrugs, defeated again, “… not possible. Once someone’s snatched,
they’re snatched. That’s it.”

“But what about Hinson?”

“Who?” Tucker raises an eyebrow.

Oh, that’s right. They took the pill. They
wouldn’t know Hinson. I think of that night out by the ruins and
watching as Tetlak, Yerza and Norpe dragged her lifeless body. I
think of the blue tint of her skin and the canal gutted across her
stomach. And her eyes. Glazed over. Gone.

Is Raj next?

“Yeah, there’s nothing that can be done for
her now,” Able shakes his head with an honest frown. “Poor
kid.”

“And it’s because of the Kisses? That’s why
she got snatched?”

Both nod.

We arrive on my floor and start heading
toward my door. “Do you know who all the Kisses are?” I ask.

Both nod, again.

“So you’ll be able to know if one’s tailing
me?”

They exchange glances but Able answers,
“…Yeah, we’d know. But none of them will come near you now.”

“Why?”

“There’s no point. We know who they are and
they know who you are so there’s no reason to spy.”

“And who am I?” I pose. Able makes a face as
if it’s silly of me to ask, but remains silent on the matter. “But
you guys don’t use them anymore?”

They exchange glances again, nervously now.
Tucker answers this time. “Nope.”

“Why?”

“You have a lot of questions,” he throws a
look at me.

“Just trying to understand.”

“Well… we’re here,” he says, arriving at my
door.

Punching in the six symbols, I step through
the open archway, throwing them a look over my shoulder. “Thanks
for the escort. Will you two be alright?”

Able snorts while Tucker merely rolls his
eyes, “We’ll be fine.”

Before they start to walk away, I lean on
the doorframe, “Should I ask Reid about the Kisses?”

They both stop, rigid. A long minute passes
before Tucker turns to me with a chest full of air. “If you do, do
it only after he brings it up.”

“Okay…”

“Trust me,” he turns without another
word.

“It was nice to finally meet you, Fallon,”
Able smiles before catching up with Tucker in the darkness down the
hall. I retreat into my room, plop on the bed and try to make sense
of everything that’s happened. But before I can, the soft feel of
the linen takes me away.

He’s in the doorway to their home, watching
his grandchildren play. They trip over roots and run over
cobblestones, through the grass and behind their home. But on the
other side it burns. Wailing and screaming and crying erupt,
everything boiling in flames. It’s charred. Burnt.

Silence as it fades...

Three wet glasses appear on the plastic
yellow tablecloth. The lady with the red bandana drinks from hers
as a pair of older, feminine fingers flicks the end of a cigarette.
She pulls back, inhaling as the end lights a brilliant orange. But
it’s just her mouth. Her face, still unclear, falls to the
background. But her wrinkled lips grasp the cigarette, pulling from
it. The edge lights orange again and she flicks it in the ash tray
just as he reaches for the third glass.

Everything fades to a new woman. She stares
at me with those silvery glass eyes, her white hair breezing around
her. Her mouth never moves but she’s calling my name. Calling for
me, trying to awaken me.

Fallon…

Her eyes grow wider, fiercer.

Fallon…

Suddenly they turn white, bright light
pouring though, blinding me.

Fallon!

All day and I can’t get the dream out of my
head. What does it mean? Who is the woman in the red bandana? And
the other one with silver glass eyes? And what do they have to do
with
me
? I’ve been going over it, trying to piece it
together but every few minutes last night’s events come storming
back and with it, Raj’s pleading eyes that scar me with unimagined
guilt.

“Excuse me,” Ergiloff’s voice booms
overhead, “will the following persons please report to the labs
immediately
…” He lists fifteen names, twelve females and
three males. A few are here in the trench with me. They drop their
Senz into buckets and step out of line when called. Ergiloff
concludes his announcement. “We appreciate your cooperation in this
matter.”

Those called line up behind Tetlak who takes
them into the Castle.

A body occupies the space next to me. Two
black clamps sink hard into the gibb, tossing the mold into the
bucket at his feet. He keeps himself close, sneaking a peak with
quiet words. “No hair pieces today?”

A solid minute passes and I’m not sure why,
but I don’t return the look. I continue digging as he goes on,
answering the one question that’s been on repeat since it happened.
“There’s nothing you could’ve done.”

Silence.

“Fallon,” he stops digging and leans in,
“look—I’m sorry. If there was something I could do, I would.”

Silence.

He exhales, “What do you want me to
say?”

“I don’t know why I’m still here,” I say
through gritted teeth, still focused on the trench’s blue wall.
“Why we’re
all
still here. It doesn’t make any sense. What
do they want with us?” I glance at him. “We have a way out. We need
to leave.”

He thrusts his Senz into the gibb again.
“It’s not that easy.”

“I’m not sticking around to hear my name
called, or be attacked by Mantis because he sees you talking to
me.”

“I told you,” Reid leans in with a low
growl, “he won’t come near you.”

I throw my Senz into the bucket and make for
the ladder. How does he not get it? Mantis is the smaller issue
here. The Dofinikes are keeping us for some reason and now they’re
starting to take more. They already have the Kings grabbing people
and anyone who tries to run away disappears. But now the lists? How
many of us do they need? And for what?