Wisteria (Wisteria Series) (36 page)

“You’re coping, though,” Wisteria replied.

“We won’t be locked here forever. Good or bad, this is going to be over. Either I stress about it, or I think up options,” her mother defended.

“Options? Like, who will die first when we run out of air?” Cheung quipped.

“I’ve decided it will be Cheung,” the woman answered coldly.

Wisteria’s mind raced.
Who was this woman?

Her mother slid off the table and swung around to face the door. Footsteps approached from the outside of the shelter.

“Could it be them?” Wisteria whispered, but this didn’t feel like Bach to her.

“Lara, it’s Corporal Blair, Kyle Blair,” he called. “Are you all right?”

“Yes, we are,” Cheung called back. “Have you caught the intruders?”

“Everything’s under control,” Blair answered enthusiastically. “We’ve got everyone and now we’re checking that everyone is safe and accounted for.”

“Shh.” Her mother crept to the door.

“They said Cheung was working with them, Lara. If he’s in there with you, you’ve got to let us take him or stop him from leaving,” Blair replied.

Her mother took out a handgun and handed it to Wisteria.

“They lied to him.” Cheung backed into the corner. “Wisteria said they want me dead. They want you to do it.”

“Shh.” Her mother walked up to Wisteria and hugged her.

The door started to open and Wisteria hurried over to it, pushing it closed.

Cheung joined her. “It can’t be opened from the outside,” he said.

“Unless the door’s bad.” Her mother joined them to push the door closed. “Which means Bach knew.”

Bach couldn’t have done this. She didn’t believe it. Right now, that wasn’t the issue. Who was out there with Blair and what did they want?

“We’re trapped,” Wisteria stated.

The door was forced opened. Wisteria, Cheung, and her mother were careened across the room.

Blair slid through the gap. “Are you guys okay?” he said warmly. “We need to get you out of here.”

“Thank goodness…” Cheung was relieved.

Her mother pulled out her gun and pointed it at the soldier.

“Calm down, I’m one of the good guys.” Blair held up his hands.

Wisteria wasn’t convinced. How was Blair able to hold all three of them off and come through that door?

“This door is broken. That’s why we couldn’t house the Fletchers here. How did you find this place?” Blair said as Rupert and Vic Fletcher stepped in.

Wisteria couldn’t help noticing how much older Vic looked. It was like he’d aged ten years in hours.

“Hello, Edmund. We’ve been looking for you. Lara? I’ll never get used to that name. You’ll always be Demi to me,” Rupert said. “You can’t believe how happy we are to find your little hideaway.”

His voice caused the hairs on Wisteria’s neck and arms to spike. She couldn’t fathom why these people kept calling her mother Demi.

“What is this?” Mrs. Kuti flipped out her gun.

“We’re here to make a deal.” Rupert moved toward her. “Let’s talk, Lara.”

Vic drew his weapon and Wisteria’s mother did the same. Both shot at each other within a second. Her mother hit him in the arm and he shot her in the chest.

“Mummy,” Wisteria cried as her mother fell. She crawled over to her mother.

Blair dragged her back. “Vic, what are you doing?” he asked. “Lara’s valuable to us. Coles won’t want her getting hurt; we needed her as a hostage.”

“Yeah, well let’s hope he can’t tell the difference in the dark, between Lara and the girl.” Vic struggled to get to his feet. “We only need the child alive.”

“That means we only need one hostage,” Vic replied. “Any preference?”

Rupert shrugged and fired.

Wisteria’s mother screamed. “Damn you.”

“Mum.” Wisteria broke free and rushed over to her mother, who lay bleeding on the ground. “Why?”

“Baby, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. I only wanted to keep you safe. I was afraid you would end up like me. It’s a mess.” The woman smiled up at Wisteria and large tears fell from her eyes. “I’m going now and I’ll miss you so much.”

“No, please don’t,” Wisteria pleaded as if she could negotiate with death. “Wait, I’ll be back with help.”

“Promise that you’ll look after your brother for me? And Elliot, he’s not as bad as he seems.” She coughed up some blood. “Promise you’ll stay away from oleander. I love them both and I love you, Wisteria.”

“Get up and move now.” Rupert grabbed Wisteria by the neck. “Lara, it’s been a privilege and an honor. I’ll take good care of your daughter. Vic, get her out.”

Vic drew Wisteria away from her mother. She tried to force her way back, but he was too strong.

Wisteria continued thrashing her arms around, trying to break free. “Mum,” she screamed. “Let me stay with her. I won’t go with you.”

He checked her for weapons and found the handgun her mother gave her. Vic forced her out of the bunker. They began ascending the stairs.

“Stop,” she wailed.

“You need to shut up!” Vic banged her body against the wall. He was looking pale from his injuries. “I’m not playing.”

She heard three shots.

Rupert pushed Cheung ahead of him and out of the bunker while wiping blood from his face. He looked up at Wisteria. “She’s dead,” he said emotionlessly.

“Why are you doing this?” Wisteria screamed at him. “I’m going to kill you!”

Rupert walked up to her. “I’d like to see that.” He slapped her across the face.

She stumbled through the darkness as her captors led her and Cheung through the house. When she got to the quiet street, she saw Neil standing outside Blair’s car. Both men were dressed in black. The unknown man opened the trunk of the car.

 
“Where are we going?” she asked. “They’re not going to let you drive out of here. Even Blair can’t stop the guards from checking the car on a normal day. My mother told Coles you were here, so they’re really going to be looking for you.”

“You’re saying that we should just shoot you here?” Rupert retorted.

“Crap,” Vic moaned as he tried to wrap his bleeding arm. “Why didn’t she just kill me?”

“She wanted you to suffer,” Wisteria sneered.

Vic lunged at her but Rupert stopped him. “Neil, get her in the car.”

Neil grabbed her and tossed her inside the trunk. Cheung soon followed.

Once the car started to move, Wisteria kicked with all her might at the trunk door but it didn’t open.

The car stopped.

Moments later the trunk opened and Vic appeared. “Get out,” he told them.

“Where are we?” She cautiously looked around. They were surrounded by trees but she didn’t know where this place was. There was no way they could’ve gotten through the main gates with the noise she was making.

“Mulberry Orchard,” Cheung whispered. “This isn’t a good sign.”

Today wasn’t a day of good signs,
Wisteria wanted to saw. She’d never been in Mulberry Orchard. As far as she knew, it was just an orchard that no one was allowed into, even the soldiers. An even worse feeling of terror crept into her consciousness. “You know how to get out of here?” she asked.

“Yes, but you don’t want to get lost in here. I think we’re safer with these guys,” Cheung replied.

“What’s in here?” she asked.

“Research,” the teacher answered.

“Get a move on!” Rupert gripped Cheung’s shirt and thrust him forward. “We’re going on foot from here. Blair, hide the car.” Rupert marched them through the orchard.

They travelled through the hilly terrain. Wisteria didn’t know how long they walked. She’d lost track of time. Wondering about Bach, she feared Red Phoenix might have been able to hurt him again. “Where are you taking us?” she finally found the courage to ask.

“Open your mouth again and I’ll have him beat you unconscious.” Rupert gestured to Neil. “I can quite easily have you carried unconscious.”

“No, that will slow you down,” she replied.

“Wisteria,” Cheung implored. “You’ve got to keep quiet. You don’t want to make noise in here.” The teacher was more terrified than he was when her mother had been shot.

Her heart ached as she thought of her mother lying motionless on the floor. She was never going to see her mother, brother, or Bach again. At least David was safe.

She started to cry but quickly forced herself to stop. As they moved, she heard the low-pitched siren sound.

Someone had sounded the alarm.

“Damn it!” Rupert kicked Cheung. “Faster.”

The group came to a clearing where a black helicopter stood. The aircraft looked like the stealth ones she saw in movies.

Brenda and a red-headed man emerged from the helicopter. The woman smirked as they arrived and Wisteria noticed she was carrying her sword. Closing her eyes, she hoped and prayed that this was just a mistake or a bad dream.

“What are you laughing at?” Rupert asked Brenda.

“I’m surprised you made it so soon,” Brenda answered. “Demi just let you collect her daughter?”

“Demi’s dead,” Vic muttered and staggered to the helicopter.

The red-headed man moved to help him.

“And the Sen-Son?” Brenda enquired. “Did Felip deal with him?”

“We don’t know, but we need to leave. If Felip doesn’t, we need to be done with her before the freak comes after her. If Felip succeeds, more of his psychotic Family will come looking for him,” Rupert announced. “Either way, we need to be gone.”

Felip was part of this? Wisteria felt like a fool for trusting him and for feeling better knowing he’d gone with Bach. Felip had found the bunker. Of course he was the one who betrayed them. Now he was with Bach. What had Felip done to him? Wisteria couldn’t think about that, she needed to find a way to get away. And find a way to get Cheung to safety.

“I thought we were going to kill her now.” Brenda took out Wisteria’s thin steel sword. “They only want the brain.”

“No, they need all her organs and she needs to be renewed alive. She was the one that bonded with one of the Family. She’ll be worth a lot to Dokun alive.”

Dokun
. Her father’s name was Dokun.

Brenda looked over at Wisteria.

“She’s Demi’s child. Weak or not, she’s bad news. Cut off her head, and then we go,” Brenda maintained.

Blair emerged from the trees.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Brenda walked up to the soldier.

“We had an agreement.” Blair brushed past while ignoring Brenda. “Rupert, I help you and you take me to MacShane. Were you trying to leave without me?”

“What? We’re taking him too?” Brenda muttered.

“Right.” Rupert squinted at the woman. “Blair has to—”

Brenda shot Blair in the throat.

“Ah,” Wisteria cried out in terror. “You killed him?”

The woman aimed her weapon at Wisteria as Blair started to choke on his own blood.

“Why did you do that? Brenda, control yourself!” Rupert inspected Blair’s twitching body.

“The extra weight could slow us down. Especially since you’re convinced on taking the fat girl.” Brenda didn’t take her eyes from Wisteria as she spoke. “Besides, he’s a traitor and that disgusts me.”

“You’re out of your mind!” Rupert exclaimed. “You need to get under control.”

“She’s right.” Vic panted; he appeared to be getting sicker and weaker from his bullet wound.

Neil took Cheung to the helicopter.

Wisteria noticed no one was watching her and she bolted. Running through the apple trees, she prayed that she could find a way back out. Maybe the Mulberry farmhouse had a bunker.

“Stop her!” Rupert ordered.

“Go, get out, Wisteria…Ah.” Cheung shrieked.

She knew they had done something to him.

She didn’t get very far before Brenda knocked her to the ground and trod on her neck. “Stupid girl.” Brenda kicked her in the stomach.

“Uh!” Wisteria cried out in pain as Neil reached them.

“Get her on board.” Brenda stomped on Wisteria’s arm again.

“Ah!” she cried. “I’m not going with you!”

 
He hauled her to her feet.

“No!” Wisteria clawed at his eyes. “If you’re going to kill me, then kill me here! I know I’m dead anyway.”

“Ah,” the man screamed, and dropped her.

‘‘Ugh…”

That was a sound that Wisteria was all too familiar with.

There were biters, many biters—in the woods.

Agitated, the man studied the trees.

“Don’t wet yourself, Neil,” Brenda mocked. “There were no fleshers on Smythe!”

He gripped Wisteria’s arm and pulled her back to the clearing.

Rupert didn’t look pleased with Wisteria when the man dumped her at his feet.

“Don’t ever make us chase you again,” Rupert warned her. “Do I make myself clear?”