Page 14

T here was this dreadful ball of flame in her stomach, gnawing her insides as she laced her hands and leaned forward. Her head hung limply, waiting for something, anything that could show her that they’d all made it out alive. That she wouldn’t have to end this war all alone.

Warmth seeped through the side of her arm as Ira leaned against her. Ray lifted her head slightly, turning so she could see the young girl. She had her eyes closed, her lips parted as she fell asleep under the dark sky. Ray’s gaze strayed to the wound on her face, her tongue souring at the thought of it scaring. But it was a deep cut, there was no point in hoping that it wouldn’t.

To make things worse there was another small cut on the bridge of her nose, probably from when she’d been taken by Ciera and her minions. One she hadn’t seen before. Ray forced herself to look away from the blue-black skin, her eyes flooding with unwanted tears. At least she was alive, was all she allowed herself to think, at least she was here and alive.

Ray moved slowly, careful not to wake Ira as she carefully leaned back against the bench and let her head fall limp against her shoulder. Ira didn’t stir, not when the wind hustled past them and not when the leaves rustled as Micah paced across them.

Ray watched the young boy. He too had his share of bruises marred all over his face. His wrists had been bleeding when she’d managed to get both of them treated. They were wrapped with a clean cloth now. But he was alive. Was walking around. Looking at herself now though, with only Ciera’s blood tainting her shirt, she knew she’d gotten the easy way out .

Whoever was planning this had given her an easy task to overcome.

Angel , she thought, the fear rising in waves now, might not have gotten an easy way out.

The sound of a footstep and leaves crushing had Ray’s head snapping back up.

“Micah.” She started quietly and nodded when he turned to her, stark surprise and fear written on his face, “Get here.”

Micah moved quickly, going to sit where she was sitting as she got up. He held Ira’s head, his hands shaking as he sat down, and Ray covered both their bodies with her own. Her gun was up in the air, her gaze narrowed at the dark pathway up ahead as the trees moved violently with the wind.

“Ray,” a voice, a familiar, faraway voice cried out and Ray wanted to go ahead. Wanted to move but she had Ira and Micah behind her. She couldn’t leave them alone unless,

“We don’t have a corny code,” a female voice snapped from the woods, “ Get here!”

Ray shot forward, her heart calming finally as she tucked her gun back. Neera. That had been Neera who’d snapped at her. And amidst the dark small paths and the stones that sat across the layout, Ray made her way to the faint rustling of the bushes.

“Neer–” Ray began but paused when Neera emerged with Christina. Her breath caught as she saw Cameron standing between them, his arms around both their shoulders as they dragged him forward. Ray ran ahead, her teeth gritting at the sight of the dried blood from the side of his face,

“What happened to him?” she asked as she took him from the two girls, “Cameron?” she asked gently, probing at his cheeks as Christina and Neera stopped .

Ray looked at both of them, her eyes widening with concern. But Neera only shook her head and made to move forward when Ray stopped her.

“I’ll take him,” she murmured and grunted against his weight as she pulled him up ahead, “Are you awake?”

He couldn’t hear her but must’ve noticed her shaking because he winked open one eye and smiled back at her softly.

“I’m alright.” He signed with one hand and let his eyes fall shut again, trying and failing to walk without any support. Ray wrapped a steady hand around his waist and hauled his weight against her, not blinking at the way he fell limp at her side. She dragged him forward, blood rushing into her ears. If she stopped to think now, she was afraid her world would tilt as well.

“Are you both alright?” Ray asked over her shoulder and watched as Micah went to stand up. She shook her head and dropped Cameron’s limping body beside him as gently as she could. Ira jerked awake at the abrupt quake and snapped away from Micah as if he’d burnt her. Ray didn’t wait to see their reaction, just heard Ira’s gasp as she knelt on the ground and carefully took Cameron’s face in her hands,

“We’re alright,” Neera responded, and Ray felt her presence nearby. As if on cue, her hand landed on Ray’s shoulder, squeezing gently, “We managed to procure some information about those kids. I think we can get them out tomorrow.”

Ray grit her teeth. If Angel didn’t show up, there was no way the plan was going to go as she’d wanted it to.

“Sneaking in and getting a count of the number of children was the easy part,” Christina muttered ,

“But we were spotted when we were getting out. It got dirty very fast, and Cameron was the first of us to receive the brunt force of it.”

Ray angled his face to see where the dried blood sat and was not at all surprised to find a soft bump on the side of his forehead. Her gaze narrowed at the broken skin, and without turning to look at Micah she began speaking,

“Get me the first aid.” She said, patting Cameron’s cheek to get him to open his eyes, “Both of you go together. And scream if you see or hear anything suspicious.”

They left silently as Ray let loose a silent breath.

“Why are the kids here?” Christina asked as if noticing them for the first time. Ray clicked her tongue as Cameron cracked open an eye and lifted a hand to inspect the wound on his head. She slapped his hand away with a glare and responded to Christina,

“We encountered our share of problems.” She murmured as Ira and Micah returned with the first aid in their hands. Neera took it from their hands and walked around Ray to sit on the bench beside Cameron. Her eyes were trained on Ray, probing her to continue as she opened the box, “Ciera betrayed us. She was working for Martin.”

“Fuck.” Christina swore behind her and Neera closed her eyes in sheer annoyance. Ray scoffed at the question written on her face, could they trust no one? She’d asked herself the same thing before.

“I left Angel and Mia at the–”

“Whose stupid idea was it to meet at a damned cemetery?”

Jack’s voice snapped all of them back to reality. Cameron must’ve noticed the stiffening of her movements, because he sat straighter, his eyes snapping open as he braced a hand against the gun poised at his hip .

Ray shook her head and saw him relax. She continued working on his wound as a tired sigh echoed through the air,

“Noah’s,” Sorin replied as though he too, was exhausted with his twin. Ray would’ve smiled at his tone if it wasn’t for the dread slowly inching up her spine. Still, she forced herself to think as she wiped away the blood from Cameron’s forehead and the side of his face, they were all alive.

“You made it.” Christina breathed and if Ray had turned, she would’ve seen the girl rush forward in Jack’s direction and jump into his open embrace. Neera, on the other hand, just slumped down in her seat and put her head on Cameron’s shoulder. He, however, was now watching Ray with a guarded look in his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he finally signed at her as Sorin neared their group and flopped down on the ground in front of Neera. Ray shook her head, looking anywhere but in his eyes as she fought past the nausea.

“Why is Ira–”

“Kidnapped. Ciera. Bad guy.” Neera answered with her eyes shut. Ray looked to her side then, watching the glint of silver earrings as he leaned in closer. She blinked at the bruises on his cheekbone and looked down to see the angry red skin around his knuckles.

“What happened to you?” she asked softly and Sorin’s eyes flashed, something like realization rushing through them. Ray looked away, back at treating Cameron’s wound as he responded,

“We walked into a trap. The boxes had nothing. People were waiting for us inside.” He said and caught the first aid box as she swept it in his direction, “If they’re smart, they’ll be gone by tomorrow. I know their faces though, so they won’t get far.”

Ray hummed .

“Where’s Angel?” Jack asked tightly from behind them, “Wasn’t he supposed to be with you?”

“Me and Mia,” Ray returned, stepping away from Cameron now, “I left him with her to get Ira and Micah. And this other guy they’d held hostage.”

“Ciera,” Sorin murmured, “She worked for–”

“Martin,” Ray replied and got to her feet. When she turned, she found Christina and Jack standing shoulder to shoulder, their gazes narrowed in her direction, “They knew all about us. Which makes me realize that–”

“This was a dumb idea.”

Ray blinked at the other voices, something like relief flooding through her veins when she saw Noah, Luke and Myra walk through the clearing.

Luke, who’d been the one to say the words, looked all around the space until he spotted Jack and Christina. The relief that rushed into his gaze was nothing compared to the way her world threatened to tilt when she saw Akash and Irene stride in as well.

“Of course, we had to meet in a fucking graveyard.” Akash was murmuring as he wiped the dust off his shirt and darted his gaze around. Ray breathed out and shook in her spot until his dark eyes found hers.

The panic in them calmed immediately and without really waiting for any other reaction, both Akash and Raylene crossed the clearing and collided with one another. Ray was aware of Irene and Myra hugging behind her back as Akash enveloped her in his arms and placed his forehead on the top of her head.

“You alright?” he asked, his voice shaking with the same fear she’d felt when their communication had been cut off. Ray shivered in his arms now, a new fear thudding through her blood as she shook her head,

“Something’s wrong. ”

She murmured and pulled back. Akash gazed down at her in a slight frenzy, his eyes darting around in search of any injuries, but Ray shook her head, her gaze betraying her as she looked past him in search of Angel.

Who didn’t appear.

“Angel was supposed to come find me after he was done checking the property with Mia,” Ray said, breathing out harshly as she took a step back, “He didn’t come though. And I couldn’t leave Ira alone, nor could I take her with me–”

“Ray.” Akash’s voice cut through calmly and she looked back at him. A rock, that’s who he was. A rock that steadied her for a single moment. Long enough for her to fish out a plan. Ray turned on her heels to face the rest of them,

“Ciera confessed she worked for Martin.” She began and saw Neera sign the words to Cameron. Ray shot him an apologetic look and began signing the words as she spoke, her hands shaking slightly,

“I received a message from her when I reached the site with Angel and Mia. A video showing that she was holding someone I knew hostage. I didn’t know about Ira and Micah being there when I left.” She paused, turning to Luke, Jack, and Christina now, “I gave Angel the address and asked him to come there when they were done looking at the facility. He,” her breath caught, “He didn’t come.”

Ray’s shoulders tensed further, her brows furrowing, “Ciera also told me that Martin is working with someone else. But we already knew this.” She paused, contemplating whether she could tell them yet or not. Christina caught her hesitation and took a step forward,

“You know something,” she began, almost angrily, “ Both you and Angel, you know something. ”

Yes. And somehow, it was all working perfectly.

Ray shook her head and opened her mouth to continue when she saw Luke’s eyes dart past her as if he were looking behind her. She paused when she saw him go still, the color draining from his face. She heard it then, the slight panting, the rustling of the cloth against the skin, and the rushed breathing. Maybe, she prayed as hope rose in her chest, maybe he’d made it.

“Mia,” Christina breathed, and Ray turned on her heels, her eyes widening as she spotted the redhead limp through the clearing, a hand braced against her bloodied abdomen, “Mia!”

Ray moved with habit, Christina at her side as they both neared the girl and caught her before she could stumble and fall to the ground. Mia let loose a guttural sound as Ray caught at her waist and pulled her weight as gently as she could. Christina followed her example, her expression contorted into worry and pain as she swept Mia’s red hair away from her face, revealing bruised and scratched skin. She gasped at their sight as they carefully pulled her forward.

“ Angel,” Mia rasped, and Ray froze on the spot, her heart stalling for an entire second. God fucking damn it.

“What are you doing?” Christina hissed in her direction and pulled Mia up as she fell limp in their arms. Ray grunted and picked her up the waist again but didn’t respond.

“They took him,” Mia sobbed, and Ray could swear the wind howled above her head. Blood rushed into her ears, a dull roar as they neared the bench. Neera got up immediately, leaving space for a gasping Mia.

Ray placed her on the bench as gently as she could and immediately knelt as Christina braced a hand on her shoulder,

“What do you mean?” her voice a whisper, “Who took him? ”

Ray didn’t say a word. Just grabbed the first aid box and lifted the hem of Mia’s bloody t-shirt. She was aware of her brown eyes fixed on the top of her head as she spoke,

“After Ray left and we entered the warehouse together, it was like walking into a straight trap. As soon as we stepped in, there was smoke and these people who jumped us from nowhere.”

Mia hissed as Ray took a cotton swab and cleaned her wound. It looked like a slash wound, from a clean-cut knife. Not too dangerous, but deep enough to draw out a large amount of blood. Ray didn’t look up at Mia as she continued,

“I think,” she said, half-sob as Ray touched sensitive skin, “I think they worked for Martin. And they left me there to die while they took Angel with them.”

Ray breathed out finally and turned to her right to see Sorin standing right beside her. His dark eyes widened when she beckoned him to stitch her up. Mia might’ve continued speaking, but Ray was already getting up, the rush of waves in her ears drowning out her voice as she thought of a way out. Thought of ways to get him back and…

She placed her bloody hands on her waist as she lost herself in thought, staring at the ground as she tapped her feet.

One wrong move and she could lose all this within a snap of their fingers. Two players. Martin was the face, and the other was the brains. Ray looked over her shoulder at Mia, who was looking too pale to be alive. Who was looking too afraid to be here. And yet she’d made it.

She was sure Angel would too.

“We’re changing the plans a bit. ”

Ray's voice cut through all their conversations, but she looked at none of them. Just stared straight ahead at that one gravestone that sat at the very end of the long field. This far she couldn’t read the name but knew exactly who it belonged to.

Lia Walker, it said, A beautiful daughter, sister, and friend.

“I know where to find Angel,” she continued, her resolve strengthening with every word. They wanted her to play?

Fine, she would fucking play.

“Get the kids out. Bomb and burn their facilities to the ground tomorrow.”

Ray looked over her shoulder, and straight into Mia and Christina’s eyes. Looked at Luke and Jack who watched her carefully, war waging in each of their minds,

“I’ll go where they want me to. And I’ll get him out and end this.”

Akash matched her gaze then, his chin tipping.

Not alone though, she thought and shut her eyes against the cold air, never alone.