“But I think they’re still in Wyoming. Their file hasn’t moved since,” Zero explained. “They could be en route or stopped somewhere.”
“What’s it like over there?” Archer asked.
“It’s bad, man, and getting worse by the second. The fight was moved to tomorrow, and it looks like they’ve sent assassins to fight the trainees.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Wolf is here.”
“Holy fuck!” Archer exclaimed. “They brought the big guns.”
“And he saw me,” I said. “Do you think Orcus knows who I am?”
“Oh, I’m sure he does. There was a hit on your file two days after you got there. I had a feeling whoever that was, was looking for your shit,” Zero confirmed.
“Shit!” Frustration was bubbling within me.
“But …” she trailed off. “I don’t think he knows that you know. So that might buy you time until we get there.”
That was the lifeline I needed, a small reprieve until I was ready to make my move.
“Who’s all with you?” I asked, eager for any semblance of a plan.
“The rest of the guys and ten more recruits from The Firm,” Heath chimed in.
Impressive. “How did you manage to do that?”
“We’ll tell you when this is all over. Because we will get you out of there alive,” Archer said.
“Not without Abel, his family, and the other guys,” I said.
They were quiet for a moment, but they must’ve sensed my conviction. “We’ll be there in an hour,” Archer said.
“Act like nothing’s wrong,” Zero added, her voice a comforting reassurance.
I could do that.
Forty: Abel
Iwished my life were different; more hopeful and less fucked up than the constant tragedy we faced day by day, night by night in this prison. The Creed trapped not only our bodies but also our souls, extinguishing our hope. There were very few things I could do to change the situation. Our chances of escaping had taken another blow with the disappearance of my friends. And to make matters worse, tomorrow we had to fight for our lives. Orcus would stream our struggle for survival to his world; a spectacle to demonstrate his power. I wondered how much our lives were worth to him.
I banged my head with my fist, my body quivering from the rage brewing inside me. I longed for the day when we would walk out of the cult and reclaim our freedom, but not until Orcus had paid for his crimes. We deserved justice. This was no longer about escaping; this was about revenge. I would not stop until Orcus was dead, even if I had to risk my life to end his.
The guys were awakened by the obnoxious alarm. There was something different about these deafening sirens. For starters, it was coming from outside, instead of the rusted speakers in our room. Maybe the warning was never intended for us, but for the guards whose shadows were rushing past the small crack beneath the door. The noise was louder and longer than usual.
I hadn’t slept at all after Tobias dropped me off last night. I spent the past few hours consumed with sorrow. Thank goodness for Tobias’s strength grounding me, because I’d be lost without his presence.
***
“I’m so sorry about your dad,” Tobias whispered. His voice was heavy with remorse. “I truly am. I wish I’d come here sooner, then maybe all of this would’ve never happened.” Tobias’s eyes glistened under the lights. The weight of his guilt mirrored back at me. He blamed himself for not being here when we needed him most; for not arriving sooner to prevent the tragedy that had struck my family. But I couldn’t allow him to shoulder that burden alone.
“It’s not your fault, Tobias.” My voice cracked as tears streamed down my cheeks once again. My heart felt like it was shattering into a million irreparable pieces. I’d tried to remain strong in front of my family, but now that it was just me and Tobias, I couldn’t hold back any longer. I allowed myself to crumble, knowing he would be there to catch me.
“Come here.” Tobias pulled me into a tight embrace. His strong arms were comforting. “I’m here for you,” he whispered into my ear, his words a balm to my wounded spirit. “I’ll never let anyone hurt you ever again.”
I lost track of time as we stood there, entwined in each other’s arms. I didn’t care. I could stay there forever.
Tobias released me when the sounds of footsteps and radio chatter neared. With his quick reflexes, he pulled me behind the nearest wall, steering us away from the approaching guard.