Page 64 of The Merciless

“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 procuresomeinformation 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–”

“Whosestupididea 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–”

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