CH 10: At a Crossroads

Abigail loved gardening. Ever since she'd been big enough to hold a trowel, she'd helped her mother plant and prune the foliage in the Hobbs family greenhouse. The scent of earth and the feeling of cool, gritty dirt between her fingers always brought her a sense of peace – of calm – so whenever 1R placed her in the group that grew vegetables, she was thoroughly pleased. For the first time during her experience, she finally felt useful. Being a burden was not something she was accustomed to.

Clipping a ripe tomato from its stem, Abigail set it into a basket and began searching for others. That was when a shadow obstructed her view.

"Jane?"

She looked up, surprised to find Cal standing there with a grave, leery expression on his face.

Dusting her hands off on her jeans (she never bothered with gloves), Abigail rose and lowered her voice to ask, "What's wrong? You look really freaked out."

"Walk with me," Cal entreated.

Paling, Abigail spared the surrounding members a brief glance before nodding, now leading him off toward the path that led to the street. "What's wrong?" she asked, attempting to appear unruffled. "The last time you told me to take a walk, you'd figured out who I was…"

"It's in a similar vein," Cal allowed, his jaw tensing. "It would seem your father is traveling in search of you. There's a hefty sum being offered as a reward."

Abigail's eyes widened. "How much?"

"Enough that anyone here would sell you down the river."

"Including you?" He didn't answer right away and Abigail frowned, now looking forward again. "I see…"

"Look, I told you the truth, didn't I? This isn't easy for me on top of all the other shit I've got to deal with."

Abigail winced. "Then what should we do?"

"He's your father, so I was hoping you would have an answer."

"If I did, do you really think I would've run away?"

Exhaling through his nose, Cal unlocked his car and opened the passenger door. "Get in."

"Oh, but-"

"Get in, Abigail. Don't make me ask again."

Wary of his tone, she frowned and uneasily slid into her designated seat. After Cal had gotten in alongside her, she asked, "Where are we going?"

"I figured that a drive would be more private and beneficial. I do my best thinking in cars."

Watching him flick the radio to a classic rock station, Abigail began nervously twisting a hangnail on her thumb. It pricked and stung and strained, but she paid it no mind as the guard at the front gate allowed them to pass. "Are you worried he'll find me?"

"Are you?" Cal pressed, glancing toward her with a biting scowl. "I can't have him raising hell against my compound, Abigail. We stay functioning thanks to donors and generosity, so one small scandal could ruin everything."

Abigail chewed her lip. "He's an excellent hunter, but I don't think that applies to finding people – least especially when he's on the other side of the country."

Cal huffed. "Sooner or later, someone will see or hear something and tip him off. It's not if he'll find you, but when."

Abigail quivered, her fingers twisting the hangnail free in a painful, bloody snap. "You sound so sure of that…"

"I am. Human nature is predictable, and unfortunately, greed is at the top of that list."

Smearing the blood across her thumb, Abigail exhaled and looked out the window. "You don't need to remind me of how cruel mankind can be…" Trailing off, her brows pinched and a spike of alarm stabbed her chest. "Cal?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are we headed toward the interstate? You said that w-" The locks snapped down, thus ensuring that she couldn't open the door, should she try and escape. She turned to look at him in horror. "What…?"

"I'm sorry, Abigail."

"You fucking rat!" Flailing against him with her tiny fists, she began furiously punching and striking at whatever she could manage. "Take me back!"

Gritting his teeth, Cal maintained his speed and hit the accelerator. "If you want to make it to the airport in one piece, I'd suggest not getting us into a wreck."

Abigail glared back at him through stinging eyes. "How could you do this? You know what my dad is, and-"

"No, Abigail, I don't – all I have is the word of a desperate, scared teenager, so for all I know, he isn't a murderer."

Abigail's eyes puddled as if she'd been slapped. "And you'd really be willing to take that chance? You'd just give me back to him?"

Cal sighed. "I don't plan on giving you back, I just-"

"Save it," she seethed. "I don't want to hear your excuses, you…you coward! While I have to return to the belly of the beast, you get to go back to your cushy, over-glorified existence of light and gardens and cash donations, so who gives a shit about people in need, right?"

"That is not fair."

"No, it's not!" she furiously agreed. "You preach about goodness and helping our fellow man, but you're just a fucking hypocrite! The only higher power you serve is yourself!"

Cal's jaw tensed. "That's enough, Abigail."

"What, you actually thought I'd come quietly? It's not like you're innocent in this, you realize." With a chilled smugness overtaking her eyes, Abigail crisply reminded him, "You finger-fucked me – you seduced me. If you take me back to my dad, do you really think I won't tell him? That I won't say I was abducted and used for your disgusting sex cult?"

Narrowing his eyes, Cal gripped the wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned bone-white, his hands shaking as he focused on the three lines of traffic in front of them. "Perhaps I can help you," he offered. "That way, we both get what we want."

"You can't do shit for me," Abigail spat. "My dad's sick…hell, you seem pretty sick too, so at the very least, maybe you two can hold hands and sing Kumbaya."

Cal slapped the flat of his palm against the dashboard. "Stop making fun of the movement! My faith is not to be ridiculed, and I genuinely am trying to help, you ungrateful little…!" Catching himself, he exhaled and squeezed his eyes shut, then slowly opened them again. "I'm not going to apologize – you were out of line – but I'm sorry that we both feel that all of our options have been exhausted."

Stiffly, Abigail folded her arms and looked straight ahead. "Whatever. As long as you stop pretending you care, maybe I can agree to your assistance."

"I'm not pretending. You were a bit difficult to swallow at first, but after a while, I genuinely grew to like and appreciate you."

"You mean for what 'practical use' I am to the compound, right?"

Cal grimaced. "Stop twisting my words. Though I've got to say, I'm not overly fond of you right now."

"Likewise, asshole."

Reaching for the radio dial, Cal turned up the music and the remainder of their drive was spent in silence.

When Cal checked them into a seedy, rundown motel off the highway, Abigail stubbornly refused to speak. She walked around in a huff, ignoring each of his questions as they got themselves situated.

"For fuck's sake, Abigail… We're already on our way to Minnesota, so there's no sense in behaving this way," Cal said. "If you're hungry, you're only screwing yourself over."

Abigail's lips finally lifted into a sneer. "Well gee, if dinner's anything like this five-star resort, I'm sure I'm in for a real treat."

"Don't be smart. Funds are tight at the compound, so I wanted to cut as many corners as possible."

"Whatever." Reaching for the hem of her shirt, Abigail began tugging it over her head in irritation.

Cal balked. "W-wait, what are you doing?"

"I'm getting a shower," she snapped. "You weren't considerate enough to let me pack my clothes – though I see you made sure to get an overnight bag for yourself – so I guess I'll just have to walk around naked. There's no way I'm wearing my gross, sweaty gardening clothes to bed."

"Oh, but-"

The bathroom door slammed and Cal sighed, sinking onto his mattress with a groan.

When Abigail re-emerged, freshly showered and in marginally better spirits, she loosely clutched the towel draped around her body and glanced at Cal, her mouth pursing when she spotted the takeout in his hands. "Are you going to give me some?"

"As I recall, you were too good for my offer," Cal muttered. Nevertheless, he handed her a plastic fork and spoon, and then a container of savory fried rice.

Taking the warm Chinese food between her hands, Abigail sat beside him Indian style (which was terribly indecent, given her lack of underwear), before shoveling rice into her mouth.

"Guess you were hungrier than you thought," Cal observed.

"Go to hell."

Chuckling under his breath, he handed her a bottle of water before opening the carton of chicken. Abigail immediately snatched it away.

"Look…" Cal sighed, rolling his eyes up toward the ceiling. "I know what I did was underhanded and unfair, but I really do intend to help you."

Abigail sneered around her fork. "Yeah, now that I've blackmailed you."

"Regardless of that, I wasn't lying when I said I like and appreciate you as a person."

Abigail paused mid-chew, her brow pinching before she promptly looked away. "Flattery isn't going to work with me, Cal. I know how men like you are."

"I don't think you know much about me, actually."

"I know enough – and if I can get you to want me, I can get you to do anything." Expression defiant, she set her half-eaten dinner aside before rising from the bed, her eyes meeting his over her shoulder as her towel slipped and bared her full, blushing nudity. Pleased by his startled expression, she walked toward her own bed and pulled back the covers, taking special care to bend over as she crawled between the scratchy sheets. "This truly is five stars," she jeered.

Cal found that he couldn't respond. Still blinking in shock from what he'd just witnessed, he exhaled and attempted to focus on cleaning up. She was wrong – she was wrong.

She had to be.

A/N: Welp, this took a turn I wasn't quite expecting, but as always, I just roll with wherever my muse takes me. Hope you enjoyed! :)