After succumbing to jet-lag, Scarlet woke up in the afternoon.
She felt groggy, and she needed to take a shower after being in the aeroplane for so long.
She got out of bed, and checked her phone for the time on the bed-side table. She had a few missed calls, from Kai, which she thought was strange. It wasn't very often that he called her. They were friends, but not close.
She would call him back after her shower, there was nothing more important than scrubbing herself clean.
The shower had poor water pressure, and Scarlet could never manage to find the perfect temperature, always being too hot or too cold. She decided that when she moved out of the house, the first thing she would to would be to find an apartment with a decent shower.
The way her father seemed dedicated to not going back on his word, that he would be sober, Scarlet decided she would be there for him at least a month more. He was going to addiction groups, and finding support there. And she would still support him, but she needed her independence as well.
Once she washed her hair and cleaned her body with the bar of sweet smelling soap, Scarlet stepped out of the shower, and towelled herself off.
She got dressed again, back into her pyjamas, because she doubted she would be going anywhere, and went back into her room, to check her voice-mail.
Kai's voice came through the speaker, sounding troubled. "Hey, Wolf messaged me saying that Cinder might possibly be in danger, and I need someone to go to my place. Call me back when you can."
Immediately she called Kai back, but he would not pick up.
Levana had taken their phones. There would not be any emergency calls. Cinder could only be thankful that Wolf had the forethought to call the police before Levana got here.
But they were taking a long time. Kai's house was only a five-minute drive away from the nearest police-station. Where were they?
Cinder's mind was racing. She thought about Iko, and hoped that she was taking her time making deliveries. If she came back home, she wondered what she would do at the sight of this.
She didn't know if Levana would try to hurt her, too.
A few short minutes ago, Levana left the house, leaving Aimery to stand on guard. Wolf wasted no time in trying to get the better of him, but Aimery would not allow himself to be taken advantage of a second time around. He quickly jabbed him in the stomach, and punched him in the throat, leaving Wolf grunting in pain. She didn't think anybody would have been able to best Wolf. He seemed like he was made out of a coat of armour. Strong and defiant, and yet-
"Stupid boy!" Aimery roared. "Don't forget, I was the one to teach you how to fight."
Wolf regained himself, breathing heavily and glaring at him. But he said nothing.
It was only a matter of seconds until Levana came back, a pungent odour following after her.
"Don't-" Cinder started.
It was gasoline into the room. She probably started pouring it from the doorstep. The strong-smelling liquid took no time to infiltrate her nostrils. A familiar smell from working at New Beijing Mechanics for so long.
"Nobody is leaving. Not that now you know everything. And there is nothing you can do to stop me." she snarled. She came close to Cinder, and drizzled what was left of the gasoline at her feet. "Not even you."
She and Aimery inched away from the room, closing the door behind them.
Now immensely worried, Scarlet called Winter, then Wolf, but neither of them answered either. It was only when she called Thorne did someone pick up.
"Scarlet?" Thorne said in a hushed tone, she could hear his breath, like static.
"Hey, what's going on?" she asked. "I've been trying to call everyone, but no one is answering."
"Oh, good. Do they know Cress and I've been captured?"
"Captured?"
"Uh, or do you? Cress was captured by Sybil, and Ran just told me that they knew everything that was going on, from the very start. So-" he grunted, while someone shouted on his end, "-me and Cress are locked up somewhere, and Ran is here too… I can't talk long. Why is nobody else answering?" There was distant shouting on Thorne's end, and she could hear Thorne asking for more time on the phone, but soon enough, the line went dead before she could answer.
She slowly set the phone down, thinking about what Thorne just said, trying to come to some sort of logical understanding of this new information. Cress, captured. How did that happen – when? Was it connected to why Wolf never picked her up when she returned from France? Of course it was. When you were dealing with something like this. With Levana and her gang, there were no such thing as coincidences.
She should have been aware of it from the very start. Should have known that Levana would have been into all of this. She was a paranoid woman. She knew it when she found out about hers and Winter's relationship, even though they'd been so secretive about it, there'd be no way she could have guessed to their relationship. She'd probably had people following them since they all sat together in the staff room at Lunar Park.
How could she have been so reckless?
She didn't hesitate to run to her car, not even bothering to change out of her pyjamas, or even put a bra on. That didn't matter when her friends lives were in danger.
But where was she supposed to go? She had no clue where any of them were. But… Kai did say that Cinder was living at his house. So, would it be much of a stretch to think she was there? And maybe Cress and Thorne would be there, too.
Thorne managed to lighten the mood just a little when Scarlet called him unexpectedly, making all of them jump.
Thorne kept dodging out of Ran's way during the call, until Ran had him backed into a corner of the room and forcibly removed it, but not before Thorne could tell Scarlet everything that he knew had happened.
It was a sort of relief, knowing that at least someone knew what was happening to them. Maybe Scarlet would be able to save them.
The humour of the even dissipated once Ran flew into a rage and threw Thorne's phone on the ground hard, making it shatter and the screen completely break apart from the shelling, sliding halfway across the room.
Cress was unable to hold her gasp in when he did that, unable to bear seeing it thrown across the room like it was just a child's toy.
Ran looked at her, reaching his hand out for her own phone.
"I don't have it on me." she wasn't lying. She put in in her bag, and she didn't think Sybil took it with her when she knocked her out.
Ran didn't believe her. He stepped closer towards her, and she kept stumbling back until he cornered her, much like Thorne a few seconds ago, until she hit a wall of the room.
"I don't!" she cried, reaching into her pockets and turning them inside out for him to see.
His jaw tightened, but he moved away, nostrils flaring.
Thorne turned towards her, concern etched on his face. She couldn't meet his eyes, and had to hold on to the wall to stop herself from sliding down it, her legs trembling.
"Leave her alone," said Thorne. "You're scaring her."
Ran whirled towards him. "I don't care."
"Why are you doing this?" she called out. "You know you don't have to do whatever they say. Wolf wants you to let go of this-"
He turned to her again, storming up to her. "I don't care what he wants! He doesn't know anything. I've killed people!" he was breathing heavily, then he said, quieter now, but still with a fury in his voice. "Do you think they'll protect me if I leave? Wolf got out, but he never came back for me."
Then Cress saw the hurt in his eyes. She wasn't good at reading emotions, but she saw that as clear as day. He thought Wolf abandoned him to the mercy of Aimery. She realised that he didn't know that this all started with him and his brother. He thought they did this so they could help Selene, but finding out about her was just a conspiracy that they all accidentally got caught up in.
"He was always meaning to come back to you," she said. "That's why he asked for my help, so you didn't have to do this any more."
He looked at her, unblinking. "So, what?" he asked. "What were you going to do? I don't know what Wolf told you, but it's not that easy to leave without anybody noticing."
She swallowed, and walked closer to him, where he slumped down on the chair. She hesitated, reaching her hand out to him, to touch him on the shoulder.
"My friends will help you," she said. He shrugged out of her touch, and she let it drift down to her side. She was aware of Thorne coming closer towards her, his eyes boring holes in her back, ready to step in in case Ran got mad again. But she had been living with Ran for weeks, she'd gone through his belongings, even had intense conversations about his past with him. She felt like she knew him a lot better than she ever expected to.
"All they do is make a mess of things." he retorted.
She walked around the table to face him. "If you get us out of here, and you help us, we will help you."
"Cress." Thorne said.
She looked at him, begging for him to give Ran a chance. He nodded, resigned.
"I know you're not a bad guy." she said, turning back to Ran. "And even if Aimery or Levana or… or Sybil try to make your life hell-"
"They've already made it hell," he muttered
"Then we'll make their lives hell back."
He looked at her. Her eyes were so earnest and prompting. If Thorne was in Ran's position, he knew that he wouldn't have been able to resist.
He stood up. "You are very convincing when you want to be." he grumbled.
She couldn't stop the grin from spreading on her face.
Ran walked over to the door and unlocked it with the key in his pocket. His face was grim, knowing that if he got caught, he didn't know whether he would make it out alive. He was betraying everything Aimery had ever done for him. All the money, all the power that he wielded was being sacrificed all because of this one girl.
This one girl who could either change his life, or end it.
He didn't miss the look of disbelief on Thorne's face when he agreed to Cress's proposition, and he couldn't exactly blame him. He had done horrible things. And Aimery didn't fail to mention them the first time he met.
But there was just something so honest and heartfelt within Cress, that he found himself actually wanting to turn over a new leaf. In a way, he sort of admired her, even though she was younger than him. He reminded her of him, before the war. Before the army. Before Aimery.
She'd been dealt the short end of the stick so many times, still remained positive. She resisted temptation to let that turn her bitter. Something that Ran couldn't say about himself.
He realised that for the first time in his life, he might have actually found a friend in this meek, timid, brave girl.
Scarlet arrived, armed to the teeth with zip ties, and even a crowbar, just in case.
She had been to Kai's house before, at a Christmas party once. But she still had to use her GPS to find it.
She arrived just in time to see Levana grab something out of her car, and heave it up the numerous stairs leading up to the front door quite ungracefully.
She almost laughed, until she realised it was gasoline, and she started pouring the stuff everywhere.
"Shit," she said, getting out of the car once she was out of sight, and as fast as she could, racing up the stairs to the front door, then pausing and catching breath and getting her thoughts straight.
She couldn't go barging in there. She knew it wouldn't work out in her favour. She had to be as stealthy as a wolf stalking its prey.
She heard voices, three distinct ones. She recognised Levana's instantly, and Aimery's yell. And the other one was most probably Cinder's. But she remembered that no one else, not Kai or Wolf or Winter would answer their phones, and thought that it wouldn't be a stretch if they were in there too.
As quietly as she could, she walked to the bottom of the stairs, clutching the crowbar tight in her hands, and waited.
She figured – and the hoped she was right – that since Levana started pouring the gasoline at the front step of the house, that she would descend, the stairs, and there, Scarlet would act the predator, and she the prey.
She inched towards the side of the bannister, where Levana wouldn't be able to see her until the very last moment, when she made her strike.
She kept her breathing even and regular, repeating in her head a maxim: I will not fail I will not fail I will not fail I will not fail.
Then Levana inevitable started descending, her footsteps thundering in her ears. There was another set of footsteps – Aimery's, probably. She wasn't counting on both of them. But she was determined that she could take them both.
She saw Levana's foot reach the second last step, in a red, pointy toed high heel shoe. And without a moment's hesitation, she stepped out and swung the crowbar – and hit Levana right in the knees.
"ARGH!" She said, stumbling. She fell. She had a box of matches in her hand, which skidded to Scarlet's feet. She looked at the box on the floor, the brand, Redheads. Fitting. She almost laughed, if it wasn't for Aimery shouting, "You!"
"Me." she said, holding the crowbar with both hands, the bendy bit sticking over her shoulder. She wasted no time, and swung it towards Aimery. It was possible she hated him more than Levana, after hearing about the horrible things he has said to Winter – no, scratch the – the horrible things he has said and done to well, most everyone in general, because she flew into a rage and hit him again. Repeatedly.
Eventually he was groaning from pain, and Scarlet likened it to the way the cows sounded at her grand-mere's farm.
Levana, smartly, did not get up, watching in fury, with tears of rage brimming in her eyes.
Scarlet looked at her. "You are pathetic." she said haughtily. "You are a horrible woman. And I hope you never get to hurt a living soul ever again."
The door opened, and Scarlet didn't have to turn to look to know that it was Wolf's footsteps at the top of the stairs. There was a moment's pause, the Scarlet called out:
"Well? Are you going to help me or not?"
Hearing Scarlet's voice, Winter couldn't hide her grin. She didn't know how she knew, but it was so like her to come at the very moment someone needed her most.
Such was the way with Scarlet.
She bounded out of the room, and saw her with zip ties, binding Levana's wrists behind her back, giving a futile attempt to struggle out of her grip, but Scarlet, strong Scarlet, would not budge.
Slowly, after getting over their initial shock, Jacin, Cinder and Kai followed her out.
"What happened?" Kai asked. "How did you know we were here?"
Scarlet looked towards him. A warrior, Winter thought she looked like.
"I got your message. Sorry I didn't answer before," she said sheepishly. "I was sleeping. Jet lag, you know. Anyway, I called Thorne, and he told me that Levana found out everything, or knew it already. So, I came here. And, well… grand-mere always said I was a little too violent for my own good. Not that she ever discouraged it."
Wolf chuckled.
She paused. "Where are Cress and Thorne, anyway?" she asked, her brow furrowing.
"What do you mean?" Kai asked. "Didn't you say you called him? How did he know we were here, anyway? I haven't spoken to him since, well, a few days ago."
A crease appeared in the middle of Scarlet's forehead. "But he said that Cress was kidnapped, or something. I figured that they were here, too. Since you said to go to your home."
"Hang on," interrupted Wolf. "What do you mean kidnapped?"
Then Levana started to laugh. "Idiots," she whispered.
Scarlet raised her crowbar threateningly, "Tell us where they are." she demanded.
"You'll have to beat it out of me."
"Don't tempt me," Scarlet muttered.
"Dad would not be happy to know about what you've done, step-mother." Winter said quietly. "He would not be happy at all."
"You dare talk about him-"
"He is my father!" she said. "I have every right to talk about him, you murderer!"
She slowly started to notice the red dripping from the walls. And then she saw red leaking from every body else's chests. But there were no stabbings, were there? Her father was the only one that got stabbed. She looked towards Jacin, and saw that he was bleeding from his nose.
"You murdered my fathered and you pretended to love him. But you never really did."
"I never pretended."
Blood was dripping from Levana's eyes.
liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar
"Winter," Jacin called out. "Are you alright?"
She realised what was happening when he spoke. Hallucinations.