Chapter 24 - Freedom or Death
It was the burning ache that she woke up to. Her head screamed fire as she sunk lower into the pillow the nuzzled against her cheek. Her face twisted into an image of pain and she could feel the heat from the comforter she was covered by.
Meredith's eyes snapped open suddenly and she came to terms with a hacking cough. Water filled her mouth and ran a little onto her hand. She gave one last cough, then debated her predicament.
She had to admit it was better then the last time she had lost consciousness and woke up. She wasn't on a floor or in a hospital bed. She peeled the heavy comforter off her body, carefully dressed in silk pyjamas. Someone had changed her. SHe coughed again, receiving another mouthful of water. She relaxed a little, leaning back on the mohogany head board of the bed she had been put in while she was unconscious.
But still, the events leading up to her passing out were a blur. She remembered the play, however long ago it was, the story as told by her *twin sister* Number 7. She shook off the remembrance of being thrown in the tank. As she remembered, she heard the click of a door, and silent footsteps on the hardwood floor.
"Awake at last." She opened her eyes, another coughing attack getting to her, and there was Jason. Oh God, the first person I see. Joy.
"Just lay back Meredith your lungs are filled with water." He said. Meredith didn't want to. She defiantly sat up, and was wrecked with coughing spasms. She kicked the rest of the blankets off. Jason came and sat on her bedside. He handed her the newspaper and a look of horror came onto Meredith's face. Pictures of her, memories covered the front page.
"What? I'm not dead though?" It all started to make sense. She read through a little of the article.
"They found you, and they have created something that can kill you..."
Meredith couldn't believe it.
"They weren't stealing my life they were saving me!" She shouted out in surprise, triggering another coughing attack. She held her hand over her mouth and dropped the paper.
"But...my family, they think I'm dead."
Jason smiled a little.
"As long as they think your dead Meredith, William is safe."
"How's that? I thought I was supposed to be protecting him?"
"Yes, well your the weapon. Its like trying to run a car without the battery. Your the battery. Without you, William isn't targetted."
"But someone's going to find out I'm not dead."
"No, everyone will suspect you are dead."
"What makes you so certain?" Her voice was getting worse.
"These are people you don't fuck with Meredith." Jason said. "That was why they escaped, the numbers. They came after you. That was why I let them go. They made you dead. Your parents will never find the shooter, no matter how much forensics they use. You're a dead girl Meredith. A dead free girl."
"Free? If what your saying is true I go anywhere and I'm dead."
"True, which is why I have another offer for you."
"What is it with you and all these offers?"
"You stay here with me and help me run the project, and William is safe."
Meredith couldn't believe this. In what had to be twenty- four hours she had been kidnapped, nearly drowned, and now had to give up her family and her life to a guy she had just met?
"I'll give you the day to think about it." He said. "Your free to go anywhere you want to. There are clean clothes in the cupboard. He pointed towards a closet on the far wall. Meredith didn't talk. She remained silent on the bed, a rumple of blankets at her feet. "And there is Advil in the bathroom." Meredith looked back at the paper.
So now came the choice only she could make.
Death...
Or freedom.
But right now she couldn't tell which was worse.
It was the burning ache that she woke up to. Her head screamed fire as she sunk lower into the pillow the nuzzled against her cheek. Her face twisted into an image of pain and she could feel the heat from the comforter she was covered by.
Meredith's eyes snapped open suddenly and she came to terms with a hacking cough. Water filled her mouth and ran a little onto her hand. She gave one last cough, then debated her predicament.
She had to admit it was better then the last time she had lost consciousness and woke up. She wasn't on a floor or in a hospital bed. She peeled the heavy comforter off her body, carefully dressed in silk pyjamas. Someone had changed her. SHe coughed again, receiving another mouthful of water. She relaxed a little, leaning back on the mohogany head board of the bed she had been put in while she was unconscious.
But still, the events leading up to her passing out were a blur. She remembered the play, however long ago it was, the story as told by her *twin sister* Number 7. She shook off the remembrance of being thrown in the tank. As she remembered, she heard the click of a door, and silent footsteps on the hardwood floor.
"Awake at last." She opened her eyes, another coughing attack getting to her, and there was Jason. Oh God, the first person I see. Joy.
"Just lay back Meredith your lungs are filled with water." He said. Meredith didn't want to. She defiantly sat up, and was wrecked with coughing spasms. She kicked the rest of the blankets off. Jason came and sat on her bedside. He handed her the newspaper and a look of horror came onto Meredith's face. Pictures of her, memories covered the front page.
"What? I'm not dead though?" It all started to make sense. She read through a little of the article.
"They found you, and they have created something that can kill you..."
Meredith couldn't believe it.
"They weren't stealing my life they were saving me!" She shouted out in surprise, triggering another coughing attack. She held her hand over her mouth and dropped the paper.
"But...my family, they think I'm dead."
Jason smiled a little.
"As long as they think your dead Meredith, William is safe."
"How's that? I thought I was supposed to be protecting him?"
"Yes, well your the weapon. Its like trying to run a car without the battery. Your the battery. Without you, William isn't targetted."
"But someone's going to find out I'm not dead."
"No, everyone will suspect you are dead."
"What makes you so certain?" Her voice was getting worse.
"These are people you don't fuck with Meredith." Jason said. "That was why they escaped, the numbers. They came after you. That was why I let them go. They made you dead. Your parents will never find the shooter, no matter how much forensics they use. You're a dead girl Meredith. A dead free girl."
"Free? If what your saying is true I go anywhere and I'm dead."
"True, which is why I have another offer for you."
"What is it with you and all these offers?"
"You stay here with me and help me run the project, and William is safe."
Meredith couldn't believe this. In what had to be twenty- four hours she had been kidnapped, nearly drowned, and now had to give up her family and her life to a guy she had just met?
"I'll give you the day to think about it." He said. "Your free to go anywhere you want to. There are clean clothes in the cupboard. He pointed towards a closet on the far wall. Meredith didn't talk. She remained silent on the bed, a rumple of blankets at her feet. "And there is Advil in the bathroom." Meredith looked back at the paper.
So now came the choice only she could make.
Death...
Or freedom.
But right now she couldn't tell which was worse.