Chapter 15: Humanity Lost
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"Stevens has a kid. Pearl is his kid. But how on earth is that possible? He's eighteen, and she's sixteen. It doesn't make sense."
Xander paced back and forth in his cell. "What I wouldn't do for a cigarette."
His hands shook. Just like Alex's in the coffee shop last week, he thought. Last week. I can't believe it was only last week. We were on top, we had them cornered. I got Dakota face first in the mud and Karma had Alex by the balls. How'd we fall so fast? Even four days ago. I nearly had him, what'd that bastard do to me?
"How'd I loose to him. It's ridiculous."
"No it's not. Good will always triumph over evil."
Xander spun to the doors of the cell. "Jagger."
The young man pushed the hard metal door out of his way then behind his back. "So, you finally got put in your place? Wish I'd done it myself." He smiled, his face devoid of any sympathy.
"What do you want?" Xander asked coldly.
"To give you the courtesy of a cigarette." He threw him a package then a lighter. "And take you to a meeting. The counsel has to ask you something."
"What do they have to ask me? I could write them answer in a letter and you could deliver it to them," Xander suggested coldly. "I'd rather die before I go to them."
Jagger grabbed him by the shirt an drug him close. "And after the stunt you pulled with Dakota, his girlfriend, and aunt I'd like to kill you."
Xander pushed him against the wall. "Go ahead, I'd love to see you try."
The next thing Xander knew he found himself tasting a mix of smashed cigarette and carpet. Jagger clamped his hands behind his back and jerked him up. "Let's go Collins."
The rows of pictures past them on the walls as they made their way to the meeting room. Young men and woman eyed them with a strange, seductive ere. Ariel's picture at the end sent pain through Xander's heart. Pain? No, maybe fear. If someone like Ariel could be taken down from their height of power anyone could. Even Paul. Only a matter
of time, he thought.
The door to the counsel meeting room swung open. Xander's eyes swept from David's face to Kris's and then Darron's. "So where's the real power behind this group?" Xander asked. Jagger pushed him down into a seat at one end of the table.
"Oh Riley?" Kris asked. "She's at the hospital with Dakota."
"Is the little bastard dead yet?" Xander asked.
"No actually he's alive-"
"But not well I'm sure," Xander finished.
"Take his cuffs off," David said to Jagger who obeyed immediately.
"Now, to the problem at hand. You're going to tell us where Paul is."
Xander laughed and shook his head. "You're some kind of dumb if you think I'm gonna do that."
David raised his eyebrows. "What could you possibly gain from him being out of jail Xander?" He said standing. "If you think Paul's going to rise back to power, you're wrong. He's been cast down."
Xander scoffed. "Then how come you want him so badly?"
"He should be brought to justice," David said. "Besides, we had a problem with him last night."
"So, he's been thrown down huh?"
"Yes, he has," David said firmly.
"Then how come he still has power over Dakota?"
"That, is exactly what we want to find out Xander." Kris said.
"What? You think I did something? I mean, besides the obvious." Darron laughed. "You know it's funny." He put his hands on the table and leaned over into Xander's face. "You really wouldn't give a fig if Paul were caught or not if it were going to cost you. The only reason you joined with him was to take a stab at Dakota. You knew that with his power no one could stop you."
"Yeah," Kris said. "You'd tell us where he was in a heart beat if we told you we'd cut off your-"
"Kris." David stopped him.
Xander shook his head. "I won't have to worry about that though will I? The 'good guys' always have to be nice to their prisoners. That's why the 'villains' always have the edge. We have no regard for human life."
"You got that right," Kris muttered. "The way you treat people makes it seem like you aren't one."
"Good. Humans suck."
"What, you've forgotten that you were human once Xander? Or did that humanity die with that girl you killed in Ireland?"
Xander jumped across the table and grabbed Kris's neck. Faster than ever before he sucked away all the energy and power. But Darron and David grabbed and yanked him away. Kris grasped and grabbed his neck, red with burns. Xander's eyes had widened and his jaw jutted forward but he didn't say anything. A fired burned in his eyes that they had
never seen before. He tired to leap forward again but the iron hands on his shoulders and arms kept him in place.
"Kris," David said. "Now is not the time to bring up past transgressions."
The two boys stared at one another for a moment and the room filled with heat. No one said a word. Finally David made a decision. "Jagger take Xander back to his cell."
As he left Xander looked back at Kris, "I hope you die."