Chapter 13: The Truth Hurts

"I love you, not for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you."

-- Roy Croft

There were so many cages filled with infected. It sickened me. I stared at them, they didn't look back though. It's like they were afraid to or something. I turned my attention to a rather large cage, a box actually, and noticed it shifted back and forth quite harshly. Dustin must have been in there due to the way it was closed off like that. Besides, he was the only one heavy enough to shift it violently like that. I wandered over to the side and said

"Dustin, are you in there?"

All I heard was a silent scratching noise and it struck me odd. I once again questioned if he was in there, but this time I got a muffled sound. I needed to open that door with something, but what? I whispered be right back to him and the scratching noise answered me. I began to look around for something, anything, to help Dustin get out of there.

I wandered around looking for something, but I found nothing that would open a locked door. There surely had to be a few guards around that had a key, right? Being partly blind didn't help at all on top of it. Time was slowly running out for Cornelius and that was beginning to make me worry. Then I heard them, both quietly walking and holding their guns, they seemed so unaware of what was about to happen. It made me sick, but distant thoughts of my friends made me do it.

I crept up silently, watching their every move the best I could. I was still among the various bushes and trees which concealed my presence. They were so close that I could reach out to touch them, but I didn't. I needed to keep hidden, or else. I followed them, I felt like a stalker oddly. Or a hunter that was just about to close in on it's prey. Those few tense seconds before the kill, both knew the moment was coming and it became silent. One guard departed and the other stating that he can handle a few zombies if any came close. I felt sorry for the blond that I was going to close in on. Again, I followed him as he made his way back to the closed box that Dustin was in. I guess the good part was is that I wouldn't have to go very far when I was finished with him. I took in a deep breath and took a giant leap to pin him down. I'd make it as quick as possible for this man.

He screamed as he flew face first onto the cold awaiting ground beneath him. He would never see his killer, which made me feel just a little worse about this. I held his life in my hand, and I'd suffocate that light that I held. I pinned him down quite nicely but he squirmed like a fish out of water. His horrified screams were muffled but I still heard them. My throat tightened and in an instant, I heard the snap of his neck. All in a second, he stopped moving, he stopped screaming, he stopped breathing. I panicked as I searched for the keys to free Dustin, what if someone heard me? Then I felt the key ring and wrapped my deformed fingers around it. I took in a deep breath and leaped off the body. It was best if I stepped it up just a bit.

I came back to the box and told Dustin that I was back and busting him out of there. I heard no response and that caused me to rush more. Twice I dropped the stupid key ring. Not only that, there were so many keys! I growled as I did trial and error with them all. But then I heard it click and turn, which made me almost scream with happiness. As soon as I opened the door, I found Dustin sitting on the ground looking bored. My smile was wide and happy and he returned one a few seconds later. We rejoiced just outside of his prison. He then became serious and asked

"Lucretia, where's everyone else?"

"Cornelius is busy being a distraction. I'm afraid his time is running short. As for Alex, I'm going to rescue him in a few here." I responded

"Are you ok with going alone?" Dustin questioned. I could hear the worry in his voice

"I'm sure. I got you out, right?" I responded trying to make it easy for him to take

"Well, I can see you're no damsel in distress." He said while laughing a bit. "Alright, I'll go look for Cornelius."

"I'll see you in a few." I said and headed for the bushes again. I wished him the best of luck with succeeding in finding and helping Cornelius. I needed to find Alex, and fast.

As I continued to wander down the long line of cages and guards, I noticed something. There were less and less guards. But why? I only pushed it off as nothing and continued to search. I soon came to his cage and recognized that hoodie anywhere. His back was towards me but that didn't matter, I'd soon get to see his face soon. There were no guards around to stop me but I had to keep a look out anyway, never know when one might be come. I held the keys tightly in my hand, afraid I might drop them, and wandered over to them. As I came to the bars, I rested my head on it and watched him for a few seconds. What was I waiting for?

"Alex, I need to speak with you." I said, my voice nothing more than a whisper. He didn't jump, but he seemed surprised. The hood hid his eyes and I could tell his mouth was a hard line. Was he unsure of me? He didn't turn around fully but he turned his head to stare at me. I stared at him and smiled softly. He returned it with saying something

"Lucretia! You came for me?"

"Of course. I can't just leave someone behind…" I said and that made me think of Adam. My stomach knotted up and remembered all those questions. Rufus, Cornelius, Adam. Before I got too soft, I needed to start asking him. I took a deep breath and continued

"Like I said, I need to speak with you."

"I'm all ears." He said and turned around to face me. He crouched too to get to me level due to the cages height. How would I word this? I didn't want to seem too strange or anything. I decided just to go with it.

"I want to know about your past."

"My past? I thought we already went through this?" He offered

"I know. But I need to know."

"Well, I have a mom and dad, rather had that is. They were pretty rich."

"I already know that!" I practically bursted out, the tension was getting to me. He flinched slightly at the sudden out-burst. He then replied

"Well…what do you want to know about them?"

"What did they do to become so rich? What were their names?"

"They were scientists, amazing scientists." He said. I held my breath and let him continue "Their names are Claire and Sebastian."

"Claire and Sebastian?" I echoed "Don't tell me they worked for CEDA…"

"…Where did you hear this?" He questioned with a serious tone.

"A man named Rufus. Are you familiar with him?" I shot at him. I didn't know why I was getting so angry, just the thought of this made me want to scream and yell.

"Gibbs?" He questioned quietly. That was not a good sign at all. I simply nodded and he growled under his breath. I moved my head from it's current resting position and took a step backwards. He then wrapped his hands around the bars and he looked at me. He then shot a question to me

"What did he tell you? How did you speak with him? How did you get to him?"

"We communicated by me writing on the ground and him talking normally. He told me that you were the son of two scientists by the name of Claire and Sebastian and you were a runaway experiment. And Cornelius covered me by distracting most of the guards…" I answered. His silence gave me time to think. I then remembered what Cornelius said. When he answered, I'd ask him.

"Don't listen to him. He's a liar, a schemer."

"Don't go pointing fingers!" I yelled at him. He didn't flinch at all this time, but instead stood his ground and he looked slightly angry.

"What? You don't trust me?" He questioned

"I don't even know what to think about you anymore! I trusted you and you don't even have the guts to tell me that you're a runaway experiment."

"It's not like that!" He countered

"What is it then?" I responded and tightened my grip on the keys.

"They let me free." He answered and squeezed the bars.

"But why? Why did they let they go if they knew you were dangerous?" I asked suddenly becoming quiet like he did

"They wanted to test me." He answered.

"For what? Why?" I suddenly asked

"I don't know why, they just did. My parents were always like that. Holding me up like that then just suddenly letting me go. All my life they've done that."

"Oh…" I said. We became silent. There were still no guards around so we could talk like this a little more. To change the subject, I brought up the Cornelius thing.

"I was just wondering but Cornelius told me to forgive you. I don't know why though…do you?" His silence made me question what he knew. He lowered his eyes and moved his head downwards. Once again, that was not a good sign. I moved closer and touched his hand. He pulled it away and stood up but still held his head that way. I whispered quietly

"Alex, what's wrong?"

"You won't…forgive me." He said silently

"Just tell me!" I said loudly

"Do you remember the night I saved you? You just sat there, filled with grief." He started

"Yes." I said, not liking where this was going.

"When Adam was taken down…I was there. It was me who did it." He said quietly. Did he really just say what I thought he did? I squeezed the keys as the cold liquid fell from my eyes. Even though my heart was long dead, I could feel my chest becoming heavy. I backed away slowly, the keys still in my hand. Alex looked up and he spoke

"Lucretia, I-I can explain!"

"Don't talk to me Alex!" I screamed "You've done enough damage!"

"I'm so sorry, Lucretia, I really am." He said and flew to the bars to the cage. His sleeved arm reached out for me as I backed away. I told him not to talk and he disobeyed. I grew angry with him

"I hope you die Alex, I honestly do! I regret ever meeting you and risking my life to save you! You're nothing more than trouble! Just die." Every word was laced with venom and hate. He flinched as I told him to die one last time and his arm slowly fell to his side. I clenched the keys in my fist then turned around to through them somewhere far away so he'd never get out. I heard them land somewhere softly and I ran. I needed to get away from here, be alone for a while. He didn't realize what he did to me.

I don't think he ever would.

As I ran, the icy-cold tears flew down my cheeks. Even though Adam cheated on me, I still loved him. He was torn from me and it hurt. It hurt a lot. So I ran far, far away as far as I could and I didn't even look back once.