I was sitting in the corner, my back to the desk and the people around it. My nosebleed had dried out, but there was still a red streak all down my face, and drops of blood all over my clothes. Even though I was covered in my own blood, I didn't mind. Why Charlie? How long has Charlie been under their control? She was acting extremely strange, not to mention had shot a Launcher at me, but that had all been in the past twenty-four hours.
While my brain struggled to comprehend what had been revealed to me, Ethan clicked his pen against the desk.
"This is exactly the reaction I predicted, but you need to get over it. I'm not allowed to put sedative into you until you surrender willingly." He said, sighing.
I turned around to face him, and flinched when I saw Charlie's face, her bright blue eyes dull with a non-seeing look.
I slowly stood, supporting myself on the wall.
"I'm willing to make a deal, then." I said, wincing as I accidentally touched my face.
Ethan looked up, interested.
"I'm listening." He said intently.
I pointed at the file he was holding.
"Answer all my questions, and I'll go with you." I told him confidently.
He sat back, thinking.
"You're probably going to ask for confidential information, but if it's the only way you'd go willingly….." He crossed his arms. "Ask away." He sighed.
I smiled.
"Okay, first question: how long am I going to be here?" I asked.
Ethan put his feet up on the table.
"You're going to be able to leave once we figure out how to artificially produce the chemical in your brain." He said slowly.
I stared at him.
"And how long will that take?" I asked him, taking my hand off the wall, leaving a little red smear.
He reached a hand forward.
"Please mind the walls, they're a pain to clean." He said calmly.
I glared at him.
"First of all, I doubt it's you who cleans the walls, secondly, you should have considered that before making your henchman punch me in the face." I snarled at him, taking a menacing step forwards.
Ethan clapped his hands together.
"Okay then! You're done with questions already? Let's go." He stood up.
In a flash, I was in front of him, holding a hand to his chest, keeping him from rising any farther.
"You're not going anywhere." I smirked triumphantly.
He looked at me, confused, but with a little spark of fear.
"What do you mean?" He asked slowly, disguising his fear in calmness.
I pointed to Charlie.
"It doesn't matter who you have on your side. If I don't ask my questions, but I still have them, I can keep you here till you die of old age or starvation." I crossed my arms.
Ethan put his head in his hands.
"You stupid, stupid girl." He sneered.
I could feel his muscles tense, and before I could do anything, he grabbed Charlie by the shoulder and held a knife to her throat. She obeyed without struggle.
When I took a step forward, he put a little pressure on, leaving a small drop of red, but she didn't even flinch.
Suddenly, Addy, who was behind me, had grabbed my arms and was holding them behind me, immobilizing them.
I snarled and kicked at him, but he kicked me back. Ethan just stood calmly, holding the knife to Charlie's throat.
Finally, I stopped struggling, and slouched down, tears streaming down my face.
"Fine, take me, but one more condition." I looked up at him, anger sparking in my eyes.
"You have to let her go, or I won't let you take me willingly." I muttered softly.
Ethan smiled triumphantly.
"Finally, you made the right bargain. It's really the only reason we took her." He said, letting her go. Which was his mistake.
I reared back, smashing my head into Addy's face, and then I whirled around, breaking his grasp on my arms, kicking him over and launching myself at Ethan.
But before I got to him, Charlie was in my way. She slammed me with her shoulder, the impact knocking us both over.
She grasped my arms and kicked at my stomach. I twisted in pain, but refused to hurt her. I just curled up and took the blows, one after another. She hit my head hard with her elbow, then slammed it against the floor.
As black spots started swimming my vision, I looked at Ethan.
"Don't forget our deal, you fox-faced bastard." I smiled, a fresh trickle of blood streaming down my cheek. That's going to leave a bruise, I thought.
The next time I opened my eyes, there was bright lights flashing by above me. I shifted my arm and felt a little pinch. I looked at it and saw several tubes stuck in them, leading to plastic bags hanging from poles attached to the bed I was on. On one side, was three bags with a clear liquid dripping into my arm. On the other side was one gently sucking out a transparent bluish-green liquid.
I looked up when the cot stopped moving. A man in a white mask covering his nose and mouth appeared over me, and placed a mask attached to a longer, bigger tube over my mouth. A strange, sweet smell flowed into my nose, and my eyes drifted closed as I fell back into unconsciousness.
The same voice, the same boy. His skin seemed paler than I remembered, and his face was shinier, like he was sweating. There were the flashing lights, the screaming voices, the panic and chaos everywhere around us. But it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was that boy. He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me close. He whispered a word into my ear, the same word. Remember. Just as I started drifting away, I saw another boy standing near us. He had dirty blonde hair and tan skin, his brown eyes watching me. It was Gabe.
I sat up, gasping for breath. I looked around the operating room where they had drained the chemical from my brain. I looked at my arms, where the tubes were still attached. I ripped them off and slid my legs around to the side of the bed, standing up.
On the table next to my bed, I noticed a manilla folder. I reached out to pick it up, but I heard a voice from behind me.
"I wouldn't do that if I was you." Ethan said, getting up from the chair he'd been sitting in.
I turned around and saw, of course, Charlie standing next to him.
I put my hands on my hips.
"I thought we had a deal." I hissed.
Ethan nodded.
"And we still do. I said I'd release her, just not exactly when. We were originally never going to release her at all." He said, picking his glasses up off the table and putting them on.
I took a menacing step forwards, and he looked up at me.
"That's a very unwise move, considering what happened last time." He said, nodding in Charlie's direction.
I glanced warily at her, but noticed something different about her. Her eyes were normal and bright, and I could tell she knew she wasn't under their control anymore.
I swallowed, then looked at Ethan, making my face look like I was scared but trying to hide it.
"You don't scare me, fox-face. I can take her on." I growled in a low voice.
Ethan snorted.
"Please, save me the bullshit. You might be a pretty badass girl who lots of boys would fall for, but your soul is dark." He scowled.
I flipped the hair out of my face.
"Wooo, you kiss your mother with that mouth, foxy?" I asked, raising my chin defiantly.
He glared at me.
"We destroyed your trust in people, your ability to love." He snarled, advancing.
I stared him down.
"You sure about that, slinthead?" I asked him, subtly signaling to Charlie.
Ethan narrowed his eyes at me.
"What-" He started to turn around, but Charlie did a flying kick and hit him squarely in the jaw with her shin.
He crumpled to the ground. I took the glass cylinder of liquid from his coat pocket.
"And that's where you're wrong, you lying fox-face son of a bitch." I said smugly.
I looked up and saw Charlie staring at me. I smiled, and she rushed forward, embracing me in her arms.
"I'm so sorry, Cleo!" She cried, burying her head in my shoulder.
I pushed her away.
"No, don't do that. We still have to get to the others. They'll be looking for us." I said, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder before walking towards the door.
Just as we left the room, the sirens started blaring. I looked over at Charlie, and we both nodded in understanding. Thomas was here.
We were running down the hall towards the fire exit, when we passed an operation room with a boy banging his fists against the door. My first thought was that a crank had escaped, but then I realized his skin was normal, pale as it was. Then I caught his eyes, and realized who it was.
It was Minho.
I ran to the door, and pressed my hand against the glass, he did the same, matching my hand, even though his was bigger. I took the ID card I had swiped off Ethan and slid it in the card slot on the side of the door.
It slid open with a hiss, and he fell into my arms. I thought I'd need to support him, but he had a surprising amount of strength left. He embraced me in his arms, holding me against his chest. I could hear his heart beating under my cheek. I felt tears start to stream down my cheek.
He gently wiped them away, and I looked up at him.
"I wish we could stay longer, but you need to go help your friends." I told him, pulling away.
His eyes hardened and he nodded. Stepping forward, he quickly kissed me, then turned and hurried down the hall towards some very loud shouting.
I smiled.
"Smart man." I muttered under my breath.
Charlie looked at me, puzzled.
"What?" She asked.
I glanced at her.
"Wherever there's intense fighting, you better bet that's where Thomas is." I looked down the hall where Minho had just disappeared.
Charlie nodded, and then we hurried down the halls towards our escape.