“Well, actually, I came to find Kyler. But I didn’t have any grand rescue planned. I just needed to tell you they couldn’t track you anymore. I heard the General lying to you through the speaker. He was just so convinced that poor private was you, Kyler.” Cassie chuckled.
“He broadcasted the whole interview?” Halle asked, a little offended.
“I don’t think he meant to, actually. It came on halfway through the interview, while I was sitting in my cell, fervently wishing I could hear what was happening. It was quite miraculous,” Cassie said, looking accusingly at Halle. But Halle was looking at Kyler, communicating with their eyes. Halle’s eyebrows were raised in a question, but Kyler, with an urgent look, shook his head. They both looked to Cassie.
“Wasn’t me,” Halle promised, her hand raised in a scout salute.
“How long do you think it’ll take them to realize it’s him, not you?” Cassie asked.
Kyler answered. “I think he’ll have them assume I’m the one doing the cover, so they won’t trust the cameras unless they’ve set some up outside my range. But since they don’t really know what that range is, it might take a while for them to trust him. I’d imagine it won’t be before the morning. And so a search for us won’t start until then, either.”
Cassie laughed happily. “It’ll be good for him to spend a night in his own cell.”
They all smiled, feeling lighthearted and free. Cassie knew that this was a big deal for them, as long as they could keep the scanner down. And as for her, she’d been a prisoner for so long, just this drive through twilight was thrilling. But her adrenaline rush was faltering. She hadn’t expended so much energy in weeks, and she felt exhausted from it.
“So, Cass….” Kyler said uncertainly as he looked at her through the mirror. Maybe it hadn’t escaped his notice that she had chosen to ride in the back seat. He looked like he wasn’t sure where to start. “What have you been doing the last couple months? Other than destroying the biggest obstacle to our freedom?”
Cassie laughed. It sounded a little off. “Not a lot. Trying not to go crazy, mostly.”
“Ramford didn’t convert you?” He asked jokingly, with a tinge of true concern.
“Well, he makes good points,” Cassie began, feigning sincerity, “and I did feel bad for him. And then, just when I might have switched to his side, he locked me in a room all alone for several weeks.” She yawned. “It was strange. He seemed like he was trying to get me on his side, and then he just left me alone for weeks. I mean, even if I had absolutely no conscience and didn’t mind taking away people’s free will, anyone would have turned against him after that abandonment. Apparently, my acting skills need work. I thought I had him convinced I was against you. I guess he just thought I’d given him all the information I could.”
“And what information was that?” Kyler asked, working to keep his voice casual.
“Oh, I just lied to him and told him you placed a call in the bus station. He seemed thrilled. I bet he traced all the calls from that phone and looked at the receiving ends.” Cassie chuckled sleepily. “Maybe he ignored me when they didn’t pan out.” There were so many things to still talk about. She didn’t even know where they were going. But despite that, her eyelids were too heavy and they closed on their own.
There was silence for a couple of minutes, which she was grateful for, but then she heard Kyler whisper almost inaudibly, “How much does she know?”
“I don’t know,” Halle answered as quietly. “Everything about us, I think. But about the rest… I’m not sure.”
As interesting as this promised to be, her energy was spent, and she barely heard the following as she fell asleep.
“The rest? How could she?”
“I have no idea.”
Chapter 17: History
“Hey!”
“Hi.” I smile back at the friendly girl who is gesturing her greeting with her tennis racquet.
“Would you mind being my partner? I don’t really know anyone, and that guy has been eyeing me all class.” She motions to a guy whom I can only describe as a “creeper”. And, as if to justify the title, he pushes his greasy bangs out of his eyes to continue his stare-down of the attractive, curly and dark-haired girl.
“Not at all! Please, join me! I’m Cassie.”
“I know. You’re in my French class. And you were in my World Lit class last semester,” the girl says.
Oh. Awkward. “Oh! I’m so sorry! I can get pretty focused on class, and don’t always notice people.”
“Actually, I think it was more that you were surrounded by men.” She laughs. “I’m Halle.”
I’d be offended, but she says it so affably that I laugh back. “Well nice to meet you! Maybe we could study for French class together, too.”
“I’d love that! I’m not doing too well with it, and it’s only the first week!”
I really like her frank, open style. She doesn’t know me at all, but she’s sincerely friendly. “Well, let’s get this started!” She says.
Great. This was the first day we’d actually started playing. I know where the ball is supposed to land from the serve, but I’m not sure I can get my racquet to do it. Not wanting to be half-hearted, I smack it with all my might, and an involuntary grunt escapes me. Halle hits it back, and I miss the return.
“Where you from?” She asks, as she serves.
“Colorado, you?” I miss.
“Southwestern U.S. I moved a lot, army brat,” She explained. “You dating anyone?”
“Eh, not seriously.” I miss another ball and serve it back.
She laughs, “More than one, then?” She manages to nick the ball and it flies wildly off track.
“Well, one slightly more seriously than the others. But I haven’t met anyone made of long-term material for a while,” I say as her serve catches the net.
“Yeah, I understand that! I’ve yet to find anyone terribly interesting. Though I guess my standards are high. I come from a fascinating family,” She says, smiling.
I miss the ball again. “We are terrible at tennis!” I shout, laughing in frustration.
“Absolutely awful!” She laughs, too. “I’m much better being entertained rather than being entertainment. I’m going to a movie tonight with some friends. Want to come?”
I like Halle. She’s funny, frank and a little crazy. “Sure. Sounds like fun!”
A car door slams, and I jump up. Feeling incredibly disoriented, Cassie looked around to see Kyler and Halle talking outside the car door. They had arrived at a gas station and the hose was attached to the car. She sat up and listened to them talk, yawning several times.
“Four days. Hal, do you realize what this means? We have four days to change everything,” Kyler said, thrilled.
“And today’s Tuesday, so that should give us to Saturday to do it,” Halle said, equally excited. “When do you think we should go?”
“I don’t know. Tell me more about what you heard.”
“Not a lot. They think they had both of us and lost us and Cassie. If we can convince the Committee that this was the closest they will ever come, they might be convinced to stop the funding,” Halle reasoned.
“Maybe. But I want to make this final. I don’t want anyone to come after us again, ever.” He sighed.
“Wait! The Committee! Of course. They’re coming to the base. Thursday morning,” Halle remembered.
“Thursday. Are you sure?”
Halle nodded.
“Then we have a day to plan.”
Cassie wanted to let them know that she was available to help plan, but she yawned again and lay back down instead. As much as she wanted to keep listening, she could feel her overwhelming exhaustion overtaking her once again.
I’m sitting all alone waiting for breakfast. It’s early so there aren’t many people in the hotel restaurant. Halle hadn’t come back to our room for a while after I’d stopped eavesdropping last night. By the time I saw her again I was finished packing. She had brou
ght takeout up to our room, and a movie. It would have been a fun girls’ night if I hadn’t been burning with curiosity about Kyler.
Halle hadn’t told me much when she came back; just that Kyler didn’t want me to leave anymore. She begged me to stay. So now I’m at a loss as to what to do. I mean, I gave him my word that I would leave, and while it had sounded like he changed his mind, I still haven’t seen him.
I’d woken up early and hadn’t been able to go back to sleep. So now here I am. After breakfast I’ll have no more excuses not to keep my promise, unless I admit that I eavesdropped. The waitress brings my breakfast, and I pick at it half-heartedly.
“Cassie?” A nervous voice comes from behind me.
I whirl around to face Kyler. “Yes?”
“Would you mind terribly if I joined you?” He asks with concern.
Finally! “Nope. To be honest I was hoping you’d come down. That’s why I’m having breakfast in the hotel. It’s not the best food.”
“It’s all about what you order,” He disagrees, sitting across from me. “They’re not great at American foods. Have you gotten the breakfast crepes? Or just an egg?”
“Uh….” I motion to my plate. “I don’t remember what it is, but it doesn’t look very appetizing.”
“Do you mind if I order something else for you?” He asks, scrupulously polite. “I’ll pay for it of course.”
“Sure,” I say. I’m nervous, too.
After he orders for us both and the waitress takes my plate, we both sit pensively. Having no idea what to say, I stay quiet.
“So,” He says after an interminably awkward silence. “Halle tells me you’re leaving. Is that still the plan?”
“I guess so,” I answer. “I promised.”
“But, is that the reason you’re going?” He asks haltingly. “Cause if so, I wish you wouldn’t. I mean, I would totally understand if you wanted to go. And that’s fine. I don’t want to stop you if that’s what you want!”
I answer carefully. I don’t want to stay if he’s just feeling guilty. “Well, I’m not sure. That was the only reason I was going. But now… I don’t know. I don’t want to be here just so you don’t feel bad for having sent me away. I want to go, if that’s what you want. And more than that, if you don’t care either way.” I blush heavily after I finish. But it was about time for me to put my cards on the table; that was more my style.
“Cass, you’re incredible,” He says, and his tone makes me look up. He’s shaking his head slowly looking at me.
“I’m sorry?”
“I mean, it’s unbelievable. Why do you still care what I think? I’ve done everything I can to chase you off, and you still seem to want to be around me,” He says it like a question, with the same incredulous tone.
“I like you,” I answer simply, then continue. “You’re unique, and you’re kind—heh, most of the time. And I don’t know! Maybe it’s because I’m not used to a guy shutting me down again and again, it’s just irresistible I guess.”
He chuckles a little. “And you still haven’t asked why I’ve been trying to chase you off.”
The waitress brings our food, delaying my response. He was right, the food was much better. In France it really seems to be all about whom and what you know.
“At first I thought it was just because you didn’t like me. But you wavered between being really nice and gentlemanly, to ignoring me and treating me coldly so often that I decided your moods had nothing to do with me,” I try to defend myself. We eat quietly for a few minutes.
“I’m sorry, Cassie. Really, very sorry. And I can’t explain it right now. But I really want you to stay. I wish I could get you to stay. I’ve treated everyone distantly and coldly for so long now that it’s almost become habit. But every once in a while, you would force the better me out. And I love that about you! With you gone, well I’d just go back to what I was before. So please, don’t go.” He grabs my hand and squeezes it lightly. “Please. And I promise you, if you stay, I will explain everything to you.”
“Really?” I smile. I didn’t want to pry, but whatever was going on, it seemed pretty darn interesting.
“Yeah. Maybe not right away, but I will eventually. I promise.”
“I’d really like that. And of course I’ll stay.” I shrug helplessly.
As we get up to leave, he kisses my cheek. “Thanks Cassie.”
“For what?” I ask, trying to hold in my smile and utterly failing.
“For the second chance.”
Cassie awoke upset. It took her a few minutes to understand why. Then it hit her. The dreams were from Kyler. It was like Halle had said, he was very good at influencing other people. For some reason Cassie couldn’t fathom, Kyler was trying to manipulate her into loving him. But the reason she was so furious was because it had worked. Irrevocably.
Once she realized the dreams weren’t hers, she wondered what other thoughts she’d had that originated from him. This infuriated her. And then she realized she was in the reclined front seat of the SUV. She didn’t remember moving and doubted that she had. She sat up, moving her seat with her.
“You’re up!” Kyler said smiling at her happily, with just a tinge of apprehension.
She looked away from him, out the window. There wasn’t much to see. It was very dark, with just stars shining in the blackness. She didn’t answer him. General Ramford had been right about him. Had she made the right decision, to be here?
“Aren’t you?”
Cassie still didn’t answer, uncertain as to what to say.
“Cass?” Kyler asked her cautiously.
“When are you going to stop messing with me, Kyler?” She blurted, turning to him and he saw her white, angry face.
“What do you mean?” He asked nervously. His nervousness verified his guilt in Cassie’s mind.
“I’m sick of this Kyler. I just want to know the truth.” Cassie’s voice started to rise, and she worked to get it back down. Halle was asleep in the back seat. “Or rather, to feel the truth.”
“Cass—” He began in a pleading tone.
“No, wait! I’m not done. You can’t mess with me like this. I don’t know what’s real and what’s not! Which may be what you’re after, but it’s not right!” Her voice was rising again.
“Cassie! What are you talking about?” He interrupted her rant, looking distraught and confused.
“Oh come on, Kyler. General Ramford told me all about you guys. And first of all, don’t you think that’s something I should have heard from you? Not from my kidnapper?”
“I’m sorry,” he answered quietly. “What did he tell you?”
Remembering sleeping Halle, Cassie tried to answer calmly. “Everything. About your dad, the experiments, the injections. How your dad destroyed everything, and how he took you guys in but wanted to use you. And that’s the part that kills me! You left so he wouldn’t use what you can do improperly, and yet here you are! You’re doing it to me! I almost fell for it. If it weren’t for the escape dream, I would have. I wouldn’t have suspected you, but Halle told me that one was from you. And now that I realize where the dreams are from it makes me question everything else, ever since I met you.”
“Cass,” Halle’s voice came from the back seat. “What do you mean? What has he done?”
“Nothing!” Kyler defended himself. “The past few months have been hard, but I have never influenced you! Ever! And believe me, there were dozens of times when I wanted to!”
Cassie shook her head in disbelief.
“What happened that makes you think he did?” Halle asked reasonably.
“The dreams. They’re the only concrete proof I have. Who knows what else he’s changed in my mind.”
“Cassie, you don’t understand,” Halle interrupted Kyler’s answer. “Anything he changes is temporary. The only thing you wouldn’t notice would be what you had seen. Anything in your mind would be temporarily changed, but once he was gone, or stopped, you would know. You may not have understood
what made you think a certain way, or feel a certain way, but you would know that it was wrong and wasn’t you.”
Despite herself, Cassie felt a little relieved. She found herself trusting Halle. This made her angry again though, because she thought it was just a lingering effect of the dreams. “What about the dreams?”
“Dreams,” Kyler said slowly, as though he was beginning to understand.
“Yes. Halle told me you made me dream the escape. What about all of the others?”
“Cass, I didn’t send you any others!” Kyler said exasperated.
“We just figured out how to do that the past couple of weeks. Kyler’s been practicing on me,” Halle told her.
But Cassie didn’t believe it. She couldn’t because there was no other explanation. Since Kyler clearly knew what was wrong, and was in fact in the wrong, she turned to Halle.
“Ever since I met Kyler I’ve been having these dreams,” she explained. “They’re of you, me and him. That’s how I recognized you. I’ve been dreaming about you for months. We’re best friends in the dreams. And Kyler and I are… becoming friends. It’s like he’s trying to influence my affections for him by messing with my dreams. Sure, I know it’s not real, but it still changes how I feel about everything.”
Comprehension filled Halle’s whole demeanor. Cassie was encouraged by this, and continued.
“It took me a while to realize where they were from, and what was going on. And of course, it wasn’t until I saw you that I understood that they weren’t mine. Because how could they be? I know they’re changing my emotions,” Cassie paused nervously, then blurted it out, “because before I even saw you, I loved you.”
Halle grinned hugely, “Really? Still?”
Cassie didn’t smile back. “But it’s not real! It’s not even me, it’s him!” She jerked her head toward Kyler, still not looking at him.
Halle, however, was looking at him. “Kyler, just do it. Please.”
Taken aback by Halle’s response, Cassie looked at him curiously. He looked scared, which was puzzling.
“Well, I was afraid of you being angry, but I guess we’re already there, so I have nothing to lose.” He paused, but no one else said anything. “First of all, Cassie, I promise you, I have never influenced you without your knowledge. The dream I sent you was different, wasn’t it?”
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