They stood there that way for a second and Job pulled up his weapon at Alex, but Lane got in front of him. “Alex, just leave. Okay? You saw nothing.”
“Take me,” Alex said, dropping his equipment.
“What?”
“Take me with you, please. I promise I can help! I’ll do anything, just please take me with you!”
Lane turned to Connor. “Can we?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Connor said.
“I know a way out of this place,” Alex said. “If you take me along, I can show you.”
“Yeah, we’re good,” Samarka said.
“You’re escaping through the back exit, right?” Alex said. “Which means you will have to run into at least a dozen guards. I know a way we can get beyond the courtyard without interference. Much simpler than your way.”
Job seemed to be listening to this. “And how would you know a way?”
“I’m on cleaning detail,” Alex said, turning to Connor. “Ask your brother. He knows I know things.”
“He’s right,” Lane said. “We can’t leave him here, please.”
“Okay fine,” Job said. “Tell us your way. And if it turns out to be a trick, I’ll lodge these bullets inside your head regardless of what happens to me.”
“I’m not a snitch,” Alex said, and looked at Lane again.
*
The final exit was through the vents again but this time, Alex was the one leading them. Connor still thought they should have stuck to the original plan but Job was the one in charge so he couldn’t say anything. “I have the maps memorized,” he said. “This is the route I use to get things from my friends on the outside.”
“And you’ve never been caught?” Samarka asked. “How’s that possible?”
“I’m careful,” Alex said, and then turned to Lane. “Does Martinez know?”
“He doesn’t,” Lane said, and it was obvious he was trying to avoid the question. “There was no time.”
“It’s okay,” Alex said. “You don’t have to feel bad about it.”
Lane didn’t answer.
*
Alex was right. His exit plan was a whole lot better than the one Job had come up with. Connor breathed a sigh of relief when they finally climbed out of the vent, but before they knew it, the alarms went off and there was complete chaos around them. They started firing in their general direction and Connor couldn’t tell if they were doing it because they knew where they were, or simply covering their bases. They had to be careful, and when they reached the exit there were two guards, and Samarka went up to one of them and shot them in the head and she held her gun to the other’s head. “Type the code,” she said. “Hurry, or I’ll blow your brains out too!”
The guard started putting in the code, and the gate opened. Everyone got out except Samarka and Connor waited with her. “Turn around,” she said to the guard and took away his weapons. “And start walking.”
“Keep walking,” she said. “If you stop I will shoot you!”
The man complied and kept walking and the two of them got out just in time to see Indi’s SUV approaching.
*
Delta-Bay, Zyron Region-Two
Samarka handed the tickets to Connor. “There you go,” she said. “Last step of the getaway plan.”
“Samarka,” Connor said. “I can’t thank you enough for this.”
“Don’t mention it,” she said. “I’m just glad you got your brother back.”
Connor hugged her, and she leaned into him a little. “Remember what I told you,” she whispered. “You have to love the person that he is now, not the one you lost.”
She broke away then and Connor watched her turn his back to him and leave. For a minute, he knew he couldn’t leave her there.
“Con,” he felt Lane’s fingers gripping onto his arm. “Let’s go. We have to keep moving.”
Connor finally stopped watching Samarka go, and turned to Lane. He put his arm around his brother as they walked into the airport.
*
All through the flight Lane looked like he was about to throw up. He was still cold and shivering even with the blankets the stewardess gave him. Connor hoped he would be okay until they reached their destination.
“How did you pull it off?” Lane asked.
“I had a good plan,” Connor said. “And some friends helped me of course.”
“Nobody’s broken out of that place before.”
Connor placed a hand on Lane’s arm. “Hey,” he said. “Let’s not discuss this here.”
“I’m glad your plan worked.”
“Well we don’t know that yet.”
“What do you mean?”
Connor rested his head on the seat and closed his eyes. “I mean there’s still one more step to go.”
CHAPTER 16
THE LONG WAY BACK
UNKNOWN LOCATION,
ZYRON REGION-ONE
They put Jace in a dark underground cellar where it was suffocating. There was no sunlight source anywhere and the only time they turned on the lights was when one of them was in here. Occasionally, he could feel critters climbing over his feet but there was no way he could stop that from happening because his legs were tied to the chair that was bolted into the ground.
But none of that was quite as frustrating as knowing that a person he had come to like and trust had given him up. And he was only trying to help. He couldn’t understand why Connor was acting this way. That woman, Aana, she must have convinced him Jace was a bad person.
Okay so he had lied, but he had to. No one would have trusted him to be a resistance leader if he hadn’t told people this small lie. But that’s all it was, just a fib, he hadn’t done it to fool anyone. How could Connor not see that? They had gotten pretty close in the past few months and even though Connor didn’t consider himself a member of the resistance, he came to all the get-togethers and spent more time with the people there than anyone else Jace had known.
Jace had trusted him and this is how Connor treats him? Gives him up to some sad little enemy group? He still had no idea why that woman was keeping him here. They were giving him food and water, he wasn’t really suffering much besides this room, but it would be nice to know what was on their mind, and why they had brought him here. He knew if it was someone who knew who he really was, they wouldn’t go so far as to kill him.
Anyone who knew that he was Commander Krole’s son wouldn’t lay a finger on him. They probably just wanted something. Perhaps something from his father instead of him, maybe that was it. Having the son of the man who ruled the world could be lucrative. In which case, they would let him go at some point. But what would happen to his people?
Would Connor tell them everything?
Would they stop trusting Jace, and would they start judging him for who he was before even listening to what he had to say? Was everything he ever did to strengthen these people against the ones who enslaved them, all going to go to waste? Jace didn’t even want to think about it. He had put a lot of time and effort into this. Into creating a new life for these people and for himself, and he couldn’t stand to lose it all.
There was a scampering noise in the darkness and Jace wouldn’t have given it much thought but then he heard the sound of someone cocking a gun. “Who’s there?” he said, wondering why the person wasn’t turning on the lights.
The sudden flash of white light blinded Jace. He put a hand against his eyes, and turned his head away. “Who are you?” he said to the silhouette. The man walked right up to him, and started using a knife blade to cut off Jace’s ropes. Jace couldn’t make out his features in the dark, but it was obvious the man was trying to help. That was the only explanation. So he kept his mouth shut. When the man was done cutting the rope, he handed Jace the flashlight. He led the way to a corner of the room, where there was a vent and it was obvious that was where the man had come in.
The man crawled his way inside and Jace followed him with the flashlight.
&n
bsp; *
Jace could hear people talking wherever he went through the vents, so he kept quiet. It was a big place, and they had a lot of ground to cover. Warding off the critters was no joke. There were some rats that were too stubborn and refused to go away. One of them almost bit him but when Jace shone his light on the animal it scurried away. “How far still?” Jace asked, but the man didn’t answer. Just kept crawling, showing Jace the way until finally they were at an opening.
*
The fresh air was a treat after being held up in that place for so long. Jace brushed the dirt off his clothes but he knew that feeling of being heavy wouldn’t go away until he took off these clothes at home. The man who had rescued him, stood with his back to Jace.
“Thanks for saving me,” Jace said. “Aren’t you going to tell me who you are?”
The man turned to face him and Jace recognized him. “You,” he said, barely managing to keep his anger in check.
*
Connor looked at Jace standing in front of him, and he had never seen him this angry. It was well-deserved of course, Connor had betrayed him regardless of the justification.
“Are you out of your mind?” Jace snapped. “First you get me abducted by some crazies, and then you come and do your savior bit?”
“Okay so I deserve that,” Connor said. “But I can explain okay? I needed to do it. My brother’s life depended on it.”
“I told you I would get him out.”
“You don’t know what Aana knew,” Connor said. “And it was better putting her people in jeopardy than putting yours in danger.”
“We would have gladly done it,” Jace said. “Each and every one of us, Connor. We would have gladly given our lives for it!”
“I don’t need martyrs okay?” Connor said. “I need you alive and I need your people alive, you’re our only hope.”
Jace looked like he wasn’t expecting these words from him. “Did you plan this?”
“Everything,” Connor said. “Kevin was watching over you the minute they took you away in Aana’s van. But we couldn’t get you out before my brother was with me. If I had tried to break you out then, Aana would have known something was up. She would have blamed it on me. And I needed her to think I was playing her game and that she was in charge. But now my brother’s is back, so I’m here. I’m sorry it had to be this way. I’ll understand if you never want to speak to me again.”
“So everything you said that day,” Jace said. “About not being able to trust me again about me being a Khaltar, you didn’t mean it?”
“Look to be honest I was angry when I found out,” Connor said. “But for one reason, it was an obvious ploy what she did. She knew I’d get angry, I’d stop trusting you and she was going to make use of that. I let her think I was playing right into her set-up. But what she doesn’t know, is that I know you Jace. And Khaltar or Citizen, I know how much you love those people. I trust you to do what’s best for them.”
“What about the secret?” Jace said. “Will you tell them who I am?”
“Who you were,” Connor said. “Who you are, is a resistance leader who’s willing to give his life for his people. They need their leader and I’m not going to take that away from them.”
Jace still looked surprised, like he couldn’t believe it or like he expected to see the other shoe drop. When Connor started walking to his car standing in the distance, Jace called out to him. “Think you can give me a ride?”
*
“Did you ever figure out what they wanted?” Connor asked, when they were finally a safe distance away from the kidnap location.
“They never said anything,” Jace said. “And they never lifted a finger. They just held me captive like they were storing me away for later use.”
“That woman, Aana, she’s a scientist,” Connor said. “Do you think she’s helping the Bureau?”
“I have no idea,” Jace said. “Do you think she’s dangerous?”
“Not so much her, as her boss to be honest. She just sounds like someone who follows orders.”
Suddenly, the car in front of them stopped and Connor had to slam his feet on the brakes to get his car to do the same without crashing. The roads were empty at this late hour. Connor waited to see if the person in the car would come up. He was about to go check on the driver, when the car door opened and someone stepped out. Connor waited for the person to come to his window and when they did, they held up a revolver. Connor rolled down the windows. “What do you want?”
The person bent to show Connor his face and there was a smile on it. A smile that intensified the blue eyes just as much as the anger Connor had seen on it before. “Mind if I ride with you?”
*
“Not bad Connor,” Aana said from the back seat. “I’m impressed. The amount of planning you must have done in your pretty little head to make this possible.”
“You could have asked me to drive back to where you were holding Jace,” Connor said. “But you’re asking me to go the other way. So cut the crap and tell us what you’re really up to.”
“I want your help,” she said.
“Help?”
“I’m sick of working for my boss,” Aana said. “I want out.”
“Why?”
Aana batted her eyes. “Would it help if I told you he was a bad person?” her tone was mocking but Connor still felt angry.
“He was a bad person when he was asking you to kidnap Jace. Didn’t seem to bother you much.”
“Look the man is taking over my life,” Aana said. “I can’t keep doing this. He’s pulling me into some shit that I don’t want to be part of. It’s complicated. That’s why I need your help.”
“What kind of help?”
“For starters I need a place to stay. I can’t go live in some hotel, I need a place that’s not under his radar. And then, I need your help to get me out of that contract.”
“You’re kidding,” Connor said.
“What’s the matter?” Aana said. “You’re not the only one who can double-cross people.”
“Well you can always join the resistance,” Jace said, and Connor was surprised and a little disappointed to hear him say that.
“Why would I do that?” Aana said.
“I can give you a place to stay,” Jace said. “I’ll see what I can do about the contract.”
“You’d do that for me? Why?”
“You’re a scientist?”
“Neurobiologist.”
“Right,” Jace said. “We have some pending research that might benefit from your help.”
“But I’m not too sure I’m the type to support pathetic little resistance groups.”
“Not pathetic enough to help you.”
And that managed to silence Aana for a while. “Let’s say I do this,” she said, after a long time spent thinking. “I help you with your research, and you keep me safe. Is that the deal?”
“That’s the deal,” Jace said.
Connor saw in his rear-view that Aana still looked a little unsure. He looked at Jace and Jace gestured for Connor to play along.
Finally, Aana spoke up. “Fine, I’ll do it. Just get me out of this mess.”
*
ZYRON REGION-ONE
“Lane?” Connor called out when he walked inside the house. He had dropped Jace and Aana at Jace’s house, just as Jace instructed. It took Jace a while to convince him, but finally Connor agreed to let Aana stay. Suddenly, even the little anger that remained between Connor and Jace seemed to have vanished. Perhaps it was because they now had Aana to be angry at. Well, for Connor anyway, Jace actually looked like he was going to help her. Knowing Jace the research ruse might have been an excuse to forgive her. Jace liked doing these little things to help people out. He liked giving second chances to people who needed them.
Connor heard some sounds coming from the TV room, so he made his way towards it.
“Lane?”
Lane sat on the sofa, his eyes glued to something in front of him. He was s
aying something but his words weren’t decipherable. Connor walked up to him, waved one hand in front of his face and the doubts he had were confirmed.
Lane was sleepwalking.
It had been years since he had done that last. At first, Connor would catch Lane getting up from his bed and walking around the house middle of the night. He didn’t think much of it. But one night when Lane was about thirteen, Connor caught him going out the front door. Connor had been up, watching TV and drinking when that happened. When Lane didn’t come back inside for a long time, Connor went to look and found his brother going past the open gate and going towards the street. It scared Connor that his brother could have hurt himself, he could have been in the middle of traffic without knowing it. When Connor shook him awake, Lane had no idea where he was and he started crying. The next day, Connor took him to a psychiatrist who gave him some medicine and Lane stopped sleepwalking. It stayed that way even when Lane stopped taking those pills.
Until now.
“Lane?” Connor shook his brother. “Hey, wake up! Lane!”
Lane’s gaze turned to him.
“Hey, you were sleepwalking,” Connor said gently, trying not to startle him. Lane was silent, still staring at his brother as if he was trying to make sense of this.
“Lane?”
“I was dreaming,” Lane said. “I was in bed, how did I get here?”
“Its okay, you were sleepwalking.”
“I can’t remember.”
“Of course you don’t remember, you were sleeping, its okay.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Connor said, helping him up. “Come on, let’s get you in bed. You need to get some rest.”
“But I haven’t sleepwalked in years, it was supposed to be cured.”
“It’s okay,” Connor said, as they walked up the stairs. He always wondered how Lane did these steps in his sleep, and he was wondering about it now. “We’ll go to a doctor. We’ll get you a prescription. Don’t worry. Its no big deal.”
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