"Not if you cooperate. Now, let me check your wristbands. Both of you."
Quigley was taken aback. "Excuse me? What right do you have -"
"Every right!" shouted Luka, pulling back his sleeve so Quigley could see his left wristband with the president's crest engraved on it. "Now, let me see!"
"B-but Ruby is always the one to check our wristbands," said Quigley turning as white as a sheet.
"Not today he isn't." He held out his hand and wiggled his fingers impatiently.
Quigley grunted before walking over and holding out his arm, but Bronson hesitated. He had been helping Deryn in the basement all day, not going anywhere else. The tracker in his wristband would be stagnant, yet he had just walked upstairs, clearly coming from somewhere. There was no hiding that.
Luka checked Quigley's activity first, pressing a stick-like object against a small dot on his wristband, scanning through the material that appeared as a hologram in front of him. There was nothing abnormal, of course. He was not the one helping a fugitive develop a weapon in the basement.
"I'm waiting," said Luka, wiggling his hand at Bronson, who slowly held out his arm. "Do you want to tell me anything before I look at this?"
"Nope," said Bronson, grunting as he looked towards the door. He hoped Deryn hadn't returned to the basement, since that was bound to be Luka's next stop.
Luka checked the wristband. Bronson hadn't purchased anything so he pulled up a map of his activity. Other than going into Xander's apartment shortly after waking up, he had been in the basement all day. Luka played with the map, since it wasn't exactly clear where in the building Bronson had been at first.
"Th'fuck you been doing?"
Another shrug. Bronson stepped away from Luka and back towards the wall. With his peripherals, he could see Quigley staring oddly at him. "What have you been doing, Luka?" he asked. "I've been here all day and I didn't hear you come in."
"I was quiet about it," answered Luka.
"Why?"
Luka turned red. "I'm not the one being questioned here! What have you been doing downstairs in what I'm guessing is a basement all day? And you better answer me this time!"
"Or what?" he said, crossing his arms. "You obviously came here for a reason, so why don't you stop wasting all of our time and just tell me what you want."
"I want the truth!"
"The truth about what?"
"About what you and Xander are hiding! And maybe him!" He motioned towards Quigley. "I don't know! I honestly didn't know he existed until he walked through the door!"
"Ow," said Quigley with a frown.
"What do you think we're hiding?"
"Is this about you and Ruby being lovers?" asked Quigley before Luka could answer. "Because, I have to be honest, I've been suspecting it for quite some time now."
Luka rolled his eyes. "Fuck. No. This is about you and what you said." He was looking at Bronson. "I may have been drunk off my ass but I know what I heard!"
Bronson gulped. "And what was that?"
"I want you to tell me."
"I don't know what you're -"
"Liar!" Luka took his Element out of its holster and aimed it at Bronson, hitting him with glowing, blue light that bound his wrists. Not as painful as actual shackles but it still did its job. "Tell me now or I'll take you in!"
"Whoa!" said Quigley, holding up his hands and walking towards his friend. "I think we all just need to calm -"
"Fuck you!" shouted Luka, hitting him with the same blue light.
Quigley let out a high-pitched squeal.
"Luka, what are you doing?" asked Bronson, trying to walk forward, but Luka moved his Element back to him and he was quick to stop. "I don't know what you want!"
"The fucking truth!"
"About what?"
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" repeated Quigley frantically.
"You know !"
"No, I don't! What is this about?"
"Just tell me!"
"Tell you what?"
"Tell me about -"
Deryn stepped through the door, her Element aimed at Luka. His eyes went wide.
"- Leon!"
She sent him shooting backwards into the wall, his Element flying out of his hand. Bronson ran and grabbed it, which proved difficult with his wrists still tied together.
When Luka tried to get to his feet, Deryn bound him with her Element. Bronson tossed Luka's weapon aside, moved forward and shoved him into a nearby chair. Then Deryn used a string of light from her Element him to it, first his chest, then his ankles. She was suddenly very glad she'd taken the time to add the additional button. All the while, Quigley was howling like a Yeti.
"Holy fuck! What's going on?" he shouted as Bronson slammed the front door shut.
"I knew it!" shouted Luka, struggling against his binds. "I fucking knew I heard you say her name!"
Deryn's jaw dropped. "You said my name, Bronson?"
His cheeks flushed. "Not all of it. Only the first half."
"Yes, and how many fucking Der's do you know?" spat Luka, still trying to break free.
"Unbelievable," said Deryn, rolling her eyes.
She took her knife out of her pocket and used it to cut Bronson and Quigley's binds.
"I can't believe you came in here," said Bronson.
"He was going to arrest you."
"He was bluffing."
"No, I wasn't!"
Bronson briefly glanced at Luka. Looking back at Deryn, he smirked and said, "Yes, he was."
"Holy fuck! Holy fuck, Bronson!" shouted Quigley, frantically pacing around the room. "What have you done? What are you doing? This ... this is Deryn Leon!"
"Yes, I know," said Bronson, following his roommate's chaotic movements before finally settling his eyes back on Luka, his hair askew, cheeks flushed, and clothes rumpled. Still pissed but obviously given up on getting out of his binds. They were solid. "So what are we gonna do with him?"
"I don't know," said Deryn. "Bonk him on the head and hope he forgets about this?"
"Don't you dare!" said Luka in a booming voice.
"I know the Guardians have ways to fumble memories a bit but I don't know how they work," she continued.
"With a mind like yours, I'm sure you can figure it out," said Bronson, patting the top of her head. They ignored Quigley as he continued to pace and panic around them.
"It's not something I could figure out right this moment. I think the bonking would be more affective." She took several steps towards Luka.
"Get away!" screamed Luka, trying his best to wiggle the chair away from her. "You're fucking mental if you think that's going to work."
"I'm not mental!" she shouted, kicking him in the shin. "What am I supposed to do, Bronson?"
"I don't know!"
Luka struggled harder as Quigley walked in circles, muttering to himself about what deep shit they were in. Deryn closed her eyes and tried to think, but there was just too much going on.
"Could you please keep quiet!" she shouted, lifting her Element and pointing it at Quigley. "Don't make me knock you out!"
Quigley shrieked. "Oh god, oh god, oh god!" He ran into his bedroom and proceeded to scream in there. Bronson followed him, but the noise wasn't any less.
Deryn's head ached as she closed her eyes and thought again. Damn . There was no easy way out of this. She brought her hand up and rubbed her temple.
Luka smirked. "Ruby said once that your mind was completely fucked. While he may have been exaggerating, it seems he wasn't so far off. There's really only one solution to making me forget about this, and you know it."
Deryn opened her eyes and narrowed them. "My mind is fine," she said. "It's all of this damn noise that's the problem!" She went to a nearby desk and searched through the drawers. She eventually found some strong tape and used it to tape Luka's mouth shut. Unfortunately, he wasn't the noisemaker driving her up the wall. "Wait here," she said with a frustrated huff before following Bronson and Quigley into the bedroom.
> Luka started to ask where exactly it was he might go, but stopped when he realized his attempt would be wasted.
Outside the front door, Xander had just been running by to get to his apartment when he heard all of the yelling. He took out his Element and cautiously opened Bronson and Quigley's front door. He froze when he saw Luka sitting there, bound and silent, but his eyes did plenty of talking as they attempted to burn a hole right through him.
Xander stepped all the way inside and shut the door. He leaned casually against the wall and crossed his arms, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on Luka. Xander perked up his ears and listened to the voices in the other room. There were definitely three. One female. Shit .
The yelling finally died down and, a few seconds later, Deryn, Bronson and Quigley walked into the room. When they saw him, Bronson and Deryn froze but Quigley screamed all over again, frantically pulling at his hair.
"Holy shit, we're all going to die!"
Xander cocked an eyebrow. "Are you? At this point, I'm only targeting Bronson. But, looking at Luka, it's probably a pretty good assumption that he wouldn't hesitate to kill all of you."
"Ah!"
Bronson rolled his eyes. "Calm down, Quigley. Do you honestly think I could be harboring a fugitive in our building without the Guardian who lives upstairs knowing about it?"
Quigley froze and looked hopefully at Xander.
"Well, obviously," said Xander, stepping away from the wall. "I'm the one who brought her here."
Quigley let out a breath of relief and calmed slightly.
After locking the door, Xander turned to the group. "Now, how exactly did this happen?" he asked, darting his eyes between Deryn and Bronson.
Bronson sucked in his lips and Deryn cast her eyes shamefully to the floor.
"We lost track of time downstairs," answered Bronson after several seconds of silence. "And when we came up, Quigley was already home. He was talking to someone inside. I guess Luka had let himself in, all quiet and sneaky like, and -"
"He was trying to arrest them, Xander," interrupted Deryn.
Xander looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "So you decided to play hero?"
"Well, I wasn't just going to stand in the hallway and do nothing!" she defended. "I know you're probably angry but -"
"I'm not angry," he said in a calm, even tone.
Deryn looked at him curiously. "You're not?"
Xander shook his head, still keeping his eyes on Luka.
"Why not?"
"Would you rather I was?"
"Well, it would certainly be more normal."
Xander smirked. "I'm not angry because I'm not surprised. You're a Leon, and the whole lot of you have a damn hero complex I will never understand."
Luka breathed heavily as he stared at them with fiery eyes.
"Remove the tape, will you?"
Deryn went to Luka and ripped it off.
The first words out of his mouth, after a small yelp of pain, were, "You fucking bastard!"
"You Guardians really do have the worst potty mouths," said Bronson, slumping down on his couch. He tried to get Quigley to take a seat with him, but his friend was too busy fidgeting nervously to sit.
"Why were you trying to arrest Bronson?" Xander asked Luka.
"I wasn't going to actually fucking do it," he spat. "I was just trying to get him to talk!"
"Ah! You see, Deryn? I told you he was bluffing!" said Bronson proudly.
"Talk about what?" asked Xander.
"About her !" said Luka, motioning his head towards Deryn. "I heard you two fuckers talking about her the night we all went out and I've been trying to ask you about it, but you keep avoiding me!"
Xander crinkled his forehead. "I haven't been avoiding you."
"Then where have you been? I tried talking to you after the meeting the other day and today but -"
"I'm harboring a fugitive in my home. Forgive me for wanting to get back here in a timely manner. And today the president sent me on a mission outside. You knew that."
"Yeah, but what took you so long?" demanded Luka. "It should've been routine. Go to their destination and come back once you confirm they're not there. Simple."
"I never reached their destination. I found their bodies before I got there," said Xander.
"Then it really shouldn't've taken you so long. Where. Were. You?"
Xander grunted. He took off his rucksack and pulled out the photo of Deryn with her family. He handed it to her and put his rucksack down.
Deryn stared at the photo, her mouth falling open. "You went to my house?"
Xander nodded.
As Deryn looked at the photo, she brought her hand up to her mouth and tried to hold in a whimper. "And did it look alright? Still in one piece?"
Xander smiled. "Yes, Deryn. It was essentially untouched."
She reached out and touched her father's figure. Then her mother's. And, finally, Talon's. He was so young then, and she was just a baby, laughing in her mother's arms.
"I can't believe you, Xander! I can't believe you're risking your fucking life for Leon!" shouted Luka, bringing all eyes back to him. "You know they've been talking spy recently? I heard my father and the president talking about it in his study, and of course the fucking Tash brothers were there. Veli and them already have it out for you! No toxic trash is worth -"
Deryn's eyes shot up. Her hand curved into a fist and she lunged forward, punching Luka hard in the cheek. "How dare you! How dare you speak that way about me!" She punched him again.
Xander tried to grab her wrists, but she pulled away.
"You asshole! I bet you plan to tell them about me, don't you?"
"Deryn, calm down," said Xander, grabbing her again. "He won't -"
"No! No, I will not calm down!" she shouted, swinging to punch Luka again, but Xander hugged his arms around her before she could, causing her to drop the picture frame. He picked her up and carried her kicking and screaming to the kitchen. "Fuck you, Luka Voclain!"
Luka smirked. "Never thought I'd hear such language coming from the Outsider princess's mouth."
"Oh, she gets very passionate at times," said Bronson, picking up the frame and propping it on a table.
"Deryn, please calm down," said Xander just out of view in the kitchen.
"I'm sorry," said Deryn while sobbing. "I still have trouble controlling my anger."
"I know," he said. "At least you didn't think to take out your Element this time, like you did with me."
They both chuckled halfheartedly. And then they went very quiet.
"Th'fuck ..." muttered Luka while listening.
He whipped his head towards Bronson, who simply shrugged before taking out a cigarette and lighting it in the middle of his living room. Quigley had finally calmed a little and was leaning against the back of the couch. He stole Bronson's cigarette and smoked it anxiously.
"Hey!" complained Bronson, rolling his eyes before taking out another.
Luka looked back at the kitchen. He couldn't see Xander and Deryn from where he was, so he leaned sideways in his chair, just making out Deryn's long hair. He leaned a little more. There were two hands cupping her face while she continued to cry silently. Then the hands were stroking her cheeks, calming her. And finally Luka saw Xander's face, leaning forward until his lips met hers.
Luka's eyes bulged as he leaned a little too far and fell over. "Whoa!"
Bronson laughed. He went over to Luka and put him and his chair upright, then glanced into the kitchen where Deryn and Xander were still going at it.
"Th'fuck?" said Luka.
"Yeah, I had a similar reaction when I found out," said Bronson. "So you remember me almost saying her name, but you don't remember what we were talking about?"
"I was drunk! I'm a little vague on the details! Wait." He paused and sat up straight. "Weren't you talking about sex? Holy fuck, are they fucking?"
"It's Ruby. What do you think?" asked Bronson, holding his cigarette down so Luka could take a d
rag.
Xander and Deryn walked out of the kitchen.
Luka blew out his puff of smoke and shouted, "You're fucking Leon?"
Xander went white and stared accusingly at Bronson, who held up his hands defensively.
"Don't look at me. He caught sight of your saliva exchange just now."
"If you wanted to fuck her then you should've just taken her as your slave like everybody else!"
The entire room went silent.
Deryn's face dropped.
Bronson burned himself while trying to catch his cigarette as it fell from his slackened jaw.
Quigley didn't fully understand what was going on, but he knew better than to open his mouth in that moment.
And Xander ... his entire body burned red while his face distorted. His fists clenched and he swung his arm, hitting Luka so hard his chair fell backwards.
"How dare you!" spat Xander. "How fucking dare you!" He grabbed Luka by his shirt collar and pulled him up, chair included, towards his raging face until their foreheads were practically touching. "Don't you ever, ever speak like that again!"
"Ruby, cool it," said Bronson, grabbing his shoulder, but Xander shook him off.
"Xander, stop!" shouted Deryn, grabbing his other shoulder.
"Did he ever touch you?" demanded Xander.
"No!" she said quickly. "No, I never even saw him! Just once my first time at his house, and then never again!"
"You wouldn't lie to -"
"Of course not! When Finley came over I told you exactly how I felt about her! And you go out with Luka all the time! Don't you think I would've said something if I had any negative feelings towards him?"
Xander huffed. "Fine." He put the chair back on its legs. "But if he says one more thing out of line -"
"So is she the one who wrote Finley that email then?" asked Luka, spitting some blood out of his mouth. "I knew it. I knew that didn't sound like you!"
Deryn frowned. "Yes, I admit, in my anger I failed to grasp Xander's proper essence."
"I want to talk to Leon," said Luka.
Xander huffed. "Go right ahea -"
" Alone ."
"Fuck no -"
"Xander, it's fine," said Deryn. "We have his weapon and those binds are strong. What could he possibly do?"
"Don't underestimate -"
"I won't," she said. "But we're not exactly resolving anything here. Why don't the three of you go wait on the balcony, and I'll get you when we're finished."
Broken Wings (Cruel and Beautiful World, Book One 1) Page 30