At least, if a world like that were at all possible to obtain someday, they would appreciate each other more than if an easy life had just been handed to them. The silver lining.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Xander walked through the forest outside of Willow, the S.U.R.G.E.'s following silently behind the Guardians and guards, and erasing their footprints as they went. He stopped at the edge of the trees and stared into the small village. Everything appeared peaceful, and several old buildings were even overgrown with vines and flowers.
"Looks very threatening here, Veli," said Xander, glancing over his shoulder at his fellow Guardian.
"I doubt they would clean up the outside to live here. They're in hiding," he spat.
Xander rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say. Everyone scatter around the village, enter from different pathways and search the homes and shops. Do not wreak havoc, even if you find someone. That's not why we're here. Understand?"
Everyone grunted and nodded before dispersing along the edges of the forest. Xander and Luka were the only ones to stay where they were, waiting a few moments before heading into Willow.
The two of them walked forward through the village square and towards the residential streets. Willow was much larger than Redwood, and was located in the center of the forest instead of on the outskirts. The entire place was sheltered by large trees that grew together in a dome-shape, only small cracks of sun poking through the leaves. The majority of Outsiders had lived here at one time, but it had been abandoned several years before President Saevus declared war on the Outsiders by citizens who wanted to protect their children from recruitment, which was really just the president's fancy word for kidnapping.
Xander and Luka noticed Veli and Soren staying rather close to them. Of course.
Stopping in front of an old house, one of the largest in the area, Xander turned to Luka and said, "Stay out here and keep watch. I'll call if I need anything."
Luka nodded and took his stance. He was having fun squishing footprints into the damp earth and watching the closest S.U.R.G.E. zoom forward to make them disappear. Xander had to roll his eyes a bit, slightly disturbed that this was the man he had chosen as his ally.
Xander stepped inside, frowning as he looked around at the clean floors and freshly built wooden furniture. This place was definitely lived in. He felt a chill, even through all of his protective layers, as a breeze slipped in through the broken window. Something that couldn't have been fixed in order to keep up appearances on the outside.
There was a faint creak on the second floor. Xander's head jerked upwards. He wasn't sure if it was the sound of an old house settling or something more but, either way, it was worth investigating. He had hoped the silence meant that Del was successful in delivering his message, but occasionally there just wasn't enough time to inform those involved.
Xander would have liked to think that the Outsiders wouldn't hide in the most obvious of places, but he supposed that was the brilliance of it. He slowly ascended the stairs, his Element at the ready as he tried not to touch anything. Call him sentimental, but it just seemed wrong to taint this home with Guardian hands. He reached the top of the stairs, unsure of where to go until he heard another creak coming from behind a door at the end of the hall.
Xander headed towards the sound, suddenly feeling very nervous at the thought of dying here and never seeing Deryn again. Never seeing her roll her eyes or scrunch up her face when deep in thought. Or the way her beautiful sea-green irises lit up whenever she did something she was particularly proud of, like cooking a meal he really enjoyed instead of just pretending for her benefit. She always knew when he pretended.
Reaching the end of the hall, Xander pushed the door, which was already open a crack. He took a slow step inside, and then another. Looking around, he saw that he had entered a baby's nursery. Stopping his movements, he now heard a very clear whimper.
With a sigh, Xander walked a few more steps and lifted the floorboards just beside the crib. Three children were crouched inside, one just a baby and the obvious inhabitant of this room. The oldest, a girl, took a protective stance in front of the other two, a dull blade held out in front of her.
It was cute, really, but Xander had to roll his eyes a little. He reached down and pulled a dagger Deryn insisted he bring with him out of his boot. Before the child even had a moment to get over her fear and react, Xander had the dull blade out of her hand and the sharp one in it.
She looked at it curiously, and then up at him.
"Head down to the broken window in the front room. Once you see the coast is clear climb out of it and run as fast as you can to the forest. Hide until we're gone. Do not get lost, do not get caught. If someone else sees you I cannot protect you. Do you understand?"
The girl gulped and gave him a small nod. Xander stepped out of the way. She climbed out first, taking the lead with the knife while her little brother carried the baby. He couldn't have been more than six and was struggling to hold her.
"Wait," said Xander, looking around the room until he found a blanket. He tied it around the boy in such a way that it became a sling for the baby. It wasn't great but it would have to do.
Without a word, the three children disappeared from sight. Xander went to the window and watched for a moment. It wasn't long before they came into view, their eyes sharp as they ran as fast as their little legs would carry them. And then they made it, hidden in the safety of the trees without ever looking back.
Xander smiled to himself, only going back on alert when he heard another creak. These wooden floors really were terrible. In a swift motion, he whipped around and aimed his Element sharply at the door, not incredibly surprised to see Dakota doing the same right back at him, only he held a primitive gun. It had just one use, and it was deadly.
"I had a feeling you'd be here, Trigger." A feeling of dread. "Never too far from the action. Some say you have a death wish."
"And I see you're as charming as ever," said Dakota scornfully.
Xander smirked. "Naturally."
"Why are you and your Guardians here, Ruby?"
Xander shrugged. "Nothing really. Just following what I'd hoped was a false lead on a few Outsiders trying to take their old home back."
"You all have no business -"
"Spare me your tirade, Trigger. I didn't come here to fight with you."
"Clearly," said Dakota. "You didn't come back for Talon the other day."
"Why would I do that when his boyfriend was there protecting him?"
"You lied about being attacked."
"You weren't my mission."
"You just let those kids run out of here."
"I'm not in the business of harming children," said Xander. "All of that shit was before my time. You remember."
Dakota scowled at him. "Why are you -"
"You and I need to have a chat. Sans weapons." Xander lowered his and carefully put it in its holster. "Now, I'm trusting you not to strike an unarmed man."
"Pick it back up!" spat Dakota.
"Put yours down," said Xander, crossing his arms. "We won't start our chat until your weapon is away, and you will want to hear what I have to say."
Dakota sneered and pointed his gun sharper.
"It's about Deryn."
Dakota's eyes widened, his hand slackening slightly as he asked, "What about her?"
"Not until you -"
"Just tell me if she's alive, Ruby!"
Xander grinded his teeth. He really hated this. "Of course she is. Now, lower your weapon."
Dakota stared unsurely at Xander for a moment, the inner debate in his head quite visible in his expression. Despite all of that, he slowly began to lower his hand, eventually putting his gun away.
"Go on," he said in a shaky voice.
Xander cleared his throat. "I'm sure you've already guessed this by all of the rumors circulating and increased security in the city, but Deryn is no longer in the president's possession."
"She escaped?"
; "Yes, that is what I'm getting at."
Dakota took a deep breath, clenching his fists as he cast his eyes to the floor. "Why are you telling me this? I have a hard time believing you have no ulterior motives."
"Oh, big word!"
Dakota's eyes shot back up and glared at him.
Xander smirked. "Sorry. Old habits, you know? But I have no ulterior motive. I am simply telling you to ease your woes."
"That's it?" asked Dakota, teeth now baring.
"Sure," said Xander with a shrug. "And I might know where she is."
Dakota tensed. "Where -"
"I'm not telling you that. If I did then we both know you and that brother of hers are just going to end up doing something hasty and, undoubtedly, stupid. She'll be back with you soon enough."
"I don't believe you," hissed Dakota.
"You don't have to. I am simply relaying a message."
"You're a fucking liar! Saevus has ordered you to infiltrate us, hasn't he? That's why you're pretending to help us!"
"I did help you," corrected Xander. "You can't fake letting people go. I could have taken you down the other day once you had an unconscious comrade to protect. You know I could have, and that would have looked damn good for me, bringing in Godfrey's son and fucking trigger happy Triggs. But I didn't. Now, move along, you're boring me."
A floorboard creaked.
Both of their ears went on alert.
And then another creaked. And another. Someone was walking up the stairs. It was impossible to be subtle in a house like this.
"What do you think? One of yours or mine?" asked Xander, taking out his Element. "Probably mine, since the idiots all seem to lack the art of guile."
Ignoring him, Dakota moved out of the doorway and stepped more into the room, getting in a position that gave him access to shoot at both Xander and whoever was about to walk through that door.
Staying where he was, Xander quickly recognized someone in a Guardian trench coat heading down the hallway.
"Mine," he said quietly so only Dakota could hear.
"You in here alone, Ruby?" asked the familiar voice of Aila Parrish.
Xander grimaced. Damn . He had hoped for someone with less of a vendetta against Dakota. This would surely end in a mess.
"Do you see anyone else?" he said.
"I heard voices."
"Don't worry about it, Aila. Get lost."
"What makes you think you can order me around?" she said, taking a few steps closer.
"I'm sorry, did you not hear the president yesterday?" asked Xander mockingly. "I am the lead on this mission. Now. Get. Lost."
"No," said Aila, taking a few more steps forward.
Xander aimed his Element at her but she did not stop, entering the room and immediately looking to the left at Dakota. The two locked eyes.
" You !" spat Aila.
She aimed her Element and fired. Dakota was able to duck in time, but it was clear by the huge hole blasted through the wall behind him that she was aiming to kill.
"You killed my brother, you bastard!"
Dakota barely steadied himself before she was trying again. It would have hit him too, if Xander hadn't grabbed him and yanked him out of the way.
"What are you doing?" shouted Dakota.
"Saving your ass, apparently."
"Well, don't!"
He pushed Xander off of him and darted for the window. When he got there, he fired his gun at Aila, forcing her to dodge. It gave him enough time to climb onto the roof. Xander stared out at him and watched as he jumped into some bushes on the ground.
Aila shoved Xander away from the window and followed Dakota, landing slightly less smoothly. Judging by her reaction, the bushes were pricklier than Dakota had let on.
Xander grunted and ran down the stairs, practically slamming into Luka as he rushed out the front door.
"Xander, what's going -"
"You let Aila get inside!" shouted Xander.
Luka froze. "I didn't ... I mean, she must have gone in the back or -"
"Doesn't matter. She's gone after Trigger. We need to move."
Xander ran in their direction with Luka just behind him.
Dakota and Aila had headed for the forest. When they found them, Dakota was in the middle of a small clearing, shooting at Aila while she darted behind trees. He ran out of bullets quickly, letting out a loud grunt and hurrying to reload. Aila took this moment to tackle him to the ground.
"You'll pay for what you did to my brother!" she shouted, trying to aim her Element at him while he grabbed her wrists and wrestled it away.
"Seriously, Aila?" said Xander, leaning casually against a tree. "Your family's inbreeding has become a real nuisance. You'll find another lover. Maybe a cousin."
"Shut your sick, twisted mouth, Ruby, and stay out of this! It doesn't concern you!"
"Actually, it does," he said, picking at his nails.
Luka cocked his head and stared curiously at the sight in front of them. His Element was out and ready, but he didn't seem especially eager to use it. Aila wasn't winning. She had gone for a tackle, for some reason, when she had a dangerous weapon in her hand.
"You interrupted a very important conversation between Trigger and me. And do you really think the president would appreciate you killing the Resistance's top fighter?"
"I'm not going to kill him!"
"Really? And I suppose those blasts you were just shooting at him a moment ago were simply to make him wet his pants?"
"I was surprised!" she shouted. "All I plan to do is torture him to the point where he'll be begging me to die! Just like what I did to his toxic bitch!"
All three men tensed. None more than Xander ,whose blood now boiled. His breaths became deep and heated.
"Do you want me to tell you all about what I did to her, Trigger? As payback for you taking my brother's life?"
In a quick moment, Dakota was tossing Aila off of him and jumping back to his feet. She did the same and they aimed their weapons at each other, ready to attack.
"How dare you touch her!" he shouted.
Aila smiled wickedly. "Oh, I'm not the one who touched her. I merely tortured her so horribly that she faded in and out of consciousness for days." She laughed wickedly. "You should've seen her tattered body once I was through with her, not even aware of all the men I brought in to have their way with her while she was in too much pain to even realize what was happening -"
A light shot out of Xander's Element in the form of a long whip.
Dakota winced, positive that it was aimed for him. But then Aila was on the ground, screaming in agonizing pain as Dakota stared at her, dumbfounded.
The attack must have confused her, because she seemed to have no idea where it came from. Dakota was still in too much shock to move, so she leapt at him, tackling him into the mud and rocks once more before aiming her Element at his heart.
"You will suffer, you little -"
"Take me!" shouted Dakota suddenly.
Aila furrowed her brow. "What?"
"You need one of us, right? I'll come with you obediently if you let Deryn go!"
Xander felt sick as he noticed the desperate look in Dakota's eyes as he spoke. This was not just about saving his friend. After all this time, he was still very much in love with her. For some reason, Xander was overcome with a surprising amount of anger.
"That's stupid, Trigger," he said, moving off of his tree and taking several steps forward. "Surely, even you know better than to make a deal with a Guardian."
"I'll take the risk!"
Aila looked at Xander and smiled.
"I already told you. We don't have her anymore."
Aila's smile faded. "Why would you tell him that?"
"It doesn't concern you," said Xander, lifting his Element and pointing it at Aila. Another whip of light shot out of it and struck her.
She fell backwards, writhing and screaming in the mud.
While Aila was down, Dakota got back to his feet and aimed
his gun at Xander. "What the hell are you doing?" he shouted. "Why do you keep helping me?"
"I thought I already made that clear," said Xander, watching Aila carefully. When her squirming died down, he hit her with the whip of light once more.
"Is that really necessary?" asked Luka, taking a few steps into the clearing.
"Of course it is," said Xander, striking her with the whip three more times. "I've wanted to do this for a long time."
" DAKOTA !" An earth-shattering scream echoed through the forest. All three men glanced around frantically.
"Neetles!" shouted Dakota, still keeping his gun aimed at Xander.
Xander knew the name. It was a nickname for a girl named Nita. She was another Outsider who had been 'recruited' to join the guard and had escaped the day of the attack on Eagle Center. He hadn't seen her much since, but he knew she was around and active in the Resistance.
Xander suddenly found himself wishing that Nita was the one he had run across instead of Dakota. She had been friends with Deryn too and, from what he remembered, she had always been pretty sensible. It was safe to say that his conversation with Dakota had been a waste of time and energy.
Dakota looked back at Xander and pointed his gun more fervently, but Xander didn't flinch, still keeping his Element aimed at the struggling Aila.
"What are you going to do? Kill me?" asked Xander with an amused grin. "You don't have it in you."
"I've killed before."
"Of course you have. We all have. But I've obviously put enough doubt in your mind that you're not going to take the risk. If I hadn't then I would already be dead. Or you would."
Dakota's nostrils flared. "I don't believe a word you've said to me, Ruby. You're a manipulative bastard who mentioned the one person you knew would make me cooperate. Even going as far as calling her by her first name."
Xander pursed his lips. Oh, right. Dakota was used to him calling her Leon. In training they were required to use surnames. If there weren't so many damn Guardians who were family members he would still do it now.
"But you saved me up there." Dakota motioned towards the house, which was barely visible through the trees, and slowly lowered his gun. "So we're even."
Broken Wings (Cruel and Beautiful World, Book One 1) Page 35