The Fighter

by Leslie Georgeson

  Nate and Tony exchanged glances. Then Nate announced, “Tony and I will go with you.”

  Ryan grinned. “That means me and Luke get to stay and hang out with the pretty girls.” He swaggered into the living room, waggling his brows at me and Jessica. We both rolled our eyes and snorted with laughter.

  “Okay, then.” Tracker turned to Jacob. “You ready?”

  Jacob sighed. “Yeah. Let’s go find her.” He glanced back at me as they left the house, our gazes locking for several moments.

  Nate and Tony took up the rear, and the door closed behind them.

  “What should we do to pass the time?” Noah asked, glancing around at everyone. He was cute. Tall. Lanky. He had a fresh, youthful face, hunky in that nerdy, computer-geek sort of way.

  Jessica and I exchanged a glance. “I know,” she said. “Let’s play a game.”

  Ryan’s lips twitched. “I like games, especially ones with pretty ladies.”

  Jessica smacked him on his arm—the real one, not the prosthetic. “Both these ladies are taken, as you well know. So enough of the outrageous flirting and do not, under any circumstances, release that damn pheromone on us. We’re immune to you.”

  I glanced from Ryan to Jessica, then back. “What pheromone?”

  Jessica cleared her throat. “These guys haven’t explained their supernatural talents?”

  “No.” I had to admit I was curious now. And they were distracting me from my worry over Jacob and Hazel, which was good.

  Jessica waved toward the kitchen table. “Let’s all sit. Then tell her why you’re The Extractor.”

  We all went into the dining area and took seats at the table. Jessica sat to my left, while Ryan and Luke sat across from us, and Noah and Logan took the chairs at the ends of the table.

  Ryan waggled his brows at me. “I give off a sexual pheromone that seduces women and helps them become loose-lipped so they give out information I’m seeking.”

  My mouth gaped open. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” I choked out a laugh. “That’s why you’re called The Extractor? Because you seduce women and extract information from them?”

  He nodded and winked. “It works like a charm.”

  “Eww.” I exchanged a glance with Jessica. “Please don’t ever give off that pheromone around me.”

  The other dregs burst into laughter.

  Ryan looked offended. “I don’t need to use it to pick up women.”

  “Of course you don’t.” I snickered and exchanged another glance with Jessica. “You’re a pretty boy. I’m sure all you have to do is walk in a room and boom! women gravitate toward you, drawn to your good looks and the unspoken promise of a night they’ll never forget.”

  Silence stretched, then everyone roared with laughter again.

  “She’s got you pegged,” Luke said with a leer. “Good thing she’s taken or you’d make a fool out of yourself. I doubt you could seduce her, even with the pheromone.”

  Ryan made a face. He was thinking about what I’d said, but I hadn’t meant to offend him.

  “No offense, Ryan,” I added gently. “You’re just not my type.”

  “Because Jacob’s her type,” Jessica said with a grin. We exchanged a glance, one that only women in love could understand and share.

  “So, what kind of game are we playing?” Logan asked.

  “Truth or lies.” Jessica glanced around the table at everyone. “You ask someone a question and they answer with either the truth or a lie, but you have to figure out whether or not they are telling the truth or a lie. You get to keep asking questions until you don’t guess correctly any more. And you guys can’t ask your partner a question, because they already know you. Who wants to start?”

  Luke raised his hand, glancing across the table at me. “I’ll start.” He was strikingly good-looking with spiky blond hair, sharp, well-defined features, and eyes so deep and penetrating blue they unnerved me. Jacob’s eyes, in comparison, were a softer, luminous blue. Luke’s eyes contained a hardness, a harshness that Jacob’s lacked. With a name like The Enforcer, I could only imagine what the man had experienced in his life. Jacob was definitely more tender-hearted than Luke was. I didn’t have to know Luke to know this. The hardness in his eyes said it all.

  I recalled when I’d first met Jacob and how he gave off that aura of danger that never seemed to fade. Now that I knew Jacob, I didn’t feel that dangerous aura the same way I had in the beginning. It was still there, but now it was different. Probably because I knew him now and I knew he would never hurt me. I didn’t know Luke other than he was a dreg and that he’d helped save Jacob the other night. Still, I sensed an underlying violence in him that I didn’t feel from the others. Except maybe Tony. That man had some serious issues, though I was beginning to see he was actually not bad once you got him to lighten up a bit and let down his guard. Luke was probably a good guy, too. I just didn’t know him well enough to come to that conclusion yet.

  “You’re worried about him, aren’t you?” Luke was gazing right at me, leaving no doubt I was the one he’d spoken to.

  I cleared my throat. “That’s your question?”

  His gaze remained steady on me. “My first one.”

  I drew in a deep breath, slowly exhaled. “Yes,” I answered honestly. “I’m worried sick about him.”

  “So are we.” Logan flipped his shaggy hair out of his face with a quick shake of his head. His eyes were kind as he met my gaze.

  “Has he had any flashbacks yet?” Ryan asked curiously.

  “I don’t know. There was this one time when he wasn’t himself. His eyes were kind of wild. He was almost…” My face heated, “Too rough. When I pushed him away, he kind of snapped out of it. Then he apologized.”

  Noah cleared his throat. “Did he hurt you?”

  I shook my head adamantly. “No. Never. He wouldn’t.”

  “Not intentionally,” Luke said, pulling my gaze back to him. “And by the way, you were telling the truth with that first answer.”

  I nodded.

  “Now my next question. When he does hurt you, what will you do?”

  “He won’t hurt me,” I protested.

  Luke’s gaze hardened. “You think now that he’s back here that everything will be fine? That you can make everything okay?”

  A tense silence filled the room. “Hey, now,” Ryan interjected. “Don’t take it out on her. She’s not to blame for what happened.”

  “She’s not?” Though Luke was responding to Ryan, his hard gaze never left me. “Wasn’t she the one who lured him out of hiding and convinced him to go to the disabled veterans’ center with her? And wasn’t that where the Spartans’ leader was staying, posing as an injured vet? I, for one, would like to know her motives. Because it sure looks to me like she led Jacob right into a trap.” He stared me down across the table. “How long have you known his true identity?”

  Heat washed into my face. “I agree it was my fault. Yes, I did lure him out but not to hurt him. I was trying to help him. I thought it would be good for him to visit with the disabled vets. I had no idea who Kenny was or that he would do what he did. He fooled me as much as he fooled everyone. And I didn’t know who Jacob was until the night I saw the bounty posters all over town, which was after I convinced him to visit the veterans with me. I was shocked when I saw those posters. I knew he was hiding something from me, but I had no idea he was a dreg. So I took all the posters down. Because I didn’t want anyone to know who he was. I didn’t want anyone to hurt him.” I lifted my chin, keeping my gaze on Luke’s. “I don’t know if I can help him. All I know is that I will do everything in my power to try.”

  Luke was silent a moment, his gaze boring into mine. Then he nodded. “You’re telling the truth again.”

  Of course, I was. The breath gushed out of me. This was more of an interrogation than a game. But I didn’t blame Luke. He was just looking out for Jacob.

  “Jacob’s going through a hard time right now,” Luke went on. “We’v
e all been there, though what he’s experiencing right now is far worse than what any of us have ever gone through before. PTSD can fuck a person up inside. Jacob was forced to defend himself from and then kill fifty-plus men! They nearly beat him to death. Do you have any fucking idea what he’s going through? Do you really think you can handle his issues?”

  And Luke was back to being a hard ass again.

  “No, I have no idea what he’s going through, but yes, I can handle it. I love him.”

  Luke’s gaze hardened again. “Oh, you love him? You think your love can save him? What happens when he snaps and turns on you? Jacob is The Phantom of Death. He could kill you so fast and so easily, he might not even realize he’s done it until after the fact. And then where does that leave him? With a guilt trip he’ll never get rid of. With a pain so deep that it will destroy him.”

  Tears sprang to my eyes. I jumped to my feet. Why was Luke being such an ass? Was he trying to scare me away? Well, it wouldn’t work.

  “I’ll never abandon him!” I shouted, my breath hitching. “I trust him one hundred percent. He’ll never hurt me. Stop acting like he’s some kind of monster! He’s not. He’s a person. A good person! And I believe in him. Instead of trying to scare me away, you should be telling me what I can do to help him!”

  Jessica’s chair screeched back as she bolted up from the table and wrapped her arm around my shoulders, pulling me in for a hug. “Don’t listen to him,” she murmured. “He’s just being an asshole. Tracker and I are making it work, and he still has nightmares sometimes. I believe you and Jacob will be able to make it work, too.”

  A sob burst out of me, and I inhaled deeply, trying to keep from crying in front of everyone. Jessica patted my back soothingly, then leaned away, looking me in the eye. “Don’t let anyone try to discourage you from what you believe in. Do you know what Tracker’s partner Gordon told me? He told me to always be there for Tracker, no matter what. Don’t run when times get hard. Stick by him no matter what happens. Jacob needs you more than you realize.” She smiled gently. “I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. Anything worth having doesn’t come easily. And my own personal advice? Don’t listen to assholes like Luke. If you believe in Jacob, let him know that and ignore everyone else.” She lowered her voice and whispered in my ear, “And if you ever need to talk, anytime, day or night, call me. I’ll always be a listening ear.”

  Fresh tears swam in my eyes. I nodded. “Thank you.”

  Ryan turned to glare at Luke. “You need to apologize to her, man. That was fucking uncool.”

  Luke didn’t say anything. He just stared at me with that hard, unreadable look on his face.

  I lifted my chin and pulled my gaze back to his. “Why do they call you The Enforcer? Is interrogation one of your talents?”

  His expression didn’t change. “Yes. It’s all about mind control. I like to mess with people’s heads, antagonize them, push them to their limit so they will admit the truth. Normally I’ll be torturing someone during the interrogation, enforcing harsh punishment. People can’t lie to me and get away with it because I always know.” Then he leaned back in his chair. “You passed the test. You were telling the truth the entire time. You think you can handle Jacob’s issues. You want to be able to help him. But you know what I think? I don’t think you’re strong enough. I don’t think you can handle it. I think you’ll run with your tail between your legs the first time he hurts you.”

  I flinched. There he went again, saying Jacob would hurt me. Why was he so convinced of that? He was filling me with doubt, making me question whether or not I could truly help Jacob.

  “Then tell me how to help him. Please.”

  Luke glanced at Ryan, then Logan, and finally Noah. He turned back to me. “You need to convince him to go back to the maze with us. Right now he’s just being stubborn and proud. He doesn’t want to admit he needs help. I personally think it’s because he’s felt so alone since Ralph died, so he doesn’t want to rely on us.” He cleared his throat and exchanged glances with the other dregs again. “I think he’s a little pissed at us right now. But we can help him fight off the demons. We know how to handle him if he snaps. He needs us during the recovery period. You’re not equipped to deal with his issues. He shouldn’t be alone with you or Hazel. Not until he learns how to deal with the flashbacks. Not until he learns how to control them.”

  I nodded slowly. That made sense. But how to convince Jacob of that?

  “He said my presence helps him relax,” I admitted softly. “That my touch helps soothe him.”

  The dregs all exchanged glances again. “It sounds like you’re replacing Ralph,” Logan said quietly. “That’s a good sign. You will definitely play a big part in Jacob’s recovery. But Luke’s right. Jacob will need more than just you to heal. At least in the beginning when his demons are the fiercest.”

  “We’ll try to convince him to go back to the maze with us,” Ryan said. “But we can’t force him. It’s something he has to want on his own. It may be up to you to convince him to accept our help.”

  I drew in a deep breath, slowly puffed it out.

  No pressure.

  I would happily pack up my clothes and things and go to the maze with them for a while, all in an effort to help Jacob get through this. I would stand by him. No matter how long it took. I wouldn’t abandon him.

  But would he agree?

  Would he let the other dregs help him?

  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

  Jacob

  The Spartans’ warehouse was empty when we arrived. The place had been cleaned out. Tracker stood near the base of the stairs that led up into Kenney’s former office and closed his eyes. Nate, Tony and I waited while he searched for Hazel with his mind.

  Finally, he opened his eyes. “She’s still in a small apartment. I saw street signs for 15th Street and Walton, which is across town, I believe. She should be somewhere in that vicinity.”

  We all nodded and turned to leave the warehouse.

  I’m coming Hazel. I’m almost there.

  I glanced over at the empty octagon with the blood-stained mat, the place of my near-demise. It was a horrendous reminder of the night I’d been pushed to my limit, the night I’d been forced to take too many lives, the night I’d come so close to death myself.

  The memories slammed into me like a violent hurricane, whipping away at the remaining pieces of my soul. Merciless opponents. A chanting crowd eager to see bloodshed. Screams. Thwacking sounds and crunching of bones. Bodies dropping one by one. Death. Pain. Fear. Guilt. I didn’t want to kill them. They came at me like lions to a feast. I had to fight back. I had to kill or I would die. Tortured souls, swirling around, whispering the truth in my head, over and over. Killer. Monster. Beast.

  I staggered backward under the onslaught, squeezing my eyes shut, and moaned. Strong hands roughly gripped my arms, halting my ascent into darkness, jerking me back to the present.

  “Hey man! Snap out of it!” Tony’s voice, harsh, commanding, somewhere off to my left.

  “I knew this was a bad idea.” Nate’s voice, softer, somewhere in front of me. “We shouldn’t have brought him back here.”

  I blinked, opening my eyes. Nate stood directly in front of me, with Tony and Tracker on either side of me, gripping my arms. I drew in a deep breath, slowly exhaled, pushing the demons back. I can do this. We have to find Hazel.

  I shoved my dreg brothers away and determinedly strode for the door. “I’m fine. Let’s find Hazel.”

  No one mentioned my flashback as we searched for Hazel, but they were all thinking about it and wondering when I would snap. I wondered that myself. When would I snap? And when I did, would I be able to come back from it? Or would I lose myself completely to the darkness? Would they lock me away in a loony bin for eternity?

  Three hours later, just as dawn was flickering over the horizon, we found Hazel.

  The apartment building was in between the streets of 15th and Walton, just like Tracker had seen in his
vision. We had been searching each apartment on those streets, banging on doors and asking about Hazel. The residents gasped at our intimidating presence, and everyone denied seeing Hazel. More than half of the apartments were empty, probably vacated because of the gang wars. It was as we were climbing the stairwell to the third floor that Tracker halted, closing his eyes. We waited, keeping an eye out for danger, while he sought her out with his mind. Then he opened his eyes and smiled.

  “She’s here. On this floor.”

  We continued our search, one door at a time. Until we found her in Room 322. Tracker paused outside of the door and nodded. “In there.”

  I pounded furiously at the door, anxious to get to my daughter.

  After several minutes in which I imagined the residents were waking and coming to the door, a cautious female voice called, “Who is it?”

  There was no peephole in the door, so she couldn’t see us standing out here. “It’s Jacob,” I shouted back. “I want my daughter. If you’ve hurt her, you will suffer greatly.”

  Silence came from inside the apartment, then the lock clicked and the door swung inward. I barged forward, pushing my way inside, as the woman stumbled back with a gasp.

  “I didn’t hurt her. I saved her.”

  I spun to face her. Tall. Blonde. Quite striking. She looked like a model. Dressed in a thin, pink robe, she stood just inside the door, near the back wall, watching me warily with large brown eyes.

  “So you really are alive,” she said quietly. “Thank God. I wasn’t sure if the rumors were true.”

  I advanced on her, forcing her back against the wall. Nate, Tracker, and Tony filed into the apartment behind me, heading off to search for Hazel. They were back in less than thirty seconds.

  “Hazel’s sleeping in the second bedroom.” Tracker stepped forward, meeting my gaze. “She’s fine. I’ll let you get her when you’re ready.”