The Strays
Chapter Twelve

Leo was standing outside waiting for me when I arrived, his hood drawn as he lurked in the shadows. I turned off my board and picked it up, securing it to the skateboard strap on the back of my rucksack. Upon seeing me, he cautiously stepped into sight and pulled down his hood to greet me with a smile as I embraced him in a hug, my eyes tearing with joy.

“I’m so glad to see you.”

“It’s great to see you, too.” His words were soft, a hidden melancholy beneath them. He’d changed over the last few months. Whatever happened to him had turned him into someone else. His optimism had faded, replaced by a paranoid scepticism.

“We don’t have long. Somebody will eventually notice I’m missing.” He sighed. I looked at him with concern.

“Why would that matter? It’s not as though you’re intending to go back there.”

“Actually, I am. Delilah trusts me. I have complete freedom, access to all their files, everything they’re planning. They think they’re using me, but they’ve given me an in. I can use this Indie. We can get the information you need without any risk.” He explained as he handed me a USB stick.

“What’s this?”

“Everything I could get off Wraith’s personal network. It’s every plan in the works, every piece of research they’ve done and, most importantly, a complete dossier detailing everything he knows about you and every person you’ve ever been close to.”

I shook my head in disbelief. How could he have been so reckless? “What did you have to do to earn that kind of trust and what does it have to do with Drew claiming to be Liberty, as he declares his intentions to help our enemy? I scrubbed the broadcast and the only code was yours. Every word Drew said was true. It was his voice, his phrasing, but it wasn’t him.”

Leo took me by the hand and led me further into the shop. “Initially, Delilah wanted me to put me to work training new recruits, then she changed her mind and placed me on a special project. I was given research documents and schematics for some sort of bomb or disbursement device for some sort of aerosol. I think she’s looking for a way to distribute some sort of chemical agent.”

I paced the room anxiously, not knowing what else to do. This was so much worse than I ever thought.

“What’s the deal? What aren’t you telling me?” He sighed.

“I think she wants to recreate the virus, the one that wiped out the adults. If anyone has the resources and the means to do it, then it’s her. That’s why she’s looking for me, that’s why she wants his research. My dad was studying the virus during the outbreak. She’s trying to replace the sample he was working from.”

“We’ve been friends all this time, and you didn’t think to mention any of this stuff before now?”

“My dad died before my mum and aunt. I don’t know what happened to his work. The only person that might have known was Sean, spoiler. He’s dead as well. I left the city after the car accident. I tried to replace Miles first, but social services had already taken him and I was declared dead, so I did what I had to in order to survive. I haven’t even thought of my dad’s work since, but it makes sense why Delilah has been so eager to replace me.”

“Well, I guess the positive aspect is, if she needs you, she doesn’t have what she’s looking for, meaning you still have time to replace it.”

I heard a stone hit the floor behind us. “Leo, I need you to take this and run. I think you’re compromised. Ty is waiting at the safe house. Get him the USB, then both of you should get out of the city.” I passed him my bag and the drive. “Go.”

“What about you?” He challenged. “You can’t keep doing this kind of thing, especially not on your own.”

“When I lost you, Drew and Stitch, it killed me. It was like reliving the night of the crash all over again, Wraith. I was just as helpless. If whoever is here with us is working for the Elites or Wraith, you’re as good as dead, I’m not. I’ll get another chance to escape because Delilah’s ego will only ever allow her to see me as her victim. In her eyes, I will never be able to escape, not on my own, which means I’ll always have an advantage. Plus, she needs me alive if she wants the research, or at least that’s what she thinks. You don’t have that luxury. I promise I’ll come replace you as soon as I finish things in the city, but you have to leave as soon as possible. If I stand any chance of pulling this off, I can’t be worrying about you or watching your back, because it’ll just distract me.”

Leo nodded his head, taking the things from me hesitantly. “I understand, but that doesn’t mean I’m okay with this. You come replace us by the end of next week or I’ll be back and I’ll bring an army if I have to. You’re family, so I’m not just willing to leave you behind.” He gave me a quick hug before vanishing just in time to avoid Wraith.

“I should have known turning Leo was too easy, though I’m curious about how you arranged to meet here. Is it a regular thing or did he somehow sneak you a message?” Wraith sighed unenthusiastically.

“This wasn’t planned. I just happened to be in the neighbourhood on a walk when we bumped into each other. It was simply coincidental, or perhaps it was fated.”

“It doesn’t matter, Leo served his purpose anyway, but you, I still have a bone to pick with.”

I clenched my fists defensively. “I’m not afraid of you. I kicked your arse once already, I doubt it’ll be difficult to do a second time.”

His glare intensified as he walked toward me, but before we could meet, I felt myself being thrown backward across the room. I landed on my back and winced as I got to my feet. The wind knocked out of me.

“Ace, it’s been too long. I would ask what you’ve been up to, but given the circumstances I’d rather not know, though I am curious about why you’d help the city’s most wanted.” Wraith teased as he paced the room.

“I made a promise, and she’s the only person who can help me keep it.” Ace retorted impatiently as he swung his fist at his opponent.

Wraith took a step back gracefully, putting in minimal effort as he did so. “Really? She’s willing to help you after what you did. I’m genuinely surprised.”

Bang. I heard the gun before I saw it and reacted immediately, sprinting across the room to help the wounded.

I looked up at Ace in disbelief as I tore off my shirt and bundled it over the gaping wound in Wraith’s stomach. “What the fuck were you thinking!? What if you had killed him?”

Ace attempted to help me to my feet, but I pushed him away.

“Seriously!? I did you a favour. He isn’t some innocent bystander, he’s a murderer, and besides, it’s not like your hands are clean.”

“I have never killed anyone in cold blood. I’ve only ever acted in self defence. You, on the other hand, tried to murder him.”

“He would have killed you, or turned you in. I was trying to protect you.”

“I was never at risk. I knew he would follow Leo here. In fact, I was counting on it. I figured I could replace out where he took Drew, but now I may never get the chance. If you really want to help me, replace me some metal to heat so I can cauterise the wound.”

“What good will that do?” He challenged.

“It’ll stop him bleeding out before I can get him some real help.”

Wraith grabbed my hand and pulled me close as Ace disappeared. “Why are you helping me?”

“It’s what Stitch would have done if she were still here. She believed life was precious and we should save whoever we can. It’s why she started the clinic. She wanted to save everyone, no matter their allegiance.”

“I’m sorry she’s dead. I never wanted it to turn out that way.” A tear fell from Wraith’s eye, trickling down his pale face.

“Just hang on, I’m going to fix you up, but to do that, you have to stay with me.”

Ace reappeared with a small fire poker. It was perfect. “Keep applying pressure. If he dies, I’ll turn you into the enforcers myself.” He took over from me and I quickly started a fire using supplies from my pockets. As I waited for that poker to glow, I saw the life draining from Wraith with every drop of blood and I couldn’t help but second guess my decision. That guy had persecuted me and murdered my friend, so why should I save him? Then I looked down at him. Under the dark hood and makeup was a kid like any other, scared and confused, doing whatever he had to do to survive.

I passed Wraith a lump of wood as I had Ace pin him down. “You’re going to want to bite down on this because the next few seconds will hurt like a motherfucker.”

He nodded compliantly as he bit down, giving me the signal to do my thing. I took a deep breath and stabbed the red hot poker into the boy’s stomach. The putrid stench of burned flesh flooded my nostrils, causing me to gag, but I was relieved to see that it was worth it.

I had Ace help me get Wraith to his feet; with our assistance, he was able to keep himself alive long enough for me to get him to my safe house and subsequently my medical supplies.

“What the fuck is this?” Ty demanded as we entered the building.

“Ask trigger happy over there. Leo, I need you to clear off my work bench and grab all the medical supplies you can replace. Ty, you and Ace can head out on patrol. I don’t want either of you near Wraith whilst he’s recovering.”

Everyone did as I said, sensing my tolerance for stupidity and bullshit was at a record low. Once I was done, I handed Leo a poultice and instructed him to apply the balm to the trauma site every half hour or so, then I left to replace the other two.

I found them both on the roof of the building, watching the city skyline and beyond.

“Why’d you shoot him, asshole? Don’t even think about lying to me.” I yelled, grabbing Ace by the collar and forcing him over the edge. He clawed at my hands, trying to force me to put him down, but I was pissed. Ty even knew better than to intervene.

“Answer the fucking question!”

“Put me down you fucking psychopath.” He demanded, still clawing at me.

“Once you answer my question, I will.”

“I thought you were in danger.” He lied unconvincingly. I imitated a slip to show him I was serious.

“Right before you shot him, he mentioned you doing something to me. I thought he was talking about you torturing me earlier, but he couldn’t have known about that, so what was he actually talking about?”

I heard Ty sigh from behind me. “She’ll replace out eventually Ace, let’s not make things harder than they have to be. Indie put him down. If we’re going to talk, we can at least be civil.”

I let Ace go and took a seat on the ledge, letting my legs dangle freely over the side. Ty took a seat beside me and placed a hand on my shoulder. I had a feeling that whatever he was about to tell me was bad.

“First off, are you sure Leo is safe here? If he was tagged, they’ll replace all of us. That could be their plan.”

I shook my head. “He used an old trick I taught him to fake his barcodes. Leo is clean. Can I say the same about you and the others?”

“Fair point, I’m clean, I wasn’t chipped just tagged, same as Drew and the others. Now I’m just gonna get straight to the point. While I was a Hellraiser, I did a lot of things I wasn’t proud of, but I was just trying to protect Linc. In the early days of the factions, Hatter and Delilah quickly came to a truce. I was assigned to work under Ace, training Enforcers, as part of this newly formed alliance.”

“I think I should take it from here.” Ace confessed reluctantly. “I was the one that told Ty to do it. He was just following orders that you need to understand.”

“What did you tell him to do?”

“Delilah didn’t want to kill Miles. It was my idea. She was having Ty torture him relentlessly even though she knew he didn’t know anything. I thought with you and Sean dead I was doing the right thing, I thought I was helping him. I convinced her that if she killed him publicly, it would be a strong show of power. I thought hanging him would be quick and painless. I didn’t know it would go wrong or that you would come back. If I’d known you were alive, I would’ve found another way. I would’ve found a way to get him to you.” Ace sighed as I fell to my knees and wept. I could have saved him, if I had just come back sooner. “I left after that, I wanted nothing more to do with my sister, or the evil things I had done. I thought I’d put that behind me, but my actions the past few days prove otherwise. I’m so sorry, Cae, for everything.”

I looked Ace in the eyes. “Why are you after my dad’s work? Why’d you resort to such extreme measures to make me talk if you weren’t working for your sister? Why become just like her when you were always so much better?”

“I found out what my sister had her people working on, and I discovered she was close to replaceing you. I needed to know what you knew, but you’re just so goddamn stubborn. I convinced myself I’d be in and out. You’d never even suspect it was me, or that I survived all these years. I was an idiot for thinking I could underestimate you. I should have known the apocalypse would make you tougher, not softer.”

Ty couldn’t even bring himself to look at me. “I made Hatter change my assignment after that. I said I’d do anything else, but I wouldn’t hurt another person the way I’d hurt Miles. I was done hurting innocent people. Then I was sent after Willow and Stitch. That was the last straw for me. I took Linc, and we ran. We didn’t stop until we found our home at The Paragon. What I did to your brother still haunts me. Then you came along and I remembered watching you cradling his body, crying uncontrollably. I knew God had sent you to punish me. I tried so hard to hate you, thinking that if you just stayed at arm’s length, you’d never know what I did. Then, you went to so much trouble to save us all, and I hated myself for it, because I felt like I deserved to die for what I’d done. Every time you looked at me, I waited for the shoe to drop. I could see him in your eyes. I’m so, so sorry, Indie and I understand if you hate me, but it was time I told you the truth. I owed you that much. I grabbed Ty by the arm and hugged him tight, grateful that he finally told me the truth.

“I honestly thought there was going to be more yelling and punching. At one point, I even thought someone would tumble over the edge of the roof.” Ace interjected half jokingly.

“I’d be quiet if I were you, I may have forgiven Ty, but you, that’s a whole other story that I will sort out when this mess is over and just so you Ace, Wraith had better pull through for your sake otherwise I’m turning you into The E.A.D. I don’t think they’ll look too kindly on you trying to murder someone in cold blood to cover up what you’ve done, even if he is the leader of The Trojans.”

Ace shook his head in dismay. However, before I could say anything more, Leo appeared with an awkward look on his face. As though he knew he was interrupting something. “Just thought you should know that Wraith’s awake. He’s in a lot of pain, but it looks like he’s going to pull through.”