The Strays
Chapter Twenty-One

Jeremiah chased after me as I raced down the stairs and out of the front door, punching the wall of the building over and over again until the tears stopped and my knuckles bled, the skin peeled raw.

“I see you still have a problem safely expressing your anger.” He observed as he put a hand on my shoulder and sat me down.

“I’ve cried, I’ve screamed, I’ve punched things, but this feeling isn’t going away, it feels like I’m burning from the inside, and the only time it felt like it was easing was when I had a chain around Delilah’s throat, choking her. I am literally becoming one of the monster’s, one of the people I’ve been trying so hard to protect everyone from. I’ve killed before, you know that, but it’s never been something I desired, it was always out of necessity to save another, but Delilah, I wanted to kill her, if Sean hadn’t been there I might have. All I could see as I choked her were the faces of everyone she ever stole from me, my brother, Ty, Linc, Stitch, Willow, the little ones I used to help put to bed when Willow was too tired. I hate what I’m becoming, how easy it is for me to hurt people, no wonder my brother can hardly look at me, it’s because I’m not even me anymore.”

Jeremiah rolled his eyes with a sympathetic smile. “You’re too hard on yourself, it’s normal to be angry, especially with everything you’ve been through, but you have to remember not everything is your responsibility, it isn’t always your fault. I know you need to hold someone accountable, I understand that need, especially in times like these when there is no justice, you just have to remember that those feelings are just feelings and they are valid. You aren’t a monster for being angry or for expressing pain, it just makes you a human, flawed like the rest of us. At some point, you need to give yourself permission to forgive the mistakes you make, because your choices aren’t the only thing that affects the outcomes of a situation.”

“If only life was that simple.”

“It can be, but it’s a choice you have to make in your own time when you are ready, right now though, we need to work out what Delilah is up to, and how it is we’re going to stop her. Mac told me about what you said when you were threatened, and I know that you are in so much pain, but we need you, Sean needs you, so please, just come back inside and help me see this through to its end.”

I got to my feet and helped Jeremiah to his. Together we walked back inside, and I slipped my hands into my pockets not wanting anyone to see the state of my knuckles.

The group was congregated around the kitchen table, arguing rather loudly about what the next steps should be.

“Everybody shut the fuck up unless you actually have something useful to say.”

“And she’s back.” Colt smiled, stating the obvious.

“Congratulations on that wonderful insight, but I think everyone could already tell I was back, and it really wasn’t that useful.”

“Wraith, what did you say to her out there? She seems meaner and I think I prefer it.” Mac grinned.

“I guess this useless waffling is better than arguing at least, but can we please get back on topic? Sean, I need to know what you were working on in that lab, and what it had to do with Dad’s research, also how the hell did she know exactly what it was he was working on?”

“You know how Dad’s job was to replace the source of the virus, and a means of reverse engineering it to create a cure?”

“Yes, but why would Delilah need that? The virus dies in the host, it’s gone.”

“Besides, a cure was near completion anyway, but it was too late for anyone to use it. My parents and a few other labs had samples that had been tested, a few had even started production, but the world kinda ended first, I don’t know what happened to the cures that were supposed to be distributed.” Ace quickly explained, trying to add some clarity.

“That would explain why she was getting me to reverse engineer the sample of the virus Dad had, to bring it back, only this time she doesn’t want it to just infect adults, she wants it to wipe out everyone.”

The room went unnervingly quiet.

“I guess that explains why she blew up the camp and the little project she had Leo working on.”

Jeremiah stared at me. “Even I’m struggling to follow your logic, I have access to Delilah’s entire mainframe and network.”

“Had.”

“Pardon?”

“She knows you were the one working with Reach, she also knows that you were the one that helped me escape the city and now she wants your head on a silver platter, I’m surprised Colt didn’t mention it sooner.”

“I don’t like him and he isn’t my responsibility, if it were up to me he wouldn’t even be here, neither would Mac for that matter.” Colt calmly smiled without a care.

The arguing was about to pick up again, but I quickly cut the squabbling off. “Stay focused and on topic because if Delilah is able to finish what she had Sean start, we’re all fucked.”

Tali started anxiously pacing. “Can you please explain to me what that psychopath is planning and how we intend to stop it? All of this just seems rather doomed is all.”

“I’m with the nervous nerd on this one.” Mac concurred.

“Delilah had Leo building from schematics for a bomb, which I’m pretty sure is how she plans to spread the virus, she detonates it as an aerosol, it spreads, and if I were a betting man, I’d say she is the one that has the cures that were never distributed, so she’ll probably give them to the people she intends to keep around to usher in her new age, while everybody else dies.”

Jeremiah finally caught up to what I was saying. “And she blew up the camp as a small-scale test to ensure her prototype for the bomb worked to prevent anything going wrong with the real thing on D-day when she completes it.” He finished my speculation.

“Wow, this took an incredibly positive turn.” Ace sarcastically remarked. “I still don’t understand what we’re going to do about my sister though, I think this plan of hers is something we should definitely replace a way to stop.”

“First, we need to replace out how far along she is with this plan, and gather proof we can take to the other factions, we stand a better chance of beating her if they’re on our side and it’s fewer people for us to fight later down the line, also it’s probably going to take more than seven of us to save not just the city, but maybe the world. God, I wish that was an over exaggeration.”

Sean offered me a sad smile.

“This is a good thing, if we know what we’re up against we stand a better chance of winning this war before it even starts, and the bonus is that Delilah probably won’t see us coming, because I doubt she knows we have all the pieces.”

“That’s not it. I have every confidence that you know what you’re doing, I always have, it’s just that look in your eyes, Mum used to get the same one when she was working on a story that she knew was going to piss off a lot of powerful and usually quite dangerous people.” He explained.

“She always said that doing what you believe to be right is rarely easy, especially when it opposes everybody else, but if a cause is important to you if you believe in your truth with all your heart then it’s something worth fighting for, even if the world is against you, though it should never be at the cost of another person’s life, because no cause is greater than our humanity.”

“She’d be proud of you, Dad would be too.”

“Trust me when I say they really wouldn’t be, I’ve done a lot of things I’m not even proud of that keep me up at night, but this will at least help me make amends for some of them.”

Colt put a reassuring hand on my shoulder and my brother’s expression quickly changed to one that immediately made Colt change his mind.

“Can we please get back on track, we don’t exactly have time to waste. We need a plan because it’s not like we can stroll into The Sanctum.” Mac barked.

“Mac has a point, my covers blown, she raided the museum, everything I had on her is gone and so are my people.” Jeremiah concurred.

“That means you’ve officially joined the ranks of Alderton’s most wanted. Congratulations. Though that gives me an idea. You need to get into The Sanctum to get those files, but my only way in is compromised now Ratchet’s involved, Ace on the other hand spent more than his fair share of time there and everyone thinks he’s dead, which gives the two of you the perfect cover to sneak in.”

“What about the rest of us?” Mac queried.

“You should go with Sean and Tali to call a meeting with the other tribes, have them gather in the museum in four days’ time, that should give Jeremiah enough to get the files and decrypt them.”

“That still doesn’t explain what you’re going to be doing.” My brother sighed.

“If Delilah grabbed the Trojan’s it’s because they were helping Jeremiah and the resistance, because, no offence, it’s not like he could’ve pulled all of this off by himself, not even with someone like Reach helping him, which makes the Trojan’s our allies. Colt will help me free them, and the jail break will be the perfect distraction that should provide Ace the cover he needs to get Jeremiah into The Sanctum then out again, unseen.”

Sean shook his head. “No way, I am not letting you run off with a stranger to pick a fight you can’t win to save a group of kids you hardly know. As your brother, I have to put my foot down, it’s my job to protect you, it’s what Mum and Dad would have wanted me to do.”

I could see Colt trying not to laugh, and I quickly jabbed him in the ribs with my elbow. “Ouch.”

“Oh, grow up.”

“What did I do?” He argued.

“You’re being a dick.”

“I was just laughing, and can you blame me? I’ve only known you a few months and even I wouldn’t try to tell you what you can or can’t do, he’s your brother, he ought to know you better than anyone. Making and following through with reckless plans to help people we know nothing about is pretty much our thing, it’s the reason we even met. We’re good at what we do and no matter how unlikely our chances we always seem to replace a way, he needs to be less overprotective and have some faith in the person you’ve grown up to be, besides, this is a two-man job at least, he can’t go because Delilah needs him so that just leaves you, which I’m perfectly content with.” He retorted.

Sean squared up to him. “I bet you’d love to get my sister alone for a while, wouldn’t you?”

I got in between them both, pushing my brother away. “I don’t need you to protect me, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself, I have been for years and Colt isn’t some stranger I only met recently, we’ve been through a lot together and he’s as much a part of my family as you are, so cut the tough, big brother act out.” Next I turned to Colt. “As for you, quit winding him up, he’s only trying to look out for me, it’s been a long time since he saw me and a lot has changed, he doesn’t know half the things about me that you do, so give him a break, we still have a lot of catching up to do. That can wait, though. Right now, we have a plan to execute. Ace, you and Jeremiah come straight here once you have what we need. Me and Colt will meet you here once we’ve freed the Trojans, then the four of us will join the others at the tribal meeting in four days’ time.”

Mac nodded her head approvingly. “I guess you’ve still got your mojo, Caelyn Lewis.”

“I never lost it, I just needed someone to remind me why I started doing what I do in the first place. I may have been used and manipulated, I might have lost more good people than I would have ever liked, but I am still me and I intend to see this through to the end. Delilah is going to pay for the things she’s done, but we’re going to do this the right way. No more unnecessary casualties or fatalities.”

Mac rolled her eyes, and I glared. “Fine, I’ll behave, or I’ll try to at least, but I’m not making any promises. I do what I have to do to survive and I’m only working with you because I like my city the way it is, I don’t need some entitled brat blowing everything up.”

“I’m glad to know we’re all on the same page. Now, unless anyone else has any objections or additions to add, can we get going? We don’t know what kind of time frame we’re working with and I’d rather not leave this too long.”

Sean grabbed my arm as I went to walk away, stopping me as Colt, Jeremiah and Ace walked on ahead. “Do you really have to do this?”

“It’s what I do best. I help people that need it, regardless of the risks, I learned that from Mum. I know you still think of me as that girl picking fights in the playground for no good reason, but I’ve grown up quite a bit and I’ve picked up a trick or two to help me out of a bind. I’m going to be just fine. Tali and Mac need all the help they can get if we’re going to get everyone on board, you understand the virus better than anyone I know, you were there helping Dad when all of this started, you can answer questions they can’t, explain it in a way that makes sense so please just help them out, your diplomacy skills will come in handy.”

“Stay safe.” He sighed. “I don’t want to lose you when I just got you back.”

“Same goes for you. I’ll see you in a few days and keep an eye on the girls . Mac has a tendency to go looking for trouble, while it just tends to replace Tali.”

We hugged each other goodbye and Ace came to get me having realised I hadn’t joined them. “She’s in good hands, Sean. I promise.”

I joined the boys, and Sean joined the girls.

“Honestly, I’m surprised your brother didn’t put up more of a fight. The old Sean would’ve never let you do something this impulsive and reckless, especially with a guy like Colt as your accomplice.” Ace remarked as we walked.

“I am a very capable individual and my brother knows that… wait… go back…what did you mean about Colt?”

“I’ve seen the way he looks at you, we all have. I also saw the pain he felt and the anger he had at himself when he had to leave you behind. I don’t know what changed between you, honestly I thought you couldn’t stand each other, but whatever it is, he’s fallen for you. Hard. “

“Why does that matter? It’s not like I have time to worry about replaceing a boyfriend with all of this going on.”

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt, taking a punch is one thing, but falling in and out of love is a different fight entirely.”

“You would know, you are a seasoned professional, after all.”

Ace put me in a headlock and ruffled my hair.

“Alright, alright, I cave, you win.” I laughed, garnering Colt and Jeremiah’s attention as he let me go.

“Everything alright back there?” Colt asked with a half concerned, half confused smile as he tried to determine what exactly was going on.

“We’re fine. I was just teasing her about her hair. Thought it could do her some good to have a laugh with everything going on and that old trick of mine never failed when she was younger.” Ace explained quickly, trying not to raise suspicion, rather unsuccessfully I might add.

“Uh huh.” Colt nodded, seemingly unconvinced.