My foot kicks the bottom of the bookshelf, and it shifts up. I kneel to fix the shelf, but a keypad catches my eye. It’s the same type as the one Angela used for the padded cell. Raising the shelf up farther, I see it goes to something. The lights are lit up. I hear voices, so I cover it back up with the shelf and push it down until I hear a click.
“Izzy?” Kyle’s voice enters the room.
“Yes.” I step around to the front of the bookcase.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine.” I move across the room to get away from the keypad. “Why did you guys let her take me again?” I ask, facing away from him.
“We tried to stop it,” he mumbles. I turn and see the proof of that on his face. It’s bruised more, and he walks with a limp. I hadn’t really looked at Tyler and Kyle since my last incident. “You just need to stop getting in trouble.” He jokes. Kyle always tries to lighten any serious situation. That’s just how he has always been.
“Oh, you know me. I can’t avoid it.” I smile, remembering my old nickname from when were kids. Crazy Izzy. He called me that because I was a daredevil. I wasn’t afraid of anything and enjoyed the adrenaline rush I would get from doing anything remotely dangerous. If there was trouble to get in, Kyle and I usually found it.
The keypad jumps to my mind, but I don’t want to bother him with it. I think I’ve caused enough trouble for one day. I still feel guilty for his past serious injury because of me. When I finally had to stand up to Jason, Kyle ended up getting hurt in the fight. He was stabbed with a long blade knife Jason had. It tore through an artery and left Kyle fighting for his life. With Tyler and Sarah’s help, we were able to save him. If it wasn’t for Tyler giving Kyle some of his blood through a transfusion that Sarah did, we would’ve lost him. I know it isn’t truly my fault, but I carry some guilt from it just as I carry the guilt from Tyler’s injury.
“Look at your face.” Kyle’s voice brings me back to reality, “I’ve never seen it so black and blue. And what happened to your wrists?” Kyle limps toward me. “You had a lot of blood on you when you came into the gym.”
“My face is fine. I’ve been hit enough I think I’m immune to the pain of that and my wrists. Well, Angela had a lovely pair of handcuffs for me to sport for the afternoon.” I rub my left wrist gently. “Where’s Sam?” I can’t keep the question in anymore.
I want to see my brother and make sure he’s okay. I’m still freaked out I saw it happen in my dream beforehand. I could’ve stopped him from climbing. I could’ve saved him. I shake my head, trying to remove the image of his unconscious body from my mind.
“He’s alive. As for where he is, I don’t know. Alex has been trying to find out and so has Tyler, but they haven’t had any luck.” Kyle limps towards the door. “Ready for dinner?”
I’m not hungry, but if I don’t go along with the daily schedule, Angela will punish me for it. So I lie. “Sure.”
Chapter 12
I eat very little for dinner. I pick at it more than anything. Everyone else in the room seems to be happy. They’re voices and laughter echoes off the walls. It should be deafening, but all I can focus on are my own thoughts. I wish I could be like them. I keep my eyes down and stare at the strange-looking pizza they’ve prepared for us. It doesn’t look good to me, but it could just be me. Tyler puts his hand on my knee and I jump at his touch. He rubs it gently. “Sorry,” I say, still focusing on my plate. He doesn’t respond, just keeps his hand on my knee, but I can feel his eyes looking at me.
◆◆◆
When dinner is over, Tyler empties my tray and takes my hand. I keep my eyes on the floor. I don’t want to look at him. I don’t want to see the injuries I caused him this time. I wish I wouldn’t keep causing him pain, but mostly because I know I will lose it if I meet his eye. I can be strong and lie to a lot of people about my feelings, but not him. He knows better.
We walk past his room, and I wonder where we are going. It doesn’t take long for me to figure out where he’s taking me. He leads me on towards the staircases I used to get to the library. He doesn’t speak, just guides me up them. I look at our joined hands and cringe at the sight of his bruised and broken knuckles. He tried to stop them, just like Kyle said. I blink to keep my tears back. Our footsteps echo on the metal stairs as we continue our stride up them. I count the squeaks to keep from thinking of other things.
Tyler opens the door to the library and guides me through. He doesn’t turn on the light but takes me back behind the bookshelf I had accidentally kicked. He presses the toe of his boot to the shelf and it pops up like before. I hear the beep of the keypad as he enters a four-digit code. The wall to our right cracks and pops as it slides to the right. I’m not sure what’s happening and feel myself frozen in place. Tyler pulls me forward. I squeeze his hand tighter. “It’s okay, Kris,” he says. I follow him through the rock doorway. The wall forms back behind us.
“What is this place?” I ask, looking at the ground below me. The plush green grass below my feet is a sight I have missed. Tyler twirls me around and brings me face to face with him. I feel a smile emerge as my eyes meet his.
“Don’t you recognize it?” he asks, pointing at the willow tree. I remember sitting under it once before with him. I was upset because I had to tell him goodbye. Though my memory is sad, I still am ecstatic it is there because I know I am some place familiar. I see the joy returning to his eyes. He isn’t looking at me like a wounded puppy anymore. He places his hand on my cheek. A slight twinge of pain registers as his finger brushes where the butt of Jack’s gun hit me. Tyler’s warmth overrides any pain. He kisses my lips and raises my chin with his finger. “Look up.”
I see the stars lining the clear, dark sky. The air is sweet but chilly. I shiver. I’m not sure if it’s because of the wind or because I’m close to nature again. I slide my boots off to feel the grass beneath my feet. I laugh and throw my hands up in the air as I run down the hill. The moon lights my path. My lungs fill with fresh air, replacing the stale, damp air of the cave. Tyler doesn’t chase me. He just watches, a smile stretching from ear to ear. I dance to my own rhythm and finally come to rest underneath the willow. I lay on my back with my arms and legs stretched out. “Can we come here whenever we want?” I ask, breathlessly.
“Not exactly. I’m not supposed to take you out of headquarters, but I know how unhappy you are not being able to be around things you love.” He sighs. “I’m sorry, Kris. I know it seems like I’ve taken you into a dangerous place, and it is, but it’s safer than being out here. At least for now.” Tyler hasn’t moved. Now that I’ve calmed down some, I see how alert he is, scanning the hills and listening for the slightest hint of a threat. “We should probably get back. If Angela finds out I know the code and that I took you out, there could be trouble.”
I slip my boots back on and make my way to him. A feeling of dread in my stomach. It was fun while it lasted. Though my time was short, it has given my soul some rejuvenation.
I take Tyler’s hand in mine and head back towards the cave, or that’s where I thought we were going. He stops in front of a big oak tree and presses his free hand to the trunk. A keypad slides out, and he presses in the four-digit code. It slides back in and a door forms on the tree, sliding to the side. I follow him through it and see we have returned to the library. All looks to be the same as it was when we left. The keypad is hidden and the lights are still off.
Hand in hand. Tyler and I start our descent down the stairs. This man knows me like no other. I would almost go as far as to say that he knows me better than my own mother does. Maybe it’s because we share something unique. Maybe it’s because we can communicate in only a way that is special to us. I don’t know the true reason, but I know he is my soulmate.
◆◆◆
When we get back to his room, Tyler sits me down on the bed. “Now, let me see those.” He points to my wrists. I wondered how long it would take for his need to help heal kicked in. “I’m sure I can find something to help.�
�
“No. Just leave them.” I put my hands behind my back. “Sarah already took care of them.”
“Kris, I’m sure it’s painful.”
I decide he should look at them. Just to make sure they aren’t getting infected. I place my hands, palm side up, on my knees and watch him unwrap the blood-stained gauze. The cream Sarah put on them keeps anything from sticking to the gauze this time. I bring my wrists up closer to my face so I can see. I couldn’t really tell much when I was cleaning them. The cuts in my wrists are jagged, not smooth. Little beads of blood pool at each point. “Let me see them.” Tyler’s voice is firm, but only because he knows I’m concentrating on it too much. I hold them out to him. He looks at my wrists and his jaw tightens. I know he feels this is his fault, but it’s not. If it’s anyone’s, it’s mine. I caused myself this trouble. He takes supplies from the cabinet and returns to my side. He dabs the blood away before applying the same brown paste I used on his stab wounds. I still haven’t figured out what it is made of. It stings, but I try to keep from crying out. “I’m sorry. I know it’s uncomfortable.” Tyler wraps clean gauze around my wrists. He kneels down in front of me and places his hands on them, careful not to hurt me. He closes his eyes and I watch as he chants. A tear flows down his cheek. When the chant ends, I notice my wrists stop throbbing, but they still feel stiff and sore. “It will take a day or two, but this should speed up your healing time.” He stands and wipes the evidence of the tear away with the back of his hand.
“It feels better already,” I say as I stand to look at my reflection in the mirror on the wall by the foot of the bed. It’s changed even more since the last time I looked. My face is bruised more and if I didn’t recognize my eyes, I wouldn’t think that the person was me. My hair is a mess, matted together with dried blood from earlier. I need to wash it, but I don’t want to interfere with the healing process. I turn away from the mirror and stare up at the stars Tyler painted for me. They are comforting, but it’s not the same. “Can you help me find Sam?” I ask.
“I’ll see what I can find out,” Tyler says. He kisses my forehead and leaves the room. With him gone, I finally let the tears flow. I can’t hold them back anymore. I wrap my arms around myself and hold my sides, trying to keep some control. My body trembles with every sob. I try to breathe in between the surges. I don’t cry for myself, I cry for my mother, father, Janet, Sam, Alex, Kyle, Tyler, and Sarah. The closest people I have in my life who are getting hurt just because they are with me for a reason I don’t even know myself. My loved ones are being tortured and beaten trying to keep me safe.
Chapter 13
I cry until I’m out of tears and my body is tired. Tyler has been gone for at least an hour and I worry something may have happened to him. Nothing’s impossible in here. I force myself up and walk out into the hall. It’s quiet except for the humming of the lights hanging above. I walk down the same hall that Angela took me down to get to the padded cell. My head is foggy and my eyes puffy. I place my fingertips against the wall to keep my balance. I use my hunters’ feet to keep from being heard.
A thud comes from behind a door on my left. I tiptoe over to it and peak through the cracked open door. There are two guys in the room. I see Tyler’s face. “Where the hell is he, Jack?” Tyler’s voice is strong. He holds Jack’s shoulders to the wall. “She just wants to see her brother. Why is everyone so leery of her?”
“You can kill me. I’m not going to tell you where he is. Angela said no visitors.” Jack laughs. I see the grin. The same grin he gave me. I tighten my fists and shove the door open. They both look over at me. “Oh, hey there, superstar,” Jack says, as if I was a long-lost friend of his.
“Shut up.” Tyler puts his arm up to Jack’s throat. “Tell us where he is.”
“Angela’s orders,” Jack retorts.
“I don’t give a shit about her orders!” I yell. Picking up a broom, I aim the handle at his head. Tyler ducks. It hits Jack in the head, breaks in half, and falls to the floor. I toss the other end to the floor as well. “Where is he, Jack?” I whisper in his bloodied ear. Jack just smiles that horrid grin.
“I’m losing my patience.” Tyler shoves Jack across the room. Jack runs for me, knowing I’m an easier target. Tyler grabs him and pins him in a chokehold. I watch as Jack’s grin slips away. His face relaxes and then his body. Tyler releases his hold and lays Jack’s body on the floor, then takes my hand.
“He’s alive, just asleep.”
“I didn’t think he was dead,” I say. “Not that I would care if he was.”
“We can still use him,” Tyler says.
I walk behind Tyler as we head farther down the hall. We walk quietly and reach the corner of the hall. Tyler presses his back to the wall and peers around the corner. He waves for us to move forward. I follow. There’s an elevator secured with a keypad. “I hope this works.” Tyler enters the same four-digit code he used in the library. It flashes green. I guess he knows what he’s doing, kind of. The doors slide open and we climb in. He pushes a button marked with an “H”. The doors slide closed, and the elevator begins its descent.
When the elevator comes to a stop, the doors slide open and we are in a hall much like the others I’ve seen, but this one has hospital beds positioned in the rooms. I follow Tyler, trying to keep up with his fast pace. If he knew how to get down here, why was he beating up Jack? I’m not going to complain; Jack isn’t my favorite person. Tyler stops abruptly and my head slams into his shoulder. “Sorry,” I whisper, afraid someone will notice we aren’t supposed to be here.
Tyler doesn’t respond, just points to a room in front of us. His heightened senses made it easier for us to find Sam. I go in alone. Tyler stands watch outside of the room. Sam looks fine, except for the tube in his mouth and the wires running from his chest and head to a machine. I know he’s unconscious, but my mother always told me people could hear us even if they aren’t awake. I take his hand in mine. I feel the sting of tears, but I won’t let them come. Not here. I know there are cameras somewhere and I only have minutes before we are stopped. “Sam, I don’t have much time, but you have to get better. I’ll come back for you. I promise,” I whisper in his ear. He doesn’t respond, even though I wish he would. I hear a scuffle start in the hall and know they have caught us. I kiss Sam’s hand and place it gently back on the bed.
I wipe my palms on my pants and head out the door where a butt of a gun hits me in the temple. My vision is blurry and strained. Still, I come up swinging. I hit a guard in the gut, but not hard enough. He slams me up against the wall. His hands around my neck. I can’t scream. I kick at him as darkness falls over my eyes.
◆◆◆
I awaken ready to fight. I jerk my arms, but they don’t move. I’m lying on a metal table, my arms and legs restrained. I raise my head and see Tyler laying on a table a few feet away from me. I can’t reach him. He’s restrained too. “Tyler,” I whisper. He rolls his head over to face me. He smiles an unsure smile.
“Good. The two of you are awake.” Angela enters the room with her deputies close behind her. Jack is among them. “Miss Goodman, what are we going to do with you? I think that you’re going to cooperate with us and then you break our rules, again.” She crosses her arms in front of her and looks over at Tyler. “This time, however, you didn’t do it alone.” I watch her inch closer to him.
Jack brings a clear bag over with him, filled with an orange liquid. He hangs it on the rock wall and runs a tube over to Angela. Angela takes the needle and slides it into Tyler’s arm. She looks over at me. “Hurting, you doesn’t do the trick. You find a way to overcome it. We have witnessed how much more beneficial it is for us if you see the pain of your loved ones.” She sneers. Tyler keeps his eyes on me.
“Don’t hurt him! Please! Don’t hurt him!” I scream at them, but they just laugh at me.
“It’s alright,” Tyler says. His voice is calm. I don’t know how he is being so relaxed about this.
“Tyler!”
> “I’ll be okay, Kris.” He tries to reassure me.
“We will see about that,” Angela says, with a throaty laugh.
Jack walks to the wall and turns the lever, allowing the orange liquid to flow down the tube towards Tyler’s arm. “Stop, please stop!” I fight the restraints but gain nothing.
Fighting Secrets: Unbreakable Series, Book 2 Page 8
