by W. A. R.
“We can tell them the truth now?” Michael turned to his friend and grinned, his heart aching just the slightest from the loss of his father. Hastily, he shoved it away and forced the thought from his mind. “Because a few of them blew a gasket. Literally. They were beating the hell out of one of their own; nearly choked him to death with a chain.”
Michael furrowed his brow in confusion as doors began shutting. “Who?”
Ryder motioned cleverly with a nod of his head. “See for yourself.” He said and Michael suddenly felt as if he were part of some conspiracy. “By the way, how is she? Any change?”
Michael shivered at his question and turned to watch as people were lead before him. “None.” he replied. George, Buddy, and Derek were the first to near him, and immediately he knew who had almost died.
“George? What in the hell happened?” Michael asked, his easygoing use of George’s name earning him a glare from Buddy and confusion from Derek. Rick, Bobby-Jean, Elliot, Jacob, and a gagged Cassie were next. Ryder stepped forward, pulling a key from his pocket and he began undoing George’s chains. George stood then, rubbing his wrists gratefully but remained silent. His neck was lined with blood and scratches and the dark beginnings of heavy bruises. Michael winced.
“Someone found out he knew what was going on and tried to kill him.” Ryder filled in for George. Michael looked from Ryder to George as George stepped forward.
“Is this true?” Michael asked then and George shrugged.
“What in the hell is going on here?” Buddy asked then, glaring at George. George looked away from Buddy to Michael guiltily. He was asking Michael to explain, to take away some of their misery and Michael shifted on his feet, more than anxious to do so. “I think we deserve an explanation. We have missed out on something huge, and either you are going to take us to be killed or you are going to set us free. Which is it?”
Michael placed both hands firmly on his hips. “Geez, they didn’t lie whenever they told me about your attitude did they?” he chuckled, earning yet another glare from Buddy. He then turned to George who took a bottle of water from Ryder gratefully. “Who hurt you? Was it him? Cuz I will gladly let you and him have a go at it just for fun.” Michael teased George and George eyed him hotly over the water bottle. After a moment, he lowered the bottle and nodded towards Cassie who seethed at them. Damn, he thought, she was pissed. She looked far too much like her mother and he suddenly felt shamed. Still, this shame did nothing to tamp down his surprise and his interest in the situation.
He lifted his brows in surprise and crossed his arms across his chest. “Cassie? Seriously?”
Ryder chuckled and George rolled his eyes. “Oh no, it gets better. Tonio!” Ryder shouted then and around the back end of the truck Tonio brought forward two more people. Michael immediately stilled, his arms dropping at his sides. He swallowed, noting how wide Ryder’s grin had gotten, and everything inside of him warmed at the sight. He felt on the verge of tears yet again.
“Are…are you serious?” Michael asked lowly, refusing to take his eyes off the pair. Shelly looked beaten and tired and judging by the still sunken cheeks and obvious loss of weight, she needed to see a doctor as soon as they got back to the town…but Miles…his dad…was there…he was alive. Michael grinned at him and though Miles appeared angry, a part of him was taken aback, his eyes softening at Michael’s familiar, easy smile.
“Yep. They got out, along with two more.” Another man brought for two more women, both with caramel colored skin and angered attitudes out of this world he gathered as they struggled against the man that forced them to move their feet. Oh, but it was wonderful. He brought a hand up to cover his mouth as tears spilled over and quickly, he turned and squeezed his eyes shut tightly, lowering his head to the hood of the truck. His shoulders shuddered as he sobbed and he sniffed. No one said a word; they only watched as he did this, taking in the fact that this man, the man that had killed their leader, was crying. Oh no, he realized quickly, lifting his head. This meant that Miles had seen it too. Miles had witnessed Michael killing her. A fresh wave of pain hit him in his chest, and he wiped his eyes, clearing the tears because he had to tell them. They had to know the truth before anything went any further….well…the biggest part of the truth.
He turned slowly, running a hand along his face. “Oh, this is just brilliant.” he muttered, unable to hide the wide grin that came across his face. He looked to Ryder and George, crossing one arm across his chest while his other hand lifted to rub along his neck. George looked at him in confusion and Ryder smiled at him knowingly. “You couldn’t radio me ahead of time?”
Ryder chuckled at this and slapped him hard on the back. “I wanted it to be a surprise. I know what Justin told you. That sorry piece of shit.” He suddenly frowned and squeezed Michael’s shoulder, leveling his gaze. “Did everything else go…alright?” he asked gently, being as careful as possible not to divulge anything to the others. Michael noted George’s saddened yet curious look and he realized that Amber hadn’t told him. She hadn’t told him that she was supposed to live through it all. He nodded briefly before stroking the stubble on his jaw, his eyes scanning over each individual. Cassie was struggling and offering him muffled obscenities through the gag in her mouth. Every eye on him was either angry or defeated, and then there was his dad. Miles stared at him with such immense pain, confusion, relief, and ferocity that it hit Michael like a blow to the heart.
“I am going to release you all, after, of course, you hear what I have to say.” There were looks of surprise and frustration among them all and Buddy shifted on his knees, the gravel digging into his flesh. He winced.
“Why not just let us free right now?” His voice was mocking and Michael understood that no one believed him. He had to tell them the truth…but the truth was going to hurt and they were going to be so angry with him, with Amber, for the lies.
Better sooner rather than later; like ripping off a Band-Aid.
“I’m sure you all saw what happened…” he began, crossing his arms in nervousness. “And I can’t free you because I am positive you all want to kill me right now because of it. Am I wrong?” Silence was their reply; silence and seething hatred. He grimaced. That was painful. His brown eyes found his father’s as he began his next statement, unsure of what to expect from their reactions but knowing he only wanted trust and relief in the expression of his dad’s. “But there is something you all need to know.” His eyes remained on Miles, who had squared his shoulders and clenched his jaw. Damn did he admire that man; always had. Michael cleared his throat. “Amber…Amber is still alive.”
“Don’t fuck around! We saw her body float down the river!”
“We saw you kill her!”
“Is this your idea of torture?”
The accusations and the yelling continued and Michael remained calm, watching Miles intently. Miles remained motionless and expressionless and Michael had to admit that he was truly afraid of his father. He had expected some sort of outburst, some sort of reaction but he had gotten none from him. There was no anger, no gratefulness. Nothing. Michael again cleared his throat, but George stepped up to him, effectively stopping whatever it was that he was going to say.
Michael looked to the man, who appeared relieved and a bit cautious. “She really is alive? I mean…we…we did see her body float down the river.” At this Bobby-Jean burst into sobs.
“He’s toying with us!” she shouted almost incoherently at them all and Shelly shushed her comfortingly before turning her eyes to Michael. She was defeated and hurting and Michael hated it. He turned to Tonio and nodded at him to undo her binds. Her eyes widened in surprise as the tall man released her chains and she stood, rubbing her wrists gently before cautiously advancing towards him.
“I swear I am not toying with any of you. She is alive and in our community. It was all a plan.” He paused, glancing over at the tepid and nervous Shelly. Well, most of it was the plan. “Ryder, will you get her some water and a granola bar
please?” he asked and Ryder nodded, placing a hand on her back and urging her towards Michael’s truck. The others watched this with interest, with anticipation. After a moment, Shelly easily sat comfortably in the passenger’s seat of the truck, eating the granola and drinking the water, watching the scene before her. Michael had no idea what she was thinking then, but he was sure that he didn’t want to know.
“He’s telling the truth…about the plan that is.” George interrupted and everyone turned their eyes to him. His voice was rough and forced, and Michael didn’t miss the slight waver in Miles’s eyes as he looked on at the man. “Amber told me about it the day before it all went down. I…I wish I could have told you guys…I wanted to but I couldn’t.”
“And why not?” Buddy spat out, seemingly hurt by George’s confession. “You were our friend.”
George brought a hand to his chest. “I still am, Buddy, but you need to understand that there was a chance that the others…the actual enemy…could have seen us, heard us…and if they tortured us to get information someone would have broken and admitted that it was all a ruse. We couldn’t risk that. There were other people’s lives at stake. However,” he turned his gaze to Michael. “I was made to believe that Amber really died.” Even George didn’t believe him. This was going to be harder than he thought, trying to convince them that he meant well.
Ryder cleared his throat then. “That would be my doing…forcing you all to believe that she was dead.” He then stepped forward and slapped Michael on the back. “Michael, how about you start all of this from the beginning?” he suggested before turning to George, first aid kit in hand. Michael shifted on his feet and glanced down at the ground sighing.
“I’m not sure where to begin.” He admitted, earning dubious glances from the people he was desperately trying to gain trust from. He groaned. “At the store that day that Brian, da…” he caught himself, unsure if Miles wanted them to know who he was. He was still so very angry and it hurt Michael to his core. He corrected himself. “Miles, and Shelly were taken, I was there. I had to take part in it, but that is another story.” He glanced down at Buddy. “You. I saw a chance and I wanted to let you know that we could help, that we wanted to help…so I gave you instructions on when and where to meet us if you made it…”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah…we gathered that much when we actually met with you.” Rick spat out vehemently, and Buddy tossed him a curious look. Michael rolled his eyes and began rubbing his temples, urging the headache that had begun forming away.
“Alright, so the day we met, Amber sent you away. I knew…” he paused yet again and stole a look at Miles. He swallowed then, seeing the uncertainty in his father’s eyes. “I had met her before the outbreak…I knew her. She knew me. We both wanted the same thing, to an extent. We wanted you all to go to a safe place, where you could live without worry, we wanted Miles, Shelly, and Brian to escape, and we wanted for you all to make it to this point with no problems as far as the actual enemy is concerned.”
“In order for that to happen, you needed to be taken as hostages and Amber needed to be on that bridge.” Ryder then picked up, taking some of the strain off of Michael, using water and a cloth to clean the wounds on George’s neck. “She needed to tell them all that you were all dead, that she was the only survivor, and she needed to make it believable. And just on the off chance they did come across you guys, you were hostages that knew nothing of what was really going on. We would have still had a chance to get you out if you had been noticed by the others. You couldn’t be seen and if you were, you had to know nothing. Otherwise, Adrian would have done anything in order to hunt you all down. He is a sociopath to the extreme and when I say he would have done anything…I mean anything. Being up there was the only way to ensure these things: they believed you were all dead, you believed she was dead, and they believed she was dead so she…well, that’s another story for another day.” He glanced up at Michael, who nodded.
“We agreed that my people and I would take you all to safety until it happened and after she said what needed to be said, and had done what needed to be done, that I would shoot her in the shoulder…she would fall over the edge…”
“Enough.” Miles growled then and Michael started at the sound of his voice. His eyes were heated and Michael visibly shook under his glare. He wasn’t the only one, however, as the other people around him, his own people, turned a surprised look to him. Still, Michael wasn’t going to back down, not then. He was too close.
“…hit the water…”
“Enough!” he shouted now, his entire body trembling. Michael clenched his jaw, his mind set.
“…where Ryder’s brother Riley would be waiting in a boat with a Biter that looked similar to her, wearing the same bright red shirt…and they would push the Biter down the river to ensure the others thought she was dead. From there we could take her to the community and you would all travel safely to this point…” A wave of emotion passed over Miles’s face as he stared at his son.
“And she is…” George began in astonishment, interrupting Michael’s words. Michael jerked his brown graze to George, who stared back with wide eyes. George believed him. That was a start, Michael thought as he grinned widely.
“She is in the community. Our community.” He then turned to the others. Yes, she was alive, but was she well? That was a different story for many different reasons. “And you are all going to see her again…today.” It was as if a wave crashed over them all. Silence followed then, but things were less tense. He looked at them all then, and he knew he was going to have to tell them the truth that Ryder and George already knew. And yet, maybe not. It was over, whether or not they believed him was up to them and still some part of himself screamed that they did, that something deep within them told them that it was alright to trust him. All he could do then to gain their trust was release them and show them.
“Wow…anything else?” Rick asked sarcastically as Cassie stared on uncertain. He couldn’t blame them all, not after everything that had happened, for not believing him. Still, he had hoped that it would be easier. It was so heart-wrenchingly painful for him but he was unsure why. He stared hard at Amber’s cousin, debating his question. There were a few things that were left unsaid in the scheme of things, a few secrets that had yet to be told. As his eyes skimmed over to his father, he knew that there was one secret that he needed to tell, one that he needed to admit to, for his father’s sake and for his own.
“Actually yes.” He began, running a hand through his unkempt hair. Miles watched him thoughtfully, and he knew then, by the tender look in his eyes that Miles trusted him, that Miles believed him. He was no longer angry or uncertain. Tears again filled his eyes and Ryder, who had witnessed this interaction stepped forward, key in hand, and within seconds he released Miles. Miles stood, rubbing his wrists and watching as Michael turned away, not wanting to appear weak to these people but it couldn’t be helped. Ryder and the other men slowly began releasing the others and they stood, staring on in curiosity and cautiousness. Their lack of lashing and fighting told Michael that they believed him, at least a little. Miles, however, advanced forward and Shelly eased from the truck, a small smile on her face.
“Well?” Rick asked, prodded, as Michael found it difficult to look at them, much less speak to them. Within seconds Miles was there in front of him. Things were tense and quiet as father and son stared at one another. Silently, they communicated, reading the truth in one another’s eyes. Michael couldn’t find the words to say and quickly, before Michael had a chance to react Miles reached out and grabbed his shoulder, jerking him forward until he collided with his father’s chest. Head lowered onto Miles’s shoulder, he wrapped his arms around him and Miles held him close, his strong arms enveloping him as they used to, whenever there was a monster under the bed, whenever he hurt his knee…every single time he was hurt or afraid. The others grew silent but Michael didn’t notice them watch on. He only sobbed against his father, feeling relief and warmth flow t
hrough him. His father was alive and he trusted him. He still loved him, after everything. He hadn’t needed the entire story; he only needed to see that he was telling the truth, that Michael was the same little boy that he had raised. And in that moment, he was; he was the frightened, unsure, and aching son of Miles Preston and his father was there, comforting him as he had always done.
“He’s my son.” Miles said gently against Michael’s hair. His voice was thick with emotion, tears lacing his words. His words, his father’s claim on him, were his undoing and he only sobbed harder. Michael wasn’t sure that they had heard him until he heard Buddy speak.
“You’re serious?” He felt Miles nod and though he was no longer a small child and was instead a grown man, he still clung to his father, not wanting to let go because he, like Amber, had believed him to be gone.
He felt Miles nod against the crown of his head. “Yes. Very serious.” He admitted easily. He then sighed. “And I believe him.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so damn sorry. Dad…” Michael sobbed his apologies for even being involved with Adrian, with the deaths of innocent people. Miles only stroked his back and comforted him. He could feel Miles’s trepidation and his regret, his excitement and his relief.
“And Amber…she’s…?” Bobby-Jean began and Shelly answered for whoever was going to speak because Michael couldn’t. Michael could find no words.
“If he says she is, then she is.” Shelly stated and Michael heard all of the others move around and he knew then that they were free, no longer bound. He hoped they didn’t lash out at them. He hoped that they sincerely believed him just as his father did. “And if he is your family, then he is also mine.” Shelly spoke gently and before Michael understood what was happening then Shelly’s frail arms embraced both him and Miles. Michael only sobbed harder against his dad. What was this? Did she truly trust him too?
“And mine.” He heard Cassie say next, her voice wavering with unshed emotion. Miles opened his arm to her and she fell into it like a daughter to her father, her arm resting on Michael’s shoulder. His blood roared in his ears as the emotion continued to roll through him and overwhelm his entire being.
