Aporia (Young Adult Paranormal Romance) (Wisteria Series)

by Leyton, Bisi

  “Most of The Family is dangerous. This was the safest way to get them into custody. They won’t get hurt, and none of us will get hurt.”

  “You knew all of this, Christopher?”

  “I knew part of it,” he confessed.

  “You were going to stand by and watch them kill Bach?” Wisteria stomped up to him. “I’ll never let you do that!”

  “Even if you could get past me, Alan and Doc are both upstairs, and more people are on their way to take you to Zone Eleven. You can’t get out--at least not right now--but wait and I’ll talk to him.”

  “Don’t do me any favors,” she scoffed. She felt so much disappointment because all the people around her were nothing but traitorous liars.

  “Wisteria—”

  “I’m a prisoner right? So really, what can you do?” Seething, she backed away from him.

  “It’s not like that.”

  “Then what is it like?”

  “It’s about a real cure, Wisteria,” Christopher stated bluntly. “It’s about finding a way for us to not just survive, but to thrive again.”

  “There is no way to reverse or prevent the infection. Once you’ve got it, you’re dead.”

  “Be patient and everything will work out,” Christopher promised and left, locking the door behind him. “Believe me.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Climbing through the top floor window, Bach landed in the hallway inside the home of Jason Webb, his supposed half-brother. The light in the hall came on and he saw Jason standing at the other end, watching him.

  “Why didn’t you knock?” Jason’s hair was a different color and his eyes weren’t green, due to the special glasses he always wore, but it was still Jason.

  “Jason, you are supposed to be dead, or at the very least, imprisoned by the empirics. Yet I find you here tormenting my—tormenting Wisteria with lies about our mother.”

  “And somehow knowing I’m being tortured by the empirics makes you happy?”

  No, it did not, but that did not change the fact Bach did not trust him. “Show me the images you showed Wisteria. The one that made her believe she killed my mother.”

  “Our mother, you mean.” Jason shook his head. “It’s not here. The laptop is in Zone Eleven. Ironically, it was designed to make it hard for people to do what we’re doing now.”

  “Then, take me to it.”

  The older man paused. “No. All you’re going to see is exactly what Wisteria told you about.”

  “I need to see it and understand it myself.”

  “What--you don’t believe she was capable of killing our mother?”

  “I did not come here to discuss what I do or do not believe.” He was just looking for answers. “And, do not call her ‘our’ mother. She was mine.”

  “Fine,” Jason retorted coldly. “The video shows Wisteria sealing our mother away, most likely into Ajana. Even if by some fluke Wisteria sent her to another realm, we all know how little The Family is liked by Kulan or Mowan, so she’s long gone, Bach. I’m not going to play games with you. I’ve told you all I’m going to tell you. If you need more, check the video yourself. Go to Zone Eleven. It’s built under the mountain. You’ll get the answers you’re looking for.” He motioned in the general direction of the mountains around Franklin.

  “You get me the video.” Bach had planned to check out the mountain structure, but Jason’s pressure for him to go at that moment seemed like a trap. Unfortunately, he had to go, because what Jason was saying felt impossible.

  If Wisteria murdered his mother, he would have felt it when he kissed her. The imprint of the Mosroc revealed more about her soul than he even understood. Even after being away from her for so long, their bond still seemed to grow and he could read her almost better when she didn’t speak. That was why when they kissed in the penthouse in Manchester, he knew she’d lied about loving Steven Hindle. On Valhalla, in her bewilderment at learning they had a son, he’d seen in her eyes how much she needed him. So he knew she wasn’t a killer, regardless of what anyone else said or showed him.

  “If you want to see the video, then Zone Eleven is going to be the only place to see it,” Jason maintained firmly. “It’s not like I can burn copies on CDs, or use a USB stick.”

  “And yet you showed it to Wisteria in the park.” Bach was getting tired of going around in circles.

  “I wasn’t concerned she’d destroy the laptop and eighteen months’ worth of research simply because she didn’t like what she saw.”

  “Transfer it to your far eye, then.”

  “Far eye? I’m not sure how to get it to transfer data and information from the human technology to our artifacts.”

  “Jason, you made the damned dark glass that can make journeys through the realms. I find it hard to believe that copying a video onto a far eye is too much for you.”

  “What do you know about interfacing human technology and The Family’s artifacts?”

  “Why do you really want me to go to Zone Eleven?” Bach shot back.

  “Because, whether you like it or not, you’re my brother. You should learn the truth about our mother and get the closure you need.”

  “I am not looking for closure.”

  “You’ll also find out what happened to Lluc and the child he was looking for,” Jason revealed. “You did come here to find him? Or why else would you turn up three days after he arrived? Did you know that he then vanished into Zone Eleven?”

  Now Bach knew Jason was baiting him, but this was the only lead he had on his older brother, or his son. He left without a word because he needed to think. If he went to Zone Eleven, there was a good chance he would not get out, especially as he still had not fully regenerated. Bach did not know how much longer he would be able to go on before his body began trying to shut itself down.

  *****

  As Wisteria sat locked in Alan Raubacher’s basement, she heard the sounds of several people moving around in the kitchen above. Once again she searched the room for anything she could use to fight her way out, as she had no clue about what had happened to her sword and pocket knife. All she found were a bunch of old umbrellas.

  Granted, they had long metal handles that might be good for beating people back, but they weren’t bulletproof.

  Think, Wisteria. She scanned the windowless room and looked once more at the padlocked metal door that led outside. They had these kinds of doors in Smythe on the bunkers they used to protect themselves, should biters one day attack the island. This had been the first thing Wisteria had seen on Franklin that was remotely similar to the Isle of Smythe.

  She ambled to the bathroom, and, like the basement, there were no windows. She considered ripping up the toilet and removing the pipe that led to the septic tank or the sewer. She immediately shook the toilet bowl to get it loose. At first, it didn’t move, but she kept shaking until it shifted. A few minutes later, she got the porcelain bowl free, and then removed the pipe that led to the sewer. She found that the hole wasn’t large enough to fit a girl as thin as her friend Amanda, let alone Wisteria.

  Kneeling closer to the hole, she inspected it. The cement around it seemed flaky, sandy, and seemed to come off as she rubbed it with her fingers. The umbrellas! Running into the other room, she grabbed the sturdiest one and darted back into the bathroom. Using the umbrella like a shovel, she dug around the hole, widening it. The hole was barely ten percent larger before the first umbrella broke, but the bigger hole made it possible for her to move the outer pipe.

  Peering through the hole, she saw it led outside, and not an underground tank or more dirt. Thrilled, she darted out of the bathroom to get another umbrella to keep digging.

  “Hey, Wisteria.” She heard someone as she dug with the second umbrella. Hurriedly, she put the toilet back and went to the main room.

  “What are you doing?” Christopher stood there with a cup.

  “Why are you here?” She scowled as she shut the bathroom door.

  “Kind of obvious.” He n
odded at the tray. “I brought something to drink, but you’re sweating and the air-conditioning is on full-blast.” Dropping the mug on the coffee table, he moved toward the bathroom. “What were you doing?”

  “I was in the shower.” She stepped in front of him.

  “Right.” He gently moved her aside. “Can I take a look?”

  “You want to check if I flushed, or what?”

  “I can check it out, or I’ll get someone else to come down here and look at your—mess.”

  “Christopher?” She crossed her arms. “Why are you doing this?”

  “You know I have to.” Apologetically, he rubbed her arm. “Come on, Wisteria, cooperate with Doc and let him know he can trust you.”

  “I’m scared and how can I trust anyone here? They’re monsters, willing to use even children to get what they want!”

  “Listen, we were friends long before any of this madness and we’ll be friends once this blows over. Just play the game and you’ll be fine. You know I’d never hurt you, no matter what I find in there.” Moving her aside, he went into the bathroom. He checked the room and spotted the water on the floor around the toilet bowl. “What the—?” She struck him across the head with an umbrella. She kept on hitting him until he fell to the ground. Before he could move, she got his gun from him.

  “You’re not going to hurt me,” Christopher slurred, rubbing his forehead as he sat on the ground.

  “I’ve lived outside for years. You don’t know what I can do.” She trained the gun on him.

  “Wisteria, if you shoot me--which I know you won’t--you can’t escape before Alan comes after you.”

  “I will still try. Where do you think that leaves you?”

  “Wisteria—”

  “Cuff your hands together around the towel rack.”

  The rack was at the end of the bathroom and, effectively, out of her way.

  “With what?” He shrugged.

  “Your plastic handcuffs.”

  “I don’t have any.”

  “Christopher, do what I say and you won’t get hurt.” Wisteria waved the gun at him.

  He chuckled to himself and took out the handcuffs, putting them on his hands. He held up his restrained hands for her to see. “Are you happy?”

  No, she wasn’t, but she was less unhappy.

  “Chris, what’s taking you so long?” Lucky called from the other side of the door.

  “Derrick—” Christopher replied.

  “You okay, man?” Lucky hollered back.

  “You said I can trust you?” she whispered. “Then prove it.”

  “Chris.” Lucky tried opening the door.

  “Lucky, dude—privacy please!” Christopher called out. “We’re—can you come back in like ten minutes?”

  “Whoa.” Lucky howled with laughter. “Doc is going to kill you.”

  “I’m not afraid of Doc,” Christopher replied.

  Derrick laughed. “You’ve got to be joking!”

  “Will you just get lost?” Christopher yelled.

  “Ten minutes, my friend,” Lucky jeered.

  “Tell him an hour,” Wisteria ordered with a low voice.

  “An hour,” Christopher shouted.

  “Fifteen minutes--any longer and Doc will be down here,” Lucky responded.

  “Thank you.” Taking a towel off the rack, she covered Christopher’s mouth.

  “You don’t need to do this. I told you I’d find a way to help you, and if you give me time, you’ll be fine,” Christopher protested and shook his head.

  “That’s not true and I know that now.” She tied the towel around his mouth. “Thanks for helping me.” She kissed his cheek. Returning to the hole, she continued digging and scraping. Eventually she got the hole big enough to squeeze through.

  “You done yet?” Lucky yelled again.

  She crawled out of the hole and turned back to get the gun.

  Christopher was trying to force the towel rack off the wall. At the rate he was pulling, he’d be free in minutes.

  Getting up, she headed away from the house but was startled to see Ollie heading up the driveway toward her. “Ollie?”

  “Hey, Wisteria, are you okay?”

  “Ollie, you can’t be here.” Wisteria hurried over to the younger girl. “You’ve got to come with me now.” She put the gun into her back pocket and took Ollie’s hand. “Now.”

  “Why were you crawling out of that hole? What’s going on?” Ollie refused to move. “Did you do something?”

  “I can’t explain it right now. I promise once we get to Bach, and the others, I’ll tell you what’s going on.”

  “The others--you mean Enric too?” The younger girl’s face lit up.

  “Not now.”

  “Where the hell is she?” Lucky shouted from inside.

  Pulling Ollie, Wisteria ran through the dark garden.

  “The gate is that way,” Ollie noted as they headed into the darkness.

  “We’re going over the wall.” If she took the main gate, it would be easier for Alan and Doc to catch her. Climbing over onto the neighbor’s lawn would be safer.

  In seconds, Ollie was over the wall and halfway across the lawn.

  Wisteria dropped down and couldn’t help but to be amazed at how fast Ollie ran.

  “Hello, Wisteria,” someone called out.

  It was Felip.

  “No—no!” She sucked in her breath as she backed up against the wall. Now being locked up in Raubacher’s basement seemed safer.

  “I found something you might like.” He dropped a lifeless body in front of her.

  “Enric?” Wisteria jumped back. “You killed him?”

  “No, but now that you mention it, I should have.” Felip kicked him. “I knocked him out with one punch. Obviously, he’s got so much bean vine him he’s useless to everyone. Apparently he was trying to rescue you, or something else heroically stupid.”

  A million questions raced through her mind, like why Enric had come to rescue her, and why Felip was once again here with her, but one thought became louder than all the rest: Leave.

  “Let us go.” He stretched out his hand.

  “Stay away from me.” She moved away. “There’s no way in hell I’m going anywhere with you!”

  Before she’d taken a second step, Felip grabbed her and twirled her around. “I said let us go!”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Bach and Radala had just reached the main entrance of the mountain facility. This had been where he had seen several people entering and exiting. This had to be the place Jason called Zone Eleven.

  “What are you doing here?” A guard marched up to the pair.

  “Sorry.” Radala knocked him out with a single punch. “Ouch.” She shook her hand. “That one hurt.”

  Bach pulled the metal door from the hinges and walked into a dark corridor.

  “D’cara,” she cursed behind him.

  Even in the complete darkness, Bach could see what she was swearing at. Over forty armed men and women surrounded them. The weapons they trained on the pair were dart rifles probably filled with chemicals especially designed to kill The Family.

  “Get on your knees--now!” a short balding man ordered, aiming a handgun at them.

  “Do not talk to me like that, or I will—” Radala protested, but before she could finish, they shot a dart at her. She caught the first one, and the second, but was too slow to stop more that landed in her neck and back.

  “You going to talk too?” the short man demanded.

  Bach glared at the little man, who apparently was the leader of this group. If he was not so weakened he could have easily taken down every human here, even if they shot him a few times. Right now, he needed to conserve what strength he had left.

  “You were an idiot to ever come back here,” the man taunted. “But lucky for us, you’re an idiot.” He signaled to someone and a door opened. “Then again, I always knew you were a fool, but it’s good to have you back.”

  “Who
are you?”

  “Alan Raubacher. You’ve grown.” Alan seemed to study him.

  Wisteria’s father entered and stopped next to the shorter man “Welcome, Bach. I’m glad we can finally be honest about everything now. It’s good to have you home.”

  “I do not know you,” Bach responded.

  “No, you don’t. Largely thanks to your brother Lluc, but that isn’t important,” Doc continued. “The key thing is that you are here. So we can finish what we started.”

  “Oh . . .” Radala groaned as she tried to get up.

  Bach squatted next to her. “Are you all right?”

  “I am fine. I need to regenerate, but I will be okay,” she retorted.

  “We didn’t give her enough to kill her, just to calm her down,” Alan said. “Are you going to come with us quietly, or are we going to have to take measures to restrain you? Just keep in mind that we were able to hold your mother here for over a year, so we can do it.”

  Bach calmly picked up his ex-girlfriend and walked past Alan, into the facility.

  In silence, he was led through a series of passageways and they passed several armed checkpoints. He and Radala were repeatedly scanned and re-scanned.

  Eventually, they came to a white office space. The glass glistened and the white floors shone. There were fresh flowers on the table and music was playing. Like the rest of the town, the space was in impeccable condition. In the center of the floor was a large rock with the letters RZC carved into it.

  “You remember anyone?” Doc asked.

  Bach did not reply. He had seen this entry room once before, when he was thirteen.

  Most of the desks were empty, but there was a few staff dressed in white lab coats, who paused when they saw Bach.

  “I thought you might want to see some familiar faces.” Doc gestured around the room.

  As Bach scanned the room, he recognized several people. They had been among the ones who had imprisoned him seven years ago. He began to boil with rage. This was where they had experimented on him, and this was where they killed his mother! Steadying his arms, he stopped himself from dropping Radala.