She glances away from herself then, and I see she’s upset.
“I get that you’re going through a lot and I’m not saying I was a pillar of strength when I was separated from Charlie, but come on, Rose. Get it together. You’re the strongest person I know and lately you’ve been hit or miss. Will is family and he needs us.” I surprise myself by my outburst, yet before Rose can respond, I turn and leave, heading into a shower cubicle.
***
I have a few paranoid moments where I think I see Frank in the corridor, waiting for me, but it’s just my overactive imagination.
I sigh in relief when I make it back to our room with no actual sighting of him. I fear that won’t be the case for tomorrow and the rest of our time here. I’m going to be forced to face him.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Charlie asks me, eyeing me carefully from his position on the bed. He’s got two strips of tape over his nose now.
“Fine.”
“How was Will?”
“He’s worried about his uncle. I promised we wouldn’t leave him alone with him, ever.”
“I agree.”
I crawl into bed and feel my panic receding slightly being in Charlie’s arms.
“How about earlier, you looked scared when we were talking to Rose. What was that about?”
“Nothing,” I remember exactly what Charlie is referring to, but I know I spoke too quickly and forcefully.
“Tell me, please.”
“I just don’t like seeing you hurt. It reminds me how easy it is to…” I can’t finish the sentence. The thought entering my mind is bad enough. Speaking it out loud will feel like tempting fate.
“You won’t lose me, Zoe. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know you mean that, but I also understand the situation we’re in. This is serious, and one day we’ll be expected to go out on missions. Nothing about this will be safe. We’re at the mercy of Stan and Martha, and nothing we can do will change that.”
“Unless we can escape.”
“Which will be just as dangerous for us. I’m worried. I feel like something bad is coming our way.”
“You’re just being paranoid and overthinking it. Your instincts are good, but this is just your worry clouding that. We will be fine and we’ll get through this,” he tries to reassure me.
“I hope you’re right.”
Now that I have voiced my worry, I feel even more sure that things are about to take a bad turn for us all.
I try to relax in Charlie’s arms, but can’t; fear and anger are fighting inside of me. The only reason I fall asleep is pure exhaustion.
I see so many people everywhere that it’s hard to focus on anyone. It’s dark and loud. I’m obviously at a party. I look around, trying to find either fake me or Charlie. Instead, I’m surprised when I see Will deep in an embrace with a girl I’ve never seen before. Rose stands next to me then and watches them with a grin on her face when Will pushes her against the wall behind them, deepening the kiss.
I wonder if this might actually be a real future dream, but my hopes are quickly dashed when fake me suddenly steps through where I am and a coolness rushes over me, making contact with myself. I quickly step backwards and out of the chill. I see the back of her and Rose watching Will making out with the girl.
“I knew it. That kid has been holding out on me. He told me they had called it quits,” Rose says to her.
“Leave him alone, they’re in love,” she sternly says back.
“Yeah, well, if she messes around with him, I’ll kill her.”
“Rose!” she scolds.
“Fine,” Rose rolls her eyes, “I’ll just erase any digital trace of her. Good luck to her ever getting a bank account or passport or anything for that matter after that.”
“Leave her alone. Right now she’s making him happy and he does not need an audience.” She pulls Rose away from Will and his mystery girl. Then, feeling my own unease watching Will make some moves that even I blush at, I follow her and Rose through the crowd of people.
“I’m just so proud of him graduating. He’s like our baby brother, you know?” Rose glows with pride. It’s then that I notice she is in fact very pregnant.
“I’m proud of him, too. Where has the time gone?” Fake me complains. I watch Rose and her find Charlie and Dean in the crowd of people. I assume now this is a graduation party. I’d love to see Will get the chance to graduate. After what happened to him today, I completely understand this fake dream and why I’m having it.
“I know what you mean. Have you heard from Blake lately? I thought he was going to make it tonight?”
“His tour got extended or something, I think he’ll be home in the fall now.”
“I have no idea why he wants more of all that.” Rose turns her nose up at the thought.
“He found a love, too.” Fake me shrugs and she takes the offered drink from Charlie while Rose growls at the glass of water Dean passes her.
“It’s not fair. I can’t be at a party and not drink.” She pouts at Dean.
“Less than a month and then you can let loose.”
“Unless you breast feed and then you’re stuck being a nun for a while longer,” Charlie points out. Fake me hits him hard in the shoulder and glares at him as Rose groans again.
“This is no fair. Can’t you take him for a while?” Rose smiles sweetly at Dean.
“If it were possible, then I would say yes to that, babe.”
Rose leans on Dean’s side, exhaustion taking over her features.
“Are you sure you don’t want to leave? You look tired.”
“I’m fine,” Rose snaps. She quickly stands up properly when Will walks over, the girl nowhere in sight.
“Thanks for coming out tonight, you didn’t need to,” he says shyly to us.
“Of course we did. You’ve done incredibly well to get here, Will. We’re proud of you.” Rose leans over and gives him a hug. I notice he doesn’t seem uncomfortable to receive one. This Will is a lot different than the one I know. He looks happy and less stressed.
“So what’s next? College?”
“I don’t know. I think I might take a year off and help Fran, she’s been getting worse lately.”
We all look sad hearing that news and I wonder if that was the name of the woman Will told me about back at the cabin..
“Conveniently, your little girlfriend still has one more year left at school.” Rose watches him carefully.
“That’s true. I hadn’t thought about that.” He smiles at the thought.
“Maybe that’s because you’ve been too busy putting your tongue down her throat?” she blurts out.
“Rose!” Dean chastises her.
“How did you—?” Will’s mouth drops in surprise.
“We saw you both. You don’t have to hide her from us.” Rose crosses her arms over her stomach, which doesn’t look easy.
“You scare her.” Will shrugs, his posture turning really uncomfortable now.
“I don’t envy the first girl our boy brings home.” Dean smiles at Rose.
“As long as she’s perfect then we shouldn’t have a problem,” Rose points out to him as if that’s a given.
They all roll their eyes at her. I can imagine Rose being a very overprotective mother and perhaps making her child into a momma’s boy. I really hope she gets the chance to one day experience this.
“When are you and Charlie going to get one of these?” Dean embarrasses fake me and Charlie.
“Definitely not anytime soon,” she states while Charlie shrugs.
“Oh, come on, that’ll be perfect.” Rose claps her hands and, while fake me doesn’t seem to notice, I can see the wheels turning in Rose’s head.
Fake me takes another long sip of her beer as if to prove that she has no intentions of being pregnant anytime soon.
“However, Will,if you knock that girl up—”
“Okay, time to save you.” Dean and Charlie take an arm each of Will’s and lead h
im away from Rose and fake me.
“Well, that was rude.” Rose glares after the boys.
Fake me smiles after them. I look back too and watch all three chatting animatedly and laughing. I feel warmth hit me seeing them all so happy and carefree.
“I need to pee.” Rose grabs fake me by the arm and pulls her through the crowd of strangers.
“You always need to pee,” she complains.
Rose stops suddenly and fake me nearly crashes into her.
“Rose?”
“I think my water just broke.”
“What? That can’t be right. You still have a month left.”
“Zoe, I think my water just broke!” Rose yells at fake me, ignoring her denial.
“Okay, I’ll get Dean.” She rushes away, leaving Rose alone, not bothering to say a word to the boys as she takes Dean’s arm and drags him back to Rose.
“What—?”
“Rose. Baby. Now,” she yells out to him and soon he’s rushing past fake me to get to her.
He finds her easily and reaches out for her. She leans on him immediately.
“Bring the car around.” Dean throws fake me his keys and she races away outside. Charlie meets her at the door.
I don’t follow them. Instead, I watch Dean and Rose. He keeps his arm protectively around her and yells at everyone around them to clear the way. Rose is breathing heavily, and I see she’s only just holding the panic at bay.
“What can I do?” Will races up to them and Dean passes him his cell.
“Call the nearest hospital and tell them we’re coming.”
Determination crosses Will’s face and he rushes outside to speak to the hospital.
“I’m not sure I’m ready for this,” Rose cries.
“I love you and I love this little tyke. It’s just like him to come early. Just like his mom; he’s happy to do things in his own time, even if it breaks the rules.”
Rose laughs and I see a bit of color return to her face.
“Come on, just think, you’ll be able to eat what you want and drink sooner than you realized.”
“Good point.” They reach the outside where Charlie is in the driver’s seat and fake me has gotten out and is holding the back door open.
Dean and Rose get in. He holds her hand and tells her to breathe. Fake me gets into the front seat and then Charlie puts his foot down hard on the gas pedal.
I watch them driving away madly.
Chapter 14 – THE END
March 18th
Just after breakfast I notice Frank entering the gym. My heart rate accelerates and I duck down, hoping to avoid his sweeping gaze. I hadn’t wanted to notice the changes in him yesterday, but as I peek over Charlie’s shoulder I take in his new appearance. Frank had always seemed kind to me. He was big and strong, but I always felt safe with him. He’d been friends with Dad, and while I don’t have a lot of memories of Dad, I have lots with Frank. Even before he and Mom got married or started dating, I still remember him.
He took a keen interest in me and Mom, and now I suppose that makes sense. I always thought that he had loved Mom, and even though she was married to Dad and off limits to him, I liked to think that he was there for us because he was willing to be in our lives in any way possible. I thought that he was Mom’s soul mate—much like I know Drew and Dana were always meant to be—that they were always meant to be part of each other’s lives. That’s definitely corny. Now I realize it’s also stupid. He didn’t love Mom, he didn’t love me. He was doing his job, which meant keeping an eye on me. Why fake his death then? Why leave us?
I see his greying hair at the sides, his build is still similar to how he used to look, but he possibly looks thinner. His face is more drawn in, and he has dark rings under his eyes. It’s strange to see him looking aged. The last memory I have of him is over ten years ago, but right now, he looks at least twenty years older than what he did when he “died”.
Where did he go after he left us? Did he remarry? Does he have a biological kid out there? What about family? We met his family once, but there weren’t many people. His parents were dead, he had a sister who had several kids, however they lived on the west coast. I vaguely remember meeting them a few times, but I can’t quite remember it much. Was that even real? Was that some actor they paid, or someone else working for P.A.G.E., putting on a show for us?
Who is Frank Holloway?
I now hate that I have his last name. After Mom remarried, we both changed our names. I’m not sure if she had to get Dad’s permission before doing that, I never asked. At the time, I had been eager to cement myself as Frank’s daughter. Is that even his real last name or was that some cover he took? I should change my name back. I should go back to being Zoe Fisher. Although, it’s not much of a choice. Go back to being the daughter of a man who walked out when I was five, abandoning his family without a second thought, or stay the daughter of a man who faked his own death, who was only there because it was part of his job and everything we shared was a lie? Both options suck.
“Zoe?” When Charlie tugs on my arm, I pull my attention away from Frank, which I’m startled to notice is looking directly at me.
“What?” I duck down behind him so Frank can no longer see me.
“We’re moving down to the circuit to warm up.” Charlie touches my face in concern.
I groan. My most hated thing about this place, well, apart from Stan. And Martha. And Corby. And Talon. And now Frank.
“Zoe, may I please have a word with you?” Frank’s voice surprises me, since I hadn’t expected him to actually try to talk to me again.
“No.” I manage to not yell. Suddenly, the circuit sounds like a great place to be. I take hold of Charlie’s hand and join the mass of people moving through the door. I can barely make out Will’s head as he disappears through the entrance, Rose by his side.
“I’m afraid I must insist.” Frank touches my arm. It feels like he burns me as my own hatred for him heats me up from his touch. It takes every ounce of strength in me not to lash out at him. I want to hurt him like he has hurt me and Mom. I want to physically harm him and that scares me. I’ve never condoned violence, but I know that hurting Frank right now will come easily to me, and remorse won’t.
“I don’t want to talk to you.” I don’t look back to see what his reaction is. I just sneak ahead of the crowd, losing Charlie in the process and quickly move down the stairs. Thankfully, Frank doesn’t follow.
I join everyone through the circuit. It’s the first time I’ve gone through it and not come last, and the first time I’ve almost kept up with Rose; my anger fuelling my determination.
We then move to doing drills for the rest of the morning. I actually do lose the others then since I need the most work. Shane pulls me aside to teach me the proper way to defend and fight. I actually feel better about my chances against someone, now I know properly what I’m supposed to be doing. The others weren’t horrible teachers, but Shane obviously knows how to do this well. Out of all of the trainers here, he is the only one I’ve spent any real time with and seems to be an okay guy.
I’m not sure if he’s taken an interest in me because he blames himself for Corby’s attack, or if he’s annoyed that nothing happened to Corby after he attacked me. I suppose being Stan and Martha’s nephew has its up side.
Thinking on that draws me to my gratitude that Stan hasn’t tried to engage me other than the short talk we had after we won the games. I get the feeling he’s angry with me. He took a lot of pleasure when he hit me back at The Jail when I was trying to rescue Charlie and Will. I think taking down The Core is still a sore point with him.
I don’t see Frank again for the rest of the day, and I lose Charlie after lunch for his blackout training while Shane keeps me separated from the group to train until Martha steals me away. I feel nervous around her, immediately thinking of Rose and the fight she got into with Martha a couple of weeks ago. We still haven’t been able to find a power outlet to disable the cameras yet, an
d as much as I want to get out of here, I can’t help thinking that our plan has too many holes in it.
As she walks me through to her office, the door I think Rose is talking about where the surveillance is situated is closed.
Martha’s office isn’t really what I expect. I’ve expected it to feel warm and cozy, like she’s trying to lull anyone who enters it into feeling safe and opening up. Like she tried to appear when we first met her at The Windmill. This office is cold and practically empty. There is a metal desk, a few documents on it, and two chairs that are placed opposite Martha’s desk. It feels more like an interrogation room, which immediately sets me on edge.
“Please, sit down.” Martha gestures to the steel chair in front of the desk. When I do sit, it feels as uncomfortable as it looks.
“How are you settling in here?”
I almost want to ignore her questions and stay silent—or let the anger I’m feeling out and be like Rose—instead, I keep my head and ignore what I want to do. I do what I need to do, which is to help our chances of getting out of here as quickly as possible. It means I need to cooperate. “It’s been fine.”
“I see you won your first mock mission here with Ethan. That’s very impressive.”
“Thanks.” I shrug, unsure how to take the compliment. “It was mostly Ethan doing everything.”
“We saw the footage, you both worked well together.” She leaves the statement in the air, making me feel uncomfortable. “You were a team in there. He wouldn’t have succeeded without you. Your instincts are quite spot on.”
“If you saw what was happening, why didn’t anyone try to stop Corby from killing me or Will?” I snap.
“My nephew is rather enthusiastic, but he would never have seriously harmed you,” she assures me.
“Good to know.” I roll my eyes, resisting touching the bruise along my neck.
“I’ve been speaking to your trainers as well as Ethan; they’ve all noted a vast improvement in you since arriving here. It’s pleasing to see that you have embraced your position. I do hope we don’t need to worry about any such nonsense as you all trying to escape. Not only would that be dangerous and deadly for you all, but it would be pointless. I think you know now that no matter where you go, we will find you.”
Taken By Choice (Taken Trilogy Book 3) Page 16
