The Darkest Minds: Red

Thirty-Two

A black vehicle pulled up into the woods. Others surrounded it. Liam and Ruby looked up as they stopped. A few men came out of the cars, pointing their guns at the four, but Cate walked out, telling them to hold their fire.

Liam and Ruby watched as she approached.

       ********

I woke up with a gasp, my breath quickening. My heart thudded in my chest as my entire body shook. My visions disfigured as tears silently fell down my face. What happened?  I thought. Clancy. A black face covering. Water being poured on me. 

Liam was asleep next to me. He woke up when he heard me, and immediately went over, holding my hand.

"Lily. Lily, it's me. It's Liam. I'm here. Focus on the sound of my voice, okay? Darlin', you're okay."

As Liam continued talking, my breathing returned to normal. I turned to Liam, and he looked at me in worry. I threw my arms around him in a hug, afraid to let go. Liam continued to whisper reassuring words.

Meanwhile, Ruby woke up in another room. She sat up with a gasp, seeing Cate and Rob in front of her.

"It's good to see you again," Cate told her.

She looked at her incredulously.

"Ruby, you're safe here. The League owns this house. And we use it when things get complicated. Chubs is in the hospital. He's in pretty bad shape, so if he has any chance of making it... he'll get it there."

"Don't call him Chubs," she told her. "You haven't earned that."

"Charles," Cate corrected herself. "When he can have visitors, you'll see him." She saw her looking around and sighed. "You're wondering where Liam and Lily are."

"You have to let them go."

"I can't do that."

"Liam's not a killer. Lily isn't either. You can't make them one." At this point, Ruby was fuming.

"We don't create killers," Rob corrected her, and she fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"I don't know what Liam told you about the League, but that is not what we're about," Cate told her. "I know you know Lily and I know that..."

Ruby cut her off.

"If you're blaming everything that happened on her, don't. I'm sure she doesn't want to talk about it." If she wasn't fed up before, it's obvious now.

"Don't worry, we'll make sure she-"

"Then what is the League about? Because as far as I can see, you're no better than anyone else." Her voice rose. "You can't have Liam and you can't have Lily. I know that they both don't want to be a part of this."

"We're here to help you," Cate said. "And expose the camps for what they are, and stop President Gray."

"President Gray and his son are collecting us, just like you are."

"Okay, Cate. Clearly, she doesn't want to be here," Rob told her as he went towards her.

"Rob, I can handle this," She said as she got up from her seat.

"So, let's make room for someone useful-"

Ruby interrupted. "Liam and Lily would never-"

"Look, kid. In order to survive, we all have to do things that we don't want to do. Your boyfriend and-"

Ruby interrupted again. "He's not my boyfriend. He's someone else's."

"And they can help us. I've seen him fling targets like ragdolls."

"Rob!"

"At least with us, he's useful. The Red, I'm not sure. Now, if I have to turn them both into-" He froze, and his pupils dilated.

"Liam is not a killer," Ruby told him.

"Liam is not a killer," he repeated.

"Lily is not dangerous."

"Lily is not dangerous."

"And you're an asshole."

"I am an asshole."

"Leave."

Rob then walked out of the room.

Cate saw what had happened between the two. She quickly walked towards her. "Ruby, stop. I am your only friend here. And you could help us do so much good. So, please... stop."

Eventually, her eyes returned to their normal color. "Let them go."

"They are both a security risk. They now know way too much about us."

"Take me. And I'll fight alongside you. My one condition is that you let both of them go."

"If they care for you as much as you care for them, why would they leave?"

Ruby looked down at the covers before looking up at her. "Let me talk to them."

      ********

Cate led Ruby out of the room. She walked her through the kitchen, passing Rob, who was leaning over the counter. He looked up and saw Ruby, and he immediately backed away.

Liam wrapped his arms around me as we both sat on the bed. The door opened, revealing Ruby. Ruby glanced at me briefly, her eyes glowing orange before they changed back, and widened her eyes. 

I looked up at her. "Before something else happens, could you please take that away? I'm sorry for being selfish, but I don't want to experience anything like that again, or hurt you in the process." 

Ruby nodded in understanding, tears in her eyes. Slowly, she walked over, holding my hand. Her eyes glowed orange as she pulled the memory of Project Jamboree out of my mind. I looked at her. "Hey."

Liam turned towards me and carefully asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Like my head is killing me. What happened? Where are we?" I asked, glancing at the two.

"The camp was destroyed. Now, we're with the League." Ruby told me.

I widened my eyes in shock as Liam grabbed my hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. He turned to Ruby. "Do you think we will be reunited again?"

Ruby suddenly felt like he was doubting everything.

"I know we will. I know that for a fact." She told us.

"Okay, we need a plan. Do we get out of here? Find Chubs and Zu?" I asked.

Ruby sighed. "Actually, I have a different plan."

"A different plan?" I repeated.

"Yeah. I need you two to close your eyes."

Liam and I looked at each other, confused, but we closed our eyes regardless.

"Okay. Now what?" Liam asked.

Ruby didn't say anything. Instead, she put one hand on Liam's shoulder and one hand on mine, her eyes glowing orange. One by one, each memory we have ever shared, each time we have mentioned Ruby's name, every piece of evidence we had about Ruby had been cleared from our minds. No remembering the orange eyes, no remembering the adventures we had together.

Ruby stepped back, and Liam and I looked at her in confusion. Cate came in with a backpack in each hand.

"Who are you?" We asked, looking at the young girl in front of us.