Brave Fear (boyxboy)

Chapter 13

Mallory clapped her hands together in delight, a wide grin spreading across her face. "Great," she said, rubbing her hands together, which seemed like a slightly antagonistic thing to do in lieu of escaping.

Joseph's hand was on Zane's shoulder, squeezing slightly. Zane saw the knowing look on Daisy's face and couldn't help but smile at her. She raised an eyebrow. He felt blood rush to his cheeks but did not move to remove Joseph's gentle hand from his shoulder.

Marcus and Mallory were grinning stupidly, oblivious to the fact that everybody was looking at them, expecting to hear the plan of theirs.

Daisy jarred them. "We can't help you unless you tell us the goddamn plan!" she yelled, startling Mallory so much she took a step backward. And it was not easy to startle Mallory.

Zane recalled the image from Daisy's wallet. Did it weigh her down as much as the syringe did him? Did she keep it as a reminder of what she couldn't get back? She seemed to be able to forget that it was there, to get past it, but the syringe felt like a constant struggle. He always knew it was there, and he could never convince himself it meant simply nothing.

Mallory's nose piercing flashed in the dim light. She stuck her tongue out at Daisy and turned to head across the room. "Follow me," she ordered. Marcus trailed just behind her. Zane noticed that a pair of nunchucks were swinging from Mallory's belt, and Marcus's double katanas were strapped to his back in an x formation. Upon further examination, he saw three hunting knives of differing lengths strapped to Daisy's thigh, all on her right side where she could easily grab them. He cocked his head quizzically but said nothing. He stood up and followed Mallory and Marcus, Joseph and Daisy on his tail.

Mallory had stopped in front of a wooden weapon rack. She stood poised in front of it, and her hand hovered above her waist, dangerously close to the nunchucks lying there. She seemed to be balancing on her tiptoes, ready for the slightest altercation in the environment.

"Wait, are we doing this now?" Zane asked haltingly, not wanting to discourage any escape attempts. They appeared to be woefully unprepared on everything but the weapons front. They had no idea how long it would take to break out of the building. What about food or water? What about clothes?

But if these people were willing to take the emotional barrage he felt when he thought of escaping, he would gladly let them. They had no such qualms. Zane knew that, even now, when the time was ripe, he could never bring himself to aid in escape. Whatever Mallory and Marcus's plan was, he was sure it didn't include him. Mallory had sensed his reluctance and would not place him in such a position. For that, he was grateful.

"Well, duh," came the response from Daisy. She rolled her eyes.

Zane scoffed. "And how are you planning to survive outside without food, water, or clothing?" he demanded. Blank gazes met his statement, but Joseph nodded along.

"He's right. If we make it out, we'll be stuck in New Vancouver."

"So, we go to your place," Marcus said halfheartedly.

"You guys have to think this through," Zane said. "Joseph and I know New Vancouver. As soon as Wawrzynski can't find us, he'll send out a warrant and every single nook and cranny in the city will be searched. We need supplies to hide on the outskirts where they won't bother to check too thoroughly."

Mallory placed her hands on her hips, staring him down. "Then what do you suggest?"

Zane began counting on his fingers. "First of all, water. Every drop is regulated out there, every millilitre accounted for. Second, food. It's not guarded as harshly, but it would be extremely difficult to walk into a grocery store dressed in non-traditional clothes. We'd surely get spotted and identified. Third, clothing. It's wintertime right now, so the temperature inside New Vancouver has dropped, and if we manage to get outside the city, I anticipate it will be far colder."