Perilous

Chapter Sixteen

Perilous

Chapter Sixteen

My eyes flew open, and when they did, there was nothing. Nothing inside of me. Not anger, not confusion, not sadness, just...

Nothing.

Cammie POV

I didn't turn it off completely.

Not like I wanted to.

I knew that completing this mission would take some emotion, that my memories played into it somehow and my emotions were the only thing triggering them. Not to mention I needed to feel at least a little if I didn't want to lie to them more than I already had.

I awkwardly returned Bex's embrace. It was odd because no one other than Zach had hugged me in a very long time.

"Bex," I whispered. "I really want to talk about this, you know I do, but you also know that we can't do this now."

"I know," She replied. "I just...I have to hold you first. I have to."

I nodded and released a breath.

As scared as I was, as angry as I was that they knew, it was relieving. Like a weight lifted from my shoulders.

The hug became less awkward when Liz and Macey joined us.

It lasted a while before we all broke apart.

Bex squeezed my hand while Macey took my face in her hands and pressed her forehead to mine.

"God, it's like seeing a ghost. I can't believe you're here." She said.

I smiled a bit. "Honestly, neither can I."

When she stepped away, Liz came forward. Fresh tears filled her hazel eyes.

"Lizzie, I already know what you're going to say, and you don't have to apologize. You didn't know."

She nodded and wiped her tears putting on a smile.

I looked away from Liz and let my eyes trail around the room, seeing everyone as if for the first time. "In fact, none of you knew. My reasons for hiding my identity were rather selfish, mainly because I didn't think my family would want me back after everything I've done." I fought the urge to hug myself and faced the situation head-on.

I made eye contact with each of them, in turn. Jonas smiled a bit, Nick nodded in encouragement, I honestly don't even know if Grant knew what was happening, and Zach...couldn't meet my eyes.

Taking a deep breath, I held my head high and said the words I'd been terrified to admit ever since I was 16. "My name is Cameron Ann Morgan, Cammie for short. Matthew Morgan was my father, and Racheal Morgan is my mother. Abigail Cameron is my aunt, and Joeseph Solomon was once like a second father to me. My best friends are in this room. I was taken by Catherine Goode and the Circle of Cavan when I was eight years old and just recently had a chance to escape. I did horrible things while under their control, and I regret every single one of them. Of course, at the moment, there was nothing. Because that's what they teach. No feeling, no emotion...no remorse. I'm not proud of my past, but I did what I had to do to survive and that is one thing I will not apologize for. I hope knowing this doesn't change anything. It shouldn't because the fact stands- we have a job to do, and no one else can do it but us. We are the only ones with the skill, the experience, and the knowledge to destroy these sons of bitches. And we are going to have to trust each other if this is going to work. So I ask this- do you trust me?"

When there was no reply, I repeated myself, my words slower and stronger than before. "Do you trust me?"

Zach, who still looked defeated, stepped forward and answered first, finally meeting my gaze. "Always."