Retrospect

Forty-four

"I see everyone has arrived on schedule," Rich announced, a playful gleam in his gaze, "I really missed you guys." He walked down a set of stairs carefully, taking his time to look over the group. He dipped his head towards me. "I see Miss Cavey has made it too."

I didn't bother to say anything about his betrayal. My glaring alone told Rich what I thought about him.

Rich grinned, then snapped his finger once. I definitely hadn't been expecting what came next. Around ten officers dropped from the ceiling on thick wires and seized the group, tearing our weapons out of our hands before we could do anything. They then grabbed everyone by the arms as I was pulled away from Miles and Murl. Rich chuckled at this. "Now we can finally begin with an audience," he stated, looking at me, Reeves, Malachi, and Ana.

"No!" Miles shouted when terror took over. "You won't do this to me!"

Murl pulled on his chains, desperate for them to somehow come loose or break off from the wall like he had superhuman strength. Rich saw him doing this and waggled his finger at him, then crossed his arms. "That won't help you," he sneered. He strolled over to Miles who was breathing heavily on the ground, staring at Rich with murderous eyes. The bald man tilted his head and snapped his finger again. On command, two workers ran to his side. One held a syringe with a dark blue liquid inside and the other held some device I had never seen before.

Rich stepped back, allowing the workers to crowd Miles. "If we mess up on this one, we've got another to work on," Rich said matter-of-factly, glancing at Murl.

Miles kicked at the approaching workers who both stumbled backwards. However, his attempt to keep them at bay failed because two officers headed over to assist the situation, firmly gripping Miles' arms. "Get off me!" he cried, squirming around as the worker with the syringe knelt down in front of him.

The worker pressed the needle into Miles' neck and the blue liquid was injected into his blood. Miles shut his eyes, gritting his teeth and feeling the effects of the dark blue liquid. He cursed and clawed at the workers like an animal, even going as far as biting one of them to let him go.

Reeves, Malachi, Ana, and I all had officers standing behind us, forcing us to watch this sick show. At one point, I kicked my officer in the legs and his gloved hands loosened from my arms, temporarily allowing me a chance to run. Unfortunately though, before I could even get a few feet away, two more officers tackled me to the ground. Reeves had tried the same tactic, but he eventually ended up like me, in an even worse position than before.

Rich continued to pace back and forth in front of Miles. "Now, that chemical they just gave you is to enhance the pain you'll feel from this," the bald man held up Miles' weapon, the one that was responsible for taking memories.

It was all happening again. Miles was being forced to endure the chemicals and everything his father had put him through. It was all happening again and all I could do was watch.

Miles was staring up at the blades on the end of the weapon, never taking his eyes off them. The whole room was silent except for Reeves' strangled shouts and curses.

Murl was watching Rich step closer to Miles, the bald man still wearing a mischievous smile. "Stop!" Murl yelled, falling to the ground after pulling on his chains. "Take me instead!"

"Oh, Elijah," Rich sighed, "I can't do that. This is specifically meant for Miles, a punishment for running from home all those years ago," he explained. Crouching down next to Miles, he signaled to a worker who shoved another syringe into the thief's neck. Miles sucked in a breath and Rich laughed. "Should've thought about the consequences of trying to escape. If you had listened to your father the first time, we wouldn't be having this problem, now would we? He wasn't asking much, only that you would be his volunteer for his little project."

Even through the pain, Miles shot back. "He's here, isn't he? How much did he pay you to say all that?"

   Rich glared at Miles and ordered the worker to take out the syringe. The waves of green fluid entering his body stopped flowing and that was when Rich moved in for the kill. He brought the weapon up and pulled the trigger, the spikes shooting out and latching onto Miles' head and neck, sinking into him.

   He flinched and almost instantly, as if he couldn't control it, warm tears spilled from his eyes, running down his face in endless streams. He cried out and tried to pry at the blades, but the chains around his arms wouldn't allow him.

   "Miles!" The entire group screamed in unison, fighting against the officers who were holding them to the ground. Reeves was able to twist around and roll once across the floor, hopping to his feet and running right at the officer who now possessed the gray-eyed man's gun.

   My head was pressed to the floor, the bottom of an officer's boot threatening to step on me. Reeves' escape distracted my officer and while he wasn't completely focused on me, I rolled to the side and pushed his leg that was still hovering over the ground. He stumbled back a little, losing his balance, though he didn't fall over like I hoped he would.

   I sprang to my feet before he could try anything else, then remembered I had brought a blade with me. Searching in my pockets frantically, I found nothing. Then, my gaze went to the officer. I could just imagine behind that mask a grin and a knowing look in his eyes. Holding up a shiny, sharp weapon, he shook his head.

   "Drop something?" He prowled towards me. I stayed where I was, scenarios already playing out in my mind to get that blade back. I could see Reeves and Ana and Malachi, clearly outnumbered, fighting the other officers with what little strength they had left. Meanwhile, Murl was staring at me.

   He held up his chains and that was when I noticed he had somehow slipped them off. I couldn't help but smile and he headed for Miles, still shouting for the pain to stop. Rich however, was nowhere to be seen.

   I hadn't been paying attention to the officer until I was pushed into a cart, several objects crashing to the floor in the process. The officer rammed into me and held the blade to my neck, memories of Catalina flooding my mind.

   My hand shot up and gripped the officer's arm, desperately attempting to keep the blade away from my skin. I was losing at this game, the metal inching closer and closer to my face and my heart knocked rapidly in my chest. I kicked him hard and he yelped, then I twisted his arm and directed the blade in his hand towards him.

   Shots were fired in the large room and I stole a glance to see that Reeves had used his gun. Whether it did any damage, I couldn't tell.

   "Cory!" Murl called to me. "Get over here!" He was kneeling next to Miles, hurriedly trying to free his cousin who looked half dead now. A pang of worry hit me and I shoved the blade into the officer's shoulder, then darted in the direction of Murl.

   My whole body was close to just crumpling to the floor once I reached Miles who was fading in and out of consciousness. Both of the workers were dead, but that didn't mean the danger had dissipated. Rich had fled somewhere and was sure to come back, and around half of the officers were still alive and kicking.

   Murl had already pulled the spikes from Miles' head and blood dripped down his forehead, mixing with the tears that had spilled down his cheeks. He was completely out of it, his green eyes glazed over, and I wondered if we had gotten there too late. Seeing him so miserable made tears well up in my eyes.

   "Miles," I said carefully, reaching out to him. I took his limp hand in mine and looked at me. I was willing him to say something, so I knew he could hear me and that he was okay now. I then let go of his hand and placed my hand on the side of his face.

   Out of nowhere, he swatted my hand away from him and watched me like I was some grotesque creature. He scrambled backward, up against the wall, much like a cornered animal. "Who are you?" he snapped.

   I could've sworn those words physically stung me.