The Strays

Chapter Thirteen

"Ty, keep an eye on Ace up here. See if the two of you can figure out a viable plan for saving Drew once I know where he is."

"What are you going to be doing in the meantime?" Ty's concern was sweet, but unnecessary.

"I need to have a word with Wraith, one to one, no bullshit or assassination attempts." I deliberately turned my gaze to Ace for that last remark and he immediately looked away, obviously embarrassed by what he'd done.

"I'm planning to stay with the guys, if you don't mind. I know you're doing what you think is right, but I can't agree with this decision. He killed our friend, yet you chose to save his life. That just doesn't sit right with me." Leo mumbled uncomfortably.

I nodded my head. "I understand. Trust me, I do, and at some point, I hope you can understand my decision."

 

With my final piece said, I headed back downstairs to my workshop that was now being used as a makeshift surgery/ recovery room.

Wraith offered me a weak smile as I entered. "What's up Doc?"

"Let's cut the crap, Jeremiah."

The once cocky grin dissipated immediately, replaced by a curious stare. "It's been a long time since anybody called me by that name. How did you find out?"

"I stole your records, remember? You compiled a census on everybody in the city, but there wasn't anything about you, so you were either being careful or it might be because you weren't from this city. I had a feeling the latter might be true, so I looked into nearby towns and there it was, Westlake School For Gifted Young Minds. You placed first in a robotics contest before the world turned to shit and they framed your photograph. A friend of mine recognised you from the description I gave him."

"You're so much smarter than I thought you'd be, yet somehow you're still the dumbest person I know." He criticised, shocking me. I'd been called a lot of things over the years, but my intelligence was rarely called into question.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

 

Jeremiah/Wraith rolled his eyes. "You really don't remember? Tell me, what has your friend, the one I presume you met through The E.A.D told you about Westlake?"

"What has he told me? Nothing other than your name and how well the work to rehabilitate the city is going."

"That's what I'm talking about. You never questioned why it was so imperative for you to move onto the next place after you ‘helped’ the previous one. If you stuck around longer than a week, you would see The E.A.D for what they really are. They aren't trying to free the people, or fight for justice, they're trying to create a new world order that they can control. You ask all these questions, but none of them are the right ones, like why would I come here to begin with?” He sighed, his breathing becoming laboured due to the pain.

"Now really isn't the proper time for this discussion, not with other people's lives on the line."

 

I rummaged around the workspace and handed him some painkillers and a cup of stale water. He batted it away dismissively.

"It’s a couple of ibuprofen, idiot, for the pain. The poultice will help prevent infection, but it doesn't work miracles." He looked at me sceptically. "If I were trying to kill you, I would have left you in that shop. I wouldn't have wasted what scant medical supplies I had left saving your life." He took the tablets and swallowed them, wincing slightly as he forced them down.