The Skylar Experiment : Dead Ending (second draft)

77. Aftereffects

RILEY

I WATCHED AS recognition sparked in Lauren at the sight of the bracelet. She jerked her head uselessly. Raymond's hold was rock solid, and he wasn't ready to release. 

"How the hell did you get this?"

The anger in her voice was palpable like a spider web. When no one answered her, she curled back her lower lip. I couldn't tell what infuriated her so much—losing or being cornered. But it was clear she had a hard time handling it. As our silence stretched on, she threw a whole tantrum, trying to kick her limbs and break free. 

I walked back to Luc a few feet behind us. He heaved painstakingly on his knees, slanted against that tree bark, with a hand on his lower abdomen. The shirt was caked in blood. As this wasn't the first time he'd been in this state, I knew he'd pull through with enough time. I'd noticed how he blinked with his neck rotating ever so slightly, same way an animal did when listening to the forest in perfect darkness. 

"Are you okay?" 

Once I'd spoken, his eyes fell exactly where I stood in front of him. "Did... did it work?"

"Yeah, and she's not a happy camper."

A brief, winced smile. "I sure heard that."

The skies looked scary with the burning neighborhood's light show and the broad, stuffy smoke billowing from it. At least the lightning stopped. Everything was so unsettingly calm, even with the vague commotion of firetrucks and ambulances down the road. My back kept tingling, still. I checked through the trees, half-expecting a hunter to jump out with a pulse carbine. Where were they and why weren't they searching for us? 

Raymond teetered on his haunches and got up slowly as Lauren lay flat on the soil, an air of muted rage still clinging to her. 

"What do we do with her?" I asked, looking at both boys. Caldwell wanted us to deliver her to NIO, but for once, we could safely be near her and have the upper hand. 

"We all go home," Luc murmured. "Before the others find us."

"So your deal with them..." If NIO realizes we ran off with Lauren instead of doing what they asked us to do, they could retaliate and consider that the deal was off. 

"Like I said, I can't do both at the same time. I made my choice."

Raymond stared down at Lauren, motioning at her to rise. He muttered, "Quite the party you had out there."

All she did was unfold her legs to match his posture with pale eyes staring back. It was chilling, the amount of decimation she generated in the last moments even on low energy. It had seemed frighteningly close enough to end Luc's life. I just knew I wasn't waiting any longer to find out. 

Luc swayed behind me. He put forth one knee, so I delved in and grabbed an arm to support. How he'd managed to not stumble through, not walk—but run to keep up with us was beyond me. His bruised jaw muscle went rigid, likely from pain. God, I hated so much seeing this on repeat without being able to make it better. 

Raymond pushed Lauren ahead of him and signaled at her to start walking. Whatever had developed between those two had grown cold judging by the massive stink-eye she gave him. But she turned and started marching uphill with him in tow, wordless. We followed at a slower speed.