The Peregrine Passage

Chapter Seventeen: Adam

My eyes open to reveal pitch darkness. There's a faint taste of blood in my mouth and my head is throbbing. The air feels damp around me and, as my senses return, I can't help but notice what little bearings I have. Dust must be circulating wherever I am because I find myself holding back a heavy cough.

Becoming aware of my body, I realize that I'm strapped to a chair and that my wrists are tied to another person's—presumably Hazel's. We're back to back, and I try to nudge her with my elbow to see if she's conscious. Her body feels limp, so I assume she's still out. Where the fuck are we?

I hear footsteps shuffling from a few feet away and I quickly shut my eyes again. I don't want whoever is in here to know that I'm awake yet.

"Jesus Christ, we can't have two more dead kids on our hands, Jason."

The sounds of talking feel loud and harsh against the silence, and I wince as a sharp ringing pierces my left ear. Are they really going to kill us?

"They went out looking for us, not the other way around. Besides, what's the alternative, we let them go and hope they keep their mouths shut?"

"I don't know, but this is already messy enough. You saw how suspicious the police were after Rowan. Do you genuinely think that they'll back off if two more kids are killed?"

I definitely hear Ms. Merriam's voice, but who the hell is Jason? A second of thinking leads me to conclude that Jason is Mr. Fuller. Adults don't tend to call each other by their last names.

"We can plant the kids with the drugs, make it seem like they were the ones dealing. Maybe they got a little carried away and did some themselves, it's not a wild concept."

I suddenly feel a pinch on my wrist from Hazel's small hand. It lets me know that she's awake, and I push back slightly so she knows that I am too.

"And you think that the police are going to buy that?"

"I think it's the best shot we have, Audrey. I don't like it any more than you do."

"What about Jennifer? You don't think she'll be upset that the Order killed her only kid?"

Jennifer? Suddenly, the memories come back to me from just before I passed out: it was Hazel's mom planting the drugs. Why was she doing it? Is she with the Order? That feels like an obvious answer, but were there any signs we missed along the way? I give Hazel a nudge with my elbow, hoping it comes across as somewhat comforting. Probably not.

"She'll understand. She chose this path as much as we did."

"Fine. Do you have the drugs to make it look like they overdosed? We can't force-feed them the amphetamines. I guess we could also just lock them in here and let time deal with the rest of it."

I squint desperately through the darkness, trying to figure out where we are and how we could make an escape. There's something about the way their voices are echoing that feels familiar, but I can't put my finger on it.

"If we lock them in here, we'll need to move the drugs out and make sure the Order hasn't left traces. I don't want to take any chances."

Footsteps shuffle a few feet, and I hear the sound of some sort of stone drawer sliding open. Then, it hits me: we're in the crypt. It makes perfect sense, and I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner. Hazel probably did.

"You have gloves on, right?" Ms. Merriam's voice sounds oddly fragile.

"Yeah, don't worry. I can carry the bags if you clean up around here."

I see the outline of Mr. Fuller's shadow bend over to grab large bags, he seems to struggle with the weight. How much do they have in here? Were they there this whole time?