Synthetic Beauty (re-posted)

Chapter Twenty One: Who's Tyler?

A Pretty straps a cuff around Phoebe's wrist as she struggles and watches Tyler laughing.

"Tyler? You-you set me up? How could you do such a thing?" Phoebe gasps at the pinching cuffs

He laughs, "Because I'm not Tyler." His face gradually turns harsh and his hair turns a vibrant white. His eyes turn a red roses would be jealous of. Phoebe gasps.

"Then how did you know I was coming?" Phoebe glares at the fake Tyler.

His laugh contagiously spreads throughout the crowd, "He was foolish for letting his message be caught by camera. That treacherous Tyler. That is how he will always be known."

"Is conversing with the enemy a crime?" Phoebe grunts as the robust Pretty pulls her up.

"Is that even a question?" he says as if it's obvious.

"If I'm captured by such a handsome man, shouldnt I know his name?" Phoebe flutters her eyelashes, hoping the disguise copies her actions.

He smiles, carressing Phoebe's cheek, "Mmm... You are very beautiful. It would be a shame for me to not introduce myself. I am Xander."

"Xander," the name rolls off Phoebe's tongue as if butter, "how suitable. Would you really put an innocent Pretty who just escaped the Revolution's side in prison? It took a lot of gaining trust to get here," Phoebe smiles innocently.

"That is the exact reason that we won't allow you to leave," Xander smiles creepily.

Phoebe cries out as the Pretties pull on her and throw her into a hovercraft. She screams as they lift off the ground and begin to ascend into the air. One of the Pretties slaps her with her fingernails.

The whole Mission was a failure, but They don't know that Phoebe still has her disguise on. She can use that to her advantage later. Phoebe struggles, but not too much to keep her Pretty disguise believable. She could break out... But then she would end up hurting more people.

What to do?

As soon as they land, Phoebe is yanked on and gagged. They tie a band around her eyes. She pretends to be frightened and whimpers. The sound of heels clacking down the hallway resonate through Phoebe's ears. They tug on both her arms, not taking into consideration that their grips are like a python's.

Suddenly, she feels them swing her and the throw her into some carpeted place.

"Alpha-P," someone says. The cuffs around her wrists fall off as she stands up. "Go ahead and take your bandana off," a person who sounds like Xander says.

She tugs on her bandana, pulling it off, she sees a luxurious apartment with a tv, a king sized bed, and a bathroom, "Are you sure you put me in the right place?"

Xander laughs, "Yup. All the Pretties under question are placed here."

Phoebe nods her head and sits on the couch, "Well, thanks."

Xander walks away, his cloud-like hair practically lighting up the dark hallway.

"Phoebe?"

Phoebe jumps up and walks over to the metal bars of her cell, "Hello?"

Across the way, a shadow appears at the metal bars, "You aren't Phoebe..."

Phoebe hesitates, "No, but I am a Pretty agent who was sent in her place. Who are you?"

Silence rings through the halls, but then he answers, "I'm Tyler. I'm so sorry I got you into all this."

Phoebe falters for a moment, "I dont care about the political mess. I just wanted you to know Phoebe's okay."

"Really? But why didn't she herself come to see me?" Tyler stays in the shadows.

Phoebe hesitates at this, "The Revolution couldn't have dealt with the loss. They knew something would happen so they sent me," Phoebe uses a fake-bitter voice.

"Oh. Well, I know a way to get out of here. It's too late for me, but I think you should know what I've learned. You look like a strong woman," Tyler walks into the light, forcing a gasp out of Phoebe. His face is a crimson mess, his eyes lost their light and his arm is missing.

"What happened?!" Phoebe gasps, pulling towards the bars.

A scar across his lips moves as he smiles, "It doesn't matter. I just have to tell you that every time they put cuffs on you to transport you to a restroom, a shower, or for interrogation, they use the same cuffs to hold you back. The password," Tyler pauses, looking around the hall, and pulls towards the bars, "is Alpha 369."

Phoebe shakes her head, "I'm going to get you out of here."

He pulls his face through the bars, "Please, no. I need someone to tell Phoebe I love her."

"But she knows!" Phoebe cries out.

"Please, give a dying man his last wish," Tyler turns his back to the bars.

"But you aren't a dying man!" Phoebe squeals.

"You don't understand! The next time they come, they're coming to execute me!" Tyler tells.

Phoebe gasps, "N-No!"

"Why do you even care about me? You don't even know me," Tyler sighs.

Phoebe hesitates, her heart torn by his words, "I want Phoebe to see you again in a more peaceful time..."

"Peaceful times will come long after I'm dead. But you can go tell Phoebe I love her and she shouldn't trust the Revolution," Tyler spits on the ground, the blood dot lands in the center of the hallway.

"Tyler! Stop talking like-like you're going to die!" Phoebe cries out, reaching through the bars.

"I am! Stop acting like you care and leave a damned dying man alone..."

Phoebe takes a deep breath, "Listen to every first letter of every other word: People don't Have ideas Over the Evolution ways Because of Elites."

Tyler mouths the letters slowly, "Ph... Phoebe?" He pause, again mouthing words, "what about her?"

"She's me," Phoebe mouths back.