Fourth Wall

Twenty Five: Answers, Part Two

The sun was starting to rise.

Chloe had been questioning the doctor for the better part of an hour. His voice was hoarse, and his eyes had taken on a sort of empty, hollow appearance. The clattering of shields and swords in the distance of the other parts of the tower were beginning to lessen as time wore on. Chloe knew the group needed to move on before whoever was bankrolling Moonrise Towers sent reinforcements.

Chloe didn't know if it was the exhaustion from lack of sleep and the exertion of fighting, but the tingling feeling in the back of her mind only grew; the sensation that something wasn't quite right, that she wasn't quite connected in the way that she used to be. She pushed the thought aside.

She'd been fighting and killing for the past several hours, she was tired. Of course she wasn't feeling connected. She didn't even know what that meant anymore. She sighed and ran a hand over her face.

So far, they had learned that the benefactor who'd been "employing" their weaselly little friend worked under several layers of anonymity. The doctor himself had only interacted with a liaison between the two. Smart, Chloe hated to admit. The liaison's name was Cesaire. She had written down the address that the doctor had given.

As to why Cesaire or whoever was controlling him wanted a force of obedient soldiers, or who he might be gathering them for? That was the more confusing question.

Chloe sighed then, the doctor finally talking himself in circles, indicating he'd given all the information he would give. Chloe looked across the restrained doctor to Astarion. His pale face was clearly drawn with hunger and exhaustion. Halsin and Shadowheart looked much the same.

"Alright, then. He's all yours, Astarion." She said, stepping away from the gurney to allow Astarion to lunge for the doctor's neck before he even got the chance to scream. He was drained to death in less than twenty seconds. Astarion wiped his mouth, straightening and fixing his collar.

Chloe noted the thin line of blood dripping down his chin with a faint glimmer of fondness, the sight sparking the sudden memory of how he had looked with her own blood on his pale lips. But the pleasurable feeling quickly gave way to dread.

"Time to make a quick exit and not die." Chloe looked around the room. "I mean, we can do what this little shit was gonna do and shimmy down the outside of the tower on a rope?" She pitched, looking around the group.

They all looked to each other. Lae'zel spoke up.

"Descending the outside of the tower has the advantage of speed, but leaves us open to arrows from practically all but one direction."

Chloe looked outside, considering. "We can't afford to wait much longer, but the sun will go down in less than an hour. That would at least give us the cover of night."

Halsin shook his head.

"We haven't the time, Chloe. Surely an envoy has reached this Cesaire person by now, it would be foolishly optimistic to hope none got past the prisoners we loosed."

Chloe rubbed her face and tried not to groan. She was tired. She was hungry. She was exhausted. She sighed heavily and turned back to her party.

"I know, I know." She murmured, exasperated. "Let's go." She moved toward the window, peeking out and checking for guards. There were none in sight, which was unusual. Something had likely drawn their attention, Chloe thought, or maybe the prisoners had done a good job of distracting them. Halsin followed, taking her forearm as if to hold her back, though his grip was loose.

"Go?" He asked incredulously, halting her in her tracks. She turned back, her weariness showing on her face.

"Yes. I'll go first. If I make it to the ground alive, I'll provide cover for the rest of you while you make it down." Astarion was already shaking his head across the room, and Shadowheart was throwing up her hands in an exasperated gesture, Halsin shaking his head dubiously.

"Not this again--" Astarion began to speak, but Chloe was already throwing a leg over the window ledge. The entire group lurched forward as if they would collectively drag her back, but she held up a hand and gave them all a "try it, I dare you" glare. They all had the good sense to stop in their tracks, though they looked greatly displeased. Chloe was heart-warmed to notice that even Lae'zel had instinctively stepped forward to grab her.

"Guys, we are running out of time. I don't know how to explain but.." she looked briefly between all of them. "--I can feel it. I know some of you can, too. We need to go. Now." Chloe said, every word dripping conviction. They knew they couldn't truly argue. They all shared a look.

"I will go first." Lae'zel asserted, and before anyone could protest, she had shoved Chloe forcefully aside and clambered out the window, clinging to the rope as she rappelled down.

"Lez, you bitch!" Chloe shrieked as she toppled over. 

The five of them waited in tense silence. For several long moments, there was nothing. Then, the rope tugged sharply to the left twice. As much of a signal as one could hope for without prior planning, Chloe thought. She'd have to have a talk later with Lae'zel about planning things out before diving headfirst into danger, though Chloe supposed she wasn't exactly the posterchild for that herself.

"Alright. It's clear, then." Chloe announced, her companions nodding in response. They began their descent. Halsin first, then Astarion, then Shadowheart, then Wyll. Chloe didn't know why she went last. 

Later, when she looked back at this moment, she would wonder why she hadn't gone first, before Lae'zel could intervene. Why she hadn't gone second, after the signal. But reason didn't truly matter.

She went last.

And was the last to see the rest of her companions hauled away by cloaked figures, each kicking and fighting, but every one of them outmatched ten to one. Their weapons were pried from their desperately gripping fingers, tossed away into the coming blackness of night. Each was taken unaware as they were still struggling to descend the rope on the facade of the tower.

Chloe, too, was taken and fought with nearly all of her remaining strength, but her muscles burned with overuse and her heart hammered. She only wanted to rest. She caught a glimpse of a robed figure, his stature and cloak slightly different than the rest. She tossed out her foot and caught the robed figure's ankle who stood in front of her, and his gasp of pain got her the attention of the figure she now glared at.

"Hey, Asshat Supreme!" She called out, and one of the hooded figures holding her sucker punched her in the gut. She curled into the punch, the blow knocking the air from her lungs and making her dry heave, spit falling to the ground as she gasped like a fish out of water, her ribs pounding with pain. 

She struggled to focus on the cloaked figure, her vision blurring. The figure stepped forward, and his features swam into clarity.

She had expected Cesaire.

She could hear Astarion's panicked grunts as he tried more desperately to free himself, his fear evident even from wherever he was hidden in the shadows. Chloe smiled as blood leaked from the corner of her mouth, spitting on the ground. Now she understood.

Why it all felt so different. Why this path felt like it had to end soon. Why nothing felt real anymore.

"Cazador." Chloe accused more than stated.

Her promise to Astarion in the dungeons returned freshly to her mind, and her stomach churned with hatred for the man before her.

"Hmm." He hummed as he cocked his head down at her, his voice dripping condescension. "Should I know you?"