Mirage

Chapter Seventeen

Ryder's body ached. His muscles were sore and strained from the exertion of the situation they had just been in. He'd taken up the back, trailing after Whisper as they fled the scene to keep an eye out for any pursuers. Far behind them he'd heard the explosion and winced slightly. 

The midnight trip for snacks had turned into a nightmare. 

The lights from housing units and smaller signs spilled out into the darkness, faintly illuminating patches of scaffolding, pipes and abandoned fire escapes that spread out like vines across the buildings. They were in The Mills. Home base for The Crows. Whisper pulled himself over the last ledge and relaxed, relieved to be home. 

Ryder scrambled up over the ledge then threw himself at Whisper, sending them both careening into the wall. Now that the threat had passed, and they were out of harm's way he let the anger surface. The anger he'd been holding back since he'd drug Whisper away from the mangled bodies made him sick. 

Whisper's head snapped back as Ryder's fist connected with his nose and a low grunt of pain left his throat. If he wouldn't have jerked his head back in time, he would have been dead from the first blow. Lights exploded in front of his eyes and tears of pain welled up as the nasty, wet crunching noise sounded. 

"You fucking bastard! Mirah Testu Rikahth!* Heli-!" Ryder was screaming with rage, the words spilling from his mouth as he pummeled Whisper. His next strike had broken Whisper's jaw and then he'd drew back and punched the other man in the temple. Blood exploded from Whisper's forehead. The man was pinned against the wall, unable to get his arms up in his disoriented state. 

Whisper's unhinged laughter made Ryder pause mid-sentence and his eyes went wide with surprise. The taller man was laughing nervously, his eyes glazed over slightly. The blood from his nose spilled into his mouth and he started choking mid-laugh. 

Ryder stepped back, trying to get a grip on his anger. He'd almost killed Whisper in a fit of rage and he knew it. He sucked in a deep breath, his fists clenched. His neon pink eyes were glowing with rage and his face was red. 

"You set me up! You knew they were coming for you!" Ryder screamed so loudly his voice cracked from the strain. He was still gripping Whisper's jacket, and he'd moved closer out of habit. He was up in Whisper's face. 

Out of everything Whisper had done this....this was going too far. He'd voluntarily helped The Crow's deal with problems in the past, even if it meant getting his hands dirty. It was better if The Crow's had control over The Mills than any of the other gangs in the area that might not be so lenient towards a formerly enslaved population. But to put him the situation they'd just escaped without warning made his vision bleed into red.

Something empty had opened up inside Ryder. Something he'd been struggling so hard to keep buried. Flashes of memories swirled in front of him. For a moment he heard a wailing child. It tore at his skull like thousands of angry little needles. He was barely aware of where he stood. 

Niceto's wounds were burned in his mind like a brand. The blood and screams of agony that had just occurred swirled like a sickening kaleidoscope in front of him. The weight of it drove the breath from his lungs and his knees slammed into the ground. He wasn't aware he was crying until the loud sobs reached his ears, faintly, through the sound of the wailing child. 

Whisper let out a low grunt, pulling himself together as he wiped the blood from his face. He was leaning against the wall and his silver eyes softened as he gazed down at Ryder. He hadn't seen the man break down like this and they'd known each other for years.

"It's not your fault." Whisper's soft voice, usually so sleezy and unsettling washed over Ryder like a soothing balm. He reached for Ryder, a single hand closing around the shorter man's shoulder. Ryder was sobbing into Whisper's chest before he could process what was happening.