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Chapter 15:

"Are you okay? What did they do to you?". The questions came out of Ellie's mouth at a rapid pace as she and Lev guided Cedar onto the bed once Owen had brought him back to the room.

"Why are you all wet?". Lev asked as he retrieved a towel from the adjoining bathroom and gently squeezed the excess water out of Cedar's dark hair.

"Mel and Manny waterboarded me". Cedar replied dazedly, his mind still reeling from everything that had just occurred. "I'll be okay".

Ellie and Lev didn't look convinced but neither of them pushed the matter further as Lev pointed to a dark stain on the front of Cedar's sweatshirt. "What happened?".

Cedar bit his lip, struggling to contain his tears as he carefully rolled up the garment, revealing the WLF brand across his stomach.

"She did this to you?". Lev asked quietly as Ellie retrieved a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and a Q tip and did her best to make sure the wound was properly cleaned so it wouldn't get infected.

Cedar nodded in response to Lev's question before looking between his two friends. "I - I didn't tell her anything".

"You did good Ced". Ellie said reassuringly as she squeezed Cedar's shoulder. "Where are they now?".

"I told them Joel was in Mercer Island, that gives us about three hours to think of a new plan to get out of here". Cedar explained.

"The door and windows are locked up, so unless we can figure out how to teleport I don't think we're getting out of here anytime soon". Lev snapped in an uncharacteristically moody tone.

"What about Owen?". Cedar piped up, a slight blush creeping up his neck as the older man's name rolled off his tongue.

"What about him?". Ellie asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

"Maybe he can help us get out of here". Cedar suggested as he tugged at his sweatshirt collar.

"He's still an active WLF member Ceed, there's no way in hell he'll ever help us get out of here". Lev retorted as he crossed his arms and sat back on the couch.

"Cedar, Is there something you're not telling us?". Ellie suddenly questioned, her eyes boring into Cedar's as she spoke.

"N - No, of course not!". Cedar stuttered out unconvincingly as he looked down at the floor.

"Did you do something with Owen?". Lev interrogated sharply as he too stared at Cedar.

"Excuse me?". Cedar said, trying to keep himself neutral even as his heart race increased ever so slightly.

"Oh my God! You did!". Lev exclaimed, ignoring Ellie's attempts to quiet him down.

"We kissed okay?!". Cedar finally admitted in aggravation. "I was begging him to help me and I don't even know how it happened, but he ended up kissing me, and I - I kissed him back".

"Nice to know your making out with the enemy while the two of us are trying to think of something to get the fuck out of here". Lev spat out harshly, gesturing between himself and Ellie.

"Alright, that's enough!". Ellie interrupted before Cedar could say anything to defend himself.

"But he -". Lev tried to say, gesturing at Cedar with a glare.

"He's doing what he has to do to keep us safe Lev, that's all it is, It might not be ideal but at least we have a few hours to think of something else". Ellie continued sharply.

Lev took a few moments to think before slowly nodding and uncrossing his arms, "I still don't understand it but I won't get mad again, okay?".

Cedar just gave a silent nod as his mind wandered back to Ellie's words. Was reciprocating the kiss with Owen really just a play along tactic or was it something much more?

The young man didn't have anytime to ponder on the troubling question as Ellie gently nudged his shoulder. "Ced, you with us?".

"Yeah, sorry, I think all that time underwater messed with my attention span a bit". Cedar said, trying to hide his nervousness with a joke.

"Right, I was just saying that since it's three against three, the chances of us getting out of here is at least fifty/fifty". Ellie explained.

"It would be if we were still armed, which we aren't". Cedar pointed out.

"Then why don't you suggest something? Or are you too busy thinking about Owen?". Lev taunted dryly.

"If we do find a way to escape, do you want us to leave you here?". Ellie asked, turning to face Lev with a glare. "No? Then knock it off". She finished as Lev hastily shook his head at the threat.

"Anyways, I do think we have at least a small chance of getting out of here since we aren't totally unarmed". Ellie continued, taking out her switchblade that had been gifted to her as a baby by her mother Anna.

"A small chance of escaping is better than no chance". Cedar remarked, his belly fluttering at the prospect of actually escaping this place.

"See? That's the spirit!". Ellie exclaimed with a grin as she playfully punched Cedar's arm.

"There's just one problem". Cedar stated bluntly.

"What?". Ellie whined, clearly disappointed that her plan had a snag in it.

"Lev and I don't have weapons, remember? Mel took his bow and my pistol". Cedar recalled.

"What about your knife?". Ellie questioned.

"Weren't you the one that called it flimsy and a sorry excuse of a knife?". Cedar quoted with a smirk.

Ellie rolled her eyes but kept her cool. "How sharp is it?". She asked, pointing at the deer bone blade.

"It's kinda sharp but I highly doubt It'll do much, if any damage". Cedar replied, jabbing his finger with the tip of the blade and showing that there was no puncture wound to emphasize his point.

Whatever Ellie was about to say was cut off just as the door opened once more to reveal Mel and Manny.

"No, you're not hurting him again". Ellie said as she protectively stepped in front of Cedar.

Mel smirked and looked up at Manny, who stepped forward and managed to grab Cedar despite Ellie's best efforts to keep him behind her.

"Please, he's been through enough!". Ellie pleaded as she watched Manny drag Cedar out of the room.

"We're just going to have a friendly chat, nothing more, nothing less". Mel explained casually. "I'll keep my temper in check as long as Cedar does the same".

Ellie watched through her misted over eyes as Mel then walked back over to the door and walked out of the room again, leaving Ellie and Lev alone as she prepared to do who knows what to Cedar.

- 12 Miles Away From The Hotel.

"Guys! We have blood!". Benji called out as he and the other's finally arrived in the center of Seattle.

"Why are there a bunch of bloodied hand prints all over the place?". Tommy asked as he looked around at the path of bloody prints dotted along the tree trunks and street signs.

"Lev did this". Rocky realized as he walked over to the old Seraphite cabin and scraped a finger against the print that was on the right side of the structure.

"How do you know?". Joel asked curiously.

"It's a trick that I taught him in case we ever got separated". Rocky explained, smiling as he stared back down at his blood stained finger. "Which means we're getting closer to finding the kids...".