Untold Truth

Chapter 23

"Zumie!" Jack yells and he runs to her arms and gives her an embrace. "I haven't seen you in almost a year! I thought you finally took off!" He exclaims.

"What and leave you guys to deal with this? No chance." She punches him lightly on the arm and laughs.

"You little... Ha," he shakes his head like he's talking to a child. "I'm so glad you two helped each other."

Zumie speaks up, "Really it was mostly Karlie, I just lead her around underground."

"Damn Zumie you did more then that, you saved me." I state.

Zumie laughs, "Yes but what about when Greg Ambrose attacked me? Anyway have you told Jack that we need to find out what they need you two for?"

Jack looks at me. "Well no."

"What about the 'plan'?" He asks.

"Ya," Zumie and I say in unison.

"Can we just relax a little bit. Morn a little. Catch up?" I ask. I need a break. Zumie nods but Jack looks less willing.

"Well I don't know. I mean people must be after us." Jack says.

"Let's go take a break, get some food and then figure this mess out." Zumie suggests.

Jack and I agree and we head back to his house to get some food. Alone the way Jack and Zumie fill me in on how they really know each other.

"Well when we were kids Zumie, Dylan, and I used to hang out." Jack begins. "We had no other friends because we weren't aloud to leave. After awhile our fathers would try to educate us. We started having lessons and training. It was like our fathers were the teachers and your's, Karlie, was the principal. He always very nice to us. More of a father then our fathers were. I was the first to turn 12 and when I did they told me I'd have to join them. I didn't want to, I refused. I was desperate to warn Zumie and Dylan but they took me out of lessons and started beating it into me that I would join them. I ran away and didn't see either of them for another year. That was when Dylan ran away. I found him wandering the woods. He said he was going to join the Surge. He also filled me in on his and Zumie's relationship. After seeing Dylan again, who thought I was dead, I had to see Zumie. So I snuck into town and found her underground where we used to all take classes. She was lonely after we both left so I started to make points to come into town just to visit her. Within the last year things have been picking up lot. I haven't seen her or him in almost a whole year." Jack finishes.

"Dylan seemed like a good guy." I say, sadly knowing I will never met him.

"Seemed?" Jack asks confused. Zumie gasps. He doesn't know. "What?"

Zumie speaks up. "He's dead. Died yesterday at the battle." Jack winces. He goes up to Zumie and hugs her. I feel awkward and out of place. Like I'm interrupting something between them. Zumie backs up. "It's fine. Let's eat something. Then I better be off. I need to go spy and see what else I can find."

We go into the house and while Jack makes us something to eat Zumie and I clean his mess up. Jacks comes into the livening room with some sandwiches and water. We all eat hungrily.

When we finish we walk Zumie to the edge of the woods and goodbye her. She gives me a big hug and says we'll talk tomorrow. Then she hugs Jack for even longer and takes off.

Jack and I walk back to my house in silence. It's had to talk when there's so much to think about. What am I doing from here?

I start to walk down the trail that leads to my house when Jack grabs my wrist and pulls me back into his arms. "Where do you think you're going?" He asks.

"What do you mean?" I question him.

"Karlie we need to talk." He says sadly. Oh no! Did his feelings for me change? Why am I so close to him?

"Jack... I think I'm in love with you." I confess. He looks into my eyes and shakes his head. "What?"

"You won't after I tell you everything." He says. I pull myself away from him.

"Try me." I whisper. He sits down and I sit across from him.

"When I ran away, I wasn't thinking of anyone but myself. I was young and selfish. Your father was a good bad man. He was the nicest one of the Yuris and he was the leader. He had the power to stop them from going to far. Well Zumie, Dylan, and I were his pride and joy. His project. He always talked about you and said how much he loved you. He always said he would one day introduce us and we would be the new generation. Then it was my time. I turned 12. In order to join them, they wanted me to kill someone. They wanted me to murder Dr. Brights. I refused. Your father talked to me. He said he wanted me to do it for the greater good and that I would be rewarded. That he believed in me. I didn't like it. So I shot back at him. I told him to imagine him forcing you to kill someone. Imagine having his 12 year old daughter kill a man. He informed me that you to would go through the same thing, but inly when you were 18. I told him that if he wanted you to kill..." He stops and looks away ashamed. I look at him. "I said that he better not get to attached to you. I told him that you would only listen if you were afraid if him. At the time I wasn't trying to give him ideas, I was just trying to get him to understand how I felt. But your father took me seriously. He showed me a video of himself hitting you that night. He said that this is what I needed to learn, business over blood. I still refused and he told my father he could beat me more then he already did. Your father began to torture me to join him. I ran away. After I came back to visit Zumie I would pop by and check on you. I noticed your like getting more and more abusive. I blamed no one but myself."

"Jack..." I start. What do I say? He's the reason my father beat me? "You were young. You didn't know. I would have done the same. It's okay." I assure him.

He shakes his head. "No. It's not. How many scars do you have? How afraid of physical contact are you? How many times were you beat for absolutely no reason? Because of me." Jack says. He starts shaking. "Karlie, I do love you. I'm in love with you. But I hurt you for to long." He says.

"Jack. It's okay." We both stand up and I hug him. We calm down and back away. "I need to be back at home. I don't know what's going to happen."

"Karlie don't go back. Please, stay. I don't want him to hurt you now. You're tired and I need you..." I look at Jack then to my road. Before I change my mind I start to walk down the road fast.

Seconds later Jack grabs my waist and turns me around. He brings me close as possible to his body and kisses me. I swing my arms around him and I just sort of melt into him. He is so warm and I can't bare the thought of being beaten instead of this. I pull away and sigh.

"I'll be fine." I turn and walk away again. Back down the trail to my house. When I reach it I realize I have no time. If anything my dad should be here right now. I go through the back door and upstairs where I wait for the plans my dad has today. But this time I am ahead of him. This time I can't be corrupted. This time I am ready.