The Nemesis Syndrome

17. Eliza

'We can't get out.' It was not the right answer to his question, but it was one she settled for- partly, because she didn't exactly want to be helpful. She was so close- maybe not to an exit, but to something and because of him, because of his stupid pain, she had stopped.

She knew it wasn't his fault, but he was someone she could blame.

'Eliza.'

'We can't. I found...I think I found how to get out, but its impossible. I only got that far because they let me. They were probably studying how I reacted. And they knew what was about to happen to slow me down.' Her fists clenched at her side. 'What I can say is... this isn't all they do. Obviously. But it looks like theres a front to this company somewhere in the building. With lots of happy faces all over the walls.' She snorted. 'Nice of them to make some people happy while torturing others.'

'Now do you want to tell me what's really on your mind?'

She scowled at him. 'This whole emotion stuff is going to get old pretty quickly.'

'Where was this anger when I almost killed you?' His voice was mild, but there was something under it which made her look up. She almost wished the room was lighter, so she could see his face.

'My anger,' she said quietly, 'was directed at the people who were making us fight. And even in that anger, I would never raise a hand against someone else.'

Guilt. Just a brush of it before it disappeared again, under the burning anger of Leo that she was already used to.

'Not even someone who was trying to kill you?'

'Not even my soulmate.' She snorted. 'You wouldn't understand, Leo, you've already proved that. Some of us are built to hold that kind of rage. Others are built to forgive.' A pause as she considered her own words. Then: 'But being ready to forgive a lot? That does not mean everything.'

'I don't deserve that forgiveness.'

'No.'

More guilt.

Interesting, she thought. If pushing him like that got more of a reaction, she would use it.

Just not now.

'The woman.' She said, changing the subject. She felt his relief. 'She is like us.'

'I can promise you.' He muttered. 'She is nothing like you. And worse than what you think of me.'

Now it was her time to feel that guilt; she had hurt him with her comments. But just because she didn't fight, didn't mean she was defenceless. And pushing him away, hurting him, reminding him constantly of what he had done, it kept herself from forgetting.

And she had put him first enough. He had tried to kill her, and in turn she had tried to stop them hurting him. Enough of it. Of it all.

'I mean her soulmate is her nemesis. And he's here.'

'What?'

'I found him.'

If a room could freeze and melt between one heartbeat and the next, Eliza would have said it happened in that moment.

'And?'

'I think she tests on him. I don't know. He told me to run.'

'We need to talk to him.'

'Why?'

'Because he will know more about this place.'

Eliza was pretty sure they knew enough; they locked people up and hurt them. They were evil.

'How?'

'That.' He said 'is the question.'

'Leo-'

'I would say trust me but we both know that's unlikely. So...I'll think of something. Okay?'

She wanted to believe him, she wanted to trust him. But at the same time... 'Leo, I don't want to die.'

'Eliza.' The wave of worry that came with that word almost broke her.

'No. Leo, you don't understand. I don't want to die! I can't! I had everything planned out, my whole stupid boring life. Because that's what I wanted. I wanted boring and I wanted slow and I wanted someone who would love me no matter what. I wanted everything and I'm never going to get that. I don't want to die.'

'You won't.' Fierce, strong words. 'I promise.'

'What is a promise but words?'

'Nothing and everything.'

She looked away from him.

'Eliza.'

'What?'

'Look at me.'

'Why?'

'Are you always this stubborn?'

She couldn't help it; she laughed. Short, quiet, but a laugh.

'I promise with everything I have that I will not let you die in here. You're going to have that boring life. You're going to have everything you want.'

She noticed he didn't mention the last part of what she said. Someone to love- because she could tell, deep down, he hated what he had done.

'Thank you.' She whispered. His words might have been a lie, but they were a lie she wanted to believe.

               

- - - - - - - - -

Days passed, and they were left alone in their cell.

Mostly.

Twice a day, food was pushed through for them. It was always the same. Water. Bread. Apple. Because they may be locked up but apparently they still had to have at least some of their five a day.

And three times a day, the door opened and they were both herded out to go to through the soulless corridor to the toilets.

Eliza watched Leo in those moments, the only times they could really see each other. She watched as he took everything in, from the size of the men who surrounded them (she felt odd satisfaction from him sometimes- as if happy that the people took them seriously enough as a threat to give them so many guards), to the doorways they passed, to the cameras that were obvious along the walk.

But the scientists were not stupid. The food and breaks were irregular, and there were different guards every time. Eliza knew they would never have the chance to escape like this.

But the rest from being injected with the horrors these people had come up with was not true rest. Not when, every time someone walked past, Eliza got ready for them to come and drag her away. Not when she was losing sleep, to uncomfortable, always being able to feel the restlessness of the boy opposite her.

She was surprised she hadn't already gone mad. But then, did anyone mad really know they were. Maybe the few civilised conversations she and Leo had had, about their past, their families, and their hobbies, proved that she already was.

Four days- by Eliza's counting- after her attempted escape, they finally stopped locking her in the shackles. They must have thought her already broken, resigned to life like this forever. After all, if they had been watching the cameras constantly, that was what they would see; a girl curled into a corner, looking lost and tired and like a shadow.

Three days after that, and she felt something new off Leo.

Determination.

'Eliza?' He said.

'Yes?'

'I need you to create me a distraction.'

It was, apparently, his time to go exploring.