Puppet {ManxMan}

CHAPTER 15

"Shit!" I screamed and rushed at the door, letting Dakota take on all of Ian's limp weight, slamming my fists against the cold metal furiously, "No, no, no, no, this can't happen!"

For a few moments I punched at the door before pushing back, panting and ripping the Bluetooth from my pocket, slipping it in, "Carter? Can you hear me?"

"Yea," Carter replied instantly, and I relaxed, pressing my forehead against the door, "I-I can't hear you through the door. I don't even know when they installed this! Iesu Grist, I'm sorry! I forgot the cameras! I just wanted to get you out!"

"It's fine, we're fine," I shook my head, pushing away from the door, "What do we do?"

"Cameras," Carter instructed, "Shoot out the cameras."

"Right," I spun to face Dakota, who looked shocked, but thankfully not as terrified as I was, "You're a good shot, right? Better than Cass?"

"Yea?"

"Shoot the cameras," I took Ian from him, and the poor man slumped against me, clutching onto the straps of my vest to keep himself standing, "Hurry!"

Dakota yanked his right gun out and spun around, lifting the weapon and pulling the trigger. The first camera shattered with a crack, as did the second, third, and fourth. With all of them dealt with I sighed, but I knew the major damage had already been done. They saw us.

I tapped the Bluetooth again, "Done, now what?"

"Give me a minute, your friend is yelling at me and calling me some very rude names. I'm trying to see if there's some way to open the door, but... I-I think it's controlled from the screening room upstairs."

I cursed and shifted on my feet, holding Ian closer, "So what.... we just wait?"

"I'm sorry..."

I pulled the radio from my ear and returned it to my pocket, looking around, "Dakota, keep your gun out. Whoever walks through that door," I pointed across the room, "Shoot them."

"Okay...," Dakota lifted his gun in preparation, and I lowered myself to my knees, carefully setting Ian down so he was leaning against the wall.

"Are you in any pain?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"I-it's nothing. Did we get separated?"

"Yea. We'll be fine though."

"Are you really Demi?" he asked, lifting one hand to touch my face, gently prodding my cheeks, "I couldn't see you before I left, Arthur said you were resting. H-haven't seen you in years, huh kiddo?" he grinned, but it was shaky.

I took his hand in my own and squeezed it, "You'll see me soon. Arthur is going to fix... whatever this is. He's a phenomenal doctor."

"I know," this time his smile was proud and genuine.

"I have to warn you I don't look the same," I said, trying to lighten the mood, "Not the scrawny thirteen-year-old I used to be."

He laughed, lying his head back against the wall, "How long were you here, Demi?" he asked weakly, "Ten years? Eleven?" he swallowed, "I've been here two days and look at me. If they did this to me, what could they have done to you?"

I didn't want to answer that. Looking at his eyes was so unnerving, it was like looking at the moon up close, silvery and clouded. I could see flakes of baby blue from how they used to be, but it looked broken up, like pouring oil into water. I tried to reassure him again, putting a hand on the back of his neck and squeezing.