Breaking Away

Chapter XI: Honest to a Fault

Felix

What made me even want to help her? Is it something that she has that other people don't? That has to be it. She has hope. She wants to keep pushing even though she knows that it will tear her apart. Piper doesn't give up.

These thoughts race through my mind as us three walk along the road. Piper and Marina are talking away, and I snap back to reality as I hear Piper laugh. I glance towards Piper, she's smiling.

I want to tell her how I feel, but how will she react?

"Hey, Mr. Robot. You've been awful quiet this whole time. Is something up?"

Piper nudges me with her elbow, forcing me to speak.

"What..no. I'm fine."

She raises an eyebrow, then continues to converse with Marina. I scratch my chin, trying to think.

"How are they going to let you into the Nightdogs, Piper?", I ask.

Piper looks up to me, her eyes full of concern.

"That won't be a problem, Finks. She's a....."

Piper cuts Marina off, "Opulent. I'm an Opulent."

I watch as Marina's jaw drops and her eyes become wide like a deer caught in headlights. I now realize why. We can get killed for helping her.

"Felix you knew about this?!"

"Of course I knew about it! I just didn't tell you before because..."

"Guys, stop. We can always just lie and say that I'm a Broker."

Marina turns to Piper, her face flushed, "Won't that be hard for you? Opulents are all honest to a fault."

Piper looks down as she walks, her curly hair covering my view of her face. She rubs the dove necklace in between her thumb and forefinger.

"You two will just have to do the talking, I guess."

Marina nods, and I follow. We walk in silence for a while until Piper points out that we should eat. We walk over to what used to be a park and sit on benches. Piper and Marina sit on one, and I sit on the bench across from them.

Swinging the book bag off of my back, I take out the food that I bought from a bakery this morning. Three croissants. I planned ahead and bought one for Marina too. I also grab three water bottles. One of them is partially empty, so I figured that it belonged to Piper.

Walking over to the other bench, I hand the croissants and the water bottles to them.

"Ladies."

Piper grins at the sight of the curled bread, and says in a royal accent, "These look delicious, Felix."

I bow at the waist,"I only prepare the finest." Marina and Piper giggle, and I can't help but smile myself.

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After we eat, Marina leads us the rest of the way to the Nightdog compound. She tells us that the compound was one a jail, and it lies in the far left corner of the city.

Piper chimes in, "Marina, how do you know the way to this place so easily?"

"My older brother, Luka, is a Nightdog. He showed me the way there so that if I am ever in trouble, I can find him at the compound."

"You have siblings?"

"Yeah, actually I have three brothers. Luka was just the only one that decided to stay in Emberse."