Duplication

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

I felt blood tickle the corner of my mouth, coming out in a rivulet, and Caitlyn’s slender but strong arms encircle my waist, calling out my name.

  Caleb.

The name hit me like a brick, and I swung around, staggering, and straightened just in time to receive a blow from him across my face.

  I didn’t need to look at the mirror to know that something had broke- my nose, or cheekbone- a shocking pain warms my face, and I stumbled, my hand flying to my face, stars circling above me even in the pitch darkness.

  Then, gladly, I allowed darkness to consume me.

When my eyes opened, the first word that hit me mercilessly in the head was: Caitlyn. I bolted upright, and then, giddy from the speed, put my hand to my forehead, feeling that my hand was comparatively cold compared to my head.

  When I’d recovered from the giddiness, I looked around.

“Caitlyn-“

“Shh, it’s okay darling, it’s okay. Nobody’s going to hurt you.”

Arms encircled my waist and pulled me down to the lying position, just when I took in Caleb, unconscious, lying down, flanked by Benedict and Travis, and Lucy behind him, all three of them tensed visibly.

 Caitlyn hovered above me, tears shining in her eyes, her beautiful golden hair twisted into a messy bun, sweat shining like diamonds twinkling on her skin, as the sunlight bathed her.

 “You okay, man?” Benedict grunted. “You…took a lot.”

“Aren’t you a patsy? Aren’t you stupid?” Caitlyn’s yells turned into sobs. “Why did you throw yourself onto me like that? What harm could he have done to me? I could have just…protected myself. I didn’t do anything to deserve your sacrifice.”

 “It wasn’t a sacrifice,” I said tiredly, thirst making my jaw ache and teeth clench together, inhaling the polluted air sharply. “I would’ve done it thousand times for you, over and over again, whatever it took to protect you. Besides, why don’t you deserve it? You’re my comrade.”

  Travis grimaced. “Nate, the more you act like a martyr, the more she feels bad.”

Lucy bit the corner of her lip. “Think in her shoes- let me say this though I hate using idioms- wouldn’t you feel bad if she threw herself onto you and got a massive nose break and a large cut across the shoulder and spine?”

  Benedict gave her a look. “Great improvement, Whiny Girl- from being scared to even touch a lion to consoling him with words that aren’t very stupid.”

  I laughed, my laughter coming out scratchy. “You guys make my day,” I said hoarsely. “So…Travis? How did you know that…Caleb was…obviously now I realize…newly sent by Hudson and Palmer to kill us?”

 “He wasn’t to kill us.” Travis went on smoothly with the next words with a seemingly blasé air. “He was sent to kill you.”

 “Me?”

 “Yes. Palmer, I am sure, was very convinced by your act of insanity.” Travis wet his lips. “But when he told it to The Esquivel, your fabrication was revealed. The Esquivel is an extremely intelligent man. Though his intelligence cannot beat any of ours’, it is enough to detect that your act was a lie.”

  I hadn’t expected this revelation, but the fact that The Esquivel had been intelligent enough to do this, was no surprise.

 “He knew that sending a couple of not properly trained ‘guards’ with no human emotions, wouldn’t be enough to kill you, especially because all of us are stronger. Even if you were to face the guards alone, you would be able to conquer them in a few minutes.”