DEVIANT [H.S.]

20 - Exposed

"What happened?" I manage to choke out, releasing my hands from their latch on my mouth.

"She was left outside. Malachi found her and brought her in," Harry says, not looking up from Mona's body.

"We've gotten word of three other deaths in the city. All Deviants. We're being targeted, and we're not safe," Malachi speaks up, his eyes weary and tired. "No one leaves the compound unless I say so. Understood?"

The crowd murmurs nervously, agreeing with their leader.

He's probably shaken from having to carry a dead body back into the compound. Mona's body, at that.

I helped her out of Isolation weeks ago, and to think that this is what has become of her? What is happening at Jeriah's hand?

My mind travels back to the security cam video played on the Retrieval... how Caleb pointed out that the Core had something to do with the disappearances of Deviants. After Mona disappeared, I don't think anyone assumed this was how we would see her again.

"I'm going to perform an autopsy on her. Someone find Aubrey," Malachi says flatly, taking Mona into his arms. As he takes Mona away from the crowd, soon it's only Harry and I left in the Sphere, the rest of the people dissipating.

"We have to find out what happened," He says to me. "We have to go out there and look for answers."

"Harry, you heard what Malachi said! You can't leave. Deviants are being taken off the street and murdered! You would be putting yourself at risk," I reply.

He steps away from me slightly, his body tense. "I'm not going to let this fizz out like all the other deaths we've witnessed. This was different. A Deviant died out there on the streets from a cause other than their symptom. They were murdered, and for what?"

I walk closer to him, standing tall. "If you're going out there, then so am I."

"Nope. No way. You have to stay here. I'll come back, I promise," He assures me, his defensiveness strung high.

"What if you don't return?" I ask him, the sound of my words making his eyes shoot straight up into mine.

"I will return, Serena. I promise you that," He answers.

I scoff. "Yeah, in what condition? Dead? Or almost dead?"

He sucks in a sharp intake of air in frustration and runs a hand through his hair, closing his eyes. "That's why you can't come with me. I don't want you to die. You now know how violent it can be if I do get taken by the Core."

"That's why you can prepare me for what could come my way!" I exclaim. "Please, Harry. You don't have to go out there alone."

I can't let him go on his own. I knew Mona, too. Whether I like it or not, I have a role in the cause of her death. I need to know the reasons why Jeriah would being killing Deviants in addition to already throwing them out on the street.

It feels like years until Harry speaks again.

"Okay, fine," He breathes. "But I'm teaching you how to shoot a gun."

///

Harry has taught me how to shoot, take apart, and reassemble a gun in one hour. Sure, it took some fast-paced practice, but he wanted to make it quick so we could leave the compound sooner.

We're in the interrogation room where he set up two makeshift targets for practice, but right at the moment, we're focusing on something more hand-to-hand.

"Now, take a step back..." He trails off, directing me on how to react when faced at gunpoint. He has a gun pointed at me, but no rounds are in. There's no rounds in mine either.