The Meridians

Five

     You sit in the car pressed against the door staring a Finn as he calmly drove the car. He hadn't said much since the two of you escaped the building. By then you had already witnessed what could only be described as slaughter. Twelve men entered that room, and twelve men lay dead when you and Finn left. You watched in an unsettling mix of awe and horror, as he broke a man's arm before shooting him in the head. It was then when you realized he had done this many times before. When he finished he grabbed your hand and pulled you outside, he kept pulling you until you got to an old truck.

Now the two of you were driving down an unfamiliar road of an unfamiliar place. You want to ask him about where you are but every time you close your eyes you can still see the coldness in his eyes when he killed. Finn taps the wheel and sighs.

"Stop looking at me like I'm sort of monster." He glances over at you, his eyes full of sadness.

You knew better than to let that look get to you. It was the Meridian puppy dog look, the look they gave people when they know that they did something wrong. Normally, you would have fallen into it and accepted it, but he had just gone on a killing spree.

"You just killed twelve people, Finn!" Though you were trying desperately to sound calm your voice betrays you and raises several octaves. "You didn't even hesitate!"

"Twelve? It felt like mo—" He looks over at your horrified face and clears his throat. "I mean, they were going to hurt you. Besides, I was just looking after my family. And you're lucky they just sent me and not that hot-headed husband...of...shit." You feel your face drop as Finn realizes that he has just said too much.

"So, he is alive?" You whisper. Finn doesn't say anything, he keeps his eyes glued on the road. "God damnit Finn, answer me!" You scream at him.

"Is there anyone you can stay with for a few weeks?" He doesn't look at you.

"Are you fucking with me?" You try to blink away tears, you are tired of all this secrecy crap. You just want things to be the way they were a month ago. "Did you forget that I sacrificed everything to be with your son? Now you can't even tell me if he is okay? Well when you see him tell him don't bo—"

"Fine!" Finn yells. "If I tell you if he's still alive will you let me take you to the airport and send you to your parents?"

"Yes, because they're my biggest fans right now," You sniff. "I just want to go home."

"You can't." He shakes his head. "The stakes have just been raised, especially with me going in there and..." He glances over at you quickly and back to the road. "Right now, I need you to be somewhere safe."

"I don't have anywhere to go Finn!" You scream. "The last few weeks have been hell! Do you know how hard it is to try to pick up the pieces when your life has been shattered and then have someone do it again?"

"I do." Finn exhales, he pulls the car over on the side of the road and looks at you. His eyes are heavy and tired. He pulls you into a hug. You stiffen initially, few people get hugs from someone who up until an hour ago they thought was dead. But after a moment you relax and bury your face in his jacket. "I know you miss him, believe it or not he misses you too. But I need you to keep your head together."

"Can I see him?" You let him go and wipe your eyes. You watch Finn hesitate and then exhale sharply.

You watch him pull a phone out of his jacket pocket and push a button before putting it up to his ear. He taps the wheel rhythmically. When someone answers he looks at you and gets out the car. You watch him pace back and forth only stopping to nod or respond. As you watch him talk, your dress pocket vibrates. You jump a little, but realize it must be your phone. But you thought they took your phone from you when they kidnapped you. You reach in your pocket and pull out a small phone that isn't yours. It is extremely light and easy to ignore, which would explain why you didn't notice it earlier. You look back at Finn, who is still on the phone, maybe you should tell him? As you reach for the door it vibrates again, almost falling out of your hand. You open it and see two messages, slowly you open the first message to see: