Chasing Wolves (completed)

Chapter 27 Meg-Elaine

Chapter 27

Meg-Elaine

"Meg, dear, would you mind terribly reporting to the TV room? There's a... visitor that requires your... attention." Paul's voice crackles over the intercom and I slow to a walk on the treadmill, wondering what he's talking about. A visitor? We don't usually get visitors, only Jan and Dimca (but then we usually go over to their warehouse, not the other way around).

Maybe that's where Iz, Eli, and Lin went... They were gone when I woke up this morning, no note and they didn't tell anyone where they were going, and no one's seen them since. I know they're okay (they're too smart and good at fighting to be anything else), but I'm still kind of worried.

Deciding I better go see what's going on, I click off the treadmill and step off, taking a second for my legs to stop feeling like they're still running. I jog down the hall and in a minute I'm in front of the closed door to the TV room. That's weird, the door is closed, usually it's open whether anyone's inside or not.

Once I step inside I realize why the door was closed. Eli, Iz, and Lin are all standing around a tiny little twig of a man... who they have gagged and bound to a chair. Closing the door behind me, I glance around and gauge their expressions. The three of them not tied down all share relatively identical expressions of reluctance mixed with excitement. "What's going on? Who is he?"

Iz looks up from where the gagged man is screaming something at me (or trying to, rather, considering that he's gagged by what appears to be the cord from Lin's pajama pants) "he knows where Kate is."

With such a simple answer I'm instantly tense. I don't bother asking how she knows, for all I know she could have smelled her on him, and instead grow suspicious as they all look to me expectantly. "So... why do you need me."

I watch as they all look between each other, reluctance evident on all their faces, before Iz once again steps up to the plate. She's wringing her hands (whether consciously or subconsciously I'm not sure) as she tries to figure out what to say. "Well... we were thinking... maybe with your... experience... that you'd be able to... um... coax her location out of him."

Realization dawns and I frown, "you want me to interrogate him?!" The man in the chair jumps at my tone, pushing himself as far away from me as he can in the chair, and I kind of feel sorry for him. He looks absolutely terrified and I'm almost afraid to startle him in fear that he might pee himself or have a heart attack. I'm really hoping they don't actually want me to interrogate him and that I'm only here to get him a sandwich or something. He certainly looks like he could use it.

Even though I'd hate to admit it, I'm the right person to call if they do want him interrogated. Part of my extremely unorthodox education was a vague class about it. I never thought I'd use it (I still haven't figured out why that would be needed), but I know how to do it just the same.

Iz is surprised by my little outburst as well, flinching away briefly, before hesitantly nodding. I gnash my teeth, perturbed that they'd assume I could do it (even though I can), and decide it's useless to withhold that information. "Fine."

They all look surprised and a little eager at finally possibly getting some answers, whereas the guy looks absolutely terrified. Figuring it would be useless to prolong the inevitable, I step forward and try to remove the gag from around his mouth. Fear evident in his eyes, he starts mumbling something at me while he moves his head as he tries to evade my hands. Eventually I catch him (in reality it only took a few seconds but it felt longer; he's quite fast for someone so malnourished) and pull the cord out of his mouth.

After letting him lick his lips and get used to once again having the use of his mouth, I lean the chair back and lean over him, getting uncomfortably close to him as I stare into his eyes, daring him to make a sound. "Okay, here's how-"

"The easy way! The easy way! Please, for all things merciful, take the easy way!" His outburst startles me enough that I actually jump back in surprise, accidentally letting go of the chair. I watch as it falls back to its proper position as if in slow motion, watching as it over corrects itself and tilts forward precariously, the man's weight barely enough to keep it from clattering to the floor unhindered.

Unfortunately... the chair wasn't the only thing over correcting and he tries to right it, only being able to somehow manage to tip it over onto its side. He lands with a thud, a loud crack resonating as his skull accidentally hits the carpeted floor, and he goes still.

All of this only happens over the course of a few seconds, leaving the rest of us stunned at not only his outburst but at the repercussions of it. Iz is unsurprisingly the first of us to recover and I watch as she zips over to him and checks his pulse. She heaves a sigh of relief and I can assume he's still alive, getting it confirmed a second later when she stands and looks to all of us. "He's out cold, but alive."

I guess this'll have to wait.