"Are you still my Lori?" She stared at him.
"I... don't know." She answered.
"Should I untie you?" She shrugged. Jace rolled her back on her stomach and began to untie her.
"Wait..." She looked at him. "What will you do if I go crazy again?"
"We'll see if that happens." Her expression told him that wasn't a good answer. When her hands were freed and she rolled over, she sat up and placed hands on her knees, her eyes never making contact with his. She just stared at the ribbons of the torn shirt used to tie her arms behind her.
"I just saw orders telling me to enforce someone's will..." She shook her head. "There was just silence nothing else. I just know I saw everything happen. I remember everything I did. But... I couldn't do anything to stop any of it--" Jace put his arms around her.
"It's okay... I know you better to do that." She began to tear up. "You said you saw orders, right?" She nodded. He had to think. What could that even mean?
She looked at her arms; Her sleeves were torn and her hands were already stained a red tint. She glanced over at Jace's bruised face.
"I did this..." She reached up and placed her hand on the bluish mark. Lori's sudden action pulled him out of his thoughts.
"It's fine. It'll heal." She teared up and revealed a sad smile. "For know, let's just catch up to Elijah, wherever he ran off too." He got up but realized Lori struggle. She tried to use her arms to get to her feet, but no matter how much she tried, her legs didn't move. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know. I just can't stand up." Jace went over to her. "I can't move them at all."
Jace moved to pick her up but she stopped him.
"Don't!"
"Why not?"
"How do you know if I won't go crazy again?"
"I don't, but I still can't leave you here, Lori." She pushed him away.
"Stop it! Just leave me here!"
"I'm not doing that, no matter what you say." She continued to fight him but he managed to pick her up. She struggled with the amount of movement she could produce, flailing her arms around to get him to leave her there. Her hand made contact with his face, her jagged nails scratching him just under the eye.
It was a deep scratch causing blood to trickle from the wound, but Jace only winced. He didn't budge on taking her with him. But the moment she saw the blood on her own fingernails, remorse filled her stare.
"I'm... so sorry... I didn't mean..."
"It's fine... please just come with me..." Just as much sadness filled his eyes as he looked her in the eye. "Even if you go crazy, I still want to be there for you. I can't go on without you, Lori."
"You're so stupid..." She wrapped her arms around Jace, finally giving in to his logic. He picked her up and started towards the opening of the alley leading into the main road. The emptiness and silence of it were both satisfying and terrifying. He looked around the street and it felt familiar to him somehow. He couldn't understand the familiarity of it, seeing how he's never been on this road. He didn't even know the way back to his apartment from where he stood.
Around him, on the buildings, where large screens and scrolling word lights flashed, advertising products and events, or projected the news. Among them was one projecting the Chip. He just rolled his eyes. Up and down the street were more bodies, destroyed cars. Blood was everywhere. He walked down until the sudden sound of static startled him. He couldn't make out its origin until one of the screens began to flash in and out again, each time, revealing more and more of the picture.
It was a dark room. A slim figure sat in the middle of the screen in a white suit, his legs crossed and his hands clasped together. Either he was covering his face, or the lighting made it different for Jace to see the figures face. On another screen, a newscast was visible, broadcasting all the chaos to the rest of the nation. The banner displaying "State-wide mobs turn deadly."
"That means there's a chopper nearby..."
"Hey!" The figure snapped. "Turn your attention back to me!" Jace returned to the screen. "I guess someone still has their free will..." He was clearly addressing Jace.
"What does he mean, Jace?" Lori tightened her embrace a little when she asked.
"You can have her, I guess... It's not like you're gonna last much longer."
"He's talking to me, how does he know it's me? How does he know me?"
"Just remember this act of kindness when you finally submit!" The screen faded and turned to static.
"Who even was that?" Lori asked. She tried to move her legs, only managing a tiny amount of movement, but that's a start. She looked and smiled at Jace with accomplishment, who returned the smile.
