Chapter 11 - ISAAC

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It takes a few seconds for the realization to really hit me. When it does, some choked sound of horror releases itself from my throat. I scramble back, taking large gulps of air. Then I double over and retch. I haven't had my dinner, and nothing comes up. I gasp for breath, clutching my stomach. Lian Hua's eyes bore into me, empty.

From behind the fence, there's a loud clang.

Before I can even process the sound, I've turned on my heels and fled. The moonlight shines brightly, illuminating everything I don't want to see—the dark red streaks where Lian Hua dragged herself; the glistening puddle near her bike; the broken, bloodied blade thrown to one side. I stagger past them all, barely noticing the pain as I trip and land hard on my hands and knees. I simply pull myself up and keep running. Because if I stay here, I will surely die.

My bike is still where I left it. I swing one of my legs over and jerk the throttle to full speed. The bike streaks forward and I pull up just before I hit a tree. I look over my shoulder, but no one follows me.

I park my bike in an alleyway by the shops where I'm sure the cameras won't see it, then I sprint to Lian Hua's house, pulling the cloth down from my face. On the third knock, the door swings open. Caroline beams up at me. "Hello, Mr. Isaac!" she says cheerfully. "Marie told me not to open the door, but I know you. Is my mommy back yet?"

"Caroline." I force a smile. "Where's your brother?"

She points back inside. "In his crib. Jason cries a lot when Mommy isn't here, but he's sleeping right now." Her grin fades as she notices the look in my eyes. "You don't look very happy, Mr. Isaac. Are you okay?"

I crouch down and look directly into her eyes. "Caroline, I need you to get your brother. Make sure he stays warm. Grab your coat. We're leaving."

For some reason, Caroline doesn't question me. She turns and disappears into another room. I enter the house slowly. Everything is the same—messy with toys, but still with an undeniable coziness. The one clean armchair stands out like a pristine white island.

Suddenly, the snowy fabric is soaked red. The toys are dripping shining liquid. My heart starts pounding. I want to run, but I'm frozen to the ground. Then I blink, and the blood's gone. I exhale shakily and close my eyes. Big mistake. Lian Hua's lifeless form instantly appears. I open my eyes hurriedly, and that's when I notice a small movement to my left.

Another woman stands at the doorway that leads to the kitchen. I'm guessing she's Marie, the friend who was taking care of Caroline and Jason. But that isn't my concern. The bigger problem is the look of recognition in her eyes, and the gun she's pointing directly at me.

My pistol's out before I even know it. At the same time she pulls her trigger, I pull mine. She cries out and falls back. I hear Caroline's scream and see her standing shocked a few feet away, Jason in her arms. Yanking the cloth up over my mouth and nose, I reach forward and pull her out of the house. Together, we run for the alley. I urge her in the right direction and let her go ahead of me, stumbling after her tiny form. I'm developing a stitch in my side and the pain's causing me to stagger, but I keep moving.

Eventually, we reach the bike. I lift her and Jason up first, then get on behind them. As we go invisible, we lift up into the sky. I slide my pistol back in its holster and put both my hands on the handlebars, my arms forming safe barriers for the children.

The trip to the dome can't have taken more than twenty minutes, but it feels like an eternity. I'm constantly checking behind me to make sure no one's on our tail, desperately hoping Caroline's terrified sobs and Jason's wails (he had just woken up) won't reach anyone down below. We blast through the dome wall, and I use my cloak to protect Caroline and Jason from the biting wind.

We cross the plain in no time. As the forest starts to come into view, I become more aware of the stitch in my side—funny, it should be gone by now—but all I can do is grit my teeth and tighten my grip on the handlebars. I slow down and begin our descent, and we land at the edge of the crater. The rebel guards are upon us in an instant, and they're obviously surprised at the sight of two crying children. I slide off the bike, pressing a hand to my side. "Take them inside," I told the nearest guard. "Please. And I need to talk to Resalia."

"She's busy," she tells me. "We were expecting someone else. Where—"

"Just get her now," I interrupted.

The guard nods and runs ahead. I'm escorted to the hole, where someone scans my thumbprint to confirm my identity. I drop into the base and wince.

Resalia's waiting for me. "What happened?" she demands. "You're not supposed to be here. Why—"

It's then that she sees Caroline, sniffling and rocking Jason back and forth in her arms. Her expression turns to complete bewilderment. "You brought children?"

"I'll explain," I said. I reach into my pocket and take out the pouch. "I've got the files. The key's inside."

Resalia pulls her gaze back to me. "Any problems getting them?"

"No, but I've got other bad news."

"We'll talk in the interrogation room." Resalia reaches forward to take the pouch and freezes. 

I follow her gaze to where it has locked onto my hand. Or rather, the blood on it. I frown. "I—"

As the last of my adrenaline fades away, a sharp pain stabs through my side. I stumble. Resalia catches me. "Medic!" she shouts. "Alert the doctors in the infirmary."

My head droops. In the dim light of the base, I catch a glimpse of a small hole in my coat. The blue cloth around it has turned a deep purple. "Not a stitch," I mutter.

The pouch, now forgotten, slips from my bloody fingers. I hear Caroline start to cry again. I want to comfort her, but Resalia helps onto a stretcher. A memory surfaces in my head, and instead of Resalia next to me, it's Valerie looking at me with concern in her eyes. The pain from the guilt is almost worse than my injury. "I'm sorry," I whisper.

I black out.

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