A Dark Ghost

Part Three: Chapter Twenty-Two

"Hold on, I'm not following." I held him by the shoulders, momentarily forcing him to stand still. "You think Clancy is doing something? Clancy Gray locked up in a cell Clancy?"

"Yes."

"And how will we know for sure?"

"We pretend we already know."

~

That was how, at midday, I found myself storming across the Ranch towards Clancy's room. Of course, being in the current situation, I had to ditch a packet of tissues covered in blood on the way. The cough was back, and it was worse. But right now, I only had one priority. I didn't even want to think about what would happen if Nico was right. If he had done something to Ruby... God, he'd have had access to everyone and everything that happened at the Ranch.

I burst in, not caring how the door slammed behind me, shocking Clancy upright. He had been reading another book, and the stack by his cot had only been growing in the past few weeks.

"What the hell are you playing at?" I really hoped Nico's plan would work. He stood by the door, hesitant.

"I see this isn't a friendly call. Nicolas, go." Clancy waved his hand and Nico's eyes went blank as he left the room and shut the door behind him. Just like that, we were alone. "Don't worry, he's going back to monitor the suicide mission you sent your little friends on."

I closed the distance between us in a heartbeat, my fist raised and aimed at his head. "Say that again, I fucking dare you."

"I said," he paused for effect, "He's going to monitor the suicide mission you sent your little friends on. You know the one, right? Sawtooth?"

My hand opened flat and the crack as I slapped his face almost made me wince. The red hand-shaped mark was already appearing, and Clancy paused to wipe his hair out of his face slightly.

My voice was shaking, and I struggled to keep it steady. "I know you did something to Ruby. Tell me what it is and maybe I'll let you live."

"If you hadn't figured most of it out, you wouldn't be here." Nico's suspicions were confirmed, at least partly. Unfortunately, he gave nothing away, so I was forced to change tactics.

"Tell me what you did," I said through gritted teeth, "And I won't just let you live, I'll make sure your mother never gives you the cure procedure."

I saw the change in his face, I saw how his resolve flickered for a split second.

"It's too late. It's all rigged. I suppose you want to know everything?"

I surprised myself, "No. Just Sawtooth."

"Ah, it amazes me how much you people care for each other. I won't tell you anything other than this— they're going to need to expect some company. I doubt you'll get the message to them in time, I heard the signal down here is awful. Wouldn't know myself, what with being cooped up in here—"

Not caring in the slightest about anything else he had to say, I left him mid-sentence. The clock was ticking, not just for me but for Cole and Liam as well. I ran to where I knew Nico would be.

"Nico I need a burner phone, a notepad and a pen. Where's Alice? I need her too."

Without missing a beat, he chucked me one of the spare phones and pointed towards a stray piece of paper. I shoved it in my pocket and went to find Alice. She had just finished talking to Ruby and was walking down the corridor in a huff. I grabbed her and pulled her into the nearest room.

"I need your help. It's urgent, I can't explain it but if you don't hear from me in the next 24 hours I need you to show it to everyone here."

"What's—"

"I said I can't explain it." I was already setting up the area. "It will take less than ten minutes, it's an emergency."

She gave up her camera and sighed.

"Do I even want to know?"

~

Less than twenty minutes later I was racing through the building again until I got to the garage, where I found Chubs, Vida, Ruby and Zu. Ruby was in a rush but I couldn't let her leave.

"Guys." I took a deep breath. "I need to go do something, it's important. I'm saying goodbyes now so we don't all get emotional, okay?"

Ruby was first, I gave her a hug. Then I picked up Zu and held her tightly. I really didn't want to be doing this. I wanted to explain. But there just wasn't enough time. Vida resisted when I wrapped my arms around her but in the end, she gave in and let me hug her. "Jeez, boo. Anyone would think you're not coming back or something!"

The realisation finally hit home that I probably wouldn't be coming back. I knew where I was going, I knew the danger. I knew what was on the line. By the time I turned to Chubs, he was crying too and practically refused to let me go.

"Is it soon?"

"If I don't do this, I'll die trying."

"Knowing you, that's a serious possibility."

I let him go and he took a step back, letting Ruby, Zu and Vida look on in confusion. Family comes back. 

Not this time.

The last person to say goodbye to was Nico. I had to check to see how far away Liam and Cole were from Sawtooth, and I gave him a hug before going— without skin contact, I needed Chubs' telekinesis for this.

"Wha—"

"Take care of yourself. For Jude."

And then I was on Liam's bike, leaving straight away and thanking Christ that he and Cole had gone in a car. There was no point in trying to contact them, the best shot I had relied on me getting there in time. I had less than two hours to get to them. Or, as I had so beautifully put it before, they would be literal smoking toast.

God help anyone who crosses my path on the way there.