The Cougar

Arguments

          ~~~~~~C.J.'s POV~~~~~~

   I woke up to a dim lit room. I was still laying on Lyle's chest. I laid there for a minute enjoying the warmth radiating off of him. I could hear his heart beat and his deep, steady breaths. I slowly got up trying not to wake him. He looked exhausted yesterday. Getting up, I soon got really light headed. "Holy, Hell," I said as I stumble towards the door, not as quietly as I had hoped. I heard Lyle get up.

   "C.J.?! What are you doing?" He practically jumped towards me. He put my arm over his shoulder, and he wrapped the other one around my waist attempting to steady me. He slowly walked me to the couch.

   "You really need to rest, C.J.," he said. He said more to me but I wasn't really paying attention. I was paying attention to the lamp behind him.

   "C.J., are you all right?" he asked. "Your eyes turned orange."

   "Why is the light getting brighter?" It was so strange. The light kept getting brighter and brighter. It was almost unbearable. It was giving me a headache. Until finally everything was dark.

          .............

   I woke up and acting on instinct I almost threw Lyle into the floor before Scott held me back. Lyle pushed my shoulders back to the bed.

   "You're okay, C.J., you just need to rest," he said. I attempted to sit up again until he pushed me down again.

   "C.J., this isn't up for debate. Your stomach started bleeding again last night. You passed out from lack of blood flow to your brain," he said.

   "Well, I'm fine now and I'm sure as hell not staying here all day," I replied to him annoyed.

   "C.J., he's right. You really need to rest," Scott said. I really wasn't in the mood to argue with him.

   "Fine," I said.

   "Hey, don't worry. I'll be back at lunch," Lyle said. What he didn't know is that when I said I sure as hell wasn't staying here, I meant it.

   "Okay, see you then," I said as they walked out of the room. Then, I proceeded to quietly get up and go outside through the window. Thank God we were on the first floor. I made sure no one that knew of the whole kidnapping thing, and I blended into the crowd outside. It was warm outside. I loved just soaking in the sun. It was like the warmth washed everything, all the weight I carried, off my shoulders. But unfortunately it didn't.

   About a mile out I could smell Stryker and two other people. I wasn't going to freak anyone else, so I decided to risk seeing him myself.

          ~~~~~~Lyle's POV~~~~~~

   I went to class trying to immediately find Sylvia and tell her to keep her mouth shut about me and C.J. I looked everywhere for her, but I couldn't find her. I decided to find Felicity instead.

   "Hey, Flixs, have you seen Sylvia?" l asked her.

   "No, actually I was about to ask you the same thing," she replied back. I was starting to get nervous. Sylvia hardly ever left the institute.

   Felicity wrapped her arm around my neck. "Look, I wouldn't worry. Sylv is probably just visiting her brother," she said. I would believe that, but Sylvia only went to hang out with him on his birthday or some holidays. I tried not to worry, though.

          ~~~~~~C.J.'s POV~~~~~~

   I had been walking the through the woods for about 45 minutes before I found Stryker. As I got closer, I started to decipher the people with him. I had hope  it wasn't true, but when I saw her, my heart dropped. I saw Sylvia on her knees with an inhibitor collar around her neck. Her wrists were tied behind her back and a gag around mouth. Her head was dripping blood for what looked like a blow to the head that could easily knocked her out.

   "Hello, Cougar, or is C.J. what you go by now?" he said.

   "Stryker, whatever you want she has nothing to do with it," I growled at him.

   "Oh, but she has everything to do with it," he said "So here's how things are going to work, you're going to do whatever I want you to do, or the girl gets bullet through her skull."

   "Are you insane?! Like I would ever work for you again," I said yelling.

   "Fine," he said pulling his gun out and putting the barrel against her head. She let out as much of a whimper as she could muster being as dazed as she was.

   "Stop!" I yelled. "I'll do whatever you want. Just, please, don't hurt her," I said giving into his demands.

   "Good, you'll leave this place and find me using this," he said handing me a phone like device. "but first things first. Emma!" he called. A taller, blonde woman came into my view. She held he fingers to her temples. My head started hurting incredibly. Stryker walked towards me. "And let me make myself clear, if you tell anyone of this, the next time you see your friend she'll be in a casket." I saw Sylvia struggle to get free. Stryker took his gun and hit her in the back of the head, and she fell to the ground. My head still hurt like hell I didn't have any idea what Emma was doing, but the next thing I knew I was back in the court yard with Lyle running towards me.

   "C.J., what are you doing out here! I told you to rest!" he said obviously annoyed.

   "I have to leave, Lyle," I said pushing him out of the way. He quickly grabbed my arm.

   "What do you mean you have to leave," he said confused.

   "I can't explain right now, but I have to leave the institute. I promise, as soon as I can I will explain, but right now, I can't," I said pulling my arm from his grip.

   I walked into the institute and into my room. I started packing my one bag, leaving anything I didn't need. I changed into my black skinny jeans, black tank top, and hiking boots. I heard footsteps and then Lyle walked into my room.

   "C.J., what are you do-," he stopped. I realized my tattoos weren't covered up. "How long have you had those?"

   "Two years. And Lyle, I know you're confused. I just can't tell you anything right now, but I promise as soon as this is over I'll come back and I'll explain everything." I kissed him one last time and started heading out the door.

   Lyle chased me down the stairs. "C.J., I think you need to sit down," he said. I rolled my eyes.

   "Lyle, I'm fine. I swear. I have to leave," I replied back to him.

   "C.J., I'm sorry, but I can't let you leave. You're sick and you need to rest until you've healed," he said.

   "No I'm not and I've healed enough," I said turning around, only to be jabbed in the arm with a needle. "LYLE, STOP!" I yelled pushing him back.

   "Hey, it's okay. Just relax, C.J.," he said. My eyes became heavy and I fell. Lyle caught me, and I tried everything I had to push back but he wouldn't let go. Nothingness rushed towards me, and I couldn't stop it from dragging me away from reality.