Jay was woken by the sound of metal clashing with metal as two Watchers walked through the room banging lengths of metal pipes on their cages. Two other Watchers followed behind with keys to unlock them. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, Jay shrugged on her hoodie and pushed the sleeves up above her elbows. Then she folded Crow's blanket before passing it through the bars back to him.
She lingered in the safety of her cage for just a moment after the Watcher turned the lock and then swung herself out. She flinched automatically as a Watcher barked down the room. "Get a move on you lazy bastards. Food's getting cold!"
Cringing away as the Watchers stalked back past her, she heard one of the new Cheaps mutter something under his breath.
"Keep your mouth shut." She hissed at him, glaring. The last thing she need was some idiot Cheap stirring up trouble. Then she saw the man standing next to him and she stopped dead. "No" she whispered, staring at the apparition in front of her. Morgan. She felt like she'd just been kicked in the stomach, no, like someone had shoved a knife in her chest- and she knew what that felt like. He was just stood there, staring at her in disbelief.
Morgan was frozen to the spot, staring at her face, somehow unable to believe this was real. He felt his throat tighten as he saw the extent to which his friend had changed. Gone was the confident, cheerful woman he had once known. He could see it in the way she held herself, as though she was trying to make herself as small as possible, as unnoticeable as possible. Her stance was fearful and on edge, as though an attack could come from anywhere.
Her close cropped hair was shorter than it had been in the Coastguard footage, somehow it made the nasty scar around her eye stand out more, making her look cold and dangerous. He swallowed, trying to think of something, anything, to say. But what do you say to someone you haven't seen in three years, who has changed out of all recognition?
The pair were stock still, like statues frozen in time, as the rest of the Ghosts filed past them, all aside from Crow, who was crouched at the entrance to his cage, watching them intently.
"JJ" he finally said, his voice cracking as he did so, utterly unable to move.
"Morgan" She whispered his name, her voice trembling. As her shock subsided, she felt the cold hand of despair clawing at her heart, followed by a searing flash of anger. Why is he here? Oh God, I know why he's here. She shook her head. It doesn't matter now, there are only two possible outcomes. He dies or he becomes like me... Becomes a killer.
Crow looked at her in confusion. He tapped his forearm with his index and middle finger then turned his palm upwards. You know him? Jay nodded once in reply. How could Morgan even bear to look at her after everything she'd done… Then it all came back to her in a storm; a flood of memories she had fought tooth and nail to forget. She could feel her eyes watering and panic beginning to rear its ugly head. She grasped the hilt of her knife to stop her hand from shaking.
Morgan's eyes widened and he took a step backward, his eyes flickering to her exposed forearm; to the cuts that lingered there as a permanent reminder of her guilt. "JJ it's just me."
Jay had never felt so ashamed. He must think I'm a monster. How can he even bear to look at me? I must disgust him. She hastily pulled down her sleeves and looked away, her eyes locking with Crow's. "Let's go." She muttered sadly. Together they turned to leave.
"JJ, wait, I'm sorry." Morgan stepped forward to grab her arm, to stop her leaving.
Her reaction was automatic, as was Crow's. Both immediately tore their knives from their sheaths and Crow placed himself protectively in front of Jay, his blade at Morgan's throat. "Back off, Cheap." He hissed threateningly. Morgan raised his hands in surrender, his heart pounding; he had no doubt whatsoever that the man in front of him would kill him without hesitation if he perceived him as a threat.
