Tainted Blood

Chapter 18

The night had reached its peak as they re-entered the streets, beginning the trek back to the barn where Spencer knew a very pissed off Emily was waiting. Fires had been re-lit, homes reopened, and a steady heat began filling the street. Elias walked in silence as they walked, swaying from the weight of the duffle bags on their shoulders. Neither had said a word to each other since leaving the warehouse, the farthest was making small hand gestures to alert if another patrol was coming. Three blocks they had made it before a woman, manic in nature began walking for them, her steps were laboured but her eyes clear as walked past them, her shoulder colliding with Spencer hard enough make her stumble back. She had finally felt the absence of the mask she no longer donned as the woman stared at her. The smile on her face widening before she walked off into an alley. Elias nudged the bag that had fallen back to her shoulder before continuing their way.

The hurried steps of people rushing in and out of the barn could be heard as they neared the back entrance. Healers, cooks and leaders alike quickly dismantled the bags they had placed on the ground. Each sorting food, clothing, toys and other children's items away. Behind her, Elias disappeared to the upstairs room intime for them to hear Emily's voice carry over.

"What do you mean the guns weren't there!" Emily yells at an informant, their posture submissive as they cowered away from her. Hearing Spencer clear the landing, Emily whirled to her.

"Emily. Back off." Jonathon hissed from the corner he sat in, the chair beneath him groaned against his weight.

"We checked the crates, we checked the containers," Spencer began, watching as Elias positioned himself near the door, "they weren't there."

"It didn't look like a break in," Elias countered, completely composed, "the crates were untouched, like you said, its possible they were held at another facility."

"No, they weren't, the other facilities are guarded by two infected. We took precautions to ensure this wouldn't happen. Either they were never there to begin with, or someone tipped them off." Jonathon hissed towards Elias.

"I don't exactly know what you're suggesting, Kova."

"You know exactly what I am suggesting," he spits, "ever since you came here, you've been glued to Spencer's side; our greatest asset. You've been seen lingering around hallways, listening in on conversations, and this morning, so bravely volunteering yourself to accompany Spencer on the mission."

"Jonathon. Enough." Spencer hissed from where she stood.

"No one else apart from those in my trusted circle knew."

"That isn't why your targeting him and we both know it." She spat, her muscles tensed as she defensively stood in front of Elias.

"I don't know what happened between Metropolis and the week it took me to find you, Spencer, but I barely recognise you."

"I suppose I could say the same for you."

Jonathon hissed, rising from his seat, he pushed the chair against the wall in one fell kick. "We move out in an hour; I suggest you prepare your things."

Emily glared at Spencer, knocking her shoulder against hers as she walked from the room. Elias remaining at the door, "I don't need you to fight my battles for me."

Spencer ran her hands through her braided hair, running along the inside of her jacket. They both watched as a small, folded slip of paper floated to the floor, a red wax seal pressed into the side. Elias pushed himself off the wall as Spencer picked up the small note, cracking the seal and opening the paper.

Dearest Sister,

I write to you in haste, I fear Father has finally lost all reason. The countless meetings and plans have become more and more violent, more rushed. He claims danger is coming to our family and has since barred Mother or myself from leaving the premise of the manor. The city is in shambles, the Favela is burnt to nothing, the people displaced. New Haven has reached new levels of lawlessness and cruelty.

He has issued a new line of guard, Peacekeepers, he calls them. I understand why you left, why you did what you thought was right but now I fear for your life. I have always sworn to protect you, even when we were small children. So please, heed my warning, he is coming, I do not know where you are, or if this letter will find you but prepare, for he is almost complete with his plans, and you have become a mere obstacle.

With love,

Alistair.

"Alistair." She whispered, the letter shaking in her unsteady hands, the whites in her eyes showing as she stared at the neat, precise lines of cursive writing.

"Spencer?" Elias spoke, his hand lightly touching her shoulder. Her brother, still forever her protector had warned her, had not forsaken her for what she had revealed when leaving; that she had become a sympathiser. Slowly, Elias pulled the paper from her hand, skimming the writing and cursing under his breath. She vaguely registered Elias mentioning Jonathon before taking her hand and pulling her towards the makeshift war-tent.

"Jonathon. You need to see this." Elias handed the letter over to him, Spencers eyes following the action. Jonathon noticed the look in her eyes, gently took the letter.

"Shit," he ran his hands over his face, reading the letter again, "shit!"

He burst out of the tent, the action drawing Spencer out of her trance-like state and rushing after him. Jonathon walked across the dirt road, and straight into a beaten building, a trap lazily thrown over it to protect its occupants from the harsh elements. Two authority that she did not recognise lazed into two chairs against the far wall, a bottle of amber liquid between them as well as a detailed map, across lay figurines, markers, and chalk to show where the enemy was. Both snapped to attention as he entered the room, Spencer, and Elias in tow.

"He's moved up the timeline." He spat, handing the letter to them, "the bastard must have gotten wind of another riot and moved up his plans." A string of curses sounded through the air. She watches as colour slowly leached from Jonathon's face. The urge to comfort him was dull in her chest as she watches the steady panic spread from his features.

"Then we should do the same," she announced, "we move closer to the wall, we send in a small, auxiliary unit to scope the land and find the best vantage point."

"That will take time, time we don't have the luxury of anymore, it would take a week alone to move this camp, two to form a unit capable of breaching the wall again and three to find a vantage point. By the time, he could have initiated whatever it is he's planning, and we would have lost."

"So, we're fucked." Elias spat.

"No," she hesitated, spinning on her heel, her mind running through multiple possible scenarios, one stuck clear in her mind, Anna. "We take five, five highly trained, capable of close combat, we breach the wall the same way I came in, but the far side, they will be too busy reinforcing where I broke in rather than a small unit breaking out. We rendezvous with Anna in the Favela. She has enough of a team that we could hold off a force until we send the remainder through. We move camp tonight, closer to the wall."

"It could work." Someone in the room chimed.

"When we get to Hennessey," She turned, her eyes falling on Jonathon, "he's mine."