Dark Faïz (Book 2) [Completed]

Chapters 10-2

Karl Barthey was standing in front of me when I emerged from my sleep. His hands in his pockets and a serious look on his face, he seemed anxious about Faïz's state of health. Faïz was still lying down, eyes closed. The daylight had lost all its brightness. Indeed, outside, the gloomy and gray weather had resumed its place.

"The doctors were forced to put him into artificial sleep," the inspector told me before I asked about him.

"When will he wake up?"

"Within twenty-four hours, maybe a little less. We have taken this step to complete the mission tonight. He would never have agreed to stay here, at the inn, with the rest of the team. Last night he almost died."

Barthey was right. Suddenly, the image of Faïz's inert body on the bed came back to me, as well as the frightening memory of the medical team trying to revive him while my friends forced me to leave the healing room.

"I don't want to leave him," I declared with a sigh while staring at Faïz's face.

"Yes, I know it well. However, you're going to have to follow me, because I have to give you a report on our meeting last night. After that, we will meet with the others behind the inn to make a plan for the infiltration that you will have to accomplish this evening."

"All right, I'm coming right away. Just give me two minutes."

Our first objective was to be able to move around, wearing a heavy tunic, without using our gravity bracelet. At the sight of the persistent grunts of my two friends, positioned next to me, I suspected that they weren't far from a nervous breakdown. Suddenly, Asarys collapsed on the ground. I immediately lifted my hood and rushed over to her. She was stretched out full length, her head facing the ground.

"Are you okay?" I cried, getting tangled up in my tunic.

"Asarys, shit, answer us!" Lexy said impatiently.

I looked up to find Barthey, Min, and the others standing in the distance, watching us. The distance between us didn't allow me to see the expressions on their faces, but I could easily imagine that they were worried. The wooded area where we were was filled with sakura trees, covered with their first flowers.

"Asarys!" Lexy called again.

She finally moved her arm, lifting it gently in the air, fist clenched. Lexy and I followed her movement carefully, ready to help her, but Asarys then unfolded her middle finger as the only answer.

"All right! Get on with it and put away that finger," Lexy said, getting angry. "The three of us are in the same boat. It's not just you who's suffering, I'm telling you."

Still lying there, Asarys raised her second fist in the air to repeat the same gesture.

"Go to hell!" roared Lexy, straightening up.

My friend walked away from us with a nonchalant gait and ended up getting rid of her bulky, very annoying tunic.

"Lexy is right. We mustn't crack now. If you want, can I suggest you take a break?"

Asarys gently raised her head from the floor. Eyes on the verge of tears, she nodded. I then pressed the little earpiece in the hollow of my ear.

"Karl? We're taking a break."

"Okay, Zoe, five minutes!"

I cringed and tried not to show Asarys anything about my exasperation at Barthey's response.

"You hate me, huh?" sobbed my friend, now seated with her head between her knees.

"Yes!" yelled Lexy angrily a few yards from us. "We hate you! We're all going to die because of you, because you fucking fall every—"

"Lexy! Lexy, shut up!"

Lexy raised her arms to the sky and turned to avoid having to look at us. I spoke to Asarys again.

"We'll start over as many times as we need, and we'll get there. We'll get there together," I reassured her.

She shook her head, determined. It was the first time I'd seen my friend in this fragile state. Her self-confidence was completely gone.

"Zoe?"

Ray's voice in my ear surprised me. "Let me speak to her."

I easily took off my headset and handed it to my friend. She took it without asking any questions. Relief could be seen on her face as she heard the voice of the man she loved. While Asarys listened to Ray's words carefully, I decided to go and join Lexy, who was silently looking at the trees in the garden.

"Can you explain?" I asked her, acid in my voice.

She lifted her shoulders without bothering to look at me.

"How many times has Asarys asked me to stop dancing? Jumping? Moving without my bracelet? If only she had been a little less of a buzzkill and let go a little more, we wouldn't be here today! Look at her, not even able to take two steps!"

"She's terrified, Lexy. And you are, too. That's why you're reacting like this. This mission is not a healthy walk. The three of us are risking our lives tonight."

My friend turned to me and stared at me for a long time without showing any emotion in her eyes.

"No, you're wrong, Zoe. Me, unlike you, I have nothing to lose. Now let's resume training!"

Without giving me time to add a word to her scathing remark, Lexy walked away from me, leaving me nailed in place.