Till Deceived Do We Part

There was no small explosion first, and then a secondary one. It was one. One solid, firey explosion. There was no sound, either, which was the strange part. One second I was staring at Lincoln’s face, and the next second...

The whole house went up. Blue flames licked high into the sky, dark clouds of smoke already rising into the atmosphere. Everything went dark and quiet.

The explosion was big. Too big. Flint’s car was engulfed in the flames, as was the ground right in front of us. The impact and force of everything hit us, and this was one time that some cliche’s fit. In a movie, you always see the running bodies that dive just as the building explodes, and they get debris hailed around them. It was semi true.

However, we didn’t die. Flint, along with myself, were awed at the explosion, so we were caught unaware. The impact hit us both, sending us airborne. I’m sure I’m screamed, but it was if everything was muted. I couldn’t hear. Everything was just an eerie silence.

My body slammed into the ground, Flint not far from mine. Rocks dug into my back and my whole body screamed in pain and protest. Flames licked my skin, which was my incentive to move, despite the pain. I let out a yelp, again deaf to my ears, and scrambled away. Ashes hailed the sky, raining down as if the world depended on it. I coughed, trying not to inhale the smoke. I stumbled away from the flames that were dangerously close, only for a force to knock me down.

My body slammed into the ground again, and again, my body screamed in protest. My eyes were watering from the smoke, but I made out Flint’s face. He was on top of me, his eyes, however, looking where I had been. I looked too.

Flint’s car, or the mesh of metal that was left of it, was burning in a black molten heap, where I had been. He scrambled to his feet, yanking me with him. Again, I looked at him. He was black.

Ashes coated his hair, his face and his clothes. He looked like he had been burned alive, but I knew better. I’m sure I looked worse. He held onto my hand, and I let him. I couldn’t worry about the fact that he was touching me now. Now I had to get away. I had parked far enough away that only ashes and some random debris had hit it. The front windshield had been shattered, from some flying object, but it was still standing. It had four wheels and wasn’t on fire. So it would work.

Flint quickly dropped beneath it, when I offered no keys. I probably should have kept a better eye on them, but after finding out I had a brother, almost being raped, and almost blowing up, I was just amazed I was still standing. Screw keys. We both knew how to hot wire. I let Flint do the deed as I climbed slowly into the passenger side.

I made sure not to use my bad arm at all, and to watch the pressure on my left ankle. My breathing was heavy, and I felt my whole body sink into the chair, as a weird type of numbness took me. It was all just too much.

My eyes stared at the house. Or the spot where it should have been. Billows of smoke were in the sky, and while there were still a lot of blue flames, orange and red now joined in, dancing alongside it’s companions. Ash covered the sky, and the ground looked like a graveyard with body parts scattered. But they weren’t body parts, they were pieces. Small pieces of fragments that didn’t explode, covered in ash.

I looked again at the smoke, and knew that the police would be here soon. Along with the fireman, but I couldn’t find it in myself to care. I was just... numb.

The roar of the car starting rang through my ears, but I made no movement. Flint climbed in, brushing off as much glass as he could from the seat, and shifted into gear. He glanced at me, as if expecting something. Maybe a thanks? Maybe some advice? But I gave none. Finally, he spoke. But his voice was quiet and deliberately held back. He was angry, but he wasn’t showing it.

“Your jeans,” he murmured. I glanced down, the numb feeling still coursing through my veins, it was almost relieving. Jeans? Oh.

I felt the disgust roll through me again. I tried to push them away, but I couldn’t. It had been close, too close. My body shuddered and my fingers trembled as I did the zipper back up, and buttoned them. It took me a couple tries to get it, and when I did, I immediately looked away. Even if everything was black, when I stared down, all I could see was him. His fingers on me, his eyes watching, his body...

I shut my eyes tightly, blocking out the image. He was dead. There was nothing I could do now. I just had to move on. Continue on.

I had to get to Zane. I had to help him. With that thought, I realized where Flint was taking me. Obviously to the base. But I couldn’t go back, I couldn’t.

My hands fiddled with the door handle. Flint reached over, his hand landing on mine. He looked into my eyes, but didn’t slow the vehicle down.

“Don’t. You’re in no condition.” The scary part? He was right. So I dropped my hand, closed my eyes, let out a shuddering breath, and let the darkness take me.

“Get the medics.”It was a quiet sound, but it chased the darkness away. Blinking, I sat up, making my whole body groan in the process. My head ached, a throbbing taking place in between my eyes. My arm was pulsing, and it was tingling so bad I couldn’t even move my fingers. My ankle was swollen, I could feel it. My whole body ached from being slammed down so many times. All in all, I had better days.

I looked around, the smooth rolling of the car almost relaxing. I glanced back, to see the guard station disappearing behind us, as Flint drove the car up to the doors. He even went on the grass, ignoring the pavement. Medics? I wasn’t that bad.

My eyes landed on the base, which was now obscured by the darkness of night. Flint must have taken the back roads, if it was so late. I didn’t blame him. We were both black, and one look at the car would show that we were at the scene of the explosion.

A part of me relaxed seeing the base. It was safe. It was home. Another part tensed. I needed to get to Zane. I needed to. But as I thought it, no conviction was behind it. I was just so worn out.

Flint got out, so I fumbled with my door. Finally, Flint opened it for me and I dropped out. Weight slammed on my bad ankle and I gasped, my whole body losing composure.

Hands steadied me as pain blinded me for a moment. I quickly blinked it away. I made sure I put most of the weight on my good ankle, and I limped to the door. The hands hesitated, before leaving. They were close, though. He was close. Hovering.

Flint went a head of me, once I made it up the stairs, to go through the un-locking steps. He did the scans and whatnot, and when the door opened, he held it. Worst of all, I let him. I didn’t even bother my mind with thinking of the oddity of Flint acting nice. Of Flint saving me. I just couldn’t think of it now. All I could think of was Lincoln. What he had said. What he had done.

“Jeez,” I heard the word hissed out, the voice familiar. I lifted my head, my ash filled hair falling to the side.

Jake stood in front of me, his eyes on me. When I had left, they had been angry. If he was still angry, he hid it well. For I didn’t see a slice of anger. I saw pain and fear.

“Andrayka?” His head snapped to Flint.

“I already called the medics. They should have woke Dr. Hennesy.” Dr.? No. I didn’t need a doctor. I needed Zane!

“No,” I ground out, surprised at how soft my voice sounded. I put distance between myself and Flint, limping slowly away. I didn’t know where I was going right now, but I wanted away.

“Her pants were open,” I heard Flint say, his voice quiet, designed for me not to hear. “I think he tried to...” I spun, ignoring the searing pain in my ankle. I glared at Flint, but he didn’t seem phased. Was I that far gone?

“Andrayka,” Jake said gently, approaching me. His eyes were gentle, but I still felt tense. This was the man who had lied to me. Who had kept something so big from me. “You need to let Dr. Hennesy have a look at you. Spend the night recovering, and in the morning you can expla-“ he was close. Too close for someone who had to lied me my whole life. I didn’t think. I just acted.

My good hand lashed out, my fist hitting him across the face. His head whipped to the side, surprise filling his eyes, but not pain. Flint was there in a second, moving me away from Jake. I shook off his hands and glared. What bugged me though, was Flint wasn’t even mad. As if I couldn’t even be accountable for my actions right now.

“Drake? Just calm down. You’re safe here.” Jake murmured, no sign on his face that I punched him. Had I thrown it that weak?

“Safe?” I echoed, my voice shaking, making me cringe.

“Yes. Safe. It’s your home, an-“

”Home?” I echoed again. “A place I can trust?” I whispered, my eyes not leaving his.

“Yes, Drake.” I shook my head, my breathing increasing. He was still doing it. Still lying to me, and hearing it made my heart clench painfully.

“I can’t trust here.” I murmured, backing up. Jake frowned, as did Flint.

“I think you’re confused,” Flint said. “You had a rough night. Get some sleep, then we’ll talk.” Confused? Maybe. Rough night? Yeah. But I wasn’t getting any sleep until the truth came out. Jake’s eyes were boring into me, and they seemed so lost. So worried. A part of me wanted to drop it. Pretend it never happened and that Jake had never lied to me. It was a small part, though.

“Were you ever going to tell me?” I asked, my voice still strangely quiet. Jake frowned.

“Tell you what, Drake?” He glanced at Flint. “Who did she go meet?”

“I didn’t see. Just heard him yelling.”

“Lincoln.” I answered. Jake spun his attention back to me. “I got a message to him.” I continued, not sure why I was babbling. “I was being followed, after being with Dane. One of his men. I sent a message with him, for him to call me.” Jake was still frowning, as was Flint. I gave a weak little laugh. “He called. We agreed to meet.” Jake continued to stare, where Flint looked confused.

“And you went?” Still calm for Flint. He was holding his anger back, thinking I was too weak to take it. That annoyed me more than I cared to admit. “He had the place rigged, Drake, you could have die-“

”No. I had the place rigged.” I said, correcting him, but my eyes never leaving Jake. “I wanted information. I didn’t get it.” Flint let out a breath, his hand running through his hair.

“We’ll talk in the morning, you need to get to the Doctor.” A caring Flint was turning out to be more annoying than the normal one.

“He did tell me some stuff, though.” Jake’s eyes closed as he let out a small sigh. When he opened them, I saw regret and again, pain. He caught what I meant.

“Andrayka, I-“

”No!” I screamed at him, pleased that my voice had actually rose. “My whole life you lied! Damn you! Damn you, Jake!”

“I had reasons for not saying anything, please believe th-“

”Shut up!” I yelled, my voice searing. “I have a brother, and you’re saying you had reasons? My parents were killed over my brother, and you had reasons? I was almost killed because of reasons? Screw you!” My chest was heaving, my vision blurring, my body searing, but I stood my ground.

“How did you rig the place?” Came Flint’s voice. Had he known I had a brother, also? Right now, I didn’t care.

“Issaiah.” I didn’t say it, though, Jake had. “Am I right?” I gave a small nod, but I continued to glare at him. “We’ll talk in the morning, Andrayka. We have a lot to discuss. So go to the doctor, get some rest and then... well, I’ll see you in the morning. And that’s an order.” He turned to Flint as anger filled me. It was weak, however, I was just too tired to be truly angry. “Take her there. Then come see me. I want details.” That was the last thing I remember hearing.

The doctor examined me. She stitched up wounds I didn’t know I had, re-bandaged my arm and also re-stitched that. She bandaged my ankle and my head. She gave me heavy drugs for the pain, which also knocked me out. I’m sure that was a good thing, for I didn’t trust my dreams at the time.