Traitors

I see panic on Mae's face, but I can't register what words are leaking from her mouth. I can't even manage to read her lips. She grips my shoulders and shakes me slightly hoping to pull me from my trance, but I'm gone. My vocal cords vibrate as though I responded to her. I'm not sure what I said, but it seems like it's the answer she was looking for. She grabs my arm pulling me toward the balcony. She weaves us through the crowd over to the door and forces them open. The faint smell of cigarettes wanders into my nose bringing me back to reality.

Mae releases my arm rushing around the ficus placed on the balcony. I attempt to follow after her, but a hand grips onto me keeping me from assisting her. I swing around as a fist collides with my cheek. My nose stings not fully healed from my scuffle with Gabe. I turn my head back and witness the blonde beauty attached to my arm. I thrust my fist at her throat which lightens her claws from my skin. I tug my gown up slightly so I can kick my leg around forcing her hand off my arm. She holds onto her throat gagging.

"Lucky shot." She's Russian. "I'm not supposed to kill you." She flips her golden curled locks over her shoulder. "Although, I've broken the rules before." She scowls. "But I probably shouldn't kill you right now."

"Are you done?" I respond to her in Russian which stuns her. "I've got things to do."

She rolls her eyes forcing her leg up, but I latch onto her ankle throwing her off balance. I twist it and she cries out a swear in Russian. I yank her leg down, but she jabs me with the heel of her shoe. I kick the back of her knee and she tumbles to the ground. Mae calls out causing me to look away from the Russian. Fierce lies on the ground passed out with a cigarette still burning in his hand. I turn back and the Russian is at the door giving me a wink.

"That was fun." Her accent is thick. "You give him kiss kiss for me when he wake up." She puckers her lips before disappearing into the crowd of people.

I release a frustrated sigh seeing my breath in front of me. I rush over to Mae who is shivering due to the freezing night. Fierce's forehead glimmers with sweat as it rolls down the side of his head. I kneel down next to him rubbing my thumb over the twenty-one tattoo on his cheek bone and slowly lift his head with the rest of my fingers. I whisper his name a few times, but he doesn't respond. Mae runs her fingers through her hair trying to determine what is wrong. She pastes her ear next to his mouth and then down to his chest. She grips onto his wrist and presses hard.

"Got a pulse and he's breathing." She murmurs to me. A chill runs up my spine as I'm finally aware of the cold. "How much champagne did he drink?" I shake my head knowing that wasn't what knocked him out.

"He's been acting weird since he got back from an assignment yesterday." Mae scrunches her face in confusion. "He's been hiding something, but --" I cut myself off and touch my call button on my ear piece.

I eagerly wait for answer, but we jolt back when Fierce's eyes start fluttering. Quela's voice echoes into my ear as I watch his eyes roll in the back of his head. My breathing picks up as panic starts to set in. I look to Mae hoping she knows what to do because I'm too scared to even touch him. I step away from him to recuperate.

"Phoe, what's wrong?" Quela asks.

"What happened yesterday?" I demand an answer. "Fierce stepped out for a cigarette and now he's passed out." I bite down on my lip drawing blood.

"We ran into some Russian chick who doesn't play well with others." She sighs. "I didn't even know she was there until it was too late. Fierce took a hit, but wouldn't tell me how much damage he took." I turn back to Mae who seemed to figure out the source of the problem.

"Where?" I ask walking back over to him.

"I think his back." I click my ear piece off.

I peer over seeing blood stained across the back of his white dress shirt. Mae takes in a deep breath and forces Fierce onto his side. She barks for me to loosen his tie and I obey. Mae fiddles with his shirt examining his back the best she can. She sighs shaking her head and looks up at me. Fierce's hand reaches over to me lightly gripping onto my wrist. I tilt my head to get a better view of his face where I watch his eyes slowly open and focus in on me.

"Welcome back, chief." He takes a deep breath glancing around the area. He appears unsure about where he is and why he's on the ground. "We're gonna get you home, okay?" I look up at Mae who agrees with me.

The door to the balcony opens and a pale man trots out with confidence. I rise to my feet ready to knock him out, but Mae quickly stops me. He holds a questionably concerned look on his face as his eyes skim over the three of us. He adjusts his black plastic framed glasses exposing the tattoos on the back of his hand. He extends his hand toward me with a gentle smile.

"You must be Phoenix." I cautiously reach for his hand. "I'm Peter, Mae's fellow." I look toward her as she rolls her eyes.

"THE fellow." She huffs backing away from us and back to Fierce. "He's my husband." She crouches wrapping Fierce's arm around her neck. "You guys can chat later." She growls lightly. "Dear, be a dear and help me get him up." She demands.

He releases my hand rushing to Mae's side. I crouch down and help them get Fierce off the ground. He chooses me to lean against even though Peter tries to get him to put more weight on his side, but it seems to put him in more pain. Mae leads us back inside and tells us to try to act as normal as possible. Luckily for us, Mayor Fierce is giving a speech in the hall which has everyone's attention. We make our way toward the exit in the shadows avoiding any looks. All except one.

I'm starting to believe his smile is painted on. He keeps his eyes locked on me as he gives this empowering speech to his colleagues and friends. They clap every few seconds when he makes an "inspiring" remark. I keep a strong gaze trying not to show any fear. I ask Mae to fill in for me as I'm drawn in to whatever lie he plans to tell. She quickly jumps in helping Peter get Fierce out of here. I fold my arms across my chest not breaking eye contact.

"Change is always in the air and even though we can't see it, we can feel it. I can feel something major coming our way." His smiles deepens. "I know we will find those traitors." The room fills with cheers, but I remain calm. "It's only a matter of time before one of them slips up, I promise." My eye twitches. "And when I promise something, I keep that promise." I dig my nails into the skin on my arm. Claps echo throughout the room. "Please raise your glasses and champagne flutes." Glasses rise to the air, but I raise my middle finger. "To us, because you can't spell United States without US."

I stick my tongue out and place my index finger in my mouth faking the gag reflex. Everyone in the room begins to take a drink from their glasses and I head toward the exit. I can't remember the last time I heard this country referred to as the United States. The country has been divided into three separate divisions and hasn't been the United States for quite sometime. I don't even know if they could even mend the country well enough to bring all the divisions back together. At this point, it seems impossible.

I eventually catch up with Mae, Fierce, and Peter as they are nearing his parked car. He leaps from their shoulders gripping onto his car. His hands fumble along the handle of the driver's door. He struggles to get it open, but eventually does and attempts to climb inside. Mae rolls her eyes pulling him from the door and into my arms. She slams it shut before opening the backseat door. She grabs onto his shoulder and forces him into the car face down along the seats. She hands the keys to me ignoring my hesitation.

"Okay, Phoenix will drive us back to his place."

"Don't make her drive." Fierce mutters from the still open car door.

"Peter," Mae continues ignoring him, "take our car and meet us there. His place is closer than the hospital and anything I need will be there anyway. I don't know how he hid this, but there is a cut on his back which looks infected and he's got a crazy fever. I'm going to see if I can do anything or tackle a plan on what to do when we get there." Peter nods giving her a kiss before running off toward their car. She looks up at me noticing horror in my eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Logan." I beg hoping he'll get me out of this.

"Don't make her drive." He repeats louder. She turns her head at the door wishing she closed it.

"What? You a bad driver or something?" I stare at the keys in my shaking hand.

"I --" I struggle to formulate words.

"Maeve!" Fierce barks with anger. "I said do not make her drive." His growl is intensified from the pain he's feeling. "I'll be fine until we get there. Just drive." She snarls toward him, but gives me a compassionate look when she slowly takes the keys from my trembling hand.

She slams his door shut and gets in the driver's seat. I rest my head on the side of the car feeling defeated. The car starts up and I rush to the other side hopping into the back with Fierce. He rests his head on my lap and I run my fingers through his hair. His forehead singes my freezing fingers and I realize his fever is worse than Mae led me to believe. I keep them pressed against his head hoping to cool him down, but it only seems to heat my fingers instead.

"I like when you use my first name." He whispers so quietly I'm surprised I even heard him.

"I think the same thing when you use mine." I respond into his ear.

Fierce doesn't stay awake for long, but his breathing is steady. I stare at him in awe realizing he remembers more than I thought he did. I haven't been behind the wheel since I was in an accident two years ago. The day I met him, or so he told me. I don't remember meeting him in my car, but I do remember meeting him in the hospital. The doctor told me he was exceptionally brave for doing what he did since he could have been arrested if an officer saw him crawl into my car and call for EMT's considering I was hit by a government vehicle. I don't remember the accident well, but from what the doctors told me I was lucky to even be alive.

I remember Fierce explaining he was apart of a group of rebels and after awhile, I agreed to assist in any way possible. I eventually tried to drive again, but the second I got behind the wheel I had a panic attack. I had flashes of the crash causing me to freak out and he was there to witness it. I was embarrassed at the time, but he brushed it off like it was nothing. Saying something on the lines of, "It's okay to have a fear."

The car ride is painfully quiet and uncomfortable leaving me wonder what else Fierce remembers or knows about me.