BETA's LOVER

Chapter - Ten

MACKENZIE

"This is our farm, where all the cattle are taken care off," Jazmine spoke, gesturing towards the farm house in front of us.

After we were done with introductions, Arthur announced he had some town things to look after along with Alistair and Cylon. Before leaving, Alistair took a glance at me and shot me a smile. It was that kind of smile where you could sense their warmth and sincerity. And here I was left confused.

Why was he like this with me?

Like what?

Like- flirting? No. More like making me feel comfortable. Yes this.

But why?

I was at battle with my own self when Jazmine told us that she will show us around the town and have a fun relaxing time here.

So here we are now. It sure was a nice farmhouse, located on the other side of the town, fully surrounded by green, fresh air and a small lake. Did i mention that a part of this town was located near mountain? Well yes, particularly the farm house was located here near the mountains. Usually the mountain's have visible steep and sloppy edges but here the mountains are fully covered with greenery to have the sloppy edges be invisible to naked eye. Adding more beauty to the place.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, feeling the cool air hitting my inside. It felt nice, making me bathe in it's coolness.

"You seem to like this place,"

I opened my eyes upon hearing Jamzine's comment. I turned around to find her looking at me, looking pleased.

"I like quiet places," I answered in a relaxed tone.

Nodding her head, she turned towards where Quinn was petting a goat. I also went towards them and found a baby goat in the ring where they were kept. The baby was so cute and had shiny brown fur. As if it could read my mind, the baby came running towards where i stood, it's long ears flapped around her face. I crouched to its level, stretching my hand and gently caressed her.

Annndd, yes before you question how did i knew if the baby goat was a male or female. I looked at its jewels. There... you have it.

So it was a her.

I might come as bipolar to you but trust me i am not. I am just an ambivert- a little more on introvert side- that has anger issues. Just like any other introvert, my thoughts are way more interesting and funny than the words that escape my mouth. And i like it that way.

"Let's go. I have so much to show you," Jazmine exclaimed excitedly and looped her arms around Quinn and me.

The townspeople didn't stop and stare as they did before. This time they glance at us and talked in hushed tone. But one look from Jazmine and they would scurry away. We visited a small market where you could find clothes to food and household items. We ate a few things that Jazmine practically gave in our hands to taste their town's snack.

"They are not bad," Quinn commented, as she snapped her fingers- to get rid of the crisp- onto the now empty plate that she was holding.

"Hmm," I rather took a aggressive bite from the snack that i was eating which Jazmine bought for us. I felt my extrovert side leaving me alone with my introvert one. If you an ambivert you would understand.

We both now stood shoulder to shoulder and silently watched Jazmine who had big smile on her face and was ordering more snack for us.

I was now running out of my social battery. I had way too much of interaction for one day and now i needed my bed and my room. I could feel my bones jump in glee at the thought but the bubble burst as Jamzine shoved a plate full of another delicacy to my hands.

"It's too much food," Quinn responded, but her hand was already on the food. Making me roll my eyes at her.

"Thank you for all the food. But I rather go and rest a little," I informed them of my thoughts and hoped they would follow or else i would ditch them here and go back myself.

"Oh. But there is a small tea party arranged by the women of the town especially for you. You are guests here and we all treat our guests courteously and respectfully," Jazmine clarified, titling her head a little and her hands held out towards us.

"Tea party. Hmm. We should definitely go and thank them for their warm gesture! " Quinn said, slightly nudged my arm with hers.

I only turned my head towards her and looked into her eyes with a raised eyebrow.

I won't go.

You have to! I can't go alone.

Yes you can and you will. Cause i can't handle talking for a whole day.

"Well?" Jazmine questioned as she saw us glaring at eachother.

Quinn shoulders drop and turned around to look at her.

"I will go. Let her rest, she is a boring person anyway," My head jerked at her direction in surprise. Quinn only stuck her tongue at me, making me roll my eyes at her childish act.

"Oh haha. It would have been nice to have you there as well, but if you insist," She spoke gesturing towards the pathway in front of us.

"Take this path and you will reach the end of this market. Then from there you will find someone to show you the way! " And with that Jazmine linked her arms with Quinn and both were gone in a second in the crowd, like a gust of wind.

I stood there blinking my eyes, awkward. Shoving my hands in my pocket, I started walking down the path while keeping the distance from the people. As soon as I was out of the market, i took a deep breath and blew it off from my mouth.

Peace. No more noises.

I smiled to myself and was about to stride down my way when a figure suddenly appeared in my line of sight. With narrowed eyes,

I looked up and met the gaze of the hazel eyes—eyes I knew all too well. My gaze instinctively followed the curve of his lips as they turned into a small smile. Blinking, I refocused on him—Alistair. I took a step forward to walk past him but he blocked my path.

"You're really going to walk away without saying hello, are you?" He asked, his shadow falling across my path and a small grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Yes," I said, raising my eyebrows at him, my expression neutral.

Alistair chuckled, as if he wasn't the least bit surprised. "Well, that's a first," he said, a playful gleam in his eyes. "Usually, when people see me, they can't resist a greeting."

"Maybe I'm not like everyone else," I replied, crossing my arms over my chest,

Side stepping around him, I started walking away, unsure of where to turn next. All I knew was that I needed to get away from him.

My mind seemed to short-circuit whenever he was near.

"Where are you going?" He called from behind,

"Guest room,"

"That's not the way, dear. You need to follow that road to reach to your direction," His tone had a teasing glint to it.

I stopped dead in my tracks, my patience running thin. "Don't call me that," I said, my tone stern but not harsh.

I turned around to find his smile unwavering, and those hazel eyes gleaming with something I couldn't quite place. That damn dimple on his cheek tempted me to reach out and touch it. I clenched my fists, refusing to let myself fall for his charm.

"Call you what?" He tilted his head, feigning innocence, shoving his hands in the jeans pocket, though I could see the playful spark in his eyes. He knew exactly what I meant.

I swallowed the urge to respond and kept walking toward him, determined not to show any sign of weakness. I won't fall for your tricks, I reminded myself.

Without another word, I brushed past him, taking the right turn on the path, hoping to escape his relentless presence.

"You misunderstood, dear," he called out after me, his voice still teasing. "I called you 'deer,' as in the animal, just because you resemble them. Don't overthink it."

I paused but didn't turn around and heard his footsteps approaching me. Gesturing me to follow him, he walked ahead of me. He might be right, I thought, but I wasn't about to admit it. "Dear" and "deer" might sound the same, but I wasn't going to let him win with his little word games. I stayed silent and walked behind him, not engaging.

But if he did say "dear," who cares? My life already had enough drama without adding anything else.

Lost in my thoughts, I kept my eyes on him when, suddenly, he looked back at me. I quickly jerked my head to the right, trying to hide the fact that I'd been caught staring.

I bet he was smiling.

"How was your day? Did you have fun with Jazmine?" He decided to break the ice with a simple open question. But it made me take a deep breath.

"It was fine," I answered, nonchalantly.

My bangs were going crazy on my forehead and some of them even hit me in the eye cause of the wind. The weather suddenly became windy. Looking up, i found clump of clouds riding the air hiding the sun away, the fallen leaves seems to soar high in the sky.

"It will rain today," Alistair muttered, glancing at me and then back at the sky which was becoming dusty with time. The wind stroking his brown hair making them look messy which suited him more.

"Seems like it," I whispered, pushing the bangs behind my ears, irritated with them now.

"Finally, you agreed with me on something." He chuckled, that cocky grin spreading across his face.

I shot him a deadpan look. "Don't get used to it," I muttered, resisting the urge to smile. "It doesn't happen often."

"Well, I will take what I can get," he said, stepping closer, his voice teasing.

"Will you lead the way? It's going to rain," I said, keeping my eyes on the path ahead, trying to pretend I wasn't the least bit affected by his presence.

"Okay, okay. You have such little patience," he said with a teasing grin, tapping my shoulder lightly as he passed me.

I pushed my bangs out of my face with one hand and marched forward, my steps deliberate.

Patience? I've already spent a fortune of patience on you!

The words echoed in my mind as I stared at his back. He chuckled again, and I blinked in surprise, focusing back on him only to realize he hadn't even glanced at me while laughing.

I rolled my eyes, doing my best to ignore this insufferably charming, frustratingly handsome man.

"Here you go," Alistair said, his voice softer this time, almost soothing. "Rest well. See you soon."

The warmth in his tone almost made my heart flutter, but I quickly reminded myself, Don't fall for his sweet words.

And he was gone with a smile on his face, leaving me outside the building where we were currently residing. Shaking my head to

get rid of unnecessary thoughts and climbed up the stairs to the direction of the guest room.

So much in one day.

I never had this much interaction with people in my job as I did here- today.

But deep down, I want to have a carefree chat with people and listen to their stories.

However, remembering my past, the pain, the countless sleepless nights and losing the trust in people had me open my eyes- once again.

Don't let their kindness or facade weaken you. Whatever their true intentions are, stay guarded.

After showering, i felt much better. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, my bangs slightly longer than before, covering the upper half of my eyes. My eyes rolled towards my nose pin, holding it with my fingertips, i rotate it around making me feel calm.

Brushing my wet hair with hair brush, i tread towards the window. Pushing the curtains away, I opened the lock of the window and gave a little push forward and it swung open. The windowsill was high upto my waist, so leaning against it, I crossed my arms over my chest and looked at nothing in particular. My view consisted of the forest and few buildings in line with this one. The tall tree branches sway under the pressure of strong wind. The sky was not dusty as before may be cause there was no plain ground here. This town was mostly covered in green. It was slowly turning dark as grey black clouds were coming into view from a distance. Sighing, i zoned out in the scenery in front of me.

The door opened roughly and slammed against the wall making me startle and quickly using my brush as a weapon to defend myself against the intruder. But instead my eyes found a fearful and worried Quinn, her hands shake as she walked inside the door.

"Quinn! Oh god, what happened?" Throwing the brush away, i ran towards her and grabbed her by her shoulders to support her.

"Mack. I- you were right. They are lying to us! I-i-"

"Quinn. Relax. Take a deep breath and tell me exactly what happened," making her sit on the bed, i quickly went out of the door to see if anyone was eavesdropping on us. After making sure everything was clear, closing the door behind me, i walked towards Quinn who had gone silent and stared blankly outside the window.

"After the tea party, as I was on my way back here, i happened to come across a few people. One of them was talking into a phone, so i stopped him and asked if the signal tower was working fine now as there was an issue a few days back. He said there was never an issue in the tower to begin with and the phones are working perfectly fine, even yesterday," Quinn spoke in one go and left me speechless.

So my suspicions were not wrong!

Why were they holding us hostages? For what exact reason?

"Quinn. We need to get answers and if that gets us nowhere. We have to run away no matter what," I demanded as i held her hands in mine, making her look at me.

She mustered up the courage and nodded at me.

"What should we do? Talk to the head of the town? But what if he lies again? How can we trust his words?" I questioned, my

frustration growing as I paced back and forth, my footsteps echoing in the silence of the room. Quinn sat on the bed, deep in thought, her face etched with concentration.

She didn't answer immediately, and for a moment, the only sound was my restless movements. Then, finally, she spoke, her voice calm but determined.

"The man I met a while ago—the one using the phone—he entered this building," she said, lifting her gaze to meet mine. "Let's find him. Maybe we can convince him to let us use his phone, to call the police or—" Her eyes flickered, as if she had just thought of something else. "Or Jack!"

I stopped pacing, my thoughts racing. "But what are we going to tell them? We don't even know where we are." I ran a hand over my face in desperation, the weight of our situation pressing down on me. "We are stuck in some random place with no idea how we got here. How can we explain that to anyone?"

Quinn's expression remained steady as she stood up from the bed, a spark of determination in her eyes. "I know," she said softly.

"But we don't have many options. If we don't act, we might end up in danger. We need to try, even if we don't have all the answers yet."

I shook my head, the overwhelming sense of helplessness creeping in again. "What if he doesn't even let us use the phone?"

Quinn stepped closer, her voice unwavering. "Then we try something else. We can't sit here and do nothing. We need to take the first step, even if it's uncertain. Trust me, we'll figure it out."

I stared at her for a long moment, my mind still racing. Her determination was contagious, but doubts lingered. Still, I knew she was right. We had no choice but to act. And if we didn't trust anyone else, we had to at least trust ourselves.

"Alright," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "Let's find him. But if this goes sideways, we need a backup plan."

Quinn nodded, already moving toward the door. "We will make it work. We always do."

We'd spent what felt like hours carefully sneaking through the building, staying as quiet as possible, just in case someone noticed us. Quinn's eyes stayed alert, scanning the corridors while I kept my head down. We were on edge, but we couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we found him. The man from earlier—the one who'd been using the phone. He was sitting alone in a small, dimly lit room, a cigarette dangling from his fingers. He looked up in surprise when we entered, his gaze

flickering between Quinn and me.

"You," he said, looking at Quinn, who gave him a small smile. He looked confused as he looked between us, "What do you want?"

I took a step forward, my tone firm but polite. "We need to use your phone. Please. It's important."

He hesitated, clearly weighing his options. I could see the calculation in his eyes, the hesitation before he finally sighed, flicking the cigarette away. "Fine," he muttered. "But make it quick."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me as he handed over the phone. Quinn took it, her hands trembling slightly, but I could see the relief in her eyes too.

Just as Quinn was about to dial, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. My stomach dropped. We both turned, and before either of us could react, the foot steps stopped. There, framed in the doorway with that infuriatingly confident grin, was Alistair.

His eyes swept over the scene, landing on the phone in Quinn's hand, and then shifting to me. "Well, well," he said, his voice smooth, almost amused. "What do we have here? Trying to make a call without me, are you?"

My pulse quickened, but I kept my stance steady. Not now, I thought, but it was too late. Alistair was already leaning against the doorframe, his gaze never leaving us.

"What do you want, Alistair?" I snapped, my patience wearing thin.

He raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "I just came to see how things were going. But I see now—this is interesting." He stepped into the room, his presence filling the space as if he owned it.

Quinn's grip tightened around the phone, but she didn't say anything. Her gaze flickered to me, silently asking what we should do.

I could feel the tension mounting. Alistair wasn't just going to let us use the phone without a fight. And from the look in his eyes, he was enjoying every second of it.

"We don't have time for this," I said, stepping forward, trying to keep my voice calm. "We need to make a call. Mind your buisness,"

He chuckled, unfazed. "It is my business, dear" His eyes narrowed, his smile fading slightly as his gaze flickered to the man who had given us the phone. The man shifted uncomfortably, the fear in his eyes creeping in as he stood up and left the room.

Alistair took a step closer, his tone growing darker, yet still oddly soft. "You don't want to be caught in the middle of this. Trust me, it's better for everyone if you just let this go."

I stood my ground. "No. You're not in control here anymore."

His gaze held mine, the playful glint in his eyes fading, replaced by something colder, more calculating. "I think you'll find that I am. I am not here to hurt you."

I couldn't guess what he was planning, but I knew one thing for certain—we couldn't let him manipulate us now, not when we were so close to breaking free from this mess.

Alistair's gaze shifted between Quinn and me, his smile still there, but something darker flickered behind his eyes. The playful teasing was gone now, replaced by an unsettling calm.

"You really don't understand, do you?" he said, his voice smooth but with an edge of something I couldn't quite place. "You can't just make calls without our permission, even though you're our guest. It's the rule. That's how things work here."

I took a step back, instinctively putting some distance between us. "We don't have time for this, Alistair. I need truth."

"And I am offering it," Alistair replied, his voice calm, almost soothing. "Sit down. Let's talk this through. I can solve all your problems, but you need to listen, No more running around, no more confusion."

I glanced at Quinn, who hesitated, the phone still in her hand. Alistair's presence filled the room, and his words seemed to draw her in, despite herself. He made it sound so simple, so easy.

"Don't listen to him," I said under my breath, but Alistair seemed to hear me anyway.

"Trust me," he continued, his voice low, coaxing, as he took another step forward, closing the space between us. "What's the harm in hearing me out? You don't even know where you are, and yet, you think you can solve all of this on your own? Let me help." His words were like a pull, a subtle gravity making it harder to resist.

I opened my mouth to protest, but Quinn finally lowered the phone and nodded. "Let's hear him out," she said quietly.

I wanted to argue, but something in the way Alistair stood, so calm and sure, made it hard to resist. Reluctantly, I stayed silent and listened to what he has to say. He smiled, the victory in his eyes clear.

"Good girls," he said, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "Now, let's talk, but in the office. Too many ears here,"

"Will the leader or head of the town be there?"I asked as we followed him, my eyes fell on the phone that he was gripping tightly in his hand.

Alistair glanced back at me, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Leader? You mean Arthur," he said, dragging the words out like he was savoring my slip of the tongue. "Yes, he will be there."

Arthur's office was on the upper floor from ours. Alistair lightly tapped his knuckles on the door twice and led the door open for us. He stood beside the open door and signaled to enter with a raise of his eyebrow. I walked inside and was met with an unexpected guest. Cylon and Jazmine wore same questioning looks as they looked at us and then at the back probably at Alistair.

"We have something to discuss, leader," i could sense the teasing tone in his voice as he spoke from behind.

I rolled my eyes and didn't react to his comment.

Well, you just did Mackenzie.

"Please sit," Arthur spoke, gesturing towards the sofas on his left.

We took a seat and Alistair also joined the club and stayed to watch.

Shit, if anything goes down. We are doomed for sure. They are more in number than us.

I sneaked a glance at Quinn, who was looking a bit anxious. So i straightened up and made an eye contact with Arthur.

"You had some questions to ask him. Go ahead," Alistair urges us and to my surprise stay silent about the phone incident.

"We wish to leave, so I am here to pick up my car keys," I said, my tone casual but pointed. "I assume the car is ready to go?" I added, subtly nudging Quinn's arm to signal the intent behind my question. I wasn't going to mention the phones directly—

Alistair's silence spoke volumes, and I needed to tread carefully.

"Uh well Miss Mackenzie, the car is quite not yet ready, i am afraid you might have to stay a few more days,"

"Why do you keep mentioning to us about staying here? What's the exact reason?" I exclaimed, my voice controlled. I clenched my

jaw in tension.

"There is no particular reason. The accident happened on my area of authority and i have to bear the responsibility to look after you. We are trying our best to repair you car as soon as possible," Arthur spoke, in a calm and composed manner but this time i noticed how Jazmine stood tensed beside him.

I looked at Cylon, whose face remained emotionless, but now that my senses had returned, I could see the tension in his posture.

His hands were clenched tightly, his body rigid.

They were hiding something from us, and my gut was never wrong.

"You know very well that if you're holding us against our will, we can have you arrested, right?" I said, my voice laced with

defiance. "Or are you all just gangsters? Because that would explain why you're keeping us here like hostages!"

I knew it didn't make perfect sense, but the situation was completely irrational, and nothing about it felt right.

"That's enough," Cylon's voice was calm, but there was a sharpness to it. "You don't have to disrespect us. We've been honest with you. We haven't lied or had any ill intentions toward—"

"Bullshit!" I interrupted, standing up in a rush, the words pouring out before I could stop them. I glared at him, my frustration boiling over.

I felt Quinn's hand on mine, her grip tight as she gently shook it, silently urging me to calm down. But it was hard. The tension, the confusion—it was all too much.

Taking a deep breath, i looked back at them.

"I don't know what game you all are playing. But i know for sure that you are lying to us. We found the truth from your town people that there was never an issue with the signal tower or whatsoever," I laid it out to them.

Arthur slightly nodded his head and glanced back towards my right, making me look as well in confusion. Only to make eye contact with Alistair who stood leaning against the door with arms crossed over his chest and and for once, his expression was serious. In that brief moment, there was an unmistakable, silent exchange between him and Arthur.

Alistair rubbed his stubble thoughtfully, then gave a nod toward Arthur.

"Please take a seat. We will tell you everything," Arthur spoke, gesturing towards the sofa behind us.

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