The Rogue

four - A new deal.

“Our sources uncovered that video six months ago” Adam was explaining the history of the video and how he came to find out that it was me, but I couldn’t focus on anything he was saying. My mind was years away back in the past, wading through memories Id long buried, and long denied that now changed my whole reality.

It was the bob-cut girl that cut him off, she gently placed her hand on my arm giving me a gentle reassuring squeeze. I sniffed, trying to calm the crying but the tears still streamed down.  

“I’m Alessia” Her thick Italian accent made her name sound like music. She looked like the type of woman my roommate jess would hang out with, her pitch-black bob, deep brown eyes, and flawless porcelain skin, she hardly seemed real.  She gave me a smile before taking my hand, leading me from the computer room. Alessia walked me through the kitchen, and out into a small lounge, sitting me in a squishy armchair before disappearing. The guys followed along each slumping into an armchair or couch except for Adam; He sat himself down at my feet, his proximity confusing, almost as If he was guarding me.  

The living room was just the same as the kitchen and dining room. Plain white walls, grey carpet, white shutters, and simple grey sofas. I had a feeling that they either hadn’t been living here long or they didn’t intend to be staying here long.

Alessia returned with a plain white blanket, she wrapped around me snuggly, Before Joining Seth on the couch. I couldn’t handle the silence any more than I could handle the memories swirling in my mind.

“Who the f**k tasers girls in their kitchen?” I mused out loud whilst wrapping myself tighter in Alessia's blanket. I was still wearing my thin gown from the event and the night chill was making me cold. My hand flew to my mouth as I realize what I’ve said. Seth and Bryce were laughing, Alessia looked horrified before glaring at Adam who looked un-amused by my attempt at morbid humor.

“I guess we do” Seth laughed making me smile.

“That’s not funny Seth” Adam glared at him.

“Come on it's a little funny” Seth smiles. Adam runs his hands through his hair frustrated then leans closer to me.

“We are part of the order of Orion, a global network, beyond the law and the government. We technically don’t exist.” I look at the wound on my arm; it’s circular a perfect O.

“It’s a microchip, we will know where you are at any given moment” Alessia explained.

“It will be removed when you are released” Adams's voice softened and the room feels suddenly small. I look at him; his eyes show no clue to his thoughts.

“But I don’t know anything” I whisper, focusing on him, trying to get any clue to his thoughts. He shakes his head. “I have my order and you clearly know more than you realize”

The tears were slowly subsiding, being replaced by a cold numbness as the truth slowly sank into my new reality. Years of nightmares, years that had shaped my life and my choices, years of my mum lying to me and all of it had been real. I look at Adam and then at the others, all sitting waiting patiently. They are strangers to me but they want to stop my father- and that was enough for me to trust them, at least with my story.

“When I was 10 I spent a month in the hospital. I had a virus at least that’s what my mum told me, she said I was in a coma for two weeks and that I had almost died. My father never came to see me. The day I was discharged was the day my mum moved us to Byron. The nightmares started after that. My mum and my doctor told me it was post ICU syndrome, just nightmares but it always felt too real”

“Was that the only time he experimented on you?”

“No, if my dreams are real then that was only the last.”

“What did that liquid do?”Seth’s brows were furrowed, I could tell he was furiously thinking about something.

“I don’t know what it was supposed to do, but it made noise in my head. Noise like every TV channel is playing at once. It got louder and louder until I couldn’t handle it.”The four of them stared at me with shocked expressions. They all clearly knew more than me.

“The few scraps of Intel we have on your father is that he’s trying to develop as he says the next level of human” Alessia’s tone couldn’t hide her distaste.

“And you thought I was willingly a part of it?”I looked at all of them, they all had thought I was in on my father's human experiments.

“Well, you have been spotted with him at multiple events.” Adam shrugged.

“I took a gap year after college to work and try and save enough money to attend an out of area university, but I realized one year wasn’t going to be enough, then I overheard my mum telling my father not to contact us on the phone, so I reached out to my father and struck a deal. He wanted his daughter back in his life, I wanted to graduate debt-free it seemed like a good deal at the time.” Just a few months ago I was ready to leave Byron and now I wanted to crawl back to its safety.

“You never wondered why your father was suddenly interested in you?”

“I did but I wanted out of Byron I wanted to go make a life for myself, I felt he owed me at least that.” Adam seemed satisfied by my answers, his posture relaxed a little bit, watching him I felt the exhaustion creeping up and struggle to stifle a yawn.

“What time is it?”

“It's just on 3 am. Sunday morning” Bryce answers. He is similar to Adam stone-faced and hard to read, only quieter.

“You should get some sleep,” Alessia said yawning herself but I shook my head.

“Not yet… My father wants to bring me to all these different events, what If I use that to get information for you, will let me go?"  I knew it was a long shot and I knew I could be dancing with another devil, but I needed to take this chance.

"It's not that simple...”Alessia warns.

"I’m in " the four of them look at each other each with their own looks of concern as to who would make that call. I wasn’t surprised when it was Adam to speak.

"Ivy Hale, The Order of Orion accepts your offer of service. Until we release you, you are ours. The penalty for betrayal is death." I swallow and nod, he holds his hand out and I shake it. With that said, Bryce Seth, and Alessia take their leave, leaving me alone with Adam.

 "While you are working for us, you will stay here with us,” Adam said calmly as he took my hand in his, helping me up from the armchair. Together we walk down the empty hall into a plain bedroom with just a double bed in the center, white sheets, and a black backpack sitting neatly on the floor by the door. Adam ushers me in before shutting the door behind us. The door to the small walk-in robe I’ve spent the last 2 days locked sits open. I look at Adam confused. “all the rooms are currently full but you can sleep in there” he points. Cautiously I wander to the wardrobe. Hesitating in the door something seems off.

“The fire at the hotel, was that you?”

“Those hotels have some faulty wiring…”

My jaw drops at Adams's confession. He seems amused by my horror and a dazzling smile graces his face.

“Relax, no one was hurt or killed… just After seeing you with that blond i***t I decided to speed things along with collecting you”

“Thank you” My cheeks flush as I remember Evans's proposition on the deck. There is something lingering about Adam that I can't put my finger on a sort of strange familiarity like I’ve met him before. Looking into the room that was my cell for just the last few hours, and the proximity to where Adam makes me feel uneasy.

“Adam? I am, safe here aren’t I?”

“You are one of us for the time being. You are safer than you were before. I promise you that”

Still, I hesitate until he realizes what I meant. He pulls out the device and brings it to me. He stands just in front of him, the hints of his cologne entice me again. Now Adam and I are alone, I can look at him fully. He’s tall, muscular, athletic but serious, he's young but his green eyes reveal the inner wisdom he possesses. I could picture him, sitting drinking a fine whiskey and reading books that I could only dream of comprehending.

“You press it against your target, and press this button” he explained before placing it in my palm, wrapping my fingers over it, It’s heavy for something so small.  

“Maybe practice it on that not boyfriend of yours” he smiled a warm smile. I laugh and go into my tiny room. Wrapping myself in Alessia's blanket, I cocoon myself, praying the dreams don’t come. Still, the tears fall. Beyond the door, I hear sheets ruffle but then silence makes me feel alone.