The Strays
Chapter Twenty-Six

I found Colt anxiously pacing the sector’s border. Drew was nowhere in sight. When he finally noticed me, there was relief in his eyes and he ran towards me, quite literally sweeping me off my feet as he twirled me around.

I couldn’t help but stare into his eyes as the world spun around us and I almost wished it wouldn’t end, which it inevitably did as he set me down with an apology. “I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have done that, but I was just so relieved to see you I couldn’t help myself.”

I took a deep breath and just went for it, kissing him as he held me in his arms. Time seemed to stand still in that moment, and I felt untouchable, even when we finally pulled away.

“Even after all of this time, you are still able to catch me off guard, still so full of surprises. Caelyn Lewis, you’re the greatest puzzle I have ever stumbled upon and I am so glad to have met you.”

“I’m glad we met, too. It might be the only good thing to have ever come out of this fucking nightmare.”

“What made you change your mind?”

“Defusing that bomb with Ace, all I could think about was you and my brother, whether you were both safe, if I’d ever see either of you again. For the first time in a long time, I actually found myself wanting to live. I actually cared if I survived and I realised it was because I care about you. When I think about you, I get butterflies in my stomach. I have to try so hard to focus so I don’t trip on every word. You infuriate me, drive me crazy with how protective and rude you can be, but I also wouldn’t change any of that for the world. When I’m with you, time stops, the world stops and for a moment I forget just how bad things are. You’ve given me something nobody else ever has. You. You gave me hope and helped me find a purpose. You allowed me to believe in something again.”

“Alright, who are you and what did you do with the real Caelyn Lewis, shapeshifter?” He teased as he held me to his chest, his fingers combing through my hair.

“When I’m with you, I’m the person I was always too afraid to be.”

I heard footsteps behind us and once again Colt protectively pushed me behind him as we came face to face with Ratchet and, to my surprise, Razael, who bore a look of loathing so hateful, it froze me in place.

“Your friends think they’ve won. They’ve corralled Delilah’s people, as well as my own operatives in the city, halving my forces; now they’ve seized years of intelligence and research, putting them in a position of power I covet, a position I’ve worked hard to earn. They’re about to learn that their victory is soon to be short-lived.” Raz glowered as Ratchet raised a gun and pointed it at Colt.

“Lucky for me we only need one of you alive, and unfortunately for you, pretty boy, that’s dear, sweet Caelyn, so I get the pleasure of tearing her heart in two by killing you right before her very eyes.” Ratchet grinned malevolently.

“Now, Ratchet, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. For the moment, we need him because he’s going to pass on a message to Sean like the good little errand boy he is.” Raz informed her, and her grin contorted into a snarl.

“You said I could kill the traitor.”

“And I meant it, but right now, he serves a purpose. As soon as that changes, you can do with him as you like.”

“Nobody is doing anything to Colt, and he’s not delivering any messages for you because I’m not going anywhere. Walk away whilst you still can, before my brother and the rest of our friends arrive.”

“Awe, you’re so cute when you’re mad, your face scrunches up like an angry little squirrel. Honestly, you have so much going for you it amazes me that you’re still a virgin, though I’d gladly fix that. I could show you the time of your life, just say the word.”

I couldn’t hold Colt back as he charged at Razael, and I was helpless as a familiar ringing sound echoed in my ears. He hit the ground in front of me and I collapsed by his side, tearing off his shirt to assess the wound. The bullet was lodged in his arm. I could see it, but I didn’t have the resources at my disposal to remove it. He slowly sat up, recovering from the shock, a confident smile on his face. “It’s just a flesh wound. I’ve overcome far worse. Quit worrying about nothing, Cae.”

I pulled his knife from my pocket and placed it in his hands. “I said I’d get this back to you and now I have.”

Colt shook his head. “Whatever you’re thinking of doing, don’t. It isn’t worth it.”

“I’m sorry. There’s no other way.” I got to my feet, hands behind my head as I stepped towards Raz.

“I’d think very carefully about your next move.” Ratchet warned, her gun still trained on Colt. “The next bullet I put in him will be fatal.”

I stopped in my tracks and dropped to my knees, hands still behind my head. “Do what you want to me. Just let him go. He’ll pass on your message.”

“What makes you so certain?” Raz asked sceptically.

“Because no matter what message you tell him to pass along, no matter what you do to me, I know Sean won’t break, he will never give you what you’re after, not even to save me, that was the deal, so go ahead, take me, it won’t change anything.”

Raz made Ratchet lower her gun as he calmly walked over to me, lifting my chin so I was looking him directly in his eyes. “You would really give yourself up to save this pathetic traitor? How pitiful. You showed so much promise but it would appear you’ve gone soft, just as Ratchet predicted. Such a shame, you could’ve been great, alas I digress, you’ve chosen your side and regardless of your beliefs, you’ll still make excellent bait. Perhaps we can even find time to get reacquainted.” He chirped as he dragged me to my feet and threw me into Ratchet, who quickly latched onto me with a tight grip.

Colt reached out to me, but Raz crouched down in front of him, obscuring his view. “Tell Sean if he ever wants to see his baby sister again, the two of you will bring the virus and Wraith’s files to the E.A.D. base camp outside of the city. If I see anyone but you two, she’s dead. The same goes for if you try any of your funny tricks. I’d hate to see a flame as vibrant as Cae’s snuffed out so prematurely.”

Colt went to reply, but before he could find the words, Raz kicked him in the face, knocking him out, silencing him as I cried out.

I was dragged over to a motorbike and thrown on the back, unable to do anything as I was forced to leave the city.

When we arrived back at the base camp I was greeted with hostility and aggression by the very people, I’d once called my friends, only now I was seeing them in an entirely new light, They were just as bad as the Elites, as power hungry as Delilah and far more ruthless than any Hellraiser I’d ever met. I glared at each one of them in turn, my blood boiling as the memories of my time at the camp resurfaced. How could I have been so naïve back then? When it was so plainly staring me right in the face the entire time.

“Keep moving.” Ratchet barked at me as she pushed me forward, leading me to the holding cells where she’d made some modifications.

“You didn’t have to go to all of this effort on my account. Some might get the impression you and Raz actually see me as a threat.”

“Shut up.”

“Oooo. Did I hit a nerve with that one? Are you feeling a tad insecure because I was Azrael’s best student, not you, that she trained me to be better than everyone else here, that she trained Colt for the same reason, because deep down she knew she wasn’t like the rest of you, that I wasn’t, that Colt wasn’t.”

“If you know what’s good for you, stop talking.” Ratchet snarled in response as she pinned me to the wall and chained up my wrists, then my ankles.

“They won’t come for me. You know that, don’t you? I’m not worth the lives of the hundreds of thousands of people who will die if they give you what you want. They didn’t go to all that trouble to take down Delilah, to then roll over for you, just because you thought you had the upper hand. My brother loves me, that’s something I will never question or doubt, but you’ve seen how this scenario plays out already, you tried using me as leverage against Sean before and it didn’t end well, this time won’t be any different.”

“This time, you don’t have anyone on the inside to save you. Everyone here loathes and detests you as much as I do. Nobody is going to save you. Colt knows how hated you are, how hated he is, how real the threat we pose is, he’ll convince your brother to come, I know he will, because he genuinely cares and neither of them will sacrifice your life, not even for the greater good.”

“You’re even more stupid than I first thought, and I guess Raz isn’t as strategic as that ego of his has him believe. Every plan you’ve made since Azrael vanished has gone to shit, so I guess that shows who the real brains of the outfit were. You see, you think you know my brother, you think you know Colt and you think you know me, but in reality, you’re as clueless as they come. You made a mistake sending me home, and you’ve spent every moment since trying to rectify that, to prove your worth to Raz so he doesn’t dispose of you. Azrael played you. This was always her endgame, even if she knew she might not be around to see it. Azrael trained me and Colt knowing we would be the ones you’d send to Cadence, her two best operatives, the ones that would change everything the moment they saw the truth and you played right in her hands, so congratulations. I was never like you and the others. She saw that from the start. She built on that in hopes I would one day take this whole organisation down, just like Delilah.”

Ratchet gagged me and walked away, slamming the cell door shut behind her. I took a deep breath to gain composure. I had to keep up this appearance of being strong, though deep down inside I was terrified, not that I was going to die, but that Ratchet was right, that my brother would come for me and I would be the reason the city fell despite everything I had done to save it.

“It’s quite the predicament you find yourself in, isn’t it?” Razael’s voice echoed around me, making my skin crawl. “Right, you can’t respond. Why don’t we change that and have an honest conversation, see if we can’t change your perspective a little?” He smiled, stepping into the light and removing the gag.

“Go to hell, you bastard.”

“Still harbouring a grudge, are we?”

“You lied and manipulated me, so yeah, I’m still pretty pissed off, especially when you take into account the fact you helped murder my friends.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it.” He grinned as he stroked my cheek, tucking a stray hair behind my ear.

“Get the fuck off me. You make me sick, you always have.”

“Really? Is that so? That’s not what I heard from the other recruits in your class. Apparently, my lack of attention towards you was quite the frustration.”

I spat in his eye. “I was a stupid kid that didn’t know any better. Now I do and I hate myself for ever thinking of you as anything more than a detestable pig. When we first met, I saw you as someone who could keep me safe, someone who could protect me in a time when I was lost and afraid. I know better now. You weren’t ever the hero. That was just the way I saw you through the eyes of a naïve child. I see you for what you truly are now, a monster, and I want nothing from you, not now, not ever.”

Raz grabbed me by my chin and forced me to look up at him. “Little Indie’s all grown up now and that spark Azrael so fondly nurtured has ignited into a roaring fire. Let’s see how bright that light in your eyes burns after I’m done with you. Don’t worry though, I won’t extinguish it completely. I still want to keep some of that fight in you. After all, I wouldn’t want you to be completely numb when I destroy everyone and everything you love right in front of you.” He pushed my head to the side and undressed me with his eyes as he grabbed me by the throat. “Now, let’s have some fun.”

All I could do was watch in horror as Raz pulled out a knife, Colt’s knife, and started to cut through my clothing, his grip on my throat still firm. I couldn’t fight, or resist, I could barely move and if I screamed nobody would help, I would just be giving Raz the sick pleasure he craved, so I reluctantly submitted, my body going limp. “No quips or witty remarks? How unfortunate. I’d hoped I’d get more of a fight out of you.” He whispered in my ear, his hot breath on my neck as he started to kiss me, his hand still around my throat.

I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t, not even as he pressed the knife to my cheek. “Scream.” He ordered as he sliced into my skin. “I said scream.” He shouted as he dug the blade deeper into my flesh and dragged it downwards.

I let out a cry and his face contorted into a smug grin as he licked the blood from my cheek, the knife lightly travelling down my body whilst he debated where to cut next. The blade finally came to rest on my chest and once again he started to carve into my flesh, kissing the wound as he created a new cut that went down the centre of my body, from my sternum to my pelvis. He traced the line with his tongue, stopping just above my jeans as he let go of my throat and put away the knife, pinning my arms beside my head as he went back to kissing my neck, only this time it was more forceful, his body pressed against mine.

A tear trickled down my cheek, into the cut, and I winced in pain. He let go of my wrists and dropped to his knees, kissing my hips as he pulled down my jeans. Slowly, he climbed back up my body, his lips tracing every fresh cut he’d made as he unbuttoned his jeans and they fell to the floor. I closed my eyes as he grabbed my throat again with one hand, and both my wrists in the other, firmly holding me against the wall so I couldn’t move.

“Open your eyes.” Raz snarled, his lips inches from mine. “I want to see that fire die, so open your eyes.” He bit my bottom lip before kissing me, his tongue practically choking me as I gasped for air. I opened my eyes and, and he stopped, his smile growing wider. “That’s more like it. Now don’t worry, you’re in safe hands. I’ve got plenty of experience under my belt. Usually, for most, their first time can be rather painful, but for you, it’s going to be agony. It’ll be a lot more fun for me that way.”

I screamed in pain as he found his mark, violently moving his body back and forth as he choked me. I couldn’t fight the tears, or him and everything started to tense, making the ordeal hurt that much more whilst he groaned in delight. The movements became more intense, and I continued to cry out, wishing it would stop and, for a moment, it did. Raz climbed off of me and relinquished his grip. “You’re a pretty good fuck for a virgin. Though I think the foreplay could use some work, maybe loosen you up a bit, make you a tad less stiff.” I could barely breathe, my eyes streaming as he wiped the tears from my cheek. “Don’t worry, it gets easier after a few more go’s.” He assured me as his body pressed against mine again.

I tried to look away as he leaned in closer, my soul being crushed by the weight of his body. Was this my life now? Was I just going to be his new play thing until he finally grew tired of me and finally ended it? Was this what was meant when people said there were fates far worse than death?

My mind raced, nausea overwhelming me as he prepared to go again, but before he could, a gunshot echoed around us and he collapsed to the floor. Shock gripped me, choking me, as blood and brain matter splattered across my face. I looked up from the body to see a silhouette in the shadows, dressed entirely in black, their body cloaked, shrouded in darkness.

“Azrael?”

I watched as she pulled down her hood, a sad smile on her face. “Sorry I couldn’t get here sooner. Are you okay?”

“Honestly, I’d rather not talk about it. What’re you doing here? I thought you were dead.”

“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you all about it once we get out of here and stop Sean making a mistake he can’t come back from.”

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