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( 28 一 PEOPLE CHANGE. )
Clara would never forget the look of pure disappointment on Chubs' face when they told him about what happened to Liam. He looked so crestfallen, as though he couldn't believe they would do such a thing.
But he didn't understand. Clara loved Chubs but he was sometimes too narrow minded. What was the alternative? Liam join the League only to turn into someone completely unrecognisable? Clara and Ruby couldn't let that happen.
Clara would take whatever hate filled Chubs could spit at her if it meant keeping him and Liam from the League. Because even though Chubs thought he knew about the organisation, learning everything from Lee, he didn't know the half of it. Neither did Liam, he hadn't been there all that long before he ran. Clara would protect her boys if it was the last thing she did.
Chubs had tried to spin the story in their favour, giving them the benefit of the doubt. Statements like, "You only split up for a few days though, right?" spewing from his desperate mouth. But he knew the truth, he would have to accept it in the end.
"And these kids, they're League. You're both with them?" Chubs asked in dismay, pointing to Jude and Vida who had stood surprisingly patiently behind them.
"They're-," Ruby started before Vida cut over her. "-still standing over here, waiting for an explanation as to who the hell this is." It was clear to Clara by the look on Vida's face that she was no longer finding any amusement in the situation.
Apparently Ruby only just then remembered who she was with, witnessing the whole ordeal because she pushed Chubs behind her taking a protective stance in front of him. One she'd used on Zu many times. "He's no one, he's not any concern of yours," Ruby told Vida desperately.
"Rubes, tone down the dramatics, please? Vi and I aren't here to drag you and Carrot Top back to the League, okay? We're here to help," Clara explained to her with a slightly exasperated tone.
"We were both looped in on your little romantic quest, the only way for Cole to get us out without it looking suspicious was to send us after you two dumbasses," Vida told them.
As the other three continued bickering over the mission, Clara made her way to Jude who had been standing quietly, a red flag that something was wrong. She knew there was no point in talking it out with the others, they all knew Chubs wouldn't leave them again and they wouldn't leave Jude and Vida so there was only one option.
"What's up? You've been awfully quiet over here," Clara questioned him with a smile. Jude sent her a quick smile, one she assumed was supposed to be reassuring but was quite the opposite.
"No, I'm fine. It's just, well he doesn't seem to like us much does he?" Jude said while nodding his head towards Chubs. Clara sighed slightly at his words. Chubs definitely wasn't the most welcoming person but once he accepted you you'd never find a more fiercely protective friend.
But Jude needed a soft hand, he had an arguably shit start to life and it didn't seem to be getting better anytime soon. He liked to see the good in people, something Clara always admired about him. He was unfathomable good.
"Chubs is, well he's Chubs. He's not overly welcoming, he complains a lot, and he goes on long rants, but he's nice once you get to know him. He doesn't mean to be rude, it just comes naturally to him," Clara said.
Jude nodded while staring at his shoes, seeming to be digesting her words.
The sound of tires against gravel interrupted their conversation, sending them scrambling for cover with the others. Clara stared at the figures with narrowed eyes. Black uniforms, military boots that Clara had laced a million times, pistols and Calm Control at their sides.
"It looks like they're PSF's, armed like them at least," Clara whispered to Chubs and Ruby, Vida had slipped off to the side to get a better look.
"I can hear one woman, two men," Ruby whispered. Clara shook her head slightly, straining her ears to listen to their footsteps. Clara leaned in closer to Ruby's ear so she could lower her voice further, "I got one woman, three men." It was then that Vida showed up at their side again, confirming Clara's statement with her findings.
"What's with the house, there are sensors placed on all the corners. We must have set them off," Vida told them. Clara looked up at the house and just like Vida said she could see the sensors dotted around the border. At first she was utterly confused as to why they would have sensors there but then it dawned on her, Liam orchestrated the only mass camp escape ever done.
The PSF's were already too close for them to run away and shooting at them wouldn't work either. They didn't have enough guns and it would only draw more attention to them. They were running out of options and quickly when Chubs turned to Ruby, a desperate look on his face.
"Do you trust me?" he asked her.
"Of course," was Ruby's instant reply. Chubs nodded before rummaging around his backpack and pulling out zip ties. "Then turn around, I need to handcuff you. Clara, get those two in the house."
❊❊❊
Vida, Jude and Clara were crouched down behind the bed of what Clara assumed to be Liam's old room. It still had posters of cars and pictures of Liam and his family dotted around the walls.
Chubs had only briefly explained his plan but Clara was shaking with anxiety from what little explanation she'd gotten. Chubs was going to pretend to be a Skip Tracer that had captured Ruby.
They had been crouched behind the bed for about five minutes, straining their ears to hear Chubs and the PSF's. When the slam of a door and the crunch of wheels of gravel filtered through the room Clara finally allowed herself to breathe, relaxing her tense muscles.
She instantly shot up, holding a hand out for Vida before sprinting into the room Chubs and Ruby were in. "What happened? Are you okay Ruby?" Clara asked frantically when she saw Ruby collapsed on the floor.
Ruby brushed her off, waving away her concern, "I'm fine, just, can you cut the zip ties off now?" Ruby muttered. Chubs snapped the ties from her wrists and Ruby pushed herself up to her feet before holding her hand out, clearly waiting for something. Clara's eyebrows furrowed in confusion when she saw Chubs pull some kind of leather booklet from his back pocket before placing it in Ruby's hand.
"What the hell is that?" Clara asked him.
"Joseph Lister, fugitive PSI recovery agent," Ruby started reading, making a joke about how his weight was the least believable part of the whole situation.
"Christ," Clara muttered, still in shock. "But, Chubs, don't you have to hand over a kid to become a registered Skip Tracer?" Clara asked him in a meek voice.
Chubs hung his head in shame, reluctantly nodding, confirming her suspicions. Clara wasted a few seconds comprehending what he said before marching forwards. Chubs reeled back, expecting her to hit him but instantly relaxed when she pulled him into her arms.
He curled against her, burying his head in her shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to do that, Chubs. I'm so sorry," she whispered just loud enough for him to hear.
It was then that Clara realised that everything had changed. Even if they did find Liam, maybe even Zu, they wouldn't be the same people she knew. They would never be the five kids in Black Betty again.
