The Uprising

CHAPTER 28

The truth would include telling them about the Three Rings. I couldn't mention that. Hence by the truth, he meant a half-truth.

A friend recommended the job to me for a week or so. There was an incident with Amelia, she accidentally dropped her tray. We went back to the back and cleaned up.

They had already questioned Amelia. All I had to do was strengthen her statement and omit the part where there was a third waitress. Mainly because she's probably six feet under or if she's lucky, locked up in a vault.

"That's all that happened?" Officer inquired. His brown eyes scrutinizes my every move.

The room had a wooden table with one chair at each end.  A bulb hanging from the ceiling cast an orange glow around the table leaving the rest of the room dark.  The dark glass on the right side of the wall made me anxious.

Was this an interview or an interrogation?

"Yes, that's all that occurred," My voice tremble as I answer and suddenly I feel cold.

The sound of shouting comes from outside. The officer immediately places his hand on the holsters that neatly clings to his waist, then cautiously went through the door. The rapid sound of shots rippled through the air.

Amelia came in wearing a gas mask that covers her entire face. "Let's go," She toss a mask in my direction.

"There is tear gas out there."

I slip the mask on following her into the chaos.

The station was filled with confusion. Screaming, crying, and coughing are the dominant sounds. Thick white fog covered the hall so much so that I could smell the gas through the mask—it smelt like vinegar and it burnt my nose.

"I want to find Atticus," I tell her

"You will see him once they break him out."

"Just go I will find him." I insist.

I didn't wait for her response. I push my way through the officers crawling on the ground and the multiple canisters that are lying around. The lock-up was easy to find since the emergency release went off leaving all the doors open except one.

When open the door, Atticus was there on the bed staring up at the ceiling. He seems at peace.  I stare at him bewildered. When he noticed my presence, I take the mask off since the gas wasn't too strong here.

"Why aren't you escaping?"

"Because I don't want to."

"What do you mean by because you don't want to? Your team went through a lot of trouble to get you out. I'm risking my life by being here." He sigh, gets up, and walked over to me.

"If I leave right now, I'm admitting that I'm guilty. If I stay I have my chances of proving my innocence."

"What if you lose?" I ask out of fear.

"I never lose so it's safe to say that won't be the case."

He was brave. I would run but he's choosing to stay. "You could run. Leave the country and never come back."

"If I do that Wade wins. That's why I have to stay even if I might lose. The Three Rings doesn't run."

At least I know where those words originated from. "The others already left. You need to go before the gas clears up."

I give him one last look before putting the mask on and going through the door. The air outside the station energized me. I couldn't believe that he's staying. He had a good reason but his chances of winning in court are less than zero.

"Jemi!" Amelia ran up to me panting. "Don't you ever run off like that again," she warns sternly. I was too worried about Atticus to address her

"He's staying."

"I know. I heard," she mutters sadly.

"What if-"

"He won't. Atticus knows what he's doing," she says reassuringly.

He will win. He has to. Wade said he would get out and as much as I don't trust Wade I believe that Atticus will win.