Consuming Fire

Chapter 23

"Check," said Marcus.

"'There is a car in the garage if you need it. Secondly, I have hidden necessities in the safe in my office. Marcus can help you unlock it. And I know he is with you, because otherwise you would have had no way of entering the house without disarming the alarm system. I have set it up to stop anyone from entering through any door or window without permission from inside.'"

"Oh yeah," scoffed Marcus. "It was a piece of cake getting in here."

"Pft!" spat Chantal. "Except when you screamed like a girl at the black cat that ran out of the house."

Marcus huffed and ignored her.

"'To add to that, please ensure you all stay within the house unless you need food, and do not speak to anyone who may come by.'"

They all looked sheepishly at Joshua who stood on the staircase.

"That was a good call you guys," said Hunter reassuringly.

They mumbled in agreement.

"'There is also cash in the cookie jar in the pantry and more money in the safe to get you started-'"

"What safe?" exclaimed Marcus. "How did we not know this?!"

"Relax, we don't need to go shopping for a couple more days now," said Chantal.

"'I must warn you to stay well away from the authorities-'"

"Yeah Joshua," snapped Benji.

A few of them laughed. Joshua sighed good-naturedly, and for a moment Hunter wondered when he'd become so child-friendly.

"Uh ... 'Lastly, I will be contacting you within a week on the phone I have left in the safe. If you do not hear from me within that time, please assume that I have been reprimanded for my efforts in helping you escape. Do not worry about me; it is more important for you all to survive. My sacrifice was necessary for you to stop Dr. Wolfe from his plans. Please do not let my downfall be in vein.

I say this with great confidence, Hunter, for these may very well be the last words you hear from me. I understand you may not be able to stop the others from leaving. They will want to see their families. But you must all face your future as heroes in this world. You are not just children anymore; you are warriors. If I am truly dead, then there is something big coming that will put millions of lives in danger, and you are the only ones who can stop it. Dr. Wolfe must be terminated. The fate of the world depends on it.

I am so very proud of you Hunter, you and the rest. I wish you all the best for the future, and when it is all over, please ... keep my cabin. Use it as a sanctuary and a place of peace. It is about time you rested.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Albert Rosenthal.

P.S-'" Hunter read the last sentence, the words catching in her throat before she could speak them. The others stared, hanging on her every word, but she could not read it aloud.

"P.S what?" asked Ryo. She flicked her leg out from under her and stamped her foot on the floor. "P.S what Hunter?"

She looked up at their faces and then looked at Joshua as he stood on the bottom stair with his arms folded and an expectant look. A sob rose in her throat. "P.S, there was a message from Joshua left on the phone in the safe. He has been trying to find you. He begged me to get you out. Remember what I said: Forgive him.'" Hunter folded the letter over and sat back on the sofa.

There was a moment of awkward silence, then Marcus cleared his throat. "We'd better go find this safe guys. Anyone coming?"

Everyone but Joshua fled the room and hurried upstairs. When they were gone, he approached her cautiously. 

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it," said Hunter before he could question her and folded the letter carefully.

Joshua said nothing.

"It's over. The past is behind us now. We have bigger things to worry about."

Joshua looked startled. "Like what?"

Hunter held the letter in her hands, feeling the weight of what Dr. Rosenthal had asked of them, of her. But there was something in the back of her mind that told her to forget it, that it wasn't as important as healing her relationship with Joshua and Will, and healing herself as well. It was that same feeling that compelled her to forgive him.

"It doesn't matter," she sighed. "He's dead. Dr. Wolfe killed him."

Joshua ran a hand over his face and sat down on the sofa next to her. "Hunter, what exactly happened to you while you were in the Death Caves? Ryo said you looked ... I just want to know if you're okay."

Hunter stared at him. There had always been lies between them both – Joshua keeping secrets about her parents and her powers, Hunter going to school and seeing Eli behind his back – and it lead to so much pain and heartbreak that there was no use in doing it anymore. But for some reason, Hunter couldn't bring herself to admit how damaging the last week in ICE had been, and how she wasn't sure she could ever be the same person again. The world was darker. And the only thing that brightened her ever so slightly was seeing her father alive again. The fire responded, breaking through the chains.

Joshua would want to know that Leo was alive, but Hunter didn't want to tell him. He'd only want to find Dr. Wolfe faster, to start a war again. And she was tired of war, tired of fighting. Just for a moment, she wanted peace.

"In time," she nodded, "I think I'll be okay."