The Piece System

Chapter Twenty-Four: ALEX

When Jake had left, she'd just stood there. So had Caleb.

It was a wrench in the works that they didn't need, but it wasn't one that she minded. Really, it made a lot of things make sense. Like why he started the Renegades. What didn't make sense was why he'd left. Or why he didn't want to be alone with Caleb. She looked at him, still sat in the armchair, staring at the screen.

What's wrong with Caleb? She thought. Cricket nuzzled her leg and whined, clearly just as confused as she was.

"I'm going to go get him." she said, heading for the door. Caleb's head snapped up.

"No. That's not smart." he said. She looked at him, brow furrowed.

"What do you mean that's not smart?"

"I mean," he stood up, "That he left for a reason, he might not want to talk to you about it and he definitely won't want to talk to me about it."

"Well, he needs to come back." Alex turned to the door once again, "It's not safe out there."

"Don't you think it's weird, though?" Caleb said.

Alex shrugged her coat on. "What is?"

"That he and his family would pretend like that. I thought he didn't care about that sort of stuff." he said.

"He doesn't. His family just wanted a better life."

Caleb scoffed. "So they do think it's a better life. Right. Got it."

Alex frowned again, an uneasy feeling setting in her stomach.

They? She thought.

"Caleb?" her hand hovered by the handle, "Are you okay with him? And Pawns?"

She heard movement behind her. "What do you mean?"

"You know, like, you don't think they're all evil or something."

There was a pause, one not long enough to be considered as something but too long to be nothing.

"No, of course not. They're all people, like us." he said.

"This isn't about your high school friends, is it?" she asked. She was treading into dangerous territory, she knew that. It was something they'd agreed not to bring up.

A thick silence filled the room.

"No." he said, "What made you think that?"

A hand rested on her shoulder and she turned to face him. He smiled at her.

"Alex, I am here because I want to help, just like you and, I guess, however much he annoys me, him too."

Alex let out a relieved breath. "Okay. I'll be back in a minute."

"Do you want any help?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Somehow," she smirked, "I don't think you'd help."

Caleb's protests were drowned out when she shut the door behind her. She could, however, still see his unamused glare from the window.

When she'd bumped into him, it'd been pure luck. It was obvious from his bloodshot eyes he'd been crying, but she chose not to point it out. And now here she was, dragging him back. Because how dare he think that she would view him any different. That was the whole reason why she was trying to catch this vandal for the Renegades—she believed there was no difference.

Once they were back in the house, he still said nothing. So she just watched him as he sat on the sofa and stared at the floor, avoiding both her and Caleb's concerned gaze. After what seemed like an age, Jake lifted his phone to his ear and began speaking. Alex couldn't tell who was on the other end and, quite frankly, didn't think he should be on the phone to anyone when there was a manhunt for him.

"Where is this?" Jake asked, looking at Caleb.

"Why?" he said.

"4 Juniper Drive." Alex said, ignoring the glare Caleb gave her. Jake repeated it into the phone.

"Hey, who are you talking to?" Caleb asked, on the edge of his seat. Alex eyed him. So did Jake.

"Charlie's coming. He's going to help." he said. Alex raised her eyebrows.

Surely that's dangerous?

"Won't the arbiters be watching him? They might figure out you're here." she said. Jake shook his head as Cricket hopped into his lap again.

"No. They have no records of me and him even knowing each other. No one's watching him. We've always been careful of that." he said. Alex nodded, leaning back on the sofa.

"Okay."

The three of them sat in silence. Tense, awkward silence. What was she meant to say? Caleb was reading the newspaper and clearly didn't want to make anything worse by saying something that could pull Jake's fangs out, and Jake obviously didn't feel like talking. She couldn't blame him. When he hung up, he stood, threw the phone on the ground and crushed it until there was no life left within. She thought it was a bit much, but she guessed you could never be too careful. He wouldn't have gotten this far being complacent.

When there was a knock at the door, Caleb made no move to answer it. Jake, however, seemed like he was itching to get away and practically fell to the door. Alex stood when he returned, the absurdly tall blonde behind him. Caleb looked up.

"Who's that?" Charlie asked.