Orange is the new Red ~Luke Brooks~

21. Betrayal

Mason leaves me to my own thoughts for a couple of minutes while I muster up a coherent thought about the information I have now been shown to. Strangely enough I've not felt myself fall into the first steps of insanity, or feel rage coursing through my veins which is the normal outcome of me hearing something that I didn't want to. Responsibility however is what I now feel. Mason has visited me for a reason. He's scared even if he won't admit it. And hell I am petrified. Even the thought of Ray being on this planet makes me want to throw up, but I knew that seeing my brother again was too good to be true. I'm forever being faced with punishment after punishment. Every time I begin to step forward there will always be something to pull me back. A continuous hell.

Still the guards and Rachel watch me, their gawking glances beginning to make me feel uncomfortable. Thankfully Tyler has kept his distance because my calmness is too unlike me. The smallest thing could set me off and I most certainly do not have the time now to worry about him. Rachel on the other hand is grating on me. She's studying me shamelessly, prying for my reaction. That makes too of us.

For a second I worry about them figuring out about my brother's escape from the people who were watching him. Without a doubt they would have no choice but to send him back and if it is true, and one of the monsters that I should have killed were alive and hoping for revenge, he isn't safe anywhere.

There's one thing that keeps bugging me. Why now? Why not find this Wade guy straight after my trail. Why not go straight to me? It would be easy enough paying off an officer to do his dirty work. Nothings new in my life to demand all of this happening now.

My head snaps us and my heart begins pumping at an alarming rate as unwelcome thoughts run through my head. Mason senses somethings wrong and tries to catch my eye. Something new in my life. It wasn't obvious until now.

"How could I have been so stupid?!" I whisper bitterly to myself, now angry at my foolishness. The rage that was lingering elsewhere has now made a beeline and it has a target in mind.

"Can you come back tomorrow?" I ask Mason breathlessly, not wanting him to be here when I erupt. The time apart could also give me time to think of my new discovery, and to plan my actions on it. Being with him is clouding my thoughts. Gratefully he nods and stands up with a sheepish grin.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't come with good news. Do you think that we can hug or something?" He murmurs and I don't take a breath before wrapping my arms around his, both of us squeezing hard enough to break a rib if we wanted to. His hold feels comfortable and like home.

Swiftly I kiss him on the forehead before watching him leave, admiring the confident stroll that he has. Not feeling like leaving I resume to sit back in the waiting chair, knowing that they won't tell me to move just yet. People all still have their eyes on me, not wanting to risk an outburst by interrupting my time, so I'm cautious of staying calm for as long as I can manage. Two children sit facing me, being too young to understand of where their father is, oblivious to the danger of the world around them. Catching my eye the young child grins, her wide brown eyes weighing me up. She's very pretty, tan like the man in front of her, who talks to her sibling. She points and her dad quickly registers her wandering eyes, glancing at me before whispering a warning to his child. It's risky taking a child into here, of course you'd miss your children but would you risk it with the freaks in here? Like me I guess.

After a couple minutes it becomes apparent that I'm stalling. As soon as I leave this room I'm back to reality, and what reality now means for me to protect my brother. Putting on a meaningless expression I stand, walking past Merrick who seems more stunned then me, and Rachel who quickly follows closely behind me.

"What do you want?" I harshly ask and watch as she practically cowers under my tone.

"Do you want to talk, Kat?" The way she pauses before saying my name gives me the idea she was listening in to my conversation. A thought that both irritates and worries me.