The Death Date

Chapter Eight

Claire's POV

Liam and I start the journey back to the camp. He has regained his composure, but his eyes are still scarlett and swollen. He clears his throat, and I look over to see him rubbing the back of his neck.

"So, um, I would really appreciate it if you didn't tell the others about, you know, that thing you just saw..." he says sheepishly.

"'Course I won't. S'between you and me," I say, slightly slurring my words from the tiredness. He thanks me just as I see our camp come into view. I look around slightly alarmed.

"Where's Chase?" I looked at Liam.

"We don't know. We thought he took off with you last night." He said shrugging his shoulders.

"No, I left because I...had a bad dream." He looks over at me.

"About what?" My face heats up as I recall my over dramatic episode last night.

"It's nothing. It's stupid." He shakes his head, but doesn't push. I like that about him. When you tell him something, he doesn't push. Most people would continue to push, but he's different. No, stop it Claire. You just met him. You know nothing about him, my self conscious adds and I sigh. Since I left I don't know why, but I just can't be happy. The realisation that I will never see my family again hits me and I'm scared. Scared for my life and for theirs. Liam won't tell me who is after me, and Chase seems to think that it's the officials which really makes no sense. Why would they want to kill me? I have always followed the rules. I can't help but think there is something that I'm missing, and I need to know what. I take a deep breath and finally ask the question I've been wanting to know since I met him.

"Liam. Why do we have to run? Who's after us?"

Liams POV

"Liam. Why do we have to run? Who's after us?" I freeze when she asks this question. I knew she was going to ask sooner or later, I was just hoping for the latter. I pause for a moment before trying to think of something to say.

"Claire, you're...special, and there are people out there who don't ever want to die, and...since you missed your d.d., they want to do tests on you...and find out why you didn't die in hopes of keeping themselves alive," I tell her, which isn't exactly untrue. They do want to test on her because she is definitely special. She gives me a very confused look, and I can't blame her, I'm being extremely vague. I know that I'll need to tell her sometime, and there's no time like the present. I drag her off away from the crowd.

"I need to tell you something Claire."

She looks at me with fear in her eyes, "What is it?"

"I work for the officials, and it was my job to bring you to them"

Claire's POV

I look at him incredulously, did he just say that? No. No he couldn't have! I trusted him, he couldn't betray me like this. But why couldn't he? I mean I did just meet him. However, even as he said it, I don't believe it. In the short time I've known him, I've learned that this is out of character.

"But-but why?" I ask him trying to hold back my tears. I honestly don't know why I am tearing up. I just met him, but I thought he cared about me. I thought he was trying to help, when really he has been working for the enemy.

"Claire," he sighs, not looking at me, "it's complicated." I can't stop the anger that boils inside of me.

"It's complicated?! You were about to turn me in and you can't even tell me why!? I deserve to know!" I yell trying to keep myself under control. He looks pained when I yell at him and I almost feel bad, but then I remembered what he did.

"They told me if I brought you to them that they wouldn't kill me," he says softly. I glare at him with disbelief.

"You are selfish! You know that? Remember when I told you that if Chase turned me in I was leaving? Huh? I told you that I wasn't going to risk your life for mine? I was willing to die for you, and all you care about is yourself!"

I start walking ahead of him but he grabs my arm. "Claire, Please, listen to me! I'm sorry, I know, but I was scared!"

"Let go of me now," I say ripping out of his grasp and marching back towards everyone else. He sighs, and to my surprise didn't follow me. I have to get out. I have to leave, but I can't. There is one question keeping me there. Something burning in the back of my mind preventing me from leaving.

Why did he tell me?