Tattooed

XXV

I tried my best to retrace my steps, but as I was running panic clouded my mind and soon I had no idea where to go. I was hyperventilating and tried to form a coherent sentence.

"Hey guys, I don't know how to get out. Where's everyone else?" I whispered to the comm. Lila's voice bounced back to me.

"I can see you on the cams Cecil. There's an exit to your right. Go straight until you see two doors and then dip right. After that there should be a room with another door at the end and that will lead you to a staircase and a way out."

"Cess are you still on the third floor?" Corinth jumped in. I nodded, but remembered she can't actually see me and said yes. I started to follow Lila's directions, trying to calm myself down. I can't think about Wes, or this horrible place, or how they know we're here, I had to focus on getting out.

Wes' broken face trapped in that cell appeared in my mind and I had to shut my eyes. I ran to the second room and then to the staircase. So far I didn't see any guards but I could hear shouts from my comm that proved the other guys weren't as lucky. Panic rose in my throat again and I could feel myself shake. My thighs were burning from practically flying down the stairs, trying to get to the ground floor. Finally I saw the door and I swung it open.

Only to find myself face to face with a facility guard.

I couldn't stop myself, I screamed and the guard whipped around. He shouted into a walkie-talkie that he found another one and grabbed me by the neck. I swung my fists back trying to get him to release me but he choked me harder. I kicked and tried pinching him but my vision was starting to blur until all of a sudden he released me. I collapsed to the floor. I looked up and saw Corinth standing over the guy with a club in her hand. I could've cried I was so glad to see her.

She yanked me up. "We have to go." I nodded frantically and ran. Corinth's hand was still tight in mine and we ran together until we safely made it back to the truck. Lila and Robert got out to hug us. Corinth then hugged me too and I buried my face in her shoulder and kept it there as I tried to recollect myself.

She rubbed my back. "Deep breaths Cess."

I pulled away. "Where are the others?" I asked. I looked back out towards the tall grass. It was dark but there were a few silhouettes coming towards us and I chose to believe it was our people and not guards. I sat down on the ground and waited. Lila, Robert, and Corinth were in deep conversation but I didn't bother listening to them. Now that I was out all my thoughts went back to Wes. What if whoever ran that prison found out Wes was close to being broken out and erased his memory early? Or what if they just killed him to save the trouble?

I stood up. "What is taking everyone so long?" I demanded. Two more people came back, but we still had four men unaccounted for. I couldn't hear anything on the comm. Lila and Corinth shared a look then looked back at me.

"They decided to go and try to rescue Wes."

"What? And you didn't tell me until now?"

"We didn't want you to pass out." Lila explained. I cut her a look. I get that I'm not brave or skillful and maybe I've hyperventilated a lot lately but I still deserved to know the group was making a move to rescue Wes.

"I could've stayed. I should've stayed."

Corinth shook her head and held me by the shoulders. "Wes would've wanted you safe above anything."

I sunk back to the ground and pressed my hands to my eyes. It wasn't until I heard the rustle of grass and panted breaths that I looked up.

There were three people. Two men each had an arm slung over their shoulder, trying to support the man in the middle. I held my breath, daring to hope.

I took a step forward and tentatively said, "Wes?"

The man slowly looked up. There was a ghost of a smile on his lips and I swear he whispered my name before he collapsed completely.