Behind Locked Doors

Chapter Fourteen: Playing The Hero

I shook my head in an attempt to clear it. Those things weren’t important right now; the only thing I needed to worry about was getting out alive, but not just me Alice, Justin… James, I needed for them to get out too. Alice was waiting to help me up as Justin did his best, from where he was, to get me as high up as he could without losing his balance. Somehow, I was able to grasp the frame of the vent strongly enough to pull myself up. I found my way into the vent; I definitely had picked the wrong shoes to wear for this occasion.

 “James, you next,” Justin said.

“No, you go ahead,” James responded. Justin nodded, even though Justin was taller and stronger than Alice and I, it still took the both of us to help him into the air vent. He ended up on my side of the vent, and, with our close quarters, I could feel his heavy breathing against my skin.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Fantastic,” he muttered, “James, come on.”

Of course, it couldn’t be that simple. Instead of hearing James’ tired voice, there was the closing of the vent instead.

“What are you doing?” Alice asked alarmed trying to reopen the vent, but it was closed tight by James and her mini screwdriver.

“They know someone’s in here, and if they don’t find anyone then they’ll keep looking until they do,” James said hoarsely, “This way if they find me, they won’t acknowledge the fact that there were others involved.”

“We’re not leaving you,” Justin stated firmly.

“Yeah…you are, so get a move on,” James said turning back to the door that could burst open any minute.

Justin looked stunned but had still gathered his thoughts enough to be able to speak, “You heard him.”

“Justin, we can’t,” I protested, but he said nothing and neither did Alice; they both began crawling through the air vent in the direction that would hopefully lead us to a hallway. How could they expect me to leave him here, like this?

“James?” I said.

“You have to leave now, Dakota,” he said not looking back at me. I knew he was serious about staying, no matter what I said, he was going to play hero. But if this was the last time I was going to see him, I didn’t want to leave like this, because I loved him. There was a possibility he didn’t love me anymore, but I didn't care. I still wanted him to know.

“James?” I repeated.

“I said go, please” he pleaded watching the door begin to inch open.

“I can’t. I…I have to tell you something,” I said hesitantly. He turned around slowly but still faced the door, ready for the guards when they came. I peered at him through the slits in the vent. His expression was pained, yet he didn’t look afraid.

“What?”

I gulped.  here goes nothing, “I still love you.”

His warm brown eyes met mine in an instant, “I love you too. Never stopped.”

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“Miss Harris, are you listening?”  Mr. Marcs asked. I was sitting on the wooden floor of a secret training room that was meant for the Union guards use only. Apparently, there weren’t any cameras, because the Union assumed they wouldn’t need them in their own training room. It had been the fifth time that I had zoned out. I knew the count, because Mr. Marcs had complained about it the third time it happened.