Fateful Hindrance

23. One Day I'll Get Sick Of Saying Everything's Okay

I laughed, hysterical.  “Great, I forgot you didn’t know either.  But at least you didn’t have to pump heroin into me just to get me talking.”

Ed’s eyes widened.  “Em…”

“No,” I shook my head.  “I might as well tell you now, too, since everyone is bound to know someday.  I already spilled my secrets to those who I hate the most, so why not give them to one of the people I trust?  It couldn’t hurt, could it?  And I’m sure John would have told you anyway. 

“Because my secret affects everyone – the Brotherhood, the Knights, the Order…maybe even the world.  It was ours – mine and John’s – but now they know.  Connor and Braewyn know.  They’re going to go to other Order members and tell them…and they’re going to get them before we can…and they’re going to figure it out.  We don’t know exactly what it’ll lead to, but we can’t let them get to it first, Ed.  We just can’t!”

Ed was silent, still watching me.  His face was blank, but his eyes spoke for him.  “What will lead them?”

I sniffed, closing my eyes.  “A map.  There’s a map.  John told me about it before you two left Pallandino…and we were going to go away together, just the two of us, and figure it out…like old times.  But now…now, they’re going to find it.  They’re going to find it and use whatever it is to their advantage.  But before that…since they’ve already gotten everything I know…they’re going to get rid of me.  They’ll get rid of us all.”

Ed’s eyes were still focused on me, but I couldn’t look at him.  Not when I’d told Connor and Braewyn everything they wanted to know…and happily told them, too.  It was the heroin talking, not me, making my brain all fuzzy and words flow from my mouth like water without even making me stop to think about it.  I had no control. 

The sounds of the metal door creaking open made me look up, finding the silhouette of four people in the light that spilled into our otherwise dimly lit room.  Two of those people had cloth bags over their heads and were being led inside, one right after the other. 

Another pulled in two chairs like the ones Ed and I were in, while the other pushed the two of them down, cuffing their arms and legs so they couldn’t move.  It wasn’t until they were secure that Connor and Braewyn pulled the bags off their heads, making John and Ryan blink with the sudden invasion of light. 

“Well, you’re together again,” Braewyn laughed, circling to the front of John.  She brushed two manicured fingers down his cheek, leaning down so her face was right in front of his.  “Like I told you, John, you’ve really downgraded.”

Apparently, this wasn’t the first time they were seeing each other again since we’d been here.  John was looking at her with so much hatred, more than I would have ever thought possible when I first understood what she’d meant to him before.  That was before he learned the truth, though. 

 “Go to hell,” he growled out.  The handcuffs clanked as he moved, trying everything to get out of them so he could wrap his hands around her neck.  I wanted to tell him they wouldn’t budge…but then I noticed how red and raw his wrists were.  Both his and Ryan’s.  They must have tried to get out before. 

Braewyn only laughed, throwing her head back in glee, before leaning toward him again.  “Oh, baby, I’ve already been there and back.  And they’re saving my seat for me when I return.”

“And if I have any say, it will be as soon as possible.”

Those manicured fingers knotted themselves in his hair as she purred appreciatively.  “You’ve always been sexy as hell when you’re pissed.  And when you’re pissed, you’re amazingly…skillful…when we had alone time.  Don’t you remember the fun we had?”