Hunter heard footsteps hours later. She scrambled to her feet and threw herself against the door, praying it was Will. But to her utter shock, the guards were not dragging a mutant with them. They were dragging Dr. Rosenthal.
She could not believe the state he was in. It looked like someone had run over the doctor with a monster truck. He could hardly put one foot in front of the other.
The guards threw the doctor in the cell directly opposite hers. She heard him gasp in pain. The Men in White stalked away and she waited a few more seconds before she called to him.
“Dr. Rosenthal?”
There came no response.
“Dr. Rosenthal, are you alright?”
He grumbled through the silence.
“What did you say?”
“Hello… Hunter.”
His face appeared between the bars – or, what she could see of his face. Most of it was covered in blood and ugly bruises. His right eye would not open.
“What did they do to you?”
“Oh,” he sighed, “most of this wasn’t the guards. It was a struggle to set Alfie free and… I didn’t get out in time.”
“You were here, under this chaos, while a dinosaur stomped around? How are you alive?”
“Karma, I like to assume,” he smiled. How he managed to be humorous, she could not understand.
“Where is Alfie now?”
“I don’t know what they did with him Hunter, but I’d be surprised if he made it what with all the chaos he caused. Then again, Dr. Wolfe likes to keep the unstable ones in case they’re needed, so there’s no way to know.”
Hunter hoped Dr. Wolfe had mercy on poor Alfie.
“And what are you doing back here? Did I not risk my life to assure your safety? Did I not explain myself clearly when I said you must escape?”
Hunter felt her stomach turn over. More guilt crushed down on her harder than a rockslide. Yet another person she had disappointed, another life that was over because of her selfish decisions. She had forgotten Dr. Rosenthal’s sacrifice.
“I’m so sorry,” she said blankly, no more tears left to cry. “I wanted to leave with the others, but it felt wrong to go without the people trapped down here. Will… volunteered to come with me to rescue them.”
“Hunter.” Her name fell from his mouth in a sigh. “I told you they could not be helped.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
He looked at her through the bars. She couldn’t tell if he was angry or not; it was too dark. But the heat of his gaze felt as though it had stabbed her in the chest.
“I’ll be honest, a part of me knew you’d try,” he said. “You’ve changed a lot these past few months Hunter. Your fear does not consume you.”
“What do you mean? I’ve never been more afraid.”
“Not of yourself. Of others. Selflessness led you back to these caves to rescue the mutants, and Jack I presume. Qualities of a true hero. And heroes have no time for themselves.”
If he was trying to make her feel better, he was not succeeding. The only way Hunter would be able to flush away the darkness in her soul was to right the wrongs she’d created. If she didn’t save everyone, she did not succeed.
“I know it’s not right of me to ask you this,” she said as she rested her forehead against the cool bars. “But is there any escape for us now?”
His words came out pained as he said, “If I know Winston, we’d be lucky to remain alive for much longer.”
Nodding, Hunter stepped away from her cell door.
“But Hunter-”
She stopped and went back to the window. “Yes?”
“There is always hope.”
Smiling a little, Hunter returned to her place by the wall to wait for Will. Someone came back for Dr. Rosenthal what felt like hours later. They dragged him away, and Hunter did not see the doctor again.
“You awake?”
Hunter rolled her head to the side and put her cheek against the wall. Her eyes stuck together as she opened them.
“I’m not sure,” she mumbled. “I could be dreaming.”
“You’re awake,” said Will.
“When did you get back?”
“Just now. You must’ve been pretty deep asleep not to hear me. I insulted one of the guards and he punched me.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Well… he tried to touch my ass.”
“You’re funny,” she said sleepily. Then she frowned. “Wait, why are you funny?”
“I’m not allowed to be?”
“I just don’t see how.”
After a moment, he said, “cheer up Hunter. I know it sucks right now, but we’ll get through this. We’ll escape soon.”
“I think we’ve run out of chances to escape. I think we’re here to stay.”
He didn’t answer. She realized then that she was letting the darkness cloud her confidence. She was only trapped in ICE for a few months when she formed an escape plan. Will had been there his entire life. Telling him that they’d missed their chance at escaping would crush him.
“Well,” he sighed. “I guess that’s it then. I don’t have much time left do I?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m fading away. Just like every other mutant who died within these walls, I’m getting too old to keep living here.”
“What are you, eighty-nine?” she scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous Will.”
He said nothing.
“Will?”
“Yeah?”
“You won’t die.”
“I know I’m immortal, but that won’t stop it from happening. Dr. Wolfe said-”
“Who cares what he said. You. Won’t. Die.”
He paused.
“How do you know?”
“Because,” she said as she ran her fingers down the dry wall. “I have faith.”
Silence fell, but it was a comfortable silence. For the first time, a small amount of warmth filled Hunter from somewhere deep in her core. It was a fire that began as a flame, a fire of assurance and hope.
“Okay,” said Will eventually. “I believe you. Goodnight Hunter.”
“Goodnight,” she said.
YOU ARE READING
Embers & Ice
Science Fiction*AVAILABLE ON AMAZON* The second in the ROUGE series ... Everyone is wrong about hell. Vulnerable and weak after her battle with her guardian Joshua, Hunter is snatched up by the Agents who work for a ruthless and cold institution called ICE. There...
