The Skylar Experiment : Dead Ending (second draft)

Chapter Four-Tension

RILEY

MY BOOTS THUDDED off the wooden porch and I stared back at the snowy hills for a moment. After Mom returned me home and I scrammed to hide in my room, I'd looked at my phone on the nightstand. I couldn't stop worrying if Luc was alright but I hadn't talked to him since that night.

  I'd gathered my wits and plugged in my charger to dial his number. He'd answered, and somehow hearing him settled my nerves down, but I didn't get to talk to him long enough. Honestly, I was scared and I didn't think I'd feel better until I saw him with my own eyes. 

I calmed down over the low chatter of my parents downstairs, knowing they were discussing my state of mind. I skedaddled through my window, leaving another note for Dad because he'll understand. Mom meant well, but her help would only make things worse. 

The trek up the mountain and the strain in my legs helped me get over the harrowing visions and the second-hand embarrassment from the fool I made of myself in public. I inhaled sharp, cold air and willed the door to the cabin open. The moment I stepped inside, shouts echoed down the hall and my blood pumped quicker. I kicked my boots off and stormed through the living room, discovering the strangest and most appalling sight yet.

Luc was all up in Chuck's face on the couch, toxic heat emanating from him as his eyes shone white.

"Oh my God!" I yelled, running over. "What is going on!?"

I laid a hand on Luc's shoulder and he pulled back abruptly, a wild fury twisting his features. While backtracking, he bumped into me and I nearly fell, but he caught me before that. His gaze widened as it settled over me then narrowed.

"The hell are you doing here?"

"The hell is he doing here?" I pointed at Chuck in a breathless shock.

The boy swallowed hard, eyes pleading for me to help him. "Riley, he's insane... he's..."

I shuddered, thinking of how he'd prompted the officials, leading to two kids dying. He knew I was different and I'd asked him to keep it a secret. But if he spoke with the men and that happened, then he must have dished that information.

"You don't get to talk," I said quietly, a void replacing my stomach.

"I never wanted Adam or Ethan to—"

Luc's neck snapped towards him. "If she told you to shut up, then do it if you know what's good for you."

I shook my head as I stared alternatively at both to try and understand how it escalated to this, but Luc was adding fuel to the fire. I grabbed his arm and dragged him further down the hall while keeping the boy in view.

"Don't move from that couch," I told him, then turned to Luc. After I was done with him, I'd focus on Chuck. My voice thinned to a whisper. "How did you bring him here?"

The bright light from his pupils started paling. "I may or may not have resorted to unorthodox methods..."

For a moment, I worked on words but I was speechless. Just... fantastic. He'd gone all berserk and stopped giving a single hoot about appearances. This guy will never cease to surprise me—and not always in the best manner.

"And what are you doing with him? Keeping him hostage—are you out of your mind?"

He huffed cynically. "Aren't we all at this point, Sunshine?"

"If you're trying to squeeze answers out of him, you are doing a better job at traumatizing him."

"Why did you come here? I said I'd stop by..."

My eyebrows pinched together. I wanted to know how he was handling everything—including his sister's reappearance. But stumbling upon his private interrogation with Chuck just went to show that he maybe wasn't handling it right, and he was taking it out on him. I had my answer and I didn't want to think about what would have happened if I hadn't barged in. 

"I just wanted to see you," I mumbled, then folded my arms. "I know it's hard for you and I can't imagine..."

He gandered over my frown, then lowered his head. "There's nothing to worry about. I just need the damn answers."

"If he didn't hate us already, then he does now. And I thought I told you guys to let him believe I was the only one in town with abilities."

"That doesn't matter now."

My foot tapped the floor. "He's terrified, just look at him. You've put the fear of God in the p—guy." I was going to say 'poor' but my sympathy only stretched so far with what he's done. "Did you get anything out of him?"

"A little, yeah. But there's more—it's more important than what he let me know so far, I can feel it." Determination crossed Luc's face. "I intend to find out all of it."

He made for the living room but I pushed him back with a hand on his chest. I quickly moved it away as I felt him tense up, and he scanned my face with a distracted look.

"Let me handle it and wait outside," I said. "He's not scared of me. He'll feel more comfortable."

"I am not leaving you in the same room as that creep."

"That's not important anymore," I argued. "I'm serious."

He paced in the hall, menacing stare locked onto Chuck like he was prey, and I feared that he'd ignore me and gun for him.

My voice broke. "He's not the one who pulled the trigger, Luc..."

I wished I hadn't said that. Regret poured over me like a waterfall, because I'd been the one to cause those deaths just for leaving Heather's house. If anything, I put their lives in jeopardy. Luc released a deep, throaty sound and leaned a hand against the wall almost as if he might collapse. He buried his face in the other.

"He has a responsibility," he murmured. "He was the one to verify that you were with Adam. He allowed them to use him and make it all happen."

I glanced at Chuck and fought not to claw at his face. If NIO hadn't been positive that I cared about Adam, they wouldn't have manipulated us like that. One person would still be alive. But... as much as it gutted me to ignore that, despite that awful fact, we had to look at the bigger picture. Chuck was just another pawn to manipulate, a minion on the chessboard. What good would come out of attacking someone like him? I neared Luc to tell him.

"I get that it's tempting to just blame it on someone we can punish. Believe me, there is nothing more that I want right now than to find the right person and make it stop, but we can't let ourselves go there..." His chest heaved, and I drew even closer until we shared the same space. "Please, let me try. Maybe I can convince him to be honest. I want to know just as much as you do."

Green eyes finally peered at me as his lids flittered up. For a fleeting second, his fist clenched but he relaxed it. Bending down so that our foreheads almost brushed together, he whispered, "If it doesn't work in fifteen minutes, I'm coming back inside."

I nodded, and Luc lumbered to the door with one last brutal stare towards Chuck, leaving me to take care of the matter. 

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Who's up for Riley/Luc moments in the future happening? I can't wait! I'm getting investigative vibes again from the two and I live for it so hard.

The way that Luc is hurt from losing Ethan and seeing so many people get hurt around him, it's understandable that he got carried away with Chuck especially if you consider their history together. In my opinion, those feelings are valid but I think it's obvious that he isn't coping well with them. Good thing that Riley steps in, though, and turns things around.  

Next chapter is going to be all about the interrogation with Chuck. Mhm, what's going to come up?