Desired

36. The Other Side Of The Door

'That's where you're wrong.' Evil Incarnate narrows her eyes.

'No, I'm not. You told me once I'd still be useful when I was dead but at the time I forgot what Ben had told me. Your next step is to use me as a donor, to see if you can transplant my resistance into others using living tissue. You can't do that if I'm dead, you could do it if you kept my body alive, but there's no way you could keep my body functioning from now until you reached your lab. If I shoot myself right here there is no way for you to carry out the next stages.'

Evil Incarnate remains quiet for a second. 'What do you want, Kit? And don't ask for me to let you go. That isn't go to happen until I've finished with our research.'

'I want you to ensure Cas, Zach and Raz are safe. Get them out of here and drop them off at the nearest town then leave them alone. Leave their community alone and I'll come with you. I won't run. I won't resist.'

'Fine,' Evil Incarnate says. 'Where are they being kept?'

'Cas is here. Zach and Raz are being kept in a hut along a path at the top of the village,' I say, still pressing the gun against my head.

'We've already got Zach. We saw him being brought here; it is the reason I came over.'

My stomach drops. If Cas hadn't been here what would Zach have seen? Would Klein's plan have worked?

Cas's hand slips into my free one. She squeezes it gently. She heard what Klein said. Is she thinking the same?

Evil Incarnate gestures to a Techie guard who approaches and she mutters something. He leads several of them into the village.

'You can put the gun down now,' she says.

'I'm holding onto it until Zach is safe,' I say, lowering it.

'If you try anything I will have Zach shot.'

'I know,' I sigh.

'They'll bring Raz to the truck. Follow me.' Evil Incarnate turns and starts to walk.

Cas continues to hold my free hand while I clench the gun in my other. We follow Evil Incarnate while the other Techies position themselves behind us, ensuring we don't attempt an escape. 

People are gathered outside their houses. A low hum of nervous conversation filling the air.

'We'll figure out a way to get you free,' Cas whispers.

I shake my head wearily. 'No more. I don't want any more deaths on my conscience, especially those I care about.'

Cas squeezes my hand but doesn't say anything as we continue to walk. Up ahead, Zach is being restrained by two Techie guards. He's shouting, struggling against them as they hold him against the truck.

'Enough, Zach,' Evil Incarnate orders loudly as we near.

'Mum?' Zach swivels round, facing his mum then his eyes widen when he sees me behind her. 

Evil Incarnate turns to me. 'You can see he's safe so hand over the gun now.'

A Techie approaches me and I shake my head. 'I'm not handing it over until you drop them at the nearest town.'

Evil Incarnate huffs and waves her hand to make the Techie guards stand back.

Zach frowns. 'Kit, what's going on?'

My throat closes up at the prospect of never seeing him again. I love him. I love him more than life itself. I want him to hold me. I want him to make everything better. He can't.

Zach was right. We were stupid to think this could ever work.

'Kit managed to make a deal for our freedom,' Cas says sombrely from beside. She lets go of my hand, climbs into the back of the truck and sits on a bench positioned against one of the inside walls of the vehicle.