Broken Seams ✓

CHAPTER 28 - THE OLD NEWSPAPER

CHAPTER 28 - THE OLD NEWSPAPER

"Seriously? Why didn't you tell me before?" I muttered before grabbing the knife from the table and throwing it at the targets on the wall, my body was itching to take out my frustration on anything, then I remembered the interrogation and withheld my anger. I can only take it on them- they took him from me, "I knew her before she left." I said, getting up from the floor after I threw the knife.

"I thought she would have stayed with him. That was until one of my men told me the woman's appearance when she was with Rioters to guard the place where Adam is. I had no idea she'd leave for them of all people." She answered before closing her eyes, sighed and rubbed her creased forehead again. Tracy opened her eyes to look at me dead in the eyes which made me realise how she must be feeling at that moment.

I couldn't find any similarities between Hannah and Tracy- apart from their demanding attitude and tone of voice. That was until I remembered the morning when Tracy ran in through the gates during the party for Frances' death anniversary. She went straight to my mother as if she was used to coming here, even though she wore ragged clothes which made her stand out from the expensive gowns and attire for the evening.

Everyone glared at her with venomous eyes and she never once glanced at them. Tracy didn't cry once when she asked my mother where Hannah was but her tone of voice showed everything, she threw every wine glass, plate, tray, and vases for as long as she could directly at my mother before getting thrown out by the guards. They chucked her out but not through the front gates, I sighed as I leaned onto the wall.

"Can't we go now?" I said as we never once locked eyes, her footsteps echoed in the training room and they stopped once she was inches away from me.

"No. Not yet, I'll tell you when we're going. We need a little more time to gather intel and until you've trained enough for it." Tracy said before lifting my chin up with one finger to meet her sapphire blue eyes. My heart jumped as I felt the intensity of her stare- it was as if she had done this before or if someone else did. And that made me feel two things- my skin crawling as my throat dries up or to meet their stare as my heart raced.

However, this stare reminded me of the duties I have. It reminded me to stay focused and that made me feel nothing more than adrenaline and power. One of the only times she had ever laid her hands on me since we met. But even power only gets you so far in life- power is limited and reckless. She let go of me before I spoke, putting her hands in her pockets- it's only her duty. As a second mother and her role as trainer.

"She knows where Adam is." I said as I wished that I talked to Tracy on the day she was kicked out. Rubbing my knuckles, I accepted that I might not remember everything about anyone and Hannah might be one of those people.

"Yes. Yes she does." She walked to the target that was hung on the wall and pulled the knife out with ease, "don't ever do that again. Control yourself otherwise you'll make the same mistakes I made." I looked at her as I got up, wondering what she meant by her mistakes. Hopefully, Tracy will tell me when I remember more. Now, isn't the right time to ask.

We stopped talking about it, letting the conversation die down until she showed me a takedown move of hers. Knocking me to my knees and pressing a knife lightly against my throat, careful to not hurt me. I didn't meet her eyes before grabbing her hand, twisting it and pulling out the knife. Tracy widened her eyes as I pulled her arm up to her head which made her slim body fall onto the floor face first as I sat on her back to keep her down.

"Who was the man?" I asked, Tracy laughed as she escaped my grip before saying how I did the exact move before and integrons were much easier with most people.

"She said you know him," She didn't look so happy after I asked the question until she looked at the floor before tapping her feet which echoed in the room.

"I don't know" I muttered as she continued to talk but I no longer understood what Tracy was saying, it was as if I was drowning again. She looked at me before grabbing my shoulders to carefully push my back against the floor, allowing me to sit there.

Tracy rushed away out of the door, leaving me alone in the room. My heart pounded as I rubbed the sweat that was dripping off my face. Sweat was everywhere, and I could smell the stench within my clothes. I rubbed my leg as it started to become numb. Tracy came back with water, pills and some kind of paper.

"Here," She said as she rushed to take off my jacket and forced me to have some water. Tracy then used her sleeve to wipe off the sweat from my face. I didn't say anything until she warned me how I should be eating more food somehow since I was passing out more and more recently. The diseases are out of control here according to her and I knew that. Maybe sleeping with Georgie isn't so great since she always has a cold of some sort. I could never allow myself to let her sleep alone to face her nightmares alone. Either way, Tracy and the rest of the crew didn't want me- their key player to finally allow them to achieve their goal of peace. By going against the leader himself and for that to happen, I can't get ill again.

Once I had finally controlled my breathing after Tracy helped me while kneeling, I started to read the newspaper article. It explained the Upper District in a way I never thought they could- it was a newspaper from the bar since it had alcohol stains all over it. They based it on an interview that happened there and how members of the Upper District were dying. As I continued to read the long list of names, I was surprised at how many people were there eight years ago. Now there were only six and that was all of us. Adam, Julie, me, Alex, Ryan and Doctor Franc. How and why were they dying? Why are there six when there were over fifty back then?

The further and further I went down the list, I saw a name with my second name. Tracy sighed as she realised how far down the list I was. I never once asked about it before and I didn't really think about it because I was overwhelmed with everything.

"Bailey Carter, married to Alex Carter, aged forty seven has died due to..." Tracy muttered under her breath as my shivering hands held onto the newspaper before throwing it onto the floor. The rest of the sentence was faded, there was no cause for his death.

"No one has told me about this! No one- not even Adam or Julie, why? Why did you tell me." I said as I tried to get up but she pulled me back. My heart clenched and my mind was all over the place. I tried not to cry- my throat choked up as I spoke. Tracy looked at the floor, guilt written all over her face.

"Hoyt." She muttered.