Broken Wings (Cruel and Beautiful World, Book One 1) (41 page)

Xander left the room and quietly shut the door behind him. He headed down the hallway but stopped when he heard the floorboards in the living room creak. Pressing himself against the wall, he opened his ears and listened closely. Footsteps.

The creaking stopped. Xander moved down the hallway slowly, making sure to stay hidden in the shadows. He stepped into the kitchen and stood so he could see through the archway leading to the living room. Someone was standing in there, their back to him while they stared at the photos on the wall. The figure reached out and touched one of Deryn in her teen years, probably just before she was taken from Redwood to join the guard. Then the person turned and glanced around the room. Even with a gasmask on, there was no mistaking those sinister eyes. Soren.

Xander's hand clutched his Element tightly as he glared at this man. There were few people he hated more. For owning Deryn. For raping her. But mostly for loving her, if you could even call it that. Soren's feelings for Deryn were sick, to say the least. He didn't just want to capture and execute her like the others. He wanted to possess her. And that, to Xander, was so much worse.

It suddenly dawned on him that if he wanted to get rid of Soren this was the place to do it. No one knew Xander was here, and he doubted anyone knew Soren was here. How hard would it be to make him disappear? Like Dougal.

Xander gripped his Element tighter and took a step forward. It was almost too easy. He lifted his arm, aimed, and -

The front door clicked open and Xander darted deeper into the kitchen, poking his head out just enough to see Veli walk into the house.
Shit
.

Veli headed straight for the living room. "I knew you'd be here."

Soren said nothing. Xander moved to get a better look. Soren was, once again, staring at the photo of Deryn.

"Oh, get over it already, will you? I don't have time for all of this pathetic nonsense."

Soren pressed the button on the collar around his neck and said, "Leave me be."

"Leave you be? I'm out here for
you
. Following my guys lead on that fucking brother of hers. Who cares what happens to him, as long as it gets her back for you?"

"I do," said Soren. "Her family is off limits."

"Well, it doesn't exactly matter now, does it? He's not here. It's over, not to mention a waste of time."

"Fuck you -"

"Oh, will you quit your whining already!" shouted Veli, stepping farther into the room. Xander was able to get a better look at him. His face was bright-red behind his gasmask as he glared daggers at his brother. "She's fucking toxic! A slave! She's worthless and so is her family! Just a filthy, revolting -"

"How dare you!" Soren took out his Element and aimed it at Veli.

"How dare I what? Speak the truth? She doesn't care about you, brother! She never did! That's why she slit your throat and left you for dead!" Veli took several deep breaths. "When we find her, she's going to loathe you even more than she already does," he said, his voice now calm. "What's to stop her from trying to kill you again? And maybe this time she'll succeed. Sometimes I think she'd be doing me a favor."

Soren lowered his Element but continued to stare coldly at his brother, angry tears fogging up his mask. He pressed a button on its side that cleared away the fog.

"When we find her I will let you have her once more.
Once
more, Soren. That's all you get before I take a knife to her throat, and I'll make damn sure there's no chance of survival for her. Maybe then you'll get back to your old self and stop being so pathetic over a toxic bitch," spat Veli. "Now, come along. I don't want to waste another minute in this filthy place."

Veli turned and walked out of the room. Xander noticed Soren slip a smaller frame into his pocket before following his brother out. While Xander desperately wanted to attack, he knew now was not the time. Two on one was too dangerous, and Xander couldn't risk any suicide missions. Not until Deryn was out of his apartment and somewhere safe.

Xander listened until their footsteps were out of range. With a faint growl from missed opportunity, he put away his Element and went over to the wall Soren had been staring at. The photos were all of Deryn and Talon at various stages of growing up, many also including their father and one with their mother when Deryn was just a baby. He grabbed that one and put it in his rucksack.

Looking around the rest of the house, Xander wished he knew what was sentimental and what wasn't. Part of him ached to know this piece of her life, but that same part of him understood that he probably never would. Even if Deryn made it out of Utopia, her life would never be the same. She had lost eight years, her confidence, and her innocence. All things she could never get back, at least not entirely. Chances were she wouldn't even want to return to the home she and her family had once shared. It held too many memories of the life that was stolen from her.

Xander sighed and took one last look at the photos on the wall before heading for the door. He still had a job to do and he needed to get back to Middle City before the curfew began.

Quickening his pace, Xander headed for the gated entrance to the forest near the back of the village. The missing guards had been sent to scope out an area just south of Redwood, following a rumor that Outsiders had built a new village there. If the rumor turned out to be true then they were to report back and the appropriate action would be taken. To the president that meant the termination of everyone in the village, aside from young children who had the potential to become his guards. Back in Deryn's day he only had them trained, but after the encounter with Godfrey and the Resistance he'd brought in master manipulators to make sure any Outsider children who joined the guard now rebelled against their families. And it looked like mind control wasn't too far off.

Xander activated the compass on his guard wristband. It hovered in a golden light above his wrist. He followed a path leading west until he found the southbound path the guards would've taken. He had to admit, he definitely preferred the green trees and yellow flowers out here than the gray stone and steel walls Utopia seemed to favor. Part of the reason he chose the building he lived in was because it was slightly more blue-tinted.

He hadn't walked far when he noticed there was a crack in the thick trees overhead, a streak of sunlight beaming down on the path in front of him. He stepped into it, looking up at the blue sky and getting a strong urge to feel the sun against his skin. His shaky hand lifted, then fell again, then lifted slowly, still shaking as it touched his mask, ready to press the release button and -

Crack
.

Xander dropped his hand and turned towards the noise. It came from a very narrow pathway to his left that was overrun with brush and probably not very safe, but he had a job to do.

Taking out his Element, Xander very carefully headed down the pathway. He kicked at the bushes as he went, making sure he wasn't just following some animal hiding in them.

His eyes darted all around, searching for some sort of movement. But there was none. He realized then that it was too quiet. Someone was watching him. Two someone's. He could feel them on either side of him, closing in carefully.

Deryn's face entered his mind and he suddenly felt like he was suffocating. Drowning even. There was no way he could die that day when on a routine mission. He couldn't leave her behind. Not until he got her out.

Before Xander knew what was happening, he was running in a crouched position, two sets of footsteps closing in on him less carefully now. There was a whistling sound and he ducked. Something hit a tree behind him. He looked and saw a dart stuck in the trunk. The Resistance often used darts like this to sedate guards and Guardians. It made it easier to take them prisoner.

So these attackers didn't want to kill him. Well, that changed everything. Staying crouched, Xander stared through the bottom of the brush until he found some movement. The dart thrower. He shot up, aimed his Element and fired. He hit them dead on. There was a big thump as the person fell flat on the ground. Then another thump as his companion went into hiding.

Xander ran forward, not stopping until he was beside his attacker. He was not especially shocked when he saw the wide eyes of Talon Leon staring back at him. They were sea-green, like Deryn's, but nowhere near as striking. In his opinion, at least.

"He's only stunned but he'll be dead if you come at me again!" he shouted over his shoulder.

Not sure what to do next, Xander studied his surroundings. He had no intention of taking Talon prisoner but he wasn't sure how to get out of there without doing just that.

Then he saw something. On a path parallel to the one he'd been on before this little side trip. The wind blew and something waved, side to side. It was the steel-blue trench coat of a member of the guard.

Forgetting all about Talon, Xander walked forward until he was out of the brush. He froze as he stepped on the path, his eyes widening as he stared at what was in front of him. The two missing members of the guard were there, hanging from a tree. Their gasmasks were off and nowhere to be found, and their feet swayed in the wind.

Xander closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again the men were still dangling. He glowered and turned towards the forest.

"For people who claim to be the good guys, you really do some fucked up things!" he shouted. "They were only kids! Barely eighteen! Believe me when I say there is nothing 'good' about what you've done!"

Crack
.

Xander whipped around and aimed his Element down the path, just past the two dangling bodies. Veli stepped around a corner, holding up his hands when he saw Xander.

"Easy there, Ruby. It's just me."

"You act like that means something to me," said Xander. "What are you doing out here, Tash?"

"Following a lead on Leon's son. What are
you
doing out here?"

"Looking for these two." Xander motioned to the two dangling guards.

Veli looked above his head and whistled. "How tragic."

Xander grunted and went to the trunk of the tree they were dangling from. He took a knife out of his boot and cut the rope. Both bodies dropped to the ground.

"Who were you talking to before?"

Xander looked at Veli. "What?"

"I walked over here because I heard you shouting. Is someone else here?"

"No," said Xander. "I thought I was being followed for a minute, but if I was I'm sure they're gone now that there's two of us. What about you? Are you alone?"

"Of course," said Veli.

"Not even your brother to keep you company?" He arched an eyebrow.

Veli looked at him curiously. "You know he's not allowed out here since his demotion."

"Since when have rules stopped your family from doing anything?" asked Xander, walking to the bodies and cutting the ropes around their necks. It was only then that he noticed both bodies were badly burned. He backed away for a second, checking to make sure his mask was still tightly fastened before stepping forward again.

"Looks like they're allergic to the toxic air," said Veli with a laugh.

Xander grunted again and shook his head. He lifted one body and threw it over Veli's shoulder. Veli stumbled.

"Rigor mortis, Ruby. How the hell am I supposed to carry him?"

"Figure it out," said Xander, picking up the remaining body.

As he led Veli away, he looked back one last time at the place he had left Talon. Someone's eyes were staring back at him, but they weren't sea-green. They were dark-brown and accompanied by black hair and tan skin. Dakota.

Xander looked away and took a deep breath. He had just encountered two of the three most important people in Deryn's former life. If there was ever an opportunity to get her help on the outside, he had just missed it.

While down in the basement, Deryn and Bronson lost track of time. They didn't realize how late it was until they heard the door to the building open, signaling Quigley's return.

"Shit," said Bronson, walking over to the stairs leading out of the basement. "I really wish he and that broad never broke up. It was so convenient before."

"It's fine," said Deryn, walking up beside him. "Just head inside and tell him you went for a walk or something, and I'll slip upstairs."

Bronson nodded. "I'll make up some excuse and head up there in a bit. I'm pretty sure he thinks Ruby and I are screwing." He winked.

Deryn couldn't help but smile.

The two of them headed up the stairs slowly, Bronson taking the lead and listening closely for any signs of his roommate.

When they got to the second floor, Bronson held his hand out so Deryn would stop. "Someone else is here. But I didn't hear anyone else come in," he said, looking worried. "Go back to the basement, Der -"

"No," she said, stubbornly crossing her arms. "I'll wait right here until I know everything is alright."

Bronson wanted to argue, but Quigley's voice was becoming more urgent. He nodded and headed up the last flight of stairs to his apartment's door. It was currently wide open. Quigley was standing in the archway and yelling at someone on the inside.