Persona (25 page)

When he climbs into the truck then, Moira can’t help to think that he looks rather grumpy. It makes her wonder what happened inside the apartment and if everything is alright. She is about to ask him, but he interrupts her before she can. With his words comes the familiar scent of cinnamon spice, which makes her skin tingle.

“It’s all set, we’re good to go.”

He glances around to them all quickly, and he starts the truck. As he backs them out of the parking lot and back onto the road, she wonders if it’s her imagination or did he deliberately not look at her just then? It has to be, but it does make her curious though, since his scent is still strong to her senses.

***

The only thing that kept Liam from losing control the moment he climbed back into the truck, is the knowledge that he’s going to be seeing a friend of his shortly. They are heading to Angola, Indiana next and stopping at his friend Charles’s house.

It’s been a while, but it’s a small comfort to know he’ll be around someone that knows him, and no one knows him like Charles and his family. He tunes out the others as they quietly talk about things he doesn’t care for, and thinks back to the time he first met Charles.

It was when he was a much younger boy, and would travel around with him mother. She was the starter of all the pack coming together, as a messenger of his father. She traveled through most of the Country for months, and he would go with her. It wasn’t an option either.

His father pretty much already decided what Liam would do with his life at a young age. Not that he is complaining or anything, just noting that he never had a choice in the matter. Something good came out of all the travel though. He met new people and got to see how the other half lived. Out of all the people he met on his trips, Charles was his favorite.

Back then Charles was a newly married army man, and was forefront in helping Liam’s family push they’re cause for better rights. Thanks to Liam, Charles became his father’s second, if you will. Though, he does put it out there that he prefers to be called Liam’s second and not Marshals. Liam never told his father this though, he might take offense.

No man likes to see their son rise to more than him. At least his father doesn’t anyway. The way he heard it from Charles himself, he was a friend of his fathers at the beginning. Before anyone became ‘infected’ with the disease that is now known as Marshal Black Syndrome, aka. MBS. Among the infected though, they prefer to call it their persona, and it works for Liam.

He never did get the whole story in how Charles was first ‘infected’, but he thinks it might have been his father doing the ‘infecting’. This would explain the slight hostility between the men. None the less, he does have his own persona and sometime along the way he accidently ‘infected’ his wife Jolene. Not that she seemed to mind though.

Charles has this way about him, which makes you forgive the worst of things. Like the fact that he refuses to talk to Liam’s father lately. It’s been a few years since he saw him last, and the word on the grapevine is that he added to his family, in the form of two sons. That must be a handful, Liam thinks to himself. He wonders if they are like Charles very open and blunt, or like Jo quiet and reserved. One way to find out and Liam accelerates the gas to get Angola faster.

Remembering where he is going and who he is going to see, only offers a small distraction. Liam doesn’t completely succeed in trying to ignore the way Moira makes him feel. Admittedly though, for the last while things have been reserved. Meaning, he hadn’t picked up on her apple scent. Much to his relief, and he does his best to not see why by checking the mirror. One thing that helps in that department is Raven.

The girl has been suspiciously quiet since he got back into the truck and he wonders why. It’s not like her to be so silent and not trying to antagonize one of the boys. He has to admit, that he does notice the way she keeps giving him these weird looks, when she thinks he doesn’t notice. Which he does of course, he notices everything, and it’s his curse.

Instead of telling her to stop or ask what her deal is, he goes another route, ignoring that he noticed at all. To help out, he turns on the radio of the truck. At first some rock ballade blasts through the speakers and drowns out the voices of his passengers. Liam smirks as he finally has a moment of peace. It doesn’t last though and all too soon is the song ending.

It’s replaced by a broadcast and he has half a thought of turning it back off before getting bad news. He doesn’t though and what he hears makes everyone in the truck as silent as he wanted them too before.

“
As I said before, the young woman that fled treatment is not working alone. It seems that she had accomplices in her escape and the names of them are as follows: Martin Thomas, Raven Parker, Daisy Grey, and Reynard Lewiston.”

Liam’s eyes go wide, and he has to swerve from hitting the car in front of him on the highway. He gets a honk and a middle finger for his driving, but he doesn’t care. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, he listens with the others as the broadcaster continues.

“
These kids are just that, teenagers, protecting a friend. They must not get that she is very sick and dangerous to herself and others. Their families aren’t at liberty to speak on the matter right now, but they should be aware that a reward is out to be given at her return.”

Another rock song comes back on and the voice of the broadcaster haunts Liam’s thoughts. No one says anything, when he reaches for the volume button and turns it down.

He and the others are in a stunned silence, and the only thing that makes him know what he heard is real. Is the fact that he can now sense Moira and her apple scent again, and it floods his senses.

“Dude, your name is Reynard?” Marty says quietly.

“Cool it Martin.” Ray quips back to him.

It’s too quiet for Liam now, and he knows when it sinks in to everyone what they heard. They are all going to go crazy. So much for the reprieve he was hoping for, and with the scent of apples filling him up, he steps on the gas even harder and weaves in and out of traffic.

He decides to not think too much, until he can get the chance to talk to Charles. Good time to let his second, come into use.

***

Adirondack Mountains Facility

Peter Fletcher is cleaning his hands of Daniel Warner’s blood with a damp rag in the cell. He is very disappointed that Daniel won’t give up his daughter’s location. He did cry out a few times only to tell him that he doesn’t know where she is. Peter doesn’t believe him though, he isn’t stupid. Of course he knows where his daughter is, he cares for her.

He didn’t kill him yet though, since he might be useful at a later date. Peter isn’t sure when though, and this bothers him some. Dixon has been dealing with the press like they had planned the day before. He knows it’s only a matter of time before he gets her back now. After all, no one can turn away a reward for such a small duty.

One thing that is bothering him though is the strange boy that was involved, and can’t help thinking he looks very familiar from the security monitors. He thinks that he might have to step up his game plan soon since she is clearly no longer in NY.

***

She can’t breathe. Her lungs feel like they are closing in on her and she can’t catch the breath she needs. The worst possible thing that could have happened just happened. There is a reward out for her and her friends are being targeted as accomplices.

Moira knows there is no way for any of this to end well now. Not with it all being rested on her shoulders, and if anything happens to them now it’ll be her fault. She can feel her persona again, and it’s like a tidal wave now rising and rising up inside her just under her skin. When she can smell a strong cinnamon, she knows that Liam must be just as bothered as she is.

Everyone is silent in the truck, even Marty now. She has the feeling he is at a loss, as how to make her feel better, and then realizes it’s not up to him to make her feel that way.

This makes her feel even more overwhelmed and unsure of herself, and that’s when she can feel the tears pooling in her eyes. She has the feeling that she is about to break down and with that thought, surprisingly enough, her persona flees and leave her. Not wanting to question why, she becomes alert when the truck slows down.

Looking out the window, Moira notices that Liam is pulling them onto a side street with numerous expensive looking houses all around. He comes to a stop in front of a large three story brick farmhouse style home. He quickly cuts the engine, and turns around to face them, looking glum.

“Wait here for me. I’m going to see if we can stay the night.” He pauses, and rubs at the back of his neck with one hand before continuing.

“We need do deal with this new ‘problem’.”

He deftly turns back around and climbs out of the truck. He slams the door behind him as he goes, and the truck radiates with the force of it. As Moira watches him saunter up the walkway and towards the house, she notices that Marty inches closer to her. He seems almost hesitant in his movements.

This makes her curious as to why, but her eyes are all for Liam. As he is now knocking at the front door of the house, and he doesn’t have to wait long for a reply. The door opens to reveal a young boy, maybe around the age of nine or ten. He is very tall, so she thinks he could be older. He has sandy brown hair and big brown eyes.

He gives Liam a harsh look, almost saying ‘who are you and why you are here?’ and it makes Moira want to laugh at the boy’s bravado.

The boy narrows his eyes at Liam, as he seems to be explaining who he is and what they want. The boy looks around Liam and to them in the truck. He then shrugs and calls to someone over his shoulder further into the house.

“What do you think they are like? They have kids that are like us right?” Daisy asks softly.

This brings Moira back to the rest of them in the truck, and she really thinks about what the other girl just asked. She is right. They do have kids like them. Meaning they are about to get a crash course in how the other half really lives. This excites Moira, even given the circumstances.

“I’m sure they’ll be like us Dais, uniquely challenged.” Raven says to her, as she is staring out the window with the rest of them.

Moira turns her attention back out the window and Marty her hand in his as she does. At the touch of him, she shivers and tries to not let it show that it makes her feel funny. Whether that is a good or bad thing, she doesn’t know.

A woman with long dark hair comes to the door now, from behind the boy and smiles a greeting to Liam. Her smile dims slightly though, when Liam repeats what he must have told the boy. She then looks to the truck at them, and nods her head in what looks like agreement. She then waves to the kids in the truck and signals them to come inside, and quickly turns around and goes back into the house.

Moira wonders if Liam will go on in or come back for them. Her worries are answered when Liam turns back toward the truck, with the boy in tow.

All eyes are on Liam and the boy as they approach the truck and when Liam opens the back of the truck where their belongings are. She thinks that he looks more relaxed now. This makes her wonder if he knows the people that live here, the woman did seem pleased to see him. Liam starts right away grabbing bags of things and handing them to the boy. Who doesn’t look so annoyed that they are here.

“Guys, this is Casden. He kindly offered to help out, but not to do all the work. Wanna lend us a hand?” He says with an easy smile.

Everyone shuffles about embarrassingly and quickly gets out of the truck to help. As Moira climbs out right after Marty, she can’t help to think, that it’s nice to see Liam smile like he did.

Then she disregards that thought though, just like the one she had about him looking without his shirt. Yup, he doesn’t bother her at all, and she’ll keep telling herself that no matter what too.

It takes no time at all to gather the little amount of belongings they have, and soon enough they are all walking into the house. Once inside, Moira notices that the inside of the house is just as nice as the outside. She sees the woman wandering about across the room, and then she sees another boy, much younger sitting on a sofa.

Their group, led by Casden, walk into the living room with the woman and other boy. Casden deftly drops the bag he was carrying onto the floor and slumps down onto the couch beside the other boy and the rest of them come to a stop just inside the room. The woman faces them apologetically before giving a stern look to Casden.

“Casden, don’t be rude.”

She literally crosses her arms over the other and glares at him, and it makes Moira snicker silently.

Casden looks up at his mother, and doesn’t even look guilty of anything. He picks up a controller then and when he pushes the button shooting starts from the large television from across the room.

“Sorry, I’m just in the middle of a game. If I knew we were expecting company, I wouldn’t have started it.” He says distractedly.

Shaking her head, she faces them again and gives them a sincere smile.

“I’m sure Liam forgot to mention, but I’m Jo and these lovely angels are my boys. The one playing the God awful game is Casden, and the one here on the laptop is Kai.”

She points to each of the boys as she talks, and the smaller one Kai absently lifts his hand to them.

“You are all welcome to make to make yourselves at home. Charles won’t be back till later with your passports, so take a load off.”

With another smile, Jo disappears around the corner and heads for the Kitchen, Moira suspects. Left alone with the boys now, they are all unsure of what to do. Then Raven just shrugs and walks over to Kai and kneels down next to him. He doesn’t even look up or say anything. He just turns the laptop so she can see what he is doing.

Now Marty and Ray both wander over to Casden, and start commenting on who to shoot in his game. They get pretty rowdy and Liam goes over to them laughing. This makes Moira smile, as this is seriously the first moment where they are all having a good time.