Mikey looked up as he noticed the elevator on the move once more. Closing his book, he tapped Frankie’s leg until he woke. Opening his eyes, the younger boy stared blankly at his friend until he explained.

“Someone’s coming,” he said, nodding towards the express elevator on the other side of the room.

Pushing himself upright on the couch, Frankie looked over his shoulder then back towards Mikey.

“Any idea who?” He asked worriedly, remembering the last time someone arrived unannounced, only for it to be draculoids placing him under arrest.
“No one’s called,” Mikey shrugged.

Noticing the younger boy’s concerned, even frantic expression, Mikey continued:

“Do you want to hide in Gee’s room? Just in case?”

Frankie nodded quickly and pushed himself from the couch and racing from the living room as the elevator drew closer to their floor. As it opened, Mikey drew a sigh of relief as Edward stepped out, noting as he did that there were no draculoids stationed inside any more. Turning his head towards the bedrooms, he called out.

“It’s okay, Frankie, it’s Edward!”

On hearing that, the security guard couldn’t help but flash a brief smile at the level of trust they had in him. Gerard’s bedroom door opened and the nervous boy peered out.

“Any news?” he asked.

Edward exhaled deeply.

“Too much,” he shook his head in dismay. “Korse and Vitkovski intercepted Gerard when my friends were returning him to me. They’ve been killed.”
“I’m... I’m sorry, Edward, really.” Mikey frowned deeply as Frankie joined him once again. “I didn’t even consider that as a possibility.”
“No, well, it wasn’t your fault. As it turned out, one of the group turned traitor and gave Korse the details of how to get him back for personal gain. He’s long gone and now Korse has Gerard in the BLI cells.”
“What!” Mikey’s eyes widened in shock. “Why in the cells? And... are you safe? Does he know your involvement?”
“I don’t know, I don’t think so. They guy who sold them out was a new addition to the group and didn’t know me. I only know him as BabyDoc, but if I ever find out his name, I’m going to kill him!”
“Maybe I can find out?” Mikey offered.
“Mikey,” Edward sighed. “I’m going to have to get Gerard out of the cells and away from BLI or they’ll end up destroying him. The question is, do I get you both out?”
“All?” Frankie added hesitantly.
“If that’s what you want?” He tipped his head, kicking himself for excluding the scared young boy. “I didn’t want to assume.”
“When you say - ‘out’, what do you mean?” Mikey queried.
“Out of Battery City,” he replied flatly.
“You mean... into the Zones?” Mikey appeared scared by the suggestion. “But it’s dangerous.”
“More than here?” Edward asked with a tired sigh.
“I... I don’t want Gee hurt... but...” Mikey looked down. “Edward, this is all I know! I... I’m scared,” he added quietly, looking down, too ashamed to meet Edwards gaze.
“I know, Mikey,” he offered in a gentle tone. “So am I.”

Frankie and Mikey both looked up and stared at him in disbelief.

“You’re leaving too?” Frankie asked.
“If I get you all out, I’m going with you to help take care of you. How could I not?”
“Can you get Gee out of the cells?” Mikey asked frowning in uncertainty.
“It might be a challenge, but I have to.”

Mikey chewed his lip momentarily; his life in Battery City was good, he had every luxury, but it was nothing without his brother.

“I’m going with you,” he finally nodded.
“You’re sure?” Edward asked.

Mikey nodded.

“You’ve never lied to us, Edward and if you think Gee’s in danger if we stay, then we go. It’s that simple.”
“Me too,” Frankie added, placing his hands on the back of the couch.

That was easier for Edward to accept without question. Frankie had nothing but the Way brothers. If they were to leave, it stood to reason that he would go with them.

“Pack a bag each and one for Gerard. Keep it small, like a backpack or something. You have to be able to travel light. If you have any money, bring it but don’t worry, I have plenty. I’ll get Gerard, just wait for my call and be ready to leave as soon as you get it, okay?”
“Any idea when?” Mikey asked.
“Tonight, hopefully.”

The two boys stared, each with a grim expression; scared but determined, they both nodded.

“Oh, and Vitkovski’s been killed too,” Edward rolled his eyes. “And I’m pretty sure it wasn’t rebels.”
“Korse?” Frankie gasped.
“You know what he’s capable of,” Edward growled, thinking back to how he had treated the terrified, claustrophobic boy.
“Yeah,” Frankie shuddered.
“Be ready!” Edward reminded them as he headed for the elevator once more.

Only seconds later the two boys were left alone and only a few seconds after that, they were heading for the bedrooms. They would be ready and they would all be safe.

*

Gerard opened his eyes, but even the dim light around him seemed too bright, exacerbating what was already a blinding headache. Taking a few deep breaths, Gerard tried again to open his eyes, with more success this time. A few more deep breaths began to settle the nausea that lay hand-in-hand with the headache he was suffering. The irony
that he had woken just over six months earlier in the hands of rebels with exactly the same symptoms was not lost on him - both situations engineered by Korse. It was a frightening thought just how manipulative the man was and by extension, just how much danger he was in.

Finally recovering enough to take in his surroundings, Gerard looked around.
As Korse had promised, he found himself in a BLI cell, but even though he knew he shouldn't be there anyway, he was particularly irritated to see the the walls were lightly padded. The anger rose in his chest at the realisation that Korse had managed to convince people of his assertion that Gerard had been brainwashed by the rebels. When, in fact, the rebels had actually saved him from being brainwashed, driven insane or even killed by a Kanslokal addiction before his mind and body was old enough to withstand the more dangerous effects.

It was only at that moment that he recalled the details of what he now regarded as his capture rather than simply his return. The deaths of Flex and Leech - the two men who had placed themselves in danger and worked so hard to release him from the grip of the evil drug - murdered right in front of him. He felt bile rising in his throat as he remembered seeing Flex’s staring, dead eyes as Korse restrained him, moments before murdering the Chief Exterminator. Looking around frantically, Gerard saw a chemical toilet in the far corner of the room and scrambled towards it as fast as his stumbling, weak body could manage. Reaching it with only moments to spare, Gerard’s stomach contents emptied, accompanied by a burning acid reflux into the bowl. Leaning over, almost too weak to push himself away, he continued to retch as the acrid smell seemed to burn the inside of his nostrils. Reaching for some paper, he dried his mouth and flushed. Breathing heavily, his stomach and throat aching from the effort, he dragged himself to his feet using the edge of the sink to pull himself up. Turning on the tap, he scooped water up in his hand and rinsed his mouth, spitting the water out when finished. Noting the sweet and clean taste to the water almost brought tears to his eyes as he remembered the brackish and gritty water form the Zones. Those people had nothing, but they had helped him when he needed it most. Then there was Korse - he had everything but it still wasn’t enough.

Turning to face the door to the cell, Gerard’s still cloudy mind pondered his next move. Right now Korse held all the cards. Gerard would be the first to admit that he’s never seen a BLI cell, but from the look of this one, Korse had seemingly managed to convince the doctors at BLI that he was brainwashed or insane. That left him only one course of action. If he protested, lost his temper, insisted that Korse had murdered Vitkovski or even that he had drugged him with Kanslokal over the previous six months, they would likely agree with Korse. Given the man’s power and reputation in BLI, combined with the convincing tale he would have spun, it was unlikely that anyone would believe Gerard. So, that left him with only one option and, as the door was unlocked, he began his performance.

Standing now in the middle of the room as a man walked in, Gerard stared with curiosity. The man wore a smart grey suit and dark tie. His fair hair, thin and wispy, cut in a short almost severe style. His broad nose seemed too big for his face which was long and thin with hollowed cheeks. Gerard guessed he was in his late fifties, maybe, but his skin seemed smooth and without wrinkles making it hard to pinpoint with any accuracy. Gerard frowned as he noticed the man’s eyes were dark and narrow, giving him the appearance of permanently squinting.

“Is there something wrong, Gerard?” The man asked slowly.

Gerard almost laughed at the question; it seemed ludicrous to him.

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to be a bit more specific,” Gerard raised an eyebrow as he drew himself up to stand straight backed and appearing confident.
“You’re frowning,” the man replied, still not really explaining anything.
“Well, let me ask you this,” Gerard tried to appear casual as he looked around for somewhere to sit, his eyes finally settling on the bed. Walking carefully, still weak but wanting to appear in control, he continued: “Let’s say you just woke up in a padded cell with no clue as to why. Then a stranger walks in without introducing himself. Wouldn’t you frown? Even a little?”

The man raised his eyebrows as Gerard sat on the edge of the bed, staring up at him with a questioning expression etched on his face.

“I suppose I would,” the man smiled. “Good morning, Gerard. My name is Doctor Barton and here to look after you.”
“Why? What’s wrong with me?” Gerard asked innocently.
“Come now, Gerard,” Barton laughed. “We both know where you’ve been and the effect it’s had on you.”
“I was abducted by rebels, again!” Gerard rose to his feet once more. “Only this time, Exterminator Korse took a lot longer to find me and I have no idea what you mean by ‘the effect it’s had on me’.” He replied almost haughtily, adding air quotes to emphasise the doctor’s own words.

Barton mulled over the words before indicating to the opposite corner of the cell where a small table and two chairs stood.

“Why don’t we talk over here?” He asked, pulling out a chair for the boy.

Pushing himself up from the bed, Gerard walked carefully and a little slowly towards the table.

“Are you okay, Gerard? You’re walking a little tentatively.”
“I think I might be dehydrated.”
“Please, take a seat, I’ll get you some water.”
“Thanks.”

Gerard nodded as he sat, grateful to take the weight off his now almost jelly-like legs. He wasn’t sure how long he could keep this pretence going.

“You look tired,” Barton commented as he placed a beaker of water on the table.
“That’s because I am,” Gerard replied, finally realising that it was okay to be tired as it didn’t say anything negative about his mental state. “And a bit weak. I guess I haven’t eaten much lately.”
“The rebels didn’t feed you?” The doctor asked with a surprised tone.

Gerard bit his tongue to prevent his initial and furious response emerging about the lack of food and other basic needs in the desert. Right now, he needed to display no sense of sympathy or empathy for them, purely to be released from the cell. It occurred to him that in place of the rebels, to conjure the right tone, he would think about Korse and BLI.

“Some,” he replied. “Once a day.”
“That’s not a lot,” Barton pressed.
“I doubt my wellbeing was their top priority.”
“You sound angry.”
“They kept me locked in a small room with little food or water for however long I was there...”
“Seventeen days,” Barton interjected.
“Seventeen?” Gerard gasped. “Is... is that all? It felt like weeks.”

Gerard lowered his eyes and sighed.

“I didn’t know if I’d ever get home.”
“Did you want to?”
“What?” Gerard looked up, surprised by the question. “Of course I did! Why wouldn’t I?”
“You tell me.”
“I can’t tell you, because it’s a ridiculous question! Of course I wanted to go home!” He snapped.
“You complained before about Exterminator Korse finding you.”
“No, I complained about the length of time it took for him to find me! Does that sound to you like the words of someone who was happy to be there? Besides, that’s when I thought I was there weeks. He... he actually found me quite quickly, didn’t he? Given I could have been anywhere.”
“He was tipped off by one of the rebels in the camp.”
“Huh!” Gerard rolled his eyes. “Not even honour amongst thieves!”
“He told Exterminator Korse that you had made friends with the rebels.”

Gerard laughed loudly at the statement as Barton continued undeterred.

“He said that you promised to help them when you returned. Interesting that they intended to return you, don’t you think?”
“No, not really!” Gerard shook his head. “The first time I was abducted by rebels I defied them and refused to do what they wanted. They beat me up pretty bad for it. When I got back, I read up on it... I was paranoid it was going to happen again. Not so paranoid as it turns out. All the books said to make friends, make them like you. I guess it’s harder to kill someone you like. I made them believe that I wanted to help them but I couldn’t do it from the Zones, I had to go back. I guess whatever demands they were making weren’t having enough impact so if they genuinely thought I was on their side, it might work out better for them?”
“They didn’t actually make any demands,” Barton explained.
“That’s odd!” Gerard raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure?”
“Exterminator Korse believes that they brainwashed you to make you do what they wanted.”

Gerard laughed again and shook his head.

“Do I sound brainwashed to you?”
“No, I have to admit, you don’t. I’m also told that when the first rebel was killed, the other fired on Chief Exterminator Vitkovski then the second rebel was killed and you picked up his gun and you were very upset at the deaths of the rebels. Is that how you remember it?”
“It’s a version,” Gerard sighed, trying not to flinch at the mention of Leech and Flex’s deaths.
“What’s your version, Gerard?”

Gerard took a deep breath, he had to manage this without getting upset by the terrible memory. Most of all, he knew he had to stick to as much of the truth as possible.

“They had me in their jeep. One was driving, the other next to me with a gun. Out of nowhere the driver was shot. I had no idea who was attacking the jeep and I was afraid it was more rebels. The guy next to me fired, I think, then he was shot. I grabbed his gun and I could hear someone shouting at me, but I didn’t know who, I was in a blind panic. Vitkovski was dead... I... I didn’t know if I was next. When I realised it was Korse, I got out of the jeep but the next thing I know, he’s putting me in restraints and I can see the guy’s face right next to mine... I... I never saw anyone dead before!”

Gerard looked down, covering his face with his hands as tears began to roll down his cheeks. He had been unable to hold them back, but he believed he had managed to convince the doctor that there was a plausible enough reason for his fear and upset.

“Gerard,” Barton spoke softly, placing a hand on Gerard’s right arm. “I’m sorry. You’ve gone through such a lot, but you’re safe now.”
“I want to go home!” Gerard cried, meaning every word. “I just want to go home!”
“Of course,” Barton nodded. “You get some rest and I’ll take care of it. Do you want help getting to the bed?”
“Please,” Gerard hiccuped for effect.

Gently helping the boy to his feet, Barton saw him to the bed and helped him settle. As he turned to the door, he shook his head. Gerard stopped the smile emerging on his face, assuming there may be cameras. Although it pained him to lie about such good men, there was little he could do for them inside the cell, but it seemed that his performance had gone well.

Notes

Hello lovely readers!

Here’s another instalment - I hope you like it. Uni has calmed a lot and I’m so very near the end :D
Please feel free to drop me a message!

Sas xx