Embers & Ice (Rouge) Read online

  “That’s not the point of this arena. The point is to teach discipline, to maintain order and to keep fear alive in us. It won’t be over until we’re both out.” He pushed himself up on his elbows, his face inches from hers. The long scar on his right cheek went from the corner of his eyebrow to the joint at the back of his jaw. She had no time to puzzle over it then. “You know I can’t beat you; there’s nothing offensive about my powers. You’re just going to have to put me out.”

  “What? Why the hell would I do that?”

  “Because it’s what he wants. Just do it.”

  “No, I-”

  The fire dome dissolved in her panic, but fortunately the rain had ceased. Silence loomed around them. Hunter looked up at the roof and around the Orb, hoping to catch a glimpse of Dr. Wolfe standing behind the glass, his expression one of malice and authority.

  I won’t let him win, she decided. Not today. Not with Will. In fact, never again.

  Hunter turned back to Will and – on impulse – shoved him in the shoulder. He fell back on the floor hard and stared up at her with wide eyes.

  “Why did you-”

  “Hit me,” she hissed.

  “What?”

  “Come on, they’ve had their show of fire and water, and they know you can heal. Just knock me out and we both win.”

  “I can’t-”

  “You afraid to hit a girl? Come on, DO IT!”

  Will grit his teeth, pushed himself up and shifted his weight from foot to foot. With a look in his eyes that read ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this’, Will raised his right arm and drew back. The balled fist collided with the left side of Hunter’s face, sending her spinning backwards. Despite his size and incredible muscle capacity, the punch itself wasn’t powerful enough to knock her to the ground let alone knock her out. But it did hurt like hell. Spots danced in her vision and then a red-hot pain throbbed in her jaw.

  She turned back to Will and spat blood on the clean floor. He grimaced, perhaps at her face or at the fact that he’d just punched her.

  “You can’t hit a little harder?” she groaned, trying to make it sound like she was teasing him. He only shrugged.

  “Hey, I may look strong but it’s kind of exhausting having to regenerate your own skin over and over. Cut me some slack.”

  Smiling only slightly, Hunter twisted her shoulder and kinked her neck as though she were preparing for a fight.

  “They just want a show,” she said.

  Will nodded.

  Hunter threw herself at him and they both went sprawling to the floor. As much as she didn’t want to hurt Will – especially after what he’d been through to get thrown in there with her – hitting him was better than burning him.

  Will rolled out from under her before she could get a good swipe at his face. She swung her knee and thrust it into his stomach. Will blew out a gasp of air and doubled over. As she pushed herself to her feet, she pretended not to see Will’s leg as it whipped around and knocked her ankles out from under her, sending her to the ground. She hit her elbow hard but managed to roll back onto her feet. She took her time straightening, lighting her hands on fire for good measure, and met his gaze. With one last apologetic look, he clenched his teeth hard and threw his fist against her jaw. Hunter’s entire head jarred and then she was out.

  EIGHTEEN

  Will wanted to catch Hunter before she hit the floor, but his reflexes were slower than they used to be. Her head made a terrible crack and her red hair spilled out around her like rose petals. He dropped down beside her, scooped her head up in his hands and tapped her lightly on the cheek.

  She was completely out. Only her chest rose up and down. It was over.

  A heavy sigh of relief fell out of Will’s mouth. Never, in all his sixteen years imprisoned in the institution, had he ever been forced to fight in the Orb. He’d seen countless kills and witnessed horrible fights. It always made him that much more determined to stay away from trouble. But Will knew what he was getting himself into when he burst into the girl’s bathroom. He knew that the justice system Dr. Wolfe enforced would have him punished for his heroic act.

  But Will couldn’t walk away. Even though every fiber of his being begged him to put his head down and go back to his cell, Will was drawn to the sound of Hunter’s scream. And the sight of Jamison pressed against her squirming body still made his skin crawl with fury. Perhaps it was just in his nature to be protective over complete strangers.

  Only, Hunter was no stranger. Will gazed down at her soft eyelashes that fluttered as she breathed, at her full lips and the already sunken shape of her cheeks. Asleep, she looked somewhat peaceful, but Will had been around enough pain and grief to know that she was hurting from something. He’d seen it in her amber-gold eyes the very first time he caught her gaze across the breakfast hall. Will could still remember when Hunter was free of pain and young and innocent. When she was his first and only friend in the nursery all those years ago, until one night the tall man with the pale eyes took her away and she never came back.

  Hunter deserved to know why he defended her against Jamison. She didn’t know how many other girls that filthy man had taken advantage of. But… why her? The question was one even Will himself could not answer. He only knew that he could not stop himself from entering the bathroom.

  Crouching over Hunter, Will didn’t see where the guards came from, but he heard their footsteps behind him. They took him roughly by each arm and dragged him away. After the guards escorted him through a door that had appeared in the Orb, which led to a dark corridor and a glass exit, he was taken in stiff silence to a room on the right. He’d never been in this part of the institution before. Inside the room, there was nothing but blackness. Black walls, dark mahogany furniture, several chairs with padded armrests made of leather and a single lamp on the desk that cast eerie shadows all over the room. The guards left, locked the door and Will sat in darkness for only a few seconds before the door opened again and Dr. Wolfe himself strode inside. His hollow cheeks were flushed from the excitement of the Orb. He undid the button of his white lab coat and sat opposite Will with his hands on the desk. A small puff of dust blew around his arms.

  “Hello William,” he smiled. “How are you?”

  “Fine,” he replied. He’d long ago become used to the doctor’s sick optimism and sense of humor.

  “You healed rather quickly after the acid rain. I presume you were trying to show off for your childhood friend.”

  “Your acid rain must not be as poisonous as you think, Doctor.” Will wriggled on the chair and became aware of how shredded his jumpsuit was. He put his hands between his legs to cover any holes. “What will you do to punish Jamison?”

  Dr. Wolfe stroked a finger down the gray stubble of his chin. “You know what it’s like to have urges, don’t you William? My guards are a bit like soldiers, you see. Deprived of natural cravings and homesick and needing something to quench that thirst.”

  “He was about to rape her,” Will said through gritted teeth. His nails dug into his palms, the pain completely numb as anger swallowed him whole. Who am I kidding? This man doesn’t care what kind of abuse we take, especially when given a chance to punish us.

  “Yes, well, I will deal with that small matter later.” He waved a hand and met Will’s gaze with cold, heartless eyes. “I’m interested in you William.”

  Will’s eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t know you swung that way, Dr. Wolfe.”

  The doctor’s grin widened and he slapped his hand down on the wooden table with a snap, making Will jump and grip the armrests. “Ha ha!” he cried with glee. “Now there’s something I haven’t seen in you in a very long time. Humor! You must have the urge to laugh every once in a while. I can’t have cut it out of you yet, have I?”

  Will had never seen the doctor so enthusiastic. Was it Hunter? Was he excited to have her back, did it bring him closer to finding her guardian? Or was there something else happening in secret that they had yet to discover?
r />   “Now,” the doctor continued. “As I said, you’ve made me curious. Your infatuation with Hunter is reminiscent of your childhood, am I right?”

  “I suppose I was angry,” he admitted. “I didn’t want that filthy man taking advantage of her in just her first month here.”

  “The world is a cruel place,” Dr. Wolfe replied flatly.

  “I wouldn’t know.”

  “Oh, but you remember your father don’t you?”

  At the mention of his father, Will’s muscles tensed. “How could I forget? The man beat me to death.”

  “Not quite. We brought you back, and as an added bonus you woke up with powers. You should really be more grateful.”

  “Grateful?” Will snorted. “What kind of life am I living here? If given a choice, I’d rather be dead.”

  They stared each other down for a very long time before Dr. Wolfe put his hands together and leaned forward on the table.

  “I am curious,” he said, “about your connection with our little Fearne.”

  “She’s my friend,” was all he could say. It came out jagged and harsh.

  “I’m aware. I only wonder why she has warmed to you the most. Her mind is a fascinating place, William, and when I explore her thoughts I often find you there. She values you highly.”

  “How do you know this?”

  The doctor smiled, showing a straight row of yellowed teeth. “You don’t think we haven’t made ways to chemicalize your powers and use them for our purposes? We have produced salves using your DNA for healing, technology using Marcus’s power and Fearne has become quite a wonderful tool in testing staff for-”

  Will stood to his feet, his chair toppling backwards, towering over the table and Dr. Wolfe who was hidden by his shadow. Will’s body quivered in fury. He’d never felt such rage for this sadistic man. How easy it would be to reach over the table and snap his bony neck-

  “William,” Dr. Wolfe murmured in a low tone as though he were talking to a misbehaving pet. “You’ve always been so good at controlling your anger and taking the punishment. Don’t break your streak now.”

  “Don’t tempt me,” he growled.

  “I understand your need to protect your friends.” The doctor got to his feet, buttoning his coat again, and walked slowly around the table. “It’s because you know that you don’t have much time left, am I right?”

  Will felt the blood drain from his face as Dr. Wolfe reached up and placed a skeleton-like hand on his shoulder. The grip raised the hairs on his neck. Over the years he’d watched many deteriorate. People he learned to care about. Older brothers and sisters, of such. One day they simply didn’t come down for breakfast. He was smart enough to learn that Dr. Wolfe had disposed of them, for they were so weak from experimentation and lack of nutrients that they just… died. The others knew it too, and it terrified them all.

  “What will my power do to stall my death?” he asked.

  “That, not even I can tell you my boy.” He nodded sadly and urged Will to the door. “Oh well, it’s been a wonderful journey we’ve had together.” Two guards were waiting to escort Will back to the cell block. “I’m interested to see how it ends. And please,” he added as Will was taken by the arms again, “I’d like no more trouble from you. Remember, I know what – I’m sorry, who – your weaknesses are. Am I clear?”

  “Yes Sir,” Will muttered, and the door closed softly behind him.

  Will marched through the dark halls of the institution with men guarding his way. His thoughts returned, as they always did, to a life he imagined outside. A world where the sun was bright in a cloudy sky over the Thames, where little black cabs and red buses zoomed around him, where Big Ben chimed through the chilly air and there was a sense of possibility. A world in which he could choose where to take his next step, breathe in freedom and simply… be.

  It was a wonderful fantasy world, and it was all he had.

  NINETEEN

  Joshua gripped the steering wheel so tightly, his bones ached. New York disappeared in his rear vision mirror, but that did nothing to comfort him. Even if they were on the other side of America, Joshua would not stop looking behind him. In fact, before two hours ago, Joshua had been checking over his shoulder every day since Hunter’s birth.

  And yet they had found him. Again. It was history repeating itself, only this time he didn’t have a child to protect. He had a teenage boy and a teacher instead.

  Neither Jenny nor Eli had spoken a word since Joshua shoved them in his car and sped through New York traffic towards the highway. Joshua didn’t much mind whether the kid was alright, but Jenny…

  “How do you feel?” he asked her, his voice loud amidst the silence.

  Jenny squirmed in the leather passenger seat. “My adrenaline level is kicking pretty high right now, but otherwise… I’m fine.”

  Joshua nodded. “Good.”

  “And you?”

  “I… I’ll be alright once we’re a very long distance away from the city, and there’s no one on our tail.”

  “Who were those guys exactly?” asked Eli from the back seat. “You told us there were people looking for you and Hunter, but you didn’t say they were murderers.”

  “They’re Agents who work for an institution that imprisons people like us with special abilities. They run tests and research our genetics.”

  “Like what you do?”

  Joshua grit his teeth, trying to be patient. But the boy was already grating on his nerves. “I don’t torture innocent people.”

  “No,” said Eli, “you just fake their deaths and put them to sleep in your freezer.”

  The air in the car dropped to below zero in seconds. Joshua could feel the ice creeping through his fingers, but he had to remain calm. If he lost control, it might draw attention to them again, or he might make more mistakes that could not be fixed.

  “Eli, he saved our lives,” said Jenny softly.

  Joshua glanced at her in surprise. She’s standing up for me.

  Jenny frowned at him. “What? You did.”

  “I… I couldn’t let them kill you.”

  Her brown eyes filled with warmth, and it was just enough to push the ice back inside him. He almost couldn’t take his eyes off her, and looked back at the road.

  Eli started snickering. “I so knew this would happen between you two.”

  Clearing his throat, Joshua ignored him. “So I’ve formulated some sort of a plan. In order to keep the Agents off our tracks, we’re going to have to get a new car as soon as we stop tonight.”

  “Where are we stopping? Chicago?” asked Eli excitedly. “Oo, do you know what we should do? I heard about this place that-”

  “This isn’t a field trip Eli,” Joshua snapped. “We’re running for our lives here. We’re staying in low-budget hotels, leaving early in the morning and driving all day. We’re not doing anything touristy, and we’re not talking to anyone unless they’re serving us food. Got it?”

  Eli huffed and sat back against the chair. Ungrateful little shit, isn’t he? The Iceman rolled his eyes. Doesn’t appreciate that you literally saved his life. Maybe we should have kept him under. Joshua shook the voice out of his mind, afraid it would turn him into a monster again. He needed to be in control.

  “Where are we driving to?” asked Jenny. “Do you have a destination in mind?”

  Joshua squirmed in his seat and shot her a sideways glance. He did have a destination in mind, and it had come to him out of the blue the moment he started the car.

  The Agents had found his secret laboratory, which could only mean they had already found Hunter. It took a lot for Joshua to accept that, but once he came to terms with it, his mind started formulating a plan. In order to get Hunter out of ICE incorporated, he had to go in.

  But he couldn’t do it alone.

  “I was thinking… Seattle.”

  “Seattle?” Jenny gaped. “Why Seattle?”

  “I have an old friend there who might be able to help us.”

&nbs
p; “But that’s miles away!” Eli exclaimed.

  “Then I’ll just leave you back at my apartment where you’ll be shot or taken by the Agents for questioning, how does that sound?”

  Again, Eli shut up immediately.

  Joshua sighed. “Look. Those Agents were literally about to kill you because you were in their way and you had nothing of value that they couldn’t get themselves. They’re after me because I have abilities and because I have information about my abilities that will be of great use to the people at ICE Institution. But if we don’t get as far away from them as possible, leaving no traces behind, they will find us again. And this time I won’t be able to save you. Now I need to know that the both of you are going to do exactly as I say-” He glanced at Jenny and then in the rear vision mirror at Eli. “-And that you’re going to cooperate and not complain, or else we’re all dead. Am I clear?”

  They nodded, and even though he felt guilty for being so harsh, he knew it was for the best.

  After a moment of tense silence, Jenny spoke.

  “Does it make you worry that they didn’t ask us where Hunter was? Do you think they might already have her?”

  Joshua couldn’t bring himself to answer that question, because in truth, he knew they found her. So instead, he turned on the radio and tried to think of anything but Hunter in the hands of Dr. Wolfe.

  TWENTY

  A man in a white lab coat stood over Hunter when she woke up. He was quite pudgy around the waist, and his coat was creased at the bottom, as if his closet were too small. Gray hair flowed over his head and a moustache like Mr. Monopoly was perched on his upper lip. His blue eyes were kind and welcoming and he gazed at her with one eyebrow raised, as though she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar and it amused him greatly.

  “Miss Harrison,” he muttered in a gentle voice and the moustache wiggled. “Good evening.”

  Hunter started to sit up, but her head was pulsing a deep pain and it was too hard to move. It must have been quite a punch Will gave her. She rubbed her jaw and soon found a lump on the back of her head where she hit the ground.