(Sorry it took so long to continue this. Life is rough sometimes. I've had a lotta medical ✨️issues✨️but I'm on the mend now. Imma try to get back into this, but it might be a lil inconsistent.)
The drive to Fletcher's burned house was quiet and painfully awkward. I still had no idea what I was going to do. Or even how I'd gotten into this mess to begin with. I felt like my life was getting more complicated every passing moment. Not only that, I hadn't accomplished a single thing. There were still people, like, actual people in cages beneath DMHS headquarters.
I can only hope that the alarm we had set off might stop or complicate the whole human experimentation thing. I wouldn't even know what to do with everything that was down there. I couldn't just shove them all in the back of my truck, and the thought of just releasing a bunch of monsters made me feel sick.
Some of them were human and maybe some were even kind like Fletcher, but that doesn't mean they all are and releasing them all here, in the middle of my city didn't sit well with me.
DMHS was a split off of the government, only trained to capture or kill monsters. I can only assume everything else DMHS was doing. The government either knows about or ordered DMHS to do.
I still hadn't convinced a single person that listening to these monsters is the right thing to do. If it even was the right thing to do, I had no idea anymore. My idea of right and wrong would have been so easy to explain a month ago. Kill monsters, save humans.
But now, the thought of killing Fletcher twisted my stomach in a painful knot. Despite everything he was going through, he never even touched me. Even as he was losing his mind and I saw that he was in nothing but pain, his integrity never wavered.
After everyone leaves me in my vehicle, I call Michelle.
"Ohmygod! Quinn, how are you? What happened? I'm under the tree, waiting. I got all the stuff I might need in my duffel bag."
"Calm down, Michelle. I'm fine. Everything went… Smoothly…"
"When are you coming? Are you almost here?" She asks, her voice on the edge of panic.
I sigh, rubbing the bridge of my nose, "No, Michelle. It might take me a bit to get there."
"Wait, what? Why? Are you ok? Did something -"
"I'm fine, Michelle." I repeat, breaking her off, "But… There's a lot to discuss. I mean… like a lot. Can you meet me downtown? I think it's best we talk in person about it. It's … kinda ground breaking."
"Quinn, you sound -"
"Tired." I spit out. "Very tired. Meet me by that breakfast place on Main Street. Fifteen minutes. I'll meet you there."
"Okay, Quinn. Please be careful. The sun isn't up yet, and that's near that vampire's place."
I let out a soft laugh, "I don't think I have to worry about that right now. See you in a few." I finish and hang up with a huge sigh. How could things get this complicated?
I go into the house and see the two wolves in their human form sitting on the bottom step. Beth was a few steps above them, and they were all chatting about what had happened. Cecil was mainly quiet as they all spoke. Fletcher was nowhere to be seen, but Noah was on the second floor walking toward everyone. I look around and find the guard on the other side, watching with careful eyes.
"I gotta go pick up a friend." I announce to them, "I'm meeting her downtown. After I go get her-"
"What about my family?" The guard says, interrupting. "They need to know im okay, I need -"
Cecil stands and in a flash is right in front of him. "You worked at that place, and you think you have a say in what happens?" He barks, getting into the guys face. "What? It's okay to ruin someone else's life, but yours is off-limits?"
The man flinches back, trying desperately to disappear into the charred wood behind him. I take a step forward to help, but before I can, Fletcher is there. Seemingly out of nowhere. "Stop it, Cecil. He has every right to be afraid for his family."
Cecil whirls around, facing Fletcher. "I understand your affection for Noah. You've had that kid for years. But why are you sticking up for a guy who wanted to torture and kill you in some goddamn facility?"
Fletcher doesn't budge, "He has a family who deserves to live just as much as Noah. He risked a lot to help me. He has the ability to change. I'm not saying what he did was right, I'm saying he has every right to try and redeem himself."
"When did you get so soft?" Cecil spits, "You think he gives a damn about you?" Cecil grabs the guy by his shirt and yanks him up into the air, his feet dangling about eight inches from the floor. "You think he's the same as Noah? Do you think if it came down to his life or one of ours, he would risk his life? No!"
I jump forward, grabbing Cecil's arm, "Stop it. This isn't helping."
Cecil turns to me, dropping the guard. He lands with an "Oof!"
"You're not any better! You think I just missed the little detail where you tried to kill Fletcher? A hunter? Turning on her own kind?" He snickers, "If you run into them in the future, what side will you take, you think? Will it be ours or those you've been work-"
Fletcher's hand whips forward and slaps Cecil across the face, silencing the room with a loud clap. "Your temper has burned too hot. Go cool off."