"What happened?" Ava asked as I crawled out, clutching my side. They rushed towards me.
"Where is she?" Mark asked. I groaned as they helped me up.
"She escaped," I answered. He entered the room, then came out.
"Wh...How?" Cole asked.
"Through the back door," Mark answered.
"There's a back door?" Ava asked. He rubbed his neck.
"I probably forgot to mention that. It was built incase of an emergency escape," he told.
"So she's gone now," Ava sighed, "I should've stayed back,"
I limped to the living room and sat down. "It's not your fault," I said.
"Yeah, it's yours. You told us to leave," Cole said. Okay I didn't expect that.
"Alright how 'bout we don't blame anyone and just find a solution," I said. He plopped down on the next sofa.
"I made a call to Amanda, while you were in there," Mark said looking at me.
"You what?!" I asked.
"Relax, she's on our side," he said, sitting on the arm rest of the chair Cole sat on. "I asked her to find the name of the person who was in charge of Cole's parents case."
"And?"
"It was an ex agent named Jerry Carter. Turns out he resigned a week after the case was closed. No one has seen him since," he said looking at me.
"He must be our guy," Ava said.
"Kayla can I have a word?" He asked suddenly, looking at me. I knew he figured something out.
"Sure," I said and stood up, following him to one of the rooms.
He locked the door and sighed, "You let her escape, didn't you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," I denied. He stepped closer.
"The Kayla I know wouldn't just sit back while she's on the run," he said, "also you looked awfully calm,"
"Maybe it's because I couldn't chase her?" I said referring my injured legs. He scoffed.
"We both know that doesn't stop you. Hell you can even tackle a bear in this condition," he said.
"I'm flattered," I smiled.
"Kayla..."
"Fine," I sat down on the chair there. This is the second time I was dragged into a room. "You're right, I let her escape,"
He crossed his arms, "I know."
I rolled my eyes at his cockiness, "But I made her think it wasn't on purpose,"
"What's your plan?" He asked. I smirked.
He knows me too well.
----------
*Flashback*
"What are you doing?"
"Playing along," I said and uncuffed her. She held her wrist, still looking at me.
"I trust you won't try to escape," I said and brought the chair to sit beside her.
"That depends," she said, looking amused.
I stared at her, "I don't think you deserve to be cuffed to a table. Though as annoying as you are, you sort of saved my life,"
"You never cease to surprise me," she said smiling.
"We can work together, if you tell me what you know," I reasoned.
She chuckled and bit her lip, "Instead of that," she held my thigh and came close to my face, "why don't we do something else, hm?"
She traced her finger on my face and stopped at my jaw. I kept looking at her eyes as she moved some of my hair behind my ear. Her eyes darted down my lips then back to my eyes. Then she leaned in and kissed me. I held her neck and kissed her back. She looked surprised but didn't back out. Then after a few seconds later, she pushed me hard on the chest and I felt back.
"Ow," I yelp.
"Sorry mi amor," she dangled the key I stole, "but that kiss was epic,"
I grabbed her leg before she could leave. She took my cane and hit me on the guts twice, making me release her and clutch my side.
She went to the back door then turned around, "I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other again," then she left.
"You have no idea," I whispered and smiled.
---------
"Why would you do that?!" Mark asked.
"I don't know, to make it believable?" I said. He groans.
"I'm not talking about you making out with your kidnapper. Why did you let her go?" He asked.
I smiled and pulled out a GPS, "I'm tracking her,"
"Oh," he said.
"From my interrogation, it was clear that key meant something to her, I wanted to know what it is," I said.
"Okay, but why aren't you telling the others?" He asked.
I sighed, "I don't know..."
"Kayla," he held my shoulders, "You can trust them,"
"I know but...it's just hard," I said.
"I'll help you," he said, "but you have to tell them everything." I stared at him confusedly.
"I'm talking about your health," he said. I wanted to refuse but he glared at me.
"Fine," I said.
Okay so now you all know I have trust issues, but that's a story for another time. We came out and went back to the living room. Ava and Cole were laughing their heads off at something they were discussing. Now that a sight.
"What did we miss?" I asked and sat down.
"He was telling me things Cassie told him about you," Ava said. I raised an eyebrow looking at Cole.
"Did he?" I asked in a fake smile. I'll kill him later.
"Guys Kayla has something to say to you," Mark announced. They both looked at me. I sighed.
"Ruby didn't escape," I said, "I let her go,"
"What?!"
"Why?!"
They both yelled, making me wince. I explained how everything happened, well except the making out part.
"Okay that was crazy, why didn't you just tell us?" Cole asked. I opened my mouth but no words came out.
"She was, until I interrupted and told you guys about my conversation with Amanda," Mark helped. I nodded.
"Yeah that was it," I said. Cole shrugged while Ava squinted her eyes at me.
"There's another thing," I said and exhaled, "I have a brain tumour,"
"W-what?" Cole stutters, then looked around realising something, "am I the only one who don't know this?!"
Ava was still staring at me in surprise, but not shocked, so Cole must've noticed it. I explained how the tumour was.
"Was that why you almost fainted back at the warehouse?" He asked.
"I'm sorry, she what?" Mark questioned.
"I'm fine now, and yeah that was why," I said to the guys.
Cole shook his head, stood up and walked out towards the garden outside. "I'll go talk to him," Mark said. I held his arm, stopping him.
"Let me do it," I said. Then I took a step with my cane and then suddenly felt light.
"Whoa Kayla, are you all right?" Mark asked as he caught me before I could fall.
"Yeah, just a little dizzy," I said.
"You need to rest," Ava said suddenly at my side.
"Yeah you should, I'll talk to Cole," Mark said. I grumbled, trying to protest but I could feel myself getting tired and sleepy.
"Just let us handle this," Ava offered. I groaned a little and handed him the GPS tracker. I really don't like it when people do stuff for me, I just prefer to do them myself. "It'll activate in an hour," I told him.
"I'll take her upstairs," Ava told Mark, taking my bag and guided a tired me to one of the rooms up.
We entered and she closed the door, helping me sit on the bed. Then she rummages through my bag for my medication. Doctor O'Neil must've told her the prescription cause she gave me some pills and a glass of water. I gulp down the medicine with the water.
"Thank you," I said as I handed her the empty glass. She took it and kept it on the lampstand. Then she held both of my shoulders.
"Now lay down," she demands, slightly pushing me down on the bed. I didn't really appreciate being treated like a child but nevertheless I laid down comfortably.
"Wait," I held her arm before she could leave, "Thank you."
"For what?" She asked.
"For everything. You could've gone back to California the moment we were wanted but you chose to stay. And I know this is a lot on your side, so thank you for not leaving." I said.
She looked at me with a hint of guilt, before erasing it with a smile like it was never there before, leaving me a little confused.
"I'm not going anywhere until this is all over," she assured then thought for a second "not that I can really."
I chuckled. She smiled, "Can I go now?"
It was then I noticed I still held her arm. "Yeah...sorry,"
She shook her head and smiled, then went to the door while I snuggled closer to the pillow. "See you later," she said. I mumbled a 'yeah', before drifting off.