The Strays

Chapter Fourteen

A week passed by before I finally returned home with Ty.

"Did you manage to get everyone out alright?" I asked Leo as I wandered back into the safe house and started packing up my things, not wanting to waste a moment.

Leo nodded his head. "Jeremiah is helping them get settled. What's all this really about, though? I know when you're withholding things." He was as astute as ever, but I didn't have time to explain myself.

"I think it's for the best if you see for yourself."

Leo looked to Ty for some insight, but he didn't say a word. He just silently loitered in the corner of the room, obviously waiting for something to happen. Then, as if right on queue Ace appeared with Colt and Drew following close behind.

I walked over to Ace and handed him a crumpled up, old photo of me, him and Sean that my dad had taken, along with a small, black teddy bear.

“I’d have thought you’d burn these after everything that happened. Where’d you find them?”

“I might have lied to you before. I knew where to go to look for my dad’s work, I never forgot I just didn’t think I could trust you. I found these on his desk. I don’t remember putting them there, last time I saw them they were in my room, but I must have taken them with me at some point, and it just felt like a sign.”

"Now that we've cleared that up, let's get back on topic shall we? Where is the research Indie?" Drew sighed impatiently. 

"Gone, I destroyed it. That work was dangerous and I couldn't let Delilah get her hands on it, so I made sure to burn every last shred."

Drew took a deep breath as he stepped toward me. "It didn't have to be this way." He whispered in my ear and I gave Ty our signal. I watched as he and Ace quickly rushed Leo out the back whilst Colt stubbornly stayed behind and raised his weapon.

"What's this all about?" Drew chuckled as he looked Colt over.

"Cut the shit. I know that you and Delilah are working together."

"How long have you known?" He sighed, clearly disappointed but not surprised.

"Had my doubts the day we met, but I put them aside when you saved my life, that is, until Ace and I got to talking. See, he genuinely didn’t know why the Enforcers were armed, or where they got their ammunition. That’s when it hit me. They never had live ammunition, but you briefly did. Stitch saw you with Tali and Delilah, didn’t she? Leo mentioned that Delilah had brought some guys to the clinic in the past, but they never stuck around long. He always thought she was suspicious, then one day it dawned on him who she was. You killed Stitch to make sure she wouldn’t blow your cover, and you used our escape as cover. This whole thing was a setup from the moment we met, orchestrated by you and Delilah. You never had a sister, but I do recall seeing your face. You just weren’t in my year. Everything you told me was a lie, and I fell for it, hook line sinker."

Drew shook his head, then pulled out a gun and grabbed me by the wrist, holding my body close to his as his pistol rested under my chin. "This was never about you Indie and I'm sorry it had to go down that way with Stitch, but I wasn't going to let anyone compromise my mission, and unfortunately that applies to you as well. Now tell Colt to drop his weapon before I drop you." 

"Delilah intentionally made sure things went South at the meet with Hatter, then you put the idea into Mac’s head that Stitch would be the only one who could save him, and you would need Leo as leverage to make sure she cooperated but that changed when Mac saw me, my history with her complicated things, so you had to improvise. Thing is, whilst you were busy thinking about making your move, I was already three steps ahead and now it's checkmate."