Consuming Fire

Chapter 23

The tension in the room was almost unbearable. Hunter kept very still beside Will, afraid that if she moved, he'd explode.

"Really?" he breathed a bitter laugh. "I'm sorry, I can't say the same for you."

Joshua looked at Hunter as if for help, but Hunter was torn. Though Joshua had suffered enough these past few months over what he'd done to her, she wondered now if he ever felt any remorse for leaving Will behind.

"I understand you hate me for–"

"You could have taken me with you," he said through gritted teeth, advancing on Joshua, who took a step back.

"Will-"

He threw out a hand to her. "Let me say this, Hunter. I've been dying to after he walked away from me and took you with him. It was worse than any torture I'd ever endured. And then you go and kill Hunter's teacher and her boyfriend and torture her friend in front of her." Will looked at Joshua with so much disgust that for a moment, Hunter wanted to defend Joshua. But she knew Will was right. "I don't know how Hunter did it, but I can't forgive you yet."

Will stormed past Joshua, knocking against his shoulder and sending him staggering back, then went out the door.

Hunter didn't comfort Joshua, even though he looked like he needed it desperately. Some part of her wondered if the anger that came from Will was also reserved for her, but he was too nice to release it to her face.

"Well that was awkward," said Marcus loud enough for everyone to hear. "Whose turn is it?"

The others jumped back into their game. Joshua gave her a look of bitter hurt and then walked to the staircase where he would most likely go to Dr. Rosenthal's study, and Hunter was left wondering who to run after.

Fortunately, Mosi provided her with a distraction. He separated himself from watching the game and came and met with her in the kitchen.

"Hunter?"

She turned away from the window and looked up at him. "Yeah?"

"We found this on the day we arrived here." He handed her a crinkled envelope with her name on it. "We think Dr. Rosenthal left it for you."

Nodding, Hunter took the letter. "Thank you."

"Is that the letter?" asked Benji. The others peered over the sofa like little meercats eagerly watching her.

"Can you read it to us?" asked Imogen.

Hunter wasn't sure she could. The doctor's last words to her in ICE were to have hope, but did he know he was about to be killed by his oldest friend? The same friend who beat him and had him locked up in the Death Caves? His voice, his advice, the last look he gave her came after he wrote this letter. What if things had changed?

But the others didn't know that. They had a right to hear. She tore open the envelope.

"It says, 'Dear Hunter. If you found this letter it means I did everything right and you arrived safely at my house. I only hope that the others were able to escape with you and no one was hurt.'" She glanced up at their sad faces as they remembered those they left behind, but she forced herself to keep going. "'I've had to hurry through this letter to get it to you on time, so excuse me if it is rushed. Things have gotten out of my control lately. It's a miracle I was able to cause the distraction. I can assure you, however, that the following steps have been carefully arranged prior to our escape plan. Please take each one very seriously, as all your safety is imperative not only to me, but to the future of the world.

Firstly, you will need to dispose of the transport you acquired along the way. I assume you found ways to steal a car, but you must get rid of it, or the Agents may find a way to track you.'"