Jacksy

𝖲𝖾۷𝖾ƞ𝗍𝖾𝖾ƞ

"Where is he?" said the dealer, sitting up. He groaned and lied down on the bed, while Roger set down his tablet and looked at the dealer's eyes.

"Where is he?" asked the dealer, his eyes darting around the room. He didn't seem to care that they were there. "Where is he?"

"The mayor's dead," said Skully with a frown. "You killed him."

The dealer's breaths slowed, and he focused on Roger. "Stop looking at me."

Roger sat down in his chair and sighed. "If that's what you want..."

"Skully," said the dealer, his silver hair sticking to his forehead. "This wasn't part of the deal. Why are you still here?"

"Where are we supposed to go?" asked Skully.

"I'm not staying here," said the dealer, sitting up again. He groaned, glaring harshly at Roger. "Why can't I move my arm?"

Noah averted his gaze.

Roger stood. "Well, the Shockwave could have caused some immobility, but your hand is shaking, so the paralysis should be temporary."

The dealer glanced at his shaking hand, then forced himself to his feet. Roger held onto him, for otherwise, the dealer would've collapsed.

"I'll sleep on the couch," the dealer mumbled.

Roger sighed again, but said no more as he brought the dealer into the other tunnel.

When they were gone, Skully shook his head. "We can deal with that later," he mumbled. He looked to Cyrus, who had returned to hugging his knees. "Cyrus," began Skully, his tone quiet. "I'm sorry you're scared of me. I would be scared of me, too. But I'm not here to hurt you. I might look scary, but I'm not. You know Ashton," Skully nodded at his brother. "Ashton's my brother. And I'm sure Ashton looked out for you these past years."

Cyrus only looked at Skully with wide eyes.

"You can sleep on the bed," offered Skully. "We wouldn't mind. It's for you to sleep on, so don't be shy. You'll like it."

Cyrus glanced at Ashton, who gave a small nod. Cyrus then climbed onto the bed and curled up under the blankets.

They sat in silence for a while, and Noah listened to Cyrus's softening breaths. He wondered why the mayor took Cyrus. It didn't seem like the mayor had done anything to him, except traumatized him. Yet again, Noah seemed almost normal save for if someone told him to do something. He felt ashamed of himself. He was glad the dealer was no longer in the same space as them, because Noah couldn't handle the guilt. He wondered where he'd be if he had not gone with Skully up on that roof. He'd still be hiding, dealing with Princess and her friends. Skully would still be drowning in sorrow, stuck in his store. Ashton would still be being tortured, and the dealer would still be afraid to take his revenge. It was good that Noah was taken, for he knew that it was needed. He knew what was going to happen, but he had never expected such torture.

He realized he still had the chip in his mouth. He couldn't feel it, but he knew it was there.

"Maybe you should keep that in," said Skully quietly, sitting down next to him.

Noah knew why Skully had suggested that, and it hurt him even more.
Noah looked at Cyrus, who was asleep. He then looked at Ashton, whose head was bobbing.

"You aren't tired?" asked Skully quietly, his sunken eyes concerned.

Noah shrugged. "A little... I think I'm still on the drug."

"What?" Skully asked.

"It keeps me awake," said Noah.

"Are your hands alright?"

Noah gazed at the bandages around his hands. His adrenaline had made him forget about his injuries. "I just... Broke a finger or two." He wanted to change the subject. "How did you do it?" he asked softly.

Skully took a deep breath, glancing at the sleeping Ashton and Cyrus. "I went to Princess and her friends. Princess was a distraction from the guards outside the building, and... Well, you saw Bear and Skippy."

"How did you convince them to help?" Noah asked. He could still see the frightened look on Princess' face when she discovered them in the sewers. She never believed Noah. She only believed in the harm Bear could do to him, not the mayor.

"They all seemed a little guilty when they heard that you had been taken," said Skully. "We went to the dealer. He agreed to get us into the building through the sewers. The dealer's been digging his own tunnels down here. He dug into a separate system that led us to the building. Princess distracted, Bear broke us in, then Skippy distracted while I went to find you." He shook his head. "When I saw you in that chair, it..." His voice trailed off.

Noah did not want to think of how helpless he had been. He nodded at Skully's leg. "You were shot?"

Skully sighed. "Ran into a couple of guards who hadn't followed Skippy. I beat Bear to them, and I would've gotten them, if it weren't for one guard's dying wish to shoot me in the leg."

Noah followed Skully's gaze, which was on Ashton. Noah's heart broke. He recognized that Skully was keeping a respectful distance to give Ashton some space, but he also recognized that this pained Skully. Noah had watched Skully enter one depressive mode after another, staring for hours at the hologram of Ashton. "He's going to be alright," he said softly.

Tears immediately swelled in Skully's eyes. "I can't even see his face. He's my little brother, and he's suffering."

"He's still a trouble maker," said Noah, remembering how Skully spoke of him. "He still likes to run away. He'd escape his room at least two times a day."

Skully smiled faintly. "I hope he never gets rid of that mischievous side of him." After a pause, he added, "Noah, I know we have a lot to talk about, but I don't want that to be a burden. We don't have to talk right now, but know that there is nothing to worry about. Alright? The worst has passed."

Noah managed a small nod. His heart didn't resonate with Skully's words, but he believed them to be true. He had to, else he'd lose his mind. "I'm gonna get some rest."

"Good idea," Skully mumbled, lying down on a blanket that was spread along the ground. Noah did the same, and he closed his eyes, listening to the sound of his own breaths. Soon, he drifted into a dreamless sleep.

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"What are you doing?"

Noah opened his eyes. He hadn't realized they had been closed. He was no longer in the room with Skully, and his heart began to pace. He was standing in a different tunnel, very near the dealer, who was lying on the leather couch staring up at Noah.