Epilogue

Epilogue 2.08

---Em---

     "Wait here," Ace orders, sliding open the mesh gate to Wates' subway car. He hangs his head, drawing deep breaths. "It's best he hears it from me."

     "Hurry up," is all I can say. They have Comma. They took her, and we just stood there and watched. After everything she's done for us, after she saved our lives over and over again...

     Beside me, Topher grinds his teeth together. I glance over at him. His eyes are bloodshot, and his body's quivering. His hair, matted with sweat, partly obscures his eyes.

     "Topher?"

     "Pathetic." He chokes on the word.

     "What?"

     "That's what I am." He laughs uneasily. "It was my job to keep this group safe. Only I did a crap job of it. We wouldn't have lasted another week if you and Comma hadn't shown up when you did."

     Gail goes and places a hand on his shoulder. Gravel crunches beneath her feet. "That's not true."

     "It is. She's always the one saving our sorry asses. She gave her blood to save me. To save Crawford." He looks at me. "To save you. And we let them take her."

     "We couldn't have done anything," says Mya.

     "We could have tried!" Topher's voice resounds throughout the lot. A few heads turn our way. We're definitely not making any friends here. Topher sucks in air. Exhales steam through his nostrils. "We could have tried. My sister could've died today... should've died today if not for dumb luck, and all I could do was—"

     "I didn't." Gail wraps her arms around him from behind. Squeezes him.

     Topher nods at Wates' personal trailer next to us. "I don't give a damn what that fedora freak says. We're going after her."

     I nod. "That's a given."

     Topher pries Gail's arms off him. Starts walking away. "We're going to get her back," he says. "And when we do, we're going to be ready with the antidote."

     He's right. If Tahj were still around, there's no way he would've just let them take Comma. He would've done something. He would've died trying, but he would've tried all the same. I can't help but remember Dominik's selflessly taking the hit for Eloise. Why is it that the best of us die, while the cowards live on?

     The mesh gate rattles. Ace is back. Along with everyone's favourite fedora-sporting leader. Wates scratches his chin. Chews on a piece of gum. He steps down from the subway car. Observes his people going about their day. Ignorant of what's happening above-ground. "Go get me Lu," he says to Ace.

     Ace nods and obeys.

     Wates turns his attention to us. "I'm sorry about your friend." Like hell he is.

     "We're not here for your sympathy," I say. "You have weapons. For the hunters. We need to borrow some."

     Wates chews slowly. Squints at me. "Now why would you need to go and do that? I didn't have you pegged as a fool. Surely you didn't survive this long by throwing your life on the line every chance you got? And besides..." He tilts his chin upward. "You haven't yet proven yourselves to be valuable members of this here community. You know the rules. You want something, you gotta give something first."

     Think. There has to be something we can offer. Maybe we can rid ourselves of a mutual enemy. We'll deal with Dante and his gang. A laughable idea, of course. The biggest threat we've went up against so far was Selina and her pet were-tiger, and we didn't even win that one. I'm going to have to lie. Convince him we'll make it worth his while.