Awakening - The Last Science #1

Chapter 23 - Regrouping - V

  "So what happened to Scrappy?" Rika asked Natalie.

  She was riding her wolf down the middle of the street, ignoring the gawking passersby. There were a few townspeople out, mostly sullen and dismayed from the events of the previous night, and the town hall Rowan had held that morning. To avoid igniting another riot, no one publically awakened had attended, though Mason had reported it mostly uneventful. The mayor had reprimanded the entire town for their actions, but sentiment hadn't exactly turned in favor of the awakened. Most people were simply in a state of fear, waiting for the next domino to fall.

  "He got hurt. He's back at the cabin. I told him to stay there and get better. He wasn't happy about it, but Gwen made him go." She scratched at Gwen's ears. "Gwen's okay though."

  "Where'd you come up with that name, anyway?"

  "Scrappy was the name of my mom's cat. She died though," Natalie added matter-of-factly. "I think she deserved something to be named after her."

  "Uh huh."

  "I think it's nice, Natalie," Rachel put in.

  "Where are we going, anyway?" Rika asked.

  "The closest entrance is the one at the Kettle and Bones."

  "That's only a block away."

  "I didn't say it'd be a long walk."

  Rika groaned. "I think it's time for me to leave then."

  Rachel stopped and turned to her. "I'm sorry."

  "Yeah, me too. But let's save this for sometime we're not in the middle of the street, okay?" Rika glanced around. "People are already looking at us funny. Let's not forget I was recently accused of a triple homicide here."

  "I'm sorry for that too."

  "You did what you had to do. I'm not exactly up to the forgiving level here, but we can work together." She paused. "How's Will doing?"

  Instantly, visions of Will's broken and tattered body sprang to mind. Rachel had to force them down to clear the lump in her throat. "I don't know. He got airlifted to Olympia and that's the last I've heard. No one gave them my number, I guess."

  "Which means he isn't aware enough to do it himself," Rika realized, getting right to the heart of it. Rachel nodded. She thought she saw a hint of guilt in Rika's expression, but Rika quickly looked away before she could be certain. "If you need help, call me. Omega or whatever else comes. I'll be there."

  "Thank you."

  "Fuck him up, Rachel." With those parting words, Rika pulled up her hood and walked away.

  Rachel turned to Natalie and gestured for her to continue. It only took them a few minutes to reach the back alley behind the tavern. The door appeared right as she approached.

  Natalie rode up close, but her wolf seemed unsettled. As Rachel opened the door, it growled and took a few steps away, prowling around the door defensively. "Gwen doesn't want to go in there."

  "It's perfectly safe," Rachel said impatiently.

  "I'm not gonna make her go. I'll wait here for you." Rachel shrugged and turned to go in. "Don't you dare leave without me," she added fiercely.

  Rachel nodded. "I'll come right back out this door as soon as we're done."

  Natalie slid off the wolf to the ground and pulled out her phone again, promptly ignoring her. Rachel walked through the veil into the Market. It was exactly the same as the last time she'd been there, which was reassuring. Rachel walked along the cobblestone path until she reached the portable classroom set off to the side. The staircase was standing on pure black void, with absolutely nothing visible supporting her as she climbed up and opened the door.