Wild Tiger Chase | Book #2 (Complete)

9: Show some mercy

— Léon —

There was a weird wave of energy rippling from the forest that night. A thrumming of power, playing in harmony with Léon's heartbeat. He had his eyes opened and set on the starless sky above as he, Phillip, and Modraniht lay crumpled on hard and uncomfortable bedrolls. Cae's group was still spread around the camp, drinking and laughing as if it was Non-Apocalypse day.

Modraniht snored to his right, and Léon sighed, shaking his head. That hunky, snoring hulk reminded him of Roberto and the first time he had slept in his home five years ago. A smile curled Léon's lips.

"Reminiscing?" asked a voice at his side.

Léon rolled around to look at two ocean-green eyes half-hidden by tired eyelids. Phillip seemed exhausted, and Léon could imagine it was the result of his physical activities. Sparring the whole day and facing the emotional weight he'd been carrying sounded like a lot.

"Can't sleep." Léon shrugged and watched as the lines in Phillip's expression softened.

"Huh." Phillip grunted and stretched, then laced his fingers behind his neck. "He's... dangerous. Cae, I mean."

"Everything here is."

"Yeah." Phillip looked at Léon, serious and dark. "We should escape. Not right now, cause—you know—they are probably expecting it. But tomorrow, while everyone's sleeping."

Léon nodded. His eyes lost themselves among the dark clouds of pollution above them. An unwanted thought circled his mind, making him grimace.

"What?" Phillip asked.

"They... have NAVs."

"And?"

"And I really need to get to Cidade Santa. If I can convince them to lend me one...."

Phillip's gaze snapped to the side to meet Léon's. His eyebrows shot upwards. "You can't be serious, Léon."

"What other choice do we have? We can't steal one, can we? We'd have the whole group hunting us like foxes if we did!" Léon tried not to meet his gaze, but the sheer intensity of Phillip's eyes worked like a magnet. A fury-filled, ready-to-punch-you-in-the-face kind of magnet.

"You can't be serious," Phillip repeated, louder this time. He sat up and stared down at him. "You can't be thinking about working for that piece of shit."

Léon all but jumped, rushing to clasp a hand on Phillip's lips. "Shut up! They're gonna hear you."

Phillip gripped Léon's wrist and pulled them upward. Léon's knees jabbed on the floor, and he fell forward like a sack of sand. He wasn't sure how Phillip was doing it, but he was holding his wrists in a way Phillip's arms were the only thing keeping him from falling. He felt weak and exposed, a kitten with his paws trapped.

"So what?" Phillip barked. "You're ready to work for the bastard anyway." He furrowed his eyebrows and tugged at Léon's wrists, pulling him closer. "I never thought you'd be this much of a blockhead, Dickens. Snap out of it!"

Léon furrowed his brows. He tried to free his wrists, but Phillip's hold tightened.

"I'm serious, Léon. You spent four years locked up to pay for your crimes; don't you dare to ruin that for you."

Oh. Was this what Phillip was worried about?

Shaking his head, Léon let out a deep breath. "My mom is waiting for me. My brother is waiting for me. Rob is waiting for me!"