Closer to hell ~ Adriane

My hair is no longer black and white. It's a gold blond with ashy highlights. I have a single pink streak near the front. We are also out of the hotel (thank God). Just thought I'd give you a heads-up. I think Azul suspects the blog. But we can’t stop now. We haven’t even told you who we are. We haven’t told you anything.

Well anyway, we figured out how to buy subway tickets (it's all automated - Sparrow distracted the security guards, Azul hacked into the machine) and split up into pairs, each of us ducking into a different subway car. There was nowhere to sit, so I leaned against the window, trying not to fall into some the lap of the guy whose newspaper I was reading over his shoulder.

Face after face swished and swashed behind the window, newspapers and earbuds ruffling in our wind. Out of all of those faces, there was only one I saw. Only one that made me sick.

"Raven," I said quietly as the doors slid open and people streamed onto the platform. Both the twins looked up simultaneously. Fear ignited my veins; my throat burned as if I was trying to swallow hot ashes. "Find the others. Get out of here."

I dissolved into the crowd before either could argue.

He was waiting.

"Adriane," he greeted, with a wry smile. "Let's take a walk."

Inside I wanted to balk and flee; but this rabbit was fearful. She turned and loped after the wolf, casting glance after glance behind her.
He was not the one that kidnapped me. He is not one of them. But he was involved. Very, very, closely involved. All of us have our own demons.

He were headed away from the platform, but not by far. I trailed warily after, eyes narrowed against the gloom.

Finally he stopped and pivoted; his hands buried thickly in the pockets of his pea coat. "Adriane...," he trailed. His voice ran like shallow water; cool and fluid, rasping a dark bottom. "We need to talk."

I blinked. "Yes. We do. In fact - I was just thinking about you, the other day. While at the zoo."

Vaguely by the leopard exhibit. While looking at the sick one having a seizure in the corner.

He smiled slightly, one hand behind his head. "Now, Adriane. Let's be civil? No? ...have it your way. You don't have to keep looking about; there's no one else. Just...me."
I chewed my gum louder. Sneered a bit. Didn’t say anything.

"Adriane," he said again. This annoys me. I know my own name, thanks. "I've come to offer you a job."

You've got to be kidding me.

"You and your friends are in an...undesirable position."

"Wow. I see your wheel is spinning, but the hamster looks dead," I countered.

Again, he didn't look mad. More amused than anything.
“Where do you intend to go?” he said after a moment. “Will you and your friends live like this for the rest of your lives? You will get tired. You will falter. They, however - they will not. If you tell anyone, do you think that we don't have actors ready to play distraught parents? Do you think we won't have fake records, fake stories? You are said to have ran away. Will they believe your kidnapped story? Will they take your word against ours?”

I was silent. No snappy comeback. He had voiced my own fears; the problems we have no solutions for.
“We will find a way,” I said shortly. But in truth, I was scared. I did not know where the others were - were they nearby? Had they been taken? And if he made a move, could I get away and find them?

“Hmm,” he said, nodding slightly, but obviously in disbelief. Despite the certainty in my voice, he knew I didn’t buy it either.

“I’m offering you a way out, Adriane.”

We were farther from the station, the tiles smeared with dirt; a loose candy bar wrapper flapping in the breeze.
He was steering me towards the end of the corridor - the only direction to go was either right past him, or down towards a few dingy out-of-order restrooms.

“Just you,” he breathed. I was frozen to the spot, a slow-burning storm blazing in my eyes. He reached out to brush his knuckles against my cheek.

Something metallic bled in my throat.
A snarl writhed across my face; yet I remained still. “It would be better,” he went on. I recoiled from his touch, spitting scathingly . “You would not be a prisoner…and I could offer you protection…”

His eyes were black, as if heavy with blood. They glittered like a leopard’s.

“How about never? Is never good for you?” I bayed.

“Why not?” he continued, taking a step closer. I’ve edged away so far my back is pressed against the wall. “What can you possibly do for your friends, now? One less person on the team will be a relief. It will make it easier for them to hide.”

“I’d try to explain it to you, but I don’t have any crayons with me.”

He sighed. “You don’t believe me.”

That didn't even deserve a ‘duh’ so I said nothing.

“If I was not alone, you would already be dead. Or taken. Do you think they would get this close to you and waste time talking to you?”

By then he had leaned so close I feel his breath rolling across my neck. What is wrong with me? I wondered. I was silent, strangely silent. My veins were heavy with ice; it took all of my strength to meet his eye, to stare back through him. He had a gun in his pocket. He had pulled it out somewhere along the conversation, and for a moment he ran the muzzle of it against my cheek. I let the silence settle.

“EUCK!” I spat, disgusted. My skin was burning where the gun rasped. “There’s something on your coat.”

He didn’t look down. “Shame. I like this one.”

He was still carrying the smallest of smiles. He pulled the gun away, just for a second; bemused. “If you’re thinking of - ,”

WHOOOOSOOOOOHH!!!

That moment was all I needed. A fire extinguisher was perched nearby and...well... I've used one before. Just pull the pin off, squeeze the lever and - FOOOOSHAHAH!!

It was kind of funny, but the force and the smell from the jet caused me to go reeling a few paces back. The huge, scummy froth streamed like rocket fuel; spewing him in the face. It isn’t just water, you know. It’s like cloudy chemical crap or something, and I guess it burns when it touches your skin, and literally sucks the oxygen right out of the air.

He didn’t shoot - I figured that. He didn't want to kill me, or any of us. I was enjoying myself so much I didn’t notice Sky racing up behind us, wielding a crowbar. She has a pretty good aim, come to think of it.

In a moment alarms were going off, security was rushing everywhere - Dune was wrenching the extinguisher from my grasp - Sky was having way too much fun with that crowbar - and we were gone. Through the confusion we escaped, the shouts of security fading behind us. We emerged into the sunlight, grabbed a taxi - and that is us. Vanished. Again. I wonder (rather hopefully) if we'll make the evening news.

I hate the subway - did I mention? Something about being underground. Makes you feel closer to hell.