Chapter 33: Your Cheatin' Heart

I groan as a hand nudges my shoulder, pulling me out of the warm comfort of solitude I've buried myself in.

"Wakey, wakey," Simon half whispers, this time nudging someone else. "Rise and shine. Can't have you clutterin' up my home forever. Like they say, a man's shack is his castle."

"What is that in my back?" Owen groans, shifting on the cot we've all piled on. "It feels like a poker."

"I think that's Runner Five's elbow," Jody mutters, and I nod in confirmation.

"It is."

A hand grabs my arm and roughly yanks me to my feet. "Come on, lazy bones. Time to get up."

"It's the middle of the night," Owen says, and Simon just rolls his eyes.

"Safest time for it. That's what we all agreed, if you recall." He huffs out a laugh. "You're really not a mornin' person, are ya?"

"It isn't morning."

I dust myself off, yawning and running my hand through my hair. I grimace. Since yesterday was filled with so much danger, I'd completely forgotten about my hair and how terrible it looks. I'm surprised Simon hasn't quoted on it. I think he's still pondering over whether or not I actually meant it when I called him my friend.

I did.

I do.

"Runner Four, Runner Five, Runner Six, are you there?" Sam whispers after I put on my headset.

"Gang's all here, Sam," Simon replies.

"I'm not talking to you," He growls. "Runners Four to Six, are you ready to go? Eugene's on guard outside the coms shack. He'll warn me if anybody comes, but you need to be quick. Amelia was giving me the evil eye at supper. I don't think she trusts me, and if she realizes I'm not in bed at the dorms..."

"Thanks, Sam," Jody says. "I owe you."

"Just... just make sure this is worth it, okay?"

"It will be. I'm going to prove to all of ya that I had nothing to do with those people dyin'."

Owen crosses his arms, eyes narrowing into little slits. "And are you going to explain that recording Travis played us? It-it didn't look good, Jody."

"I know it didn't look good. Why do you think he played it? But it isn't what it seems."

He sighs heavily, and he glances at the floor then back up at Jody. "Okay. Let's do it then."

Simon laughs mockingly. "'Okay.' Blimey. Talk about a pushover. Don't let that wide-eyed, innocent look fool you. I mean, look at me. I've got-I mean to say, I had-an innocent face, and you know what I did."

"Yeah, but it seems you don't even need that to convince Five to trust ya again," Jody says, and I stiffen, wondering if that was an insult to Simon or to me.

He shrugs. "It's not my fault she's got a soft spot for me."

"It's not a soft spot. She's just forgiving," Sam grumbles, which provokes another laugh from the masked man.

"I beg to differ. I know more about her than you probably ever will, and one thing I know is that she is most definitely not forgiving-not to others or herself."

I groan, my fingernails digging into my palms. "How exactly did this conversation get turned around to where that I'm the main topic? If you're wondering, I forgave Simon because I believe in second chances, and he's a human who makes mistakes. And I know... some extra things about the situation."

Simon glares at me for saying that last part. Apparently he doesn't want anyway to know just why he did it. Fine. Let them wonder. But Owen doesn't seem to hear that last part anyway.

"Is he even human anymore?" Owen asks. "How do we know he's not a monster after those treatments Van Ark... gave... him..."

His words trail off when he realizes Simon's not the only person here who received Van Ark's treatments. I grab Three's wrist, surprising him slightly.

"Let's just... let's just go," I say through gritted teeth. He nods.

"Yeah. Come on. The night's not gettin' any younger, and neither am I."

And we leave, silently. Simon switches our hand placement, where he's grabbing my wrist. It's comfortable-familiar. It is for me, at least. I can't be sure if it's the same for him, but I don't care. My mind is filled with other thoughts.

Such as Owen's words. He's right-Si's not human, but I'm not either. We're not human, not completely, not anymore. But if we aren't human, then what are we? That's the real question.

And the second real question... Do I really want to know the answer to the first?

The night air is cold, and if it wasn't so dark, I'm sure I'd see little puffs of air from my breathing. But it helps in waking me up. The cold stinging my skin, drying out my lips, making my eyes water-it's what keeps me focused. If keeps the drowsiness away.

But even though it's too dark for me to see, I can still feel the looks Owen and Jody are sending me. They're appalled at the fact that I'm running behind Simon, quietly and quickly with his hand ahold my wrist as if it were old times...

Old times... try seven months ago.

But that's how they see it. The last time I talked to Simon, he said that Abel saw things as black and white, good and evil, and there was no in between. Now I'm starting to believe him. Not because only good people are at Abel. No, that's far from true. The fact that I live there proves that...

But Abel does see things as good and evil. Jody and Owen and Sam-they see Simon as evil, with no chance of redemption. That's why they're so disgusted at the fact that I called him my friend, that I care about him.

I'm labeled as good, the hero, because of things I've done. The people in Abel know that I've done some bad things in America, but they push that out of their minds because they don't know it in detail. It's not a story they know. It's a sentence-a fragment. With so little to go off of, they simply forget about it and keep me in the ground with the good.

But if they knew... I'd be the villain. Just like Simon.

"Okay, guys," Sam says, "keep running down Hollow Lane. You can't see it in the dark, but the horse chestnut trees cover right over it. Should shield you from any prying eyes. And um, yeah, I think it's taking you the right way."

"It is," Jody says. "There's an abandoned mental hospital just at the end of Deadlock territory. It hasn't been used since the 70's. Not legally, anyway. The Exmoor Militia used it for storage back when they were still just the Romanian mob. All the documents were kept up there-stuff they didn't want fallin' into police hands. If there's evidence of who's been passin' in Ministry intel, that's where it'll be."

"Interesting," Simon hums. "And how would you know that precisely?"

I see her snarl through the darkness. "I'm not just justifyin' myself to you."

"That's gratitude for you."

"He does have a point," I say, and I know he's smiling smugly at the fact that I've come to his defense. "How do you know that?"

"Because Abel's been investigating them ever since they started movin' east. Isn't that right, Sam?"

"Actually... no, it isn't," He answers. "I mean, we meant to, but with everything that happened, the Exmoor Militia dropped to the bottom of our priority list."

I hum. "Right. So I'll ask again, Four, how do you know about that?"

"I..." She sighs defeatedly. "I did do some work for them before the apocalypse."

Sam gasps. "Jesus."

"Before! Not after. It was just... banking stuff, ya know? Fake accounts. That sort of thing."

"Oh, money laundering, you mean?" Simon guesses.

"It wasn't what you think-"

"Don't," Owen snaps. "Anyway, I can hear zoms on the left. Dozens of them. Just-just run."

An ache settles in my chest at her confession, but I can't exactly say I'm surprised. From the moment that video played, I knew she was guilty of something-maybe not the murder of twenty-three people, but she was guilty of something.

Sometimes I truly do hate it when I'm right.

Simon pulls me along, trying to get away from the zombies trailing blindly behind us. I can hear them in the distance, but I can barely see, meaning I have no idea just how far away from us they really are. But I think they're just shamblers. They must be by how quickly their moans fade.

Then there's just silence. Heavy, dreary, painful silence that screams out at us. It screams of betrayal and hurt and lies and I can almost smell the fresh green paper.

'For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pieced themselves through with many sorrows."

-1 Timothy 6:10

I only hope that she's innocent of this crime, because while all sin looks the same to God, I see the murder of children and the elderly a much worse crime that money laundering. And if I find out Jody's lying, she'll find out just how much I believe that.

"Okay, listen," She says.

"Sound travels at night," Sam says quickly. "You don't wanna draw those zoms back. It's better if you don't say anything."

"No, I need to explain."

"Explain how you laundered money for criminals?" Owen snaps, causing the blonde to flinch. "This outta be good. Jesus, Jody. What were you involved in? Drugs? Guns?"

"I didn't ask, okay? I didn't ask and they never told me. I worked in banking, Owen. I set up a few accounts and left them to it. It was all just numbers. Everyone was makin' all this money. I thought-I thought 'why shouldn't I have my share?'"

"This way now," Simon says, tugging at my wrist. "Down past the old water treatment plant. The smell keeps the Deadlocks away." He pauses, glancing back at Four. "It's alright, Jody. I understand even if they don't. Like the saying goes, what you don't know can't hurt you. I always liked you when we were runners together, and now I know why. You and me-we're the same."

"I'm nothin' like you," She snarls. "I didn't kill anyone."

"Didn't you?" Owen questions.

"Of course not! I worked for them before the apocalypse. I didn't even know they still existed, and I didn't have anything to do with those people gettin' killed. It was someone else. Someone in Abel is selling intel to the Militia."

"Listen," Sam sighs. "I don't think anyone should be executed without a trail, but if you did have something to do with murdering those kids, Travis won't have to catch you; I'll hunt you down and kill you myself."

My eyes widen. I can hear it in his voice that he means what he's said. I'm both slightly terrified as well as impressed. I've never heard him sound so... badassy before.

"I hate to cut short the lighthearted banter, but we're about to pass by a Deadlock checkpoint." He tightens his grip on my wrist, making me squirm in discomfort. "So, best keep the noise down and the speed up."

•

A shrill scream echoes into the night air, and I jump.

"What the hell was that?" Owen all but shrieks, and Simon lets out a obnoxious laugh.

"Honestly, I never though such a big, strappin' fella like you would be such a wuss. It's just a pair of foxes goin' at it. You know how some women can be-real screamers. I've heard Jody is a bit of a goer in that department, but you'd know better than me, aye?"

"Simon!" I say, a scolding tone in my voice. He gives me a raised brow, grinning slightly at my now red face.

"You actually got that? Who knew Runner 'I only get the joke five minutes after it's been told' Five would understand that crude remark. Usually they fly over your head-the sexual ones, anyway. Looks like that New Canton boyfriend of yours has been teachin' you a few things-"

"Shut up!" Sam yells, furious. "Can you just like, shut up for five minutes? Just five minutes? Shut up, alright? Shut. Up. No one wants to hear what you think. And before you make a remark about Five, remember that she is the only one here who doesn't want to strangle you right now. I know because I've choked you to death in my head about three times already."

Simon rolls his eyes, but frowns when I pull my wrist out of his grasp. He stares at me but I keep my gaze ahead, blinking away the tears of embarrassment.

I hate him.

I don't, but thinking it makes me feel better.

"I don't understand why you didn't tell us, Jody," Owen says, changing the subject, which I'm thankful for. "After we got away from Travis, I-I asked you straight out, and you lied to my face."

"I just... I didn't want you to think less of me," She replies shamefully.

"Well, I do now. If I'd known, I'd never've-"

"Never've what? Wouldn't have tried to get me in the sack? Well, I am the person who did those things. I always have been. You were never interested in the real me, were you?" She scoffs bitterly. "You were just chasin' after the version of me you'd invented."

"Very insightful," Simon deadpans, which only makes her angrier.

"Yeah? Well, how's about this for another insight? We never knew the real Simon either, just the Simon you'd invented for us. So don't act like you're our friend, Runner Three. Don't act like you can joke around and be cheeky and it'll all go back to the way it was. The real you was never our friend."

He doesn't respond to that. He's too shocked to. I don't say anything, because she's probably right. But then again, wouldn't that mean that the person I am is just the person I invented? Do I show the real me? Or is this just an image? I mean, they don't even know my real name...

If the Simon we knew was a fake, what does that say about the Five they know?

The Five I know?

The Five I am?

"Alright, guys," Sam says, anger bubbling underneath his voice, ready to explode should Simon speak about me again. "You're coming up on the industrial-"

His voice cuts off when a door opens.

"We know what's going on, Yao."

Shit.

"Travis," He says, "I-I was just-"

"Aiding and abetting a criminal-a court martial offense. I'll deal with you later. Now get out."

"Deal with him later?" I repeat. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

"It'll be okay. Don't worry about me-"

"I said out, Yao."

"But-"

"Out!" He yells, and I make a mental note that if he hurts Sam in any way, I will kill him. "Okay, Jody, I know you're listening. I can see exactly where you are on Sam's instruments. I guessed he wouldn't resist contacting you. I've got fifty New Canton runners on your tail right now."

My eyes go wide. How did he... It's like one-thirty in the morning. How the hell did he manage to convince New Canton to let their runners run out this late? The Ministry must've bribed them somehow.

He's not giving up. He's not going to stop until he's caught her.

"Come on," I say, pushing my legs to go faster. We have to get to that mental hospital and prove Jody's innocent before those runners catch up to us, if they haven't already.

And if she isn't innocent, then Travis won't have to worry about catching her or executing her. I'll snap her neck then and there, and I won't feel one ounce of remorse.

These New Canton runners aren't going to hold back if they catch us. They'll most likely kill Owen and me if we try to resist or escape, and while I do remember my training as a Torrencer, I can only take down so many of them before being shot dead. I can do a lot of things, but I'm no super human. At least, I don't think I am.

Either way, getting caught isn't an option, not if we want to prove Jody's innocent.

It's actually kind of sad how eager New Canton is to help Travis out. I mean, we've been in alliance with New Canton for over a year now. With Abel being so small, the P.A.C. knows every one of our runners, and yet they still jump at the thought of hurting us.

But my thoughts on the subject are put on hold when I hear gunfire, and suddenly Simon's hand is around my wrist again, jerking me to the side to avoid getting a bullet to the back of my head.

"Watch out," He says, and I roll my eyes.

"Thanks for telling me that after you pull me out of the way."

"Funny," Jody says. "Now you're trying to make sure Five doesn't get shot. Is it because she's not wearing a vest?"

My jaw drops.

He tenses, and I wince in pain at his angry grip on my wrist. "I wasn't actually aiming..." He pauses, deciding it be best not to talk about that. "I don't want to sound defeated, but don't you think we should abort the mission before those runners catch up with us?"

"The hospital's just up ahead," She argues, and through the darkness, under the soft light of the stars, I can see it.

It's scary looking to say the least. The windows are all broken and dusting, and if I stare long enough, I swear I can see a pair of glowing eyes staring at me from one of the higher floors. The ivy eating at the brick wall doesn't make the place look any more welcoming.

"They'll have us cornered soon enough, and in case you've forgotten, you're not the only one with a price on your head."

"We've got to see what's inside," She frowns. "I know you don't believe me, but I'm not the one who sold those people out to the militia. We've got to find out who did." I can feel her eyes on me. "Please. Give me one more chance."

Owen sighs. "We've come this far. Might as well see it through. Simon, you can buggar off if you're worried about savin' your own skin."

He laughs. "My skin's pretty thick these days-virtually bulletproof. It's Runner Five I'm worried about."

I blink. "Really?"

"Don't act so surprised. I'm less worried about you, Six, but worried, nonetheless. You heard what Travis said, you'll both be court-martialed."

"He's right," Jody says. "I can search the place myself. I can see the main door. I'll be fine once I'm inside."

I raise a brow at her. "Uh, Yeah... that sounds pretty suspicious. In all honesty, I don't think that's the best idea.. If there's incriminating evidence, we should all see it."

"That's not what I meant."

I shrug as we reach the door. "Maybe not, but that's what it sounded like."

Simon let's go of my wrist to grab the door handle. "Feels like we we've always been meant to come here," He says, and I roll my eyes at his dramatics. He tries to open the door, only to find it locked. "Damn."

I hear a jingling sound, and Jody pushes past Simon with keys in her hand.

"You have keys because... because of course you do."

"We used to meet here before the apocalypse. No reason they've have changed the locks." She unlocks the door and heads inside, the rest of us following her down the hallway. "They kept all the documents in the old secure wing. We just take a left and through these doors. It might take awhile, but if we search-Amelia?"

Jody had just opened the doors to the secure wing, and in the middle of the room stands Amelia, with a barrel full of documents doused in gasoline and on fire sitting beside her.

"Oh, hello," She says after a moment of shocked silence. "Here you are at last."

"Here we are?" Owen questions. "What are you doing here? What are you burning?"

"This was on fire when I arrived."

Simon and I share a look. "There was a barrel of incriminating documents on fire... when you arrived?"

"Yes, you see, I was just-" She stops talking to overturn the barrel, gasoline splashing everywhere.

"Watch out!" Jody yells, and I pull Simon back. Fire licks up Owen's pants legs, and he lets out a yelp of fear, tripping and falling to the ground.

Jody grabs a nearby blanket, beating the fire until it goes out.

"It's okay. It's okay. It's out."

"And so is she," I say, watching her sprint off. "Amelia's getting away."

"Just-just get after her!" Owen yells, shakily standing up.

Simon and I sprint off, going as fast as we can after her. Jody and Owen are close behind us. I'm guessing he got lucky and didn't burn himself too badly.

Amelia runs down the halls, zipping this way and that. Our feet skid against the old tiles, but we don't let up. We can't let her get away.

I knew there was a reason I didn't like her.

"She's fit for a desk jockey," Simon pants as she rushes out the door of the hospital. "Maybe she used one of my gyms."

"But she won't be able to keep up this pace for long," Owen says from behind me, and Jody gasps in agreement.

"I can't believe it was her. It must've been. She's the one who got those people killed."

"Yeah. Yeah. Maybe."

"What do you mean 'maybe'?" She snaps. "You think she's running away from us for exercise?"

"And this bitch actually thought I was gonna tell her my name," I mutter, and Simon sends me a slightly smug look.

"If she wanted to know that, she should've just asked me."

I glare at him. "Shut up."

"We know Amelia's got something to hide," Owen says. "Doesn't mean you weren't involved. We need to catch her to find out."

"Easier said than done. Look." Three points ahead at Amelia climbing into an old ambulance. She quickly starts the worn-down thing up, and my heart stops in my chest.

"Crap. Crap. Crap. We can't lose her. Not now." I let out a sharp gasp, my chest burning from the cold air.

"When you've driven 500 meters, take The left turning into the Coast Road," Amelia's voice says, only it sounds garbled, robotic. I recognize it instantly.

"What the heck is that?" Owen asks.

"Abel runners frequently use the Coast Road, so be careful as you drive along this stretch."

"An automated guidance system," I groan. "It's like the one she made Sam use-the one that nearly got me and Nadia killed. She must've made one for the militia."

"Now do you believe me?"

"Yep," Says a voice through our headsets, startling all of us. "I'd call that the clincher."

"Travis? How long have you been listening?"

"Long enough. I've sent New Canton runners to intercept. They're still a few minutes out. You'll need to keep the ambulance in sight 'til then. Run."

•

"That ambulance is more rust than metal," Simon states. "I'm surprised it hasn't fallen apart already."

The recording gives out another line of instructions to the driver, and I push myself to run faster. My heart hammers in my chest, thrumming against my rib cage. Cold drops of sweat run down my face and drip from my nose. It stings my eyes, and tastes salty on my tongue. The cold air isn't helping. It makes each breath feel like I'm being stabbed.

"Just as well, if it wasn't, she'd be long gone," Jody pants.

"Where's she going?" Owen questions. "She's got an earpiece; She knows Travis has sent runners after her."

Suddenly the ambulance stops, and Amelia hops out. I can't see well in the dark, but she's got something in her hand. My brows knit together. What is it? She raises it up and-

Bang!

"Owen!" Jody cries as said man falls to the ground, hands covering the bullet wound in his leg. He shouts in pain, and we all screech to a halt.

"Not so fast," Amelia says, keeping her gun raised. "Next time I won't aim for his leg."

Simon crosses his arms with a scoff. "Bit pointless, isn't it? You're totally surrounded. I don't think they'll take kindly to you killing us. Well, killing them anyway."

"I don't plan to hang around to find out, and I won't be traveling alone." She jerks her head at me. "You, Runner Five, you'll be coming with me. Get over here and no funny business. I don't think you'd survive a shot to the head any better than a zombie. The rest of you, stay where you are. And Runner Six is losing a lot of blood. The bullet might've nicked an artery. You probably want to take care of that fairly promptly."

Jody glares at her, but doesn't move from her place. She's too busy trying to stop the bleeding, trying to keep Owen from passing out from losing so much blood so quickly. "I'm gonna kill you."

She smirks. "And for your information, this is what I was heading towards. Looks like the camo netting did its job. Let's just get that off."

She pulls the netting off the object it's covering, and I feel the blood drain from my face. I actually start to feel faint at the sight of it.

No. No. No.

"Bloody hell," Simon whispers. "She's got a plane."

"A microlight, actually," Amelia corrects before looking at me. Her gun is pointed right at my head. "Get in, Runner Five, or I'll shoot them all. We're going on a little trip."

A/N: Oh, look, another cliffhanger. Lovely, right? Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Were you surprised it was Amelia? Tell me if so or if not in the comments. Don't forgot to vote! Thank you and have a blessed day!