Xavier closed his eyes, dumbfounded that he had actually uttered those words—foolish. Of course something like that could be used as a way out. A simple way to avoid what seemed to be the inevitable. It had been done to him. Rupert used knowledge of the letter to help his own situation. Why would Xavier not do the same?
David was right to be careful. Neither of them owed the other a thing. No trust. No goodwill built between the two. If his group was worth taking, if what they had built was valuable, then the Second Alliance would be on their doorstep in an instant. He was right to protect it. David’s loyalty was refreshing.
“Can’t let you know that. Even if I did fully trust you, I couldn’t. Can’t have them coming after my friends… my family.”
“You still have family…” Xavier said under his breath, “they must be worried sick.” My dad has no idea what’s happening.
The thought of his dad returning empty-handed, unable to find his wife, and then finding out about his son—it would crush him. The guilt he would feel. I begged for him to let me come. Too dangerous? Now look at me.
“I get it,” Xavier said. “I wish I’d been more careful with information.”
“What you mean?”
“I…” Xavier started. What could it hurt to let him know?
Xavier could let him know the circumstances of his own imprisonment. If David was with the Second Alliance, he already knew the details. There was nothing new he would share with this acquaintance cellmate. Only the location of the letter mattered anymore, and he wouldn’t let that go—not for anything. Haverty would have made peace with Xavier by now if it was coming at all.
“I found a letter that shows what they do to people. It told everything. Showed they killed our people. That they manipulated us. They wanted us to agree to have them here—to have them protect us. But we didn’t know it was them that we needed protection from.
“I hid the letter and told another guy about it. I thought he’d help me because of what they did to Sam.”
“Sam’s the guy over there?”
“Yeah,” Xavier continued. “The other guy turned me in. That’s why I’m here. I hate these people. Before any of this happened, my dad knew there was more to them—more to what they wanted. And with the letter, everyone can know. That’s what they’re afraid of. They don’t want it to get out. But… I wouldn’t give it to them. I’ll never let them know.”
“What good is the letter if it’s hiding?”
“I’m hoping someone will find it and take up the cause.”
“How they going to do that?”
Xavier shrugged his shoulders out of habit. The darkness concealed it. Even his smile went unnoticed as he thought of Matt and Jenny. “Someone will if they really want to.”
“Take some luck, don’t you think?” David asked.
Luck… “You really believe in that? Even as we sit down here waiting to die?”
“World can be strange like that. Luck’s the only explanation I have for when things turn out crazy. Bad or good, it’s there.”
“A friend of mine talks like that. I’ve never really thought much of it,” Xavier said.
“Say luck hit and got you out of this. What would you do?”
“Find my parents,” Xavier said it without hesitation. The thought of them gave instant comfort. He sighed. “Just my parents. My dad would know what to do. He always does.”
A long silence came from the other side of the room. Xavier let it happen, allowing David to reflect on his own situation. There was nothing to do but reflect. Think of what could have been done differently. A curse of time—the constant reflection of where you went wrong—sometimes foolishly imagining the world on a separate timeline where nothing bad happened. So many forks in the road. How many times had Xavier taken the wrong way? Could he even pinpoint one particular decision or action that cuffed him to this cot? Life was just one large chain reaction. No one’s fault. Life was just that way.
David broke the silence, “We get out of here, you can come with me. Take you home, then we find your parents.”
“I appreciate that, but I have no idea where they are or if they’re even alive anymore.” Xavier lowered his head. “We were talking about luck. Not much of a real chance I find them or that we get out of here. All I can hope is that someone, someday, will figure this out and crush the Second Alliance.”
“Second Alliance?”
“That’s what they call themselves.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea.”
“You think they’ll find my people.”
“It’s possible,” Xavier said, “if they keep pushing further out like this, I would think so.”
The back door from the basement opened. Quick footsteps. Several sets. “Time’s up!” The words were loud and harsh. The light blinded Xavier as he blinked rapidly through the chaos. Four Guards or so it seemed. A tangle of arms, hands—each worked frantically to uncuff the two but maintain control of them to prevent any escape.
Xavier looked to David, expressions of horror flashing through the melee as David fought back, screaming, “Fight! Fight! Fi—” A hand. He bit down upon it, and the Guard screamed in response. “Fight!”
Xavier reared his head back and drove it forward into a Guard’s face. The nose exploded with redness as Xavier’s forehead smashed through it. The Guard howled with pain, falling forward onto the cot. The weight of Xavier and the Guard broke it free from the wall.
Xavier tried to get up but was still secured to the cot which lay under the injured Guard. He pushed at him—an exercise in futility—the man simply weighed too much. Another Guard moved over him, pinning him to the ground. All Xavier could do was work his head from side to side yelling obscenities at the Guards, cheering David on.
The Guard’s stance slipped, and Xavier saw the opportunity. His foot met squarely with the crotch of the man standing over him. He too filled the room with shouts of pain, falling over to his side, struggling to compose himself. “Get them!” Xavier screamed. David was still fighting with one of them. The other turned to Xavier and struck him in the head—his body went limp.
“It’s time Xavier. I’ve arranged for you to work with Grant. He’s a good man. He’ll keep watch over you and make sure you learn a good trade.”
“I barely know him.”
“It’ll be fine. Just listen to him. He won’t lead you astray.”
“Let me come with you, that way we know I’ll be fine. And that way, I can help you find her.”
“You’ll be safe here. Just trust me. Outside the walls is too dangerous.”
“If it’s so dangerous, then having me with you only makes it safer.”
“I couldn’t deal with something happening to you. I’d be without you and your mother then. I can’t have that. You’ll be safer here.”
“But if something happens to you, then I’ll be without both of you. There’s nothing you can say that will change how I feel.”
“Xavier, damn it, this isn’t something I want to do without you. It just has to be this way. I’m not risking you too. I’ll be back. It won’t take long.”
“How can you say that? We don’t even know where she is.”
“I know where to start, and from there… I’ll find her and bring her back.”
“You know that sounds crazy.”
“Xavier, stop. I need you to keep a watch over River’s Edge for me. With you around, people will remember me and what I made this place to be. It won’t escape them. It’s your duty to keep people to their promises. Remind people that we built this place to be greater than what exists outside of it. You understand?”
“Dad. I need to—”
“Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Then make sure it’s done. Don’t let anyone forget their promise.”