He rolls down his window, and grabs for the envelope of their passports beside him in the middle of the seats.
The man in the booth is an older gentleman with already greying hair, and Liam worries that he might not be the friend of Charles’s. He tries to remember how long Parker was supposed to be on shift and how long it took them to get here.
For all intent on purposes, he should be Parker, Liam hands shake though while he passes the paperwork to the man.
But then the man smiles at Liam, and scans the forged passports with a light eye. Liam relaxes a great deal, and thinks that one of these days he really needs to buy something cherry for Charles. Maybe a new car or college money for his boys, because this is way too much help to not return the favor.
Parker looks back up at him blankly, and waves him to drive ahead. Liam grins and doesn’t wait for him to change his mind, and pulls the truck out of there with a restrained slowness. Joining the numerous other cars back on the interstate and crossing into Wisconsin, the others let out a collective sigh.
Moira’s scent that was wrapped tightly around his senses only moments ago eases away like a fading dream. Now all they have to do is to make it to Menomonie. As everyone begins to pick up a random conversation, he distractedly wonders what the girl Katie Mathews will be like.
He can only image, and thinks maybe he shouldn’t allow himself to relax so much. Gripping the steering wheel tightly again, he steps on the gas pedal and pushes the truck on. Best to face what’s next, as fast as he can, without pause.
***
Sitting in yet another unfamiliar house with new unfamiliar company, Liam ponders on the saying about the road paved with good intentions. They were only just settled in for less than twenty four hours at Katie Mathew’s small condo in an even smaller town in Wisconsin, when another news broadcast leaked out to the media.
Not that he minded the distraction of another problem though. With all of their faces out to the public, minus yours truly, no one could go anywhere while they waited for brand new paperwork. To say that they were getting slightly cabin feverish, is an understatement. Of course, it didn’t really help that their host, was gone most of the time too.
They couldn’t blame her though, as a young woman living on her own and going to college, she has bills to pay. She is already working on getting them passports as soon as they can, so they can’t really complain that she isn’t there to make the poor kids feel better or hold their hands.
Honestly though, Liam could do with some hand holding, if only to have some guidance on what route to take next. And by route, he does mean driving directions, but rather help on what to do.
Since the condo was so small, with only one bedroom with one bed, they all had to camp out together in the living room. A plus, there was a pullout couch with a thin mattress still on it. This was deemed the property of the girls, and he and the other boys got stuck with the floor. Liam didn’t care really; he doesn’t even know the last time he actually slept. He rested sure, or he’d probably pass out while driving, but not enough to even dream.
After all the stress and excitement over the last couple of days, it was kind of refreshing to just chill in one location. No that he told anyone this, he might seem weak. As de facto leader, he can’t let that happen.
He had talked to Charles when they first got to Wisconsin, but hasn’t heard back from him in the last couple hours. He would be lying if he didn’t say it bothered him, which it does. Charles warned him that they might have to stay there for a while than what was originally planned, which was news to Liam.
He hadn’t a clue that they were staying for a while, but he figures he should have known anyway. Besides, hasn’t that been how things are going anyway? This is why he thinks he shouldn’t have been so bothered by the current news report.
However, like all the other times he’s heard the latest ramblings of an old man so off his rocker, that he needs a new one; he is still shocked. As are the rest of them, and mostly Moira unfortunately.
He couldn’t help but to notice her a lot lately. He doesn’t know if it’s being trapped in such close quarters with her and her scent. But it’s been driving him crazy and in a good way kind of. Not that she seems to notice though, much to his displeasure. While the rest of them relished in the fact that they have downtime to kick back and relax, Moira took the time to become even tenser.
He could sense it raising with her every breath, and if he wasn’t so in control of his persona, he’d choke on it. She kept to herself, and stayed out of conversation, and he’d be lying, if he didn’t say it bothered him. It definitely did, especially since what they talked about back on Ronny’s farm.
She had sworn to not do anything rash and let him get her to Montana so they could figure things out. Based on her antisocial behavior, he’s beginning to think she might back out on their agreement. He knows it must be killing her to be stuck inside, and all these other elements are out of their control. He feels it too, the pressure to run and escape from it all. Or even to run right into the fray and start kicking and screaming until you can’t do neither anymore.
He made sure to keep an eye on her at all times, and while doing so, he noticed someone not keeping an eye on her anymore; Marty. Who knows what happened there, and Liam sure isn’t going to ask anyone, least of all Marty. Raven has been giving him ‘the eye’ the last day, so maybe that should tell him something. What though, he hasn’t a clue, though he would really like one.
They are all cramped into Katie’s small living room, minus Katie, and are jumbled together on the lumpy sofa. All of their eyes are for the television that he has just cranked up on high volume. No way was he going to miss a word, not with Peter Fletcher himself on the screen. Joining the man were to other’s that Moira herself pointed out and named for them. One was an older bulky man, she called General Dixon Hetch.
The other was a dark haired man he recognized, and after she named him as Agent Brendon House, Liam knows where he remembered him from. He was the man that escorted Moira out of the school a couple weeks ago and brought her handcuffed into the police station. Where of course she was given to Peter Fletchers custody, and if looks could kill, every one of those men would be dead right now.
After pointing out the men, Moira goes back to being silently tense. She is no longer sitting on the couch with them, but is standing at the back of it ringing her hands. Liam’s senses are filled with the strong overwhelming scent of apples and her persona is pressing against his skin making him feel his own.
He tries to keep one eye on her and one for the TV, because they are getting ready for a press release. As their voices carry over the TV set, they all eagerly sit to the edge of the sofa to hear better.
“
Good afternoon citizens of Upstate New York. We are here to disclose new information regarding the girl that escaped from our care and is consorting with known terrorists.” Fletcher says in a confident tone.
The unseen audience is roaring with questions that are so blurred, Liam has no idea what any of them said. Clearly the men behind the mikes don’t have this problem, because they begin pointing to members of the audience and letting them continue.
“
We are here to inform those that are traveling with her. We want them to know, that we know, that she is very manipulative. Even so, we find those with her innocent of any crime.”
They all gasp at this, and most of all Moira, who now feels like a live wire behind his back. The apple pie scent of her filled the room, and makes it hard for him to concentrate on anything else but her. It doesn’t matter though, since the sounds of the TV dim as they all become enraged and begin arguing amongst themselves.
“This is crazy; they can’t really think we’ll just hand her over.” Raven says while still staring at the TV.
“Of course we’re not handing her over Rave. I doubt they just want to have tea together.” Daisy tells the other girl.
“What are we going to do though; we can’t just sit here and wait for more crap they plan to shovel.” Ray directs at Liam, who is glaring at the TV now.
He is having a hard time concentrating; it feels like Moira is in his head, or more importantly, in control of his persona. He pretty much guesses what she is going to say before she says it. Marty must to, because the other boy has been quietly watching her in alarmed anticipation.
“I think I should turn myself in.” She says so softly, Liam wishes he heard incorrectly.
Every head in the room turns to her with wide eyes, Liam too, as she backs out of the room into the small kitchen nook. She is facing them head on, and her eyes are changed from hazel to a startling emerald green. Her face is serious though, and he knows she is determined, but it’s definitely not a good idea.
“Are you out of your freaking mind?” Raven yells at her as she gets to her feet.
“I’m with Raven here Moira; you can’t just walk back to them.” Ray says also getting to his feet with a worried looking Daisy.
“What else am I supposed to do you guys? Huh? I’d really like to know, because what else are they going to throw our way.” Moira demands, as she continues to back away from her friends.
The three of them slowly pace to Moira, but she literally keeps backing up like an animal in a trap. Liam can feel it in her, the need to run, to get away and then there is her persona. For the first time, the feeling of it changed.
Rather than feeling like a hum and vibrations, now it feels like churning water that is charging for a sealed dam and will break free at all costs. He is on his feet, when her persona rushes through her with a speed he’s never seen.
In the blink of the eye, her hair has deepen and rose, her nails are sharpen points in her clenched hands, and her teeth become sharp as she glares at them all.
When she lets out a soft but fierce growl, her friends back away from her. Her persona is like a living thing, and Liam can feel the pull to use his own and so do the others. They stare at her like they have never seen her before, or like they had no idea what she was capable of. He kind of didn’t either.
He notices that she is inching towards the door though, and only has half a thought to run and stop her, before Marty is already up and beside her. She flinches like he is going to attack her, but he snatches her by the arm and leads her out of the room. She doesn’t resist.
He watches her disappear into the only room in the small condo, and as the door closes behind them, so does her scent. The rest of them relax visibly, and begins to whisper to one another. He tries to ignore what they say, and really he doesn’t have a problem there. His mind is too busy turning.
For the first time, he really wonders what was done to her back at the facility. Whatever it was, he has a feeling that they are all in store from some interesting things from Moira.
Sighing, he thinks he better call Charles, they have a lot to talk about now.
Chapter Seventeen
In her full Persona, Moira lets Marty lead her from the room. Honestly though, it’s more shock that he’d do it that her giving in. Bu then again, her mind feels all muddled with rage at the moment, so she isn’t really sure what the heck is going on. All she really knows is that Marty is finally not ignoring her now and is touching her.
More like griping her arm in a bruising hold, but still, she’s take that over the nothing. By the time they are completely in the room and he closes the door behind him, she comes back to herself and pulls herself out of his hold.
Backing up and practically hissing at him, she is about to tell him to leave her alone, even though she doesn’t really want him to. That changes when she gets a good look at his face.
He looks so sad and lost, that her heart breaks. In the next instant, all the rage is gone, and she feels kind of sad herself. Tears form in her eyes and before she can stop them, they fall out in waves and cascade down her cheeks.
Her breath comes in pant now, and she feels her knees give out a second before she is about to collapse. She never hits the ground though, because Marty is at her side in an instant. She clings to him sobbing now, and he just sits down on the floor with her and holds her close.
When the sobs dwindle down to shaking hiccups, Moira realizes at some point her persona left her without her knowing.
Embarrassed, Moira leans back from Marty, while wiping her messy face. It’s easier for her to hide her flaming cheeks in her limp long hair now, while she turns away.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know where that came from.” She says sniffling.
She finally looks back up at him, as she scoots away from him to lean against the foot of the bed in the room. He looks exactly like he did when she first met him, but slightly less arrogant, and more sympathetic.
“You don’t have to apologize; ace. This is kind of a good time to get mad. I just want you to know, I don’t think you should go back there.”
Sighing, and leans her head against the soft mattress and closes her eyes.
“You don’t understand Marty. If I go back, everyone else will be left alone. How can I not do the right thing?”
She opens her eyes now, and he glances away shaking his head.
“You don’t know what they want with you. If you do this, you could very well be signing you death sentence. I can’t just let you do that.”
He looks back to her now, and Moira can feel her pulse rising. Not in the way you’d think though.
“Let me?”
He sighs again, and scoots over so that he is beside her, all the while never taking his eyes off her.
“You know what I mean ace. Don’t try to turn this into a fight. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you, and you leaving; that’s bad.”
She has to look away from him now, the way he watches her so intently, makes her feel something. Something, that she has been trying not to think about, and has nothing to do with what mad her so mad.
“I know it’s a bad idea, I just NEED to do something, anything. I feel so useless.” She says softly.