Gate Deadlock

  Chapter 15

  Christopher

  ‘You always seem to be in the wrong place, don’t you?’ Tex’s cold voice mocked, testing my reflexes. Threat was obvious in his tone. I was no more under any misapprehension as to how dangerous this man was. But I couldn’t care less. My eyes were fixed on the slim, tall man behind him. He was dressed in the Squad’s typical black suit and he was standing still, his arms folded in front of his chest. His dark sunglasses were hiding his eyes but his beautiful face and his golden-brown hair left no doubt. It was him. It was Christopher. My Christopher.

  For a brief moment I felt like it was only the two of us in front of the ancient cave the Squad had come to protect. There was no one around, no sound, even the birds had stopped singing. Then, a gust of cool wind blew, scattering the leaves around us, bringing me back to reality. I was overwhelmed by the strong need to run to him, touch him, feel him, see if he was real. I wanted to lose myself in his warm embrace, tell him how much I’d missed him. But I couldn’t do that. Not only because my knees felt weak, making me feel I was about to faint, but also because I had strict orders from Plato. Susan had warned me several times that this would be a critical moment for my mission. So I had to control myself and avoid any impulsive reaction at Christopher’s sight. Plato had asked Susan to warn me about the chance that Christopher might have changed but I had found that hard to believe. Yet, watching him stand still, not even making the slightest move towards me, his face absolutely rigid, expressionless, as if he hadn’t recognized me, made me wonder if Plato was right. Then, the deepest fear I had been suppressing for so long started creeping from my knees to my spine and to my chest, trying to find a way to sneak into my heart. What if Christopher had really changed? Would there still be room in his heart for me?

  ‘You don’t seem very happy to see us. And I’ve brought over your favorite killer!’ Tex’s voice took me out of my thoughts and

  I instinctively made a few steps back when I noticed that he was approaching me. His appalling smirk made me shiver. Susan had reassured me that the Squad had strict orders not to hurt me. It was part of the deal Christopher had made with the devil to save me that summer. But I knew Tex was unpredictable. He often acted by his own initiative, got carried away by his instincts. I wondered what Christopher would do if Tex attempted to challenge him by hurting me right there.

  ‘Oh, come on! I didn’t do anything!’ I protested. ‘Is it forbidden to go caving with my friends?’ I tried to sound as convincing as I did when I was practicing this conversation with Susan.

  ‘So you’ve found a new hobby, is that it? You gave up on archeology, I guess. Where are the others, by the way?’

  ‘They’ve just left. I’m afraid you missed them.’

  He walked slowly around me, like an animal circling its prey, meaning to prolong the attack in order to enjoy it more. I probably missed his nodding to his men as two of them, thankfully not Christopher, came to stand in front of me as the other two walked into the cave, in search for the rest of our team. I hadn’t noticed how many of his men he had brought along. All my attention was drawn to Christopher. Now I could see there were four of them besides Tex and him.

  Tex looked at me and I could easily guess his thoughts. He was battling with himself about whether he should obey to the League’s orders or just kill me right there. Although I could not see his eyes behind the dark glasses, it was as if every inch of his face, every pore of his skin revealed pure hatred. I wondered how someone could make it through a life full of bitterness, like his. But of course Tex was no ordinary man. He was a vicious killer. Just like Christopher was once and, hopefully, pretended to be now. I wished Christopher had not truly relapsed. I wished it wasn’t too late.

  Tex spoke again, his voice deep, slow, like announcing my sentence. ‘You’re coming with us.’

  ‘What do you mean come with you? Where?’ I shouted following Susan’s directions as I recalled our rehearsals. Tex nodded to his

  men and they both grabbed my arms and dragged me towards the black jeep that had mysteriously appeared next to a cluster of trees a second before. I tried to free myself but their grip was too strong for me and they seemed totally indifferent to my screams of pain.

  I could not see Christopher anymore and that made me even more worried. One of the men pushed me in the back seat of the car and Tex sat next to me. Another van stopped in front of us and two of his men got on. Christopher was coming our way and one of the men in black who was about to sit next to me, walked around the car. I thought of making my arrest a little more dramatic by adding a more realistic reaction. In a fraction of a moment, when the man on my right was distracted whispering something to his companions in the van, I suddenly ejected from my seat attempting a ridiculous escape. I would have managed to run a few meters further, hadn’t Christopher’s hand grabbed my arm and pulled me back. For the first time I felt him hurt me and the surprise on my face was instantly replaced by fear when I turned to see his cold, cruel face. It was a stranger’s face and it horrified me more than Tex’s did.

  Tex was out of the car now, watching me with a syringe in his hand. ‘Now you’ve really pissed me off.’ His voice however low, revealed his rage. ‘Roll up her sleeve!’ he ordered Christopher.

  ‘No!’ I cried. This was not in the plan. Plato hadn’t mentioned anything about injections.

  ‘Let me go!’ I shouted. ‘Christopher, please! Don’t let him hurt me!’ I regretted begging him in the next second. I shouldn’t put him in that position. Christopher remained calm. With steady movements he rolled up my sleeve and pulled me abruptly on him, holding both my arms down, forcing me to stand still.

  ‘I’m sorry.’ he whispered in my ear, but there was no sign of regret in that cold, ironic voice, a stranger’s voice. I did not fight anymore. I knew it was pointless to resist from the moment he had come close to me, the moment he had touched me. I closed my eyes and surrendered to the feeling I had longed for so many months. The last thing I remember before sinking into a dark,

  dreamless sleep was Tex’s horrible laughter as he pressed the needle into the muscles of my forearm.

  Christopher was staring at the dirt road in front of him without really seeing anything at all. He was clenching his fists so hard he could feel his nails cut the skin of his palms. He had to control himself. Too much depended on this. He had to forget that the young woman lying unconscious behind him, next to her worst enemy, was Emma. He should convince himself she was a stranger, someone he didn’t care about, that it wasn’t his only desire to take her in his arms and run away. Then he wouldn’t experience the strong urge to kill Tex just for sitting so close to her or, even worse, for the gross way he had treated her a few minutes ago and flagrantly enjoying it.

  He closed his eyes. He was so worn out. He had needed all his strength the first minute he’d recognized her. She was bending inside the car, hiding her face, but he would have recognized her anyway. He would have recognized a tiny toe of hers or just a curl of her hair, the hair he had smelled so many times when he held her in his arms. Although he was totally unprepared to see her, he had done really well. Tex’s expression, the moment he had announced Christopher they were going on a mission, had alarmed him. This was no ordinary mission, Christopher’s instinct had warned him. It was making Tex happy, in other words it had to be bad news for Christopher. Tex had kept his disgusting smirk until he dialed the numbers for the year they were traveling back, casting glances at Christopher with the corner of his eye. By then, Christopher was certain it was all about Emma.

  Should he take a look at the back seat, make sure she’s okay, make sure he’s not touching her with his murderous hands or would his face give him away and offer Tex the opportunity to revenge on him by hurting her again? Protecting her would have a high cost this time. But this was what he lived for, he had made it the mission of his life ever since her father had asked him so, a few hours before the Squad killed him. Protect her. This is what he was d
oing now. Only she didn’t know, she couldn’t have

  known. If only he could tell her. But no. It would be too risky. The only way to go on was to pretend he didn’t care about her. Emma, his love, his life, the reason he was still alive, was nothing to him.

  Anger. Being angry with her made it easier for him. Why on Earth didn’t she follow his advice and not make the Squad come for her again? She should have learnt by now how dangerous they were. Or wasn’t this her fault but a test of the League for him in order to make him give them the rationale for violating their agreement? Besides, this was the first time since he had rejoined the Squad that their Commander, Denzel, had decided to send him to Emma’s world. Tex would fill him up on Christopher’s reaction later, in every detail. That was certain. But he had done really well. He had fooled everyone, even Emma. He had seen the horror in her eyes when he grabbed her arm to bring her back to Tex. He couldn’t let her run. He knew what Tex’s next move would be. By attempting to run away she offered him the perfect excuse to hurt her. Christopher thought of how dreadful he must have looked in her eyes, standing totally expressionless in front of her, irresponsive to her entreaties. But he hadn’t fooled his heart. Because the way she had looked at him hurt so much.

  Denzel would be the hardest to fool. When he had been alone with Denzel after the League had ordered Christopher’s re-enlistment to the Squad, he had stared at him for a few moments before speaking.

  ‘This woman must be very important to you. I’ve used any possible means to make you come back to us to no effect. And finally, you’re coming by your own will because you want to save her life.’ Denzel had tried to see through Christopher’s rigid mask but Christopher couldn’t allow that.

  ‘Isn’t it better to spare a life instead of wasting it? That must be a change for you…sir.’ Christopher had said coldly. Denzel had pretended not to notice the sarcasm in his words. Only Christopher would have the courage to talk to him like this. Christopher was not afraid of him, Denzel knew this well.

  ‘They’ve made you soft. They’ve turned you into a negotiator. You! One of the most effective weapons in the League’s armory.’ He had said after the Board Hearing. He had put his hand on Christopher’s shoulder and added, ‘You belong here. With us. You know you do.’ His lips twisted in his usual cold sneer and he went on. ‘Of course, we won’t take you back in open arms. You’re going through a trial period of a year, as everyone else. And you’ll be under Tex’s command.’ He’d scrutinized Christopher’s face looking for a reaction of protest or discontent but not even tracing a hint of fret.

  ‘Does this bother you?’ he’d persisted.

  ‘No.’ Christopher had replied coldly. As much as he despised Tex, nothing seemed important to him anymore. A little before leaving the room, Denzel had spoken again.

  ‘Christopher, I trust you will keep your part of the deal and cut off any kind of contact with the Crusaders and that girl. Especially the girl. Take her out of your mind for good. Otherwise, I’ll do it for you.’

  Christopher hadn’t said anything. Denzel had meant every word, he was sure about that. He knew what he had to do. Emma would not be in any more danger because of him.

  The car bounced on the rocky surface of the country road.

  ‘Slowly Garret. You don’t want to wake up our princess, do you? Then I’ll have to drug her again. And who knows, I might not be very careful with the dose this time.’

  Christopher’s temples throbbed with pain as his nails cut his palms deeper.