Once they arrived at the hospital, Mira was immediately rolled away to be examined, while Adrian was separated from Aria. Understandably enough, the police arrived on the scene soon after and questioned him. He wasn’t sure how to feel about all the questions they asked because he didn’t know how to answer at least half of them.
“Adrian,” the investigator asked softly. “What do you remember?”
Adrian couldn’t look her in the eyes because he was just starting to register everything that had happened. Like he mentioned to Aria earlier that evening, he couldn’t fully comprehend everything until he was safe enough to actually think about it. Now that he was certain that they were away from their captors, he felt as if his brain was on the brink of exploding with a series of feelings that came rushing towards him.
“We were bound w-with like . . . like . . .” His voice shook. “Coarse ropes in the basement . . . a-around my neck and wrists a-and they . . . I-I don’t think they did anything else except sedate m-me . . .”
“How did you escape?”
He didn’t know how to explain it. Did the police officer know what he was? If she did then it’d be okay, but if she didn’t then he’d sound like a maniac ready to be checked in the psych ward.
“Adrian, if it helps. I know about your people . . . your community.”
He looked at her with scrunched brows. “How do you know?”
“About you?”
He nodded.
She replied in a way meant to soothe his scattered brain. “There aren’t many of us agents who know about your community but were aware of what was happening. I’m sorry we couldn’t get to you all sooner.”
Adrian accepted the answer.
“So, can you please tell me how you escaped?”
He looked at the door to make sure that it was closed then started, “I shifted a-and then the ropes on my hands fell, b-but I choked for a minute because of the rope around my neck. Then I-I shifted back and undid the rope around my neck. Then I freed Aria and Mira. Then we stole their car and Nick found us . . . I-I don’t know what else to say.”
“Can you tell me about what happened in the basement?” the officer asked as she wrote down every word he said.
He let out a shaky breath.
“It was like a nightmare. Some-some woman she killed another woman. We were like experiments to her a-and . . . and I don’t know how many people . . . like, who the f*ck does that?”
“Adrian, are you alright?”
He shook his head. “No, I’m not. Everything happened so f*cking quickly that . . . that I don’t know anymore.”
“Would you like to take a moment?”
He nodded and held himself to find some sort of comfort.
“Adrian,” she said soothingly. “Maybe you should see a specialist? That might help, what do you say?”
Adrian thought about it. He didn’t want to be seen as weak. He didn’t want to appear like he’s f*cked up or anything, but then he remembered what Aria told him. If he couldn’t help himself, how could he help others? How could he expect himself to become a leader or a friend if he can’t even get himself straight?
“Please.”
She nodded with a gentle but reassuring smile.
After they finished the questioning, he asked where Aria was. The investigator told him that she was being questioned by another officer. He could understand that, and once she left, he was alone.
Adrian was so exhausted; his mind and his body were totally drained of everything he had. He then heard a knock on the door and his parents came in.
Adrian never felt so happy to see their faces. He even started bawling like a baby, all while his mom held him close, and his dad tried to rub his shoulders in a comforting motion.
It finally registered that he could’ve died.
That they all could have died.
But they didn’t.
They made it and it was all because he was able to lead them out of there.
He did it.
Chapter 28
Aria
“Mira, you’re gonna fall on your ass again.”
“No, I swear I can do it this time.”
“Uh huh,” Aria watched her friend try to stand on her own for the nth time.
It had been nearly a month since the whole ordeal and Aria did her best to adjust. It was a process but according to her therapist, she was doing well. It was kind of nice having one too. It was probably long overdue, but the professional help she had was able to quell her consecutive nightmares and justify her own insecurities.
Aria could remember everything that happened the night they were saved. The interrogation, the examinations, and the tears that she shed in front of her dad. It was all too much, but she wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world because Mira was back home and safe.
According to Carmen, Mira had a lot of things that the medical team had to address: a sprained ankle, infected cuts, sloppy stitches, bruises, and a foreign chemical substance that had to be flushed from her system. So while their reunion wasn’t as climactic or loud as Aria might’ve imagined, it was if anything, short and sweet.
Then there was Adrian.
They might’ve survived a near death experience, but they have yet to ascend beyond the awkward transition from friends to lovers. Even though they had their long awaited ‘talk’, it was strange at first to hear him explain that he didn’t want to trap her down or anything like that. He even went as far as to put in a few self-depreciating jokes
