“You liar!” Noah jumped to his feet, sending his chair flying across the room with a screech.
Zeke flinched away from him. What did Noah hope to achieve with this outburst?
He was saved from suggesting they leave by the guard shouting, “Sir!” with a furious expression etched on his face.
Half a second later, the door to the room swung open, hitting the wall with a crash. Their favourite friend was back.
“We’ve still got five minutes,” protested Noah, quickly silenced by the woman’s glare. Zeke took one last look at Doctor Harding. He wore the tiniest of smiles on his lips as he leaned back in his chair, his fingers touching together to make an arch.
“Lovely to see you, Zeke. I hope military service is treating you well.”
Zeke opened his mouth to say something before snapping it shut, jumping up to follow Noah out of the room.
“Well, that went well,” Noah said.
“Sounds like it,” replied Frankie. “Sorry, Zeke.”
Noah drove them out of the prison site, his face set in a grim frown. He’d put the car in manual mode and was now pushing the gear stick with aggressive force. “I… lost control for a second in the room back there. I don’t know what came over me. I’m sorry if I scared you.”
Zeke caught Frankie’s eye in the rearview mirror. “He was infuriating, for sure. It almost made it worse when he dropped the insane act.”
“I just don’t know how we can get you help without information from him.”
“It’s fine,” Zeke mumbled, his head resting against the window. He was done with this conversation and was becoming concerned with how Frankie was interpreting it all. “I’m fine. You already had Leo run every test he could, and they all came back clear. Let’s just forget about it and move on.”
Noah’s mouth twitched. It looked like he was about to press the matter before deciding against it.
They drove for a few minutes in pensive silence before Frankie asked, “Did Zaya get back to you about seeing us? I would love to meet her.”
Zeke checked his wristband. Seeing a message from Zaya, his mood instantly brightened. “She said she can meet us for an hour at the park near her house.” Noah slowed the vehicle to input the address. “If you guys don’t mind?” Zeke added.
Frankie reached over from the backseat to touch his shoulder. “Of course not.”
Zaya was waiting for them on a bench when they arrived. He ran the last few steps, hugging her tightly and swinging her around as Noah and Frankie hung back. “Hey Zee,” she said. When he released her, a red, raw burn mark on her forehead, partially obscured by sunglasses, drew his attention.
“What’s that?”
Her hand shot to the gruesome wound, touching it gingerly. “It happened at a protest the other day.” She narrowed her eyes. “It got pretty violent. Several buildings were blown up.”
Her words instantly transported Zeke back to the day of Splat’s death. His stomach clenched as his mind replayed Splat, bleeding profusely from his forearm, jumping through the hole into the horde of monsters waiting for him, for the thousandth time.
“Shit,” said Frankie, stepping forward.
Zeke shook his head as if it would erase the image forever seared into his soul. “This is Frankie.”
Frankie hugged her. “Great to finally meet you!”
“Likewise. Thanks for taking good care of this one for me.” Zaya ruffled Zeke’s hair. “And you, Noah. Zeke always talks so highly of you both.”
Noah shuffled forward. “It’s a pleasure.”
Zaya’s eyes twinkled as her lips twitched into a smile.
“I take it things aren’t improving in the city?” Noah asked.
Zaya sighed and sat down on the bench, wrapping her plaid jacket around her.
“Were you actuallyinthe protests?” said Zeke, trying to keep his voice even.
