“People like me survive OI. We don’t escape it.”
Rohan makes a sound of agreement, and the two of them look at one another again, sharing a joint understanding of each other’s circumstances that I can’t begin to grasp. What they’ve both gone through in their lives is unknowable to me.
I look over my shoulder at Damon, searching for support.
Damon appears remarkably unfazed despite everything. I’m not surprised. He’s always been especially skilled at remaining calm during stressful or highly emotional situations. I’ve witnessed him talk more than one person off the ledge while on missions. There’s just something naturally self-assured and trustworthy in him. It was there when he was only eighteen years old, which is why so many people, including myself, gravitated towards him.
We’ve worked together long enough for me to be able to read Damon’s small gestures and the meanings behind them. When Damon nods at me, I know it’s a silent promise to back me up whatever I decide to do next.
Turning back around, I catch Jack’s gaze once more. I could swear there’s some small amount of regret in those green depths. A sign that maybe he wishes he could agree to let us help him, to free him from the life he’s inevitably going back to if OI finds him here.
I can’t just give up on him like this. All he has to do is tell me he wants it, and I’ll help him take his life back from them.
One more try, then.
“If you let me, I will protect you.” It seems best to make it personal, rather than implying FISA will help him. He has even less reason to trust a big organisation than he does me. “I won’t let them take you back. No matter what, you’ll never belong to them again.”
Jack looks at me with such stark confusion it would almost be funny if the entire situation weren’t so inherently unfunny.
“Why would you do that?” he asks, an edge of belligerence in his tone.
“Because I can,” I reply with utter seriousness. “And when it comes to helping people, if you can, you should.”
There’s a flicker then. Of something. Not quite hope, no. He’s probably had that beaten out of him every day they’ve had him. But something. Defiance, maybe. A very human kind of strength.
Jack and I stare each other down for what feels like hours until grimly, and with no small amount of reluctance, Jack gives an imperceptible nod.
“Alright.”
I feel a rush of profound relief, unable to stop a grin from splitting my face.
Rohan clears his throat and leans forward a bit as if in agitation. He slides a look from Jack to me.
“If you’re serious about getting that chip out, we need to do it fast.”
I wince at the reminder.
Right, OI is still an imminent threat.
I quickly move to unlock Jack from his cuffs, calling for King to get off him. King obeys and plops down from Jack’s stomach. He skitters out of the bathroom to parts unknown. He hasn’t sniffed every corner of this house yet, so he’s still got work to do.
Damon hustles Rohan out of the doorway and takes his place there, blocking off the exit with his much larger body just in case he has to play barricade if Jack tries to do a runner.
Rohan mutters irritably about being shooed away like an errant puppy, but Damon very pointedly ignores him. He does show a certain amount of trust by turning his back to the other man. Damon wouldn’t do that if hereallydisliked him.
I’m careful to keep my body angled away from Jack when I free him. I want to help, but I’m not a complete idiot. There’s every chance his compliance is a lie. He could spring at me with violent intent the moment I set him loose.
Blind optimism is the only thing propelling me forward. I have to believe helping Jack is the right choice. My faith in people has been shaken enough times that assuming the worst of everyone is almost automatic. I have to fight against that, or I’ll be lost to it, and spending my life constantly suspicious of every person’s motive would drive me up the wall.
Jack watches me with those penetrating cat eyes.
He gets up, and I move back to give him space. He seems to appreciate that if the slight loosening of his shoulders is anything to go by.
I lead Jack out of the bathroom and march them all back to the living room.
Jack stays close to me, as does Damon, which makes the whole thing even more uncomfortable. I can only imagine how much Damon wants to throw a coat over my head and hide me behind him.
I’m not sure what Jack’s motives are for keeping so close. I can only think he’s afraid of what Rohan might do and thinks I’d make a perfectly adequate human shield.
