Chapter 13: Criminal

Chapter 13: Criminal

What? Murdered?

I couldn't believe what I heard, much less try to look at Doctor Blackwell, as he walked the length of our living room, passed the small window, only to stop by an artwork on the wall; an artwork that I had done as a child.

It sucked. I know. The artwork, I mean. But this was so much worse. A million times worse. I mean, me? A murderer?!

Dad was the first one to break the silence. Like me, he was getting red on the face, probably jittery on his legs too. He was not quick to panic. But this instance? Nah-uh. He would do anything but.

So that's why I understood when he shouted, "Murder?!" He gasped. "Who on earth could Pax murder? And how can you possibly think she can do that in the first place?"

Mom quickly pressed a hand on dad's chest, when he was about to advance, halting him in an instant. But she, too, glared at Doctor Blackwell, seeking for an explanation as well. "You must be mistaken, Doctor," she said. "Our daughter is not a criminal. Missing, yes—"

"If you can please just sit down—"

"No."

"But of course. . ." Doctor Blackwell played the part of an understanding person well. Of a person who was part of the grieving process of two shocked parents, when in fact, he was anything but.

Meanwhile, up the stairs, Audra pulled me down right beside her, gritted her teeth, pointed to the window when I was about to get up, to remind me of the dangers.

But I was more than willing to jump out. To defend myself. I mean, what the heck of a crazy lunatic were these people, suddenly blaming me for this?

"Control yourself," Audra whispered. "Your parents."

I took a sharp breath. But of course. . . It wasn't just me they were going to hurt if this all blows over— it was my parents too.

But what was I supposed to do? Just listen to these accusations?

Doctor Blackwell pressed his thick-rimmed glasses up his nose again. "I realize that this is all very shocking to you," he spoke, voicing each word carefully to them. "But according to the reports, your daughter was unstable to begin with."

"Unstable?" My dad was shaking now, looking like he was about to lose control himself. "Pax? Unstable? Why, she's just a teenager!"

"Teenagers had committed crimes before."

"But this is my daughter we're talking about." Anger flashed on dad's face. "Pax is an introvert, not a harm to society. She's just a silent child. How can anyone suspect her?"

Doctor Blackwell shook his head. "You will find, Mr. Leighton, that the quietest people can be the most dangerous ones. I should know. . . After all, my parents, who had been the greatest geneticist in their time had labeled me as such before."

My dad didn't have to say anything to this.

So Doctor Blackwell proceeded accordingly. "Here's what happened. After the students belonging to Pax's school agreed to take the cure for XQ21, willingly, your daughter snuck into one of the medical rooms stationed there, and saw the perfect opportunity to take revenge."

"Revenge on who?" mom said.

Doctor Blackwell shifted on his feet. "A year ago, your daughter was humiliated on the school stage by a student named Audra Gillis. You might not be aware of it, as with most parents are with their children's private lives in school. But the reports submitted to us by the Principal said that Pax was. . . greatly disturbed by this incidence, and might had been planning for revenge ever since.

"After Audra Gillis agreed to take the cure for her lesbianity— again, I repeat, for the greater good, Pax might have taken it upon herself to stop the other girl's rehabilitation. Thus, she rounded up her boyfriend, Hanz Peterson, to where Miss Gillis was supposed to receive the cure. And kidnapped the girl along with her best friend, Neil Rogers. They are now all missing, all four of them."

Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Now I was really lost for words.

Where was this story coming from? And how could it be so wrong in so many ways?

Looking at Audra, I saw that her eyes were relaxed, but the rest of her was taut, like a spring about to uncoil and shoot any time. I felt ten times worse than that. I mean, a criminal? Me? Really?!

My father, who looked like he wanted to run to the door to escape, ran a hand through his brown hair instead. "And the murder?!" he choked, as if he didn't really want to know.

Doctor Blackwell took a folder from his coat, something I hadn't noticed before. "Here," he said, sounding like he just wanted to help. "I'd rather not show it to you due to the nature of the crime. But under these circumstances, I know that it will help."

It was my mom who grabbed the folder from the Doctor, opened it up, then closed her eyes in revolt at what she saw. "Olivia and Emily Peterson," she murmured.

Dad took the folder from her too, yet glared at Doctor Blackwell instead. "So let me get this straight. After running with this Hanz fellow, and kidnapping two other students from the school, you're telling us that Pax went on a killing spree, and just murdered some innocent women?" He shook his head angrily. "I find this hard to believe, Doctor Blackwell. For one, Pax wouldn't have the heart to murder at all, much less kidnap someone. Two, and this might not be apparent, but our daughter doesn't have a boyfriend. She's—"

"Lesbian?" Doctor Blackwell voiced it out loud. "No. Pax is not. As a matter of fact, we tested her. Pax was negative for the XQ21. Look, I'm afraid that it's just what she's projecting in front of you. Some things are out of our control, Mr. Leighton. But we can surely pick ourselves from that."

Nonsense. All freaking nonsense. How could he say that with such a straight face?

My hands tightened into fists. How could he ruin my life? All of our lives with just a few words?

Yet another detail that had been escaping me for some time now, only materialized when two people came back. Neil, who sounded breathless, whispered behind us. "We lead the tracers who'd made it to the second floor out of the house. They thought it was a cat."

"What happened?" Hanz chimed in, sounding none the wiser. "What did we miss while we were gone?"

Audra and I glanced at each other, the realization only dawning on us. Emily and Olivia. That's what my mom said, didn't she? Doctor Blackwell said they were dead.

I took one good look at Hanz, who had hope on his face despite everything that happened. He had no freaking clue. He had not heard anything. His mother's were gone.

Audra's hand made its way to my knee, squeezed a little bit gently. I took a glance at her piercing-gray eyes; both of us knew the risk. If we tell Hanz— If he knew what was going on, he would burst down those stairs and retaliate. Placing my own parents in danger.

No. . . This should remain a secret for now. At least, until, after we did something. Anything.

And it was killing me inside. How could we do this to him?

"So what now?" mom asked, the question that had been nagging all of us since Doctor Blackwell had told them all those lies. "What would happen to my daughter?"

"She'll be a wanted criminal," Blackwell said. "My team and I. . . We felt responsible for what happened. If it wasn't for us, Pax would never have found the chance to do all of this. That's why the police are stepping back to let us handle the case."

"What?" My dad was beside himself with astonishment. "Are you serious? What about due process? Are you even sure she really killed those women?"

"Killed who?" Hanz whispered, immediately making me freeze.

But before I could think of a suitable reply, something else outside made me clam up.

"FIRE!"

Huh?

Outside, the men who my parents didn't even know were there, started running around in a fit of panic, screaming their lungs out.

"Fire, Doctor Blackwell! Fire! On the yard!"

"Then what are doing just standing there, you useless yobs?! Search for the kids! They must be here!" Blackwell took one more thing after saying that— from the back of his jeans this time— then pointed it straight to my parents without a blink.

Seeing this, I almost immediately jumped down.

"Damn it!" Audra said, just as she held me back.

But my parents! A gun! How dare that man try to point it at them? And what the hell should I do?

"Contain the fire and try to find those kids outside!" Doctor Blackwell said. "They must be watching!" He then turned to my parents. "Don't panic, Mr. And Mrs. Leighton. This is all for your safety. Your daughter could be here as we speak, and might want to lure us out by starting a fire."

"But why are you pointing that gun to my wife?!" dad cried.

Meanwhile, on our side, Hanz and Neil were beginning to argue, whispers that were close to shouting. "What have you done?!" Hanz accused.

"Me?"

"I thought you were up to something, Neil!"

I stared at Neil in shock. Of course, this was all his doing.

"Do you really think that we can stay here after all that's happened?" Neil had the galls to look proud. "No. We needed an escape plan. All I did was to provide it for us. Now we can sneak through Leighton's bedroom and go on our way."

"But my parents!" I said.

"They'll be fine on their own."

I stared helplessly at mom and dad again. They were not okay at all. Doctor Blackwell could kill them like he did with Olivia and Emily when we escaped. But if I show up now, they would ask questions. In the end, they would be killed too. I couldn't even tell the others that.

What should I do?

Audra's hand landed on my knee again. "Say goodbye," she whispered.

"N-no. . ."

"You should," she insisted.

What was she asking me to do?

Before long, a gentle hand caressed my face. But Audra's eyes when I turned to her remained sullen. "It's the only way to protect them," she said. "Sometimes you have to keep your distance."

"Search up the stairs!" Doctor Blackwell exclaimed. "You good for nothing, twats! You didn't even sense they're here!"

Neil grabbed Audra's arm and pulled her to him. "We need to go!" he said. "They're running up here! We can't stay for long."

But—

I took one good look at my parents again. I was confused. Anguished. From their side and my side, none of us looked different somehow. Both of us were in a rut. But if they had the choice, they would make the same decision.

Tearing my eyes from them, I nodded to Audra.

That was the only sign she needed to stand up, and suddenly pull me to her arms.

"What the—"

"Shh!"

She started up the stairs quickly. Already, I could see that Neil and Hanz were gone. They had taken their leave while I was deciding.

Audra moved as if I weighted nothing at all in her arms. And despite feeling embarrassed of this, all I could do was to lean against her, wishing, wishing, that the world would stop for a moment. Yet it continued destroying itself right before my very eyes.

Before long, she was putting me down again. We were back in my bedroom. She locked the door. The window was already open, which Hanz signaled to, no longer pretending that everything was alright.

"I'll go down first," he whispered. "The fire is on the other side of the yard. Everyone would be concentrated there. Meanwhile, we can leave using the tree. Audra, you follow behind me with Pax. Is there anything else I forgot?"

"Just go down, Peterson. I don't want to spend my whole life here."

I didn't even have the strength to glare at Neil anymore. Hanz began his escape. Then Audra.

"Come, Pax." Just outside the window, Audra motioned to me, urging for me to follow her. But if I did— I closed my eyes. If I did. . . I might never set foot in this house ever again. I might never see my parents. Something in the pit of my stomach told me that. It was as if everything might change, and I didn't know if I could take it.

Audra reached her hand to me nonetheless. She was still there when my eyes opened. "It's okay," she assured. "You're not alone anymore."

"Hurry up!" Neil said behind me. "They're coming!"

With a big, deep breath, I limped to the window— half of my body came first, then my crutch. And with one good look at my room, and everything I ever held dear, I went to the darkness of the unknown with them.

A/N: I apologize for the late update. I caught the flu and had death in the family. I hope you're still loving this story though. ;)