Chapter Six #2
Together, Franklin and Moore coaxed Garrett to his feet. He was unsteady and leaning heavily on Franklin as they made their way out of the cell. Franklin wrapped an arm around his brother’s waist, supporting him.
“I’ve got you,” Franklin murmured, even though he wasn’t sure Garrett understood. “I’ve got you, and I’m never letting you go again.”
They moved through the hallways as quickly as they could, Moore leading the way.
The sounds of fighting had died down, replaced by shouts and crying.
When they finally stepped out through the same door Franklin had let the mutants in through, he felt a cool breeze on his face and nearly collapsed with relief.
Garrett sagged against him until it felt like they were propping each other up.
Reed was there, waiting at the edge of the parking lot. His eyes locked onto Franklin, then dropped to Garrett, and Franklin saw the mixture of relief and sadness that crossed his face.
“Is he—” Reed started to ask.
Franklin shook his head, unable to speak. He couldn’t say that Garrett was okay because he wasn’t.
Garrett didn’t know him. His own brother didn’t know him.
But they had him now, and Franklin would do whatever it took to bring him back, no matter how long it took.
* * * *
REED SHOULD PROBABLY have stayed away from the facility.
When he’d escaped, he hadn’t wanted anything to do with it again.
That had only lasted a few weeks. As soon as he’d felt strong enough, he’d started spying on the people coming and going, and he hadn’t stopped until recently.
Now, he was here again because his mate was in there, trying to rescue his brother.
Reed was tempted to go in and find them, but he knew better.
He wasn’t a fighter, and even though he could use his ability, he’d promised himself he would try to avoid it as much as possible.
He hated it. Ever since he’d become a mutant, the only thing he’d been able to do with his ability was hurt people.
He knew that was because he’d been forced to, but it was hard for him to think about any good use of what he could do.
It definitely wouldn’t be useful in a fight.
He could age the guards and whoever stood in front of him, but it would take time and a toll on him.
That was where his white hair came from.
Every time Reed used his ability, he sacrificed a bit of himself to it, and he had more to live for than ever.
He didn’t want to play with his life. He wanted to live a long life, hopefully with Franklin by his side, and the only way for him to do that was to be careful.
So he wouldn’t use his ability, and he couldn’t fight.
That meant that he was stuck outside the facility, watching the building, his heart in his throat as he waited for something to happen.
The mutants had disappeared inside a while ago, and no one had come out again, not even Franklin.
That didn’t mean something was wrong, but Reed was getting worried.
He was so worried that he was tempted to go inside, taking a step toward the building and thinking about how to keep himself safe while looking for Franklin, but then the door swung open.
Reed was on them before he could think. The heartbreak on Franklin’s face told him everything he needed to know, as was Franklin’s answer to his half-question. Whatever had happened in there, it had shown Franklin just how broken Garrett was.
But what was broken could be fixed. Reed was a firm believer in that, and he’d do whatever it took to help Garrett and Franklin. He just had no idea what he was working with right now.
“Come on,” he said, gently coaxing the brothers toward the edge of the parking lot. That was where the anti-shimmering shields ended, so as soon as they were out, they could have someone shimmer them home.
That was where Garrett needed to go. Staying at the facility for even one second longer wouldn’t help him. If there was anything to be found about him in there, Moore and the other mutants would find it. In the meantime, Franklin and Reed would take care of Garrett.
Reed wasn’t usually eager to take charge, but he did in this case.
He was pretty sure that Franklin was too distracted to think about how they’d get back to the village.
His full focus was on his brother, as it should be.
That was fine with Reed, who took out his phone as soon as they were past the shield.
The mutants were a well-oiled machine. They’d been raiding facilities for a while, and they had it down to perfection.
Reed barely had to say a few words when the phone call connected before a Nix appeared in front of him.
Reed didn’t think he was one of the mutants, but the mutants worked with the tribe, and as long as they got back home, Reed didn’t care how.
The man held out his hands. Reed gripped one of them before turning toward Franklin, who was still holding up Garrett.
He had both of his arms around his brother, and he didn’t look like he was about to let go.
That was fine. Reed reached out to grab his mate’s shoulder, gripping as hard as he could without hurting him before turning back to the Nix. The Nix nodded, and off they went.
Seconds later, they stood in front of the village’s clinic.
Several nurses and Nix healers were standing there, waiting for them, and they rushed forward.
Reed stepped aside, wanting to give them the space to work, but Franklin didn’t move quite as easily.
He clung to his brother, his gaze a little wild.
He looked like he didn’t want to let go, which was understandable, but it also made it more complicated for the healers.
Reed stepped closer and squeezed Franklin’s shoulder. “You need to let them work,” he murmured.
Franklin still hesitated. “I don’t want him to think I’ve abandoned him.”
“He won’t. The healers need space to make sure that he’s okay.”
Franklin nodded. He slowly detached himself from Garrett, and Garrett let him.
It was like he didn’t care what was happening, or maybe like he didn’t realize it.
He hadn’t been this bad when Reed had escaped the lab, and Reed was worried.
Hopefully, the healers would help him, but Reed suspected this was more a mental problem than a physical one.
Garrett seemed to be okay. He was way too thin, and there were bruises on his arms and legs, but he stood on his own. He looked fragile, though, and Reed was relieved when the healers moved slowly and gently.
“I need him to be okay,” Franklin murmured.
“These healers know what they’re doing. From what Moore and Rikar have told me, they’re used to helping the prisoners the mutants rescue from the labs.”
One of the Nix turned to look at them. Her expression was gentle, and it gave Reed the impression that Garrett was in good hands.
“We are used to dealing with this kind of thing,” she confirmed.
“I can’t promise you that he’ll be okay, but he’s standing on his own and moving.
We’re going to take him to a private room, examine him, and clean him up.
We’ll be as fast and gentle as we can. You need to trust us. ”
They didn’t have a choice.
They watched the healers guide Garrett toward the back of the clinic, and when he made a strangled sound, Franklin started moving forward.
Reed stopped him, grabbing his hand, and to his surprise, Franklin didn’t shake his hold off.
Instead, he linked their fingers together and squeezed, and Reed squeezed back.
“Let’s sit down,” he suggested. “I’m sure someone is going to come get us as soon as they can.”
“I don’t know what I’ll do with this,” Franklin murmured.
“I have no doubt it’ll take a long time for him to be okay, but he will be eventually. You just have to be patient and remember that he’s safe. He’s with you now. No one is ever going to hurt him again. You saved your brother.”
Franklin nodded, but he didn’t move. That meant that Reed had to do the moving for him, and that was fine.
He didn’t mind taking care of Franklin when Franklin couldn’t take care of himself.
He suspected he would have to do it over the next few months, and that was okay.
Franklin would focus on Garrett and on finding his sister, and Reed would focus on Franklin.
The clinic had a tiny waiting area with a few chairs.
That was where Reed led them, and he had to push Franklin to get him to sit in one of the chairs.
Franklin did so, his entire body leaning in the direction Garrett had been taken.
Something told Reed it would be a while before he moved, which meant Reed needed to make him as comfortable as possible.
He left his mate there and went to get something to drink and a snack.
He doubted that Franklin would want to eat, but Reed would be ready if he did.
He’d thought about what would happen a lot since he’d met Franklin.
He prayed that Garrett would be okay, but he wasn’t sure that was the case, and unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it.
He couldn’t help. If Garrett’s problems weren’t physical, nothing Reed could do would help him.
His recovery would be quick, at least physically.
The healers were all Nix, so Garrett would be bruise-free by the time they were done with him.
But that didn’t mean he would be okay.
* * * *
FRANKLIN SHOULD BE feeling good, but how could he when he had no idea what was happening with his brother?
Garrett was there, so close yet so far away, having to deal with who knew what a few rooms down the hallway.
Franklin desperately wanted to go to him, but he forced himself to stay in the chair he was in.
That didn’t mean he wasn’t staring at the door through which Garrett had disappeared, though.