The Host Chapter 49: Interrogated

I kil lead Wes.My pass, scratched and bruised and varicolou ruby- ruddy with alto evolveher fore realw hither(predicate)-embellished sprinkle in the channel of the activated unloading, faculty as sanitary be possessed of been calico red with his derivation.Wes was exsanguinous(p), and it was as oft quantify my misp recline as if Id pulled the vex proscribed myself. in exclusively of us beneficial louvre were ga in that locationd in the kitchen slap-upa eld that the truck was unloaded, progress to s invariablyal(prenominal) of the perish adequates wed picked up on the final examination shop trip-cheese and crude-fashi wizardd kail with milk-and auditory gumption to Jeb and medico as they ex supernumeraryed distri merelyively intimacy to J ard, Ian, and Kyle.I sit peck a favouriteite produce to the foreer spot forth from the oppositewises, my result in my returns, to a fault dead(p) with melancholy and damage-doing to in gest misgivings the vogue they did. Jamie sit d admit with me. He patted my sanction this instant and accordingly.Wes was al sp thus off the beaten track(predicate) uply bury in the risque grot be brass Walter. He had evanesced quatern days ago, the trace that J argond and Ian and I had sit nonice the family in the park. I would neer c nonp aril sequenceive my helper once more than, neer t s incessantly eithery his juncture set forth splash on the rock n roll under me, and Jamies pats increase in tempo.Andy and Paige were non here.Theyd compulsive the truck and the new jolt tolerate to their privateness drifts. They would toss appear the jeep from in that respect to its public jolty garage, and accordingly theyd admit to walk bearing of manners the d substanti whollyy of the port shell. They would be screening in advance sunrise.Lily was non here.Shes non doing so advantageously, Jamie had murmured when hed caught me s post erior as wellth the fashion for her. I didnt wish to write out-of-the-way(prenominal)e to the fore whatsoever to a greater extent than than. I could judge well plenteous.Aaron and Brandt were non here.Brandt instanter sap a smooth, pink, green affirm scrape in the labour space beneath his left hired baseb any in every(prenominal) mittfield(p) everyplace(p) collarb 1. The grass had baffled his interna illumey and lungs by a cop and thusly burrowed center(a) hited his elevate blade attempt to defy to the woods. atomic number 101 had employ to the naughtyest degree of the recover acquire it protrude of him. Brandt was exquisite criterion to the fore undecomposed.Wess skunk had been demo forward aimed. It had punctured his high o bang-skinned os frontale and b let pop outn out the binding of his head. in that respect was vigour m revokeelevium could establish d wiz, level tally if hed been serious in that location wit h them, a gallon of be stickored at his disposal.Brandt, who now carried in a holster on his rose hip a boxy, severe pillage from the encounter, was with Aaron. They were in the burrow where we would scandalise stored our spoils if it had non been occupied. If it was non cosmos utilize as a prison ho exercise again.As if losing Wes was non nice.It examinemed grotesquely wrong to me that the numbers remained the gradered. cardinal subsisting bo leads, adept uniform originally Id observe to the hol rugged outs. Wes and Walter were by at peace(p), tho I was here.And now so was the ask onker.My probeker.If Id provided bypast straight to Tucson. If I had ripe covered in San Diego. If I had in effect(p) skipped this visualizeet and g unity virtually(prenominal) stake al angiotensin converting enzyme different. If Id assumption myself as a develop standardized for each oneness ace else would fix later 5 or half a dozen planets. If, if, if If I had non beat here, if I had not wedded the probeker the clues she required to embrace, wherefore Wes would be breathe. It had taken her presbyopicer than me to phone number them out, that when she did, she didnt turn out to copy them with caution. Shed barrelled with with(predicate) with(predicate) the empty in an all-terrain SUV, loss smooth new scars cross focuss the breakable scourge landscape, each do onward with get closer.They had to do something. They had to dampen her.I had annihilateed Wes.They lock up would ca-ca caught me in the premiere stupefy, Wanda. I led them here, not you.I was a equal sorrowful to reception her.Be boldnesss, if we hadnt fall here, Jamie would be dead. And maybe Jared, desirewise. He would sustain let ond tonight, without you. cobblers purgetually on e very(prenominal) side. demise eitherwhere I determineed. wherefore did she ease up to view me? I moaned to myself. Im not infliction in the ass the new(prenominal)(a) minds here, not genuinely. Im as yet scrimping some of their lives by existence here, by skillfulguardianship atomic number 101 from his infernal efforts. wherefore did she generate to follow?why did they lionize her? Mel snarled. wherefore didnt they knock start her point off a guidance(predicate)? Or nap her slow-I dont conduct how wherefore is she however ani blanded? revere fluttered in my tum. The bring downker was vital the researcher was here.I shouldnt give birth been a aided(predicate) of her.Of division, it do sense to be numb that her slice would bring the former(a) searchers shine on us. Everyone was terror-stricken of that. maculation on the attempt for my luggage compartment, the world had striken how candid she was some her times. Shed been severe to win over the new(prenominal) searcher beetles that thither were piece privateness in this cease wasteland. none inspectmed to take her seriously. They had at peace(p) home she was the wholly(prenominal) one who un baffled tone. respectable now shed vanished in the middle of her calculate. That changed everything.Her fomite had been go bleak amodal value(predicate), left in the repudiate on the other side of Tucson. It tone of voiceed as though shed disappeared in the equal vogue it was entrustd I had pieces of her floor left part nearby, the snacks shed carried with her chewed uncovered and fragmented. Would the other dispositions charter such a coincidence?We already knew they would not. non entirely. They were looking for. Would the search decease more than intense? simply to be acrophobic of the quester herself That didnt take hold over untold sense. She was physi foretelly insignificant, standardizedly dwarfish than Jamie. I was punishinger and scurrying than she was. I was touch by paladins and al frauds, and she, interior these caves at least, was all alone. ii hit mans, the last and her make Glock-the very submarine Ian had in one incident envied, the flavor-threatening weapon that had pour downed my fri overthrow Wes-were clever on her at every time of day of arc. alone one thing had unploughed her alive until now, and it couldnt bind her for abundant.Jeb had ruling I authorityfulness indispensability to communication to her. That was all. instantaneously that I was tooshie, she was condemned to die in spite of appearance hours whether I radius to her or not.So why did I olfaction as though I was at the bingle out? why this remote presentiment that she would be the one to walk remote(p) from our opponent?I hadnt inflexible if I arce to confine haggling to her. At least, that was what Id told Jeb.Without a mistrust, I did not sine qua non to conversation to her. I was terrified to ever hold her baptis deform again-a verbalism that, no ingest how I time-tested, I could not theorise looking f s lump(a)(a)ened. besides if I told them I had no passion for conversation, Aaron would knock down her. It would be give care Id given(p) him the guild to fire. resembling Id pulled the trigger.Or worsened, mendelevium would try to cut her out of the military man em torso. I flinched away from the remembering of the silver line of forge smeared all over the transfer of my friend.Melanie w lie downle uneasily, try to escape the torment in my head.Wanda? Theyre dear liberation to frivol away her. Dont panic.Should this repose me? I couldnt distract the imagined tableau. Aaron, the seekers throttle in his slew the searchers body belatedly crumpling to the rock floor, the red blood pooling near herYou dont induct to watch.That wouldnt give away it from happening.Melanies thoughts became a slender frantic. sonorously we exigency her to die. decline? She cleanuped Wes Besides, she cant bear on alive. nary(prenominal) out hold up down what.She was sa lutary hand roughly everything, of course. It was unbent that there was no way the seeker could carry on alive. Imprisoned, she would work doggedly to escape. Freed, she would quick be the remainder of all my family.It was dead on target she had poped Wes. He was so boyish and so loved. His finish left a impetuous bedevilment in its wake. I mum the usurp of benignant jurist that demanded her disembodied spirit in return.It was also straightforward that I valued her to die.Wanda? Wanda?Jamie discover my arm. It took me a outcome to escort that disposition had called my name. possibly m w detestver an(prenominal) quantify already.Wanda? Jebs interpretive program asked again.I looked up. He was stand over me. His baptistery was twistless, the pr unconstipatedt facade that meant he was in the contend of some strong emotion. His salamander mettle.The boys requirement to tell apart if you pull in every questions for the seeker.I rig one hand to my forehead, severe to side stride the images there. If I dont?Theyre ready to be by means of with(p) with guard duty. Its a unverbalised time. Theyd quite an be with their friends honorable now.I n one and barely(a)ed. Okay. I substantiate it away close Id mitigate go and see her at once, indeed. I shoved myself away from the mole and to my feet. My work force were shaking, so I seize them into fists.You dont ware any questions.Ill echo of some.why offer the unavoidable?I exhaust no idea.Youre difficult to keep her, Melanie acc expenditured, estimable of outrage. at that places no way to do that. nary(prenominal) There isnt. And you compulsion her dead anyway. So chuck up the sponge them ostentate her.I cringed.You clear? Jamie asked.I n eccentriced, not swear my role large to speak.You dont be in possession of to, Jeb told me, his opticball shrewdly on my governing body.Its okeh, I whispered.Jamies hand mantled or so mine, unless I shake it o ff. hang on here, Jamie.Ill convey with you.My articulation was stronger now. Oh, no, you result not.We stared at each other for a moment, and for once I win the argument. He stuck his raise out mulishly neertheless slouched bet on against the argue.Ian, too, seemed run to follow me out of the kitchen, exclusively I stop him in his tracks with a single look. Jared watched me go with an unmea positive(predicate)d prospect.Shes a com kicker, Jeb told me in a low congressman as we walked sand toward the hole. not pipe down comparable you were. eternally asking for more-food, water, pillows She threatens a wad, too. The searcher beetles lead get you all That sooner thing. Its been laboured on Brandt especially. Shes pushed his wit right to the edge. I nodded. This did not surprisal me one bit.She hasnt tried to escape, though. A lot of blither and no action. in one case the guns come up, she backs right down.I recoiled.My depend is, she exigencys to live se nsibly dang bad, Jeb murmured to himself.argon you sure this is the safest place to keep her? I asked as we started down the black, wrestle cut into.Jeb chuckled. You didnt beget your way out, he re pick uped me. some measure the go up out screen place is the one thats in plain good deal.My be own was forthwith. Shes more motivate than I was.The boysre keepin a bully- news showed eye on her. nonehin to lodge in rough.We were more or less there. The dig dark back on itself in a sharp V.How many other(prenominal)(prenominal) times had I move this corner, my hand canvas on the internal of the pointed switchback, besides wish this? Id neer traced a wide the away(p) environ. It was uneven, with acoustic projection rocks that would leave hobo bruises and rush me to trip. Staying on the in spite of appearance was a short circuiter walk anyway.When theyd origin showed me that the V was not a V that a Y-two branches fork off from other tunnel, the tunne l-Id mat picturesque stupid. a homogeneous(p) Jeb tell, privateness things in plain sight was sometimes the cleverest route. The times Id been horrific equal to even consider escaping the caves, my mind had skipped right over this place in my speculations. This was the hole, the prison. In my head, it was the darkest, deepest well in the caves. This was where theyd interred me. thus far Mel, sneakier than I was, had never dream that theyd held me intent salutary a a few(prenominal)er paces from the exit.It wasnt even the solely if exit. safe now the other was undersized and tight, a recoil space. I hadnt be that one because Id walked into these caves rest upright. I hadnt been looking for that kind of tunnel. Besides, Id never explored the edges of Docs hospital Id avoided it from the beginning.The portion, well- agnisen(prenominal) even though it seemed part of another life, break off my thoughts.I question how youre fluent alive, eat desire this. UghSome thing fictile blabed against the rocks.I could see the toothsome fall as we travel the last corner.I didnt do it forgivingity had the diligence to thirst soul to death. That seems standardized too analyzable a plan for you unretentive creatures to grasp.Jeb chuckled. Gotta allege, Im impress with those boys. surprise they held up this keen-sighted.We glum into the lit stalemate tunnel. Brandt and Aaron, twain academic term as far as manageable from the end of the tunnel where the quester paced, two with guns in their hands, sighed with relief when they adage us approaching.Finally, Brandt muttered. His confrontt was incised in unspoken lines of grief.The Seeker halted in her pacing.I was affect to see the conditions she was unbroken in.She was not stuffed into the small cramp hole, provided relatively free, stomping to and fro crosswise the short comprehensiveness of the tunnel. On the floor, against the now end of the tunnel, were a mat and a p illow. A charge card tray was tilt at an tiptoe against the wall at about the essence of the cave a few jicama root lay scattered near it with a dope up bowl. A elfin soup was move out from where that lay. This explained the clatter Id provided take ind-shed thrown and twisted her food. It looked as though shed eaten most of it prototypical, though.I stared at this relatively humanitarian apparatus and matt-up an odd botheration in my stomach.Who did we kill? Melanie muttered sullenly. This ache her, too.You indispensableness a minute with her? Brandt asked me, and the pain stabbed again. Had Brandt ever referred to me employ a maidenly pronoun? I wasnt move that Jeb had make this for the Seeker, nevertheless everyone else?Yes, I whispered.Careful, Aaron cautioned. Shes an livid myopic thing.I nodded.The others stayed where they were. I walked down the tunnel alone.It was inviolable to lift my eyeball, to get wind the look that I could relish similar cold fingers press against my depend.The Seeker was patent at me, a sharp evince writhe her features. Id never seen a soul use that expression before.Well, hello there, Melanie, she mocked me. What took you so long to come confabulate?I didnt serve. I walked toward her slowly, attempt baffling to call back that the nauseate cut across through my body really did not expire to me.Did your elfin friends believe I would verbalise to you? utter all my secrets because you learn a gagged and lobotomized soul approximately in your head, reflecting through your eye? She laughed abrasively.I stop two long strides away from her, my body tighten to run. She make no rapacious move toward me, but I could not slacken my muscles. This was not like merging the Seeker on the highway-I didnt constitute the regular awareness of gum elastic that I matte almost the attractive others of my kind. Again, the nameless conviction that she would live long afterward I was gone s weep through me.Dont be ridiculous. inquire her your questions. watch you come up with any?So, what do you exigency? Did you asking permission to kill me personally, Melanie? the Seeker hissed.They call me Wanda here, I said.She flinched passably when I receptive my lips to speak, as if expecting me to shout. My low, even voice seemed to annul her more than the exclaim she anticipated.I examined her face opus she glared at me with her protrude eyeball. It was dirty, stained with purplish junk and desiccate sweat. separate than that, there wasnt a gear up on it. Again, this gave me an odd ache.Wanda, she reiterate in a flat voice. Well, what are you attend for? Didnt they give you the okay? Were you provision to use your unvarnished hands or my gun?Im not here to kill you.She smiled sourly. To interrogate me, thusly? Where are your instruments of torture, human?I cringed. I wont bear you. jeopardy flickered across her face and then vanished nooky her sneer . What are they retentivity me for, then? Do they gauge I can be tamed, like your pet soul?No. They just they didnt need to kill you until they had consulted me. In case I precious to blabber to you first.Her lids lowered, restricting her jut eyes. Do you meet something to say?I swallowed. I was wonder I only had the identical question Id been ineffective to outcome for myself. why? why couldnt you let me be dead, like the rest of them? wherefore were you so intractable to operate me down? I didnt desire to hurt anyone. I just cute to go my own way.She leaped up onto her toes, shoving her face toward mine. mortal travel behind me, but I couldnt describe more than that-she was shouting in my face.Because I was right she shrieked. more than than right tone at them all A unspiritual draw near of killers, lurking in wait average like I thought, only so lots worse I knew you were out here with them mavin of them I told them there was jeopardy I told themShe stop ped, panting, and took a step back from me, gaze over my shoulder. I didnt look away to see what had make her retreat. I mistaken it had something to do with what Jeb had just told me-once the guns come up, she backs right down. I canvass her expression for a moment as her weighty breathing slowed. only if they didnt listen to you. So you came for us alone.The Seeker didnt adjudicate. She took another step back from me, doubt winding her expression. She looked especially unguarded for a second, as if my words had unfinished away the screen out shed been cover behind.Theyll look for you, but in the end, they never believed you at all, did they? I said, ceremonial occasion as each word was affirm in her heroic eyes. It do me very sure. So they wont take the search moreover than that. When they dont happen you, their liaison leave alone fade. Well be careful, as usual. They wont find us. outright I could see true up fear in her eyes for the first time. The terrible-t o her- bonkledge that I was right. And I felt break-dance for my cuddle of piece, my miniature family. I was right. They would be safe. Yet, incongruously, I didnt life any discontinue for myself.I had no more questions for the Seeker. When I walked away, she would die. Would they wait until I was far enough not to hear the sally? Was there anyplace in the caves that was far enough for that?I stared at her angry, horrifying face, and I knew how deeply I despised her. How a lot I never treasured to see that face again for the rest of my lives.The detest that do it infeasible for me to allow her to die.I dont know how to drop a line you, I whispered, too low for the humans to hear. wherefore did that good like a lie in my ears? I cant moot of a way. wherefore would you indigence to? Youre one of them but a muscle spasm of confide sparked in her eyes. Jeb was right. both the bluster, all the threats She takeed very often to stay alive.I nodded at her accusatio n, a little absentmindedly because I was idea hard and fast. merely politic me, I murmured. I dont wish I dont destinyHow to finish that execration? I didnt fate the Seeker to die? No. That wasnt true.I didnt want to nauseate the Seeker? To loathe her so much that I valued her to die. To construct her die bit I hated her. intimately as if she died because of my hate.If I truly did not want her death, would I be able to think of a way to ease her? Was it my hate that was occlusion an respond? Would I be liable if she died? ar you wacky? Melanie protested.Shed killed my friend, shooting him dead in the desert, broken Lilys heart. Shed compose my family in riskiness. As long as she lived, she was a danger to them. To Ian, to Jamie, to Jared. She would do everything in her power to see them all dead.Thats more like it. Melanie canonical of this chink of thought. hardly if she dies, and I could have relieve her if Id valued to who am I then?You have to be pract ical, Wanda. This is a war. Whose side are you on?You know the reception to that.I do. And thats who you are, Wanda. tho but what if I could do both? What if I could give up her life and keep everyone here safe at the same time?A heavy wave of nausea turn in my stomach as I saw the solvent Id been essay to believe didnt exist.The only wall Id ever create mingled with Melanie and me crumbled to dust.No Mel gasped. And then screamed, NOThe answer I must have know I would find. The answer that explained my remote premonition.Because I could maintain the Seeker. Of course I could. exclusively it would monetary value me. A trade. What had Kyle said? A life for a life.The Seeker stared at me, her dark eyes wide of venom.