Page 107 of Us Defiant Few

“Do you really believe that’s me in the photo?” she asked him point-blank.

“I…I don’t know, Kanes.”

“Of course, you don’t know. You don’t fucking know or remember anything.”

“Khalani,” Winnie reprimanded.

Takeshi flinched, the words hitting him like daggers, but he didn’t lash out like she wanted. He kept a tight leash on his emotions, which only pissed her off more.

“I know you’re upset,” he said in a calm voice. “But we need to leave before the Chief comes back. We’ll go back to the house and figure everything out. Together.”

“Together?” she scoffed. “Since when are we together? I see your back more than I ever see your face. Why should I give one damn what you have to say?”

“I deserve that.” Takeshi breathed harshly. “And you can hate me all you want. But now is not the time. We have to get out of here.”

“That’s not going to happen,” the Chief said, stepping through the door with her gun drawn. She took in the scene, and when she noticed the album in Khalani’s hand, her expression fell.

“What did Ansel tell you?” she sighed.

“The truth,” Khalani hissed. “That you’re liars.”

“You’ve been spying on us the whole time. How could you do that to us?” Derek shouted, the betrayal thick in his voice.

“I won’t apologize for protecting my people,” the Chief stated.

Takeshi was rigid beside her, his gaze centered on the Chief.

And the exit behind her.

“What do you have to say about this?” Khalani lifted the album.

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“No! You need to explain.” She trembled, losing what was left of her sanity, not caring that a loaded gun was pointed at her. “Why is there a picture of you from over three hundred years ago? And why the fuck is there a photo in here that looks like me?”

“You?” The Chief’s brows pulled together. “I…I don’t know. I was instructed not to look in the black album.”

“By who?” Takeshi demanded.

“I can’t answer that.”

He clearly had had enough and took an aggressive step forward, but the Chief cocked the gun.

Not at him. But at Khalani. And it halted Takeshi right in his tracks.

“I didn’t want it to be this way,” the Chief pleaded, genuine regret spilling from her shaky voice. “We kept our secrets because we needed to. When I told Ansel the truth, it started a war. I couldn’t risk any more deaths. I’m sorry.”

“Just tell us what it means!” she bellowed.

But even if the Chief did, Khalani didn’t know what the truth even looked like anymore. The nature of her reality shifted like grains of sand through her fingers.

“You can trust us,” Winnie said to the Chief, her voice soft and steady.

“I’m afraid it’s too late for that.”

The Chief slowly backed toward the exit, still keeping the gun trained on them. “Now, Patreus!” she yelled.

Gas canisters were suddenly tossed through the doorway, spewing smoke as the Chief left the darkened room. The four of them ran to the exit, but the metal door was sealed shut. A foul, sulfuric scent permeated the air as they banged and screamed.