Free Minds

Chapter 67.

   A million ideas swirled in my mind while glancing at the device in Landon's hand.

   Like how though difficult it may be, running at Flash-like speed (the more realistic kind, of course) could give me the chance to drop kick Landon's phone. Or tackle him and tie him up with the cords from the lamp on the desk beside him. Or just simply knock him out.

   Hey, I never said the ideas were good ones.

"Okay, I've had enough of this," Landon muttered after the pause that settled in five minutes ago showed no signs of ending.

   I could barely stifle the cry of protest that bubbled within my throat as Landon tapped away on his phone. His attention shifted from the screen to shoot me a stare before going back to his phone once more. Eventually his fingers stopped moving and Landon's phone was switched to one hand which he let drop to his side like nothing happened.

   The puzzled gazes the rest of us exchanged transitioned to looks of horror when an automated voice, popular for being in basically every phones since it was invented ten years ago spoke,

"... a direct call to Mrs. Lightning. You will be connected in the next five seconds."

"Wait!" The desperation in my tone seemed to muffle my plea.

"Four..."

   I tried again anyway. "Landon, please!"

"Two..."

"We'll tell you everything, okay? I'll tell you everything. Just hang up first."

"On— Your call to Mrs Lightning was just cut. If this was an error and you wish to call again..."

   Although Landon ignored the automated assistant's suggestion on reconnecting the call, relief settled in only after he pushed his phone's power button and slipped the device into his back pocket.

"I'm listening," he said. "And hopefully, it'll be to nothing but the truth."

   After giving him a reassuring nod, I added, "Don't expect anything less."

"Beth!" Camila turned to me with a frown. "What the hell?"

"Do you have any better ideas?" I snapped.

   As much as I hated to do this, we had to be reasonable here. If we didn't tell Landon the truth, he was clearly going to rat us out. We already had a soon-to-be clash with mind-controlling Yunies. There was certainly no need for the police and hysterical parents on our backs. If they found out, then my mum would know about my lie, as well as everyone else's parents. How on earth were we going to tell all these people what was happening without getting locked up in a nuthouse as a consequence?

   All while being charged for the disappearance and most likely murder of Talise Lightning.

   And that is if the Yunies don't unleash their mind control tech before then.

   Landon snitching was the last thing we needed.

"Landon, you're going to be here a while." I sighed. "This is kind of a long story."

"Beth..." Dorian said my name this time, through gritted teeth.

"Actually, Beth, before you begin, I would like to make one small request," Landon chimed in with a hand wave. "I want only Beth to narrate everything. And since that would mean that the rest of you are going to be of practically no use to me, I suggest you leave the room for us now."

"Like hell we will!" Dorian retorted as he ventured toward where Landon and I were standing. "Come on, Beth."

   I scrambled ahead just in time to place my hand on Dorian's chest and cease his movements. The visibly inflamed face that frowned down at me, in response to my actions, was next to unrecognisable.

   Seriously, what had gotten into him?

"You are not going to be left alone with him," Dorian spat, not failing to shoot venomous daggers Landon's way.

"I would very much like to speak on my own behalf," I scowled while I created some distance between us. "Or do I need your approval for that too?"

   He was starting to get on my nerves with his behaviour. It wasn't like Landon was going to pull a mind control placement gun on me if we were left alone or something.

   If you think about it, Talise could have texted anyone during her escape from the Yunies. The fact that she chose Landon couldn't be a coincidence. Also, Landon had gone through all this trouble to locate Talise. His threats of blackmail toward us clearly came from a place of concern for Tali. He was skipping school to look for her right now, for Pete's sake! How could I overlook that?

"He is a liar!" Dorian exclaimed. "Why can't you see that?"

"All I see is someone Tali trusted enough to contact right before..." I had to give myself a minute if I didn't want tears to spring up, "right before she was taken. If this isn't proof that she trusted him, then I don't know what is."

"That doesn't automatically mean we should! We can't trust him!"

"You're one to talk." My thoughts morphed into words that slipped out before I could watch myself.

   Even though what I said came out as a mutter that no one should have heard, the look Dorian gave me implied that I might as well have stabbed him in the heart. The hurt expression didn't last long though, disappearing from his features almost immediately and replaced with a hard one.

   But wasn't I just saying what was true? Dorian was the one who lied about where he was during the dance for reasons he only knew. He was the one who lied about the camera in his face. He was the one with the hidden tattoo.

"Excuse me?" Dorian seethed.

"Dorian, you're the last person to talk about trust!" I scoffed. "Don't expect us spending one night together to make every other shady thing about you magically go away."

   What was I saying?! This was too far. Even for me. I had to fix this.

"Dorian, I—"

"Don't, Beth." His hand was already held up. "Actually, you know what? Do whatever the hell you want."

   I'd never felt so helpless watching a person walk away. In a matter of seconds, the entrance/exit door creaked open right before slamming shut. With the thunderous rattle that accompanied its closure, a miracle was the only reason the door's hinges weren't screwed.

   I sighed, trying to contain the aches of unease that befell every part of me. I really messed up. Guess Dorian and I were back to square one...again.

   The scowl Rav directed toward Landon could have convinced any stranger that what just went down was his fault. Afterwards, Rav exited the room without a word. Soon enough, Camila followed suit.

   Landon got what he wanted.

   I suppose I did too.

   And yet I wanted to crawl into a deep, dark hole and never come out.

"Well," he said, grabbing a chair from Rav's desk and taking a seat. Landon's chin rested on interlocked hands as his lips spread into a slow smile. "I'm all ears."

A/N: Do you think Beth made the right decision?

Oh before I forget, I entered Free Minds into this year Watty's and I'm so excited! Wish me luck🤞!