Fallen

Chapter Thirty-Three

The creak of the door dragged me from a light sleep. Turning in the bed I saw Jolene at the door. Her hand still on the doorknob, her eyes on her daughter's empty bed. She looked at me, an eyebrow arched, a question. I nodded and she gave a small smile.

We both knew that I had helped April get Gary out and she would keep my secret. When April had a chance at a happy life, Jolene wouldn't ruin that.

"You have a long day ahead of you." Was all she said before she closed the door.

It seemed she was on the same wavelength as Colt. Prying myself off my bed, I changed and went downstairs. Before turning into the living room, Porter walked out of his bedroom and climbed the stairs.

Entering the room, Jolene asked, "He went upstairs didn't he." I nodded and a second later there was a storm of footsteps from above us.

So, it would now begin. I had to play the game well since I was the prime suspect of helping April and Gary out.

Angry footsteps hurled down the stairs and rushed to the living room.

"You," Porter spat, a sausage finger pointed at my face when he appeared.

"What?" I asked.

"Where's April?"

I shrugged my shoulders, a hand waved at Jolene. "I was wondering the same thing. She wasn't in her bed when I woke this morning. I came to ask Jolene."

There was banging on the front door before it opened. "Porter," called a voice from a man I didn't recognize. "Gary is gone."

Quicker than a serpent that I almost didn't register, Porter grabbed my wrist and pulled me close. "Where is April?" There was danger in his glare. This man, he may punch the answer out of me.

"I don't know!" I said, trying to pull my wrist back, "I just told you, I was asleep all night and she must have left!"

Instead of letting me go, Porter pulled me into the hall. My shoulder slamming against the wall from the tug. "Go, we will discuss this at Morgan's office." He slammed a hand into my back between my shoulder blades to get me walking.

"I'll go," I said, knowing it was no use in fighting, "but I don't know what happened to April."

At the door was one of the Men of Orion who I did not know. He moved aside and Porter and I marched off the porch and made our way to Morgan's office.

No one else was out and about at that time of morning. Soon they would all be heading to breakfast. When Ben and Alec don't see me in the Hall, they would be concerned but I prayed they wouldn't do anything stupid. But honestly, they weren't like me. It was stupid to help April. So, stupid. We were here to help Audrey, not to free the people of the Settlement or help with an uprising.

Porter's hand on my back guided me to Morgan's office.

Colt and Boone were already inside with Morgan, all three of them turned to us. They stood at the cell, Morgan walked around it like he was trying to picture what happened.

"Her," Porter pushed me forward, "She is the one that helped them escape."

I turned to Porter when I regained my footing. "I didn't do anything, how many times do I have to tell you that?" My attention spun to Morgan and pointed a thumb to my accuser. "He never liked me, he's just blaming me."

"Slow down," Morgan stepped out the cell. "What are you talking about?"

"April," Porter said, his anger was getting the better of him. Steam would soon shoot from his ears with how red his face was. "She's gone and that son of a bitch is gone too."