Masked by Nicola Claire Page A

doctor advised.
    "Has he been in here?" Alan rushed to ask.
    He shook his head. My heart plummeted.
    Along with any hope at all.
    "Not that I'm aware," the doctor advised. "And I've been here nine hours. If he has, it would have been in the short breaks I've taken. Possible," he added with an apologetic shrug of his shoulders.
    "When was your last break?" I asked.
    He laughed, it was weary and traumatised and lacked any real mirth.
    "The last one?" He looked at his watch. "Huh," he managed. "Four hours ago."
    Trent hadn't been here.
    "And you would have seen everyone who came and went in here during that time?" Alan pressed.
    "Thank you, Doctor," I said numbly before he could reply. "Wánměi above all others," I offered out of habit as I turned to leave.
    The doctor didn't return the once-obligatory reply.
    "Lena?" Alan said, chasing me outside.
    The Cardinal who'd attempted to deny us access to the tent stood only a short distance away, and watched on without a hint of embarrassment in his dark eyes. His expression a mix of something lethal and awed.
    I hadn't yet got used to the looks I received. Trent wasn't often recognised, despite his image having been on every vid-screen when Wánměi was freed. Somehow I was more memorable. Even when I'd taken the black streaks out of my hair.
    I fingered it now, noting how streaked in dust it was. A small sound escaped as Alan came alongside.
    "He was never here, was he?" he said quietly.
    "No," I agreed.
    Alan let out a defeated breath of air.
    "And he wouldn't have left you without telling you why."
    "No," I agreed. Again.
    "Then where is he?"
    I had no idea. But when I lifted my head for one final, futile search, I noticed something - or someone - who was missing as well.
    The entire street was devoid of the Masked. When only an hour ago it had been teaming with jewelled disguises covering furtive eyes.
    We'd lost the wager. Both Alan and I. And we hadn't even known that they were betting.
    That we were pitting ourselves against them , and not each other.
    They'd won. We'd lost. And what we'd lost was more than I could hope to survive.
    We hadn't caught a Masked.
    They'd caught one of us.
    They'd caught the rebel leader of Free Wánměi.
    But why?

Eleven

I Hadn't Expected Him To
Lena
    T he streets were deserted as we walked back towards the base. S ilence an unusual accompaniment to the heartbeat of Wánměi. It was a stunned and battered quiet. Lost and frayed. We'd survived so much and yet I feared for what was to come.
    Alan tried a pay phone, but the line was dead. We looked up, again and again, at the once abandoned street-cams - hoping the next would show some form of life - but they seemed as vacant as the rest of the nation. Empty eyes staring down at us from frozen faces.
    The walk was a long one. Haunted thoughts, marred further by tragic images. I could taste death. I was breathing it. Living it. Hope seemed so very far away.
    Paul met us at the apartment building's front door; an indication that at least something was working farther away from the crash zone. He searched our faces but didn't pass comment. Just offered cool water and wet cloths as he locked and bolted the apartments’ doors behind us. Simon had placed the entire building on lock-down, it seemed. Our neighbours more than happy to obey his commands.
    And then I realised, it wouldn't have been Si who'd done it. My tired eyes landing on the shadows that crept out from the corners of the entranceway, statue still, bodies on alert, dark eyes watching.
    Always watching.
    Cardinal red cloaks the only slash of colour to be seen. I met the gaze of one of them, noting the laser gun in his hands, a finger resting ready on the trigger.
    And didn't say a thing; anger unfurling from deep inside me, waiting for an opportunity to lash out. The elevator doors closing softly behind Paul was the only incentive I required.
    "Is Trent here?" I demanded, as Alan leaned forward, equally as eager as me to embrace hope. To