Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Chapter Fifteen: Revelations

Allyson quickly collected herself and answered the door. It was Dorian.

"I have to talk to you," he said.

"What's the matter?"

"It's Archer."

"James? What about him?"

"I think he's going to sabotage the plan, the Returners," he said.

"Why would he do such a thing?"

Dorian sat down in the one chair in Allyson's tiny room and explained what he had seen. He explained how Archer's behavior had been suspicious since before Allyson woke up from her coma. Random disappearances for days with no correspondence with Tyler, Anderson or Sandra.

He always said he was going into hiding, trying to stay under the radar while acting as a doctor at the Inn.

Allyson was shocked to hear this. More shocked than at any other point during this entire ordeal. She knew James. She knew she knew him. Of all the things that had happened, she was so sure he was someone she could trust.

Once again, her world was being shaken.

"I know it's difficult to grasp, I didn't want to believe it. But everything I've seen over these last few months has led me to this conclusion," Dorian said.

"My god, I don't know what to believe anymore. Sometimes I get some shred of my memory back and I feel so sure I've finally caught something concrete. For all I know, I'm not even really one of the Returners. For all I know, I could be a prisoner here."

"Allyson, you're a Returner. You're one of the first. People here looked up to you. They still do. But apparently Archer is not among them. I haven't told Tyler yet. He's got enough to deal with, but I wanted you to know, because I respect you most of all. I wanted to get your opinion of what I should do."

"Let's just see what happens in the next day or so. We can't prove anything yet," Allyson said.

"You're right. That's best. Thanks Allyson, I knew it was a good idea to come to you."

Dorian left quickly, and once again Allyson was alone in her room. She had begun to loathe solitude. She had spent so much time alone in a room by herself, alone in her own head. Somehow being back with the Returners, things hadn't changed as she would have hoped.

She decided to try to remember where the mess hall was and get some lunch. And also, to find out who else has been missing her this past year that she still can't remember.

She sat down at a table with the same minimal rations as everyone else. She wasn't there more than a minute before Archer had discovered her and sat down across from her.

"Hi James."

"Allyson we need to talk," Archer said with an air of urgency.

"What's the matter?" Allyson knew this was her chance to feel him out - try to see if what Dorian said could actually be true.

"It's Dorian," Allyson froze. She knew what he was going to say, and she couldn't believe it was happening. She knew there was tension between them. She noticed that in her half daze in the hospital bed.

"I don't want to believe it, but I'm beginning to suspect he's not one of us. I think he may be a mole for the Vanguard."

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