The City Of Death

Chapter Thirty- Macy

I've always found it amazing how much a single week can change things. In one week, I went from being a successful doctor to being an Invalid, to being a spy. In one week, I went from being so sure of my mission to questioning it completely. In one week, I went from the beauty and freedom of Gemma and Savannah's wedding to the dark confines of a cell under the Coliseum, wondering if Atlas would make it. 

And in one week, Atlas went from being on death's doorstep to being completely ready to break out of the City. 

Once I was able to remove the arrows and clean his wounds, he healed fairly quickly. By the end of the next day, his fever had broken and any signs of illness and infection disappeared. And by the end of the day after that, he was back on his feet, though still a little unsteadily. He's still not completely healed, and probably won't be 100 percent for a while. His shoulders still have very limited mobility, but he and I are working at it every day. And, to be honest, it was certainly satisfying to see him being the one to struggle through his daily stretches instead of me. 

Once Atlas was coherent again, the Vultures began to question us incessantly. It was mostly Lucifer and Jezebel assaulting us with questions, but the other Vultures all took their turns, too. But we gave them nothing. After a week, Atlas, Israel, and I still haven't broken, and we still haven't given them what they wanted. We never would- all of us would easily rather die than give them any information on the Renegades. 

Thoughts of the Renegades and the Outside were what kept us going that week. Thoughts of what we would do when were in the Outside again, thoughts of what we would say to the people we cared about, and thoughts of what our future would hold. Israel constantly talked about Annalise and Rosalie, and while I would have once found it annoying, I'm now thankful for his rants. His love for his wife and daughter brings a certain beauty to this dark cell and a certain strength to our souls. It reminds us that we have something to live for, a people and a way of life to protect. 

And if that wasn't enough, I'm determined to get out of this cell alive just so I can finish that conversation Atlas and I started. 

Though, I'm not sure if he remembers it. If he does, he's said nothing about it, but that might just be because we agreed to wait until we were back in the Outside. No point in bringing it up if we aren't going to finish the conversation. But I know he remembers one particular part of his fever delirium- he remembers the conversation he thought he had with Skye. The conversation he actually had with me, but I'm not inclined to tell him that part. 

When his fever broke, there was a peace within him that I'd never seen before. When I asked about it, he told me about the conversation he'd had with Skye as if I wasn't there for all of it. That being said, he knows it wasn't a real conversation. From what I understand, he thinks the conversation was Skye's spirit visiting him in a dream. Who am I to tell him that he was having a real conversation, but it was with me instead of Skye? I'm not going to ruin the peace he found from the "dream" conversation. 

But at the end of that week, our peace was ruined when Lucifer came to the cell, a sadistic grin on his face. 

"I'm rather tired of you three and your stubbornness. It would be so much easier for all of us if you just gave me the information I wanted. But no matter. There's a way you three can be useful yet. You wouldn't begrudge me and the Citizens a little entertainment, would you?" Lucifer asks, before laughing a little. "It's a win-win for me, you see. Either you die and then my problem is almost completely solved, or if you live, maybe it'll loosen your tongues. But, either way, I think this is going to be very entertaining for the City as a whole." 

"What are you talking about?" Israel asks, a dark tone creeping into his voice. He clearly isn't very fond of the game that Lucifer is playing, and to be honest, neither am I. But Lucifer doesn't answer him outside of a "you'll see" before walking off. Well, that's not terrifying at all. The three of us all look at each other and give slight nods, a silent agreement. No matter what's about to come our way, we're going to fight it together and do whatever it takes to make it out alive. For now, that's the only thing we can promise each other. Even if we can't make it out of the City today, we're going to stay alive.