Outcast Villiage

"Her mighty bitchiness isn't around, so I'm not going to do anything. In a fit of rage she decided to push me out of the helicopter so I'm going to be stuck here for a few days. I just wanted to talk." Ephraim coughed weakly, his chest rattling as if he had pneumonia.

Evelyn looked at him, she didn't speak, she didn't move, she just waited for him to speak.

"How're you doing?" Ephraim asked quietly.

She shrugged. "What about you?"

"Take a guess." Ephraim gestured weakly to himself. He was skin and bone and covered in bruises and healing wounds.

"Ariadne's started asking about you." Evelyn told him, before she pulled off her locket, opening it and she walked to him, showing him what his daughter looked like now.

"Oh, Evelyn, she's beautiful." Ephraim reached towards the locket and then hesitated, posture going tense as if he expected to be hit for trying to get a closer look.

She pressed it into his hand. "She is, she has your eyes."

Almost daringly despite still clearly worried about being punished, Ephraim moved to take her hand with his free one, staring at the locket instead of her, so he wouldn't have to see her face if he was rejected.

She let go of his hand, only to entwine their fingers. "I've missed you." She whispered.

Ephraim took in a shaky breath, closing his eyes and trying to stop himself from trembling, holding her hand tightly with his. "I've missed you too," he mumbled. "And we're going to sort this out. This is really important, what I'm about to tell you, and you need to listen close, can you do that for me?"

She nodded, looking up at him, her grip on his hand tight.

"The contracts, you've heard of them? It's what keeps us tightly locked up and under control. The contracts were made in a specific way. All of us Numbers were on the brink of death when we were contacted by someone, none of us know who, but they're higher in the hierarchy than even Carla. Anyway, they gave us an offer, to make the 'contract'. They would save our life, and bring back a loved one from death, if only we served them as asked. None of knew how deep the contracts ran. Do you understand so far?" Ephraim looked desperate, watching her face now.

She nodded, she was taking it all in as he spoke.

"Ranger, awful man as he is, learnt how to break the contracts. We can be saved, but you need to find him and let him tell you. They think he's a lost cause, Number seven has been crossed of the list, he's no longer important. But we're dying, Evelyn. They're pushing us to points we cannot reach and...What Ranger knows could be our only chance."

"What am I able to do?" She asked. "I can't find him alone Ephraim, and your little bitch wants me dead."

"He's still at the apartment. We left Clockwork behind to die and Carla decided it would be fitting to make Ranger watch."

"We're miles away from town." She sighed.

"I can escort you there, Ranger can teleport you back. The time it takes to get there is the only time I can spare."

She nodded. "Let's go then."

Ephraim squeezed her hand gently. "Is she somewhere safe?" He asked quietly, asking about their daughter.

She nodded. "She's with my brother."

"With Alex? There's something you should tell him about One, about Citlali. I'm sure he'll be happy to hear it, but she remembers everything. Him, their time together, everything."

"He knows, Ranger told him, though admittedly he could have done it without making us all feel like crap for letting you all go. But know, she's with Xander."

"Xander..." Ephraim echoed. "It's been so long. I thought they were both your brothers."