Free The Condemned by Claire Jolliff Page B

and nodded, confident she was alright and could pay attention, he addressed the group, he was yelling at the top of his voice but there was no fear of him being overheard by anyone stood more than two foot away. Leci had trouble making out his words and she was stood with her body pressed against his as the four of them crowded together in a huddle.
       ‘This door leads to the outer compound. It might be clear if they’re nice and busy running about trying to round up their runaway Clones. But it might not be. If they’ve got anyone posted out there we’re fucked, cos they’ll start shooting the second this door opens. When I trip the lock I want you’ he pointed to Beriael’s wife ‘and Leci behind it as it swings in. Use the door as a shield. I’ll be just behind you and down low.’
       Alecia understood, the door wouldn’t protect him because she and the other woman’s safety were being assured by it, but if he stayed low he might avoid any bullets that came their way. She looked at Beriael, who was watching Amato.
       The two men’s eyes met and Amato’s jaw tightened, something like shame crossed his features for a second and when he spoke his tone was apologetic.
       ‘I’m sorry man, but... You’re sort of... disposable, with the whole... not being able to die thing.’
       ‘I can die. I just come back and get to fucking die all over again.’ Beriael’s tone was soft, almost haunting, despite being raised out of necessity but his words were scathing. He glanced at Alecia as he spoke and she cast her eyes down, unable to meet his. When she raised her head again the two men were once again occupied with one another, Beriael steadily meeting Amato’s gaze. He knew what was coming and he knew they really had no other choice. The only conceivable alternative would be to allow his Clone wife to die in his place. For Beriael that wasn’t an option at all and so he quietly accepted his role while the other man spoke.
       Leci felt eyes on her and looked to the other woman, disconcerted by the intensity of the green eyes that studied her thoughtfully. She offered a weak smile, which wasn’t returned, and she self-consciously turned her attention back to the men. She needed to hear this and to understand what would happen; it was just distracting to feel the other woman’s curiosity crawling over her skin like some slimy, mutated bug.
       The Clone knew that there was something between her husband and the blonde Firebug. She wasn’t stupid enough to ask questions right now but Alecia was certain that they would come later and she didn’t want to find herself surviving four years at the hands of torturous captors and a harrowing escape effort only to be killed by a woman wanting revenge for the injustices done to her husband. She had burned Beriael too many times. The past could not be undone, her deeds, though always conducted against her own wishes and under forced conditions, were still her deeds, and the guilt of them lay with her. Whatever this man had done in his life she was sure it could not warrant endless torture to the degree he had suffered at her hands and although she would not hesitate to protect herself against him if he decided to try and retaliate for the months of hurt, she knew, strangely, that she would be unable to bring herself to harm the woman.
       She did not understand this logic or reasoning but she knew it to be true. She was grateful when Amato spoke again and she felt the gaze of the woman lift from her as all attention turned to the man issuing the commands.
       ‘Keep your back to the wall man, as flat as you can, when it swings in don’t be stood there to give em a clear shot. We want to find out if they’re out there, we don’t want to lose you if we don’t have to.’
       The thought of using human bait to find out whether or not it was safe for the rest of them seemed abhorrent to Alecia, but since she was unable to come up with a better plan