TORN FLESH

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: COURT COUNCIL

WHEN Margo had suggested that she'd be finding Violet a punishment, she hadn't thought it would end with her helping in a garden, or pulling weeds for that matter.

But there she was, standing before a woman named Michi who had a pair of binoculars secured around her neck for some unknown reason- one of which she didn't care to share- while Margo had left her minutes prior to go off and do whatever it was she thought necessary.

Maybe she'd even ask about Mitch.

She half wished she would.

While she wanted to meet the man Margo seemed so fond of, she also knew that she might not get the answer she was looking for.

And she knew that everything would slowly crumble for the woman.

"So, that little adventure of yours last night, that why you here?"

Violet looked up to glare at the woman who only narrowed her eyes in return, "I'm surprised your momma hasn't whooped you yet for those rude little looks you give." she spoke roughly stabbing at the root of a weed before yanking it from the soil.

"I'm surprised Marcus hasn't kicked you out for being nosy." she quipped snatching the weed up to toss it into the nearest bin, Michi let out a huff, maybe the child did need a good whooping, lord knew it would only toughen her up.

"Little spitfire ain't you?" she chuckled setting her small shovel down, when no response came, Michi leaned closer and took a short glance in either direction of the garden before she spoke.

"I know what you saw out there."

Eyes wide, Violet met the woman's gaze, almost as if she hadn't quite caught what she'd said.

"You best pretend you didn't see it, anyone that comes here, never makes it out." she paused quietly picking up the shovel once more, "I'd suggest you keep your mouth closed, end up getting you and your momma killed." she mumbled before she stabbed at another weed.

Violet let those words sink in, someone else knew.

Someone else understood.

She'd been right all along.

But how was she supposed to tell Margo? If she did, then they'd both end up dead.

So how were they supposed to come out of this alive?

She'd have to figure it out later that day, because currently, Michi was looking at her with so much pleading in her eyes that she was almost sure she was about to start crying.

Meanwhile, Margo was currently sitting with her legs drawn into a criss-cross position while Marcus spoke to a woman over the radio at his desk.

Within a few moments, he set the device down and smiled back at her.

"So, what can I help 'ya with today, Miss Margo?" she smiled at the funny add-on to her name, she didn't know why, she just found it funny.

God, was her humor slowly breaking down to nothing.

Clearing her throat, she leaned forward- letting her legs dangle over the chair as one would normally do- "I was told the community keeps records... of everyone that passes through. So..." she paused and clasped her hands together in her lap, "I was wondering if I could possibly look through them."

Marcus tilted his head his brows furrowing at the statement, "would you mind me asking who exactly 'yer looking for?"

The woman glanced down at her hands for a brief moment before looking back up at him, "an old colleague of mine, his name's Mitch."

Silence followed her statement as Marcus pondered over the inquisition, without so much as a word he stood and began to make way for the door.

Confused, Margo turned her head to follow him watching as he stopped at the doorway, "ya coming or not?" jumping to her feet, Margo quietly trailed after the man adrenaline surging through her, maybe they would have something on his whereabouts, or if he'd been there recently, or if he was there.

She hoped.

Following Marcus down the somewhat short hallway, she soon found herself standing in a library of sorts, at least that's what it looked like with all the shelves- although a few boxes could be seen spotting throughout the different rows- "this." Marcus began pointing to a section labeled with a paper cut out of the letter M, "is where you'll find anything on that friend of yours."

"If 'ya end up needin' anything, Miss Rogue over there can help sort it out." he added pointing in the direction of a dimly lit office where a young woman had her hair drawn into a bun with a large textbook of sorts settled in front of her, following Margos gaze he smiled at the sight of the woman, "she's studying to be a nurse like Maureen, got the big certification final coming up."

Margo softly nodded her head- a smile of her own forming on her lips- "well, I guess I'll leave you to it." he spoke already heading over to the exit before he disappeared around the corner. She felt as if she was being swallowed whole by the size of the room and its towering shelving units, she had a lot of searching to do.

And it wouldn't be till four hours later that she found something on Mitch.

It wasn't much.

It was one folder, which she'd immediately towed away from the mess she'd created to a clean table to prevent herself from losing it.

She'd restrained herself from asking Rogue for help due to the fact she had a test to study for, she didn't want to prevent the girl from getting her necessary hours.

Staring at the name across the front of the folder, Margo was hesitant to open it, she was worried about what she may find, rather more read.

She was scared she would get the answer to the possibility she'd been trying so hard not to think about.

That Mitch was indeed dead.

Taking a deep breath, she flipped the folder open and began to read.

Her eyes hooked on the header of the first page, his name in bold print.

MITCH RAPP.

TWENTY-SIX YEARS OLD.

BRUNETTE MALE, BROWN EYES, STRONG BUILD.

FORMER CIA AGENT.

SPECIALLY TRAINED IN MELEE COMBAT.

DANGEROUS.

She reread the last line several times.

What exactly did they mean by dangerous?

Softly shaking her head, she continued to read.

POSES A THREAT TO THOSE AROUND HIM.

NOT SUITED FOR GENERAL POPULATION.

STATUS: UNAVAILABLE; GHOST.

What did ghost mean?

Had he simply disappeared into thin air?

That couldn't be.

Turning the page, she stopped at the sight of a photo, his hair was a bit longer from the last time she'd seen him, but it was him.

Blood trailed down the side of his face and he held a gun in his hands, from the looks of the photo she could say it had been caught off a security camera of sorts, somewhat pixelated and caught in-between frames, it wasn't hard to piece together that he'd known exactly what Violet had, and yet somehow, it still hadn't clicked for Margo.

And that was the end of his file, so little information, and yet it told her so much.

Checking to make sure Rogue wasn't looking, Margo carefully folded the photo into four and slid it into her pocket, thinking about it, she had more right to it than the people of the community, it served a purpose to her.

It wasn't as if they'd need it.

Right?

Once she'd secured the photo she cleaned up the mess of folders strewn across the floor before muttering a quick goodbye to the woman and exiting to go find Violet.

Hopefully, the girl hadn't caused more trouble during her punishment, which would annoy her more than words could even begin to explain.

As she approached the small garden where she'd left the girl, she took note of Michi playing with the girl's hair, she'd fashioned her blonde locks into two small braids that trailed down to graze across her shoulders.

Margo couldn't help but smile.

Remembering why she was there, she quickly let a frown fall upon her lips, "so, how was it? Pulling weeds all day?"

Violet shrugged her shoulders, "my hands hurt." she offered, in reality, they were perfectly fine, they didn't hurt in the slightest, but she didn't need to tell Margo that, otherwise she'd be pushing herself towards a second punishment

But the biggest thing that was haunting her, was what Michi had said earlier.

She needed to get them out of the community.

Now.

Or tonight.

During the meeting.

That would be the perfect distraction.

She just had to tell Margo what she'd seen, she would believe her, wouldn't she?

She prayed that she did.

Otherwise, they were both screwed, more so Violet than Margo.

"She did well today." Michi began quickly tying off the girl's second braid before standing up, "didn't complain, but she was a bit of a smartass in the beginning." Margo frowned once more as she looked down at Violet, who knew children would be such a nuisance?

"Well, if you're ready to go then we can get you a shower and settle down for the night." Margo offered watching as the girl looked from Michi to her supposed mother giving a tired nod of her head.

Holding out her hand to the girl, she smiled as she took it in her own, glancing over her shoulder, the small girls gaze met Michi's as they walked away, the silence was all she needed to hear in order for her to figure out what she was going to do.

Still working through the rest of the details as they stepped out of the elevator of the apartment complex, she realized that going through an entire thought-out plan would take too long.

She only had an hour or so till the meeting began, which limited their window to get out.

As soon as Margo unlocked the door of the apartment Violet rushed inside, quick to pull Margo in after her before she closed the door and locked it.

"We have a serious problem."

Margo nodded her head quickly removing the photo from her pocket, "yeah, I realize that." she stated extending it to the girl so she could get a look, "is that-?"

"Yeah, that's Mitch, and apparently he passed through here."

"He got out." Violet mumbled her eyes wide as she looked over the photo, "hence the term passed." Margo replied returning the photo to her pocket, "he's covered in blood, and on his file, they said he's a ghost, that he was dangerous to them."

"That's not the problem I'm talking about." Violet interjected her expression hardening, "these people, they're not what you think they are." pausing, Violet took a small breath trying to calm her racing heart, "once you come in, you can't get out. And those that try to leave... they end up dead."

Margo shook her head, "I- I don't get it, they fed us, clothed us, even gave us medicine, why would they want to keep us from leaving?"

Violet shook her head, "I don't know, I just know that it's bigger than us, and we need to leave."

The woman found herself in a daze for several moments, she was trying to process everything, trying to figure out how she'd been so ignorant as to not realize what was going on sooner.

And although she would never admit it aloud, she should've listened to Violet when she had the chance.

"I'm gonna go pack a bag." she mumbled her feet carrying her to her room as her mind drifted through the information she was still trying to process.

She felt so stupid.

Almost as if she'd known all along but it hadn't fully hit her until someone had pulled the trigger.

"Violet, grab some things from the pantry and put them in a bag." she called from her room, she needed to sit for a moment, it was all too much for her.

She'd truly thought they were safe, that Violet was safe.

And she'd been ready to accept that Mitch was dead.

She still wasn't sure if he was alive.

A knock at the front door was what pulled her back to reality, Violet stood frozen in the kitchen her face as pale as a ghost. Several moments passed before the second round of knocks came, this time, Margo stood- grabbing her knife from the bag they'd brought into the community with them- she wouldn't be fooled this time.

Violet silently crept behind her as they approached the door, taking a short breath, Margo ripped it open somewhat surprised to see Rogue standing in the doorway with a folder trapped between her chest and her arms.

Quickly holding the folder out to them, Margo realized the girl's hands were shaking, she wasn't sure why the girl was shaking as much as she was, not until she opened the folder and her face went pale with fear.

THEY'RE COMING FOR YOU.

TORN FLESH

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: COURT COUNCIL