Clone Chronicles

Chapter 6: Poppy

I wake to light, soft and familiar. I'm even warm, the air still. I spot a far distant ceiling, my nose pinching from the odor of many bodies crowded together.

Sound is next, soft whispering voices, the odd laugh, cough, sneeze. I turn my head and see, to my great relief, Poppy sitting crossed-legged next to me. She smiles the moment I do.

"You're okay!" She clutches my hand, pressing the back of it to her cheek. "I was so mad at Beckett for what he did." Giant tears well in her dark brown eyes. From the tracks through the dirt on her pale cheeks these aren't her first.

I sit up, fingering the lump on the back of my head, wincing from the sharp zing of pain when I touch it. My stomach rebels for a moment as I try to stay upright, nausea from the injury drawing out a cold sweat all over my body. I close my eyes, head down, breathing through my mouth until the wave passes before looking up at Poppy. She strokes the back of my hand, clearly distressed.

"He didn't mean to hurt you," she whispers as if trying to convince herself. "He was just protecting me."

I nod and wish I hadn't. "I understand," I said. Sigh. "I do, really. That's what I want, too."

Her little smile makes me feel better.

I look around then, see the small group of others crowded into the space where I sit. It's hard to know the room's original purpose. It's been emptied of all but ratty, threadbare blankets and crates, small tent-like arrangements I can only assume are the homes of these kids. And they are kids, teens all like me, though none as young as Poppy.

"Where are all the adults?" I've yet to see one. Unless the soldiers were older, behind their helmets.

Poppy crosses her arms over her chest, frowning at me. "You really don't know anything, do you?"

I shake my head. "I don't. I'm sorry."

"Maybe this isn't your first head injury then." I turn, far too quickly, have to close my eyes again before I can focus on the person who speaks. By the time I do open my eyes, he's standing over me. I feel a jolt as I look up at him. I know him. I'm sure of it. But there isn't a beat of recognition in his eyes so I force myself to focus on his words, not his face.

"I suppose so." I glance at Poppy who scowls at him. "You're Beckett?"

He glares at his sister before nodding. "And you're Trio."

"Yes." My eyes settle on the tall girl next to him. She glares like I've offended her, dark skin a contrast to the whites of her eyes. "Poppy told you."

"What she knows." Beckett looks me up and down, not hiding it. "Something about a clone."

The tall girl snorts, but I nod. "Clone Three."

"Meaning?" Beckett shushes Poppy who has opened her mouth to speak.

I shrug. "I wish I knew." It won't do to alienate him. They are the first people I've met willing to talk and not hurt me. At least beyond a rap on the head. "I have so many questions."

The tall girl hisses something in Beckett's ear, but he shakes his head. "Nico thinks I should toss you out on the street." He continues to glare at Poppy. "I have my own questions."

"I don't have much to tell you." I fill him in on everything that happened to me from the moment I opened my eyes in the bathroom stall until he found us. It is a sadly short and while active story, empty of many facts.

"Listen up," Poppy snaps. "Whether you like it or not, believe her or not, those Crawlers were there for a reason."

"Crawlers?" My mind goes to insects, spiders.

She sighs at me. "See? She really doesn't know." Poppy meets my eyes and speaks slowly, as though I were a child. "The creeps in the van. With the tasers. Crawlers."

I find myself smiling at her. "Yes. You mentioned them before. Thank you."

Beckett grunts softly. "You're right," he says. "They never go to that part of town. Cade's people are there. And they usually don't like to pick fights unless they have to." He scowls at Poppy then. "And how would you know the Crawlers don't go there?"

She is too clever for him, I can see it. Feel my lips curving up even as she speaks. "I'm not positive," she says, "but I'm thinking they were looking for something. I followed them three blocks, all the way to the school. They didn't make any side trips, nothing."

Beckett appears to choke. "You did what?"

She winks at him, cherub cheeks pink. "They were acting funny," she says. "I had to know what they were up to." Poppy turns to me. "See, the Crawlers usually only show when they have something specific to do, you get me? A target, like."

I nod. "And you think I was the target."

She claps and laughs. "You're smarter than him, anyway," she says, jerking a thumb at Beckett.

I don't say anything. Now I'm worried, for several reasons. Why would these Crawlers be looking for me? Will that somehow attract their attention to Poppy? And will it influence Beckett's opinion of me? I need help and they seem the only ones willing to even talk to me.

Beckett's stare is no longer angry. Instead, he appears to be thinking. I take it as a good sign.

"Please," I say, "will you tell me what happened?" I gesture around me. "This is not what I remember."

"I thought you didn't remember anything." Nico laughs a little at her own joke, though it's a humorless laugh, full of anger and sarcasm.

"I do recall some things," I say, careful to be earnest and not react to her attitude. "The only things I don't know are who I am and why I'm here." I feel the hopelessness of my admission weigh on me. "I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you more."

Beckett's face softens while Poppy pats my hand. But Nico looks about ready to murder me in my sleep. "She's trouble," the tall girl hisses to Beckett. "I can smell it on her. She'll bring us nothing but problems. Time to get rid of her."

For a moment I fear she's reached him. His expression tightens, mouth a thin line. But when he unleashes his anger, it's not at me.

"Back off." He turns and snaps at Nico. "Right now. I'm the leader here. You all chose me. And I'll make the final decision."

She grumbles and tries to protest, but he glares her down. Nico does as he says, retreating a step at a time, eyes locked on me before she ducks out the door. Everyone else in the room is watching, I've only noticed now. The moment Nico is gone, they all return to their own private conversations and ignore us.

Beckett crouches, hands clasped before him. His deep blue eyes are full of questions, but the anger is gone. A lock of thick, dark hair falls over his forehead and I want to shove the unruly curls back from his face. It feels intensely familiar, as though I've done it many times before. Instead I hold myself still and wait for him to decide.

He gains his feet again with a huge exhale of breath. "Fine then," he says, turning away. "Come on."

Poppy helps me stand. I sway a moment, already feeling better, and follow him out.

***