Dark Empathy by Archibald Bradford (inspiring books for teens TXT) 📕

same time she couldn’t shake off the memory of what this woman was capable of.

Though the Lapine didn’t know it, her hesitance and the way she automatically flinched back from the memory actually served to reinforce her cover as she tried to remember the lie.

“I-I, it was, I was a-attacked.” She swallowed as the details she had rehearsed over and over with Miranda came back; “Two women jumped me in the slums, it’s no big deal, I’m okay.”

Carol’s eyes narrowed and for a moment Becks thought she was done for, but it quickly became apparent that the other woman’s anger wasn’t directed at her.

“No big- are you serious?! This is a huge deal baby! Come on, sit down, I’ll get you some ice.”

She did as instructed while Carol turned to the little ice box in the corner.

“What were you thinking going into the slums alone?”

She was ready for the question, her mind having retrieved all of the details she needed.

“I wasn’t, thinking I mean, one of the other couriers hurt her leg. I was covering her route and I was way behind.”

Carol was frowning when she turned around with a bunch of ice wrapped in a cloth.

“So it was a short cut?”

Becks had to swallow her nerves again as she felt the chill of the ice press to her face.

“It was supposed to be. Didn’t end up that way.”

“Did you go to the Aegis?”

Though she had rehearsed over and over with Miranda’s help, the timeline they came up with was a jumbled mess in her head, and she couldn’t keep her eyes from widening as she tried to remember which lie to tell next.

Rebecca knew that without the ice covering half of her face, Carol would see her alarm, so she did something drastic.

She started to cry.

She knew her ploy had worked when she felt arms wrap around her, though the embrace brought her little in the way of actual comfort.

“Ah shit, baby. You’re okay now, I promise.”

“I-I’m sorry, I had your parcel on me too.”

The buxom woman sucked in a breath.

“Did they take it?” Her voice was level as she clearly sought to hide her own deceptions.

Rebecca sniffled and pulled away from the embrace, reaching for her bag as the phony-facts once more got straightened in her head.

“No, I have it here. I just couldn’t bring it while the lawkeepers had me in a safe-house waiting for the Aegis to send someone. I only got out of there last night. I was going to surprise you with it.”

She handed the parcel off to Carol, who set it on the desk with a grateful smile.

It was painfully obvious that she wanted to open the parcel immediately and be sure of its contents; Rebecca could see her fighting down the urge as they spoke.

“It’s here now, and thank you by the way, for finding it. But I’m just glad that you’re safe.”

In that moment she knew without a doubt that Carol cared more for the little box and its contents than she did for the Lapine in front of her. And even though the cherry-haired stunner’s greed served as a distraction and helped her maintain her cover, the bunny hated the lying woman before her as her heart finally finished breaking.

“Do you have any more deliveries? Maybe you could sit with me for a bit.”

Again she could tell that Carol would rather she left immediately, she was only keeping up with the charade to ensure Rebecca stayed in the dark.

“I have one more delivery after this, but I’d like to see you, at least for a little while.”

“Why don’t I take you out tonight?”Carol offered; “We’ll go someplace fancy and get ourselves pampered.”

“That sounds…nice.” Her reticence was painfully apparent, but once again it only served to reinforce her story; “Um, I have to pee, i-is there a bathroom somewhere?”

“Yeah but it’s for employee’s only.” Carol said seriously.

Rebecca blinked in surprise, panic flooding her momentarily before she caught the twitch at the corner of the woman’s mouth.

Humour Becks, go for humour.

“Okay then, do you have a bucket I could borrow? Or maybe keep?”

She nearly jumped out of her skin when Carol laughed, having to take a moment to remind herself to smile at the success of her joke.

“Down the stairs and around the left behind the presses, just keep to the wall, you’ll find it.”

“Thanks!” She chirped and leaned in to kiss Carol on the cheek.

It turned her stomach to do it, but it was the right play.

“Hmmm, hurry back and maybe I’ll put that wonderful piercing of yours to work before you have to get back to your route.”

She was dearly grateful that the woman pulled her into another hug and therefore missed the sickened expression that blossomed on her face.

“R-right.” She said airily.

Something in her tone must have seemed off though, and Carol pulled away from her before the Lapine could fully school her features.

“Is something wrong?”

Once again she felt that surge of panic.

Behind the ‘concerned’ face Carol wore, she could clearly see her real face, the calculating face of a cold-blooded murderer.

“N-no. No.” She brought her hand up to cradle her cheek as she felt her ears go flat to her head under the weight of her gaze; “I just can’t stop thinking about… the other night.”

It wasn’t a lie: she was thinking about the night that she saw Carol shoot the old woman.

Her gratitude for Cordelia punching her in the face knew no bounds in that moment as her girlfiend’s expression softened and she took the bunny’s hands in hers.

“If I ever find out who these shitheads were I promise you their tits will end up in the presses downstairs.”

Rebecca threw her arms around her shoulders