𝕱𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖑𝖞 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖊 - a Leo Valdez slowburn

Chapter two

Chapter two.

[Studies show Leah is an influential idiot]

"Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. 

Make your lives extraordinary."

- John Keating, Dead Poets' Society

Lin knew they should've kept an eye on Leah. 

But the girl was infuriating: she made Lin lose their calm composure (a rare occurrence) and instead of being afraid of Lin's intimidating posture and anger, Leah was... what? Content? Satisfied? Lin wondered what had happened for her to turn out like such a wreck. 

They'd also nearly escaped, which surprised Lin. Not that their security was topnotch, but the metal door had been bolted and there were seven locks on it. Besides, the walls were made of pure concrete, a meter thick. Their whole tunnel structure was made so that if Lin wanted to, no one could get in, or could get out. Unless they were Lin, of course. Lin could do anything. 

Lin was a saint in the Rebellion's eyes. 

But that was what got Lin thinking. If Leah could escape such an impossible to infiltrate or escape room, knock out Mal who was quite an accomplished Solomonar, and not knock out from a hard hit to the head, what couldn't she do? It was pure luck Chris had come exactly when Leah escaped, or she would've left a trail of chaos in the system. Lin couldn't have that, especially when it was them who was on the Field this time. It would shatter their reputation completely. The fear and respect for Lin Makoto would disappear. 

Lin had thanked Chris with a nod and a clap to the back. "You came just in time." They jutted their chin to Leah's crumpled figure on the floor. "She's a strong one, she is." Chris's eyes twinkled. Lin raised an eyebrow. "Who's the person behind you?" The so-called person shrank even more behind Chris, but the other Solomonar just pulled them from behind him and grinned. "This," he introduced, "is Aiden Murphy." 

Aiden scuttled out from behind him, eyes widening when they saw Leah. "What happened to flower girl?" they asked worriedly. Realizing they wouldn't make the connection, he corrected himself. "What happened to Leah?" Lin's lips quirked up into a smirk. "Oh, we knocked her out," they replied nonchalantly. Aiden let out a baited breath. "Oh thank my mom, she's alive." "How would you know that, Aiden?" Lin pointedly asked. They didn't care to pry about the 'my mom' exclamation.  

"My senses are strengthened," they nervously explained. They crouched down to carry Leah. "I'm not giving you five stars on service, I'm telling you that," he joked, standing back up. "Why did you knock her out?" "She knocked out the guard and ripped a metal door from its hinges," Lin drily replied. "Well, actually," Lin corrected themselves thoughtfully, "they broke through a meter of cement and burst the door out." Aiden's eyes brightened, whether in fear or appreciation, Lin didn't know. 

"That's something she would do, yeah." They looked around. "If you're about to tie us up again, please use stronger bonds. It was an embarrassing you thought they could hold us, honestly." They smiled cheekily. A beat of silence passed. Just when Aiden was about to speak up, Chris burst out laughing. He jerked his thumb towards Aiden. "They're an odd one, aren't they?" Lin suppressed a smile, raising their eyebrows. "Come on, we have to go." 

Aiden's darted between their two captors. "Where are we going?" he asked. When neither answered, his stomach tightened. They repeated their question, but Chris and Lin were already walking down the hall. "Oi! Wait up!" he cried. They huffed. "I can't run if I have to carry Leah," he said to himself, then hesitated. "She's... not light."