Whisper

Chapter 47

"So they know we are here," Whisper informed everyone as she was sketching out blueprints on the floor with a mud mixture. "Anyways, this is the first floor of the headquarters." 

"What do you mean 'anyways?!'" Frost shouted, "They know we're here?!" 

Whisper looked at her, completely unfazed, "We may have lost the element of surprise but we have the advantage." 

Phantom wanted to question it, but he still had quite the faith in Whisper that he just silently watched her as she started drawing the next floor's blueprint. 

"Jesus it's a maze," Spring muttered as every hallway she drew connected to another, then another, then another. 

"This is where they keep the key," Whisper drew a small star in one room, "Usually guarded by four soldiers, now that they know we're here they are tripling security. "

"Oh no," Link felt her anxiety rising. "Why can't we just recreate it? Do we really have to go with this?" 

"The key is made of a rare metal which activates the lock when the key is scanned when inserted. So the plan is we come in through the air ducts while the others form a distraction," Whisper began drawing small paths that cut through the walls and halls, "So the teams are Phantom, Frost, and me. The next team is Lora, Link, and Weaver. Final team is Spring and Golem."

"Lora, Link, and Weaver will stay here and be out communications team. They've already sent out search teams to scope out the city so Link with establish a connection of us while we go t-" 

"Wait my range doesn't reach that far," Link interrupted her stomach doing backflips at the importance of her role, "This won't work." 

"That's where she comes in," Whisper pointed at Lora who pointed to herself on instinct, "I hope you don't mind sparing some of your blood." 

"I'm sorry?" Lora had always been cautious not to cut herself so that her blood never spilled, but she had quite the pain tolerance and was not one to cry over spilled blood. Only to cry over the fire it would've caused. 

Whisper smirked, "Lora your blood as the ability to enhance other's powers when consumed. Depending on the amount consumed, the longevity and intensity of the enhancement increases." 

"Oh," Lora didn't know how to react, "Well, uh, anyone got a knife?" 

"We'll do that later," Whisper pulled out a map she picked up while she was out and about with Phantom, "Golem I need you and Spring to go to this park and just do a bit of cleaning." 

Spring looked at Golem for some guidance for such a vague instruction but the man seemed to understand perfectly fine. 

"I want you to take out all the dying trees and regrow them fresh," Whisper clarified. 

"Why?" 

"We don't need any unnecessary tension with the normal people so if you guys use your powers for a more community-service type disturbance, it will catch the eyes of everyone, including the ARC." Whisper's logic seemed sound, no matter how out of place it felt. "Return after removing and replacing 5 trees."

"So what are we doing?" Frost was dying to know what she was going to do. 

"I will take both you and Phantom with me to the headquarters. After we make our way to the third floor, Frost, you will split off from the rest of us and destroy the servers that are in this room." She pointed to one of the larger rooms of the blueprints, also pointing out the path Frost is to take, "When you stand here, wait about 8 seconds for the soldiers to proceed before heading into the room. Passcode is this." 

"So what are you doing?" 

"Phantom and I will head straight to where they are keeping the key. They think moving it around and passing it off to different people will slow us down but I know exactly who will have it, where, and when." 

Whisper fell silent, waiting for them to give any input but all pretty much were feeling confident in her plan. 

"Great," Whisper stood up straight, brushing off her hands on her pants, "We leave tomorrow morning, so get some dinner and some rest." 

 They all spread out into their respective cubical-beds, except for Frost and Lora who  moved to their own little section and just began chatting as young ladies of similar ages do. Whisper and Frost are close in age, but their maturity are eons apart. 

Frost has yet to learn enough about the world. Both because she was young and because she was locked away. She's only seen the bad parts of the world, and despite that she has held onto her light. Lora was a bit similar, hidden in her little town with little minded people. 

But Whisper has seen it all from behind the bleak walls of her facilities. Of course she didn't see everything, as she still needed to be prompted, but the scientists and Dr. Kadea asked plenty of questions. 

"Hey Whisper," Phantom's voice was barely audible, but Whisper didn't really need to hear him to know what he was saying, "Are you nervous about tomorrow?" 

She pondered for a moment, making Phantom more anxious that he already was until she said a simple, "No." 

Her hesitation made it harder for him to find comfort in her response but sensing she was done speaking for tonight he simply retreated to his bed and slipped under his sheet as a shadow. No bumps or wrinkles under the semi-straight sheet indicated anyone was sleeping there and that's how Phantom liked it. 

"Hey Whisper," Weaver pulled her aside, trying to get out of earshot of everyone else, "Can I ask you something?" 

"Of course." 

"Did you purposefully bring Loralie just to use her?" Weaver hesitated when asking this, but just seeing how young Lora is and how was recruited by Whisper, Weaver felt like they were simply using the girl. 

"Of course I did," Whisper spoke with no hesitation, surprising the older woman. "She has a useful power that will help us greatly." 

"So what happens when we are done? Are you just going to abandon her?" 

"No, of course not," Whisper frowned, "Why would you even think of that?" 

"Well-," Weaver didn't know how to put it into coherent words, so she just said what was on her mind, "Well, I thought you are like - I mean you act like - I don't know..."

"You think I don't care, emotionally." Whisper interrupted, understanding Weaver's concern as she nodded in agreement, "I do care for you guys, and when this is all over, I will make sure each of your lives are the best they can be." 

After a moment of silence, Weaver scrunched her brows and let out a very confused, "What?"