Save Us From Their Long Run

Sticky Situation

"We found your parents"

"...still trapped, but not in too bad of a situation.."

Everything she said sailed through my ears, exciting me. There was a chance, and though it was a small one I was always the one to hold onto hope. Lydia kept repeating the information, making sure it was burned in our brains, before giving us the regimen for this week. In two weeks time we would be off to find the facility where, according to agents that Lydia's men had taken in, my parents were being held.

She handed us a stack of paper each, all information we would need to study up on in order to go through this plan flawlessly. She was adding more agents in the surrounding areas, and half a dozen were joining us to make up for our two lost members. Thinking of them still ached, but I'd learned to keep my focus.

"You're free to go, but remember, this cannot be like your last two missions. There is no room for failure."

We nodded and walked out, each of us to a part of the house while we thought about this mission we were getting ourselves into. We had the option of opting out, yes, but none of us would ever do that. Especially not after losing two of our best friends to this objective. I moved slowly to my room, skimming each paper thoroughly, until I bumped into someone doing the same.

Zach grunted, dropping his papers, but he was quick to snatch them up before I could get a look at them. "Watch where you're going" he muttered, but it had no bite.

Something was bothering him, I could see that at least, but other than a slouch in his usual stiff posture he looked fine. "Are you okay?" I asked quietly, trying my luck.

I was startled to see him glance up to met my eyes, because all I saw was pure fear, before it was clouded once more. He shut his eyes, rolling up his papers and shaking his head and trying to move past me. I persisted, placing my leg in his way to stop him. He turned around quickly, eyes narrowing. "Avery don't, just let me be-".

"Hell no. You might be an ass but you're still my family and I don't like seeing anyone like that" I replied before he could continue.

"Don't pretend to suddenly give a crap about me Avery, you and I both know you couldn't care less what's up with me." he said, and this time I saw his attitude slip in. I wanted to help him, but if he put up that wall again there would be no way to.

"Stop pushing me away Zach. I'm allowed to care about you whether you like it or not, so stop being pretentious and tell me what's going on!"

"Nothing you need to worry about! Not everybody is going to spill their feelings with you so get over yourself and just leave me alone! I shouldn't even be talking to you! This isn't like back then, I don't need to tell you anything about me or my life and I really don't want to get into more trouble so do me a favor and go away!"

I backtracked pretty quick. Back then? We barely spoke when we were little.

"You're in trouble? With Lydia?" I asked, confused, and I knew it was the wrong thing to say.

"No. Leave me alone Avery. Please" he pleaded.

"What are you so scared of?"

That got him. He stiffened automatically, his vulnerable gaze turning into a cold glare.

"Leave me the hell alone. Don't ever think you can talk to me like that ever again." he spat, and he turned on his heel and stalked into his bedrrom, slamming the door.

I shook my head, knowing I had failed miserably, then realizing that that may have been the most emotion I've shown in quite some time. I shook the thought out of my throbbing head, and I nearly laughed to myself upon realizing that everytime I spoke to Zach he literally gave me a headache.

I tried, and at least he should know that. I made my way back to my room again, this time more aware of the people around me. Involuntarily cringing before I entered my room was normal now. I made a point of redirecting my gaze to my side of the room everytime I walked in. Everything on one side of the room was pink or red and the sight hurt my heart because I couldn't not think of Rose and her refusal to sleep in a separate room even if there was one available.

I didn't dare touch her things; not even all her strewn about clothes. A knock sounded at the door suddenly, and then Caylen was popping her head in with a serious face. Sometimes it was weird to see such an expression on her face. It was so very different from her natural wide eyes and big smile.

"What's wrong?" immediately left my mouth. She looked away, but eventually opened the door wider and she motioned me to follow her. I got up and she lead me back to her room, on the far end of the hallway. Notably as far as possible from Zach's.

She shoved me in the room and shut the door, flinging a random article of clothing against the door and stuffing it between the small crack between the floor and the bottom of the door. She could tell I was confused, but she held out papers to me as if they were the answer to all my questions.

I slowly read over them, taking in every word. My eyes focused on certain phrases: 'alteration complete', 'attack successful', 'bodies retrieved'. I glanced up at Caylen who held a solemn expression.

"I...what are these?"

"I think they're documents about our failed missions..."

My breath left me, because if she thought that as well then we had a real problem.

"But these don't exclusively mention them do they? I mean, we could just be looking for explanations and looking too far into things."

She shook her head, pointing out several phrases and telling me to look closer.

It was painfully obvious that they were exactly what we expected. Even with the truth sitting right in front of me, I still found myself searching for another explanation.

"But...does that mean Lydia...?" I muttered.

"I don't know...I..I want to believe that she has nothing to do with this but.." she shook her head and turned away.

There was something she wasn't telling me, but I wouldn't push, no matter how much I wanted answers. These could all be fake documents for all we know. Someone trying to pit us against the other. With this enemy, I wouldn't put it past them to destroy us from the inside.

"We'll figure this out later, let's focus on training."

Suddenly we heard footsteps running from a room down the hall and past our door, down the steps. It was Lydia's heels smacking against the floor, and her loud mutters of, "This can't be, how would that even be done?" echoing down the halls.

We sprinted out the room, running quickly to her office where her monitors were still displaying the warehouse we were meant to infiltrate. I stopped dead when I recognized the people on the screen.

Trucks pulling up from the outside and unleashing six bodies that were thrashing, cloth over their heads and their hands and legs bound tightly. I could recognize the body types, the giveaways to their identity, and I sucked in a harsh breath. I called out loudly for my team, not taking my eyes off the screen. They all tumbled in together, stopping to stare at me and then at the monitors.

"They're on different parts of the globe. That's impossible," said Lydia to herself as she stumbled in and skidded to a stop when she saw us.

"I'm so sorry. I had no idea they would target you four this way. I- this wasn't even a considered possibility. I thought they were targeting me.." she mumbled when we all stared at her.

On the screen were six people, all obviously captured. Two managed to shake off the covers on their heads and all our suspicions were confirmed. It wasn't only my parents this enemy had taken. It was all of ours. I watched in horror as Rose's mom stared into the camera, unaware of her daughter's fate. And then Tyler's dad, being beaten to a pulp and unable to shield his face.

Then Lydia spoke up, "We're going to have to speed up this plan.."