HNS Takedown

20

I almost cried in excitement, but remembered I would draw attention to us.

We all ran in and I undid the rope that strapped Alaina to the chair, she'd been crying, "here we are again" I whispered, silent tears were rolling down her face.

"Celine-" she started, "shh shh, don't say anything" I told her, to my surprise she pushed me away, "it's Maria" she said simply, "what!?" I choked, Maria had been like a mother to me, "your kidding", "I'm not, it's her" Alaina said, "she planned it all, every last piece".

I stood up and turned around, Ben was on the ground and Miles was crouched beside him, face etched with concern.

Alaina and I dashed to his side, "looks like the poison kicked in" came a voice.

Maria.

I stood up and whirled around, fire and anger bubbled through my veins. I'd never felt so angry, and I know I've said this before, but this time it was for real.

She was smiling sweetly at me, too sweetly, "do you want the antidote?" she asked, "well unfortunately, I don't have", I sprinted towards her, grabbing her throat and pinning her to the wall, "then be of some help, and tell us who does" I snarled, my words spat out onto her face.

"Well?" I said bitterly, "I have it" came a voice, I dropped Maria, who was gasping for air.

It was Charlie. "Maria, I'm sorry, well not really, but I can't play a part in this anymore" he said.

He handed Miles the antidote to the poison, just before Maria threw the knife I gave her at him.

It went through his right eye and sunk deep into his head.

Alaina screamed and I just stood there, not knowing what to think or do, my main concern was that my friends (and the only family member I have left) stayed.

I ran to Ben and the others who were gathered around him.

He had chugged the antidote, and was now in some sort of plank-like position, looking like he was going to throw up, and he did, it splattered over the ground, it was gross, but no one judged.

Alaina was rubbing his back and Miles was holding him up and stopping him from collapsing completely.

"Are you feeling better?" Alaina asked, her face calm, but worried at the same time, "yeah" came Ben's reply.

"Guys" said Miles, "she's gone".

I stood up, how could I have been so stupid, I was so focused on keeping Ben alive that I forgot that she was there.

I ran a stressed hand through my ponytail, I was looking around, and my eye kept catching Charlie's body, I could see a piece of paper in his hand.

I walked towards him, and plucked it out of his hand, I opened it and it read, 'if you're reading this Celine, I am most likely dead. Firstly I would like to apologize though I know you cannot forgive me for the things I have done, I hope one day you can, if this helps, Maria will be hidden in the room with the coded lock, here is the pin: 1072000.

-Charlie

"Let's go, I know where she is," I said to the others, who were pacing, talking and trying to figure out a plan, "so you're telling me, while we've been trying to work out a plan, you know where she is?" Miles asked, "Thanks to Charlie, I didn't have to do too much thinking" I replied, picking up both of Miles's longswords and handing them to him.

"How?" asked Ben, "read this, it explains everything" and I handed him the note and I stood there and they all read it.

"Did he know this was going to happen?" asked Alaina, "I don't know but I think he guessed, thinking that she'd think we wouldn't be able to find her, but in reality we would" I replied, "now enough talking, we have a criminal to catch".

We left the room, weapons raised.

We were readier than we'd ever been in our lives, because this was a life or death situation.

"Try your best not to kill anymore HNS members, they're just as innocent as we are, Maria brainwashed them and I don't want anymore blood on my hands" I told them, "we'll try, but remember it's not your fault, they killed people and you saved many lives by ending one" Miles reminded me.

I went to reply, when I stopped dead in my tracks, and looked around the empty and dusty hallway.

There at the very end of the hall was the door with the coded lock.

"You guys ready?" I asked looking at each of them, "I am," said Alaina, "she brainwashed the people who killed Madre and Padre, that bitch needs to pay", I smiled at her, she'd grown into a strong young woman and I trusted her to make the right choices.

"Remember, we all go in, and we all come out" I said.

Approaching the door, I entered the pin, watching as the numbers appeared on the screen.

And the words we wanted to see appeared on the door,

'ACCESS GRANTED' in bold black letters.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door quietly and we stepped inside

And low and behold, with her back turned to us was Maria.

She must have heard us because she turned around, her expression priceless.

"Hello Maria, nice seeing you" I said, my attitude on point.