out of control | the rewrite

⁴. ˢⁱᵗ ˢᵗⁱˡˡ, ˢᵖʸ⁻ᵏⁱᵈ

CHAPTER FOUR: PART ZERO ; ASHES TO ASHES, THEY ALL FALL DOWN
Mikayla honestly expected something different when she was led to a room that was encased in cement, like everything else in this secret base. But when she saw that it was lined in fancy technology, bullet-proof anything that she could imagine- she felt like she was being thrown into Spy-kids.

Emerson was no help in trying to act like she wasn't excited beyond belief for their journey. Running around and touching everything in the place- lightly shocking herself on some of the more high-tech items before running to the next shiny thing in her line of sight. The girl was gonna get herself killed.

Again.

She eyed the blonde, making sure she didn't decide to just pick up a gun and play target practice while she stood to the side with the old man. The name 'Primus' didn't fit well on him, so she was still figuring out a way to address him without using his real name.

"So." The girl started, eyeing a royal purple and gold dagger she saw hiding away on the wall. "Anything we see here, we can bring into the next world?"

He nodded. "As long as you mind carrying it around, sure. Anything to help you two on your journey."

There was a pause as Emerson started to laugh excitedly, pointing to a bow and arrow in the wall. "Look! I could be the next Hawkeye! Well, if I could actually shoot something. I have probably the worst aim on the planet. One time I accidently shot at my dad instead of the hay bale.."

She trailed off into her own mumbling as the bow and arrow was forgotten, her attention quickly being drawn to a glowing green orb in a glass case near the far end of the giant room.

Mikayla pursed her lips. Great, she was going to be saving the world with a nutjob who couldn't keep still. This would be fun.

"Alright." The girl looked up as she lowered her voice, trying not to gain the blonde's attention. "I've had a question for you ever since we got to this freaky place."

Suit-man nodded at her, sensing her tone and already seeming to know what was on her mind.

The atmosphere turned heavy in their corner of the room, and she leaned back on the table she stood against- just slightly. The brunette sighed as she watched the girl run to the back of the room to try on a few different cuffs for her forearms; some of which she didn't doubt were bullet-proof.

Primus looked back at her with a tight lipped expression, eyeing her as if to say she should state her question before the chaotic teenager in the corner overheard.

"Our deaths." She said, finally unclenching her jaw and acting as if she were deathly calm. "They weren't natural."

Mikayla trailed off with an edge to her voice. Her fists clenched white as she stood stiff and still besides him. 

"You tampered with our lives, didn't you."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement, one that was proved correct when all the old man could do was nod and swallow thickly. She was sure that if he wasn't trillions of years old and tall enough to squash her like an ant, she'd try to punch him. Retaliate in some way. Tell him that he could-

"Hey guys! Look how cool this is!"

Neither figure paid much attention to the blonde, who held up an object that looked a lot like a lightsaber as she spun it around in the air and smiled. At least someone was having fun.

Her lip was slowly pushed out from between her teeth, and she took a few steps forwards to put some distance between the two.

"You couldn't have given me another day." Mikayla bit out, wiping the water from under her eyes as her throat tightened. Her pointer finger shoved into his chest as she walked towards him, her voice cracking while she tried not to shout. "One more day."

"I'm sorry." The old man sounded genuine, but she didn't know how many lies he'd have had to tell in the past. She wasn't sure if any of his pity was even real. "I didn't know."

"Yeah? Well, you should have." The brunette inhaled sharply through her nose as she pretended to inspect an odd looking pistol on the counter. "Don't let Emerson find out you were involved. Or so help me I'll do everything in my power-"

There was a pause as she closed her eyes. "Just.."

She couldn't find anything else to say as she walked away, rubbing her eyes as she grabbed a random black duffle bag of clothing that was left on the counter, hightailing it into the changing rooms for some time to be alone.

---

[overheard in a bathroom stall] "do you think he's attracted to doorbells?"