Trying to Survive Sucks: A Tiana KOTLC adventure.

Plan Z

Biana's POV

It took Tam long enough to say okay to a Neverseen attack. I had to hold both of his hands to make him say yes.

Then he told me he loved me, and kissed me long and slow. He hadn't kissed me like that in a long time. Even in our tiny treehouse, surrounded by thick green woods, I felt right at home in Tam's arms. I sighed and let him go.

"Come on, let's go fill Linh in, and then figure out how to sneak onto an island behind enemy lines."

"Easy," he said with his usual sass. "A normal day on the job."

I rolled my eyes and led him to the tiny kitchen where Linh was making lunch. She almost dropped the stale loaf of bread she was carrying when she saw us.

"Did it work? Did you convince him?"

She slapped slices of bread on top of the sandwiches she had just completed.

"Yes, I did. The plan is to sneak onto the island that Sophie and Keefe are stranded on and rescue them, then we can try an attack on the Neverseen. At least, that's what we've worked out."

Linh wiped her hands on her wrinkled tunic and nodded, leaning against the wooden picnic table we'd found in a human campsite. Hey, nothing against the humans. They didn't use it, they just took their food to eat on a blanket, which is way worse than a table.

"So, when are we going for the island? The sooner we rescue Sophie and Keefe, the better. We don't even know if they're still alive."

Linh crossed her arms over her stomach and turned pale.

"I honestly don't want to think about it. Let's just make a plan and stick to it."

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"Guys, I can't hold this much longer," Linh whispered. "This water is really angry. I can sense a lot of pollution."

I could see Linh's arms straining under the pressure of holding the water boat together. She had lasted the entire four-mile stretch from the Hawaiian beach, but she was turning a little green. Tam was keeping himself and the strange boat shrouded with shadows, and I kept myself vanished to keep the Neverseen from detecting us. 

I honestly wasn't feeling too good about this mission.

Mostly because the last time one of us went on a mission, they didn't come back.

Fitz.

I missed my annoying, obnoxious brother, even though he seemed to hate me and Tam's relationship.

I missed him so much.

I was so distracted by my thoughts I didn't notice the boat touch down on a small island until Tam shook my shoulder.

"You okay?"

"Fine."

He didn't look convinced, but he didn't say anything. Linh dissolved her boat and collapsed onto the warm sand. Tam ran to her.

"I'm fine," She insisted. "Just a little tired."

Tam sighed and helped his sister off the ground. We surveyed the humid jungle around us, looking for any sign of Neverseen action. Tam touched his side where there was a scar from the last Neverseen surprise. I had seen him shirtless enough times to know that nervous tic. I touched his hand to help him focus.

"Sorry. This jungle could hide anything."

Or anyone.

"Yeah," said a new voice coming from the thick brush. "We know."

A very bedraggled Sophie Foster stepped out of the shadows, her blonde hair dirty and tied back with a vine. Her clothes were ripped and torn, with stains that looked like blood. She carried a roughly hewn bow and three arrows over her shoulder. 

She had been perfectly disguised in the brush.

She leaned against the trunk of a tree and crossed her arms, the picture of confidence.

"Nice to see you guys. Took you long enough to get here."