The Phoenix Society

Chapter 15

The longer I sat here, the more I regretted coming up with this ridiculous idea. I mean what was I even thinking? My fingers traced nervously around the burned 'PS' on my wrist. Not only was this mission extremely dangerous, but if pulled off successfully, I may be forced to face the man I have spent so long running away from. Something I am not sure I am ready for.

It's a good plan...Banks' words replayed in my mind as the hum of the freighter plane we rode in filled my ears.

"It's a good plan." I repeated to myself quietly. I leaned my head back onto the metal interior as my eyes closed. I focused on my breathing. In...out...in...out...

"Everything is going to be fine..." I whispered, giving myself a pep talk as I took another breath in. After a moment, my eyes snapped open as my breathing quickened again. It wasn't working. I needed to just get this over with. I couldn't sit here any longer. My hands began fiddling with the parachute straps that lay tightened across my chest.

"You getting nervous Kya?" Lillian spoke from where she sat across from me. She had to yell in order to be heard over the roar of the plane's engine. My mouth pressed into a thin line as she spoke. Her annoying voice was not what I needed right now.

"You're one to talk." I told her. "I can smell your fear all the way over here."

Banks snickered at the remark from beside me. Elias, who sat next to Lillian, bit his lip and looked away as he tried to hold back his laugh. If I didn't know any better, it would seem as though they were enjoying mine and Lillian's words. Maybe they saw it as a way to break the nerves everyone was feeling about jumping out of this stupid plane. My eyes watched as Lillian gave out an annoyed huff, followed by a roll of her eyes.

"Alright guys," Tyler's voice came through our earpieces. He was stationed at the Estate keeping an eye on our maneuvers through the Pits elaborate tracking systems. "This really could make some waves. We need to keep this as low profile as possible."

"Don't we always?" Elias's voice crackled through the radio. I saw his mouth curve into a smirk as he poked fun at Tyler's comment.

"Your shoots are guided by GPS. As soon as you hit the desired mark, they will deploy." Tyler said ignoring Elias's comment. "You won't have to do anything except land on your mark. Follow the formation until you reach the entrance. You will have about three minutes to reach the top before the guards at the bottom are notified."

A loud beeping sounded accompanied by a flashing red light as the cargo hold slowly opened. My sweaty hand clasped around the metal bench I sat on as I looked at the floor beneath my feet. A wave of wind rushed through the now open plane, sending chills down my spine.

"I hope you all are ready for some fresh air." Banks spoke. Besides having to yell over the plane, his voice was calm, without any hint of anything that would indicate his nervousness. I guess he's probably been on countless missions like this one. He's probably used to this by now.

"I'll see you all on the other side." Tyler said. I took a deep breath as my hand started to tremble. As if sensing my fear, I felt a strong hand lay on top of mine. I looked over at Banks. He gave me a small reassuring smile as his hand squeezed mine. He was telling me that it was okay, that I can do this. I nodded, my eyes not straying from his. There was no going back now. This was for Laken. I was coming for him.

"Its show time." Banks said. His eyes left mine as he stood. He walked to the opening of the cargo hold, where he turned back around to face us. I watched as he placed his toes on the very edge of the opening, much like a diver would do before jumping off their platform. His eyes met mine again, before he opened his arms allowing himself to fall seamlessly out of the plane. With in moments, he was out of sight, flying through the air.

Elias was next, he disappeared much like Banks did, then Lillian. I turned my head looking at Marley who sat beside me. She had not said a word the entire plane ride. She sat so silently, I nearly forgot she was here. I watched as her fingers nervously picked at the skin around her nails. In the jumpsuit, she looked small, as the arms were baggy and long, and the pants had to be rolled up so that they didn't drag on the floor. She looked like a completely different person from the confident assassin she was. Any excitement she had this morning, had vanished, like it didn't even exist. The girl who was once overjoyed at the chance for her first mission, looked small and scared, and as much as I hated to admit it, like she didn't belong. It reminded me a lot of Laken.

"What's taking so long up there?" Elias asked through our earpieces. His voice was loud and strained, I figured probably from the force of gravity on his body as he fell through the sky.

"You chicken out?" Lillian's snarky voice came though, her voice as strained at Elias's.

"Shut up Lillian." I scolded her. Marley knew I was waiting for her. I couldn't just leave knowing that she was up here shaking in fear. While I could handle Lillian's attitude, Marely did not need it right now. Any indication that she couldn't do the task in front of her would crush her spirit.

"Kya. Mars. Is everything okay up there?" Banks asked a hint of worry making its appearance as he spoke. "Talk to me."

"Jus-just give me a minute." Marley's small voice finally said. Her eyes never left mine. I watched her body heave in as she took a deep breath, then let it out.

"We don't have a minute Mars. You two need to jump now or it will put you behind in formation." Banks told her. His voice was firm, but I could tell how much he wished he was here to help coax her.

"I-I don't think I can." A small tear slid down Marley's cheek as she spoke. She quickly wiped it away. "I'm sorry, Banks."

No. There was no way I was going to let her walk away from something I knew she would regret if she did. I couldn't let that happen. A part of me wondered if I was waiting this long to actually help Marley or if because I was just as scared as she was.

"You can do this Marley." I told her. I stood up holding out my hand. She looked up at me, her piercing green eyes were glossed over in fear, and unshed tears.

"I'm scared." She said quietly. I looked at her thoughtfully as I tried to think of the right thing to say.

"So am I." I knelt down reaching her level. "Hell I'm scared of a lot of things. Spiders for one, no reason those little shits need to be moving that fast. But fear...is a good thing. It only means we're human. If we weren't scared, we wouldn't have a reason to live."

For once it made sense. As I spoke to Marley, I realized that all this time, when I was working for Monroe, he had tried to beat the fear out of me. Its what he did to all of his Phoenix's. Its how he controlled us. But he couldn't control me anymore. Its because of my fear, the fear of what he can do, that I will never stop fighting him, and I will stop at nothing to ensure my brothers safety. I watched as Marley processed the information I had just told her.

"Okay." She said slowly. She reached up and placed her smooth hand in my outstretched one. Together, we walked to the edge of the plane.

"You can do this Marley." I told her again. Her hand squeezed mine tightly. I felt her tremble as she looked over the edge of the plane. "Don't look, don't think, just do."

"Don't look, don't think, just do." She repeated softly. Her eyes looked at me. They were now less scared and more determined. She wanted to show them she could do it. I smiled at her.

"We're going to do this together. Okay?" I took a deep breath as the bright blue sky filled my vision. How the other three did this so easily, I don't know. My heart was racing. I glanced over at Marley one last time. She gave me a nod...she was ready. And so was I.