The Phoenix - BBS

Successes ✔️

Brock stood outside the front yard, dressed in the guard uniform Anthony had told them was still being used. The last week Anthony had sent pictures of anything identifying they'd need, and the last time he'd been able to visit he'd brought several ID passes for those infiltrating.

Tyler, Evan, Jon, Marcel, John, Scott and Brian were all doing last minute checks, checking their uniforms and making sure their passes were in the right spot. Scott would drive them all to a parking lot where Anthony had brought a collection of cars so they could drive in normally. They'd notice a large armored truck pulling in, especially since they knew they'd taken one.

Brock would ride with Brian, Jon with Evan, since neither knew how to drive. Scott and Marcel would be in another car, John, Daithi and Tyler in the last. But for the trip there, they'd have to get in the truck, and Brock was frozen staring at it.

In the last few months, he'd refused to go near it. Those trucks were often the ones they'd drop on him during strength tests, and his body tingled with remembered pain every time he looked at it.

And the last two times he'd ever been in the truck, were not good memories. The first being when he was 8 and tied up, thrown into the back to be transported to the facility. The second was their escape, where he stood facing so many guards aiming guns at them and he'd used a power he hadn't known he had and was in a 5 week coma after.

Neither were very good memories, and now he was going to have to get back into it to return to the place he'd been tortured for 19 years. He hid his shaking hands in his pockets, swallowing as he tried to steel his nerves.

We are stronger now, bonded. This will not get the best of us, never again. This time it's us taking control, his spirit whispered gently to him and he took a deep breath as he felt that hugging pulse in his heart. His shoulders relaxed and he slowly walked forward, seeing Brian look up and smile concerned at him.

"You okay?" He asked and Brock nodded, bringing his chin up in a set determination. "We're taking our lives back today. I'm okay, we can do this," he said and he felt a pulse of pride coming from his spirit.

That boosted his courage and he followed Tyler, Daithi and John into the truck, Evan and Jon following behind him. Brian was the last one to climb in and Brock looked at the house, seeing Jaren, Scotty, Kelly and the other three manifested who'd stayed behind, Mark, Ethan and Séan. Chrissy and Kris decided to stay behind, knowing that Chrissy was one of the few who could calm Jaren down in one of his rages and Kris who'd become close friends with Scotty and Kelly.

Brock wasn't very close to the three other manifested, though Daithi and Brian seemed to take Séan under their wing and Evan and Tyler were close to Mark and Ethan. The few conversations he'd had with them, he knew they were funny, warm people.

Mark was a golden retriever, and man did it fit well. He was loyal, funny, cheerful, and very hyper. Ethan was a boxer dog, which also fit him. He had some really bad ADHD, which always made for some entertaining times. Séan was a Maine Coon cat, which meant he was very particular about his things and a bit aloof, but had such a crazy personality people couldn't help but love him.

They didn't really have many offensive abilities, and they hadn't wanted to come anyway. So they all would be staying back and watching the house.

Scott turned around and raised an eyebrow. Brock had found him like the dad of the group. He was definitely the oldest out of everyone being 30, but he still treated them all like his. He was hilarious, made some extremely out of pocket jokes sometimes, and treated them all as equals. He wasn't a manifested, but his spirit was that of a coyote.