Moonlight Labs

Chapter 8

Nearing the door, Aret jesters for Yin to get behind him. Aret stops across from Bane and Liam.

"Hey." Aret says to Bane, giving Liam a nod. "Is everyone here?"

"Yes." Bane replies, softly. "Wren, Cypher and Jay got here just before you two." Aret nods and cocks his head listening.

"The soldiers have spread out and a few are heading this way." Aret says.

"So now what?" Liam whispers.

"How many are outside?" Aret asks, looking at Bane.

"No one." Bane whispers. "I thought I saw movement so they could be hiding." Aret nods, his expression thoughtful.

"Then we'll have to risk it." Aret says. Yin lays his hand on Arets shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze. Aret glances at him and smiles softly. Bane glances between them then looks at Liam.

"Let's go." Aret says, moving towards the door. His friends follow him and the others come out of hiding.

"Everyone's here." Cypher says, coming up beside Aret. "What's the plan?"  Their friends make a circle so Aret can see all of them.

"We're leaving the room." Aret says, looking around the circle.

"Do we know how many guards are outside?" Jay asks, their voice anxious. Aret glances at them, his eyes meeting Jays storm grey ones.

"We're not sure." Aret says. "Bane can't see them. So we're running a risk here." His friends nod and Aret pushes for a moment.

"We'll have to go in groups of three." Aret says. "Seon, you're with Bane and Liam. Orion go with Jay and Cypher, and Wren you're with Yin and I." The three boys nod and Aret goes to the door.

"Coms in so we can communicate." Aret says, looking over his shoulder at his friends. They all put their coms in and Aret pushes the door open. Holding it open for his friends, Aret scans the hallway. Yin and Cypher come out right behind him, they each have a pistol in their hand.

"No one's here Owl." Bane says, coming out. Aret glances at the older boy.

"We still have to be careful Eagle." Aret says, turning his attention back to the hall. Bane nods and disappears down the hall with Liam and Seon right behind them.

                                              .               .               .

"Sir!" The soldier cries, bursting into the room. He snaps to attention when the man turns towards him.

"What?" The man barks at him.

"They've left the room." He says, warily. "They know about the trap." The man grips the edge of his desk, his dark eyes filled with anger. He doesn't say anything for a moment.

"Find them." He says, his voice strained. "Find them and don't let them escape!" The soldier nods and leaves the room. 

                                             .                 .               .

The year before, on October 31, a young girl was trick or treating for Halloween. She had met Aret and his friends the year before, when she was 13, and had helped them hide in the city when the lab had gotten close to their hideout. Her name is Atlas. She was minding her own business and decided to take a shortcut down an alley. About halfway down a boy jumped out of the shadows, grabbed Atlas, and stabbed her repeatedly. The boys name is Ryker and he's 17 years old. Atlas puts up a fight, causing Ryker to stab her in the eye twice.

"Brat." Ryker says, standing up and leaving Atlas laying there in the alley.  Atlas tries to call for help but Ryker had slit her throat, severing her vocal cords. 3 hours later, Atlas dies.

                                             .                 .               .

"My----!" Solar starts to say, upon seeing what has befallen Atlas. But Nova stops her with a finger upon her lips.

"Don't interrupt me." They say, removing their finger from their friends lips. Solar nods, not wanting to argue with Nova when their eye was blazing as it is at that moment. Nova turns back to the story and Solar does the same.