chaper twenty-one

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The teens reach the library where Alex wheels out a cart that holds an old Tv with the VHS machine. Once everything was plugged in and ready to go the teens stood around the cart.

“This was left specifically for me, something important.” Molly nervously says as she enters the tape into the machine letting Alex press play for the video to start.

“Hi, baby.” Alice, Molly's mother, says immediately taking everyone by surprise as they were not expecting her parent’s to pop up.

“Molly those are your-” Gert whispers making Molly cut her off with a quieter ‘yeah’, as on the screen both of her parents were sitting next to each other and talking into the camera making it seem very personal. Wrapping his arm around the younger girl, Garfield continues to hold her as the video progresses knowing it must be hard to see her parents on screen.

“Molly, since before you were born, we’ve been part of an organisation called PRIDE.” Gene, Molly’s father, speaks up for the first time letting Alice cut in, “PRIDE does a lot of good for the city, but it’s not the group’s reason for being.”

“They’re planning on digging something up, something buried deep beneath the city.” Gene explains vaguely.

“We were told that it was a renewable energy source, that would do good for the planet,” Alice states as her husband looks over to her then back to the camera, “But now we’re not too sure.”

“Doesn’t sound like this has a happy ending,” Alex comments, not liking any bit of the video.

“And you’re surprised?” Nico asks as Molly motions her to be quiet so she could focus on her parents.

“And even if what’s down there's good..There's a blind fault you can’t see from the surface, and if we disturb it, it will cause a series of seismic events.” Gene continues.

“Catastrophic earthquakes,” Alice remarks as she and her husband continue to pause to let the other speak every few seconds, “Hydrocarbons causing explosions and massive fires.”

“Not to mention the creature we found with the Logans and the really weird stuff in these rock samples, and we don’t know if it’s caused by a fungus or a virus of some sort.” Alice wavers slightly.

“Logans? As in your parents Gar?”

“I-i don’t-”

“Shush”

“It doesn’t-it doesn’t matter. The point is, if you’re watching this, we failed to stop it,"Gene says as he seemed to have a less emotional approach to it all, unlike Alice.

“Baby, we love you so, so much and there’s so much more we wanna tell you. But please know that we are right beside you always. You are our greatest joy.” Alice says, causing the younger girl to tear up, Garfield tightening his grip on the girl's shoulder in comfort as this was Molly’s closure for the reason why they had died.

“And we’re so, so sorry.” Gene says before he stands up letting his denim shirt take over the screen hiding Alice who looked at the brink of tears. Then the screen goes black and Grey.

“This--this makes no sense like zero.” Nico comments as the new information about PRIDE changed everything, they were no longer about taking teens and sacrificing them but PRIDE is about essentially destroying the world.

“Maybe our parents don’t know what that dig will do,” Karolina cried in defence yet it wasn't convincing to any of the others.

“Come on, Karolina. Of course they do. The Hernandez’s knew and they mentioned my parents. So what? You think our really intelligent parents don’t know what they're digging up?or are you really the dumb blonde everyone says you are. ” Garfield scoffs having no sympathy for their parents as all he wanted was this to end.

“They just went from serial killers to genocidal maniacs,” Gert stresses trying to show how she was internally freaking out.

“I was hoping my parents weren’t a part of this, but I guess they’re as bad as the rest.” she murmurs sadly avoiding the sympathetic glances the others were giving her.

“No, your parents thought that they were doing something good, and when they realised they weren’t they tried to warn you. Maybe they tried to warn the others.” Karolina says which meant their deaths weren’t an accident and someone in PRIDE killed Molly’s parents.

“Maybe..that’s why they died.” Nico slowly words to let the thought settle in everyone's minds. One of their parents took away Molly’s family and left her alone. 

“Forget turning our parents in. We have to stop them,” Alex tells the group taking the role of the leader.

“The school.” Garfield announces in realisation, “Their new state of the art school construction is a cover.”

“The PRIDE meetings, the gala? It’s all been an elaborate front.” Karolina blurts out as everything starts to piece together.

“Basically our whole lives, they’ve been planning on how to cause the end of the world.” Chase accepts hysterically whilst running his hands through his locks.

“They get rid of anyone who stands in their way,” Molly pipes up offering her own opinions on the matter.

“Which could include us next. Anyone interested in doing a semester abroad?” Nico asks the group not knowing how they were going to stop something that could potentially kill millions.

“Suddenly I have the urge to go visit some distant relatives in Costa del sol. I don’t know where they live but it shouldn't be too hard to find them.” Garfield voices as he visualises what his life would be like in spain. Very hot is what he concludes in his daydream.

“Oh so you're cool with ditching everyone and letting Cali just drop in the Pacific?” Chase asks sceptical as he was more inclined to wanting to save his home, not abandoning it.

“Pretty much,” Garfield shrugs nonchalantly as Nico nods wordlessly in agreement, “I’ll of course tell Cy, his ma and Wall of course. Just tell them that there’s some good places to invest.”

“Exploding hydrogen! Mutant Fungus! Creature!” Gert exclaims as she lists out everything bad on her fingers.

“No, I but-” Nico stammers trying to defend her and Garfield’s idea.

Karolina speaks up, “Maybe we should just slow down and ask for some help. Things are always changing. It has been ten years.”

“Alex is right, we have to do something. Maybe we're way over our heads, but I think our parents are, too.”

“As much as it pains me to agree, chase is right. We have to stop this. No one else will.” Alex vents, annoyed with Chase and Garfield still but willing to put it aside if it meant getting another chance to avenge those who have died.

“Well, it’s not like we have a choice. What about the dance? Are we still going to that? Or am I gonna have to go throw it back in Eiffel’s face.” Garfield grills as he doesn't feel like looking at the smug witch’s face when he gives back the six tickets.

“Oh, no, the dance is still on. It’s our cover.” Alex discloses with a smirk, stepping back into the role of a leader.

“Well guys, I guess the band isn’t splitting up anytime soon. Too bad for one direction it doesn't look like they’re coming back any time soon.”

“Garrrr.” Molly moans as she huffs beside him, “Too soon.”

“Drive separately, dress nice, lie to your parents. Good?” Alex  informs, the teens all collectively nodding and follow with a collective ‘yeah’ or ‘good’

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