The Eden Projects (EDITING)

Chapter 44 // Pt. 2

- Ace - 

"Take his legs-" Ace motioned to Kasper. "Look at that you can listen."

Kasper only glared with his tired, amber eyes.

Together they slid Zak from his resting spot, careful to keep their movements quiet and deliberate. Ace's mind was elsewhere, wandering through a haze of worries and fears. He had been seen and shot at within shouting distance of the group. Fog said nothing but was clearly in a state of disbelief, taking in the gravity of their situation. The implications weren't good, a chilling realization settling in the pit of Ace's stomach. He could think of nothing to explain away his closeness to the danger that now surrounded them. He would have to meet with Maliver again and head it all off before things spiraled further out of control.

The group had already settled into their new homes by the time they had arrived. Topher and Rook stood at the top of the centermost guard tower. 

"That happened fast." Topher jumped, landing nearby before shoving Kasper away to more adequately help him move Zak.

"Where are you going?" Ace saw Kasper linger, looking back towards the entrance.

"I have to find them."

"No, you need to stay here." Rook took his position so he could follow after the fleeing Kasper. "If I have to make sure you stay here myself then I will."

"Zak's yours. You said so yourself, I have to go for Zero, I have to get him back."

Ace scoffed. "Your so quick to just throw things away. Get him back. What about what you already have?" He questioned. Seeing the determination Kasper held. "You can barely walk."

Kasper didn't say a thing. He was going, whether he liked it or not.

Ace sighed. "Look. I understand alright? But you can't do this right now. Fog and I will go find him. You need to be here. With your group." He took a step forward. "With Zak."

"It has to be me. I have to fix this." A complex mottling of sadness, anger, fear, and despair cloaked Kasper where he stood. "It has to be me or he won't listen."

"You are being selfish." Ace shook his head. "If you go out there, don't bother coming back. Your screwed in the head."  

Kasper blinked. "I'm fine."

"You're shaking." Ace reached for him. He knew a break when he saw one. "You need to stay in reality. Reality is, you don't know where or how to find him. You don't know where Ark is, and you have no tracking skill whatsoever."

He looked at the ground. His normally clenched hands were limp at his sides. "I have to try." Kasper looked up. His eyes were glassy and his complexion was paler than it ever had been. He was more ghost than person now. "Don't ask me to choose."

"I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. You will stay here."

Kasper closed the space between them, the entirety of him tensing. He looked down into Ace and his lip quivered. For a moment, it seemed he was mustering a way to argue. 

"I want to help Zero too. If he's still in there. But you have to play this smart." Ace tried. Re-arranging his words. "I'm offering to do you a favor. No strings attached." 

Kasper let out a breath, and pushed past, heading in the direction Zak had been taken.

Ace let out a huff before rubbing his forehead. "God. He's too quick for his own good."

"This is bad." Fog muttered joining him where he stood. 

The two watched Kasper slink away.

"No really." He crossed his arms. "I was wrong in thinking I could control him. If Zak doesn't pan out we are ten miles up shits creek with our mouth's wide open."

"He sounded like he has his mind made up." 

"Maybe I was wrong thinking he'd follow Zak anywhere." 

"You've come this far. If he slips, what makes you think he won't get back up."

Ace sighed, and the door Kasper disappeared through slammed. "No one gets back up this many times without repercussions. I'm beginning to think my debt has been adequately paid. I'm thinking about cutting ties with it all. Sooner rather than later. But what Kasper can do, is worth the trouble. There will never be something quite like him again."

"And Maliver?" Fog looked to the sky.

Ace stretched. "Well... I have some explaining to do."