Elementals (#Wattys2017)

Return

1 year later.
I sat on the floor of the common room with Artemis. Pine was holding Apollo trying to get him to go to sleep.
"Alright buddy, I'm gonna give you to mommy. You gonna be a man about it?"
He gave him to me and he slept soundly in my arms.
I ran my hand over his dark purple-black hair.
Pine picked up a giggling Artemis.
"I can't believe it's been a year." Pine said.
"Me neither. Happy birthday sweetheart."
Just then the alarm went off and River ran in.
"We have a problem."
"Lina, go!" Pine said.
I took the twins and put them in the nursery. Then I ran and got my mission suit on.
I met the team back in the conference room.
"What's going on?!" I yelled.
"There's been a prison break." River said.
"Which prison?"
"The national prison."
"Oh my god. Don't tell me that-"
"Tricity and Krissie. They got out."
Suddenly the compound shook.
"What happened?!"
"An explosion on the south end of the compound! The nursery!"
"No!"
We all ran to the nursery. I pulled on the door but it wouldn't budge. I could hear Artemis's screams from inside.
"Stand back!" I yelled.
I burned the door down.
I ran inside.
"Shh. You don't wanna wake the baby." Tricity said.
Tricity had Apollo and Krissie had Artemis.
"I won't let you hurt them."
"Oh I'm not gonna hurt them. I'm gonna train them. Like I trained you four. They'll be better than you ever where and they'll grow up to hate you."
Pine lunged at Krissie.
He managed to get Artemis out of her hands but was thrown back against the wall.
All of a sudden there was a burst of light.
"Apollo?" I said.
Then suddenly everything was consumed by darkness.
"Artemis?"
"Tricity grab one and let's get out of here!"
There was a flash of electricity and a wave of fire.
Then everything was silent.
I sat on my knees with tears streaming down my face and a crying Artemis in my arms.
Pine stirred and jumped up.
"Lina!?"
"They took him..." I whimpered. "They took Apollo..."
Pine walked over and sat in front of me.
He was crying just as much as I was.
He hugged me and we just cried.
Artemis reached for him and he took her in his arms.
"We'll get him back..."

We searched.
Hours turned into days. Days turned into months. Months turned into years. We never gave up but, we never told Artemis.
God only knows what Tricity has done to him.
To know he is gone...
Would be too devastating.