Shattered (Completed)

Chapter 11 - The Mission Begins

Missions are best done at night. Because everyone is asleep, tucked in their beds, or too tired to react. So they just lamely call orders or such. And then it gets to the good part.

That's what Evan told me, anyway. I wouldn't know. It seems fun, though, because already I'm getting anxious in - if possible - a good way. And maybe anxious isn't the right word. Maybe it's. . . eager. Or ready. Something along those thick lines separating them from the word anxious. My stomach is doing flips, and my head isn't working right. Maybe it's the fact that I haven't moved this much since being out of the Cylinder, which is likely, but this feeling gets my blood running quick. 

I like it. It's energizing. 

"Alright!" I hear Florence yell, and we stop, looking back at the car. I see a big white building, so conspicuous compared to the other off-white houses. "Who goes in first?" Team Red. "What do they do?" Create a distraction. "Who slips in second?" Team Black. "What do they do?" Get Luke and Mark from room Z12, the under ground floor, twelfth room.  "And last, who leaves first, and who leaves second?" Team Black, then Team Red. "Alright, kids. . . Stay sage." He then looks at me with a stern gaze. "If it gets too intense, or if you start feeling like you'll faint, ask Evan to bring you back here. Blaze can deal with things on his own."

Blaze replies with a yell, but I don't much care. I just nod at Florence. "I'll be fine, honest." I grin. "Look, I can stand, right? I'll be fine,"

He seems to look me over before meeting my gaze again. He has a smile. "Alright. . . Don't push yourself too much, sweet - er, Aria. Have fun." His smile turns sad briefly, and he rolls up his window. He's gone. 

You'll see him again, I remind myself. He may be the only one you feel safe around in this group, but you can trust these people. They're good. They're like you. . . all but Evan. But Flora, she's nice. She's -

"Alex, come on!" shouts a voice. When I think it over, it's Evan. He grabs my arm, pulling me out of the road. "What are you, wanting to kill yourself? You could have gotten run over! What were you doing just standing in the road?" His grip on my arm is tight, and I cringe. Does he have a pressure point on my arm beneath his thumb? "Never do that again, okay?"

I look up into his light brown eyes. What were they again, what did they resemble? I forget. But his eyes show fear and concern, which is comforting, so I nod. "Yeah, I got it," I reply, acting nonchalant about it. But really my heart is pounding. Was I about to get run over by a car? "Sorry for. . . standing there. I guess." My eyes slowly find his again. 

He shakes his head and lets go of me. I rub my arm. "Alright, gang. Team Red - er, Blaze? Alex? Come on. We're Team Red. We go  in first," He, as if protectively or something, touches my arm. Maybe to remind me that I'm Team Red. I may have forgotten my name that one time, but not this time, I'm not gonna forget what color team I was designated to, out of two colors. Two colors.

Blaze steps forward. He howls, grinning. His howl is louder than it should be - I know, because Flora says so, and she adds that he's using one of his abilities. She then smiles apologetically. "Good luck, Alex. And not so much with the mission as with. . ." She nods her to Blaze, then shakes her head with a grin. "He's crazy, isn't he?" But I see love in her eyes, and it makes me smile. "Alright, Alex. . . Have fun," She pats my shoulder and steps back. 

Evan takes my hand - literally grabs my hand - and guides me towards the building. I snatch my hand back. "Dude, I know where we're going." But he takes my hand again, and this time I just let him. He'd take my hand again, I know it, so it wouldn't be any use. I let him lead me, and then shove me into the building, holding a gun that magically appeared in his hand to my head. He wraps an arm around my waist and secures me to him, along with my arms to me. "Alright, everyone! Evacuate now or she's shot!" he yells.