Behind The Sea: The Lost and Wanted (never gonna be rewritten.)

19. We're Ready.

Valeri's POV:

"Guys, we need to get heavy. The time is coming very near and we're not very prepared." Alexander frowned. I sighed, anxiety building up in me. My mother hasn't reached out to me through my dreams in a while, and it doesn't feel good.

"When will we have to fight?" I asked anxiously. Alexander's blue eyes met mine.

"Soon. Very soon." He spoke slowly. My stomach churned, and I looked to my feet. I wasn't ready for battle. I felt sick thinking about it.

"Let's get started, okay? Test yourself in ways you didn't think possible. Noah!" He called while walking away. He brought Noah with us for some odd reason. It was odd having two Noahs as well. I frowned as they started to separate into teams.

We got teamed up like always, and went out full force. I gained much strength in my gifts and I now could enter myself in that state of mind without anger. I could also control myself when I was angry. I was kind of proud of myself, I could do things I never heard of a month ago. I was a whole different person, somebody I loved.

By the end of practice, everybody felt ready, really ready. Including myself.

"I think we're prepared." Alexander smiled proudly, looking at us all.

"Really?" We all chorused. Linda and him nodded. Linda looked cry proud, like her child just received an award.

"We start battle tomorrow." Linda said. I felt my eyes brim with tears, and a tense silence fell over our group. Maybe we weren't ready after all.

"I-I wanna help?" A small voice called. Noah. I looked at him, and smiled.

"What can you do, boy?" Alexander asked, looking at him. Alexander was very imitating.

"I can make somebody forget what they're doing." He said a bit louder. Alexander smiled, and nodded.

"Perfect. Demonstrate." He stepped forward, unafraid.

He began fighting Noah, and Noah advanced on him.

Suddenly, Alex looked around confused. He looked back at the boy, and realization crossed his features.

"Perfect. How many members are in your group?" He asked, his thick eyebrows pulled together.

"Thirty Seven men." He said. I gasped, and I wasn't alone in the gesture.

An army.

"How many women?" Alexander questioned, stress clear in his smooth voice.

"None. Boss is the only woman and she won't fight unless that's what it comes down to. She protects Marcelo as well." Noah answered truthfully.

"What's 'Boss'es name?" Alexander asked, his brows furrowed.

"We don't know." Noah shrugged. Alex sighed, but nodded.

"Dismissed." He called as he formed a bubble. I joined him in it and we floated away.

It all seemed so... fake. Like any moment I would wake up and my heart would be crushed.

Alexander intertwined his fingers in mine as we popped the bubble. We walked to the fire pit and sat down, drowning a bottle of water and Alexander opening another.

"When do we go into the battle?" I asked, my mouth growing dry.

"As soon as we can. Probably before the break of dawn." The fact he was stressed made me much more nervous.

"We should be going to sleep soon, right after we eat." He said. He was beginning to smell like musk, and I was sure we all were smelling bad. My hair was sweaty and oily and I just felt disgusting.

"I need a shower so bad." I complained. Alexander stood, and gestured for me to follow him. I nodded, and we walked to the tent.

He collected my bag, his sample sized soaps, and we snuck into the forest.

"What are we doing?" I whispered when we kept walking.

"You're gonna take a shower, c'mon." He said. We walked deep into the woods, further than I though we could.

We pushed some shrubs aside, and revealed a beautiful water fall, and it was perfectly private.

"This. Is. Awesome!!" I squealed.

"Sh, you can't let anybody know you're here. Anybody could hear you." He whispered.

"I'll guard, and I can't see you. These trees are thick but if somebody can hear you they'll follow your sound." He said. I nodded, and he left. I stripped down quickly, now afraid somebody would come in here and see me completely naked.

I used almost all of Alexander's shampoo and he only had a bit of conditioner, so my hair didn't feel very silky, but at least it was clean.

I dried off with the towel he supplied and tied it around my hair. I dressed quickly and comfortably as the sun sunk into the ground and ocean.

I heard a rustling, and the wind blew around me. I furrowed my brows, and collected my dirty clothing. I felt an invisible force cover my mouth and grab my ribcage, dragging me away. I tried to scream the loudest I could, but it was no use. I was already far away from the private waterfall.

****

ALEX's POV:

"What are you doing in there? Are you almost finished?" I asked, still looking out for anybody. When I didn't hear her at all, I decided to check things out. If she was still naked, oh well.

When I pushed back the trees, I gasped.

She was gone, and all of her belongings were left in a messy kicked over pile.

Valeri is gone.

They took her.

And it's all my fault.

A/N: Only six or so more chapters from it!