The Twelve Heroes: Finding Our Identity (Editing)

Almost Escaped

Sophie's P.O.V.

If I could turn back the clock, I would.

After dinner both Anthony and Austin got trained. There auras smelled good. Austin's was an  orangey-mango and Anthony's was a coconuty-cinnamon. They had both gotten extremely mad at Phillip and their aura's flared. Phillip left the room without a word and let them calm down. He told us that if we left our aura flare when we were mad then we might spontaneously combust.

I hadn't eaten dinner. All I had done was sit on the couch and think. Think about what Derek Vaughn might do us. Think about the powers that I had. I mostly thought about protecting everyone.

Although I was still mad at Anthony, I still talked to him. After all, we had to discuss our powers and everything. We did kept our distance, though.

"So, this Derek dude is mainly after Sophie?" Anthony had asked Phillip.

Phillip nodded solemnly.

Anthony had a pained expression on his face and Phillip left the room. I suppose he felt guilty bringing us into this mess. But then again, this was foretold already. Zandra The Foreseer told Phillip that I would be in trouble. Although, I have no idea how she could know that. I mean, I don't even know when Artemis took over my body.

"I learned how to do something while you guys ate and then got awakened." I announced.

I didn't know how I learned it so quickly. I had just imagined it and then it happened. Stretching my arm out so Anthony and Austin could see, I made a sliver glove.

"How'd you learn that?" Austin asked incredulously.

"I don't know, actually. It just happened. I was thinking about it then it appeared on my hand." I explain.

"That's pretty cool." Anthony nodded his head, approving. 

I smile, glad that I impressed him.

"Phillip will probably train us in a week." Austin stated.

"Wait, I have a question: why aren't you guys tired? I mean I felt so dr-." I cut myself off, realizing the answer.

"What?" Austin asks.

"The knowledge. That's why I'm drained. I'm drained because Phillip gave me Zandra The Foreseer's knowledge." I clarify.

Austin slowly nodded his head. He was about to say something, but was interrupted by and loud crashing sound. All of us jump up and run to the foyer, where the noise came from. The man Derek Vaughn was there. I shriek and yell for help, whereas Anthony and Austin grab a sword to protect themselves (Yes, there are spare sword just hanging on the walls.).

"You won't be able to run away this time!" Derek Vaughn laughs evilly.

"Or will we?" Austin counters him.

Phillip, Vincent, and Valerie race into the foyer a second later. They all are armed. Valerie, thankfully, grabbed my bow and quiver of arrows. I silently thanked her.

"Ahh, everyone is armed. Good, good. We may be up for a real fight. Or, you could just hand the twins and Anthony over to me and then I'll leave you alone...maybe." Vaughn smiled mischievously.

"We'll never hand them over to you. We fight or you leave." Phillip snarled.

"Fighting it is!" Vaughn called in his men. Six big, bulky guys that were, what seemed like, seven feet tall.  

Phillip shoved Valerie towards us and she grabbed me, Austin, and Anthony. The others joined the battle, which gave us the perfect time to slip away. Valerie led us towards the back of the house then opened a hidden door. I should've been surprised, but I wasn't. She crawled through the small opening and we followed. There were spiders and creepy crawlies everywhere. I shrieked each time I saw one. Anthony groaned and Valerie crawled as fast as she could to get out.

"Did I mention I'm totally petrified by spiders and creepy crawlies?" My voice trembled. 

"I'm going as fast as I can to get out of here; I'm not too fond of these horrid insects, either." Valerie's voice shook as she rapidly crawled through the tunnel.

After a few more minutes of crawling we finally made it out. The room we stepped out into seemed very tiny. All that was in it was a hole in the ground.

"Now all we have to do is slide down that tunnel and we'll end up in the garage. Then, Anthony can drive us away, considering he's the only one with a driver's permit." Valerie explained, "Now, who's first?" She slowly back up against the wall.

"Not me!" Anthony, Austin, and I said simultaneously.

"Fine, I'll go." Valerie sighed and took baby steps towards the opening of the slide tunnel.

She reached it and sat on the edge. Sitting down, she took a deep breath, and slide down the tunnel.

Austin and Anthony stared each other down. Austin blinked first, so he went first. He quickly walked towards the tunnel and slide down. Then it was Anthony and me.

"You go down first, just in case those goons come." Anthony urged me forward.

I sighed and walked towards the hole. I looked inside and saw spider webs. Biting my bottom lip and closing my eyes, I pushed myself down the hole, shrieking the whole time. The ride ended as soon as it had begun. I ended up on a soft cushion. I hurried out of the way, just in case Anthony was about to pop out. Shaking the spider webs off my clothes and out of my hair, I glance around the room. It was a garage. There was a sleek black Hummer in there. Valerie and Austin had already hopped into the middle seat. I decided to take the back seat so I could lay down and sleep. Anthony just popped out of the tunnel as I was climbing into the backseat. He got up and dusted himself off. Then he walked to the driver's seat and hopped in.

"Where to?" Anthony asked, question directed towards Valerie.

"Um," She thought for a moment, "How about that hideout Phillip showed us awhile back?" She suggested.

"The one by what's-her-face's house?" Anthony asked.

"If you mean Layla Peters, then yes." She answered.

Anthony smirked and headed out of the garage.

"Who is 'Layla Peters'?" I asked.

"Our friend. We used to go to school together." Valerie responded.

I decided to lay down on the backseat and try to sleep until we got to the hideout. Unfortunately, Vaughn started chasing us. 

"Look out!" Austin yelled.

Anthony swerved out of the way just as Vaughn tried to slam into us. Everyone jolted to the right side of the Hummer. I grabbed my bow and arrows and held them tightly. Anthony sped up and cut through alleys, but not fast enough because Vaughn always caught up to us. Anthony ended up turning around and then going in a circle. Then he cut through several alleys and parking lots. Vaughn still caught up. Vaughn rammed into the back of the Hummer and I got slammed into the back of Valerie's seat. Then, Vaughn shot something at the window and it shattered; I covered my head protectively. Some of the glass scratched up my arms, but other than that I was okay.

"Everyone okay?" Anthony asked.

"Yeah." Everyone, minus Anthony, replied in unison.

Anthony drove the Hummer at maximum speed. Vaughn was on our tail. Anthony tried to lose him, but it was impossible. Eventually, we thought we lost him. Anthony slowed the car to a normal speed and got back on track. Then it all went down hill. Vaughn pulled out in front of us and reversed into us. We kept driving. He drove onto the side of us and then slammed into us, in the process tipping the car over. I had a feeling we wouldn't be escaping this time. 

Vaughn's goons, there were about ten of them, flipped the car upright. I suspected they weren't human. They were probably genetically engineered. Then, they smashed open all doors and pulled each of us out. Before I black out, I saw and felt them roughly throw us into Vaughn's black Ford van. So much for hospitality. 

If I could turn back the clock, I would. I'm the reason why everyone is getting hurt. Now Valerie is in this mess, too. I guess it's better to have people with you than without.