Crossfire ~ {Book 2 in the Emerald of Annihilation Trilogy} #Wattys2017

Chapter 19 ~ A Chance

Days past and little did our six heroes know that Marcus Houston was watching their every move. He twirled the green stone in his thick fingers. "And you know who was wearing it?" He asked the young man in front of him.

"Yes, sir." The boy stood up and proudly told him who had been wearing the jade and how he had gotten the jade stone. "Take it to the labs." Marcus handed the stone to Trevor. "Keep an eye on those.....new recruits. I sense....something off about them." Marcus had plans for the kids. He knew Lily Hamato when he saw her. And Dylan Tanner was just as recognisable. The others he didn't care about. 

Trevor was a little upset he didn't get a reward or even a word of thanks from the man on top, but he obediently took the stone to the labs and gave it to the scientists. He went back to the dorm and kept eyes on the new boys. 

Lily's POV. 

I rubbed my aching legs with one hand and winced as Raven dabbed at my bloody knuckles. These past two weeks had pulled a lot from us all. "Here." She handed me the bottle of alcohol after pouring some over the back of my hand. I unintentionally hissed in pain. 

"Sorry, Laura." I would never get used to the fake name she picked for herself. We had heard of undercover agents slipping up and letting their cover blow. They never came home alive. And if they did, they weren't ever the same again. "Laura? Earth to Laura Hunts?!" Raven waved her hand in front of my face. "Huh? Oh, sorry....." I placed the bottle on the floor and leant back, resting my head against the wall next to the bed.

Raven nodded. "A lot on your mind?" She stood and packed up the medical kit. I sighed loudly. "I guess you could say that." She chuckled. "Well, if you are thinking of doing something. You should do it. Don't hold back." 

I lifted my head, and looked at her. "Wh-what?" She didn't blink, just kept doing what she was doing. "I'm just saying. People usually want to do something they think will cause serious consequences o they want to do something but are afraid of what others will think of them...."

 I watched Raven talk, thinking of my mom and uncle rotting away in Marcus Houston's dungeon. "You should do what you can and what you should. No matter the outcome." Raven patted my shoulder and left the room to take the kit to the med lounge. 

I forced myself to stand up and make my way out the door. I noticed Amber leaning on a wall secretly checking out the guy who had coached us over the last couple weeks.  Scott, I think his name is. He was kinda creepy if you asked me.

 He always had a cold emotionless stare on his face, a permanent straight face on his lips. He never talked much either. Amber stared at him, biting her bottom lip softly. I shook my head and went over to the boy's dorms. 

My knuckles froze before reaching the door. I shouldn't get the others involved in this. Besides, this was my job.....my family. I turned and walked out to the locked,'RESTRICTED AREA' Door. I pulled hard on it before groaning. Locked...

I turned and jogged down the hall. Catching sight of an official guard, I purposly bumped into him, making it look like an accident. "Hey! Watch it, rookie!" He fumed. I nodded and lowered my head. "S-sorry sir.....wo-won't let it happen again." He turned, muttering something about this stupid job description, and walked off down the hall. 

I smirked and held up the keys I had swiped from his belt. I unlocked the door and was met with a swirling set of stairs. I glanced behind me before going down, closing the door behind me. I hurried down the steps. It was dark in this...basement. It felt damp, and it smelled like wet, moldy laundry. 

I reached the bottom of the stairs and found myself in front of a steel gate-No....a steel bar door. It was a cell. The only thing that stopped my heart.....was that.....it was empty. I ran up to the bars and pulled on them, peering into the room, looking desperately for my family. My mom...my uncle....

They were nowhere to be seen. I growled softly. The growl of frustration and anger, turned to sobs of fear and sadness. "Mom! Uncle Jack!" I shouted, listening, looking, sensing for some beacon of hope. A shimmer of light.....Something to give me strength to my soft boned legs..."Mom! Uncle Jack......Please...." I slid down to my knees. It was over. They were not there. This mission was a failure. 

My voice echoed in the dark, dank, nothingness of the basement. Suddenly muffled voices reached my ear. "I thought I locked the door..." "You idiot! First, you lose your keys, then you forget to lock the dungeon door? How careless can you  be, Sam!?" I scrambled to a shadowed place in the corner of under the staircase. 

Two men in guard uniforms walked over to the cell door and unlocked it. "Did the two prisoners leave something in here?" The one Sam, asked, fidgeting with his belt. The other one opened the barred cell door and walked in. "No. The boss wants us to do some cleaning up in here. He says he has some.....new prisoners he wants to keep the cell ready for when he's ready to bust them in here." 

He chuckled darkly. "I heard they are spies. From the XForce." Sam scratched the back of his head. "But is that possible? And where did he put the Rodger siblings anyways?" 'Rodger sibling....mom and Uncle Jack!' I thought. They were alive! But.....new prisoners? Spies? XForce? He meant.....us! 

I gulped. Sweat slid down the back of my neck, and along my shoulder blade. I waited till the two men went into the cell before running up the stairs and down the long hallway to the training room. I stopped and collapsed on the bench press, catching my breath. 

"L-Lily....?" I lifted my head in a shot. Dylan stood in front of me, his forehead, and arms glistened with sweat. "A-are you-" I cut him off by engulfing him in a giant hug. He smelled of strawberries and vanilla. How was that even possible when he looked like a wet dog? But I wasn't complaining. 

Dylan wrapped his strong arms around me. His lips pressed to my head. "Shh.....calm down, baby......" His words......his voice....was like cold waves on a hot summer day. Calming and soothing. My heart continued to speed. His fingers drew circles on my back, whispering words of comfort in my ear. 

"They are not there, Dylan.....mom, and Uncle Jack are not there....." I told him about what had happened. Dylan stroked my hair and held me close. "They are alive.....we'll find them, Lily...I promise....They ae here....live and well. We just have to find out where they are being kept." I shook my head, burying my face into his chest.

"We've been found out, Dylan.....They know who we are...." He pulled back, looking me dead in the eye. His doe brown orbs piercing my soft blue ones. "Lily....I-I have to tell you something.....the jade.....someone took it..." 

My eyes widened. "Dylan....I thought I told you to leave it at home?" He nodded vigorously, glancing from side to side as other kids walked in. "You did.....but, I had to bring it....." I facepalmed. "Now they definatly know who we are......on top of that....Houston has the key to his evil schemes." 

Dylan's hand clasped mine hesitantly. "I-I'm sorry, Lily....." He whispered so only we could hear. I sighed. "I need to find a way we can get out of here......without being caught, and not without mom and Uncle Jack." I let his hand go. His eyes filled with pain as his arm dropped to his side. "Settle down guys! We have some news for you!" Scott folded his arms and looked round. His cold, emotionless eyes seemed to judge every single person they landed on. 

"I have two announcements." We were silent, listening intently. "The first is that we will be organising a small heist. A couple of you and a couple more experienced agents will be assigned on this mini mission if you will." 

A couple of boys chuckled. "The second thing I have for you to know is that Mr. Houston's Super Human Project was a success." There were multiple claps and cheers. Scott continued when they had calmed down. "We have two subjects already. They have been injected with the temporary serum. But they are very.....very.....compliant." 

I had to shiver a little. It gave me an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Two figures walked up to stand beside Scott. One male.....one female....The woman's eyes....a peircing bright blue.....and The man's buzzcut was all too familiar.....

'Mom.....Uncle Jack.....'