Missing In Action

Chapter 2

Aaden

I starred at her confused face. I could tell she was working hard to keep her eye's from saying her emotions, just like she always used to. The bump on the back of her head was large and swollen, and I knew she probably needed medical attention. But first, needed her to trust me. If she didn't and I forced her to come with me, she may never trust me again. I stood up and walked over to her.

“Allie,” I said, my voice low and rough, “I need to get you back. I'll explain everything on the way.” I took a step closer to her and she took one back. Damn it! I thought, Why is it so hard for her to trust me? It pained me to look at my best friend when she didn't remember anything about me. We had practically grown up together even though she's two years younger than me. I trained her, we've been partners ever since she got out of it.

Her eye's moved across my face, and up to the scar above my eyebrow. She looked me in the eye again and I could see some recognition in them. I gave her a small, but genuine smile and held out my hand to her. She looked down at it then back up at me. She closed her eye's and hesitantly put her hand in mine. I silently took a breath of relief started guiding her out of the school.

“Aaden?” She said. My breath caught in my throat and for a second I a couldn't answer. Finally, I looked over my shoulder at her and said, “Yeah?” I was surprised how calm my voice sounded when I said it.

“Were you being serious when you said that we're... Spies?” She whispered the last word as if all the windows in the school might shatter if she said it too loud.

“Of course Allie. Why would I lie to you about that?” We finally made it outside and I could hear sirens coming toward the school. I tightened my grip on her hand and started running over to the student parking lot. I found a large rock on the ground and threw it at one of the car's windows. The window shattered easily and I unlocked the diver's side door. I leaned into the car and opened the passenger door as well.

“Get in,” I said. My voice came out more harsh then I meant for it too and I turned to her and gave her a small reassuring smile. Something flashed across her eye's, fear maybe? But it was gone a second later and she walked over to the other side of the car and got in. I brushed the broken glass off my seat and got in. I leaned down and pulled some of the wires out and began to hot wire the car.

“Isn't this illegal?” Allie asked her voice small and scared.

“Most of the things we do are illegal.” I said as I finally got the car started and pulled out of the spot.

We drove in silence for most of the car ride, though Allie had occasional questions that I could tell she already knew that answer's to. She sighed and neither of us could really relax as we drove onto the high way. The silence was deafening, and I could tell it was bothering her too when she began to fidget with her hands. I moved my hand off the steering wheel and turned on 103.3.

The song “Build Me Up Buttercup” was on and I started to whistle to it. I heard Allie start humming and I glanced at her through the corner of my eye. She had her eye's closed and she was smiling as she hummed. Pretty soon I started singing, then she did too. Our eye's met and her smile got even bigger, and it was almost like she remembered everything.

“Why do you build me up?”

“Build me up!”

“Buttercup baby, just to let me down!” We started switching off lines and soon we were out of breath from shouting lines and laughing at the same time. She was still smiling long after the song was over. I couldn't help but notice the cute dimples on her cheeks when she smiled and I knew she really was happy. It was the first time I'd seen her smile that day, and it gave me an accomplished feeling in my stomach.

I looked at her again, and her smile had faded. Worry flashed across her face and her breathing started to become harsh.

“Allie? What's wrong?!” I my eye's flashed from the road to her and back again. She looked at me, she looked so upset, and angry. What had I done to upset her? Suddenly the anger faded and tears started rolling down her face like a waterfall. I quickly turned down the radio and pulled over the car. “Allie, did I do something? Did you get hurt?” I didn't remember her ever acting like this. Maybe when she went to hide in her room, but she never did it in public. She tried to say something through her sobs but I couldn't make it out. I starred at her sad expression and my heart slowly started to break. “What?” She took a couple shaky breaths and finally she could get her question out.

“D-did I k-kill p-people Aaden? Am I a m-murderer?” I looked at her, my heart officially broken. She had only been part of the EGI for a year and hadn't been on any real missions yet before this one, but the fact that she was so worried about killing people made me realize how much of her I had lost. Her memory was gone, but so was the Allie I knew and... Loved. I looked away, unable to answer her at first. I watched as all the cars passed us, trying to figure out a way to explain this to her.

“No Allie,” I finally said, “You didn't kill people. But you were prepared to.”