Cold

Chapter Eleven

I found Justin and Von inside a large room with lots of cabinets, drawers, and boxes. When they asked me where I was, holding back tears, I said, "I couldn't find the girl."

"Well what happened?" asked Justin. How do I tell him about Lucas?!? How do I tell him?!? Unable to control myself anymore, I started crying. Tears streaming down my face. I fell to the floor, wailing like there was no tomorrow. That's what it feels like. I can't take it. Justin walked over and hugged me. We stayed that way for a few minutes until I calmed down. He hugged just like Lucas. Full, never ending. Comforting, nice, sweet, everything.

"Its ok" he said. "You don't have to say anything." He let go of me and walked over to Von. With the biggest smile on his face, he said "We found my bomb!!! How and where do we explode it?!?" I couldn't help but laugh.

"Von, is there a central venting system that leads to the rest of the building?" I asked.

"Building?!? This is a village. If you explode one part, you explode the whole thing because it's all connected. You could even set it off in here, and the whole village would be in flames in just a few minutes" he explained.

"Are there children? Elderly? Families?" I asked, hoping he'd say no.

"Families?!? Of course!!! The families of all the soldiers live here" he said. Damn.

"Is there any way we could get the villagers out fast enough?" I asked.

"Sure, if someone was willing to detonate the bomb in here and die with it" said Von.

"So basically, one of us has to wait for death while the others hopefully escape with the villagers?" I asked. He nodded his head.

"I'll do it" I heard a voice say from behind me. I turned to look and Seth was standing at the door of the room with Ariel.

"Ariel!!!" I shouted as I ran and hugged her.

"Good to see you too" muttered Seth. I turned to look at him and hugged him too. Then I punched him.

"What was that for?!?" he shouted as he rubbed his arm.

"How dare you think that you can just risk your life like that?!?" I yelled at him.

"Frankly I don't remember asking your permission" Seth said.

"Frankly I don't remember you being this reckless. What about your family? Friends?"

"They can live without me. They've done it this far."

"What about me? Am I not your friend?!?"

"No. I don't remember us ever being friends."

"Oh so you saving my life was just and act of kindness, now was it?"

"Would you guys shut up?!? No one is going to die!!! We will think of something!!!" shouted Ariel. I looked at her, then at Justin, then at Von.

"I have an idea" I said.

***

Summer is smart. Hopefully this escapade of hers will convince her to help me.

"I doubt it. Her plan is awesome. Better than any of yours. If anything, she'll realize just how deceitful you really are."

We'll see.

***

"Are you sure this will work?" asked Justin as we were parting ways. Justin came with me to create a distraction while Seth and Ariel started to evacuate the village. While doing that, Von is going to convince some guards to join him in setting up a bomb system under the village in the secret tunnels. This way, everyone will be saved.