Hiraeth {Book 3 in The Emerald of Annihilation trilogy}

(24). Euphoria

Euphoria:  A feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness.

"Wait, what?!" 

"Come on, it'll be easy. All you have to do is seduce them."

"You're kidding, right? I'm about as seductive as a cabbage."

Jack facepalmed for the 18th time. "This is not working...." Mark crossed off seduction on his checksheet right under disguising as clowns. And travelling in the sewers. And fake pizza delivery. And the list went on. "What gave it away, Einstein?" Scott quipped. He sat on the arm of the sofa, a juice box in his hand. The straw crushed between his teeth. 

Mark glared up at him. "Why is he still here?" He directed to question at Jack who was desperately dragging his fingers through his short cut hair. "All he does is sit here and lets out witty remarks every once in a while."

Alex leaned back against the wooden kitchen chair she was perched on and let out a stressed sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. What was she going to do with these two? "Guys, focus. We are trying to find out a plan to bring LilyThe room was silent. 

Mark looks to Alex. His words slightly stuck in his throat. "What about Dylan....?" There was more silence. No one spoke. The question that seemed to stay hidden in each of their minds filled up the tension in the atmosphere. 

"We don't know if Dylan is alive or not..." Jack finally broke the silence. "But our mission is to extract the two girls. If we find Dylan in the process, then we take him for sure, but for now, we need to be focused on rescuing the two." 

Everyone agreed. Nodding and mumbling under their breaths. Jack eyed everyone. We meet at the Resistors' Headquarters in two hours. We'll go over plans and have a ground team accompany us. We'll gear up and take off for Detroit then. Sound like a plan?" 

They all agreed and split up their separate ways. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Continueing the flashback of Dylan and Lily.....

"L-Lily....! Get out of here....it's starting again...." Lily grabbed his face, forcing him to look at her. "Look at me, Dylan." He stared desperately into her eyes.

"I'm not leaving you....ever again." He cried out again, his headache becoming worse.

"L-Lily!!"

"Dylan! Look at me!" He opened his eyes. His head still throbbing.

"Look into my eyes. Don't look away...."  

Dylan's hands trembled in Lily's. She herself tried her best not to let her hands quiver like jello. He tried to keep himself awake as he stared deep into her eyes. But he felt as though he were tumbling down an abyss of oblivion.  No matter how much he tried to stay awake, his eyes drooped lower and lower.... His vision blurring and his strength dwindling. His hands shook and his head was pounding. 

"L-Lily..." His hand found hers, cupping his face. His cold, calloused fingers meeting her warm soft ones. HHe felt as if he had caused the end the world. As if- "Dylan!" Her voice brought him out of his stupor and into reality. Lily's eyes glanced over to her G-Shock watch. The hands illuminating in the dark room. 

11: 59: 57

"Dylan." She shook him. 

11: 59: 58

He opened his eyes, staring back, pain, and doubt in his brown spheres. Tears feel down his face. It tore at her heart to see him like this. The unspoken plea in his eyes. 

Please

11: 59: 59

Lily's thumb ran across his firm cheekbone. Tears welled up but held back.....for him...

12: 00: 00

12: 00: 01

12: 00: 02

Lily blinked. Her tears falling. But not because of her emotions, but because her eyes had been unblinking for almost a minute. Dylan blinked back. His grip on her arms relaxed. Lily quickly searched his eyes for any sign of evil or hatred. All she saw staring back were love and confusion, yet relief. 

Lily lowered her head to Dylan's heaving chest, his racing heart meeting her own at a rhythmic pace. Dylan's arms wrapped around her in a moment. His panting breath ticking her head. "So this is what Monday feels like huh?" He chuckled, his voice still shaky. 

Lily returned his humour with a small smile and laugh. "I thought I would lose you. That you would turn-" "Shhhh...." He whispered, pressing a long kiss to her head. "Let's not worry about that now. Sleep. We'll talk in the morning." 

~ End Flashback ~

Lily laughed as she struggled to free herself from Dylan's stronghold. "Your turn to find me." He grinned. Lily rolled her eyes and slipped free of his grasp. "Well, then." She said, smirking. "You'd better run." 

Dylan started jogging backwards. He grinned at her, revealing his rectangular, toothy smile. Lily smirked back before taking off after him. Dylan turned around and dashed away from her. His legs not slowing the slightest as he slammed his palm down on the hood of a car and vaulting himself over it, running off across the near-desolate street and up the sidewalk. 

Lily followed speeding up and leaping over the whole hood, diving down into a shoulder roll before replanting her feet onto the ground and sprinting after him. Dylan glanced over his shoulder, laughing. 

Onlooking pedestrians and onlookers from their windows watched them in awe, sympathy and jealousy.   Jealous that they would be so happy in a time of depression. 

Dylan turned his head again to glance behind his shoulder at Lily, grinning at her. Then, Thump! 

Dylan bounced back and fell on his butt.  He shook his head before looking up into the rock hard back of whoever he just ran into. The person turned around. An enraged man with a scraggly beard and bulging muscles looked down at him. Lily skidded to a stop a few feet away from Dylan, staying far enough so the bouncer didn't notice her.

His glaring gaze focused on the gawking Dylan who was honestly scared out of his mind. "S-Sorry..." He muttered, standing and slowly trying to back away. But his new friend wasn't letting him escape that quickly. 

"Not so fast, pipsqueak." Mr. Muscles grabbed Dylan's shirt collar in his meaty hands and lifted him a good five feet off the ground.  Dylan yelped and clawed at the man's arm in an attempt to make him let go.  "You think you can just bump into me without a second thought? Who do you think you are?!" 

Then Lily saw it. A copper emblem embroidered onto his dark green jacket shoulder. It stuck out like a bad thumb. Her blood began to boil and her heart suddenly decided to run a marathon. A Viper agent. 

Here you are! A new chapter for a new week! Enjoy! And don't forget to vote, and comment! :)

~keziah13ninja