Above

9

Estelle
"We're goin' on a misson, goin' on a mission." Luca sings softly.
Three months later, and Fran trusted me enough to take Luca on a mission.
"Luca shut up." I say, pushing myself up onto a wall.
Luca, Leeciy, September, Annnaliesee, and I took the helicopter that they left with us, so we slipped under the radar pretty easily.
"Okay, remember, collect information." I say. "Don't kill anyone."
September was second up the wall, hopping down as if it were nothing.
We all jump also, most of us landing gracefully.
Luca fell on his butt, but whatever.
"Okay, let's split up." Leeciy says.
"I wanna be with Estelle." Luca says.
"I'll just need someone to watch my back when I hack the system." Leeciy says.
"I'll do it." September volunteers.
I look at hin with my eyebrows raised. "So, Annaliesee, Luca and I, and you and September?"
"Yeah, that's right." September says, cocking his pistol.
"Everybody, take an ear-piece." Annaliesee holds out a handful of tiny little gadgets. "Courtesy of Nigel."
I put mine in my right ear.
"These'll keep us in contact." Annaliesee says, putting in hers.
I place an arm on September's shoulder. "Stay safe."
"You too." He replies.
"Leeciy, I'll claw your eyes out if he gets hurt." I say, looking at him.
He smirks. "Noted."
***
Vents are uncomfortable to crawl in.
Luca peers through a vent. "I found Felicity." His usual happy face falters.
I look down.
Her long dirty blonde hair was cut into a crude pixie cut.
"She doesn't look happy." Luca says.
"Luca, this isn't a rescue mission." I whisper. "Let's just keep going. Find the rest of the tories."
We dubbed the Pangaeans that stayed on the government's side tories, referencing to the colonists that stayed on the British's side in the revolutionary war.
Leeciy's voice rings through the ear-piece. "Security cameras are down."
Luca looks down the vent at Felicity before pushing the cover down, jumping down the hall.
"Luca!" I whisper shout.
Annaliesee looks up at me. "We have to go after him."
I nod, before jumping down the vent.
***
Felicity won't talk, I mean, I guess we're kind of traitors, but she should talk to Luca, who was now on the verge of breaking down.
September was speaking soothing words through the ear-piece.
"Luca." I say. "I don't think Fizz wants to talk to us."
"There's gotta be a reason." He replies, grabbing her shoulders. "Fizzy, please."
She looks pained.
"Luca, we're a mission, remember?" Annaliesee says.
I walk towards Luca. "Maybe if we leave, Fizzy'll be nice and not tell anyone we were here."
Felicity opens her mouth, wide.
"Oh my God." Luca says, covering his mouth.
I shove him aside and look for myself
Someone had taken Felicity's tongue.
"Yes or no questions, Luca." Annaliesee says.
Luca nods. "Will you come with us?"
Felicity bites her lip, before warily nodding.
"What are you doing?" Leeciy asks.
"I'm saving someone." Luca answers.
***
The hallways are easily navigated with an experienced eye.
"Anything interesting?" I ask.
There's a silence before Leeciy replies. "Nothing really."
"Anybody alarmed?" I ask.
"Nobody really." He says. "I wish you would've stayed in the vents."
"Yeah well, Felicity is important." I say.
"Very important." Luca chimes.
We take a sharp left, scurrying down a long corridor.
"Stop, tuck into that supply closet." September says.
"What, why?" I ask.
There's a sharp intake of breath. "Estelle, get in that closet."
I hold the door open for the gang, minus Felicity, it wouldn't look strange if she was walking around.
"You're elbowing me in the stomach." Luca says.
I move, shushing him.
The unmistakabe voice of Yeeva makes me tense.
"Hi Felicity, how was your day?" She asks.
Silence follows.
"Oh I completely forgot! You can't talk!" She laughs.
I feel Luca tense.
"What's that look for? You gonna cut my tongue out?" Yeeva pauses. "Some things you can't get revenge for."
"Bitch." Luca whispers from behind me.
"Honestly, Felicity, I don't even see why they'd keep you, it's not like you do anything here." Yeeva says.  "Fun to push around though."
"Neeva, as fun as this is to watch, we should return this fellow to his cell." An unrecognizable voice says.
The sound of Yeeva being called Neeva makes me want to gouge my eyes out and shove then in my ear canals.
"Fine. Whatever." Yeeva says, then the sound of footsteps.
Felicity opens the door, letting us all out.
"We should follow them." I say. "Finding the tories and killing Yeeva would be killing two birds with one stone."
"Guys." Leeciy says through the earpiece. "Stay on task."
"I agree with Estelle, let's kill these birds." Luca says.
We start off in the direction of the footsteps, our own footsteps replacing them.
"Seriously, stay on task." Leeciy orders.
We ignore him, still following the footsteps.
Yeeva comes into eyesight, dragging some guy, along with another person.
"Guys! Someone's going to get killed!" September yells.
Luca had already drawn his bow, training it on Yeeva's helper.
He lets it fly, the grey shaft protruding from her back.
She falls to her knees, coughing.
Yeeva spins around, obviously angry.
We lock eyes, she grins evilly from ear to ear.
I grab the handle of my axe, ripping it from its sheath.
Luca was loading another arrow, training it on her.
Her victim turns, eyes widened.
Stefan's alive.
I falter a second, my battle stance suffering.
Yeeva smirks evilly
Annaliesee screams, and Luca and I whip around, completely ignoring what we'd been taught.
Two scientists, who had seeming popped out of nowhere, had grabbed hold of her arms.
Flames were flickering from her hands, useless against the genetically enhanced men caging her.
She looks at me. "Run!"
I start to shake my head.
"Get out of here!" She screams.
I shake my head. "Not without you!"
Other, familiar, hands latch to my arms, dragging me back.
I struggle against them. "I'll come back for you!" I yell.
The scientists put a mask on her face, and she goes limp.