Secret Silver | hiatus

xix. planning

The majority of the week was spent in training and planning. Thomas avoided me as the bruises on his face began to fade the slightest bit. Even though I wanted it to, the anger that rose within me when I saw him ceased to diminish. He wasn't someone I wanted to have on our team; he was a loose end. But we were already short on people.

Silas and I were partners in an awkward tango. When I would try to talk to him, he'd avoid me, and when he spoke to me when he needed to, I found myself shutting him out.

As Lucy, Oliver, Silas, and I sat around the small dining table in the Noll apartment, we found ourselves bracing for what we'd have to face in a week's time. There wasn't much we could do but train and formulate a plan that was guaranteed not to get us killed. The truth was that no matter how kind Lucy and her father were to Silas, Oliver, and me, I still didn't trust them, so the three of us had plans of our own. It was in mine and Oliver's blood not to trust others, so of course Silas didn't understand. 

"You mean we shouldn't tell them about the box your mother left you with?" He questioned, confused as his fingers tapped away at the keyboard in front of him. 

Avoiding his gaze, I shook my head. "They don't need to know. We're only with them so that we can get information from Lara, Lucas's wife, find the other codes, and possibly Harris or anyone else who has a hand in this."

"And stop Schneider from gaining control of the military resources," interjected Oliver, the cigarette between his lips muffling his words. He took a long drag, constantly checking his phone for any sign of communication from Maya. Though he tried to hide it, his concern for his girlfriend was not something he could conceal from me. Each passing second without her became unbearable for the both of us, mostly because her fate was unknown. 

Silas laughed mirthlessly. "I can't believe I'm doing this. It feels like I'm in a movie. Can we name this mission?" He piped up, his eyes full of excitement. Oliver laughed, but I simply shook my head in disappointment. 

"Stop taking this so lightly," I snapped for whatever reason, "What you're doing right now is illegal. There's no going back, Silas. You need to accept that."

Without removing his gaze from the laptop's screen, he mumbled, "I've accepted it. Have you?"

And something inside my chest sank. Ignoring his words, I dove deeper into my mother's journal, searching for any clues or information I might've missed. Her wooden box remained next to me, both alluring and taunting in its essence. Oliver was nose-deep in some Alliance documents, along with information he'd gotten from allies at Arc. 

What brought all three of us out of our intense concentration was the sudden ringtone coming from Oliver's phone. It nearly fell out of his hand as he answered it abruptly, putting it on speakerphone before rushing to my side. 

"Oliver?" Maya's voice was hopeful. Strong. "Are you there?"

Both him and I breathed sighs of relief, our shoulders relaxing in synchronization. "Oh thank God," Oliver huffed, "Are you alright?" He squeezed his eyes shut, keeping one hand on my shoulder, his fingers tightening around my skin. 

"Yes," Maya laughed, the sound like music to our deprived ears, "What about you? Zara?"

"We're fine," I pitched in, my voice an octave higher out of relief, "Just hurry up and get your ass out here."

"Yeah," Oliver chuckled, "Come back."

"I'll be there soon," Maya's voice was interrupted by some shuffling in the background, and she began to whisper. "I don't have much time, but I have some information I need to share with you guys."