Serene

28

Verna looks in the rearview mirror and sees them. She puts her foot to the pedal and speeds through the streets, trying to lose the car tailing her.

"God, help me." She prays under breath.

The car gets closer and her heartbeat quickens.

"For my daughter." She whispers.

***
We quietly discuss the recent events.

Gabby and Miguel are still in the hospital. The rest of us sit still.

We pray and speak in hushed tones. Everything seems to be going well. Verna will tell her friends and we'll be done with our little mission that no one might appreciate.

"Do you think this will all end that easy?" Odeo asks quietly. "We've been through so much."

I squeeze his hand clutched in mine.

The phone suddenly rings and Val hurries to answer it.

"Hello?"

Her face tenses then relaxes. "Okay. Thank you."

"Verna was chased and got in with a bullet wound. She's being taken care of and they got the information. They're processing it."

We all breath a sigh of relief.

"But what will we do? Three people we know are in the hospital. What will we do?" I ask tired.

And of course, just as we decide to get some rest, a loud noise causes us all to stand.

"Go down." Val whispers. She points to a door that leads to the basement.

We hurry down and my jaw drops. Gadgets and the latest tech fill the room. This family sure is serious about their jobs.

"Get loaded. We need to run and we're going to split." Val commands. "I knew this would happen. It was too easy."

We follow her and get ready. Listening to what she tells us to do.

"Odeo and Sophia, Serene. You come with me. Carlos and Madeline you two go together. Go back to Helen. She needs to know what's happening and maybe she can help." Val orders.

They nod and hurry to load themselves with what they need.

Val looks at us. "We need to head to whatever building Verna went to. Make sure the information doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

She helps us strap knives to our right legs and picks out a gun for us.

I study mine uneasily, not used to using weapons. Or rather, still can't remember how.

"What about the hospital?" Odeo asks.

"Gabe is there." Val says confidently. "We'd better go."

She leads the way out just as we hear a door upstairs being cracked open.

We run out the hidden exit and out into the neighborhood, casually walking.

We run once we've turned two blocks and follow the device Val holds in her hand.

"The car went this way." She says through her breaths.

We keep in step with her, running till we reach the edge of the busier part of the city.

We slow down and walk, glancing around.

"How do you think the doctor and Cassy are doing?" I ask, suddenly thinking of things that could happen to them to blackmail us.

Val keeps walking. "They'll be fine, Serene. But what's not fine with me is having to keep switching your names. Do you mind if I just call you Serene?"

I smile despite the pain slowly crawling back to my head. "Sure."

The device beeps and we turn right, into a busy district. Skyscrapers seem to touch the sky and crowds of people shuffle on the streets.

"The gray building in the middle. Five zero seven."

We follow Val into the building and walk through their security with cautious eyes watching us. Val heads to the front desk while Odeo and I look around.

She comes back in a few minutes. "We'll wait here till someone comes. I don't know she is but we'll know when we see her."

We stand in a triangle, looking around, wondering who this lady is and who might be watching us.

The elevator door dings and we look at the lady who steps out.

"That's gotta be her." Odeo whispers.

She's tall and slim, like a model. Her hair is a rich bright blond, like a perfect copy out of the cartoons. Her crisp red suit goes well with her red lips and her heel clicks catch everyone's attention.

She stops a foot away.

"Come with me." She orders. Her voice is not harsh nor is it soft. It's just the kind that when she tells you to do something, you do it. She doesn't have to do anything.

She leads to another elevator which is made entirely of glass.

She presses number 70 and we shoot up.

I glance at Val and see her wary eyes searching everything.

"There's no need for you to worry. We've already begun taking action. However, we have an obstacle and only you can decide what to do with it." The lady says. Her voice seems calm for someone working in such an elaborate and dangerous field. The elevator door dings and opens. "I'm Bethany, by the way."

Odeo nods approvingly. I'm guessing he things Bethany suits her. She steps out and we follow.

We walk down a hallway with offices left and right. Bethany's heels click and we take a left turn. The conference room we face is big and four people wait inside.

Bethany holds the door open for us as we walk in.

"Chancellor, these are the young ones."

A man in his early sixties sits at the head of the table.

"Friends of Verna?" He asks, his voice fragile.

Bethany nods.

He motions for us to form a line in front of them.

The other three in the room seem to be officers as well with high titles.

"Bring him in." Chancellor says.

Bethany looks to her right and we follow her gaze. My breathing quickens and my hands are ready to punch.

The door opens and Harold Fin is pushed inside, two guards behind him.

"We have traced his betrayal of Dax and the betrayal of Belle to him. Harold is lost and in between the two. We thought you might want to deal with him especially after what we did to you," Bethany looks at me. "Sophia."

I look at the man who still seems too confident for his situation. I walk towards him and smile.

He looks at me with confusion and I punch his confusion out.

His head rolls and his nose is bleeding. "Guess I deserved that."

I punch him again, straight in his face with all the force I can, and he's out.

"No. You deserve more than that."