Expose Them, sequel to Release Me (Editing)

25

You had to do it, Alice. You had to leave him behind so nothing happens to him. What happened to Hunter, can't happen again.

So many thoughts are swirling through my head at the moment, trying to make me lose my concentration. I push them all aside as I find my way to the door, smoke billowing around me.

Before opening the door that I do manage to find, I lift my skirts and remove the gun strapped around my thigh. The barrel clicks into place, making me feel safe. Heart racing, I go after President White.

Through the door is a staircase leading up. Coughing up all the smoke in my lungs, I begin to take the stairs two at a time. I'm brought to the ballroom, which thank God hasn't filled up with smoke as of yet and is now completely bare of the pastry tables, the band, and mostly the people. It's just a large room with shining crystal chandeliers.

"You followed me." President White appears, Dr. Jeffery right beside him. Uh oh, there's two.

I gulp, my gun hand slightly trembling while President White snarls, picturing the fox mask he was wearing earlier. "I knew you were going to ruin this night."

"It's not over yet," I say.

"You are correct Alice, it is not."

I spot from the corner of my eye something shiny glistening in Dr. Jeffery's hand. Pointing my gun at him, my hand is now as steady as a mountain.

"Are you really capable of killing?"

I look at President White, my chin raised in defiance. "Yes, sir." To prove my point, I pull the trigger.

The doctor who caused me so much pain, who tortured me, who kept on planting Fragile Heart Syndrome into my body--- slumps to the floor--- dead. Now wasn't that simple?

"I'm impressed," President White smiles, revealing shiny white teeth and I point my gun at him. "But...," he continues, "Are you able to shoot the father of the man that you love? Would you be able to face him as the murderer of his father?"

"Shut up," my voice quivers.

His smile spreads across his entire face. "You can't. I knew it."

Anger boils inside of me. "You killed thousands of innocent lives, including my friends... including my first love. Do you really think I won't kill you?"

"Then do it Alice... shoot me," he says it so calmly like he's not afraid to die. I meet his eyes, seeing in his the defeat. "Are you happy? You got what you wanted, you won. Miss Jakins just called me, the cure is being shut down and the plan that you set in place to blow up the facilities was a success. America is going to become one of the weakest nations out there because of you." He spits.

I feel myself surging with pride at those words. We won. America is ready to change for the better good because of us--- Now just one more thing to do, I have to listen like a good girl and shoot President White, since he did give permission to shoot him, right? I already have the killing weapon in my hand, don't I? He has nothing, just his words which are still trying to penetrate its way into me. "America is going to fall from all these weak teenagers, our next generation..."

I've had enough. The president's forget-me-not blue eyes widen in surprise as I pull the trigger. One time, two times, three times, four times...

"That's enough!"

I jump, startled, the gun slipping from my hand and skidding across the floor. Miss Jakins steps in front of me, a gun in her own hand.

"What have you done?" Her voice is cold like sharp icicles piercing my heart.

I glare at Hunter's murderer. "What had to be done? Now, how did you get in here?"

"Through the door." I can tell that she wanted to add a duh.

"But the fire..."

"It was put out. The police should be arriving any minute."

"Oh." I begin to take a cautious step closer to my gun which is lying near Dr. Jeffery's still, lifeless body.

Her eyes follow my movement, going dark. "You killed the man I loved."

"So did you, so now we're even." I smile big.

That's when a gunshot rings out, my smile turning into an O. Shocked, I press my hands to my stomach, blood seeping through my fingers.

Sirens begin to blare outside and the ballroom's door flies open.

"Alison," Derek cries.

Another gunshot rings out. This time I feel the pain, it's excruciating and it's right below my beating heart.

"Derek," I mouth before crumpling to the floor in a puddle of my own blood.

"No." I hear him shouting as two more gunshots ring out.

Not Derek! Please don't be Derek.

To my relief, I hear him again. "Alice, no, no, no, no." And then he's scooping me up and resting my head in his lap, his warm hands stroking my hair. "Why'd you do it?"

I stare at him, my vision blurry. "Because the light always conquers the darkness." My whole body begins to tremble and I cry out in agony.

Derek's face is now streaked in tears, splitting my already broken heart into two. "I love you too," he's whispering while pressing his lips to mine, taking all the breath that I had left. I want to hold on to him forever, but I already feel myself slipping. I don't want to go. I'm scared.

At least I know I'll be leaving this world loved by him, Danny, and Elena.

Oh Danny, my dear brother. If only you were here. Ice-cold tears begin to fall from my eyes. I'm not ready to die, not now, not ever.

If only we had the choice.

That's when a pale hand reaches for me and I look up to see Hunter standing over me, my parents, Gabby, Summer, and Ariel right behind him. Derek is gone.

"It's time. Come," Hunter tells me. I try to argue, hoping that Derek would come back. He doesn't.

So with a weak hand, I take Hunter's outstretched one, everything fading to darkness.