Project Starfall (Completed)

Chapter 20

When Pierce opened her eyes it was pitch black, but she knew she was in the back of a vehicle from the vibrations beneath her. She tried to move but her arms and wings were bound. "Grey?" she whispered. "Elliot? Madigan? Knox?" There was no response. Pierce listened for their heartbeats and was met with silence.

Pierce couldn't stop the panicked inflow and outflow of air through her lungs. She struggled hopelessly against her bonds, only succeeding in banging her head against the side of the vehicle. "Hey!" she shouted. "What did you do to them?!" No one answered.

Pierce wasn't sure how long she sat in the dark. Several times the motion beneath her came to a stop only to start up again. The whole ride she fought against the waves of panic that threatened to drown her. A couple of times she blacked out, which offered momentary relief, then she would wake again to fresh terror. Stop, she commanded herself. You've been in worse situations than this. Far worse. But the voice of reason that usually spoke to her had lost its power. She began trembling all over; a cold sweat built up on her skin and the tips of her fingers went numb. Pierce shut her eyes to the already dark world and rocked back and forth for what felt like a millennium. When the vehicle finally stopped and its doors were thrown open, Pierce found herself overjoyed to see April and August.

"You okay?" April asked.

"Little bird?" August added.

"You look ... " April went on.

"A little ... " August paused.

"Pale," April finished.

Pierce laughed, but it came out sounding shaky. "I'm always pale," she said.

April and August simultaneously cocked their heads. "Maybe you should sit down," August suggested.

"Yes, you should sit," April agreed.

Aurora strode into view, tail lashing. "Stop being friendly," she hissed at the twins. By her side was the bird hybrid whose name Pierce still didn't know. She wouldn't meet Pierce's eyes.

"You're no fun," April whined.

"No fun at all." August pouted.

Aurora rolled her eyes. "If you two were in charge nothing would ever get done," she said. "Let's just get this over with. I'm ready to see Madi again."

"What are you talking about?" Pierce asked. "Where are the others?"

"Oh, by now they'll be on their way to the Starfall labs," Aurora answered smugly. "As for you ... Starfall is tired of all the trouble you've caused."

"So you're going to kill me?" Pierce asked though she already knew the answer. She stared down at her cuffed wrists, wondering if she would be able to take on all four hybrids with them bound.

"Don't even think about it," Aurora warned. The leopard hybrid trained a gun at Pierce's head, then gestured toward a thick group of trees on the side of the road. "Walk that way," she ordered.

The twins drew guns as well, a hard light in their pale eyes. "Walk," they said.

Sighing, Pierce walked into the thicket of trees, a twin on either side of her, and Aurora at the rear. The other bird hybrid trailed behind Aurora, eyes glued to her feet. "Stop," Aurora said once they were a good ways inside the forest.

Pierce paused and turned to face the leopard hybrid. "Don't miss." she chuckled dryly.

Aurora grinned and raised her gun. Pierce stood still, face blank. She thought of the other hybrids being taken back to the labs. Of them being sent on a brand new suicide mission. Of Grey's confidence and Elliot's determination and Madigan's bravery and Knox's stupid grin. I'm sorry I failed you.

Aurora's finger began to press against the trigger and Pierce braced herself for the pain that would follow. But at the last moment the bird hybrid darted forward and tackled Aurora, sending the snow leopard hybrid's gun flying from her hands. The two hybrids landed in a heap on the ground. "What are you doing? Get off me!" Aurora shouted.

"Run!" the girl yelled at Pierce.

Pierce didn't need to be told twice. "Thank you!" she shouted as she turned and ran, hands and wings still bound.

August and April watched Pierce go, neither making a move to stop her. "What are you doing?" Aurora screamed. "Get her!"

"You're so bossy," April complained.

"I'm tired of doing what you want," August huffed.

Their voices faded away as Pierce crashed through thick bushes and skirted trees. Branches and thorns dug into her skin, but she barely noticed the pain, her focus on escaping Aurora.

Suddenly she burst from the trees and onto an empty road. Breathing heavily, Pierce looked around. Besides the road all she could see were dense forests. She expanded her hearing, picking up the heartbeats of small forest animals. Farther away she could hear the larger heartbeats of Aurora getting closer.

Pierce sprinted across the road and into the midst of the trees on the other side. There was a whirring from above as a helicopter passed overhead. Determined to put as much distance between her and Aurora as possible, Pierce transitioned into a jog made awkward by her lack of arm use.

The same helicopter passed by again, causing Pierce to look up. She almost tripped as she stared at the chopper: it was the same kind used by Project Starfall. Pierce huddled against the trunk of a pine, but the helicopter had spotted her. It landed in a clearing near her hiding spot.

Pierce began running again when a voice called out to her. "Pierce!" She turned at the familiar voice. Grey stood in front of the helicopter, waving for her attention.

Pierce turned and ran toward him. "Grey?" She couldn't believe it was really him. "Where's everyone else? What's going on?"

From the helicopter stepped Elliot, Knox, and Madigan, genuine smiles lighting up each of their faces. "How?" Pierce gaped.

"You might want to ask them," Knox suggested, jabbing a finger over his shoulder.

Pierce turned to where he was pointing as two people she never expected to see again emerged from the helicopter. "Hello, Pierce." Darius smiled. Terra stood at his side, arms crossed, but a small smile tugged at her lips.