INTEGATES (Original Story)

CHAPTER 17 - EXECUTION

"Agent Drayson!" Alianna's yell surfaced under the air.

It was already almost sunrise when I found them lurking around the forest more than a kilometer away from the river. Riley and I had to walk for another half hour, or probably more like I dragged Riley, after we went outside the cave. When I securely handcuffed her wrists, without her looking, Kaiylan had injected the calming drug to her once again so she will not go all berserk when they execute the plan of blocking her memory. Riley will see me as her mortal enemy again. The one who killed her parents.

Raiden and Wyren had their guns pointed at the blonde, while the other three girls showed their worries. I signaled them to stand down before pressing the button on my watch. A few beeping sounds echoed.

"What happened? Where did you find her?" Mitchell worriedly asked, studying the blonde's weak physique.

"Down by the river." I plainly answered.

By the façade Riley and I had on, they figured that we fought physically. Though technically, we did. Somehow. Yet not the way they thought.

The numbness of my cheeks was fading. Traces of blood on my lower lip were already dry. My arm was stinging a little from the existing wound along with my right hand that had skintoned patch which Kaiylan used to cover my NCIO mark with. Riley's cuts and bruises were still evident as before. She was leaning most of her weight against my upper body. Her eyes were shut but she was trying to hold herself up.

"I got her." I dismissed immediately when Wyren was about to take her from my grip.

He stepped back, looking at me curiously. "Are you okay, Agent Drayson?"

I stopped myself from wincing at the mention of the designated label they believed to be mine. Even though I wanted to tell them the whole truth, I couldn't. Not yet. They will just meddle with the plans. And I didn't need them to be involved more than they already have.

"I'm fine." I proclaimed as I tighten my hold around Riley. "Gather your things now. Our ride will be here any minute."

A loaded silence filled the air, their stares only directed at the blonde and I. It was an entire thirty seconds before the boys hesitantly followed the order. The other three girls almost never tore their eyes away from the woman they believed to be the killer of my parents. They only left a few items not far from our spot. Their bags already snapped on their shoulders and weapons on hand.

Riley's murmurs were blurred by the sudden sound of helicopter radar motor that vibrated from above us. Our eyes struggled to stay open as the wind blew the forest dust and leaves. I caught a glimpse of the similar transportation that led us to our location. A strap with a circular belt end dropped on the center of our circle.

Raiden was the first one to be hoisted up. Then they wanted me to go next, but I insisted to take the blonde before me because I knew the drug will wear off in a few minutes. Yet I was quick to follow, not really fond of letting her out of my sight for too long. Alianna, Beale, Mitchell, and Wyren were next, respectively.

"Don't." I stopped Raiden when he was about to wrap Riley with a rope as to tie her more. "Let her be."

Everyone looked at me suspiciously like my actions were foreign. But I kept a plain and emotionless expression. Nonetheless, they didn't say anything. Wyren and Raiden just fixed Riley's sitting position, and then secured her with a seatbelt. They sat beside her while I was directly across her. Her cuffed wrists laid on top of her legs. She was still weak but her eyelids were starting to move.

Alianna was the one to close the helicopter door just when it began taking off. Silence enveloped our ride for a few minutes, all of them just studying the new company. Riley's fingers were slightly trembling.