RED DIAMOND

Chapter One - Fiona

Harmon walked me to the front step of my house after I finished saying goodbye to everyone. I felt exhausted from the trip home and my stomach was still sore. Sam, Zac, and Avi waited by the car stretching. A Blood Knight agent had driven us. Harmon and I stopped at the front door. I couldn't wait to announce my arrival.

Harmon sighed, "Well, here you are, finally home."

I smiled and gave an exhausted "Yes."

Harmon and I looked at each other for a moment; both of us had nothing to say, but I didn't mind the silence. "So, I guess I'll talk to you later-" I began, but Harmon cut me off, wrapping his arms around me and giving me a gentle squeeze which I returned with a relaxed sigh. The others might have felt a little awkward because Zac cleared his throat and we both seemed to snap back to reality. Harmon glared at Zac, then turning, he started to go. I silently wished he could stay longer.

"Bye." He said, waving. A weak smile crept onto his face as he tried what I assumed was to hide his disappointment.

I smiled and waved back, "Bye..."

I was just turning to open the door when Harmon suddenly leaned back and gave me a quick peck on the cheek, then started back towards the car. I could feel my face going red as I froze on the spot.

How was I supposed to react to that!? I was definitely a little upset with him for catching me off guard ... had anyone seen?

I watched as he climbed back into the vehicle and everyone waved as they drove away, I waved back until they turned the corner, gliding out of view. I guess not...

I placed my hand on my cheek and wobbled inside.

"I'M HOME!" I shouted, putting the moment behind me.

Moments later, everyone came rushing towards me. I braced myself for the hugs I was going to be showered with, along with all the questions. By the looks of it I was going to have a long day...

"What?! Fiona! Oh my goodness, you're okay!" Said Sophia rushing over and hugging me.

"Fiona!!" Chorused Tate and Josie running into the room. Soon my entire family was crammed into the narrow entrance way.

"We got the email telling us what happened but we didn't know if we could trust it." Josie added, then Tate cut in, "Yeah! The police were searching for you, we printed missing posters and placed them all around town, and- oh yeah, we're going to have to take those down now."

"It's okay! I'm so sorry for making you guys worry. But here I am! I'm back, and I'm fine. Well, mostly." I barely managed to survive an avalanche of hugs as we all made our way to the living room, then I did my best to explain what had happened in the last few days.

"So, the night I went missing, Blood Knight soldiers had come to end my life! But Zac took me to the skating rink where Sam was waiting and they told me that they were there to protect me. Enemy soldiers chased us into the small forest outside of town, I got tackled and was almost killed! When Harmon came out of nowhere and saved me." I paused for a moment, thinking about the memory, then my two little brothers started bouncing in their seats begging me to keep going. I would probably tell all my sisters the more detailed version later that evening.

"We managed to escape and get to a bunker where Avi was waiting, I hurt my wrist so she gave me this syringe of some sort of medicine and it instantly stopped hurting. We took a bus to Regina, but on the way, we were attacked and the bus tipped on its side. Two military trucks with turrets on top of them barreled down the highway towards us."

"Geez," Said Sophia, "That's a lot to take in all at once." I nodded wearily in return.

"Wow! They must have really hated you to want you dead that bad!" Exclaimed Josie.

"Actually, why did they want you dead?" Questioned Kallista.

"Well, you see, the two societies The Blood Knights and P.O.T.A.T.O. - which is where I work - both felt threatened by each other! I don't know the details but apparently their plan was to attempt to convince each elite member to shut down P.O.T.A.T.O. and I was the first on the list. So Harmon, Sam, Zac, and Avi all came to protect me."

"Well, that was nice of them." Acknowledged Dad, raising his eyebrows. "But, since when were they all part of 'The Blood Knights'? Or whatever you called it."

"The Blood Knights originally came to recruit Harmon, but the others were already there so they took them too. I don't really know the details myself, it's complicated."

"Let me guess, it was Harmon's idea to come and get you?" Joked Kallista, grinning at me from across the room.

"N-no! Well, I don't know! They all worked together. Harmon was sort of a leader I guess, but... You know we're getting a little off-course here!" I continued my story, ignoring the quiet giggling all around me. "So, where was I?"

"The bus crashed." Tobin said.

"Right, so, Harmon managed to take one of the soldiers manning the tank's turret down, but then we had to run. We bolted into a field of corn where a drone followed us, trying to shoot us. Harmon got hit in the shoulder but I managed to shoot the drone down before it did any more damage." I smiled at the memory. I felt proud about shooting it down, it was proof I wasn't completely useless. "Next, I had to remove the two bullets from Harmon's shoulder." I shuddered at the thought, "Then we walked the rest of the way to Regina where we met Maria, then we took a plane to Toronto, but we got sidetracked by elite blood knight agents who were also in the plane that attacked us. Maria accidentally shot a window and sucked all of us out of the plane over Niagara Falls. Thankfully the plane wasn't too far from the ground and we survived the fall by diving into the river. The two elite agents, Kaylie and Anna, pinned us in the middle of the river right by the falls, so instead of taking a chance with the guns, Harmon threw us over the falls."

I caught my breath, satisfied to see all the intent, listening faces, then continued. "We stayed at a hotel in Hamilton and decided to bring the P.O.T.A.T.O leaders here. After I sent the memo and was making my way back to our room, the two elite agents attacked. I was just in time to see that they had Harmon and Maria at knife point, threatening me to come with them. It was complicated, stuff happened and they shot me in the stomach. Harmon and Maria killed the two agents and rushed me to the hospital. Once I got out, the meeting was held and P.O.T.A.T.O was shut down! So, here I am now."

"So, P.O.T.A.T.O. is gone?" Sophia asked.

I nodded. Sophia looked disappointed. Kallista flicked her in the head, "You should be happy she's alive!"

"I am!" Sophia exclaimed, glaring back at her, "I'm really glad you're okay Fiona. Just, don't do that ever again." She nudged me in the side and I winced, "Careful! I'm still sore..."