Last Step Outside [Book 2]

Chapter 5 Run

Shane jumps over the stair railing and lands on his feet, looking like a spider.

"Shane, try using the staircase next time."

"Jeez, sorry Renny. Mr. Know-it-all." Shane hisses at passing Renny, who shows no reaction and continues down the hall. The whole team stands around the bar. Most of the girls stand in a line, leaving the boys on the other side. Bianca stands in the middle.

"Alright, we all here?" Bianca starts. The team nods. "We have a call from Chief, who is certainly unpleasant with the missing graduates." She says, eyeing Shane, Renny, and Lynn. "But she is pleased with how well it was planned. Surprisingly, she gave us an assignment."

Yes! Something to do and get out of this house! Shane beams cheerfully.

"But, only so many people can go on a mission." Bianca finishes. Shane feels like a cloud just rained on him and only him. He frowns.

"Any volunteers?" Lynn raises her hand, followed by Heather and Renny. Shane was the last to put her hand up.

"Hmm. Shane, Heather and I guess Lynn and Renny can all go."

"But don't we need experienced spies?" Sam protests, who also has his hand up. Shane glares at him.

"Excuse me?" scoffs Heather. Sam smirks. "I'm not amateur, I just want to get out of this house and away from you, you arrogant smudge!" The blonde raises an eyebrow but says nothing.

"Jeez, that went ugly fast." Shane hears Renny whisper to Lynn.

"Agreed." Replies Lynn. Bianca coughs at Heather

"Uhm, Sam isn't going, keep your cool, Heather." Bianca orders, "The mission is around here, actually, it's nice and simple."

"At the bank, there is a forty-million-dollar gem in the vaults that Chief would like, not much security. If I was smart back then, I just send Heather on that when she first joined." Heather scoffs.

"I was fine on the Taiwan mission."

"Let's see, you had major sleep deprivation, bitten by an infected rat, captured, acted like a teenager in their emo stage, slept for twenty-four hours straight, grew super ill, halfway died and kicked some officer in the stomach from PAAIIN." Bianca huffs.

"See? I was perfectly fine." Heather grins at Bianca's annoyed face.

"Is that what really happened?" Shane leans over and mutters in Renny's ear.

"In a long shot, yeah, that's totally what happened." He murmurs back. Shane nods and slowly backs away. I don't see Heather in an 'emo' stage. He ponders silently.

"Anyhow," Bianca continues, "Heather, Lynn, Renny, and Shane can do the assignment. And only them, Sam."

Sam scowls and storms up the stairs, followed slowly by the rest of the boys.

"Alright, the rest of you, especially the ones going on the mission. Listen carefully."

. . .

"-and that's how you need to infiltrate it." Bianca places her hand on her hips in satisfaction. Shane had hardly listened; he was too busy thinking of a prank for Renny. "Tripwire, Glade, Fox, and Ant, I'll take you to Kodi for any tools needed." Shane suddenly snaps out of daydreaming.

"What? What happened?" Shane asks. Everyone looks at him and bursts out laughing.

"Someone wasn't paying attention." Renny laughs.

"I'm sorry." Shane whines at very annoyed Bianca.

"Well, I guess you don't go on the mission."

"What?" Shane looks at Renny who just shrugs. "Why not?"

"You clearly weren't paying attention to the plan." Bianca's eyebrow raises and she grins.

Shane was dumbfounded, just because he didn't hear the plan, he couldn't go? Couldn't they just explain it in a nutshell. What is wrong with Bianca! Couldn't they just him on the way?

"Really? What kind of a leader are you?"

"One who doesn't want someone on one's team who isn't paying attention. You're clearly overeacting."

"What's the worst that could happen?"

"Your death."

Shane stomps his foot, "You're worse than Alex Hawlythes from PAAIIN! You probably know I'll just overcome you and take over this weak and powerless team!"

Bianca looks at Shane and keeps a level gaze, she almost breaks a grin, but doesn't. No reaction, no surprise or shock, it looks like Bianca was just observing Shane. Heather and the others just stand there, no comments at all. Shane grabs a salt shaker and throws it at Bianca, who catches it and puts it back on the table. She still keeps a level head.

"My brother is in PAAIIN right now." Bianca says with a sigh. "You don't know what you're saying. His memory has been wiped and-."

Shane ignores her and pulls his way up the stairs. He throws all his books and papers off his bed, including his pillow.

"Stupid. Leader. Of SUITA!" He gasps every time he throws something. The door swings open, Lynn steps in through the door.

"Shane..."

"Go away!

Lynn sighs and rests her hand on Shane's shoulder, "Obviously you can't go. Bianca is really upset with you and is in Heather and Bianca's room. You really got her mad and Bianca normally has a very, very level head. Rare sight."

"I don't even care anymore, Lynn. I'm leaving," He says as he throws his jacket into an open bag.

"Leaving? Forever?" Lynn gasps.

"Forever. I can't live here." Shane hisses.

"What? Renny will be torn apart!" Lynn worries.

"He'll live on, you need to relax." Shane calms, hand twitching in annoyance.

"Relax? Relax! You expect me to relax when one of my best friends is leaving us!" Lynn wails. Shane sighs and grabs his bag full of clothes he had stolen from the base, he slides down the railing and stops at the door.

"Well, this should start a nice long journey to adulthood." He whispers to himself as he pulls the door open. Shane steps out of the house and looks back. Nobody says a word. Shane scoffs. "Why do I want someone to say goodbye to me?"

"Shane." Shane looks up, Renny stands at the top of the stairs, "Leaving, I'm guessing?" Shane nods gingerly. "Aw man, I kind of expected that. You always seemed more rouge than me or Lynn, and I know, you sneak out every night, to go to the woods."

Shane winces, "What? You're mad." Renny's eyebrow raises.

"Yeah, probably, but I can always tell Bianca, you're clearly doing something you know you're not supposed to." Renny smirks. Shane glares at Renny.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Shane spits through gritted teeth.

Renny nods, "Yeah, I probably don't know you're sneaking in the woods to do something. Not at all." Shane screeches and slams the door shut. He lets out a cry of anger and storms down the street. He couldn't possibly know? Know about the woods? I snuck out twice! Shane throws his stuff at a nearby tree and sits by it. He had done it; he's leaving on his own.

But at what cost?