Alliance || 1 || ✔️ mature

21 | Archer

Memories destroy us.

Eleven lets the blind fall down again, obscuring our view of the people below.

I turn from the window, my eyes meeting Clays.

"I'll stay here." He murmurs and I nod my head, watching as he leans on the wall next to the bedroom door.

Cleo takes a seat on the bed, crossing her legs and facing the door. A box sitting unassuming beside her on the bed.

I glance back at her, shaking my head.

"What? It's a good vantage point."

"To get shot." Clay whispers, pointing to his side. "Get your ass over here," She rolls her eyes but walks over to him. He grabs her hand pulling her into him roughly yet still remains gentle.

I walk out of the room, Eleven by my side as I walk to the stairs, putting my back against the wall to remain hidden.

"Do you have a gun?" I look to the woman beside me, my curiosity and anger towards her still palpable between us. Like a live wire.

She silent for a few seconds before nodding, "Yes."She walks further up the hallway, in a position where she can see the people enter the house.

My eyes meet hers and I nod my head to my left, gesturing to the stairs. She nods back before creeping a step forward. Flattening her back against the wall and blending into the shadows.

The door below slams shut and I tighten my grip on my gun, feeling my fingers mould to the grips. The familiar feeling singeing my blood.

I hear their footsteps as they walk up the stairs. My mind entirely focused on them as I make eye contact with Eleven again, waiting.

She doesn't move, her eyes remaining on mine.

Three seconds' pass.

She shakes her head as the unmistakable sound of approaching people echoes up the stairs.

I remove my gun from the back of my pants as the intruder's approach.

Four seconds' pass.

"It's in the closet." A woman's voice murmurs, a slight tremor shaking the tone.

"Get it." Another voice pierces from below, the lilt decidedly feminine in nature. It knocks against a memory in my brain.

I press my back further into the wall.

Seven seconds' pass.

Elevens head flicks to the right and I spin from my position. Shoving my knee into the persons abdomen as they ascend the stairs.

They stagger back, slamming into the person behind them. A bullet erupts in the silence, and I duck, eyes surveying the house.

The man I'd kneed rights himself, steam erupting from him as he dives forward.

Another bullet flies and he twists, hands flying to his shoulder. I throw myself over the banister to the floor below, holding my gun to the people on the stairs.

"That wasn't very nice, Archer." A voice coos from the staircase. My eyes swing to hers, my gun aimed at their forehead, but I don't pull the trigger.

"You." I narrow my eyes.

The woman smirks, "Me."

"Glad we got introductions out of the way, should we continue?" Eleven says from the floor above, walking out of the shadows, her gun still aimed at the brute that I kneed.