Beyond The Sea Blue Light

The Empty Hearts That Stopped

I take a deep breath as the truck stops, pitching me forward. I grab onto the edge of the seat for support as I hear the engine turn off. Boots crunch on the gravel as we wait in silence before the back doors are flung open. I squint, shielding my eyes, seeing Gerard standing there. He motions for us to move, putting a finger to his lips as he does so.

Vic gives me a little nod as I turn to go, jumping out of the back of the truck, my sneakers skidding a bit as I land. Alex lands gracefully next to me, pulling his backpack of supplies on. We seem to be parked in the middle of a national park of some sort.

"Here?" Jack asks, his voice ringing out in the silence of the forest.

Gerard nods. "It's surrounded on all sides by forest," he whispers. "They won't be expecting us to be coming in this way."

It's here where we split up, Jack and Andy heading one way, while the rest of us go the other way. Jack and Andy have to circle around, to meet us at the front. This way we will have them cornered, with no way to call for help.

"Good luck," Gerard says. He levels Andy with another glance. "Remember—"

Andy nods. "Got it," he says, brushing past Gerard. "You coming?" he calls to Jack, who flashes us an apologetic glance before hurrying after him.

Gerard shakes his head, sighing. "Well, we better get moving then," he says.

The walk through the woods is quite peaceful, as the four of us climb up the steep slope. I can almost imagine we don't have a mission to complete, don't have to do anything today. That it's just the four of us, hiking through the wilderness, like friends are supposed to do. As if there wasn't anything at stake.

Vic's hand slips into mine as we walk, keeping a few paces back from where Gerard and Alex are chatting quietly.

"How are you doing?" he asks.

"How are you?" I counter.

Vic shakes his head, smiling slightly. "I asked you first," he says.

"I'm fine," I reply.

"Me too," Vic breathes out. He gives me a little smile. "Everything's going to be alright."

The trail starts to become narrower, so I have to let go of Vic's hand as I climb, trying to keep my balance on the mud-slicked side of the hill. There's a muffled roar in the distance, growing louder and louder as we climb higher and higher. At last, we stumble out onto the banks of a rushing waterfall.

I catch my breath as I climb up beside Gerard and Alex.

"Wow," I exclaim. It's quite magnificent, the river in full flood from where it cascades over the side of the looming cliff. It has to be a few hundred feet tall at least, from where the water tumbles down the side, roaring down into the valley below.

"Ready to cross?" Alex asks, a note of amusement in his voice. Before I can react, I feel myself shooting up into the air, carried over to the other side before I can even blink. I land unsteadily, turning around to face Alex from where he's grinning.

"A little warning next time?" I gasp, my heart still hammering in my chest. Alex shakes his head, still grinning as he flies Vic and Gerard over before landing himself.

Gerard brushes some leaves out of his hair. "Well," he says. "It's just a short while this way until we're there." I can't help but shiver at his words. We're almost there. The last Facility stands in reaching distance from us, our goal nearly completed. The last one until we're done, last one until we're free at last.

It's quite evident when we're getting close. A low humming noise sounds, growing louder as we near the looming electric fence. Imposing, it towers several feet above us, spiked black wire stretching toward the sky.

I freeze when I see the Facility, the familiar-looking gray walls stretching toward the sky. Guards stand around the perimeter, keeping watch around. I shrink back, afraid that they can see us, but they can't, not from where we're hidden under the cover of the leaves. It didn't bother me this much last time, I don't know why it is this time. Vic rubs his hand over my back, pushing me forward gently.

"Breathe," he whispers as he guides me away. "You're okay."

I force myself to take in a trembling breath, nodding. Vic's watching me carefully, concern in his eyes.

"You good now?" he asks quietly. There's no hint of teasing in his voice, just quiet sympathy. I nod once, my heart pounding as we near the side of the fence.

"Ready?" Gerard asks. He hands me a comm which I fit into my ear.

"Go time," Andy replies.

From across the yard I see an explosion, the impact rocking the whole word. It's probably a car, one that Andy charged with his powers, making them explode. There's another explosion and I see the fence spark in several bright blue flares of electricity before it goes silent.

Alex pulls out a pair of bolt cutters, neatly snipping open the wires of the fence and cutting a hole big enough for us to crawl through. He goes through first, followed by Vic, then me. Gerard brings up the rear, pulling the wire mostly closed to obscure how we got in.

"Good luck," Vic whispers. Before I can go, he pulls me in, kissing me lightly. "I'll see you in a bit. That's not negotiable."

I can't help but smile. "Be safe," I say. "I love you."

"I love you too," he says. He reaches up, tapping his first two fingers to his lips in our sign as I hurrying after Alex. The sight of it is comforting, also painful. That was what he did, just before I lost him.

Alex gives me a glance as we duck behind a truck, watching Andy's and Jack's progress across the yard as they take out the guards.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing," he says. "It's just that—I don't know. I was thinking of the first time I met you guys. And how madly Vic was in love with you, even then. I don't think he ever told you most of it but he'd talk to us, planning an escape all for you. It was honestly hilarious how he didn't even know how in love he was." I can't help but blush at his words.

"Everything's cycling around," I say. "I can't believe that this is the last Facility. We're almost done."

Alex nods as the next explosion goes off. "That's our cue," he says. "I guess it's time to finish this, once and for all."

---

Y'all should check out "Locked Inside An Echo" a prequel that follows Frank and Gerard and their story! (Yes, I do have too many projects. Am I going to stop? no.)