Beyond The Sea Blue Light

I'll Never Let You Freeze Without Me

The radio remains silent, deadly silent as the seconds turn into minutes, then finally hours. Vic is pacing back and forth across the living room, eyeing the small machine while Alex fidgets with something, letting it float in the air before coming to rest back in his hands.

"They should have answered by now," Vic mutters. "What's taking them so long?"

"Do you think they could have—"

"I hope not," Alex sighs. "They're powerful. It would take a lot to take them down. If they're gone, then we're as good as—" he doesn't seem to be able to say the last word. I silently thank him for it. I think my nerves would push me over the edge if I did hear that final word. I can't think about losing anyone else. None of us can.

The faint sound of a car makes the four of us jump, staring wide-eyed at each other. The same thought is running through all of our minds. Is it Frank's team? Or have we been found out? In an instant, a gun appears in Alex's hands as Jack disappears, the door creaking open slightly as he vanishes. I chase after Vic as we sprint up the stairs, to Frank's control room in the attic.

"Is it them?" I gasp.

Vic shakes his head. "We have company," he warns. I realize he's speaking into the microphone—Alex must have his comm on.

"Copy that," Alex says. "Jacky?" The connection wavers as the lights flicker around us. I look at Vic anxiously, seeing the fear reflected on his face before we are enveloped in darkness.

The smell of smoke greets me first as Vic flicks a flame into appearance on his fingertips. There's still enough light left outside for me to see his faint outline, even without the dancing shadows of the flames.

"Breathe," he whispers, slipping his free hand into mine. "It's okay. I'm right here."

I nod as he watches me carefully. "Ready?" he asks.

"Yeah," I breathe out. Vic leads me out of the attic as we jump down the stairs. My heart hammers in my chest as I follow. We've been compromised, again. He kicks the door open as the two of us run into the chilly air.

There's no sign of either Jack or Alex, or the guards. In the distance, I hear shouts and gunshots.

Vic looks around, scanning the yard, but there's no sign of movement except for a flock of frightened birds taking off into the sky. Someone yells out—either Alex or Jac, making the two of us freeze.

"Split up?" I ask. "I'll go to the left, you to the right?"

Vic hesitates, but nods. As much as I hate the idea of splitting up, we will cover more ground that way, seeing as we don't know where they are. He hands me a flashlight, one that he must have grabbed in the control room.

"Be safe," he whispers. "Scream if you are in trouble, okay?"

I nod, my heart pounding as he kisses me, sweet and gentle, before we're sprinting away from each other, into the darkness.

It's so dark that I can barely see the roots and rocks as I crash through the forest. I flick on the flashlight as I run, though it doesn't do much to help, with the beam wobbling as I run. Branches scrape against my face and shoulder as I narrowly avoid the trunks of trees, dodging around bushes and thorns. Strangely, I think of the escape from the Facility and the mad dash through the woods as we got to the first safe house. It seems like an eternity ago, when I thought I had lost Vic forever.

The flashlight beam lands on a guard. He doesn't seem to be much older than me, staring at me, first in shock, then in glee. Before I can react, someone grabs my arms from behind, forcing me onto my knees on the ground. I let out a gasp of surprise, before something hits the back of my skull, making me fall onto my side. The world spins around me, going out in flashes of white and black as I struggle to fight back, thoroughly disoriented and dizzy.

"Don't—!" I hear someone yell out.

"He's—" Someone calls in response.

"Quickly!" A voice hisses over my head, gruff and harsh, the unfamiliar tones making my heart rate speed up. "Be quiet!"

I hear someone calling my name faintly, but I'm too disoriented to fight back. I try to throw a punch, but I don't make much of an impact. Someone laughs and pain shoots through my hand as a person twists my wrist back. I think back to what Vic said, to scream if I need help. I open my mouth, ready to call for help, but a hand claps over my mouth, muffling my scream.

I thrash against my captors, but they hold me tighter. Something cold clamps around my wrists, securing me in place as I'm dragged backward, the lights of the house fading into the trees. I can hear gunshots and yells, but I can't fight back as I'm taken further and further away.