Melina:
One week. Only one week before we storm the palace to overthrow Queen Bess, my mother. I blew out a breath at the thought. Two weeks had flown by, everyone had been training since then. Perfecting their skills that would be needed for the mission. I glanced at all my companions. We were all outside of the HQ, sitting on the grass. Wylie leaned over to me. “Melina, can I talk to you?” He murmured in my ear. I jerked, surprised.
“Uh, yeah what’s up?” I asked. Wylie glanced around.
“Can we talk… privately?” He revised. I stood, brushing dirt from my shorts.
“Sure,”
I followed him back inside. Wylie mused his hair, thinking for a moment before saying.
“Melina, this team is divided. Not all of us trust each other to the extent to which this mission demands. That needs to change. Immediately. If this is going to work we all need to be in this together,” Wylie finally told me, lowering his head.
“And I mean no disrespect to you as a leader,” He added after a second’s thought. I sighed.
“You’re right,” I admitted.
“But how? How do I- we – bring everyone together?” I asked.
“I’m not quite sure. Maybe Silas has some ideas,” Wylie suggested. I nodded. He was right. If we didn’t start working together then this mission would fail.
Jinx:
Six days, five hours, and twenty-nine minutes before we were going to try to take over Malaik Palace. My part in the mission was easy- get Mel and Arji into the palace. I’d broken into hundreds of places, the palace being one, this would be a piece of cake. And yet I hesitated. Silas was keeping something from me, and it was about that little green box with the list, a list that had my name on it, that Silas had hired me to steal. I was jolted from my thoughts as Mel sat back down beside me, returning from her private conversation with Wylie. “What happened?” I murmured to her.
“We were just talking about the group. And… how we need to trust each other,” Mel told me.
“I do trust the group,” I told her. Mel shook her head.
“No you trust me,” She corrected with a slight smile. True. I thought. She squinted at me and I shifted uncomfortably, she could always see through me. “What’s wrong?” She asked after a minute. “And don’t say nothing,” She added as I opened my mouth to say just that.
“I was just thinking,” I answered truthfully.
“About the list?”
“Yeah,”
“You could ask Silas about it,”
“If he wanted me to know, he would have told me,” I glanced over at Mel, who said nothing, just nodded and moved her hand on top of mine. Suddenly I stiffened. Something was wrong.
June:
A scream pierced through the air. We all jumped to our feet at the same time the door swung open to reveal a man, gun in hand. Rosaline paled, Arji’s jaw dropped, and Melina took a step backwards. “Long time no see, daughter,” The man growled at Rosaline. Arji tossed a hostile glare the man’s way, putting a protective arm around Rosaline. The man raised an eyebrow. “How ironic, Arji,” He laughed.
“Who are you?!” Jinx demanded. The man shifted the gun in his hands.
“Cedric. Rosaline here is my daughter and-” Cedric cut off as his gaze cut to Melina. Cedric’s eyes widened. “No,” He whispered.
“Are you…” Cedric breathed. Melina was shaking so hard I thought she might topple.
“You’re Bess’s kid, aren’t you?” Cedric muttered with an astonished shake of his head.
“And yours,” Melina added in a squeaky voice.
“What do you want?” I asked, crossing my arms, Wylie edged towards me.
“Rosaline. And now…” Cedric pointed at Melina.
“Oh and to kill Silas,” Cedric added after a second’s thought. Arji tightened his arm around Rosaline. “Why?” Wylie asked, shooting me a look. We need to buy time. His eyes said. Cedric hesitated then shrugged. “Because Rosaline knows,” Cedric whispered.
“Knows what?” Wylie pushed. Cedric laughed.
“You’re not too bright are you? If you knew I’d have to kill you too,” Cedric said pointedly.
“Dad…” Rosaline started, wincing as she said dad.
“Mom wouldn’t want this,” Rosaline said. Cedric flinched.
“I have no choice,” Cedric snapped.
“Now enough talk,” Cedric lifted the gun again, but Arji stepped in front of Rosaline, Arji’s gaze meeting Cedric’s. “Move, Arji. You wouldn’t want anything happening to that adorable little sister of yours, would you?” Cedric cackled. Arji’s eyes widened and his face paled, but he stood his ground. “Arji, move. Please,” Rosaline begged.
“It’s okay,” Rosaline assured him. But Arji met Cedric’s gaze once again.
“No,”
Wylie:
I braced myself for a shot, but a faint shout reached us. “RUN!” Silas’ voice. Panic flashed across Cedric’s face as he ran from the room, head swiveling, looking for Silas. We all jumped into motion. “We’ve gotta get out of here,” Jinx muttered and I snorted in agreement. “We need to look for Gracia and Marguerite,” Rosaline reminded everyone. Gracia and Marguerite were in on the mission with Cedric, and were helping us prepare for the mission. “We need to hurry,” I urged.
“Before that creep comes back,”
Jinx went first, making sure the hallways were clear, then the rest of us followed. A scream echoed through the building as we darted down the hallway, then Cedric’s menacing voice yelling for Silas. Relief swept through me. Silas was ok. Another scream. Jinx led the way, following the screams. Finally we pushed into the meeting room. Gracia laid on the floor in a scary amount of blood. She was conscious, gritting her teeth. Melina knelt next to her. “Gracia…”
“Mel… run. If Cedric gets you… mission doomed. Run…”
“We’re gonna get you out of this. Where’s Marguerite?” Mel asked.
“Backup,” Graica murmured, then passed out. Suddenly a gunshot sounded. Someone groaned, then Rosaline collapsed. “NO!” Arji shrieked, dropping to his knees next to her. I whirled around to see Cedric in the doorway, gun raised. Another gun shut. But this time it was Cedric himself who crumpled to the ground, revealing Silas behind him.
Rosaline:
…
Arji
I cradled Rosaline in my arms, my heart thumping against my chest. No. No. No. No. NO!!! Silas crouched next to me, pressing his hands against Rosaline’s wound in an attempt to stop the blood flow. “Marguerite went to get backup, people who are on our side. Some of them are medics,” Silas muttered to me. I gave an unfocused nod, shaking as I tightened my arms around Rosaline. The door banged open and Marguerite followed by a man and woman hurried into the room. The strangers dropped beside Silas and I. “Thanks for coming,” Silas murmured to them. They nodded.
“We’ll take it from here,” The woman told me, giving me a tight smile. I nodded slowly, reluctantly backing away from Rosaline. Silas placed a hand on my shoulder. “She’ll be alright,” Silas told me. But we both knew he couldn’t promise that.
TO BE CONTINUED…