Chapter 28 I Think This Means We Lost

I opened my eyes and found the power out, the only source of light being the window casting in pure moonlight.

I braced myself and gasped as I made my way to my feet, my body was burning, my stomach and back twisting in pain. All over my arms were red marks and raised skin from my impact with the carpet.

Then reality struck: Ethan betrayed this base. A founding member of the rebellion, a man I knew as kind and shy killed my parents. He killed the people he worked for.

My blood boiled, my fists clenched the carpet.

I went to the ground and searched for Kyle's body and shook him, "Kyle please wake up," I was careful not to be too loud. "Please."

I wished I could contact anyone other than Jack but even that wasn't working... something must've happened. Something to make his brain go offline.

Knowing that Kyle was known for his strength and skills, I knew there would be some sort of  weapon here. On his nightstand, a knife shimmered against the moonlight and I grabbed it quickly. I don't even know if I could bring myself to use this but I can't leave without something.

How many were taken out? How many possibly killed?

I opened the door and rushed down the hallway, he had turned off the lights everywhere in the base. The fact I know Ethan has invisibility made me much more nervous. I need to find someone. I don't care who it was I just knew I wouldn't be able to do it alone. Someone alive someone who can help- someone to tell that Ethan was the mole and who knows what he plans to do.

I rounded the corner and gasped, crouching to the floor before entering the commons. All around the floor were bodies... at least ten in total. I could see puddles of blood lining the floor, smeared onto both the walls and floor.

Be brave, Ayla.

I kept myself against the wall, moving slowly and quietly. I jumped at every small creak and I heard and prepared to end up back on the floor.

Was Ethan working alone?

I forced myself to gulp and found myself in front of the front doors, unopened and standing still. I easily could make a run for it but... my friends were here, dozens of people, even children were here. I might be the only person conscious, I can't abandon those who have gone out of their way to protect me.

One of those people however, made the choice to break all his ties here. That, I can't understand.

I gripped the knife. I knew I had to try.

I slowly crept from the doors to the giant main staircase in the opposite corner and made my way up the steps. I could see at the base of the staircase another body was down- Jack's body.

Stifling a gasp, I got on my knees and shook him. He was alive but just like Kyle, unresponsive. I should've checked Mavis' room- and where is Jasmine? Surely she wasn't...

I screamed when something grabbed my shoulder and threw me backward, my head hitting the bricks and for a moment my vision was darker than it was already. Nothing was there.

"Ethan..." I quickly stood up and realized I had dropped the stupid knife somewhere.

Mavis had taught me that the only way you can tell if someone with invisibility is with you is if the environment around you morphs when they pass by. I looked for a warped outline and struggled in the darkness. Everything looked the same.

My hand jerked away from a slight touch and I quickly rounded away from the wall and down the balcony.

"Ayla."

I yelped but continued to run. A faceless enemy was taunting me, I hated the way he said my name. I hated how he still had the same voice that I listened to for months.

Hard footsteps caught up to me, ringing in my ears. I darted out to the side and skidded to a stop when I heard Ethan's body hit the ground with a gasp.

He materialized in front of me, my knife sliding down the hall.

Ethan sat up as I made a break for the blade. I'd be useless without it.

He wrapped his hand around my leg and knocked me over, my chin hitting the hard tiled floor- something in my body cracked but I kept trudging forward.

I screamed as he flipped me over and held the knife above my head.

He hesitated.

"No! No no wait- stop!" I closed my eyes, my body heaving. "I'll go with you- th-there is no need for that-"

I watched his lip quiver... but he shook his head no.

I felt tears prick my eyes, "Why?"

He groaned, "I won't be on a side that treats me terribly. Living in the shadow of Kyle all my life... This place is going nowhere!"

"So that's it. You killed people- you killed my parents because you're angry? Angry that Kyle is-"

He pressed the knife into my chest, a sharp prick of pain shooting up my chest and to my face. "You better watch your next words!"

"You don't want to kill me. You didn't kill Jack and you didn't kill Kyle either even though you're mad." I gulped, "Just let me go with you," I whispered.

He chuckled, "Believe me Ayla, you would much rather have me kill you than face what they have planned for you at the Insurgence."

The breath hitched in the back of my throat. "I'm about to die."

He laughed again but this time it was cut off when I sank my knee between his legs and scooted out from under him as he collapsed. I stood to my feet and kicked the knife out of his hand, "For future reference, Kyle wouldn't have hesitated."

He sneered but I didn't flinch. "I'm not afraid of you. I never have been. You were just too good at being weaker, I guess."

He lunged at me, making me falter back with the point of my knife aimed right at the side of his ribs. I grazed him but did enough harm to make him grab onto the wall, holding his side as he cried out. I could see blood coating his fingers, in this light it appeared almost black.

"Half the time I even forgot you were here, that you were an Insurgent too. You made no impact and you still got beat up by Kyle. You couldn't even kill the brother that you think wronged you enough to cause all this?"

It's all about ego. Ethan somehow mentioned his rough relationship with his brother every time we spoke, his expression always changed. I listened to our group dig at him. He wasn't the type to do this, he did it to try and prove some point, to get back at everyone who overlooked him. But he will still lose.

Footsteps echoed through the hall and slowly in the dark distance I could make out Jasmine's silhouette coming toward me.

"Ayla?"

I gripped the knife, catching her attention. "I'm impressed." She turned her attention to Ethan, an angry look taking over her beautiful face. "I should've known better than to think you were with a girl that night." She laughed.

Ethan looked to us, "You think this means you won? Like I didn't have a backup plan?"

"Since you're a sheep in wolf's clothing, I'd say I don't give a shit about your plan."

He laughed, "You will when this place blows up."

Jasmine's face fell but it quickly snapped back, "So that's it huh? Betray your family and home and blow it up so no one remembers who you once were? Just the man who took down the rebellion?" She scoffed, "You must think you're really strong."

"It's kill or be killed out here- you know that better than anyone Jasmine. We all know what happens when this is gone. As soon as it's clear you lost you'll come crawling back. You'll do anything to save your own skin!"

Could that be true?

She didn't seem fazed, "How much time."

"You can't tell me I'm wrong-" He had a grin on his face yet still hunched over holding his bleeding side.

"How much goddamn time!" She slapped him.

He spit blood across the room, "Twenty minutes." He spat out each word. I think I might have gagged.

She glared and sent her fist into the side of his cheek, sending him to the ground.

"Ayla," She calmly said, "Will you please round up the kids and anyone who might be on this floor. Escort them out."

I ran my hands through my hair, gripping my and digging my nails into my scalp, "Less than minutes to get one hundred people out? To get resources out?" I shook my head, "There are so many who are unconscious."

Jasmine stood in front of em and gripped my shoulders, "Ayla. Shut the hell up and go do what I said. Stop wasting time before more people die because of you." She shoved me to the side and took off down the balcony.

Because of me?

I shook it off and shook my head as I raced down the hallway and into the children's corridors where they all sat frightened against the walls of their unlit playroom. Looks like Jasmine had rounded them up when she figured out something was wrong.

I swallowed my panic and held open the door, "Everything's okay. We just have to be real quiet."

I had them line up in front of me and escorted them down a back stair case to avoid the bodies on the main. Still, we had to cross the war-zone commons.

"Everyone lock hands and keep your eyes closed okay. Just hold onto me and keep going forward." I exhaled the stale air from my lungs and felt my body shudder as we entered the commons. "Do not open your eyes."

I held open the front door as the kids piled up outside in the cold. They all were asking questions, their high voices blending together making my head spin. I was finding it hard to keep my composure during this situation. I don't even know where to take the children.

"Everyone just go deep into the forest okay and stay together..." It felt wrong to leave them and partially I honestly didn't want to. But, I knew I couldn't leave Jack. I couldn't leave my group inside that base. "We will come out and find you I promise. It's important you get far into the woods away from here and make sure you all stay together, do you understand me?"

Several nodded, some were crying, and the rest had a mixture of both a blank and confused facial expression.

"Go!"

They stood there for a couple minutes. A couple started to slowly trail off, calling for their friends to follow.

"I'll be back!" I darted back inside the base and gasped to find Jack and Kyle awake and together along with other stray members of the rebellion.

"Jack!" I felt my voice shake.

His face relaxed as his eyes met mine, "Ayla thank god-" He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me to his chest, squeezing me.

"We have all the tents accounted for, what I'm worried about is food and medical supplies." I broke away and breathed a sigh of relief to see Mavis.

Kyle was eerily quiet, his face an olive shade. Dried blood left a trail down his forehead from where I'm guessing Ethan struck his blow. I couldn't imagine what his thoughts must be looking like right now. The thought of your brother doing this because of you? Going through the motions of deciding he was the mole to feeling guilty about beating him up... only for him to be the traitor that was going to take down your home.

"Blankets. We need blankets," A random Insurgent said. "We'll freeze out there."

"Is there any possible way we could try to find and disarm the bomb?" Another asked.

"Maybe he was just bluffing anyways to lure us out."

My heart sank. Disturbingly I hope that isn't the case knowing I had just said the kids into the woods blindly.

Mavis glared, "We are wasting time. We will treat this seriously until our time is up. Treat your sweep as if we have ten minutes to get the hell out of here."

It seemed not everyone was even hustling.

I don't know if everyone is making it out of here in time.

Jack looked at Kyle, both their eyes dilating despite Kyle still silent and fixated on staring at the floor.

Jack blinked and broke to look at me, "You know I always said I swear to keep you safe." He put his hands on my shoulders, sending a chill down my spine.

"Yes?" My voice trailed off nervously.

I watched him gulp, "You are the greatest thing to come into this awful world I live in, Ayla Gordon." He took a deep breath and paused, "It's been a pleasure to know you."

My lips parted, "What?" I gasped as my back hit Kyle's chest, his arms immediately wrapping around me and picking me up. "Jack- Jack stop!" I squirmed, smacking Kyle's arms.

"Keep her safe," Jack slowly backed up before turning and sprinting down the hallway I know led to his room. Our room.

Hot tears were streaming down my face. The same feeling of hot pain in my stomach and back returned as I fought and struggled in Kyle's inhumane grip. I felt out of my own body, watching him carry me away, my own cries echoing.

It was all falling apart so fast.

That wasn't a see you soon either. It was a goodbye.