I'm going to be alone again this weekend (WAAAHHH ZY, MATTIE WHY)
So have Chapter 2.
-Ultimate-Bear-sama
*Note: Because greater than or less than symbols don't work here and so do subscripts, dashes symbolize the arrow and the numbers with italics only are the subscripts.
Chloe wanted to scream.
It was supposed to be about basic Chemistry. It was really simple. Balancing equations was supposed to be a piece of cake for her. But why couldn't she even answer one question?
C3H8 + O2 - H2O + CO2
How long had she been staring at that simple equation?
Her eyes darted at the clock.
2 AM.
Chloe groaned as she drank her fifth cup of coffee for the night. She would've been asleep already if it weren't for the additional assignment.
"Mmmm...maybe I should ask Dale tomorrow..."she uttered, finally giving up. Just as she was about to pack her things, she heard something crash from her glass window.
Chloe screamed and jumped, afraid of whatever came into her room. Shaking, she grabbed a tiny pair of scissors, stood up, and turned around with fearful yet vicious eyes.
"Who are you?! Show yourself!"
A paw slapped her. Chloe looked up to see the polar bear, definitely looking not fine.
Her eyes widened as she watched the bear collapse on his knees, red eyes and cheeks stained by tears. He was shaking.
It scared Chloe. She had never seen the strongest of the bunch struggling whatever it was.
Speaking of the bunch, Chloe had to wonder.
"W-Where are your brothers?"
A tear landed on the floor.
She gasped. "W-What happened...?"
The paw gave her the letter. It must have taken Chloe two minutes to even process her emotions after reading the letter.
She wanted to cry. She could imagine what those men are doing to them right now.
But she knew that the pain the bear carried was heavier than hers.
Wasn't that the only family Ice Bear ever had?
Chloe couldn't imagine her parents being taken away just like that. It would sting and hurt her heart if it were to happen.
She clutched the piece of paper and slowly walked to the bear. She didn't need to ask anymore what he needed.
He needed help.
"What can I do to help?"
Ice Bear slowly stood up before trying to walk. Chloe had to assist him, for he was out of balance.
The hit must have affected his balance, she thought. After letting the bear relax on the chair, Chloe grabbed a piece of paper and a pen so she can formulate her plan.
"Y-Yana..."
Yana?
"Yana? Who's Yana?"
He was silent for a moment before croaking out, "Y-Yana. Need Yana. Need help in going to Yana."
She put the pen and paper down. "But I don't even know who she is or where she lives."
He coughed. "I-Ice Bear will guide you."
She stared at the Chemistry homework left unanswered and then at the bear. Chloe nodded. She knew already what to do first.
"Homework can always wait."
"And where do I turn next?"
"Left."
After turning left, the duo stood in front of a metal door. Ice Bear knocked on it. Suddenly, a tall, Russian man opened it. Ice Bear uttered what Chloe could have guessed was some Russian word. The man looked at the child and then back at the bear.
"кто это?" ("Who is this?") The man asked. Ice Bear replied, "Товарищ." ("Comrade.") The man nodded and allowed them in, eyeing at the ten-year old. Chloe clung unto Ice Bear's right arm and whispered, "Where are we going?"
Ice Bear opened the curtains to reveal what it seemed to be a computer cafe.
Chloe could not even begin to process what she had seen.
How many secret clubs and cafes were there in San Francisco?
Ice Bear walked towards the table and greeted a hello. A slim, dark woman with purple hair on one side and none on the other turned to them and smiled a little.
"Glad that you came back."She looked at Chloe and frowned. "Didn't I tell you not to bring any company with you?"
"Ice Bear needs human child for rescue operation."
She raised her brow. "Rescue operation?"
Ice Bear nudged Chloe, which made her give the letter to the woman. After reading it, the woman sighed. "What is wrong with these men?" She turned to make a cup of coffee before giving it to the bear. The woman then took a paper and pen and wrote something.
"First, we need an informant. Luckily, I'm here to get the job. Just don't bring anymore people here and it's a deal."
She seems really bothered with the fact that he brought me into a place I should not have stepped in.
"But what about the kid?"
"Child prodigy."
The woman turned to Chloe. "Name?"
She gulped. "C-Chloe. Chloe Park."
"Yana Ivanov. You are forbidden from ever revealing this place to anyone else. Do we have a deal?"
Chloe nodded. Yana turned back to Ice Bear. "And what will she do?"
"Formulate rescue operation once info is here."
Chloe nodded. "Just give me the necessary information and I'll be able to construct one."
Yana turned her before nodding. "You picked a good one. When do you plan on rescuing them?"
"Maximum of seven days."
Yana nodded again. "That's more than enough time for us. I will stop by your house the day after tomorrow to give you the information I have gathered. In the mean time, prepare all the necessary weapons. You still have the card I gave you, right?"
"да." ("Yes.")
"That's good enough. Best be on your way. Chloe's parents might worry."
Ice Bear nodded. "Спасибо." ("Thank you.")
"пожалуйста." ("You're welcome.") She looked at Chloe before smiling a bit. "It's nice to meet you too, Chloe."
Chloe smiled, still unsure on how to feel about what had just happened.
It seemed that there was more than one secret the youngest had kept away from his brothers.
But why would he do that?
When morning came, Chloe paid a visit to the bear. Although sleepy, she managed to keep her composition.
She knocked the door, yawning. "You there?"
Ice Bear opened the door, yawning. "Good morning."
"Morning as well. Might as well formulate the initial plan today."
The bear nodded and let her in. Both sat on the couch and stared at the table.
"So what will Ice Bear and Chloe do?"
Chloe yawned. "Well if you're going to ask me, two bodies aren't enough. We need to recruit other people to help us."
"Other people?"He groaned. Of all the friends the brothers made, Chloe was the only person he could trust. The rest, to him, were either rude or idiots.
But then, his mind shifted to this other person who was neither of those. He knew there would be consequences, but he chose to suggest her.
"Ranger Tabes,"he suggested. Chloe thought about it for a minute and nodded. "I've met her once. She looks like a good recruit to me. Anyone else?"
"Lucy."
"My friend's big sister? Well I heard that she's good at athletics. We're going to need one more person though. We need someone who can attract the guards if any comes. You know anyone who's famous?"
There was only one person in mind. Or rather, animal.
Unfortunately, it was someone he didn't want.
He frowned and signed. "Nom Nom."
"That famous koala? You know him?"
He pinched his nose. "Ice Bear does not want to talk about it."
Chloe nodded. "Well I guess our team is good. All we need to do now is to ask if they can help us. I'll go recruit Tabes and Lucy. You go with Nom Nom."
It was definitely not his day.
The darkness called to him.
He swayed in this void until he could feel something.
The feeling was warm. And the nearer he went to it, the warmer it became.
He wanted to go to it.
But something tried to pull him back. And it was stronger than eight tentacles.
He choked and gasped for hair. That strange being was strangling him.
And all he could was struggle, hoping to get free.
