Ok it's finally here! Omg! Enjoy!
Chapter 6: Found
"What the hell is going on down here?" shouted Trevor as we made our way down the stairs and to the kitchen, which had a thin stream of smoke coming out the door.
About a minute before we got there Evan stumbled out of the kitchen his face and clothes streaked with soot, and holding a bowl of what looked like charcoal. "Nothing," Evan coughed.
"Did you burn the cereal again?" said Emma accusingly.
"Wait, again?" I asked incredulously. "How can you burn cereal anyway?"
"Well you know how electricity and liquids don't exactly go well together?" said Evan, I nodded. "So since Electricity is my element, it reacted to the milk and set my poor coco puffs on fire," He finished sadly, glancing at the still smoking bowl in his hands.
"Evan, that's no excuse! Can't you control your own element yet?" Trevor asked exasperatedly.
"Yea I can, but come on man what fun is that?" Evan shrugged.
"So how many times has he done that?" I whispered to Ivy and Asher.
"Fifty times," They said, at the same time.
"Wow," I said, as Lucas giggled.
"At least tell us you didn't burn it all this time bro," Asher asked as his stomach growled. Bro? Oh…. I guess that would explain why they looked so much alike, I thought.
"Don't worry," he assured us. "We still have two more full boxes."
There was a sigh of relief then everyone scrambled into the kitchen grabbing all the food they possibly could, bringing it back out and setting it on a table in what I assumed must have been the dining room.
"How long have you guys been here?" I asked curiously, filling up a bowl with cereal.
"Um.. About two and a half months I think," Asher replied.
"Yea that sounds right," confirmed Ivy.
I nearly choked on my food when I heard this news. "Two and a half months?" I asked incredulously. "Don't you guys realize how dangerous that is? Staying in one place so long makes it ten times easier for the Clan to find and capture you!"
Everyone glanced at each other worry on their faces, "Does this mean we have to leave?" Emma asked sadly.
I nodded, "If you would like to avoid being thrown in jail, I think that would be for the best," I told them.
"Jess is right," Trevor said. "All of you should have kept moving while I was gone. We're going to pack up tonight, remember only the essentials," he instructed, to which they all nodded solemnly.
After that the atmosphere got pretty tense. Finally I couldn't stand it anymore and told them I was going out for a walk.
Outside it was very hot and humid, the sun was straight overhead, but that didn't bother me too much, it never really had. I guess that immunity to heat is one of the perks of being able to control fire.
I walked along the bustling New York side walk until I came to a small park. I turned into it and went to a little grove of trees that sat to the side of it. I scaled one of the trees with ease sitting up in its curving branches; eyes closed listening to the sounds of talking, car horns, the wind, and the twittering of birds flitting here and there.
One sound however caught my attention above the others. The sharp, high cry of a hawk. I opened my eyes and looked up at the bright blue sky and saw the hawk wheeling in circles over head. I expected it to fly off at some point but instead it started to circle in lower. The sun reflected off its feathers causing them to glow as though they were on fire.
For some reason I got the impression that it was connected to me somehow, and that I had seen it somewhere before. A memory of when I was a little girl flashed in my mind; I was sitting in the yard playing with my toys while a hawk watched from a fence post nearby.
But this couldn't possibly be the same one….. Could it? I stared up at it until eventually it landed with a quiet grace on the branch in front of me. We just sat there, still and quiet. The hawks calculating its yellow eyes, boring into my own hazel ones.
Then it hopped forward, stopping when it was within my reach. Tentatively I reached my hand out and gently stroked its feathers. Hello young one, said a voice inside my head.
I jumped back wide eyed, "Did you just…? You talked!" I exclaimed. I swear it rolled its eyes but I was probably just imagining it.
Well I am your spirit animal, it's only natural that we can communicate telepathically, it stated, a slight sarcastic edge to its voice.
I shook my head as more memories flooded in, "Your name's Phoenix right?
Yes, she replied. I didn't know how I knew that it was female, I just did.
"Whoa," I said, still in shock, "That's so cool!"
You must get back to your friends, she said completely ignoring my previous comment.
I was on alert immediately "What wrong?"
They are in danger, which was all I needed to hear before I scramble down out of the tree and took off running toward the hotel, Phoenix flying overhead.
I skidded to stop next to the building nearly toppling over from the speed I had been going. I saw two black armored vans parked at the main entrance, so I snuck around to the back slipping in from a side door. "Guys? Where are you?" I called softly.
"Over here," came the quiet reply from Emma.
Careful not to make a sound I came over to where they were hiding, and crouched down next to them. "Are you all ok?" they nodded in answer. "When did the suits get here?" I asked tilting my head at the window, seeing at least 10 guys dressed in their black military uniforms.
"Maybe fifteen minutes ago," answered Trevor, glancing at the guys apprehensively.
"In here we're sitting ducks; the best thing would be to get out in the open," I turned my attention to my new friends and asked, "Can you all fight?"
"Um… Not very well," said Asher, "The only good fighter is Trevor." That was pretty much what I had expected.
"Ok then," I sighed, thinking fast. "Here's what we're going to do then. Lucas you stay with Ivy and Asher. Trevor, you watch out for Evan and Emma. I can manage alright on my own. Any questions?" I asked. Ivy raised her hand, "Yes?"
"Well not that I'm judging or anything but uh… Lucas is just a little kid, how is he going to protect us?" she said with a puzzled look on her face.
I smiled at her, "You'd be surprised at what he can do in a fight. You're just going to have to trust me on this. Anything else?" Everyone shook their heads. "Let's go then."
We all crept to the door avoiding the windows, hoping that we would get the element of surprise on our side. "One," I counted off. "Two… Three!" I shouted, and with this we burst out the door.
The suits seemed to be stunned by this and stood gaping. The guy closest to me reacted first, running at me with his fist raised. I easily side stepped, and punched him in the stomach so that he doubled over onto his knees. After that everything went in a blur, fist and clubs flying, angry shouts and grunts of pain.
I took down everyone who came at me, but I hadn't escaped injury. I had a bloody nose and what would most definitely turn into a black eye. When a small break occurred in the fight I glanced around to check how the others were doing; from what I could tell no one was seriously hurt.
Unfortunately my slight lapse in concentration cost me a nasty punch to the stomach. I groaned falling onto my knees. Squinting against the sunlight, I looked up and saw a boy with short brown hair and gray eyes staring at me malevolently. I guessed he wasn't much older than me.
Angry at myself for loosing focus I kicked out hard with my feet hitting his knee-caps, and sending him five feet backwards. Both of us stood and walked toward each other, then began to circle. "So what makes a young guy like you join the clan huh?" I asked, never once looking away from him.
"Because it's easy to see the power they posses, I figured it would be best to get on the winning side," he answered, keeping his eyes locked on me.
I snorted, "From what I can tell most of your guys have been beaten," he tried to keep his face blank but I could see the frustration behind it. So he's got a temper, I thought. "Right now I'm thinking it's our side that's winning," I smiled sweetly. He growled and lunged at me but I caught his blow using his force to throw him on the ground.
"You have no idea what you're getting into," the boy spat.
I just rolled my eyes and delivered a quick blow to his temple knocking him out very effectively. I turned and found that a very select few were still standing, and they had turned tail and run knowing they'd lost. I walked over to everyone. "Everybody ok?" I asked.
Evan grunted, "Bruised and bashed up but I think we're good."
"You and your brother are such great fighters!" Ivy exclaimed, "Where did you learn all that from?"
I smiled, "That's a story for another time. Get your things; we have to leave now before reinforcements show up." Hurriedly belongings were gathered and we were ready to go in a few minutes.
"Jesse?" said Lucas.
"Yea?" I replied looking down at him.
"All of our things are at the old apartment," He said, brow wrinkling.
"I know honey, I'm going to go pick it up while you and the others go somewhere that you'll be safe."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~line~~~~~~~~~
With bags and backpacks we all gathered in the old hotel lounge. "I have to make a trip to pick up some things, but I know a place that will be safe to go."
"Where might that be?" Trevor questioned.
"With some… Friends of mine. Lucas, you know how to get there right?" I asked him, to which he nodded. "You should get going; I'll meet up with you later."
"Are you sure Jess?" asked Ivy, "Won't it be dangerous for you to go alone?"
"Yes it will but I'll be alright, just promise me you will all stick together." They all agreed and I ushered them out the back door, giving Lucas a quick hug and kiss, "I love you buddy," I smiled at him, and he smiled back before leaving.
"Are you sure you're going to be ok?" Said Trevor's voice right next to me, making me jump.
"Yea," I answered, I hadn't realized he was still there, "Just watch out for my brother, he's the only family I have left," I told him. He gave me a calculating look and my hand a quick squeeze (making my heart flutter a bit) before jogging out after the others.
I really need to get my feelings straight about this boy, I thought running a hand through my tangled hair. I'd known him for what? Two days? Friends first, I decided, and we'll see what happens from there.
Around fifteen minutes after everyone had left I walked out the door turning in the opposite direction from where they had. The old apartment was pretty close and I reached it in almost no time at all.
I climbed the rusty fire escape on the side of the seven story building up to the fifth floor, swinging into the window, and onto what had been my bed.
I scurried around the room gathering up four pairs of clothing for both Lucas and I, putting them into to backpacks. I also retrieved a small grubby photo of my family; my mom holding Lucas who was one year old and my dad balancing me on his hip at the age of six, smiling away as if there weren't a care in the world. This photo and also a beautifully made dagger, its blade tinged with blue, were the only things that I had left to remember my parents by.
I sighed sadly, stroking my fingers over the picture. But I didn't have time for that so I zipped into my pack, then swinging it and Lucas's up on my shoulders. I scampered down the fire escape and jumped down to the pavement, beginning to run.
Of course with my luck I didn't make it far before I heard the large heavy foot falls of boots following me. Crap.
I ran down the street as fast as I could, my lungs burning. I heard the pounding increase mixed with angry shouts. When I got the chance I turned into a back alley attempting to lose them, but with no luck.
At least being in an alley meant there was no one to get in the way. Of course that also meant there was no one to help me.
Suddenly there was a loud 'BANG' from behind that made my blood run cold. A gun shot.
Somehow I increased my speed, making sure to run in a zigzag pattern. However with ten or so guys after you that doesn't work to well.
Not more than two minutes after the first shot, I felt a searing pain rip through my shoulder. But I couldn't stop, I had to keep running. I rounded a sharp corner and made a split second decision by jumping up on the lid of and dumpster and from there propelling myself onto the roof of a nearby building.
I could hear confused shouts pass by that soon became fainter as the group of suits ran on. Now that I had stopped moving the pain in my left shoulder doubled to the point that made my knees buckled, and I collapsed onto my side breathing raggedly.
My vision flickered oddly and I became aware of a warm liquid soaking my shirt. Tentatively I put my hand up over the damp area, then pulled it away to find my palm stained with blood. A shocking realization hit me, I had been shot.
Cliff hanger! I really love writing them…. So anyway thank you so much for your reviews and support I really appreciate it! I know this chapter took forever and I'm truly sorry.
I'm not making any promise to when chapter 7( which I have a basic plan for) will be up but I'm guessing it'll be after I'm done with school in two weeks, which isn't too bad. And then I have all summer to write! Wooo!
I will be going on a trip to Maine July 1st through to the 4th and I don't know if there will be internet access.
So any way thanks for reading!
Also thank you to Kaligirl22 for correcting this, please go check out her story( she has one chapter so far so tell her to get moving on the next one!). You can get a link to her page in the comments.
Review please!
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