"Come on, let's find a way to get out of here." I let go of her and we looked around, but there was no way out except for the door. Which led into the main part of the warehouse.

Chloe and I shared a look.

Bloody hell.

Chloe's POV

Alek and I exchanged glances.

"Well, the longer we wait, the longer we'll be in here. Let's just get this over with." Alek sighed, running a hand roughly through his dirty hair.

I nodded. "Let's go." I reached out and quietly opened the door, peeking my head through. I felt Alek grip my other hand. I opened the door all the way, seeing nobody in the hallway, and we stepped out.

The fresh air ran down my throat and I gulped it in, relieved not to have to breathe the stale air in my cell anymore. My cuts and bruises were taking a while to heal, so some of them were still bleeding and sore. It was weird. Mai were supposed to be fast healers, right? I shrugged it off.

Alek seems to be in good condition – just some scrapes on his wrists where he broke free from his chains, and some bruises here and there. We snuck quietly through the warehouse, but it seemed...empty?

"Is it just me, or is this a little too easy?" Alek muttered.

"I was just thinking the same thing..." I whispered back. We were hiding behind a large crate filled with heavy glass objects, but it was pointless.

There was nobody here. Or there was, and they're not trying to stop us.

"What are they doing? They have the Uniter and her protector...why are they letting us go?" Alek exclaimed, standing up. I stayed crouched on the floor.

"Something isn't right. I think...I don't think we should go through those doors. What if they're trapped or something?"

"Well, what else are we gonna do, Chlo? Sit here all day until an Order member comes back?"

I bit my lip, looking up at him.

"I-I guess not."

"Well, let's get this over with." He helped me up, and slid an arm around my waist. We walked carefully to the door, and hesitated. I could see the bright light bursting through the windows, and I yearned to feel the warmth on my skin.

Alek stepped forward and pushed the door open a crack, hesitating.

No blaring alarms, no flashing lights, no net to come down and grab us.

Absolutely nothing.

"What is going on?" Alek muttered. We walked outside.

It was that easy.

It was just that easy.

"What, did all of the Order members decide to go on vacation at the same time or something?" I looked back, and there was no one chasing us down, there was silence. There was nothing.

And for some reason, I was more scared than I would've been if an Order member was chasing me down with a gun.

Alek and I quickly climbed up onto the rooftops and made our way back to the penthouse. Alek waved to his doorman, and he let him in. We walked into their apartment, and Jasmine and Valentina looked up, jumping.

"Chloe! Alek? How did you get out? Are you alright? Did you lose another? How did you...?" Valentine frantically ushered us down on her clean couch, getting out her first aid kit. She got a wash cloth and cleaned our faces first, smoothing back our hair lovingly. I scrunched up my face and crinkled my nose when she wiped my face, trying not to get the warm drops of water coming out of the towel into my eyes. Alek chuckled and kissed my cheek.

"So how did you guys get out?" Jasmine sat down next to me on the couch.

Alek and I looked at each other.

"It was like...it was like they were letting us go. We just walked out. Literally." Alek said.

Valentine blinked, her hand frozen. The washcloth rested upon my cheek.

"They just...they just let you go? Nobody was there at all?" She questioned.

"Nope. Nobody." I shrugged. "It was really creepy, actually."

"Something's not right...for them to have let you go...that means they have a plan to get you back, probably to a place where we can't find you again." Jasmine's forehead crinkled with worry. I shrugged, biting my lip. Valentina started to wipe down Alek's dirty face.

I felt like a small child, and while I was playing outside I scraped my knee, and my mother was washing it and putting a band aid on it for me. It felt nice. I felt safe. I looked down, running my fingers over my scars. Alek saw me and grabbed my hand, making my look up.

His eyes were dark, sending me a Don't even think about it.

I sent him a look, saying I wasn't!

He nodded and let go. Valentina cleaned our cuts and put a weird cream on our bruises, which instantly soothed them. But because of the cream, we couldn't shower. So I stuck my head under the faucet and washed out my hair, the warm water running through my curls soothing me. I washed out the dried blood and dirt, and then pulled it back in a messy braid. I changed into one of Alek's huge t-shirts, which fell down to about my knees. I also borrowed a pair of Jasmine's shorts, which weren't even visible under his T-shirt.

Then, I realized something.

"Oh, god, my mom. MY MOM. She's probably freaking out, dear lord, I need to call her." I whirled around, looking for my cell phone, which, of course, was at home.

"Chloe, calm down," Valentina chuckled. "You're staying at my place, because she's on another business trip. She didn't want you to stay home alone."

"She's made me stay home alone plenty of other times before." I muttered. "Has she called?"

"No, I got an email saying that her phone didn't work where she was, and you had to pay to use the phone in the hotel room, so she would see you when she got home. She's coming home in three days."

"Oh, thank god. Thank you." I collapsed on the couch, fiddling with my braid.

"It's time to sleep. You can have the guest bedroom, Chloe," Valentine told me. I nodded.

Three Hours Later~~

I couldn't sleep. I laid in bed, eyes wide open, not a single yawn escaping. Everyone else was sleeping – I could tell by their heartbeats. I glanced at the clock.

2:00 A.M.

I sighed loudly and rolled over. Wonderful. I got up and quietly made my way to Alek's room. I hung on to his door frame and peeked my head in.

Alek's POV

You know that dream state you're in when you're half-asleep, half-awake? Where you can hear noises of what's happening on the real world, but you don't really process it? Where a noise that's out of place can wake you easily?

That's where I was. Until I heard soft, padded footsteps making their way across the apartment. My eyes opened to see Chloe peeking her head in, her face innocent and fragile. She was clutching onto my door frame, so she wouldn't trip over something in the dark.

"Alek?" She whispered. It was loud in the dead silent of the apartment.

"What's wrong?" I sat up and motioned her over. She quickly bounded up to my bed and crawled in, curling up into a ball next to me. I brushed a stray curl out of her face and hugged her cold body to mine.

"I can't sleep." She said.

We stayed silent for a minute, listening to each other breathe, while I smoothed her hair over and over again.

"Why do you think they let us go so easily? It's scaring me." Chloe gnawed on her lip. She had a tendency to do that when she was nervous.

"I don't know, love. But whatever it is, we'll do everything in our power to protect you. When they come, someone will always be with you. I promise." The thought of Chloe losing another life enraged me, and my fists clenched.

Suddenly, Chloe's heart beat sped up frantically. I immediately sat up, staring down at her.

"Chloe? What's wrong?" My eyes scanned my room, looking for a threat.

"Alek! Alek...my back..." She was sweating now, and she had sat up and clutched my arm in alarm. "It...oh my god, Alek!" She shrieked. I heard Valentine and Jasmine wake up, and lights turned on. I quickly supported her so she would get off her shirt, and lifted it.

There was nothing wrong with her back.

At least nothing I could see.

"It hurts," Chloe choked out, tears streaming down her face. I slowly touched it.

"Where does it hurt?"

She was trembling, nails digging into my skin. I didn't care.

"To the left, lower back," She panted. She shrieked again.

"What is going on?" Valentina turned on my room light.

I didn't answer her, letting her figure it out for herself. I slowly touched the left side of her lower back, and felt a small bump. The moment I touched it, Chloe yelped and jumped away from me. Her fists were clenched so hard that her knuckles turned white, and her skin was pale and clammy. She curled up into a ball on the floor.

"Chloe...I'm going to have to pick you up, okay? You're going to have to uncurl yourself, love, so Valentine can see what's wrong." I said.

"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!" She muttered.

"I know, Chlo. It'll stop soon." I picked her up and she thrashed in my arms, screaming.

"What is wrong with her?" I shouted, looking at Valentina. Jasmine was staring with wide eyes.

"Just set her down on the table!" Valentine shouted, running to get supplies from her office. I set her down on her side, and she curled up again. I wiped the sticky hair off her face and held her hand.

When I promised her nothing would hurt her – when I promised her the Order wouldn't get her, I didn't realize that they already have.

And it was something that was completely out of my control.

Thank you all so, so much for your reviews! Sadly, it's kind of late, so I don't have time to reply to your wonderful reviews. I hope you liked this chapter![: