After a long year, Ash's adventure as a G.R.A.Y spy finally comes to an end. But she won't let it end so easily. Without any help from G.R.A.Y, she decides to sneak off once again on one last self-mission. But when Nate finds out, he's determined to get her back home alive before everyone has to go their separate ways. But, of course, this adventure has a twist like every other, the end of the world. Can Ash save it? Or is it really the end of everything?
CHAPTER 50: My Story Pt1
"Ash... Ash you've got to wake up."
"Huh?" I asked, feeling myself floating in air. I was in a dark black endless space. Only mini sparkles and stars were around me, like I was in space.
"Ash, help me, please... You've got to come help me, for father."
"What? Who are you? Where are you?" I asked, looking around the darkness.
"Use the time. Go back in time. Save them.
"Huh?" I asked in a panicking voice. Suddenly an aray of voices started talking at once.
"He's reigning his vengeance at the surface world," said a girl's voice.
"Shane look out!" said a guy's.
"That moving source of energy. That's the same source that started the earthquake," said another male voice.
"He's after my key," my voice said. Wait. My voice?
"That's the source! Ash the shadow!" shouting a screaming voice, as if it were the end of the world.
"But Nate I can't deal with this. I'm just a girl," my voice sobbed uncontroably.
"I love you..." whispered the last voice.
"What! I don't understand!" I shouted into space.
"Trust the heart's longing, and thou shall travel with you into the past!"
I was laying in my bed, my head in my pillow, not moving an inch. I was asleep, dreaming that dream again, just as I had started a few days ago.
"Come on Ash. You just laying there makes the room seem depressing," Ember said from her computer desk, thus waking me up.
I lifted my head. "Sorry Ember. It's just.... so hard to believe it's all coming to an end.... Jason's finally gonna go to college but at the other end of the country. Shane's going to boarding school across the world. My best friend's becoming a future celebrity, and we're moving out of the state. Let's face it, my life's over."
".... Well that was a great thing to say to cheer me up," Ember said, forgetting up and walking over to my bed. "Let me remind you it's not just you who's suffering. I'm losing my best friend too, Shane. I know what you're going through. And I can only imagine how hard it is for the guys, them having to leave us, having to give up the spy life... No one would want to leave all that."
"Then why are we?" I asked, making Ember go silent. She had no answer for that. "And, there's still a lot of things I would like to do before I give up being a G.R.A.Y spy, before I become a normal girl again. I want to find the Grays' mother, and find the reason why my father died.... I want answers."
"Ash that note you found is years old. I doubt a single word in it has survived the truth for so long," she said to me in doubt.
"But if I never try I'll never know," I said weakly. I turned my head and outstretched my arm. I opened my drawer and took out the letter. I lied back on my back and read it over. "Alright Em, this is my last shot for an adventure."
Ember looked at me, not in the 'oh no' way, though. "I know I shouldn't ask, but what are you thinking?"
"I'm gonna go search for Mrs. Gray," I said, getting out of my bed. "Forget the rules. They may have taken my watch and spy gear, but until the end of the week, I'm still an honorary spy, and I'll make the most of it with what I've learned the past nine months."
Ember's eyes widened as she jumped up to her feet. "Whoa, wait a minute, you mean you're actually gonna, search search? As in, follow that map around the globe?"
"That's the plan," I replied, coming out of my closet with a bag. Since I no longer could carry essentials and money for travels, I had to do it on my own, and lightly. "Why do you sound so surprised?... Well more than usual."
"Because just five seconds ago you were Miss-my-life-is-over. Now you're Miss-I'll-go-fly-out-of-the-country-and-risk-my-neck-again-and-live-happily-ever-after."
"Well there always are happily ever afters," I said, looking into my bag. "Pair of clothes, girl needs, water bottle, all set."
"Hm, you didn't pack any music or anything unnecessary," Ember said, walking up next to me. "You're taking this last go seriously, aren't you."
"Well, for once I have to be realistic Ember. This is a real mission."
"Ah, like all those previous missions were walks in the park."
I looked at her after zipping up my bag. "You know what I'm saying."
"No I don't know what you're saying," she said as I slung it over my shoulder.
I sighed, turning around. "It means, I know I might not come back."
"Whoa whoa whoa slow down there Ash," Ember said with widened eyes, running to the door and blocking it before I could reach it. "You might not come back?"
I kept a sad but still face. "Yes. This is my last adventure before I throw my life away. Now move."
I went around her and towards the staircase, until she grabbed my wrist. "Just... be careful."
I made a small smile and turned my head. She had small tears forming in her eyes.I remember the last time this happened. Me, going on a mission, Ember hessitent to let me leave. It was on her first few days moving in here. She was worried about me, like she used to be about Shane.
"Aren't I always?..."I smiled back assuringly.
We hugged each other, really not knowing whether or not we'd see each other again, whether the guys and I would ever see each other again.
"You should say goodbye to the guys you know," she said having read my mind, us still hugging.
"If I told them I was leaving and why, they'd never let me out of their sight," I said with a chuckle, trying to make her laugh, but we were having to much of a moment. We let go, and she wiped her eye, being the same strong Ember I've grown to know. "If I don't come back tell the guys they've been the best guy friends I've ever had. And.. take care of my mom, alright?"
"Don't you worry about things here," she said, avoiding eye contact.
I nodded and turned around, running down the stairs. I ran out the door and shut it. I ran down the pathway and turned around, taking one last look at my house. The wind blew through my hair as I reminisced my perfect life, the perfect life I would never trade, ever. And here I am, doing the last possible thing to try and keep it this way. I'm not bringing their mom back just try to and keep us all in G.R.A.Y, but as my last goodbye gift to the guys, to Nate. If anything, I know Nate has always wanted to see his Mom again, his wish every birthday, his wish every shooting star, to see his Mom again. I took a deep breath and ran down the block.
--
"Alright, I can do this. I'm doing this, there's no need to panic," I said to myself, flying an empty plane over the ocean. I would have gotten a hellicoptor, but there were too many G.R.A.Y spies around that area. A plane was all I could get without getting caught.
I know, that I can be inconsiderate
But now I know what I have to do
For the good that we remember
I leave without goodbye
Can you think of me as
Who I was, before I
I gotta take this chance and fly
Won't care if I die
Don't look for me 'cause you won't find
Please don't see through my lies
It's gonna be okay
I pray that you'll move on 'till I, come, back
If I come back
Risk it all away... ooh....
I looked at the map I had, following it. "Don't worry Mrs. G, I'm coming."
I made the turn over an uncharted island. It was quite jungle-like looking down. I looked at my bag and saw my G.R.A.Y outfit, the last reminder of my life as a spy. I closed my eyes and placed the helicopter on autopilot and took the black spy clothes, going into the bathroom to change into it. If I'm doing this, I'm doing this right.
--NATE'S POV--
I was in my room with my guitar, playing some chords. It was now that I just realised Ash was only acting happy that I was offered a record deal.
"You're leaving me, only memories, and you
Can't even see, how much you mean to me, I do
So much to try and keep you close
And to try to confess what's on my mind
The time, is making us
spik to the fork in the road, I can't
Risk loosing you, any sooner than
I am already
This call isn't leaving
When my voice starts to fall
You won't hear at all
The things I'm calling to you
These last simple days
Are not enough for me to
Lock our bond forever...
It's left too... open..."
"Nice, little bro," Shane said, sliding down the fire pole from his room above. "What'cha doing here, rock star? Seem kinda gloomy."
I made a half smile. "Sorry Shane, I'm just, thinking about my becoming a rock star. Trying to write a song."
"I see," he said, standing. "Strange love song.... has it got anything to do with.... Ash maybe?"
I could only glare at Shane. And not because he was being the usual annoying teaser, but because I really couldn't be teased about Ash anymore. I guess, I have mixed feelings about her now.
Shane noticed this in my glare as I turned away. "You're no yelling back at me?"
I didn't respond.
His eyes widened. "You.... actually, agree then."
I still didn't respond, pretending to tune my guitar.
"Okay then," Shane said, walking up to me. "Let me ask you this now, for once. ....Do you like Ash?"
The suspence of my silence got to me until he asked that question, that I broke a strong on the guitar, spooking Shane. I kept my still manner, though. This time I was hessitent to answer. But.... I couldn't help but reply the truth. "I love her."
Shane's eyes widened as his jaw dropped slightly. I heard Jason shout and fall down the firepole, making me raise my head.
"You love her?" Shane repeated slowly in disbelief, the elevator door opening at the same time, showing Jason who ran into my room with the same expression.
"Yeah... I guess I do," I said, surprised myself.
"HALLELUJAH!!!" both brothers shouted, hugging each other tightly with overjoyed faces. .... okay....? "FINALLY! YES! WHOO! YEAH!"
I could only stare at my brothers'.... exasperated version of overjoyment. "Guys."
"Sorry dude," Shane said, finally claming down. "But it's just been ages since we've wanted to hear you admit that!"
"What made you change your mind?" Jason asked, sitting down next to me, taking away my broken guitar.
I tried to think. What did make me say that? Not that I'm regretting it. I do indeed love her. Just.... how? "I don't know. She's supposed to be my best friend, not my girlfriend."
"We expected for you to say something like that eventually," Shane said, sitting next to me with an arm around my shoulders. "And this is the answer Jason and I have created just for you many years previous," he said, taking a tramatic pause. "Get over it. You're in love."
"That helps," I said sarcastically.
"Just go talk to Ash," Jason said. "You're leaving home soon to become a rock star, remember."
I looked at the letter on my dresser. "I guess."
Shane looked at me funny and sat down on my bed next to me. "You having second thoughts on this?"
"I think so."
"Nate I thought this was what you wanted."
"I thought so too, Shane. I mean, you know how everything comes with a price?" I asked him.
"Yeah."
"Well this one has a heavy price. I've already giving up my life as a spy to pursue music. You gave up being a spy to study abroad, same with you Jason. And Ash gave up being a spy too because she's moving. It just seems to all be going away too fast. How can I possibly risk our friendship by telling Ash that I like her?"
Shane chuckled a little, playing with a tambourine from the floor. "Ash didn't give up her spy life because she was moving."
I arched my eyebrow and lifted my head, turning it towards him. "She didn't?"
Jason shook his head. "Ash gave up being a spy because we did. She said that if she can't be on a spy team with us, then she'd rather not be a spy at all."
"Ash said that?" I thought out loud.
"Of course. I wouldn't expect anything else for an ending. It's just... not Ash," Shane shrugged, standing back up.
Suddenly, my head shot back up, rethinking Shane's words. "Wait, ending.... Oh man." I started thinking. What sh Drame would leave everything open ended. And I haven't seen Ash in a while. But she's also not one to sulk, either. Meaning she's up to something.
"Whoa!" I shouted, sitting up in my bed. Jason and Shane were gone, and my guitar was beside me. No broken string. "Wow.... just a dream...."
But I do understand what the dream meant, I had to call Ash, check up on her. If anything, she's always looking for trouble.
"Ash," I said, rushing back up and grabbing my cellphone and dialing her number. "Come on Ash, pick up, pick up," I said, pacing.
Miles and miles away, Ash's cellphone vibrated from inside her bag in the autopilot helicopter, unknowingly taken from the G.R.A.Y Transportation Headquarters. Ash was still in the bathroom, changing, and could not hear her phone.
"Shoot," I muttered, shutting my phone. "She's not answering."
"So? Ash barely answers her phone," Shane said, sliding down the fire pole and making me jump.
"Still," I told him.
"What's the rush?" Shane asked strangely.
I called Ember. "Hello?"
"Nate?" she said, almost as if she were crying.
I made a face at my suspicion. "Um, yeah, it's me. Listen, Ive got to talk to Ash, now."
"A-Ash?" she stuttered. "She's not home right now."
"Well you know where I can reach her?"
I heard Ember's breathing and then a dial tone. She hung up.
"What happened?" Shane asked.
"Ash's in trouble," I whispered. "That or she is the trouble."
"Guys!" Jason shouted after getting out of the elevator. He seemed out of breath. "Guys where's Aiden?"
"Isn't here somewhere in here?" Shane asked, turning his head.
Jason shook his head. "No. Dad and I've looked everywhere in the firehouse. He's not here."
"Well where else would the rug rat be?" Shane asked.
I groaned, rubbing my hand through my curls. "Ash."
--ASH'S POV--
I got out of the bathroom, dressed in my black spy clothes, along with my black and white cat ear hat, which I don't usually wear with my spy outfit. But, this is an occasion. "Well Ash, this is it."
Suddenly I heard a ruggage in the back part of the plane, where the passenger seats were. I narrowed my eyes and walked in, scanning the same area. I heard the thumping again and looked up there, in a baggage storage compartment above. I walked over and unlatched it, Aiden falling out.
"Aiden," I said sternly like I was about to ground him.
Aiden lifted his head, chuckling nervously. "Hehe, hi Ash."
"Aiden what on earth are you doing here?" I asked with one of my elbows leaning on one of the seats.
"See, I was hanging out at the G.R.A.Y Transportation Headquarters since I went with Dad. I got bored so I went to the planes. I climbed this one and wanted to see if I could fit in one of the compartments."
I starred down at him with a quizzical look. "So you went in one and fell asleep?"
"Well.... yeah," he said with a toothie grin.
I sighed. "Why doesn't this surprise me?"
"My turn to ask questions," Aiden said, getting up. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for your mom," I said simply, walking back to the pilot's seat.
Aiden stood there, eyes blinking. ".... Here let me help you with that."
Out of no where the sound of a siren rang through our ears. Aiden looked around, wondering what was going on. I walked quickly up to the pilot's area and looked at the controls.
"What's going on?" Aiden asked behind the seat as I sat down, placing the headphones and speak over my head.
"I don't know," I said, checking all the settings and controls.
"Oh man. I saw this on TV. I bet something major happened, like the engine's busted up or something got caught in the propellers or- ....We have gas right?" Aiden asked in a more calm manner than previously, remembering the last time we all took a flying vehicle without asking and Shane never bothered to check the fuel tanks.
"Don't worry we have gas," I said, seeing the little meter. "I don't know why but everything's gone haywire. Maybe interference from the jungle."
"Is that bad?" Aiden asked.
"Nah, I can totally handle this," I said, trying to steer the unbalanced plane. "It's not as bad as I thought it'd all turn out to be."
"Ash!" Nate's voice shouted from the headphone and speaker, making my concentrated-looking face frown.
"And now it is," I mumbled, closing my eyes.
"Ash is that you?" Jason asked unsure.
"Yeah it's her," Aiden answered for me, making me give him an unbelievable look.
"Ash what the heck are you doing on a G.R.A.Y plane?!" Jason asked in disbelief. I could mentally picture him dropping the phone if I told them what I was doing.
"None of your beeswax," I responded, trying to regain control of the plane that was still unsteady at the moment for some unknown reason. I looked out the window and saw we were flying over some ocean-like lake area in the island.
"Non of our beeswax? That's our plane!" Jason shouted through the speaker.
"Not really anyone's plane since none of you guys are spies anymore," Aiden pointed out, making me roll my eyes.
"And so what? I know what I'm doing," I said calmly.
"ALERT, PASSENGERS GRAB OXYGEN MASKS AND FASTEN SEAT BELTS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY CRASH LANDING," said some robot voice from somewhere in the plane.
"Yeah thanks!" I shouted to absolutely no one.
"We're gonna crash again!" Aiden panicked, holding onto the arm of the pilot's chair.
"Ash where are you?!" Nate shouted.
"I wouldn't tell you even if I knew!" I gritted through my teeth. "Argh, I don't know what's wrong with the controls! It's interference!"
"Don't worry. We'll track you down," Shane said, trying to remain calm.
"How can they? They're not spies anymore," Aiden said, squinting his eyes shut. It was true.
The plane crashed into the waters of the island. I grabbed Aiden and the map and broke open a window, swimming out of it before the whole thing exploded. So much for my bag.
I saw Aiden was conscious still and he nodded, meaning he was okay. Then somehow we got caught in a water current that came out of no where, us being carried off with it. I held onto Aiden's wrist, not letting him out of my sight. The guys would never forgive me if I lost him. We went down deeper and into this underwater cave and out. I opened my eyes a little and saw something red at the bottom somewhere.
'A volcano underwater?...'
Aiden and I were brought up to the surface, coughing out water. I made Aiden's hands stay on my shoulders behind so he could stay afloat without using up too much of his energy. "Hey, little buddy, you alright there?"
He coughed a little more. "Never better."
After wiping some water out of my face, if it was possible, I looked at my surroundings, suddenly amazed. Around me, was this whole new world. It was inside something but, like a whole outside. "Come on Aiden, let's get out of the water first. Then we can figure out where we are."
Aiden held the same face as I swam. "Will we ever see the others again?"
I continued swimming, not answering his question. This was why I wanted to go alone, but instead Aiden comes along. Great.
--NATE'S POV--
"Ember we know you were the last to see Ash," Shane said, interrogating her at her house.
"You guys should just forget about Ash now," Ember said, trying to ignore the guys.
"Ember this is important. Not only are we missing Ash, but she has Frankie with her," Jason told.
Ember looked at the three Gray brothers. "She said she was going alone," she muttered.
"Where did she go, Ember?" I asked again. I wasn't leaving without answers. "Please, I have to know. Is she in danger or not?"
Ember closed her eyes, not liking the idea of talking about Ash at the moment. "I don't know exactly what she's doing, but she said she might not come back."
Our eyes widened, but I was speechless. Not come back? Just where was my best friend anyhow?
"If you want to find her, track her down," Ember said, walking out of the room. But of course, we followed her.
"We can't. We no longer have access to the control room," Shane said, right behind her. "And we don't have our watches anymore, so how can we track Ash down?"
"I'm not saying anything," Ember said still walking.
"Ember their plane crashed," Jason spoke up, making Ember stop walking and Shane bump into her back. It didn't phase her though.
"What?" she said, her back still towards us.
"We tried to contact her," Jason explained. "Her plane was out of control. We lost contact with her after the crash."
"Wait she got a plane?" Ember repeated, turning around with a look.
"She took it from our G.R.A.Y Transportation Headquarters," I explained. "Please, if we want to find Ash, we'll have to find her now with all the help we can get. And we need reasons why she would even leave. Why would she leave with not even talking to us?"
"That's just it Nate, she didn't want to talk to you guys," Ember told. "It'd be too painful, not to mention it'd make things more difficult than it'd have to be."
"Just please, tell me what she's doing," I repeated, worried sick now, if I already wasn't. "I'm dying here, Ember. She's my best friend and I won't just sit back and wait to hear the answer to whether she's dead or alive. I won't. And it's killing me to think she'd leave and not care about us." She avoided eye contact, which meant I was getting to her. "Tell me what she's doing."
Ember was now on the brink of tears that she shut her eyes, hanging her head. Her hands went to her eyes as she fell into Shane's arms, catching him by surprise. "She went... she went..."
"She went where, Ember?" Jason asked. through her sobs.
"She went to find your mom," Ember said in a muffled voice.
Suddenly everything around me disappeared. Did I just hear right? Ash left, to find our mom? "Ember that's crazy," Jason spoke up.
"No, she found a letter from your mom. She's alive, and on the back was a map. It was old but Ash still believed it was true. She left to make sure of it," Ember said, crying.
"Wait what map? What note? What did our mother say?" I asked, getting all these questions in my head. And I'm sure Shane and Jason weren't in any better position than I was.
Embed sniffled. "Either way that map will take Ash far, farther than you can imagine she says. Even if you were to track her down, it'd take a miracle to even get to where she is right now, if she's even alive."
I blinked for a second. I just realized I was holding my breath, down to the second Ember said she wasn't even sure if Ash was alive. And not only Ash, but our little brother too. "That's it, I'm gonna go look for her."
"Nate-"
"No Jason. I have to do this. I'm not doing this just to find my Mom. I'm doing this to find Aiden and Ash. My little brother and best friend are who knows where now. Like Ash said, Shane, if she can't be a spy with us, she'd rather not be a spy at all. And that's exactly what's I'm saying now, if Ash isn't alive, then why should I." And with that I ran out of the building, heading back to the fire house.
"Did you just hear what he just said?" Shane asked, the three of them looking at the door in shock.
"He must really love Ash, doesn't he," Ember said, still a bit watery in the eyes.
"He does," Shane agreed. "... Our little bro's becoming a man."
"Well, no use having them both dead. Come on Shane, we're going too," Jason said, heading to the door.
Shane nodded. "Right."
"Wait, not you too," Ember said, following like a lost puppy. "If anything I should come with-"
Shane placed his finger on Ember's lips, Jason watching from the open door. "No Em. We need to do this. You should stay here. It's too risky."
"Shane if you think that I'm going to let you guys-"
"Ember do you realize how dangerous this is?! I don't want to risk losing you!" Shane snapped, shaking her shoulders. "Not you..." he repeated softly this time, saying the last part in a whisper.
Tears started falling out of Embers eyes again. "Come back home safe?" she hiccuped, holding Shane's hands.
Shane smiled and nodded. "We'll bring back Ash and Aiden too."
Ember let go of Shane's hands as he and Jason ran out the door. Ember stood there, now all alone in the house. Before she could even think it was over, Shane ran back in and grabbed Ember's face pulling her into a sudden passionate kiss. They broke off and starred at each other for about two seconds before Shane ran off again after Jason.
Ember smiled, holding her hands shut up to her chest. "Please be okay...."
--ASH'S POV--
Aiden and I were walking through a jungle like place, filled with over overgrown trees and leaves, some I've never even seen before through all my travels as a spy.
"Ash where are we?" Aiden asked on my back.
"I don't know yet," I answered honestly, pushing all the giant leaves out of my way. "I'm trying to reach higher ground so we can get a better view of everything."
"That sounds like a good idea," Aiden said as I trudged through the mystery place. "This would be so much easier if you had your watch. You could use it to scan the area and contact my brothers."
I smirked. "Yeah, a good spy relies on gadgets and knowledge. But a great spy relies on strategy and heart."
Aiden smiled. "Where'd you hear that from?"
I stopped and turned my face towards him, smiling. "Me."
Finally we arrived past the trees and our mouths hung open. In front of us was a huge, big, lost-city civilization-like place. It was like those Aztec or Mayan things I learned in history. At least, I think it is.
"Are we still in the present or did we go back in time or something?" Aiden said, still on my back.
"I don't know," I answered again. "But I have a weird feeling that for once, we are seriously way in over our heads."
