4

I knew I couldn't clear away the rubble without the risk of someone else seeing, so that meant I was completely on my own. The pieces of brick and polyester that made up the walls and ceiling almost completely blocked the hallway, making it impossible to get through without moving it. But, knowing that I was alone and wouldn't be able to find Aiden filled my head with fear, and I desperately wanted to be back home with my mom at that moment. Memories of what I used to do before becoming a Shifter came back to me and my mind drifted away.

However, the sound of footsteps and people shouting snapped me back to reality, and I stepped out of the way of a group of guys coming to assess the damage. I began walking in the direction they came from and turned left at the corner. I'd been able to see their faces in the moonlight, and none of them were Brydon. Going down many of the hallways reminded me just how big the school was. It made me wonder if anyone had gotten lost in it while it was in use. I saw a light coming from a room on the right, which seemed odd because the rest of the hallway was dark.

Figuring it was a good shot, I went to go check it out, moving as quickly, but quietly as I could. As soon as I walked in, I could tell it was a cafeteria. Light coming from the long strips hanging from the ceiling revealed everything inside. But, I instantly noticed that it was disturbingly similar to the one underground. Tables and benches were seated in rows all throughout the room, a few vending machines here and there. A door on one wall, that I supposed led to the kitchen, lay open, showing the darkness inside.

But, the one part that made my anger flare was the group of people sitting near the other end of the cafeteria. From my position, I could see none of them were Brydon, but one stood out from the others.

It was Tyler.

I was pretty sure it was him. His sharp eyes and thick brows were unmistakable, even from a distance. They were all talking about something, so I moved closer to hear.

"...so, did Brandon reveal anything yet?" One of them asked.

"No, not for you guys," Tyler replied curtly. "All you need to know is that we'll be striking soon. I don't know why he wants to be so secretive about it, but it's not my place to say anything."

"Do you even know where they're hiding?" A heavy voice asked, and I was surprised to find out that I knew who it belonged to. It was Frank, one of the Shifter leaders. Or, used to be. Another wave of anger flooded my soul as I thought of his betrayal.

"Not yet," Tyler admitted. "But we're working on that. We're definitely sure they're not near this city anymore."

I instinctively took a step back.

"How's the hacking going, Bill?" Tyler asked, turning to a guy bent over a laptop.

"Not good," he replied without looking up. Then he growled in frustration. "Where's Brydon when you need him?" My ears perked up and I instantly started paying better attention.

"He's hanging out in the Upper Auditorium. I can text him."

"Wait, no. Got it!" Bill replied triumphantly, giving a sigh of relief. "That was the hardest thing I've ever tried."

"So, you don't need him?" Tyler asked skeptically.

"Nope, my job is done."

I backed out of the cafeteria quietly, giddy with excitement. Tyler had just revealed the location of our target, and it was now time to get this mission over with.

Lin was walking the empty halls, wishing she had had someone to be teamed up with. She honestly hoped Ryan didn't make her go alone just because she was the only girl. She had come across a couple of people, none of whom they'd been looking for, and her tensions were starting to increase. For the most part, the school was like a ghost town and it was making her uneasy.

Just as she was starting to take the stairs to the second floor, a gigantic explosion rocked the school. Lin fell forward, bashing her knees against the steps in front of her and pain flared up in her legs as dust and debris rained down, blocking the way behind her. After a minute, she stood up, ears ringing, heart pounding. She favored her knees, wincing as they moved, but it felt like there was neither bleeding nor internal damage. It didn't help much that she couldn't see herself, but she couldn't risk removing the Invisibility Suit. She took a few steps back, and her knees throbbed slightly with pain, but she shook it off and turned around.

The door was blocked by large pieces of stone and concrete. It would take some work to move it, which could bring a lot of attention to herself, something she couldn't do.

Well, I guess the only way to go now is up, she thought to herself.

Lin started her trek up the stairs, weaving around rubble scattered about, until she got to the top. It'd been a little challenging from the injury to her knees, but she soon managed to get to the second floor. No sooner had she arrived that she heard voices coming from the left. She went to investigate and found that their origin was coming from what looked like a cafeteria. Lin saw a group of people as soon as she walked in, recognizing Tyler immediately. She almost let out a sigh of annoyance when she saw that none of them were Brydon.

However, there was no use sticking around. Nothing important was being discussed, so she turned around and left, wondering when they'd be able to get out.

Finding the Upper Auditorium wasn't as hard as I had thought it would be. All you had to do was follow the paint chipped signs on the walls that pointed in its direction and you eventually got there. As I walked toward one of the entrances, thoughts on how to get him swirled around in my brain. How would I drag him out of the auditorium without anyone seeing, if more people were in there? Would there be sensors that I'd need to avoid?

Soon, to my relief, all that contemplation was useless as the door to the auditorium swung open and Brydon came out alone. What was even more fortunate was that he stopped to text someone on his phone. My brain screamed with excitement that he was standing right there, easy prey, and I quickly went to work. I reached into a hole in my suit, that gave me quick access to my pants pocket and pulled out my Stunning dart to knock him out. I stepped closer.

However, that was when he looked over to see it floating in midair, and his eyes widened. His hand went for a black device clipped to his belt.

I was faster and shoved the dart into his neck without a second thought. His body went limp, his eyes shifted out of focus, and I caught him before he fell to the ground.