oO Recent Developments Oo
Evelyn POV
Running away from an opportunity to shoot someone was not something I wanted to be doing. I needed to make something bleed. Denying me something I needed was not a good idea. Of course, leaving Alyson alone in a room with her brother while there were guns involved was also a questionable act. I was starting to wonder exactly what our oh-so-fearless leader's plan actually was. If someone didn't get hurt soon, there wasn't going to be anything able to stop me from taking matters into my own hands. Regardless of Alyson's sketchy plot.
"Is Alyson okay?" Grant asked when we were out of hearing range. He kept a steady pace beside me as we ran through the maze of halls, fluorescent lighting making strange shadows against the angles in his face.
I contemplated his question. Was Alyson okay? My first response would be to scoff and say of course she's not okay. None of us were 'okay.' Okay people don't get betrayed by family, locked in asylums, and go on revenge missions.
But Grant knew that. If there was anyone who knew how un-okay we were, it was him. After all, Zach left him too. He was here, with me, running through a zoo lavatory, away from Zach and taking orders from an unhinged girl with a gun.
So why was he asking if Ally was okay?
Unsatisfied with my silence, Grant stopped running and grabbed my arm. "Eva." He dragged my name out so it sounded like three syllables instead of two.
I rolled my eyes, a safe response to buy me a few seconds before answering. The last thing I needed was Grant seeing that I didn't know how to answer his question. That I hadn't been watching Ally like I probably should have been.
Alyson hadn't been locked in Youngblood. That didn't mean she wouldn't have been if they'd caught her.
The past few days flew through my head like a movie. I thought about Ally's breakdown in the bathroom. The fact she kept hesitating to actually do something to her brother besides yell at him. The way her eyes looked before we left her alone in that room with a gun. She was slipping, I couldn't deny noticing that. There was no way I was telling anyone though. If the rest of us had to deal with it and carry on, so did she.
"Alyson's fine," I told Grant.
After a second he narrowed his eyes, but then he blew out a breath. "You sure?"
I sent him a glare for asking. It would have been enough to make him shrink back and move on, had a gunshot not gone off.
Then a second one.
Our heads swiveled around. Above us, the lights flickered. Someone had fired.
Three guns. Two Goode's. One room. It didn't take a genius to guess there would be shots fired, but there was still the nagging questions in the air.
Who fired the shots? Who was hit?
I grabbed Grant's arm and resumed our run to the control room Clara was in. When he tried to hesitate, a quick smack got us moving at a better pace. If something crazy happened and Alyson wasn't the one firing, the best thing to do was keep moving. Zach would never kill his sister, despite leaving her to burn, abandoning us, and not looking for us. The Girls were too goody-goody to kill her.
Circle backup plan number one: if an operative get's caught, other members ensure completing the mission first, then securing the operative. No one gets's left behind by any means. Until the mission's complete, the captured operative knows how to keep their mouth shut.
That lesson was running through my head on repeat as we turned another corner. We were nearly there when footsteps were heard behind us. A second later Alyson was next to us, gun still gripped in her slightly shaking hand. Her pace was faster than ours, and it took a few seconds for her to sync with us.
A knot I didn't know had formed relaxed in my gut. I mentally scowled at myself for being worried at all. There wasn't anything we couldn't handle, and since when was I worried Alyson wouldn't come back? Even if she was slipping.
"What are you two doing?" Her voice sounded forced, but it was definitely steady. Though she wasn't looking at us directly. "Never mind. Just move!" She pushed past us and bolted down the hall.
When we got to the room a minute later. Alyson and Clara were stuffing the wires and laptops into Clara's bag. The monitors lining the walls showed that the security footage was being erased from the memory, and a virus was being downloaded to cover our tracks.
Clara skipped in front of us. "We're almost ready to go!" She was practically giggling. It was ridiculous. I pushed past her to where Alyson was reloading the gun. Her eyes were cold and tinted red like she'd been crying, but I couldn't see more than that.
She glared up at me. "There a reason you're studying me?"
I shrugged. "Who'd you shoot?"
"Doesn't matter," she muttered. That wasn't the answer I expected. I glanced back at her. Once I was looking for it, I noticed her hands were still shaking. There was also a slightly rigid look to her movements. Maybe she was closer to the edge than I thought. Why didn't I notice before?
Because you didn't want to before.
I shook my head. It didn't matter. We were all messed up. There was no room for sympathy. No matter what the newest development was.
Grant stepped up behind us. "Ally, you didn't kill anyone, right?"
"So what if I did?" she snapped. "You're with us. It shouldn't matter what happens to them."
For a second, I thought Grant was going to yell at her, but all he did was stare at Ally for a minute. After a few tense moments, Clara laughed. "The virus is finished!" She then proceeded to twirl around the room like she was looking for something in the air.
I looked back at Alyson. Her eyes were hard again, and when she spoke, her voice was mechanical.
"Let's go. We're the bad guys now." She smiled slightly. "Every hero needs a damsel to save, and I know just who to put in distress."
Cammie Pov
The ringing in my ears was almost louder than the scream. Almost.
"She's hit!"
"Help me stop the bleeding!"
I blinked once. Twice. Then the situation came rushing back to me. Liz was next to me, fidgeting like she was trying to figure out what to do. The voices were Zach's and Bex's. Macey was on the floor, and she was yelling things about Alyson Goode in Swahili. My eyes stung. Glass was sprinkling down on us as the lights flickered like strobes. Alyson's second shot had been aimed at the lights, unlike the first. I knelt over my Macy and helped Bex hold her arm.
"We need to get her into the light."
It took exactly twenty-seven seconds for us to get everyone out of that room and into the hallway. When we laid Macey down again, she groaned in protest, but let us apply pressure again. Blood was spreading out around her shoulder in a dark red puddle. Bile rose in my throat. Liz hurried over and studied the wound while we tried to stop the bleeding.
"It's only a graze to her upper arm. She didn't hit her solid. It's not extremely serious."
"So she missed?" Bex asked.
"Missed? Would you like to switch places here, Baxter?" Macey growled.
Bex rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."
"She didn't want to shoot her solid. If she did, Macey would have a bullet in her arm." Zach looked down the hall. "She wanted to make sure we didn't run after her."
Macey pointed at us with her good arm. "What are you doing here then? Go!"
I shook my head. "We're not going anywhere." My voice came out raspy, and my throat felt like I'd swallowed nails. The flickering lights hadn't helped my headache.
There was the heavy pounding of footsteps down the hall. A second later Jonas came running towards us, breathing heavy.
"Jonas! Are you okay?" Liz cried. The boy nodded and looked at Zach.
"They're gone." He rubbed the back of his neck. "And the security systems are running again. The zoo knows we're here."
Zach glanced at Macey. We couldn't run with her arm bleeding like this. We were stuck. The lights flickered again, spiking the pain in my head. I ran my hand over my forehead.
"Gallagher Girl, you okay?"
Glancing at Zach, I didn't know what to feel. So many lies. So many sacrifices. Instead of answering, I turned to Liz. "What are the odds of us getting out of here with no one finding us?"
"A hundred and fourteen to one."
"Then what do we do?" Macey asked through her teeth.
"Simple. When caught in a situation where being found is unavoidable," Bex shrugged. "You let yourself be seen."
Twenty-two minutes later, the news ladies were reporting live in the city zoo which happened to be closed just two days ago because of dangerous animals on the loose. Today they were talking to the camera about the perplexing shooting in the restricted section of the reptile house. The shooter was unknown, as was the cause, but the victim was a teenage girl, the only one shot among her four friends. All of whom were found in the back hallways by employees. The girl who was shot was unidentified, and her friends were in too much shock to answer any questions.
At least, that's what they thought.
Bex and I were able to stop the bleeding until we heard the footsteps and yells. We let go of Macey and let Zach take over while we portrayed the hysterical teenage girls that were expected of us. Bex loved being able to use her terrified American voice in an interview, and Liz and I made sure to confuse everyone who asked us questions. They eventually concluded that we were in too much shock to remember anything clearly. Liz had been given a bandage for a scrape she had managed to get on her arm, and I was given a pill to calm me down. I could tell the girl looking me over wanted to ask about the scars, but thankfully she didn't.
One more lie I didn't have to tell.
Jonas was able to get out before we were mobbed. We decided to find him after we got back to the hotel. We were waiting for Zach and Bex to be interviewed and checked out when an ambulance siren rang out. Macey, who had been forced to sit and let someone wrap her arm, looked up at me, a bit of panic in her eyes. "Guys, I can't go to the hospital." She was right. We'd been able to confuse the people questioning us, and the cameras hadn't been allowed near us, otherwise, it would be everywhere that Macey McHenry was involved in a shooting. We couldn't let the doctors get to Macey, or else there would be reporters and their conspiracy theories to deal with.
No way were we going to the hospital. Besides, Liz and I could treat Macey's wound better than any doctor. It was only a graze. All we needed to do was clean it, apply some of Dr. Fibbs' Skin Again cream and voila. Good as new in three to four days.
The ambulance pulled up in the parking lot.
Liz bit her thumbnail. "It's approximately two point three minutes before they arrive and load her. Do you want to run?"
It was a tempting idea, but there were too many people here. Too many eyes watching us. People would notice if we just disappeared. I was about to ask how long it would take to change Macey's appearance when a furious scream cut through the chaos.
"Let me through! I need to see her!"
Macey and I looked at each other, confused. We had to be hearing wrong. There was no way-
"I don't care who you are, you overgrown ape! Let me see my daughter!" A woman shoved her way past the policemen and threw herself towards Macey, her dark hair flying across her face. A dark-haired man was following her, apologizing to the officer. Liz and I stepped back in shock, while the woman tilted Macey's head left and right, examining her. "My poor baby! Are you okay? Does it hurt?"
"Susan," the man huffed. "Let her breathe."
I didn't know what I was more surprised at. The fact Aunt Abby had just called a police officer an ape, or the fact my stepfather was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops. Flip-flops. I wanted to laugh.
Everyone around us watched the new arrivals with interest. Which, I realized, was exactly what the adults in front of us wanted. Joe wrapped an arm around me. "You okay, Charlotte?" I nodded. In front of us, Abby was still fussing over Macey.
Macey didn't miss a beat. She rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Mom. Really."
"Are you sure? Where's your brother? Oh, I am going to strangle him!" Abby stood up and looked through the crowd of people, searching for Zach and Bex. I glanced at Joe. There was amusement in his eyes, but also a bit of worry and frustration. He winked and nodded towards the paramedics making their way towards us. I nodded. They had a way out. After a second, Zach and Bex walked up, only to have Abby pounce on them.
"You!" she barked, pointing at Zach. "Why didn't you look after your sister! I swear, I can't let you go anywhere!"
Zach rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, Mom."
I moved to stand next to Bex and Liz, who were watching Abby with amusement. "Where'd they come from?" Bex whispered in French. I shrugged.
Five seconds later, paramedics we all around Macey. We all watched as Abby insisted she and Joe ride with 'their baby Chloe'. Joe beckoned the rest of us as they got on board. I could tell the driver didn't like so many people in his ambulance, but no one said anything as we started driving.
After we were out of sight of the zoo, Abby turned to the paramedic. "Excuse me, could you look at something?" The man nodded and leaned closer. Abby grinned and promptly smacked him. The medic flinched back, eyes wide with shock. Then they rolled to the back of his head, and he slumped into Joe's waiting arms, a napotine patch on his cheek.
Abby grinned. "I love doing that."
Bex laughed, and the rest of us grinned. Joe put his finger to his lips and slipped to the front. In five seconds, the truck swerved, then, "All clear, Iris."
"Copy that, Wise Guy. Let's get Capricorn. Now," Abby turned to us, her smile still in place. "Would you lot like to explain exactly what you've been doing?" Her voice remained calm, but the look in her eyes told me she wanted to yell.
Before anyone could answer her, Joe called back, "Zach, did you find her?"
We all glanced at him. "Yes," he answered.
"What are you guys doing here?" Liz asked.
Abby shrugged. "You guys came here, then there was the thing with the spiders, multiple reports of minor robberies, and last night someone reported an assault involving two teenage girls. We figured we'd check on you. Plus Joe wanted to talk to you two." She pointed at me and Zach.
The truck jerked to a stop, and the passenger door opened. A second later, Townsend climbed into the seat beside Joe.
"Kids." He nodded in greeting, then tilted his head, "Zach."
Zach nodded. "Dad." I looked between them, then at Zach, a silent question in my eyes. Did Townsend know about Alyson?
A slight shake of his head was all Zach did. No.
After that, we fell into a thick silence. No one said anything while we drove a block away from the hotel we were staying in. If Townsend thought it strange, he didn't show it. Within ten minutes we had sneaked our way to the guy's room. Jonas was there waiting for us. He raised his eyebrows at Abby, Joe, and Townsend, but otherwise didn't show any surprise or question about it.
About fifteen minutes passed while Liz cleaned Macey's wound and bandaged it. Townsend went to check out for us; Joe pulled Zach aside to talk, and Bex and I told Abby everything about the recent developments. Everything.
When we were done, Abby blew a puff of air out. "So, Zach's sister is plotting revenge on him, Grant has joined them, and somehow you've met these girls before."
Well, when she said it like that, it almost seemed simple. Almost.
Bex nodded. "Don't forget the fact she's a complete lunatic." Abby nodded.
"Do you think Zach will tell Edward?" she asked. I bit my lip. I honestly didn't know. It took him long enough to tell me. Now he had to tell his father that he had a daughter that was trying to kill us.
We shrugged. "I don't know. I hope he does." It felt good to talk to Abby. It added a bit of normality to this crazy situation.
"Alright, time to go." Townsend entered the room with a clap of his hands.
"Ow! Liz!"
"Oopsy daisy!"
We turned to see Macey holding a hand to her eye, while Liz scrambled to get the wet rag she was using. Somehow, Liz had managed to get the cream into Macey's eye. Joe and Zach returned just as the container of cream went flying. With a plop, it landed on Townsend's shirt, blobs of pink smearing on the dark blue. One crazy blob was able to catch enough air to land in his hair.
We all burst out laughing.
It felt good to laugh. I couldn't remember the last time I did. There may have been an insane trio of girls, set on ruining me. I may not have trusted Zach or even my own memory, but for that moment, while Townsend tried to rid his hair of cream, it didn't matter. For one wonderful minute, we were just friends and family laughing.
If only it could have lasted.