Luan fell asleep on Luna, a very peaceful sight that made her heart melt. "So, you guys gonna talk?" Throughout the ride, no one had spoken. The awkwardness had skyrocketed. "Dudes, you owe an explanation. One of the things I've wondered was why you never came back. I understand why you ran off. I would have, too, you know. I still remember that day, like it was a week ago."
"Leni and the twins... They could be..." Luan tried to lift herself up. "No, stay down. You need rest." Luna was rubbing baby Lily's back as she yawned. Lily yawned back. "Luan, could you hold Lily for awhile? My arms are getting numb. I'm gonna get us something from the vending machine." She carefully set the sleeping baby into Luan's welcoming arms. "Don't take too long..."
At the end of the hall, the rocker took out a dollar bill. "What do I want?" She scanned the goodies inside. Gum, chips, candy bars. She made up her mind with a bag of cool ranch Doritos. A-5. The machine did its thing. The coil spun, but then it stopped, before the bag was fully freed. "No..." She tapped on the glass. The bag didn't budge. Luna now began to shake the thing. It was too big for her. "Come on!" She then proceeded to punch the glass, getting angry. Nothing. "Damn it!" She then used both hands. "Why? Why? WHY?!" The rocker tumbled down, and let the pain take over, as others around began to stare, watching her weep into her hands.
"After you two left, everyone else did. Lori called me. She said Leni and the twins were gone, but there was a police scene when she got there. And we've gotten worried that maybe Leni-" She sighed. "I hoped for an answer. That's why I had to leave her..." She looked down at Luan. "Nothing will ever make this okay. There'll never be enough sorries to pay for my huge mistake. I spent all my time still hoping, believing that everyone was okay. That I'd be able to find you all in due time. And one day, while my hope was drained, while my heart beat slowed down, no longer running to find you, I wound up in a glass room. And by then, I realized it was too late to return to Luan. What's your story?"
The ship went through turbulence, going at 300 miles per hour. Lincoln held himself to stay on his seat. "There needs to be seatbelts. Anyways, that day, its a bit of a blur. You guys remember Ronnie Anne?" Lynn nodded, as Luna placed a finger on her chin. "That's what's her name, the sister of Lori's so called true love?"
"Yeah, the very same. I hid behind her house. I couldn't believe, I couldn't accept what happened. It had to be a dream. I stayed there for hours. Bobby found me, and they've already found out what happened. She gave me a big hug. She told me everything was going to be alright. I believed them, until..." He stopped. Lynn shook him. "Until what? What the hell happened?"
Lincoln watched armed men storm into the house after breaching. There were various screams and yelling. Two of them emerged back downstairs with Ms. Santiago. "Mama, no! No mi mama!" Bobby pulled the angry Ronnie Anne back. "Ronalda, Roberto!" Ms. Santiago was advising her kids what do to. "Llama a tio Javier, de imediato!" Lincoln stood there, confused and scared as the men exited the door with the mother of his love.
"They took me when they moved, but their uncle hated me because I was white, so I took off. Called me white ruffian trash. I learned something quickly afterwards. People can be inhumane, regardless of color and appearance..." The words astonished the two sisters. "Wow, Linc... I'm sorry." Lynn placed her hand over his. "How did we get here? Why didn't we stay together?"
"We're here now. Together again." Luna shook her head. "Why doesn't it feel that way?"
Lynn opened up. "I had never been so scared. Never freaked out like this." Lincoln listened. "The last few years, I've been using my skills for not-so-good things. I heard about you on the news, Linc." Luna made a serious face as Lynn laughed. "Did you really do all that?" He sighed. "That was a lifetime ago, Lynn. Plus, those others I was with are six feet under. I made sure of that." The smile flipped. "Oh..." She moved away from him. "Heh... okay..."
"Going home, huh? Where would that be?" Luna turned to Lynn. "Tell me now. I don't like surprises."
"This Agency, they were moving forward to get a stealth team to infiltrate Lisa's main facility . I showed up just in time, told them who I was, what I can do. Their objective then changed, wanted to use us to try to weaken her, use our blood ties to manipulate her. If that's so, then you guys should be able to deduce its that serious. They sent me to find you, bring you back to them, and to give you the proper tools to combat any threats along the way. But I see that's not necessary for both of you. Luan will be given the proper tech." Lincoln closely listened.
"So, they knew where we were?" He asked.
"Yes." She lied. No, I knew where you all would be. Thanks to my future self. I just needed this ship and a couple of days to find you. Otherwise, they'd suspect something else going on, and they're alert enough...
"So, how'd you find Luan?"
Lincoln entered the 7-11 store. The place was quiet, except for a weird, but familar squishy sound he heard countless times before, but didn't remember it right away. Without caring, he walked straight to the beverage section, taking out a Starbucks Mocha drink. On his right, the sound's source came from behind the end of the aisle. A pair of legs were visible, lying down, twitching everytime the familiar sound was heard. He silently approached the body, drawing out a handgun. He leaned against the aisle, peeked over to see four bodies, heavily mutilated, spread out. Small rivers of blood found their way to spread around, breaking in smaller ones. Three customers, and the obvious cashier. "What the hell?" The sound had stopped. A knife was lying on the floor, near the body of the cashier. A person quickly jumped on his back, attempting to lock him in a chokehold. The person's screams told Lincoln this was a female. He rammed himself into the fridge's doors, hurting the attacker enough to loosen the grip. He spun around, as she let go of him. He slammed one of the doors into her face, immediately knocking her out.
"I bumped into her at a store. Funny, right? I mean, its Luan, for fuck's sake."
"You know, I smelled fish back there." Lincoln's eyes widened. "You guys had tuna? God, I missed tuna. I also missed alot of things. Someone's gotta catch me up." Lincoln and Lynn both awkardly answered. "I mean, yeah..." He coughed. "We should."
If I told her or any of them what I saw...
...They'd kill me for getting her killed. There is no denying that.
No one...
...Must know.
Not...
...Yet.
"Who else are you picking up?" The list only gave three names. Lynn had no way of knowing where the others were. "We're not. You're all... they've been able to find." Luna spoke again. "Dudes, don't you ever wonder, what happened to Leni? Where she and the twins went?" Lincoln did not hesitate to be blunt. "Dead, I hope." The two stared at him. "Linc..."
"Don't mush me. I wouldn't want them to live in such a world, where we're not who we used to be. Imagine, the look on Leni's face, if she knew what I did. If she knew what you went through. Don't tell me you wouldn't want to wish this upon them? We all deserved better, is what I kept thinking day after day, but the more time passed, the less I wished it on myself, but more on the others who didn't need this madness. I didn't think about how Lily felt, because I didn't know how bad it was. Luan told me... Its fucking depressing. I hoped you all were doing well without me. Living a more happier life. Regardless if you were together or not. Prayers and hope means nothing anymore. And just think, if we have it bad, then maybe no one has it good. Wherever the others are, I can't see myself believing in fantasies again. They're either dead alive or dead. And there is no coming back from the darkness."
Luna and Lynn stared down on the metal floor of the ship. Everything Lincoln had said made perfect sense. It hit them like a freight train; the revelation that all the Loud kids have succumbed to the horror of the real world. All the rest, suffering somehow, somewhere. They might even be dead at this very moment. "I get that... But I hope-" Lincoln screamed. "TAKE THAT SHIT ELSEWHERE!" This was enough to wake up and scare Luan. Luna held her. "What's wrong? Did I do something wrong...?" Her back was caressed by Luna. "No, its nothing. You're fine."
Inside Luan's mind, she was feeling the same thing, despite being asleep. The emptiness overwhelmed her, losing herself to the darkness. She gave up living with the fake smiles, something Lily began to notice. Luan was still holding out hope, until the day Lily ran off on her own. Being fully alone, did she break to the point she snapped.
Here she was, slowly mending, growing back the will to live taken from her long ago. She still had the impression Lincoln was mad for losing the youngest, innocent Loud left. She couldn't help but l that she was responsible for Lily's death. And Luan could not bring herself to tell them. A heartbreaking secret both of them had to protect.
I don't want to visit her grave. She thought.
The ship halted. "Oh, we're here."
Later
The Agency, run by nobodies with unimportant names, were a secret force that fought U.S. based threats in secrecy. The main use of them was counterterrorism purposes. Until now, they themselves didn't need a team, but in the eyes of the public, unspoken things were now being whispered. Monsters, aliens, and possibly cyborgs were among humanity's outskirts, planning something. It was mostly rumors, but the footage of Luna in her monster form was released. Add that with witnesses seeing Lincoln escape from the train, in range of the blast, not taking any serious damage like the other unlucky victims. Therefore, an act had to be passed. One that called a team of sophisticated supers to combat what regular soldiers could not beat. And here they were; the dream team. "We've interrogated one of these terrorists we've caught awhile ago, and they dropped a whole lotta shit. They kept routinely buying advanced weaponry that we've confirmed are Vial Corp technology material. At first, we assumed someone was hijacking shipments. Given the security nature of Vial, our ties with them, and their assurance that no one is doing anything suspicious has me on edge. Until recently, nothing was confirmed. Our guy's been wired and cam'd. Visuals confirm the seller is Lisa Loud, the current acting Director of Vial."
The four looked at each other. "We did research on her family tree, we considered using her own flesh and blood to use words. Upon arrest, she will be tried as an adult. You're the contingency we want to use right away, before she sells more of her technology to the wrong hands. We're trying to stop a possible war-scale sized event here. Head down Sub-Level 2 when you're ready."
The four looked at each other. First to leave was Lincoln. The other three girls were still making a very serious decision.
Lincoln was the first to see the level. This was exceptional for his eyes; he walked past an arsenal of advanced weaponry, a robotics room, where two exoskeletal suits stood standing in the back of the room. At the end of the hall was a room the other floors did not have. "Lincoln! Over here." A nobody waved to him from the arsenal.
"Take your pick. You'll be the only one to get ahold of some. Lynn and Luna are good on their own, but you three get armor. As for Luan..." He looked toward the room the exoskeletal suits were in. "We have just the thing for a non-powered being."
The three came down, being greeted by Lincoln, who was holding a sniper rifle. "Ready up."
Above
"You have thirty minutes. Once you drop, you get in there, take her and get out." Lincoln was handed two gray flash drive shaped devices, marked 1 and 2. "The one marked 1 will give us access to everything they have. You plug it first, give it five minutes, and then put 2 afterwards. This places a virus into their system. You got that?" The ramp doors of the ship opened. "Move now! Window's closing!" Lincoln jumped out of the aircraft, the sniper rifle and suppressed P90 making it a louder thud. Lynn, the only one with armor, landed beside him. The two made way for Luan, who was carrying Luna on hrr back. "Remember, half hour!"
"Game plan?" Lincoln had it. "Luna, Luan, go together to find Lisa. Don't let Luan take any damage. Lynn, you and me, database." Lynn smashed through the concrete. "GO LOUD!"
"LUAN, NO PUNS!" Lynn jumped inside. "So, this is where she was the entire time?" The place began to go on lockdown, red lights flashing. Luna laughed. "Here we go again." Guards came running, guns drawn. "Hey, you! Hands up!" Lincoln came down, letting his lead fly. "Hands up yourself."
Lynn and Lincoln made their way to the first floor, fighting their way through the defenses. Lincoln smashed a guard's head into the wall so hard, the head burst in two. "Jesus fuck-" A piece of the concrete broke off on the impact, and Lincoln used that once running out of bullets. No time to reload, so he was using the piece like a bat. Lynn wasn't that savage of a person yet. She watched him kill and kill.
Luan kicked into the office. Luna entered inside, seeing the older Lisa staring back at them. "You don't know what you're doing. Cease this folly, poste haste!" Luna pulled out her claws, and slashed Lisa's face, only to slice away at nothing. "I took the time to move everything really important. But I didn't know when to expect you. I may be a genius, but I'm no god. I needed more time to..."
Luna flipped the desk in anger, tipping over the computer and making a mess. "You did this to me! Why?" The brainiac did not fret. "It doesn't matter. I failed anyways. You four have made a huge mistake. Its going to cost you dearly." The hologram disappeared.
The hack was underway, floors below. "Four minutes. Cover me." Lincoln was able to reload. "Roger." Lincoln eyed the exits around. "There can only be so many guards here. But where are the..." They stopped. "You don't think...?" He nodded. "They could have expected us?" It started to make sense to him. "This could be a diversion, and the real prize is not here..." Lincoln looked back at the hack. "Three minutes left."
Luna looked through the desk for anything useful. There was nothing, but one sheet. "What... What's this? 'Project Link'?" She looked at Luan. "There's something else going on here..." She scanned again. "No, nothing. I'll save this for later." Luan looked outside. "Its funny, there should be more guards. Even scientists. There weren't that many. Almost like-"
"The hologram, and then all this. They knew we were coming, somehow."
Lynn raced upstairs, clutching the hard drive shaped device in her hand. "We have to go!" Lincoln ran like hell behind. "Its been only fifteen minutes!" They met Luan and Luna in Lisa's old office. "Guys, there-"
"They have been expecting us. And that's not all." Luna handed Lincoln the sheet. He examined it. "Link... This can't be good."
"We're gonna stop Lisa. Whatever it takes. This just became even more worse, by the look of things." Lynn held up the device. "If they knew we were coming, will there be anything useful in here?" Lynn had a point. "One way to find out." The four returned to the big hole and made their way up.
Later
Sub-Level 3 belonged exclusively to them, a new home; a long hallway with 6 rooms. It was big like their old room. Lincoln felt more comfortable in his, yet it felt off. There was no Bun-Bun to give it the full home experience. He sat on the white bed, thinking.
Lynn claimed the first room on the left. Luan wanted Luna to share the same one, like those days a decade ago.
Everything was changing again, but this time in their favor. Lynn bounced a tennis ball adjacent from her. The sighs still rang in her head. Now it was more empty than the goth herself. She stopped bouncing the ball, laying down.
It was over. They had completed the mission. The contents of the drive contained various schedules, connections to various buyers of Vial products, and Lisa Loud's role in this. All of Vial Corp was dismantled, and everyone used as lab rats were being returned to their old lives, which satisified Luna. But, why did it feel like everything was just starting? Where was Lisa now that her surface empire had been crumbled. Too many questions arose. Not enough answers.
Lincoln entered Luna and Luan's new room. "Hey guys, how are you feeling?" The two turned to looked at him. "I'm fine, and this is better than the hellhole I've been placed." Luan got up from sitting in her bed, and wrapped Lincoln in a warm hug. "Thanks, Linc." Luna then got up and joined the hug. "Okay, this is..."
Lynn stood outside, looking at the group hug. "Oh, fuck no. Not without me, you're not." All three sisrers were tightening Lincoln, adjusting to snuggling. The silence was one he broke.
"I love you guys."
"Told you to move everything sooner. They beat you by thirteen minutes. Isn't that funny?"
"No. At least they don't know about this place. The databases never mentions anything about the Black Network." Lisa stopped outside a room, and entered quietly, holding a walkie talkie. "What happens now? They cut off a majority of your connections. You'll be wanted up there."
"All true. Everything I've worked so hard for, gone. But who can deny me..." She stared at a cylinder tank inside, filled with a green-yelowish liquid. The upper half of Lori's body floated around, with several wires attached. "...retribution?" She smiled maniacally.
AN: United We Stand is complete. Remember, its only just starting, and its getting better. This is all panned out in comic book styled stories; action, sci-fi, and at one point, supernatural. With that said, I welcome you to the next arc; Bound By Blood.