Ok, so I promised to upload ch.4 right after 3.5, well

I lied.

Chapter four took a lot longer than I thought so I'm very sorry. I actually finished yesterday, but Fanfiction wasn't letting me log in, so I am very sorry. Enjoy an extra long chapter for your pains.

By the way, this chapter corresponds to chapter 3; chapter 3.5 is a flashback to the continuation of a conference, just to clear up confusion.


That same day

This afternoon I finally got some time alone to myself. After Kevin's obnoxious entrance yesterday, I have set the mini spy cam (I got it for my 13th birthday… it was a phase) into the lookout hole in our apartment door. That way, if he comes, it'll trip the alarm (also 13th birthday) I've set and alert me to his presence. Of course, if it's Jonas or my mom the alarm will go off anyway… but it was worth a shot.

So, after finishing my half hour of funplay, I lie down on the couch and pull out my AP gov. homework. Riveting. Mr. Carpenter does his best, but this stuff is like walking through glue. It's all I can do to doodle scales in my notebook to keep from falling asleep. And when something does happen in that class, it's usually because Kevin launched a spitball at Josh. Then Josh starts ranting about how, if this were soviet Russia, Kevin would have been tried and executed when he was two, and Kevin will say something like "if this were Soviet Russia, spitball would throw you. Then Josh will get him back later by somehow managing to unbolt his chair legs. To this day, I cannot figure out how he does it without anyone seeing.

Of course, Josh is a bit… interesting. He can rant up a storm without his expression changing, and although he always insists on working by himself in school, he constantly tries to be a part of everything else. The guy is lonely and bitter, and he's my friend. A while ago I realized that his mom was my kindergarten teacher, which gave us a common ground on which to talk. His mom, by the way, is Ukrainian. NOT Russian, as he constantly informs us, UKRAINIAN. This is mainly because he gets called a commie Ruski on a daily basis. Josh hates his dad.

Even though he's a year older, Josh prefers working with me and Kevin (when he has too) to the rest of the class. I used to find it weird, but after he told me a secret of his, I understand. Kev is stupid and I'm a girl, so it makes sense that he's more comfortable with us.

I pull myself from my thoughts to work on the next concept question when the alarm goes off and mom walks in.

"Honey… I understand you're reasoning, but could you hide it on a lower step? I nearly fell off the stairs that time." She asked shakily, her breath coming in short gasps.

"Sorry mom. I did warn you." I choke back laughter from seeing her face that soon melts into a grin.

Mom sits next to me on the couch and I lean on her shoulder. As much as I like and admire Jonas, having my mom to myself is something I haven't gotten much of since he moved here. Her stroking my hair while I do homework, or just sitting together drinking tea and eating Kifli are kind of what I live for. Those quiet moments in my stress filled life mean everything to me.

So we sit with her staring off into space running her hand through my hair and me falling asleep over the structure of British parliament. Then, someone trips the alarm.

I jolt awake having almost nodded off, and mom gets up to answer the door. My eyes refocus and I lift my pencil, just as my mother utters a surprised yelp, and the door slams. I look up to see her leaning against it, breathing heavily, as whoever is there knocks violently to come in.

She mouths two words I can easily understand, "Ally, HIDE"

Under the couch, dragging my bags with me is where I go. It takes tons of effort to calm myself and keep from crying out in fear as the door opens and a gruff voice asks, in Hungarian "Hol van?"

"Ő az iskolában." My mother asks, the steel in her voice unmasked, "Miért jöttél, Ludvig?"
"Ne olyan védekező, amit csak akkor kapsz egy figyelmeztetést. A ze Vay? Vajon tényleg szükség van egy riasztórendszer a partra? "
"A lányom beállítani. Kérdezze meg unokaöccse, ha valaha is láttam." The last sentence was filled with a bitter sarcasm that I didn't understand

The man cleared his throat, "Anyvay,"

The crossover to English was odd. While he spoke mom's language, he didn't seem to have an accent, but now I can tell he is obviously German. I heard the same tones from Jonas all the time. In fact… there is something I feel like I should remember but can't

"I had to tell you, already being in the area, that you need to leave as soon as possible."

Mom's voice hitched in fear.

"What? You don't mean they've managed to- dammit, how?"

A sigh; and I feel someone sit on the couch above me. Even in the midst of obvious tension, I can't help thinking how awkward it is that some guy is technically sitting on my head.

"Jour phone lines. She got them tapped, somehow. I guess she figured zat vere jou would be, the rest would be near."

"She guessed correctly, but how? The line is private, you know that."

"Jess, vell, not to someone on the inside. Another is helping her."

Just at that moment, my leg twitched out randomly from being cramped and hit the bottom of the sofa. There was a pause in conversation. Shit.

"Vat vas zat?" A suspicious tone had crept into his voice.

My mom, however, was quick, "Our cat, Molly. She sometimes hides under there and if you sit, she'll paw you once in awhile."

"Mmm…"

For the third time that day, the alarm went off. Jonas, having been informed, came in anyway with his usual cheerful "Hallo Freunde!" Then, a horrible silence and the weight suddenly lifted from above my head. The man had gotten up quickly.

"Vell, I best be going. Goodbye, Eliza…. Jonas." The last is soft and hardly audible.

I hear the stranger walk briskly to the door, pause, and then leave, letting the door click behind him. The alarm is triggered with his exit and there is a crash and some cursing from the stairway.

I crawl out to find Jonas still staring at the door. My mom hurriedly shuffles into the kitchen and picks up the phone to dial. But Jonas stands still. I go over to him and peer in his face in concern.

"What's wrong Jonas? Do you know that guy?"

He looks at me in surprise and absentmindedly picks a piece of fuzz out of my hair.

"Ja," he finally states "He's my Vati."


The Next Morning/Afternoon

Another day, another destiny. Another boring composition class. Hurah.

As I stared out the window, the only thing I could think of was that creepy blond dude from yesterday. He'd looked eerily like Jonas, aside from the eye color. McCreepy's eyes had been blue, while Jonas' were brown. Dark brown too. He's, as we call him, the rejected German. Thank God the guy's got a good sense of humor.

So I was sitting there, listening to Ms. Shunds drone on about this essay writer, craving lasagna, when the school got bombed.

The explosion shook the entire building and sent most of our desks tumbling over. I was one of the many to hit the floor half in panic, and half because I'd fallen out of my chair. I looked around to find May and we locked eyes, both equally terrified.

Later, the school would claim it had been a freak accident, that the boiler room had overheated or some shit, but accidents do not just happen to be in the cafeteria area of a school when lunch had ended only five minutes prior. The "accident" was that the bomber's timing had been off by just enough to save all of our lives.

And then the room erupted into chaos.

Ms. Shunds attempted to usher all of us out in an orderly fashion to the evacuation area as the alarm went off, the sprinklers activated, and Susan McHandi swooned into a dead faint. The fact that the door remained on its hinges was the real miracle.

May and I made it out of the classroom with Susan draped over my shoulders and attempted to push our way through the throng to get out of the now smoky halls and into blessed sunshine and light. Then I realized something.

"Crap. I left it in my locker." I silently cursed myself for being so stupid.

"What?"

"My wallet, it's got all my cash from the sales and school order forms in it. If somebody finds it, I'm dead." I try to keep from screaming. There were over seven hundred dollars in there; money I needed in order to afford Sandy Junior. Dammit!

"I'll get it."

"What?" I was shocked at May's offer and shifted Susan into a more comfortable position. May hated big crowds and I knew that fighting against the throng was the last thing she wanted to do.

"You don't have to-"

"No! Come on Sandy, you need that money. 'Sides, I know your locker combo and somebody needs to get swoony Suzy out of here. I'm not nearly strong enough!" She laughed, and before I could do anything, she'd darted off. I had no choice but to leave her, and follow the flow. As I maneuvered my way, Parker bumped into me and ran in the direction May had just gone. As he passed, I heard something disturbing.

"Dammit, 'does she think she's doing? Stupid German. 'Does Ludwig think he's doing, letting them get here? When I get my hands on him-"

Ludwig, wasn't that McCreepy's name? I tried to turn, but I got jostled by angry seniors and had to leave, my head pounding. What was going on?


My life is a piece of shit. Everyday I have to deal with drooly chicks, stupid ass jocks and the Mafia, and now this little jewel.

My charge, May, who's been under my protection for like five years, is a total idiot. A bomb goes off and what does she do? She runs IN THE DIRECTION OF THE FRIKIN FIRE! AS if it wouldn't have been hard enough to protect her if she'd gone out the door with everybody else. I don't know where the stupid firkin bomber is, or what he looks like, or if he's got a knife or a gun, and now I don't even know where that dumb-ass ran off to. GHIGI!

'Course, I never asked for this job. It's that stupid Wow Yang or whatever his name is' fault that I'm in this mess in the first place. Stupid Chink. Damn damn damn! Ludwig was supposed to be watching the freaking building! If May's captured I know who's going to be blamed. That's right ME! Dad'll blow a fuse, gramps'll look all disappointed and mom will probably hug me and start crying. That's the worst. Not to mention if this "little incident" gets leaked to my "friends" in the city, I'll be the laughing stock of the mob. Some son of a godfather I'd be. DAMN!

Finally I rounded a corner and there she was, taking her sweet time to fiddle with a locker in the heart of a burning building. Great. And I thought chicks were supposed to have SENSE.

"May! What the bjeesus are you frickin thinking! Burning building, hello? Did someone not here the massive explosion? Get your ass out of here!" I was a little ticked.

She turned and glared at me. ME. Like I was doing something wrong by trying to save the chick!

"Okay! Just give me a second." She snapped and managed to get the locker open, grabbing a jacket off its hook.

I grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the fastest exit. Even though I knew it wouldn't help, my bad mood caused me to spit some sarcastic comment at her.

"So, afraid you would get cold if you went outside without your precious jacket? Unless you've failed to notice, the building is ON FIRE!"

"Sorry for trying to help out a friend! But of course you wouldn't understand 'cause you don't have any! ... Sorry, that was mean…." She trailed off.

It stung. Sure I was friends with Kevin, but we rarely ever saw each other. Dang.

I kept running, dodging falling debris from the collapsing ceiling. And pulling May along with me. Then we got to the door… which was locked. Great, just great.

"May, stand back."

She must have been feeling guilty or something, 'cause she obeyed. I took a breath, and ran, screaming, into the heavy double doors.

"GHIGIII!"

I rammed it with my shoulder in a full body tackle and felt the metal collapse around me as I stumbled into bright daylight. Ow, shut up sun.

Turning around, I realized May was standing there gawking. I grabbed her wrist again and tugged, "What? I play football, duh. Now COME ON!"


It was all so sudden. Just this morning, May had woken up, (like always) read the note from her aunt (like always) and gone to school. (Like most of the time) It had been a normal morning, only broken by the HistoFreaks meeting during lunch. That had been crazy, but in the usual way. And then, just as she was drifting into pleasant dreams, lulled by the voice of , an explosion rocked her from her nap and her desk. And now she was being pulled along like a puppy by a guy she barely knew, who had just broken through enforced metal doors without any padding at all. There went her normal morning.

After a few minutes, she noticed something strange.

"Parker, where are we going?"

They had left the school behind and were now crossing a field onto the main road that led into town. She could only see the plume of smoke rising through the trees that marked the position of her burning highschool.

"Hmm? Oh yeah. There should be a car waiting to take you to safety-"

"Safety from what? Why aren't we back with the rest of the school?"

"No time to explain. I'm supposed to protect you, so we're going somewhere safe."

She stopped completely, just as they had made it on to the corner of Redding and Byrd, on the sidewalk of the street leading into the main part of town. Parker tugged her arm and tried to pull her, but she stood firm.

"Ok, what the heck are you talking about? Why am I in danger, who am I in danger from and why are YOU supposed to be my guardian?"

"I told you, there isn't any time. Now move!"

He tried to drag her, but the stubborn girl wouldn't budge. This was surprising, since she was usually so easygoing.

"No. I am not moving from this spot until you answer my questions!"

He sighed, "Look, I'll explain, I promise, but only once you're safe. I have a lot riding on this assignment." He grimaced.

It was May's turn to sigh, "Fine."

She reluctantly allowed herself to be led up the street. Just as they turned the corner, the window directly in front of them shattered and Parker tackled May to the ground as the squeal of brakes and shouting heralded the arrival of unfriendlies.

"Damn it! I thought we'd make it!"

Parker tried to pull May to her feet, but the terrified girl only stared it horror as the car door slammed and the men piled out, shouting in an unfamiliar language. It was about twenty feet in front of them, and Parker knew that they could make it if they doubled back.

"May, come on! We have to run! NOW!"

He tried shaking her, but she couldn't move. Finally, she managed to get to her feet, and he tried to pull her, but by then, it was too late.

Round after round went off all at once from their enemies. The guns kept firing, but May opened her eyes in surprise. They weren't dead. But how?

He looked and saw that Parker was just as surprised as she was. They looked up at the same time to see a man standing in front of them. He was tall, and his arms were opened wide in a protective gesture. If he'd been a normal human, he would also have been bleeding from the dozens of bullet wounds he should have suffered. If he'd been human, but the history teacher was clearly not: as he was still standing. The bullets bouncing off his chest flew in crazy ricochets; some hit their owners while others shattered windows all down the street.

Noticing that his students were staring, Berwald Carpenter turned his head and gave them a rare smile.

"Parker Vargas, please escort Miss. Castilla to the car waiting about five feet behind you." His look added the extra I'll take care of these clowns myself, on its own.

"Y-yes sir. Come on May." They walked calmly to the car amidst the fire and climbed in, clinging to each other purely out of shock.

As the car sped away, Sweden's smile faded and he turned his attention to the attackers, who had ceased their fire in terror and confusion. Cracking his knuckles, he advanced. No one threatened his students on his watch. No one.


The car speeds along the road, doing about sixty in a twenty five mph zone. It looks like an SUV, but the windows were darker than they should have been. Bullet proof. What kind of teacher drives a bullet proof car?

All of us are quiet, even Kevin and Parker who would usually be high-fiving each other or something. May looks like she's seen a ghost and I guess, in a way, she has. None of us can quite process what just happened, even though we all saw it. It shouldn't have happened, but it did.

After the alarm had gone off and we'd all been ushered out of the building, Mr. Carpenter came over to Josh and I and motioned us to follow him. I don't now why but for some reason Mr.C seems to lose the ability to speak when he's upset. The day that a teacher's car went off the Sam's Creek bridge and crashed, he'd sat in his desk and gazed out the window. This had been similar only, after the explosion, he'd kept looking around and seemed really edgy. When we picked up Kevin from the Gym area, "the look" came out after only one stupid comment. Usually it takes at least three and a combined effort.

But when he herded all five of us (Josh, Kevin, Jonas that Sandy girl and I) into the car and climbed into the shotgun seat with a guy we didn't know driving, all of us got pretty nervous. And then the whole scene with the gangsters or terrorists, or whatever they were happened. Now, the silence from the backseat is deafening.

I see Sandy lean over and lay a hand on May, who perks up instantly. She holds up a brown fringed jacket and grins goofily.

"I got it!"

Sandy looked taken aback, then laughs, "Wow, 'cause I was totally worried about my jacket when I thought you were about to become Swiss cheese!"

The tension in the SUV suddenly melts and we're all laughing at the "Swiss cheese" comment… except for the driver whose expression in the mirror is kind of scary.

The car comes to a stop outside the University in the heart of town, and we pass the time by playing sticks and mafia with some cards that Josh pulled from his coat. It was really loud and happy, as though our nerves were causing us to take any opportunity to loosen up. After about ten minutes: Mr. Carpenter and a younger looking man cross the street and walk up to the car.

"Yo Guys! It's the man of steel! Hey Mr. C, did you give those gunner creeps a lecture on the effects of Ass Kicking or what? Kesesesese!"

The Parker-Kevin high five makes its late debut. Mr. Carpenter, on the other hand, was not smiling. He has a grim expression and is staring at May Alex. He hands her a cell phone which she takes, the smile sliding off her face.

"It's…your aunt…" He murmured, as she put it to her ear, and then looked away.

"Hello, Aunty? Huh…What? Who is this? What? No. no! You're lying. No it can't be… aunty, Tio?"

The color drains from her face, and she starts to rock in her seat, her body shaking visibly. May drops the phone and struggles for breath as she, almost inaudibly, repeats the same phrase over and over, "No. No no- it's a dream. It's got to be a dream. It's got to be a-…wake up. Wake up wake UP!" She buries her head in her arms, still fighting for breath.

Then suddenly: she screams.


Okay, just as a clarification, the speaker in the last section is Ally. If you ever see present tense, and the narrator isn't cursing a ton; it's Ally. If it's cursing, it's Parker. The formal journal is Jonas, diary is Kevin, past tense first person is Sandy, third person is May unless otherwise specified.

Translations

Hungarian

Big Paragraph:

"Where is she?"

"She is at school." My mother replies, the steel in her voice unmasked. "Why have you come, Ludwig?"

"Don't get so defensive, I've only come to give you a warning. By ze vay? Was it really necessary to have an alarm system on your landing?"

"My daughter set it up. Ask your nephew if you ever see him."

German

Hallo Freunde! : Hello Friends!

Vati: German for dad or daddy

Spanish

Tio: Uncle