Apologies, again, for the amount of time I've taken to update. I had written quite a bit of this chapter and then decided to do another "Back In Perdido Beach" chapter, so I had to start all over again. Also, I think it's a very bad title, but it's all I could think of! This very beginning of this chapter continues on from Chapter 5, at the meeting Edilio and Lana organised. So, here's Chapter 13!
PERDIDO BEACH
GENERAL POV
"How are we supposed to rescue Astrid without getting caught by Drake?" Taylor asked Edilio. Taylor's face was all red from crying after Edilio and Lana told her about Sam. "We're going to rescue Diana too, Taylor." Edilio told her, frowning. Taylor looked furious. "Why? She's on Caine's side, we shouldn't have to rescue her!" she snapped. Edilio frowned and turned so that he was facing all the teens present at the meeting – Howard, Brianna, Dekka, Albert, Jack, Ellen, Taylor and Lana. "Where do you think he's taken them?" he asked them.
"The mineshaft?" Ellen suggested hesitantly. Edilio frowned, deep in thought. "Perhaps." He agreed. Lana snorted and stood up. She paced the room. The heads of the others turned to watch her. "If Drake's taken them to the mineshaft and Darkness, then we'd be as well to leave with Drake." She said, not meaning to sound quite as bitter as she did. "What about Coates?" Brianna asked, glaring at Lana, who glared back. "That's most likely." Albert nodded his head.
Edilio sighed. "Well, where are we going to search first? And who are we going to send?" he asked. Brianna jumped to her feet, a fearful expression on her face. "Don't know about you lot, but I'm not going to the mineshaft!" she cried. The others shook their heads. Again, Edilio sighed. "Fine. We'll start with Coates. Dekka, Jack, Brianna, Taylor and Howard – will you go?" he asked. They all nodded. "Great. And Howard – take Orc with you." Edilio added. Howard looked up at Edilio. "That's gonna cost you." He said. Edilio rolled his eyes and glared at him. "We can sort that out later." Howard nodded, a smirk fleeting across his face. "When do we leave?" Dekka asked. Edilio turned to her. "As soon as Howard gets Orc." he answered them.
THE FOREST
ASTRID'S POV
I was breathing hard as I ran through the forest, away from Coates, away from Diana. Away from Drake. Despite the fact that I hadn't heard angry shouts or footsteps behind me since I left Coates, I still couldn't help looking behind me every so often, just to make sure.
Suddenly, I tripped over what I assumed to be a rock and fell to the ground. I happened to glance down as I clambered to my feet and what I saw made me collapse to the ground. I suppressed a scream, but just barely. Laying just a stone's throw away from my feet was the body of my brother – what was left of it, anyway. I pressed my fist against my mouth – I knew I'd scream otherwise. I could feel my eyes begin to burn with the presence of tears and I blinked angrily. The coyotes (at least I hoped it had been coyotes…) had ripped my brother to shreds and I could see trails of blood leading off deeper into the forest. I caught sight of his gameboy laying a couple of feet away from him, the batteries hanging out of their protective casing. Biting back a sob, I picked up the batteries and put them back into the gameboy and crawled over to my brother's body. Tears were running freely down my face as I laid the game on L.P.'s chest. "I'm sorry Petey." I whispered.
I stood up and had one last look at my brother before I turned and ran off through the forest, in the direction of Perdido Beach.
COATES ACADEMY
DIANA'S POV
"How long until she reaches Perdido Beach?" Drake asked me, pacing in his room. I was sitting on his bed watching him. "I don't know, Drake." I said, exasperated. This was about the fifth time he had asked me in about as many minutes. "You just need to be patient!" I told him. He stopped pacing and turned to me, a furious expression on his face. "I don't want to be patient!" Drake snarled. "I want to go and take over Perdido Beach now!"
I rolled my eyes and stood up. "Drake, don't you know that he or she who wants doesn't get?" I asked, smirking. Drake walked over to me, glaring, causing me to roll my eyes again. He wrapped his Whip–Hand around my waist. "I get what I want, when I want." He hissed. I had to hide a laugh; Drake might be trying to sound threatening but in my opinion, he just sounded like a bratty, spoilt child. "Drake, you sound like a spoilt child." I told him, snickering slightly. His face darkened and he slapped me. "No I don't." he snapped. I glared at him, rubbing my cheek gingerly, wincing. "You do. So be patient!" I said.
"But I don't want to be patient!" Drake said again, which caused me to roll my eyes once more. I moved closer to him and stood on tiptoe. "Well, you're going to have to be." I said, resting my chin on his shoulder. "The more patient you are, the quicker I can leave." I breathed in his ear. He turned his face to look at me, a smirk on his face. "As I keep telling you, I don't want to be patient." He whispered into my ear. A slow smile spread across my face. Still with his whip wrapped tightly around my waist, Drake started pushing me back towards his bed. I was smirking as Drake sat on the edge of my bed, pulling me down onto his lap. He placed his hand behind my head gently and pulled my face to meet his.
THE FOREST
ASTRID'S POV
I hadn't been running for too long before I heard voices. I stopped and hid behind a tree, trying to control my breathing and my racing heart. What if it was Drake? I listened carefully, although I couldn't hear the exact words spoken, I could hear enough to know that it wasn't Drake. So who was it then? I took a small step forward, hoping to catch sight of the speakers. A twig snapped beneath my foot. I cursed and the talking stopped. "Who's there?" called a voice. It was a familiar voice, but I couldn't place it. Then suddenly it hit me. "Brianna!" I cried, rushing out from my 'hiding' place.
Brianna, Dekka, Howard, Taylor, Orc and Jack were standing not to far away from me. I ran to Brianna, unable to control the sobs racking my body, or the tears falling down my face. I hugged Brianna, still sobbing, and she wrapped her arms around me, whispering soothing words in my ears. "Ssh, Astrid. You're okay now." She said. "Where's Little Pete?" Taylor asked suddenly. I pulled away from Brianna and pointed behind me. "He's back there." I answered. Taylor raised an eyebrow, looking at me with a mixture of shock and amazement. "You left your brother behind?" she asked me. I detected a hint of anger in her voice. I nodded, and then shook, my head. Taylor glared. "Is he behind you, or is he not?" Before I could answer, she had bounced away. She was back just a second later, her face chalk white. I could feel tears rising up in my eyes again.
"What's wrong, Taylor? Did you see Drake?" she asked urgently. Taylor stood dumbstruck, not answering Dekka. Taylor, who could never stop talking, was speechless. And I knew what had caused it.
After almost a minute of silence, Taylor turned to me. "What did you do?" she cried accusingly. I blushed as all eyes turned to me. "It was Drake!" I said defensively. Orc, who, like Howard, had said nothing since they had found me, spoke up. "What did Drake do?" he asked me in his gravelly voice. I had to bite my lip to stop myself from sobbing again. I wiped a tear away from my face before I answered. "He…he shot Petey." I answered quietly, looking at the ground. I lifted my face to look at them all. "He murdered my little brother!" I shrieked hysterically, causing the other girls to flinch. Orc and Howard remained impassive, although I could swear I caught the slightest bit of compassion on Orc's eyes. "He murdered him." I repeated in a whisper. "Brianna, take Astrid back to Perdido. Take her to Lana, or Edilio." Jack said briskly. "The rest of us will go and Diana. And deal with Drake." He added. I stared at him. "There's only going to be five of you! You won't be able to rescue Diana and defeat Drake – and survive it!" I told him. "Please don't go – at least, not until you have more people with you." I pleaded. Jack looked uncertainly at Brianna. Of all of us, he seemed to trust Brianna the most.
"You lot can go back to Perdido, I'm taking on Drake!" she said hotly. "No!" Dekka and I cried at the same time. Jack, Taylor, even Howard and Orc shook their heads. "It's too dangerous." I told her. Brianna glared at all of us. "You can't stop me! I'm the Breeze!" She snapped, preparing to run. As quick as lightning, Dekka had cut off all gravity around Brianna. "You're not going, Brianna." She said; her voice hard. Brianna looked furious but gave up trying to run. "Let's go." Howard said, and he and Orc started back towards Perdido Beach, the rest of us following them in silence.
COATES ACADEMY
DRAKE'S POV
I stood up, causing Diana to fall from my lap onto the floor. She glared up at me. "What was that for?" she asked me angrily. I smirked at her and, my Whip–Hand around her waist, pulled her to her feet. "We're leaving. Now." I told her. Diana looked annoyed. She brushed my whip off of her. "But I don't want to leave!" she whined. The smirk dropped from my face and I glared at her. "Tough." I snapped. Diana rolled her eyes, still looking annoyed. Then the annoyance turned to confusion. "Wait, what do you mean we're leaving? I thought it was just me to go and find Astrid."
Again I rolled my eyes. "It is, but I'll need to be hiding nearby, won't I?" Diana nodded. "I suppose you will." She said. "But can't leaving wait another five minutes?" she asked nonchalantly, however I detected a hopeful undertone in her voice. I smirked. "I don't think so." I answered. Diana frowned, thinking fast. "Perhaps Astrid isn't at Perdido Beach yet?" she asked, sounding much more hopeful. My smirk widened. Diana was definitely persistent. I moved towards her and kissed her quickly. Just as she was about to kiss me back, however, I pulled away. "Now, let's go." I walked out my room and Diana hurried after me.
It was time for me to claim Perdido Beach.
In the beginning, I wasn't sure about this chapter. Now that I've finished it though, I sort of like it! The first bit in Coates Academy was really meant to be a filler–type thing because a) I don't like Astrid and b) because I love Drake and Diana! Please tell me what you think! I love reading reviews! So, please review! And I promise to try and update sooner!