"You really couldn't have made this shit less tight man?" Josh frowned as he adjusted the tight spandex suit his skin was clad with.
Charlie rolled his eyes as he packed up his stuff and tightened his gloves. Maya's hair lay down over her shoulders and Riley's brown hair was pulled up into a tight ponytail, only leaving a few strands hanging out from both sides. Ignoring Josh, Maya sighed and zipped up her boots. "Alright guys. Let's load up and hit the jet." She turned to Charlie. "Charlie I need you to keep trying to track the boys okay? Just in case this whole Kermit thing doesn't work out. Try tracking their phones, their cars, hell- even the ties on their suits if you can." He nodded and started to load his stuff onto the jet.
Maya turned to Riley next. "Riles, when we meet Kermit I need you to come with me. I'm going to need you there for this. Plus, you'll know what the right questions are to ask in case I get stumped."
Josh opened his mouth to protest. Maya held her finger to silence him. "No. You are staying on the jet and away from him. You'll be with Charlie. We need to be in pairs so that we can watch each other's backs in case shit hits the fan." Maya looked around at everyone. "Any questions? Good. Let's get out of here."
.:.
The jet glided through the air as Josh swiftly flew it through the skies. He rose just above the clouds, flying the fastest he could to wherever it was they were heading. "Almost there guys. We'll be touching down in about fifteen minutes." He heard Charlie typing away on his computer behind him. "Any luck Charlie?"
Charlie shook his head. "Not yet but I think I should be able to find something soon. At least pin their last location."
Riley walked over towards Charlie and leaned over his shoulder to watch as he worked. She placed on his shoulder and immediately felt him tense up. "It's not like I'm going to hurt you Charlie," she whispered under her breath. Charlie just shrugged her hand off his shoulder and focused in on his work. He couldn't be bothered to fight at this moment. They had more important things at hand.
Annoyed, Riley walked away and sat on the opposite side of the jet, choosing not to let her emotions get the best of her at that moment. Maya and Josh, who were at the front of the plan as the latter piloted it, noticed the tension behind them. Exchanging a look, they both knew Maya needed to tend to her friend. Maya unfastened her seat belt and walked to where Riley was on the jet. "Hey," she whispered as she sat down next to her.
Riley looked over at her and gave a tight lipped smile. "Hey."
Maya held out her hand and smiled as Riley interlaced her fingers with her own. She felt her rest her head on her shoulder and leaned her own on top of her friend's brown hair. "When you're ready, we'll talk." She felt Riley nod. "I'm serious," she urged. "I know that I haven't really been here and we've been living two separate lives for the first time since I can even remember, but I'm always going to be here for you Riley."
Riley lifted her head off of Maya's shoulder and smiled softly. "I love you Riley," Maya finished.
Riley squeezed Maya's hand. "I've missed you so much Maya."
They hugged tightly. "I've missed you too Riles."
Their nurturing moment was interrupted by Josh, who called out from the front of the plane. "Hey guys! We're here. You two ready?"
Maya and Riley stood up, ready to do what they needed to do. "Ready as we'll ever be," Maya mumbled.
As soon as Maya and Riley stepped foot outside of the jet, they instantly recognized where they were. "Maya are we-" Riley started to ask.
"Yeah," Maya whispered. "We are."
They walked discreetly down the road as they neared their destination. Well, as discreetly as anyone could wearing a skin clad black spandex suit with silver trim. They walked further and further down the street until they found their golden spot- the abandoned park right between their old buildings. As they entered the park, their guards were up. Waiting and watching to handle anything that could come their way. Suddenly, Kermit's voice rang out. "I see you brought a familiar face this time." Kermit emerged from the shadows, a grin plastered on his pale face. "What happened to the human boy? He get cold feet?"
Maya took a deep breath and clenched her fists in frustration. "I don't have time for this right now-" she grimaced as the word left her mouth, "Dad." She took a step towards him. "You said you'd help me and don't pretend that you don't want to. I can feel you. I can sense that you care." She took another step towards him, her emotions heightening. "And if you love me, if you want to help me then you'll help me save my family." She remained strong, never breaking eye contact. Although, her eyes did begin to gloss over. "And they are all I have."
Kermit looked between his daughter and her friend. He remembered when they were both small. So young, so innocent. It was before the world tainted them. A part of him, the part that was still good and loved his daughter. That part never left him. That's who he'd be helping. He took in a shallow breath and locked eyes with Maya. "There's a secret military facility Upstate. Not too far from the school actually. It's on Red Eye Lake. If they were taken at the congressional hearing that's where they'll be." Maya looked back at Riley and nodded. "Maya," Kermit began before she could leave. "They don't have much time."
Maya stopped in her tracks and looked at her father before she could turn around again. In a vulnerable moment, she ran up to him and hugged him tight. Shocked, Kermit froze for a moment before hugging her back tightly. Maya let go and brushed a hair out of her face, walking backwards slowly until she was near Riley. "I'll see you soon Dad."
"Be safe. And remember," he called out. "You are mutant and proud."
Mutant and proud.
.:.
Josh had the jet on auto pilot as they stood in the center of the plane discussing their plan for when they got to the lake. "So what's our plan when we get there? I'm assuming if it's military we're talking heavily armed guards and we don't even know how big or intricate this facility is."
Maya looked to Charlie and nodded as she took in his words. "Yeah I was thinking the same thing. I was able to find this." She pulled up an old map of the facility. "This map is about fifty years old but I have a strong feeling the building hasn't changed. We just need to be efficient when we get in."
Josh took the map and looked at it. "They have two weak spots that we can enter through. One on the North Eastern wing and the other in the South Western wing. I can get us near there but getting in undetected is going to be hard."
"That's the point. I want them to know we're there. They'll drop everything. They will focus all of their attention, weapons, anything that they have towards us. Which is why Charlie and I are going to go in from that North Eastern wing while Josh and Riley sneak in from the other wing," Maya explained.
Riley only had one thing on her mind at that moment. "So then who's going to find Zay and Lucas?"
Maya smiled and looked at Riley. "You are. Once you and Josh are in, you go find the boys while Josh locates the Professor and Farkle. Everyone clear?" They all nodded. "Perfect. Let's go save our family."
.:.
Maya pushed her hair back behind her ear as she watched Josh circle around the lake, looking for a place to land. "Hey," Riley's hand graced her shoulder. "You alright? Things got kind of emotional earlier. Back there with your dad."
"I'm fine. Just a weak moment that's all." Silence fell between them. "I just have a lot that I'm thinking through right now. A lot going on in my mind, you know?"
"What's going on? I know we haven't been able to talk and-"
Maya shook her head. "Don't worry about it Riley. I've been talking to Josh about it and we've-"
Riley clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Of course you have," she muttered under her breath.
She was so sick of this. She knew she messed up with Charlie, she owned up to that and was actively dealing with the repercussions. But she didn't sign up to lose her best friend too. From day one she could feel Maya pulling away. They weren't close, they weren't talking, they were always in two separate places. They were living two different lives and she couldn't feel farther away from her best friend. "What was that?" Maya asked, catching the attitude from Riley's comment.
Riley licked her lips and pulled her to the side. "Ever since we left Holden you've been absent. I mean did you even notice that you were gone when it was my dad's birthday? Or that I've been teaching his final lesson? The lesson that he never got to? Belgium 1831. I finally made it to Belgium 1831 and you don't even care! I can't even talk to you about anything anymore!" Maya watched as Riley started to pace around the back of the jet, looking back every so often to make sure the guys didn't notice. Riley walked back towards Maya and spoke in a harsh, hushed tone. "And worst of all, I can't even tell you about the shit hole that is my love life right now because its my own fault! And you don't know that because you haven't been here!"
"Riley.."
"And I can't even get your advice on it because it's like we're constantly passing each other by! Because if we had been able to talk, I would have told you that Charlie and I have been growing apart, and that Lucas kissed me, and I wanted to kiss him back but didn't, and that I'm scared that one day you're going to walk out of that school with Josh and I'll literally never see you again!" Riley's face was a slight pink as she felt the weight of everything she'd been holding in, roll off her shoulders.
Waiting for Maya to respond, Riley closed her eyes and waited to hear her retaliate. Instead, she felt her arms wrapped around her in a hug. "I'm sorry I haven't been here. I didn't know that all of this was going on."
Riley wrapped her arms around Maya and squeezed her. "Thank you," she whispered. "But what is really bothering me is I feel like you don't want me or need me anymore. Like Josh is all you need anymore. And I still need you sometimes and I just want you to need me too."
"I'll always need you Riley." She turned around as she saw Josh finally found a place to land. "Look, we can't have the rest of this conversation right now, but I promise you we will."
Riley nodded. "But right now, we need to find everyone else." Riley held Maya's hand as the underbelly of the plane was lowered, they shared a look and smiled at each other softly. "Let's do this."
.:.
The four of them stood just outside the jet, the cool air nipping at them slightly. Just ahead stood the exact facility that held Zay, Lucas, and the Professor. "You see those guards over there?" Josh pointed ahead. "That's where Maya and Charlie are going in. Me and Riley are going in on the opposite side of the building." Josh looked over at his girlfriend. "Be safe and be smart please."
Josh looked over to Charlie. "You too but keep her safe okay? Or else I will kill you. That is, if Riley doesn't beat me to it first."
Charlie nodded and locked eyes with Maya. "You ready?" She nodded and walked towards him when Josh grabbed her wrist gently.
"I mean it Maya. Be safe. And," he placed his lips close to her ear. "You're stronger than the voices okay? Remember that." He kissed the side of her head and let her go.
As Josh watched her walk away, he knew he had nothing but faith in her and her abilities. With Charlie by her side he knew she'd be okay but that doesn't make it easier when he knows she'll always be the hero, even if she doesn't want to be. "She'll be okay," Riley said from behind him. "She's strong. She's Maya after all."
Josh nodded and started to back away towards Riley. "I know." He looked ahead and placed the jet on stealth mode. He turned his attention back to the facility and gestured towards it. Walking strong and tall, he took on his natural determined demeanor. "Let's go before we miss our window."
Riley and Josh took off towards the facility, covering each other as they charged ahead, making sure they evaded anyone or anything that could come their way. Riley stopped them in their tracks as she looked ahead. "Wait!" She spotted two guards that had yet to move. Thinking on her feet Riley cracked her neck and got to work. "Hold on. It's going to get a little bit colder out here."
Her eyes became this snowy white as an intense blizzard surrounded the lake. Pellets of snow and ice fell around them as it became intensely cold. Riley focused her attention on the guards and smiled as she watched them fall to the ground, unconscious. Josh smirked. "Nice work."
They continued on and quickly found themselves at their designated entrance. "We're just outside the entrance. Heading in now," Josh said into his communication set. Armed with his gun, Josh entered first making sure no other guards were posted at the entrance.
"Good. You guys should hear an alarm go off in 3..2..1."
Like clockwork the alarm did and Josh looked back at Riley who nodded. "All their attention is on Maya and Charlie. Let's move."
Josh and Riley quickly covered ground, exploring the depths of the facility before anyone could realize they were in there. As they reached a new wing, Riley tensed up. "Do you hear that?" she whispered to Josh.
Josh looked around, not sure what Riley was hearing. "Riley I don't hear it. We need to keep moving."
Riley held up her hand. "No hold on." She moved closer to the sound and pushed on this heavy door. "Come on help me." They pushed forward on the door for a moment before they finally felt it buckle. As the door pushed in, Riley caught her breath and smiled. "Luke! Zay!"
"Riley wait!" Zay tried to head a warning but Riley was already running towards Lucas trying to hug him. Just as she got close enough to him, he immediately threw a ball of fire at her, knocking her back on the ground.
Josh armed himself as pointed his gun at Lucas, trying to talk him down. "Lucas stop!"
"Oh my god," Zay whispered as he saw Riley clutching her body in pain. "Yo Josh get me out of here!"
Zay was restrained by these cuffs that burned his wrists every time he tried to take them off himself. Josh kept a watchful eye on Lucas as he ran over to help Zay. As he reached to touch the cuffs he too got burned by them. "Shit!" He looked around and thought quickly. He took a sharp object out of his pocket and jammed the cuffs, blocking the signals that would burn their hands. "Ice them off Zay!"
Zay's hands turned to an icy blue as he froze the cuffs instantly. Breaking them off his wrist. He ran over to Riley and iced her abdomen. "It's okay. I got you." He looked back towards Josh. "She's not badly burned. She'll be fine."
"What the hell is going on with Lucas?" Josh asked, armed and ready. "What happened here."
Zay shook his head. "Not enough time. Come on Riley you gotta get up. We need to find Farkle and the Professor. We'll come back for Lucas after we find them. We'll be able to work as a team."
Riley shook her head as she stood up. "No. I'm not leaving him. You guys go ahead. We can't lose time."
"Riley no. He's under some sort of control. He's not himself. I don't want you to get hurt even more." Zay tried to persuade her.
She was relentless. She wouldn't give up on him. She knew Lucas wouldn't leave her behind so she wouldn't leave him behind. "I'm fine. I got this. You guys go. I'll be right behind you I promise."
Zay and Josh shared a nervous look. Choosing to trust her, they reluctantly left. "Fine. But if we don't hear from you in ten minutes we're coming back. Let's move Zay."
Riley stared at Lucas and took a deep breath. He was under some fort of control. It wasn't him. It couldn't be him. But she knew one thing and that was mo matter what, she had to get him back.
Even if it killed her.