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Bug was following who he believed to be the General. The man in charge. The powerful person that he could cower behind. Bug wasn't ashamed. That's how he survived. There were the powerful leaders, the loyal followers, and then the people who cowered behind the most powerful person.
Bug was going to wait until the General was alone, then show him that Bug would be an asset and he could spy for the General. Of course, Bug would want something in return. Mostly protection.
The General walked into what Bug believed to be his office. Bug followed him. A woman walked in behind Bug and he almost knocked into her. Thankfully, Bug managed to scamper out of the way in time.
"Ah, Scarlet Meadows. What do you want?" the General asked the woman. She had wavy brown hair pulled into a high ponytail and big brown eyes.
"I want to know if my daughter is still alive," she said. The General stared at her for a minute. Or at least Bug assumed he was staring because he was wearing sunglasses. Bug wondered if he was self conscious about his eyes or a major douche because why else would you wear sunglasses inside.
"I would not know if your daughter is alive or dead," the General said. Scarlet pursed her lips.
"I never wanted to work for you. I wanted to stay with my son and daughter. And now my son is dead because those kids killed him and now you tell me they have my daughter," she said angrily. Bug felt like he was watching a dramatic TV show. "The only reason I'm still helping is because you are trying to rescue Lily."
The General smiled. "Of course I'm trying to rescue her," he said. Bug didn't believe him for a second. Being with Caine and Diana taught him how to tell if you were being used and lied to. The General was lying big time.
Unfortunately, Scarlet had not had the experience of being in a clique at a school for difficult children, so she couldn't tell she was being manipulated. Sucks for her, Bug thought.
Scarlet left the room, leaving Bug alone with the General at last.
"I can help you," Bug said as he became visible. To his surprise, the General didn't even flinch. Instead he smiled. Except not a welcoming smile. A smile that reminded Bug of Drake.
"Oh, I know you can help me," he said ominously. He brought his hand up to his ear, like he was turning on an earpiece. "Get the Extractor ready."
Bug realized the General was not going to give him protection. He started to slowly back out of the room, his hand searching for the doorknob. Instead of finding it, his hand bumped into something long. He looked all the way up and saw the worst thing he could imagine staring back down at him.
"Long time no see, Bug," Drake said.
Sam was fuming. He walked a little ways away and sat down in the dirt. First Astrid didn't let him help stop them from getting captured, and now she agrees with Caine that they shouldn't even try to rescue them? Sam couldn't believe Astrid betrayed him. And not only Astrid. Brianna was the only one out of 15 people that thought they should save their friends. And that wasn't exactly reassuring, because Brianna would agree with anything if it meant some action.
Sam heard footsteps.
"Don't try to apologize to me, Astrid," he snapped.
"I'm not going to, and it's not Astrid," Sam heard Edilio say. Edilio sat down next to him.
"What, did you come to 'talk to me' and try to make me feel better?" Sam said. Edilio just nodded.
"You can't save everyone, and don't blame yourself for Albert and Dahra and Toto and Orc and Howard. Blame the General, not yourself," he said. Sam sighed.
"You must think I'm like a pouty little kid. Everyone must think that," he said.
"Well, you have a tendency to pout a little, but your good qualities outshine your bad ones," Edilio said.
"Wow, Edilio. Thanks for the philosophy," Sam said, a weak attempt at trying to lighten the mood.
"I think we should head back before we miss something," Edilio said. Sam nodded and stood up. He was still angry at Astrid, but right now there were more pressing matters. There wasn't enough time to sulk around.
Four days have passed since the attack on the barn and Leo demonstrating his powers for the first time. Jack was on his laptop again. Everyone else was sleeping, but he wasn't tired.
Jack heard a little beep and looked in the bottom right hand corner of his laptop screen. There was a notification. He froze, afraid of what it might say. Over the last few days, he wired security cameras and sensors around the barn, so if anyone came near a notification would be sent to his laptop, and if they continued to come closer an alarm would go off. Jack crossed his fingers and read the notification, praying for something minor, like updates.
It was a new message. Jack breezed a sigh of relief. Then he felt a chill go down his back as he realized something.
Who sent that to me?
Jack clicked on the notification and read the full message. It was a link to a private video. He clicked it and felt like his stomach had turned to ice. Jack saw Albert, Howard, Toto, and Dahra handcuffed, kneeling behind a long crate. There was tape over their mouths. The General was standing next to them, with four soldiers each carrying a machete. The General smiled.
"Hello, Anomaly children. I am going to demonstrate what will happen to all of your non-mutant friends unless you give yourselves over to me. Yes, I know where you are, or at least I will know when Computer Jack inevitably opens the link. In approximately two days I will send my soldiers to capture you. If you decide to give yourself over and spare Astrid, Edilio, Quinn, Sanjit, Katie, John and Lily, then stay where you are. I'll even throw in Diana, since I don't need her power. Of course, if you run away then I will know that you have refused and when I track you down again, I will spare no one. Now, to the demonstration," the General said, the entire time smiling. "Dispose of them."
The soldiers pushed each of the FAYZians' heads against the crate. They raised their machetes.
Jack quickly turned off the computer and stared at the black screen, trying to not imagine what was about to happen.