I by no means, am responsible for any feels trips taken during this chapter. Please read at your own risk.

Warnings: This chapter may induce major feels trips, heart break, turmoil, tears, and maybe even uncontrolled sobbing. If you do not wish to experience any of the above go read a Fluf fic about Sweden and Finland and/or Greece and Japan. Literally what is angst in those pairings?

To Stargirl247: I apologize ahead of time.

My heart was pounding a thousand beats per minute. The roaring of my heart sounded like war drums. My hand was over my mouth calming my erratic breathing. I could feel my blood pulsing through me; my limbs were going numb from the rush.

There were my friends, no my family, being pushed to the floor onto their knees. Maria's hair was tousled showing she put up a fight being brought here. Andre was sporting a black eye and split lip. No doubt from protecting Maria when the first explosion went off. Evan too, was wincing as he was pushed to the ground, probably hurt somewhere I couldn't see. Tyson seemed to be the most injured of the four, limping as he was forced inside the room. Blood trickled down his left leg, his face scrunched together in pain I couldn't even begin to describe.

"Is that all of them?" The guy who I assumed was the leader asked the last soldier who walked in.

"Affirmative Sir," the soldier nodded with a salute. The leader's ice blue eyes gleamed in the moonlight that was filtering in through the window. When everyone was finally standing in one place I got a decent look at him. Standing at what had seemed to be 6' 6, the man could have been considered good looking. His glossy black hair was neatly trimmed, his uniform pristine, not a wrinkle to be seen.

'You need to be quieter Alexa!' Alfred whispered in my mind. I was already in an uncomfortable position. My knees were clutched close to my chest, though it also didn't help that I didn't do well in small confined spaces. My breathing had become somewhat louder, and it also didn't help that Alfred was making me panic even more.

I remembered feeling a warm presence on the top of my head, slowly rubbing circles in my hair like Dad did. 'Calm down Al,' Alfred's voice was soft, though worried at the same time. The feeling helped me get my breathing under control, though i was still panicking on the inside.

Andre spat out a glob of blood at the soldier holding him down. In realization, the soldier barked back in anger and slammed his boot into Andre's side. More blood dribbled out of his mouth as he crashed to the ground and Maria screamed in horror.

"You monster!" she screamed, her hair flying, making her look feral. She scampered quickly to Andre's side, helping him lay on his side as he coughed up more blood. "Why did you bring us here? What do you want from us?" She sobbed, gripping Andre's hand like a lifeline.

"We just want to ask some questions, that's all." The leader shrugged as if it was a small matter. His lackeys all chuckled with their boss.

"What can we possibly help you with?" Tyson groaned. Each word came out like it pained him to speak. "It's not like we know anything you don't already," he glared at the insignia on all of their uniforms. "Judging by your uniforms I'm guessing you're with the Philosophers," he spat out the name. "My father died trying to kill you know it alls, though I guess you never really rid yourself of a rat problem," he laughed darkly. The leader looked at Tyson with a glare of anger and disgust. His gun was out faster than my eyes could see. The action making Maria jump back bringing Andre closer to her, he in turn weakly grabbed her. Evan jumped back, though he was met with the front of the teacher's desk.

"You know I'm not a fan of being patronized," the leader hissed, cocking his gun. My friends winced at the sound, looking absolutely terrified. "Though you could prove to be useful," he holstered the pistol, allowing me a small sigh of relief. "You see kid, my associates and I are looking for a certain person. We were told this person would attend to the dance here," he laughed hollowly. "Though imagine our surprise when we got here, the VIP isn't anywhere to be found. Of course as a common courtesy, we, how you say, leveled the playing field." The other soldiers laughed at the dark humor.

"What makes this VIP so important?" Evan snapped angrily. The leader glanced over with a bored gaze.

"Ah, well you see boy," the leader shrugged. "This person is a major asset to our cause, with her by our side; we can finally take over this nation and raise it to its full potential." He un-holstered the gun again and aimed directly at Evan's forehead. "Actually, you four know her. Now, tell us where Alexa James is and I'll let you and your friends live," he carelessly pointed the gun at Maria, Andre, and Tyson.

I had jumped, about to give a shout in fear of my friends being shot, but I couldn't seem to control my own voice. It felt like my vocal cords weren't there anymore.

"Why the hell do you want Alexa for?" Tyson growled like a rabid dog, so much so I thought I he was foaming at the mouth. "She is just a normal girl."

"Yeah, besides it's not like we would actually tell you where she is if we knew," Maria snapped though squeaked when the leader turned his glare on her, pistol still aimed at Evan. A minute passed and his glare turned into a look of acceptance.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged.

BANG!

I felt my heart shatter like glass at the sound of the gun being fired. Maria screamed, after that silence fell. My whole body was cold and numb as my eyes spilled over with hot tears. My hands were covering my ears as the shot still rang in my head.

"Hehehe," The soldiers chuckling broke through my hands. I dared to peak out, expecting to see a puddle of red blood spilling over the floor. Instead I was greeted with the sight of the soldiers kneeling over in laughter. The leader too was chuckling.

"You can stop now boss," he chuckled wiping away tears. "You had your fun."

"Really, I thought the fun had just started, Raul." My heart broke further at the sound of this voice, which was so achingly familiar. The voice that helped me through my most vulnerable of times; but now the warmth was gone, replaced with one of malice and contempt.

"I'm glad you've had your fun commander but I believe we have a job to finish," the leader, Raul, smirked. Evan stood up from the ground, the soldier backing up and saluting as he dusted himself off.

"Come on, I never get to have fun," Evan smirked darkly as he took an offered jacket from a soldier.

"What the hell is this about Evan?!" Tyson roared, though it was clear he was the second most confused person in the room; the first being me. "Is this some kind of joke?!"

"If it is, I don't want to hear the punchline," Maria whispered to Andre who nodded weakly.

"I thought it would have been obvious," Evan shrugged nonchalantly. "I used you three like the pawns you are," the soldiers laughed with him. "I have to say you made it easy, like you were asking for poor new kid just looking for some friends. Oh Alexa," he cooed. "Oh the poor thing never suspected a thing. She fell hook, line, and sinker."

"Why do you want her?!" Tyson barked.

"Oh," Evan gasped dramatically. "You mean she never told you?"

"Alexa tells us everything." Maria shrieked at him.

"Are you sure?" he questioned. "You mean she never told you about what she is?" The remaining pieces of my heart fell deep into my stomach. I was tempted to spring from my hiding place and stop him; but I couldn't move my legs.

"Excuse me Sir," a soldier walked in, short of breath. "I have just received word from our lookout on the west side of the facility," Evan nodded for him to continue. "Expansionist foot soldiers have been spotted, armored trucks have also been seen heading this way."

"Well better wrap this up then," Evan concluded, waving his hand to two of the soldiers. "I need you two stay for clean up," he laughed darkly along with Raul.

"Explain yourself Evan!" Tyson roared lunging at him. Evan merely kicked Tyson in the side sending him sprawling onto the floor.

"I would have if you hadn't interrupted me," Evan spat. Tyson glared at him while heaving for the air that was forced out of him. "Now you see one thing Alexa didn't tell you is, she is a nation,"

"Idiot," Evan's victorious smirk fell at the insult. He looked over at Andre who was breathing with deep labored gasps. His skin was pale and clammy as Maria held his head in her lap. "You don't think we know that? We knew before even she did."

"You mean to tell me, you three knew what she is?" Evan seemed generally perplexed at this. "The freak she is going to be."

"Al is a lot of things, but she is no freak," Andre hissed darkly. "We didn't know she was a nation, but we knew there was something about her that we were all drawn to."

"Alexa can be oblivious at times," Maria smiled softly, though I could see small tears building at the corners of her eyes. "She didn't notice, how no matter where she went people were drawn to her, trusted her, and treated her like an old friend. Of course that was just her personality."

"Hell like we know either," the three of them laughed weakly. "But only God knows that we love her. No matter what she is, she will always be our friend," Tyson growled. "Alexa is a warm hearted, generous ball of energy that I would die a thousand times to save." My heart soared at this comment from the boy I grew up with, never had I heard him say things with such emotion and passion.

"Alexa is more than our friend, she is our family, nation or not." Maria growled tears flowing freely. "And she is more human than you will ever be!"

Evan looked down at the three of them, a conflicted gaze as he looked down at the gun in his hand. It looked for a minute that he might change his mind.

Too bad that only happens in fairy tales.

Evan quickly smirked, and laughed down at their faces. "How sweet," he cackled. "Oh that just makes my heart want to break with the sheer crap you three are spewing," he pointed the gun at Maria who yelped. "You three have got to be the most gullible group I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. And here I thought having to deal with the freak was bad but this," he laughed. "This takes the cake. A freak like her can't feel-"

BANG!

"She's just been leading you on-"

BANG!

"SHE IS THE FARTHEST THING FROM HUMAN!" Evan was breathing heavily; sweat dripping down slowly, his eyes reflecting moonlight as it disappeared behind storm clouds. The room was dark, silent apart from the breathing of the occupants.

"Sir," Raul spoke up having been listening to his communicator, "Expansionists have been spotted only a mile away."

"...right," Evan nodded holstering his gun. He shouldered his way past the two remaining soldiers. He was halfway out the door when the two made their way into the room. "Leave them be," Evan sneered out the order. "Let them be an example of what is to come, to any who find them," the soldiers complied quickly and followed their commanders.

I don't know how much longer I stayed in that little cup board, a few seconds, maybe a few minutes, hell even an hour. I just couldn't seem to find the strength to get out. Eventually I scrambled out into the classroom, it was eerily quiet and the cold tile was biting like rabid wolves into my exposed skin.

I slowly rose to my feet and stepped towards the front of the room. I felt like I was in a dream. Everything was moving as if in slow motion. My hearing was muffled, my voice came out in tiny gasps and my eyes were blinking rapidly. Warm liquid sunk between my toes but I was too concerned with my friends to pay any attention to the floor. I dropped to my knees beside them.

"Maria," I squeaked, shaking her cold arm. "You gotta wake up." I swallowed the aching lump in my throat. "W-we were going to the mall tomorrow remember? You were going to show me those shoes again, and then take a picture of them to show your mom," she didn't respond, so I shook her harder.

"Come on," I whispered, "you gotta wake up. Your dad and brothers are going to be waiting up all night for you."

Again, she didn't respond. I quickly held on to Andre. "Come on 'dre," I felt like a dam was blocking my voice. Water pooled at my knees and coated my hands as I shook him. "You promised to show me how to ride your mom's motorcycle this weekend," he still wouldn't wake up. "Come on. . . I'll make those brownies you love so much. Just . . . please just wake up," I wiped my face as tears leaked out. I saw a shiver of movement out of the corner of my eye. I quickly spun around, scrambling on my hands and knees to get to Tyson.

"Tyson," I sobbed, finally breaking down, shaking him desperately. I was graced by a small rise of his chest. "Tyson please wake up!" I whispered loudly, I never thought it was possible but I did it. "Don't leave me alone!" I begged, "I need you guys to wake up, we need to go home," I wheezed through my teeth.

"Our parents must be worried sick," I laughed with no warmth at the thought of how my dad would be when I got home.

Tyson didn't move again when I shook him. I quickly wiped my face again, though it didn't help that my hands were soaked with water.

"This has to be a dream," I whispered to Tyson. "Yeah," I whimpered with gritted teeth. "Someone must have spiked the drinks. I'm just hallucinating." I could feel the water seeping into my dress.

"Where is all this water coming from?!" I finally screamed, desperately clutching Tyson to my chest.

'Alexa. . .'

"A pipe must have burst with those gun shots," I tried to laugh as I sucked air through trembling lips, hugging Tyson closer to my chest. "Though," I whimpered, "why is this water warm?" I lifted my hand in front of my face as tears blurred my vision and fell down my cheeks.

'That isn't water Alexa,' Alfred's voice finally broke through as the moon came out from the clouds. Red filled my vision as I looked on, horrified at my red covered hand. My once blue dress was now stained purple with the warm liquid.

"What else could it be?" I chuckled halfheartedly, still gripping Tyson as a life line.

'Alexa,' Alfred tried to speak, though I could tell he didn't want to.

"Come on Tyson," I whispered desperately, "this joke isn't funny anymore." I gripped the clammy torso as more warm liquid seeped onto my chest. "I wanna go home. Please," I begged looking over at Maria and Andre who lay intertwined together. "I wanna go home." I released a wounded sob, finally breaking as I lay in the pool of my loved ones blood.

"Can we go home?"

Why has Evan showed his true colors?

Will Alexa ever get over this tramatic event?

Why are the Philosophers after Alexa?

Tune in for this and more in the next exciting installment of The Price of Freedom.