The long awaited Chapter 8!

Yeah, I know that this has been a while since i last updated this and thought that you guys wouldn't notice. Turns out some of you didn't! Oh well. Anyway, I will be trying to put out a few more chapters over the next two weeks as it is school holidays and that means that I have absolutely nothing else to do! Apart from a storybook for English, which I am putting off because I hate drawing! 
But you probably want to read this chapter, so here we go! 

Chapter 8

Mission Breaking

Whitenoise

It was pretty rude of us just some in abruptly. I mean we knew they were probably having a moment, but Scar was insistent that we go and tell them we found David. I think that he just wanted to be a troll.

“ I told you we would be interrupting them! You were just being a little troll for no good reason,” I harshened my voice as I continued to pull him down the hall towards the systems room.

“ Oh I had a reason,” He flashed me a smirk and brought up a video on his wrist computer. It was the two on the floor making out. “ Blackmail. Gonna store it for later for when I want something from either of them,” he played the video and I swear for a first kiss it was really heated.  I was going to be having words with Lachlan.

“ You better not have anything on me Mr otherwise we are going to be having some serious issues!” I let go of him and called Clockwire and Knight into the room and briefed them some more of our history with David.

“ so you guys understand why she was so, uncontrollable?” both of them nodded their heads. I had explained how Cassie had once been in a relationship with David and how he had supposedly died because of her. I had explained what had happened to her cousin too.

“ But I thought all of Cassie’s family had died in the attack by Riddler when she was nine?” Clockwire asked innocently. I had noticed yesterday how innocent she seemed and then worked out that it was because she a very shielded child. How is she a hero then?  I asked myself as she was talking.

“ Her cousin, Chelsea was at a school camp on the night of the attack. A few years later when they were out one night. Back then when Cassie had changed her name, Chelsea had too, and everyone thought they were just really good friends who had been like that forever. But somehow word was out, my guess now is by David, that Cassie was Raven and so Chelsea was kidnapped,” Scar continued to explain as I went over to the computer to start getting up some footage of the two the night Chelsea got abducted. I was trying to give them the idea of just how closes they were. The video showed the two in a restaurant with them laughing and having a lot of fun. Showing each other pictures. I remembered why they went out that night. It was because it was a month after David’s death and Cassie still wasn’t over it. Chelsea said she was going to take her out for the night to cheer her up. I turned it off after a minute because I knew that if Cassie walked in she would lose it.

“ They were really close weren’t they?” Tahlia asked her voice was so soft it was almost as though you couldn’t hear her. She looked really sad. I don’t think this girl had ever lost someone or had anything bad happen to her.

“ Yeah we were,” Crap, that was so not meant to happen, I thought. She was so going to get me back for that later.  “ She was there for me after my parents and her own died. The Agency wanted to keep us together but the HHC said it was too risky,” I had only just noticed how Cassie and Lachlan were holding each other. It was sweet, especially considering the fact that she just found out that her ex isn’t dead and is holding her cousin captive. I gave Lachlan a quick little glance to say that he better be careful with her or he’d have to deal with me.

“ Earth to Becca, Whitenoise? You with us?” I was snapped back into reality by Cobey’s voice. It irritated me how he could be so high and mighty. I’d met him in the past. Quick little team ups between the mentors- mine being Treble and his Lance- of course that meant that we had to team up too. But a part from that I had never really seen him.

“ Yes, so what’s the plan?” I asked as though I had been listening the whole time. I had perfected this from a young age. Anyone who knew me had had this moved used on them at one point or another. Including Cass and Scar.

“ We wait until eleven o’clock tonight then we go in. We find out what had happened and how he survived the attack from Riddler. While I talk to him, fight him, you guys get Chelsea and Scar hacks his systems to see what he has been doing for the last few years. Any questions? “ Cassie was being firmer than usual. She wasn’t acting much like herself. But I suppose that's what would happen if you find out your ex who died hadn’t died and taken you suspected dead cousin as a hostage for three years. Yep. That's sounded about right. Add in the fact that she was now with, possibly even in love with, another guy it just kind of seemed fair that she take a firmer grip on her life. For me I would have jumped and called out “ kill me now” before I would take any of this on head first.

“ Why wait so long? What happens if he gets bored and kills her?” Knight asked. His arms were crossed over his chest like he was trying to gain some power in the room. You could see his muscles bulging. It was rather nice. But he was still a pain in the ass.

“ That's the thing, he won’t, because he knows it's the only way I’ll turn up.  I have to be the one who goes against him though. Just like with Riddler, it’ll be the only way to keep him distracted enough to get Chels the hell out of there. But until tonight, we train and rest. He knows my strengths and weaknesses and I’m gonna bet he knows all of yours too,” Cee was stern. She had gotten out of Lachlan’s grip and was over by the door. I nodded at her and followed her lead. We led the team into the training room. This was going to be a hard day.

Raven

Three words for you. Feeling the Aster. I know it sounds kinda childish but that's honestly how I’m feeling after that kiss. After I was completely breath taken. Seriously I wanted nothing more but to stay like that forever. But of course Scar being the little troll he was, came in and ruined the moment. I must admit though, the fact that I brushed my tongue against his lips. And he let me in! How much better could things get for a first kiss, I thought to myself.

Now we were training. Becca was against Lachlan and I was against Cobey. That left Tahlia and Harry. Harry, Scar, it was hard to keep up with him. When it was just us and Omega, it was Harry. When anyone else was around it was Scar.  So confusing. We had been doing this for years but even still it was hard to remember what to call him.

As we were training I kept glancing over at Tahlia – Clockwire – because I knew she had trouble with hand to hand combat. I had talked to Becca about this earlier as we were setting up and told her I wanted her to be paired up with Scar. He was the best at hand to hand a part from herself, but I wanted her to work with Lachlan because I wanted to see just how well he could do against her.

It was about then I got hit by one of Cobey’s punches. I recovered quickly knocking him to the ground and pressing my arm to his throat. He smiled and flipped me up off of him and got back up into a fighting stance.

“ Round two?” he asked as he circled me. He through another punch but seeing his weight change I dodged by flipping over him. Whilst landing I kicked him in the small of his back and then behind his knees forcing him to the ground.

“ oof,” was all I heard. The computers sounded saying that I had won the fight and that Cobey had lost it. I stuck my hand down as he rolled over. He took it with a small smile and I helped him up.

“ Watch your weight changes. They’re too slow, I know your not as fast as Becca or Scar or I but you should try to stay lighter on your feet, okay?” I finished commenting on his form as I went over to the glass panels to bring up the fight to show him what I meant. As I walked over I watched as I saw Lachlan helping Becca up after beating her. Good. I just hope he can do that tonight, I had to dodge Scar as he did an aerial over my head to dodge one of Tahlia’s swift attacks. By the looks of things Scar wasn’t even holding back at the time. Where is this skill coming from? I almost choked when I saw Tahlia pin him to the ground in a lock much similar to the one I had held Riddler in yesterday. As I thought about it a shiver ran down my spine.

“ Look at that. See how you hesitated before moving into the next punch?” I asked as I pointed at a slowed down version of our fight.  Cobey nodded as another buzzer sounded. I turned to see Scar on the floor and laughing as he was helped up by Clockwire.

“ Good job guys, go again,” Becca called out as she and Apollo worked on their forms.

“ Come on, you heard the women,” I walked back over to the other side of the fighting platform. We started out slow and then worked up into this routine of punches, kicks, dodging and flips. This time Knight wasn’t holding back or hesitating. He even managed to take me down in five minutes. A personal best for him. The only people that have done that in less than five minutes are Whitenoise and Scar. Riddler’s best is 7 minutes.

“ Well done! I’m going to go and get something to eat and wash off. You should do the same,”  I said to him as I walked out of the training rooms down towards the kitchen. I found my waffles and pancakes in the fridge still perfect and edible. I grabbed them out and headed towards my bedroom with them. I had a quick shower and got dressed into my black jeans and aqua blue tank.  My waffles were sitting on my desk ready to be eaten when I heard a knock at my door. Going over to answer Lachlan called out and asked to come in.

“ Of course,” I grabbed his hand and pulled him into my room. I then went back over to my desk and grabbed my waffles and went to sit on the couch opposite my bed. I patted the spot next to me for Lachlan to come over and sit with me. He smiled and obliged.  

“ So what’s up?” I ask as I put a piece of the waffle into my mouth. Apollo had this worried look on his face like something bad was about to happen. That or he was thinking way too hard about something. Probably about earlier, I thought. I kept a warm smile on my face to make sure that he knew it was okay to talk to me.

“ I wanted to talk about earlier. You know, I mean we’re going on a date after we get David and all and you know I like you, and well I guess we just didn’t get much of a chance to talk, you know?” I had to admit it was funny watching him get flustered.

“ Yeah I get it. And I can’t wait for that date too. I meant it earlier when I said I like you a lot, I mean. I really like you and want to go out with you. But for now I want to focus on getting my cousin back and try to relax. Not to mention finishing off these waffles!” Lachlan laughed at the last part and took the fork out of my hand.

“ I get that. And I really like you too. Open,” he held out a piece of waffle to feed me so I opened my mouth ready. But instead at the last minute he ate it! Nobody eats my waffles and gets away with it!

“ Your so going to wish you didn’t do that!” I said moving the plate back to the desk. It had been the last piece of waffle as well!

“ Oh yeah? Well your gonna have to come here aren’t you?” he was teasing me and I was totally baited.  I came over and sat on his lap as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

We were kissing slowly for about a minute and then things got heated. It was like some dance. Both of us trying to lead the other. We eventually found a rhythm and stuck to it. A few minutes later we pulled apart and just lay there in each others arms and stayed like that for a while.

“ We should probably go and find the others. Its almost six o’clock and I have a feeling I’m making dinner, come on” I said pulling Lachlan up off the couch with me. As we come down the hall I see that Becca has music coming from her sound proof room. She must have been really pissed about something to have her music up that loud. I know that she has the best music system in her room in the whole cave. I was next in line though. I then saw Knight pounding away at the boxing bag in the training rooms. Something must have gone down. Better ask Harry later, I took a mental note of it all.

As we entered the kitchen I noticed another person standing there. A girl who looked a little like Lachlan. I rubbed my eye and then next to her was Lachlan. Which made no sense because he was still standing next to me.

“ Lachlan what’s going on?” my head was switching to look between them all. Then I noticed above the eye on the Lachlan standing beside the girl was a scar above his eyebrow. I know it because I was there when he got the scar.

The Lachlan beside me didn’t have that scar.

“ You made me come for this? You better come through on that deal, or else I will hunt your team down and hurt every last one of them, got it?” The girl said to the real Lachlan.

“ Got it. Cassie, come here we need to get you out of here,” Lachlan reached for my hand as an arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me towards the person behind me.

“ Now, now, that's no way to talk to a lady, hey Lachlan. Miss me?” I turned and noticed the guy I thought had been Lachlan turned out to be Toxin, a con who used a gas to get into peoples nightmares and make them live out the best scenario before turning it into their worst fear. Mine was David.

Lachlan and the girl stepped forward to grab me from his arms.

“ Lachlan, Eos, how lovely to see you again. Always nice to have a reunion. But I’m afraid that dear little Raven here has to stay here, see Riddler really wants to kill her and I can torture her a little he said so,” it was about then I lost my temper. I burnt his hands the were locked around my waist and got free and ran over to Lachlan. He grabbed my hand and the girls – who I now recognised as one of the cons I fought last year during a team up with Omega and Scar. Her name Eos was from a Greek Goddess supposedly- and pulled us into the hall way.

“ Get us out of here now!” Lachlan yelled at Eos.

That's when I woke up.

Apollo

She had been unconscious for days. After we should her the video of David holding Chelsea hostage she just fell into a deep sleep. She had been in cold sweats for hours now and I was getting angry. We had gotten Chelsea and put David in a cell and asked what he did to her. He just smirked and said it was just a little trick.

Whitenoise and Scar had been coming in and out checking in on her. I had spent all of yesterday watching over her because she kept screaming out. Today she was doing a little better so I had been in training most of the day or out in Despro city taking out all the robbers and thieves I could find. My phone went off at about three o’clock telling me to come back to the base because they needed to talk to me.

When I got there Omega had the team in the lounge room. He looked grim and depressed, like he was watching someone die.

“ What’s going on?” I asked as I sat beside Tahlia on the couch. She looked like she had been crying again.

“ Apollo, Raven’s state has escalated to what one might call an catatonic state. Meaning,” I didn’t let hi finish I got up and left the room to go and hit something. I felt a blast of wind fly by me. KI knew then that Scar had come to take me back to the room to sit and talk with the rest of them. But I really didn’t want to hear it at the moment. Cassie probably wasn’t waking up. She was dying and there was nothing we could do about it.

“ Lachlan, calm down,” I hadn’t told him my name. I had only told Cassie. But he was a detective so I wouldn’t have put it past him to find it out.

“ No, how can you be calm about this right now? She’s pretty much your sister and she’s dying! How can you be so calm about this? We can’t do anything to help her!” I was yelling now. I was pretty sure the others could hear me.

“ We can do something. Chelsea had mentioned the David had made a deal with Toxin when they were filming the video they sent to us. According to her they did something to the footage before they sent it. Toxin creates gases and other ways to break into peoples minds and break them from there, we can fix her. We can bring her back Lachlan, we just need help,” Scar had grabbed my hand to hold me from running off again. He grip was firm and he wasn’t letting go, even after he had finished talking and I calmed down a bit.

“ I think I might know someone who could help if it has something to do with Toxin,” I knew exactly who would be able to get Cassie back if it was Toxin who did this. I mean they were related.

“ Go get them and bring them here. We only have a few hours before this can’t be reversed,” Scar said letting go of my arm.

“ You need to know though, it’s Eos. She’s the only person who can reverse the effects. Are you sure you want me to go and get here?” I asked. I was going to get her anyway but I still felt the need to ask.

“ Yes, get her and fast. We’ll talk about how you know where to find her later, now go!”

Half an hour later I’m standing outside a abandoned building just outside Crystost, a city to the south of the base.  I pushed the door open knowing what would be lurking on the other side of it.

I crept through the dark hallways and up the stairs to the third floor of the building.. I knew  she would be in there somewhere.

“ Cousin, did you really think I wouldn’t know you were here the moment you stepped through the front door? How have you been? Finally decided to join us have you?” Eos asked as she stepped into the little bit of light coming in through the broken blinds that hung over the windows.

“ Eos, I need your help. I won’t join you today, but I need you to come and reverse the effects of Toxin’s work. He’s put one of my friends into a catatonic state,” I told her. She had always hated her brother so I figured it wouldn’t take much to get her to come and undo it for me.

“ Ah, my dear big brother has struck again hey. Well, I can never say no to destroying that hard work of his, but for a price,” she raised an eyebrow at me as if to ask whether I still wanted to go through with asking for her help.

“ Name it,”

That's how I am here now beside Cassie’s bed with Eos, my cousin, the con, about to go into Cassie’s mind to wake her up.

“ When we’re in there don’t do anything unless I tell you to do it, got it?” Eos was being firm about this small fact.

“ How can we be sure that you won’t make her go all delirious?” I heard Whitenoise ask from the other side of the bed. The team didn’t know Eos and I were related. Or the fact that Eos’s brother was Toxin, making him my cousin as well. I couldn’t tell them about that now.

“ Well, for one thing, Lachlan is coming in with me and anything that I do can damage his mind as well as my own. So in that case I can only break the bond Toxin has made on Raven’s mind without causing damage to anyone’s minds in there. So, you have to trust me about this,” Eos smirked at this and closed her eyes. “ Get ready Apollo, this is going to be one hell of a ride for you,”

I blacked out for a minute there and then came to a second later standing in the kitchen of the cave. I could here Cassie talking to someone down the hall. I turned to see that Eos had been watching me the whole time.

“ Why do you want me to fix this girl so much anyway? I’ll probably have you kill her later anyway,” Eos said as though nothing like this was actually happening. The whole, have you kill her later on thing was due to the deal we made. I was to join her and the rest of my family as a con, in exchange she would save Cassie’s life.

“ Because like it or not Ebony, she is my friend. They all are, so I don’t want her to die,” I started to walk towards the sound I heard earlier. Eos grabbed my hand and spun me round.

“ You don’t get to call me by my name until you join us.  Now come here I’ll show you what’s going inside this pretty little girls head,” I watched as Eos made an orb like sphere appear in the air. In it a fog was fading away to show that Cassie was kissing someone who looked like me on the couch in her room.

“ Mhm, because you two are totally just friends,” Ebony rolled her eyes at me as the scene played out infront of me. So she did like me like that after all. No, it’s just the trance thing that's got her thinking like that. None of this is real, I thought to myself as they stopped kissing and just lay there in each others arms.

“ I’ll speed up time a bit to get them to come out here to start cooking for dinner,” Eos said as she waved her hand in a weird motion. I noticed that the clock on the wall sped through three hours before it stopped and started going at a normal speed again. It was now almost six o’clock and I heard Cassie coming out of her room towards the kitchen. I guessed she would be bringing the fake me along with her by the sound of her laughing in the corridor.

I woke up back in the med bay holding onto Raven’s and Eos’s hands. Raven’s eye’s fluttered open to reveal that they were a little misty. From the rest of Toxin’s subconscious messages.

“ Come on Apollo, you know the deal. We’re leaving,” Eos stood up and took my hand. She started to pull me out of the room. That's when I was counting on the interference of Scar to come into play. I had messaged him on the way back to the cave telling him about the deal I made with Eos.  I hadn’t told him though that we were related, just that she wanted me to come and join her clan of villains. It was then we came up with the plan to take her down once we got Cassie back out of Toxin’s spell.

“ Not quite sweetheart,” I saw Becca out the corner of my eye spin around and kick Ebony on the head knocking her to the ground and unconscious.

“ What’s going on guys? Where am I, what happened? Where’s Chelsea?” Cassie’s questions were coming out faster then we could answer her. But her last one was answered by a quiet voice.

“ Right here,” Chelsea came out from the corner of the room to give her cousin a hug. Raven and Chelsea started to cry together so we left them to be and dragged Eos off to the cell in the basement of the base.

An hour later I was sitting in the kitchen eating some ice cream and listening to Bruno Mars on my IPod.

“ Mind if I share that with you?” Cassie’s voice rang clear as she took out the ear bud from my ear. She had a spoon in her hand and a glass of water in the other. I nodded and put the ice cream in the middle of us. She sat down on the barstool next to me and started eating.

“ So, I don’t how much of that allusion you saw, but I’m guessing you were there for a while,” Raven had a small smile playing on her lips.

“ I saw enough, I mean we sped up the time to get you out of the room and into the open,” I was trying not to let a blush come to my cheeks as we talked.

“ Well, in that case you should know that not all of that was induced by Toxin. Some of it I actually wanted to happen. Just keep that in mind,” and with that Raven got up and left the room with a smile on her face.

She is so going to be the death of me, I laughed to myself as I turned my music back on.

Long chapter again. Please keep in mind each chapter is 5-7 A4 pages long and takes a while to write. The previous chapter such as 1-4 were only about 2-4 pages long so these do take long to write. I hope to be releasing a new short story later this week as well as chapter nine and possibly ten depending on how much I have to do this week. But until that time see ya all later!