Chapter 8
~~This chapter is from Jinx's perspective~~
Standing in the hallways in the living area, Umbra's eyes bore into mine as she spoke.
"I don't like it, Jinx. She worries me. She's reckless, and stupid. Only an idiot would try to protect a target." Umbra spat the last part, her violet eyes burning with emotion.
"I know, love. But as long as I'm with her, how bad could things really get? You trust me, Starfish, don't you?" I smirked with mock cockiness, causing Umbra to laugh quietly. "There's the smile I love. Now, what are you thinking of doing with Z?'
She sighed quietly and shook her head. "I don't know yet. I was thinking of leaving it to you, as I trust you and she's your partner. When she endangers herself, she also endangers you..." She trailed off, deep in thought. "I think that's what I'll do. You figure out a way to straighten out her behavior, or else I will. I can assure you that neither one of you would enjoy it if I took care of it."
I nodded and leaned against the wall that was behind me. " I won't fail."
After kissing Umbra softly, I turned to walk down the hallway, uneasiness rising in my chest as I realized just how close Umbra and I had actually been to Z's quarters. I raised my hand and knocked lightly and was confused by the sounds of running and rustling that came from behind the door.
"Z, can I come in?" I called, and opened the door after hearing a slightly muffled groan and a invitation to come inside. "Let's go for a walk. I want to talk to you." She grumbled something under her breath and stood from her bed, and it was apparent just how much her injury was still bothering her. "If you're up for it, that is." I added, trying to mask the worry that I felt for her.
Stubborn as she was, she shook her head and grabbed the mask that had been given to her when she join, just in case we ran into trouble. "Let's go." She muttered, barely looking at me when she did so.
What's her problem? She was asleep, she couldn't have heard us...right? I shook my head and walked out of the room, with Z behind me, and left the building. I thought for a little bit about how to introduce the topic of our conversation before deciding that being straightforward was the best way to go.
"So, Z. What drove you to jump in front of that kid?" I glanced over at my partner as we walked, making sure that I was walking slow enough for her to be able to keep pace.
She growled quietly and looked down at her feet as she walked. "I guess I'm just always hoping that someday I'll find Vincent again..." She sniffled and looked up at me, her cold, icy-blue eyes filled with tears. "He's all I ever think about, Jinx. He was so young.." She angrily wiped away the tears that now streamed down her cheeks.
I led her to the curb of the street we were on and sat down with her, my arm around her shoulders. "I know its hard Z. I've never told you, have I?" She looked up at me and shook her head, eyes full of sadness and curiosity.
Sighing deeply, I began to talk about the one thing I had kept hidden from everyone in the organization.
--
"Nathan! Nathan I found one!" A young girl cried out from across the field, holding her hand up in air triumphantly. "I caught a frog first, and that means that you have to clean the bedroom!"
"Aww, how did you beat me again?!" A boy who was slightly older groaned, walking over to the girl to look at the tiny frog that was enclosed in her hands. "That's not a frog, you liar!" He laughed at the clump of grass that was in her hands. It looked so much like a frog that his sister had mistaken it for one. "You cheated, so that means I win! You have to clean the bedroom!
"But Nathan that's not fair! I really thought it was one!" The girl scowled at her brother, but a small smile crept onto her face after a few moments of looking at her hand. "I guess that was pretty silly of me, huh?" She giggled and grabbed her brothers arm, running back towards the farmhouse by the field.
"Ow, Allison! Stop pulling so hard!" Nathan grumbled, pulling his arm from her grasp. He laughed at her when she stumbled slightly, and she gave him a playful push. "Race ya!" She yelled, taking off at full speed towards the house. "Wha- Hey!" Nathan sprinted after her, but stopped when he saw the black cars in front of the house.
"W-what's going on?" He whispered to his sister, who had stopped as well. "I don't know. Mom and dad didn't say anyone was coming over today." She glanced over at her brother with her worry-filled eyes, obviously debating whether to go into the house or go back out into the field.
Moments later, a younger woman opened the front door and was surprised to see the kids standing a few feet away. "Oh, I was just about to call you in for lunch. Come on then." She opened the door fully, and the kids hesitated a moment before walking in.
When they entered the dining room, there sat a man who the children had never seen before, and next to him, a girl who appeared about the same age as Nathan with big violet eyes and long silver hair that was twisted intricately atop her head.
"It's Nathan and Allison, correct?" The young girl sounded much older than she appeared, and seemed wise beyond her years. "Your parents have been in contact with me during recent times and have told of your exceptional talent with a hunting rifle, Nathan."
The young boy was taken aback by this, and by the fact that his parents would even be talking about him with people he had never met. "I um.. I enjoy s-s-shooting yes. Its f-fun." He stuttered, glancing over at his mother who stood watching him with a look that was a mixture of pride, and concern.
"Excellent. And young Allison, the girl I've heard so much about. Quick, enthusiastic, endless amounts of energy." Allison let out a breath that she had apparently been holding, and nodded her small head. The silver-haired girl smiled brightly at her, easing some of Allison's anxiety, though very slightly.
"You see, my loves, Umbra here and her father Draxon run an organization for skilled children like yourselves. I've told them that you will be going with them to help with their cause." Allison looked at her mother in shock, and Nathan cried out in outrage.
"Why would you do this without asking us first!? They're our lives!" Nathan turned to look at the girl, Umbra, and glared at her. "Who even are you!" Umbra laughed coldly and looked Nathan straight in the eyes before grabbing a knife off the the table and holding it up to him. "Are you sure you want to know?" She whispered, staring seemingly into the soul of the young boy in front of her.
Not daring to look away from her, Nathan nodded and warily watched the knife pointed towards him. He jumped when it was suddenly jerked downwards and slammed into the table, blade first. Umbra grimaced slightly before smirking. Nathan looked down at the table, where he saw that Umbra had brought the knife down upon her own finger, cutting it clean off.
Allison gasped, her eyes widening at the sight of the detached finger on their dining room table. "W-what is wrong with you!?" She shouted, her gaze not straying from the table.
Umbra laughed and turned towards Allison. "Absolutely nothing will be wrong with me for long.." She laughed again, her eyes still showing the pain that she'd caused herself. Within seconds, the wound on Umbra's hand closed up and a new finger began growing.
"You see? Our organization is only for extraordinary individuals.. we have all sorts of different people that are a part of us. By the looks of it, you both have talents and characteristics that you've yet to discover. If you come with us, you can fully discover yourself.." Her eyes met Nathan's, causing his breath to hitch and it felt like his heart stopped.
"But why in the world would watching a girl cut off her own finger on my dining room table make me want to come with you?" Nathan grumbled, glancing away from the piercing gaze of Umbra. This, for some reason, roused a laugh out of Umbra, and her father stood from the chair he'd been seated in throughout the conversation.
"Young man, let me explain something to you. My daughter's regenerative abilities have saved her life on multiple occasions. I'm sure that whatever skill you have hidden away in yourself could prove to be of great use to you in the future." His voice was deep and smooth, the kind of voice that might be soothing if it wasn't coming from the man who wanted to uproot you from the life you'd been living and have you start anew. "I understand your skepticism. I would be hesitant to leave my home if it was me in your situation, but just think of the opportunities that our organization can provide you."
Nathan was silent, shifting his gaze to his younger sister in thought. "If Allison gets hurt in any way, you will pay for it." He looked between Umbra, who was gazing at her now fully grown finger in admiration, and Draxon, who stared intently at him. The man nodded his broad head and turned to his daughter.
"Take them out to the car, Umbra. I'll be out in a moment." The young girl nodded and skipped out of the house, with Nathan and Allison behind her.
"He's going to kill her, you know. He always does. The parents never get to live once they give us their children!" Umbra laughed as she spoke, sparking a rage in Nathan. "What are you talking about, you psycho?" Umbra continued to laugh quietly to herself, climbing up to sit on the hood of the car and facing the house, waiting patiently for something.
Nathan turned around to look his house, and his eyes widened in horror when he saw the flames. "What the hell is wrong with you people!?" He screamed, turning to Umbra, who had gotten a crazed look in her eyes as she watched the house burn. "We just want to make the world a better place. A place where superior beings rule, and the weak ones die. Doesn't that sound nice?" Umbra looked away from the fire for just long enough to talk to Nathan, then turned back and watched with enjoyment.
"You people are insane..." Allison muttered, clinging to her brother's arm. "There won't be a way to survive in the new world if you aren't.." Umbra giggled, climbing into the front seat of the car when she saw her father exit the house and begin making his way towards them...
--
Z stared at me in shock, her eyes full of sorrow. "I'm so sorry Jinx.. I didn't know." She looked away from me and back to her feet.
"Allegra and I have moved onto bigger and better things. I will never forget the things that Umbra did to my family, but I can't hold it against her. She truly believed her father was trying to make the world a better place.." I trailed off, gazing back down the street towards headquarters. "You just have to remember that you're not the only one here who has lost people. You can't keep putting us all in danger because you hope to find someone you lost again. We've all felt that pain, but we fill the gaps with each other. Losing someone from the organization would be like losing a family member all over again." I looked at her, and tilted her head up so she was looking at me. "I don't want to lose you, Z, or anyone else in the family. So for god's sake, be more careful next time."
She nodded and I pulled her into a hug. We stood together and walked back to the base, while I hoped for Z's sake that she would listen to my advice and be more careful.
