Rain

Kate stood uncomfortably at attention in front of the stage, trying to figure out what was wrong. Maybe it was the weather? Big, fat drops of gray rain, drizzling over everything, making it freezing… No, there were hundreds of other agents also standing at attention all around her in their perfect rows, and none of them looked out of ease at all. Or maybe they were just better at hiding it. So what was it? Something… something… She could feel it there, like something stuck behind her teeth, but no matter how much she prodded or searched-

The distant clunking of boots. She looked up as Marq stepped across the stage, with that thin, cold smirk he always wore hidden behind a stiff sad face, while he pretended to mourn the Captain with the rest of them. This was it. He had discussed every aspect of what was going to happen today with her, last night, over dinner. He would say a few words, about his deep remorse over the Captain’s loss, and pretend to be personally grieved. No one would believe him, probably, but no one would care. Then he would assume his role, as the new Captain, and begin reshaping the Agency into the sort of organization he had always wanted. One more militaristic, more rigid, with less pity. A place of total control and domination, fear and power. And nothing else.

It was everything he’d ever dreamed of… And everything she wanted, too. As his girlfriend, she was guaranteed protection and elevation. No more being yelled at and forced to do menial jobs, with the constant threat of being fired. Finally, she would be promoted back to full rank again, for the first time since running into that stupid group of Gifteds in Munia to begin with. She would have power, and money, and Marq, the person she lo…

…That feeling was back. Something wrong, something wrong…

She could see Marq’s eyes sweeping over the perfect rows and columns of Agents, taking stock of them even as he spoke. Even without him mentioning anything, she could tell he was also searching for Leon. She almost had to feel pity for the worm- with Marq in power, he was bound to get punished, demoted, made to suffer. It wouldn’t be long before…

…Wait. Where was Leon?

Brrn! Brrn! Brrn! Red suddenly flashed bright and urgent over the sea of black and gray, causing the masses of Agents to turn as one in startled surprise. What-

Marq, alarmed, suddenly pressed his hand to his ear, listening intently to his earpiece. A look she had never seen on his face- one of sudden fear- appeared as he suddenly gripped the microphone with white-knuckled ferocity. “The H-Block prisoners have just escaped!”

The Agents froze, staring back in him in noncomprehension. Kate felt her breathing shallow with the deep, dreadful realization. “The cursed Gifteds…”

The Agents didn’t wait to be dismissed. They turned, beginning to run, for the doors. Some would be moving to flee. Most would be desperately trying to stop the prisoners, to find them, to lock them up, even if it killed them. If those ones got free again… No amount of fleeing would save the world.

“Wait!” Marq yelled angrily. He paused for a moment, eyes half-closed, listening intently. Then his face twisted into a mask of pure rage, and he practically bellowed the next orders over the running agents, so loud the microphone wasn’t even needed. “If you see the traitor who calls himself Leon, don’t bother catching him- make sure he dies!”

As the Agents ran around Kate, she stood still, staring at Marq, asking for questions. He himself was moving, though, and didn’t even give her a backwards glance. She trembled, clenching her fists, with no idea what was going on. Leon? He couldn’t… He couldn’t possibly be related to this, could he?! Someone who hated Gifteds so much, who knew the impact they could have on humanity, who knew- !

…Something was wrong.

…Something…

~~~

“Leon!”

Leon looked over his shoulder as the small black girl began running after him, dark braids bouncing unevenly as she struggled to catch up. He stepped on the brake, looking back at her curiously. “Seriously? How did you not die back there?”

She threw herself into the passenger side of the vehicle he had stolen, gasping for air as she slammed the door shut. “Dr…drive!”

He had no problem with complying with that order. He pressed down on the gas pedal, and they shot off, rocketing down the abandoned, rain-slicked roads.

“I… I told you,” Dextera mumbled, trying to breathe. The poor girl looked like she’d been running for her life. “If any… anyone could… do it… It’s me… I saw the… Captain… do it before…” Tears appeared in her eyes for a moment at the mention of the Captain, then were quickly blinked away. She reached with clammy hands into her pocket, then thrust something at Leon.

Leon caught his watch one-handed without looking away from the road. “I’m surprised my clearance even got you that far. Kate will have to forgive me later for borrowing her clearance, but it was worth it.” Hah. Kate, forgiving him for anything, at this point…

Dextera took a shuddery breath, sitting up. It had been… horrible. She had never been so certain she was going to die, just from a glance. Dark, shifting sands… A glint of a jade ring… She exhaled, opening her eyes so she wouldn’t have to look at it anymore, and focused on Leon instead. “Okay,” she said breathily. “What now? You said you would tell me the rest of your plan if I got you this far, and I did!”

He said nothing for a moment, then passed the watch back towards her. “You said that you’d locked and unencrypted the signal I asked you to look for, right?”

She nodded, holding the watch uncertainly. “Right after I removed the tracking signal from your watch, yes.”

“Good. Then there’s a message I want you to send for me…”

~~~

Shan frowned, tapping his pen absently on the crossword puzzle. A five-letter word for “white flag”…

“I suppose it’s a good thing that you got a van this time,” Akaru said from the front seat, where he was curled up near the vents, sleepily trying to absorb any of the heat he could into his serpentine body. Such a cold, dreary day… “Even so, it’s kind of a large vehicle. Are you sure it won’t attract attention?”

“It’ll be fine,” Null said, yawning. “Besides, I’m kinda getting the hang of this driving thing.” She turned the van into a sharp right that made everyone slide against each other, momentarily waking them all up.

But only momentarily. Aside from Shan, Akaru, and Null, everyone else in the van was perfectly content to sleep through the long drive to wherever Null was taking them. Well, he wasn’t sure what Tori was doing- she seemed to be meditating, staff in her lap, eyes closed and breathing unnaturally even. Aden’s head was slumped on her shoulder. Konki was curled up in the corner alone, leaning against a window. Elora practically took up the entire back seat, the way she was sprawled out.

Shan shifted in the passenger seat, trying to get comfortable… Then frowned as the watch he had stolen from Leon suddenly vibrated. He held up his wrist, looking at it curiously.

Null looked away from the road, frowning at him. “Something wrong?”

He blinked at the tiny green letters scrolling across the screen, not entirely sure himself.

Warning- you are in more danger than you realize. You have a murderer in your midst. Please agree to a temporary cease-fire, and allow me to contact you. Do not ignore this- this is important!

Curious, he tapped a few buttons, trying to reverse-trace the illegal signal. If he could just figure out where this was coming from… He stopped, staring in disbelief at the message’s source. No way…

“Shan?” Null asked, starting to slow down in concern.

“…It’s nothing. Just a watch malfunction.” He erased it, then took the watch off and shoved it into the glove box. No way he was messing with something like that right now.

With a quiet sigh, he picked up his pen again, staring at the crossword puzzle without really seeing it. White flag…

…Truce?