The Secret Society

Home Sweet Home

     "Tell me everything," Seventeen begged. I smiled a bit. "Not anything about the mission though. I don't like that kind of stuff. But the ride and hanging out with One and Ten and Twelve!"
           I laughed and continued unpacking my suitcase. "The ride there was fun. We played games and ate snacks and I got to annoy One. Then we went shopping after the mission. And the ride back we were all kinda quiet."
       She raised a brow. "Okay. So what happened between you and One then?"
        My eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
        "I mean what I said Twenty One. One wouldn't take his eyes off of you the entire time we were unpa-" there was a knock, cutting her off. I stood and went to the door. One was there and he nodded.
         "Hey you two. Remember breakfast in 5 minutes for a debrief, Twenty One."
          "Alright, thank you," I said quietly, a small smile on my lips. He grinned and walked away. I shut the door. Seventeen let out a girlish squeak.
          "He's in love you with you!"
          My face burned. "He is not!"
          She walked up to be and grabbed my shoulders then paused. "Is that his coat?"
         "I've gotta get ready for breakfast," I said, walking around her, my cheeks aflame, and grabbing some jeans.
         "Twenty one and One sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-" I put a hand over her mouth.
         "Will you shush? It's supposed to be a secret."
         She pushed my hand away. "So you admit you are together?"
        "No! I mean yes. I mean...kinda, I don't know we didn't really discuss it."
         "You should. You two would make the cutest co-" there was another knock on the door. I sighed and opened it.
         "Come on we're gonna be late," Ten said.
         "Alright alright. I'll be back soon Seventeen." I walked out and Ten followed beside me. We were silent as we walked into the room.
          "Oh good you're both here. Sit down and eat," Blade said calmly. I sat across from One, nervously not meeting his eyes. He tapped his foot against mine under the table and I looked at him. He gave me a smile and turned his attention to Blade.
        "You all did very well."
         "Thank you sir," we all replied.
         "Twenty One you need to work on your boldness. Something could've gone wrong because you didn't have the heart to shoot the man." My face dropped. I looked at the table.
         "I'm sorry."
         One glared at Blade. "It went fine, didn't it? It was her first mission you didn't seriously expect an untrained girl to kill first time around, did you?"
           "She's not just a girl, One. Twenty One I expect more of you in the future."
           I didn't look up but One seemed to be getting even more frustrated. "Blade I swear. We already discussed who is going to be taking lives and who won't. I will but her and the others will not.
         "There are only three people here that have killed before. Why take the innocence of the others when we don't have to? You Three and I are perfectly fine being the only three that have blood on our hands so why don't we just leave it at that?"
          Blade paused. "You will not speak to me this way, One," he said softly but sternly. One glared at him.
         "I will say what must be said to get you to come to your senses."
            "Then what you need to say can be said in private not in front of the others. Do you understand me?"
         There was silence for a moment. "Fine," One agreed finally. "But only if you will not say those things in front of the others either. If you have a problem I don't need to berating the new recruit. We've run this together for a long time. You're becoming a bit too power hungry."
         Blade glared at him but his voice remained steady as he spoke. "Remember your place One. Remember the past." One stood and left. Twelve Ten and I sat in shocked silence.
        "To your rooms," Blade said sternly. "I want you all ready to be back to training tomorrow morning. We all nodded and stood. I left quickly and went straight to One's room, knocking on the door. To my surprise, Ten and Twelve followed me. The door opened a moment later and I saw One, his face red from fury, in his training outfit. He stepped around us and walked away. We all paused.
        "Should we follow him?" Ten asked.
        "I am. You two don't have to," Twelve said. He walked away and I ran after him. I caught up to him as he was pulling out a gun. He looked at me then went into the shooting range. I held up a finger to Twelve as he moved to walk in.
         "Give me a second with him," I begged softly. Twelve nodded and I walked in. One had his headphones on and I gently pulled them off. He turned and I saw tears building in his eyes.
         "Gaol," he whispered, voice cracking.
         "Are you alright?" I asked gently. He shook his head and put his pistol in his holster.
          "I'm not." I hugged him tightly and he buried his face in my hair.
      "Twelve Ten and I are really worried about you," I whispered into his chest. "I wish you wouldn't have said anything. I'm a big girl I can handle myself. I promise."
         "You shouldn't have to though," he whispered. "He shouldn't have said that. He shouldn't have. It was wrong of him. Killing breaks something in a soul, Twenty One."
          I hugged him tighter and looked up at him, silent for a moment. "I know," I whispered finally.
         "You don't understand-"
        "I do. I know, One. I-" he stared at me as I paused. "There's already blood on my hands."
        "You didn't kill your parents your brother or your best friend," he said softly.
Pedro, my mind whispered. Murderer. I shook my head. "I know." I stepped back and turned towards the door. He didn't stop me as I opened it. Ten and Twelve walked in.
"You okay?" Twelve asked. One straightened.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me," he said, his voice softer than the tone he had used prior to the mission. "I want you three to know that you mean the world to me. Everyone here does. We're all a family. I know I might treat you all harshly sometimes but I couldn't imagine losing any of you, understand?"
       We all nodded. I didn't meet eyes. He nodded. "Okay. Ten and Twelve can you give me a minute with Twenty One please?" They nodded and left, Twelve winking playfully at me. I rolled my eyes. One took my arm and pulled me close.
         "Who did you kill?" He asked softly. I gulped, shaking my head.
          "No one. No one." He glared slightly at me.
          "Don't you lie to me, Twenty One." I pulled my arm away and he let me go. "Please. Talk to me."
          "No one," I repeated quietly and turned, walking out.