The Change (The Alliance #2)

Chapter 4

Mia's POV

Casper was unconscious for a good ten minutes. Although he's well aware of what happened when he wakes up. He looks around, his eyes laying on me.

"I didn't mean to do that." He stutters. "I was just messing around, I didn't.."

"Okay." I spit out. "I'll talk to him."

Adam and Dana help Casper get to his room while I try to find Archer. I first check the shooting range, but he's nowhere in sight. I check his room, but he isn't there either.

Man, Casper really got to him.

I wanted to get Dave, to get them to stop fighting. It was almost scary, with two strong boys punching at each other with all their might. But they've done it before, it's easy to tell. Although when Casper was talking about the government, I could see Archer letting his guard go. It's horrific, how he used that against him, but Casper didn't know. I don't even know what actually happened to Archer when he was taken. He had been whipped, that's all the information I had. And even when I figured that out he couldn't even take it.

I finally spot him on top of a hill. I walk up to him, carefully sitting to his right. He doesn't seem to mind, but he's zoned out elsewhere. He's not crying, I don't even see a sign of it.

"Is Casper okay?" He finally speaks.

"Yeah, he just woke up. He said he was sorry, but.."

"Maybe a little." He says simply. "But he's probably not."

"Are you okay?" I ask, and he smirks a little. "Yeah, it was dumb, really. I don't know why I let him get to me like that."

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask, wanting answers, but he shakes his head. "No."

"Maybe it's better to get it off your chest."

"It's not better saying it. All it does is trigger my mind to think about it more." Archer says, and he's right. It really isn't better talking about something you don't want to talk about, believe it or not. But I just really want to know.

"What do you want to do, then? To keep your mind off things," I say, and I see a smile creep on his lips.

"Eat." He gets up and grabs my arm, pulling me up too. I laugh a little. "Good answer."

Archer puffs out a large breath of air. "Mia, it's always the answer."

We grab some food and sit by Adam and Dana, who are already eating. Dana sighs. "I'm exhausted. Honesty helping others move in may just be worse then training."

I nod. "Agreed."

"Well, seems like everyone's day sucked." Adam spits out, looking up. "Oh, and it looks like a storm is coming. Everything about this day..." Adam takes in a large breath. "Sucks."

"Could you be any more weirder." Dana rolls her eyes, and Adam looks at her, like he's hurt.

"And now my sister just called me weird. Man, sucks."

"Then tell us a joke or something," Archer says, and Adam immediately smiles. "Oh, I got one. Ready?" We all look around, like Adam thought we were busy or something.

"You can live without soft water..." He pauses. "But it's hard."

"Oh my god." Dana covers her face with her hands, and I laugh, at how stupid that was. I glance at Archer, and the confusion on his face.

"I don't get it." He says, and that makes me laugh even more.

"I'm done." Dana gets up and goes to dump her tray.

"Cause, you know, hard and soft water. It.."

"I think it's fine if he doesn't get it," I say, and Archer shrugs. "I really don't give a shit."

"Well then.." Adam gets up, but slaps his back as he walks. Archer freezes for a minute.

Oh, his back.

It bothers me. It bothers me a lot that he isn't telling me everything. You think by now he could trust me. I had to figure out about his rib and his back myself. And I know that's not all that happened, it can't be.

I look at Archer, who finishes up eating.

I'm going to figure you out. I say in my mind.

"Done?" He asks, looking at my tray. I nod and he grabs it and walks to dump it.

Who knows Archer better than I? Who could give me clues?

I bite my lip at the thought. Casper. He could at least tell me how he's changed. Who he used to be.

"You okay for the day?" I ask, and Archer nods. We go our separate ways and I search for Casper. Dang, what room is he in? I quick find Dana and ask, since her and Adam were the ones who brought him to his room.

She tells me room 112, and I quick walk to the building. Although I stop before I go in.

This feels wrong.

First off, I'm unsure about Casper. He could easily lie. And besides, he's scary, as dumb as that sounds. I barely know him, but he probably knows who I am.

But would this be going behind Archer's back?

Yes, but he's giving me no other choice. I want answers, and I'll do whatever it takes to get them.

Right as I twist the handle, Dave calls for me. I force a smile on my face and walk over to him.

"Bad news." He says, and my smile fades.

"What's going on?"

"The government, they obviously still want you and Archer. Your both worth $500,000 now." Dave says, and I swallow down bile. "And with all these new people.."

"Who can we trust." I say, and Dave nods. "But it's not just that. These are mayors, Mia. They are smart, unpredictable, dangerous. And I don't know if they are planning anything, but they have to be."

"Okay so, what do we need to do? Lay low?" I ask, but I look at Dave's pale face, which is filled with worry.

"I don't even know if that will do you any good anymore." He looks me in the eye, his face now emotionless.

"Nothing will stop them anymore."

Hello everyone!!

I know these first few chapters may be boring to some of you, but I promise it will get better!!

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I'm also about to publish ANOTHER story called "Unfortunate Fame", so if you want to check it out that would be awesome!!!!!!

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