The Change (The Alliance #2)

Chapter 6

Mia's POV

It was the familiar cry that had me sprinting to the shooting range. I yelled for help as I ran to the range, but I didn't see him. Shivers ran through me as thoughts occurred in my mind. What if he's hurt? What if somebody took him? That cry was out of pure fear.

"Archer?" I say, looking around.

Another cry. From the woods.

I run into the woods, calling out his name. Although I find him right away. His loud and heavy breathing catches my attention, and I see Archer sitting against a tree. He's got his knees all the way up to his chest, and his hands are gripping the ground so hard they are shaking.

"Archer," I say calmly, kneeling down next to him. He keeps his gaze on the ground, his breathing irregular. Gasps escape his mouth once in a while, as he struggles to catch his breath. Was he running?

I grab his chin carefully, bringing his face up so he looks me in the eyes. He's blinking a lot, too often. I look into his eyes that are no longer ice blue, but red. Maybe he was just crying?

"What happened?" I ask, keeping my hand under his chin. He gives me a loud gasp for an answer. A few tears fall from his eyes, but that's not the reason they are blazing red. I see that his eyebrows and right below his eyes are wet too, but not like tears. I quick wipe one of his eyebrows, and notice the odd feeling of it. Definitely not sweat either.

"Is he okay?" I look up and see Adam, who's now kneeling down too. He picks something up that I didn't notice.

A knife.

I look at Archer, who's now wiping his eyes furiously. I see the fabric on his left sleeve is torn. I grab it, seeing that on the other side too, like the knife went through the sleeve of his shirt...

"Was someone here?" I ask, and Archer looks up and nods. I turn to Adam. "Somebody threw that at him." I say, looking at the knife. Adam's eyes grow wide. "Did it get his arm?"

I lift up his shirt, seeing no sign of the knife actually hitting him. It's like whoever did it just wanted to make him stuck. And he was probably was, with the knife right in his shirt. I look up at the tree, and sure enough, I see how the knife got stabbed into the tree, a good inch in.

"Who did this?" I ask.

"A m-man. But-but I saw some..someone else. I think it...It was-it w-was.." Archer's all frozen up. Adam and I help him up, and we walk him out of the woods.

"Mia, it-it was..her-it."

"Shh, it's okay." I say, but Archer then freezes.

"Shh." He repeats.

"Yes, shh. It's okay." I reassure him. He suddenly shuts his mouth, but maybe it's because as we walk out Casper is standing there, a worried look on his face. His wide green eyes stare at Archer, but Dave blocks his view, looking into Archers eyes.

"It seems like pepper spray or something. I'll get him to the doctor." Dave says, taking Archer out of Adam and I's grasp.

"Who was it? Who would simply throw a knife to get him stuck and then spray em with pepper spray?" Adam asks. I shrug. "Maybe there was more to it. Archer will tell us when he calms down."

Adam waves goodbye as I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around and see a worried Casper looking down at me. Man, he's huge, and by that I mean he's well built.

"What happened?" He asks. I wanted to talk to him anyway, and he follows as I walk to a table.

"Someone threw a knife at his sleeve, and it seems like they missed on purpose. They also sprayed him with something." I say, and Casper digs one hand though his thick black hair, taking a deep sigh.

"Damn." Is all he says. "He could've  got taken."

"It wouldn't be a first." I sigh, and Casper stares at me intensely. "Since he doesn't tell me shit, care to share?" He asks.

"He doesn't tell me everything either."

"I just want him to trust me," Casper says, clearly irritated.

"You know, my best friend asked me that once." I say. "She asked if I could trust her, and after not even really talking for a while, I said yes." Casper seems like he's really listening.

He's waiting for the happy ending.

"She was the one who tried to turn us in. And she got Archer. She's the one who turned him in to the government. She got me to trust her, and she used that against me."

"I didn't know.."

"Of course you didn't. But ever since he got back from the government, he hasn't been the same. He's hiding something and won't tell me." I say, and Casper nods.

"He's always done that. He's always tried to hide stuff from me, but I eventually figured it out. He gives in, and I didn't know bringing up the government like that would make him...I don't know, all shaken up. And that's how I know it's serious. I've known him for years, and he's never been like this. Nothing scared him. Not one thing."

"Yeah well, welcome to the Alliance." I say. "Where everyone here is scared shitless and tries their best to hide it."

Casper almost laughs a little, but then his face grows serious. He looks at me with concerning eyes.

"So, your scared too?"

I pause. "Yes."

"Of what?"

I think about that for a moment. Saying that I was just scared of the government wouldn't be the right answer. It's so much more words can't describe. I'm scared of dying, of Archer dying or any of my friends dying. I'm scared of what will happen to the Alliance. I'm just so scared.

"I'm just scared...of losing everything. Of losing everything and everyone that I love." I say.

"So, your afraid to lose Archer?" Casper asks. I look down and nod.

"Terrified."

Hi everyone!!!

Sooooo this chapter was sorta boring but action will be on its way soon☺️

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