Serene

26

Jen sees her just as she steps into the Veryal Restaurant.

Fox attracts much attention with her wild red hair and pretty looks. She sits with Gabby and another woman Jen presumes is Madeline. The three talk and laugh.

Jen's grip on her bread knife tightens till her knuckles turn white.

Greg puts a hand on hers. "Jen."

Jen snaps back and smiles sheepishly at him, embarrassed for being caught in such a mood.

"Sorry. Were you saying something?" She asks sweetly.

Greg shakes his head and looks over at the three girls, his eyes trained on one.

"We need to get closer." He says, eyes still on her.

He tenses up when she turns around to observe her surroundings. Their eyes meet briefly and when she turns back to face her friends, he breathes out a sigh.

They expected to meet Madeline's mother. Not them. Their advantage unless Madeline spills to her friends.

A waiter approaches the girls and they gratefully take their food. They pray and eat.

He glances at Jen who holds her coke in her hand, her eyes sending massive heat waves at the girls' table.

He looks back at her. They just have to finish this one mission.

"I'm going to the restrooms." Greg announces, standing.

Jen watches him go. He walks past the girls' table and drops a napkin. Madeline picks it up but he keeps walking.

She opens it up and reads it. Jen waits.

Madeline whispers to her friends for quite some time before they pay their bill, get up casually, and walk out of the restaurant.

Jen follows them knowing Greg will be right behind her.

She stops as they take a right into an empty alley.

Madeline walks ahead of the two and knocks on the wall.

Jen knows Fox knows she's there. But she stays hidden anyway. Fox tilts her head to the right and observes Jen from peripheral view.

The wall opens and Madeline walks inside. The two follow and before the door closes, Jen slips inside.

"Welcome!" A friendly voice greets.

The girls sit and they talk.

"You're looking for-"

"-help."

"Your mother-"

"What?"

"Go back-"

"They're watching you."

Gabby turns to look at where Jen is hidden in the shadows. She stays still. Watching, waiting.

Fox doesn't need to turn. "Madeline. You know where to run." She whispers.

Gabby stands and walks towards where Jen waits.

Jen jumps out and slices Gabby's thigh with a knife she stole from a customer at the restaurant.

Gabby bites her lip and follows Jen who's running out of the hidden wall and into the alley.

Fox and Madeline follow, Fox slamming into Greg.

"Well, well. Look who's here." She hisses.

Greg just looks at Madeline, unsure of what to do.

Fox rolls her eyes. "Oh, Greg. Do what's right for the one you love already."

Greg grunts. "If only it were that easy."

He lunges for Fox and she easily side steps him.

Jen on the other hand has outrun Gabby and is waiting for her to walk right past her.

Gabby does and Jen softly places a tracking and exploding device on Gabby's pants.

Gabby walks back to the two girls, cautious of her surroundings due to her losing Jen.

She watches as Greg finally relents and lets them go.

"Come on, Val. They're waiting for us. It's late." Gabby says.

They run out and head back to the log cabin, unaware of the beeping on Gabby's pants.

***
Frill is cold. The city we planned to meet with our mysterious source is located on a mountain. The snow is a foot deep and the wind is absolutely chilly. Thankfully, our log cabin has a good stock of wood that helps keep the fire blazing.

"It's nearly dusk." I say.

Odeo nods, the impatient look still on his face.

"They should be back by now." I add, knowing that he already knows that and that what I'm saying isn't helping.

Odeo had asked permission from the group to stay at the log cabin. With me. He 'picked me up' from my room and we watched movies while drinking hot chocolate and eating cookies in front of the fire place. We talked and caught up, sharing things on our minds.

Miguel's our chaperone. He stayed in the room, keeping an eye not only on us but on the group.

"They'll be here." Miguel says, walking in from the room he shares with Odeo.

Just as he says it, the doorbell rings and we rush out. Gabby, Madeline, and Val walk towards us, with no expression on their faces save for Gabby who seems to be in pain.

"What happened?" Miguel asks, holding out an arm for Gabby. She takes it and we walk inside:

"The Government official, she- she's not here." Gabby says slowly.

"Well, where is she?" I ask, studying Gabby's expression.

"Back home." Gabby answers, staring straight at the wall. Her tome is quiet, like she just uncovered a big secret.

"The agent, Government official? She's at home." Gabby says, trying to explain. "Literally at home. My mom."

We stare at her in shock. No wonder Gabby can't react. All her life she believed the Government had made her the way she is. The part she hates. And then just recently she learns it was Belle Corp. and my parents. And now her mom is part of the Government. The people she grew up hating but now learning to appreciate. Must be confusing.

"What do you we do?" Odeo asks, his hand slowly reaching towards mine.

I smile to myself and take his hand.

Madeline sees and her eyes twinkle.

"I guess all we have to do is go. There's nothing left for us to do here unless we go sightseeing which is dangerous in our position now." Gabby sighs. "Let's get packing."

Just as she walks into her room, we're all knocked to the floor. A loud explosion causes the debris to fall and knock us all to the floor. A loud ringing stays in my ears for what seems like minutes. My head throbs and my eyes seem blurry.

I slowly sit up and look around. Odeo's hand is still in mine and he's stirring. Everyone else is out. I'm the farthest from Gabby and-

Oh, no. Gabby.