Chapter 21
Mathis
Everything was time sensitive as of now. I had agreed to join Noah to save a little girl from a rebel human base since she had helped him find Haley some time ago. I didn't personally understand the entire situation here, like how she got captured, but all I knew was that when Noah rushed around in search of somebody - anybody - to join him in the search and rescue of this little girl, I was the only one that was there and at the ready for him.
That being said, whether or not I can actually do this... Now that's a question that stands all on its own.
Robert wasn't home when I agreed to go with Noah, because at least then he wouldn't get too hurt if he has somebody there with him, so I left behind a letter on the counter. It read:
Sorry something came up and I had to go take care of it. I'll make sure to stay safe.
-Mathis
It crossed my mind to rewrite the letter, to go with something a bit more fabricated, or just something that sounded like something safer that I would be off doing, but before I could reconsidered it, Noah called out for me at the top of the stairs to hurry. We had to get out of here and get this job done.
The kid was only a human, so I knew how much time a kid like her had left.
I pursed my lips for a second and just decided that that letter was good enough. If anything, I'd be back and just face whatever would be waiting for me with Robert when I get back.
It's like Eric said The next time I wanted to do something I just needed to do it I didn't need to get permission. I wasn't a child.
Along the way to save this Kiki girl, I couldn't help but remind myself of that fact that I wasn't Noah's first choice, or his second, or third... I was literally his only option, whether he liked it or not. There was just no one else that could have done this with him on such short notice. It didn't do a lot for my confidence, but he did seem kinda grateful to me for just being there.
"Mathis, focus," Noah lowered his voice and pulled my attention over to him. He gestured towards the human base that we were about to infiltrate now that we were scouted right outside of it. "Kiki is in this base, and it's like I said before, we only have tonight to save her and get back into Therap before the sun rises. The sooner we get her out of there, the sooner we make it home free."
Home free, what a way to say it. But I understood. I nodded, though there wasn't much of a concrete confidence behind it. I couldn't bring myself to even begin to envision what I could do in there.
Maybe run through, not get caught, and struggle with a lock on some kid's cage? This all seemed more like Noah's speed, not really mine, but goddamn it, if I'm not the one standing by his side right now...
Noah's lips pursed a bit and maybe he realized just who he had dragged along with him on this mission, but he ignored it for now.
"Mathis, just don't get caught and if you decide to do something, make sure it's not stupid and that you follow through. That's all I can ask of you."
I stared at Noah and opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. I was nervous and my mind had drawn a blank. So I just closed my mouth again and nodded instead. "...okay." The word finally managed to come out of me.
Noah looked over the base again, then back at me and flashed me a little sly grin. "Oh, I forgot to mention this part."
I raised an inquisitive brow at him.
Noah and I walked right up to the base. Up close to it here, I could see that the walls were constructed by steel walls and kept the innards of the operation encased in that tough exterior. The roofing was steel beamed in that military sort of way and the doors that served as the main entry way had almost comically large bolts in the doors. It was entirely cold and intimidating, until I saw those fucking doors. Other than that, and the fact of who ran this operation, I figured it could pass with an A- on the intimidation scale.
