Operation Opossum

"I Guess It Runs In The Family"

"Dammit!" 

I furiously ran my fingers through my hair, thoroughly frustrated and angry with myself. I couldn't find the right words to describe how I was feeling, only that there were billions of thoughts going through my head, rushing past me as I struggled to figure out how to handle the entire situation currently eating away at my brain. What was I supposed to do? What could I do? 

Why didn't I do anything to stop him?

How could I just let her go like that?

I'm a coward. 

I'm an idiot. 

I'm scared. 

I'm angry. 

I'm upset. 

I'm worried. 

I need help. 

I'd been walking up and down the street, pacing in front of the building Skyler and I had been held captive in. No one had stopped me when I ran through the doors, in fact- there wasn't anyone there to do anything at all. It seemed as if the previous guards from before who had fought us were there just for show. Nothing was making any sense anymore. Nothing had ever made sense, ever since i'd met Skyler. I was scaring myself. Thoughts of her lying limply on the floor of some cell, or worse. 

I shook my head, forcing me to get rid of the unnecessary thoughts. I was working myself up again. A sharp intake of air rushed into my lungs, an exhale of forced breath escaping from my mouth as an attempt to relax myself. First things first, I needed help. Meaning I had to go out and find someone. And I had just the person. 

~

Knock Knock Knock

No answer. 

Knock Knock Knock

The sound of movement began to stir from somewhere within the house. I took that as a sign to continue. 

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Whoever it is, Go. Away." 

My knocking continued to grow incessant as they began to speed up rapidly. Finally, the frustrated grunt behind the door gave way to the door handle being yanked open to reveal a furious Boomer. When he saw it was me, his expression turned to one of complete confusion and suspicion. 

"What do you want. Skyler isn't here." 

I was too panicked to bother being annoyed with his pain in the ass attitude at the moment. He must've noticed the urgency on my face as he quickly moved aside to let me in, a tight knit line of worry beginning to etch its way onto his face, tension visibly growing in his stature. 

"What's happening? Where's Skyler?" 

My words seemed jumbled as I tried to explain it to him. 

"S-Skyler- she was with me and then she just wasn't and they took her and I don't know where- or maybe I do I don't know and then she- I- It's all my fault its...ITS ALL MY FAULT AND I DONT KNOW- I don't know what to do or who to tell..so I came here!" 

He narrowed his eyes at me when I claimed it to be all my fault, the hairs on the back of my neck rising in fear of his piercing gaze. Then his eyes grew wide as he fully processed what I'd said. 

"Oh shit..." he whispered, before plopping down on the couch beside him. "Oh shit oh fuck oh shit. It's happening. It's happening all over again." He continued to mumble to himself, unaware of the fact that I was currently exploding with anxiety. We were wasting time just sitting here panicking over it. He was supposed to be helping me, not act like a scared teenager. He was supposed to be an adult. Her adult. It was then that I realized, watching the man before me sitting there with his head in his hands, hanging down, that this wasn't the person who could help me. He wasn't the one I was supposed to be going to for help. He wasn't her guardian. No, he was just a guy that i'd involved in something he wasn't even a part of. 

I was so caught up in watching his current state that I hadn't even noticed the figure standing off to the side of the hallway beside the both of us, watching the entire encounter with wide and observing eyes. It was a woman, half naked, in a sheet wrapped around her bare figure, gazing back at us in confusion and uncertainty. Her eyes met mine, and for a moment I could sense the discomfort she felt. Finally, she made a move to speak up, and alert him that she was there, in the room with him. I could only imagine what I'd interrupted only moments before when I'd assaulted the door with my obnoxious knocking. No wonder he looked like he was about to kill me. I'd interrupted something I wish I hadn't, because now I was involved with something I didn't want to be in. 

The woman strode across the room to Boomer, clearing her throat as she made her way over to him. He looked up, startled for a second, then came to his senses as she stood before him sternly. 

"Annika-..." He trailed off, unsure of what to say in a situation like this. I merely stood back, choosing not to get any more involved in this than I already was. I could only imagine what she was thinking. The guy she was in bed with disappearing in the middle of- whatever they were doing- and then doesn't come back after a couple minutes, leaving you there to cry about another girl she doesn't even know. Yeah, glad I did;t have to deal with that situation. I felt bad for even bringing it up, had I known that this would be his reaction, as opposed to actually helping me out and doing something. 

"I'm just gonna go," she said, voice revealing the rage she was holding back from saying anything that would appease to her anger. 

"No, please listen-"

"Bye."She glared back at him when he made a move to stop her, irritation growing in her expression. Boomer stood, his height allowing him to look down at her from a fair distance away from her face. His eyes shown his tender apology, and raised his hand to touch her cheek. For a moment, I saw her face soften, then grow hard once more, as she turned away from him and rushed out the door, in nothing but a sheet and jeans, her shoes and keys in one hand, the sheet in the other. This was the most awkward and uncomfortable situation i'd ever been in by far. But I chose not to say anything, rather allowing myself to watch in silence as Boomer didn't attempt to chase her out the door. The sound of a car door opening and slamming shut was clear, a motor roaring to life and pulling out of the driveway and slowing growing fainter as it drove farther and farther away down the street. 

A few deathly silent moments passed as the two of us just stood there, looking at the floor. Then, as if a switch had flipped, he was back again, addressing the problem at hand. 

"Alright, what we've got to do it alert the oth-"

Suddenly, out of no where, the sound of another engine screeched to a halt outside the driveway once more, cutting Boomer off. His eyes snapped back to the door, a hopeful look of anticipation appearing in his eyes, and I too began to wonder if it was the girl once more. The sound of multiple car doors we heard open and close, and the notion of her coming back was no longer an idea of who could possibly be walking through that door in the next few moments. Boomer and I shared a look of confusion and weariness. The knob began to turn achingly slow, and I felt my heart race in my own anticipation for who was about to step through that doorway. 

As it swung open with surprising force, I felt my eyes about pop out of my skull from absolute shock as the men in front of me made their way through the door, perfectly alive and perfectly pissed. The shock was clear on my face as I felt my mouth just about drop to the floor. I think I was going to have a heart attack. Stealing a glance to my right, I caught sight of Boomer looking like he was about ready to shit his pants. No surprise there. 

The first man's eyes scanned the room before they finally landed on Boomer. I held my breath as Boomer's eyes widened as far as they could, and feebly pointed towards me. That idiot. 

I soon found myself meeting eyes with none other than who was supposedly classified as dead in the records my family kept as their own public trophy. 

"You're supposed to be dead." 

A grim look made its way onto his face. 

"I guess it runs in the family."