Agent 13 (Book 1)

25. Well do something

"Four just grabbed me, four more holding Cody, two at the door, and one more barking out orders. I think you can handle that."

"Who the hell are you talking to?" One of the men questions Hayden.

"None of your business." He hisses back at him before adding, "Oh, and when."

My eyes fly open and I swing my leg out, knocking one of the guys holding Hayden to the ground. Hayden quickly works to take out the others. I get to my feet and dodge a kick from one of the other guys before throwing a punch to his jaw and bringing my knee up into his gut.

I'm grabbed from behind by one of the guys that were previously holding Cody, I bring the heel of my foot down on his toes and throw my head back into his face. His grip loosens and I pull my arm back before swinging my elbow full force into his gut. He lets go of me completely and staggers back, my leg swings out and I kick him in the head.

I see one guy coming at me out of the corner of my eye with a syringe. I grab hold of his wrist and twist his arm behind his back, ripping the syringe from his grasp.

"I am not getting drugged again." I hiss, before jabbing it into his neck, a tad bit harder than necessary, he falls to the floor unconscious.

"Stop!" I hear one of the guards order. He has a gun pointed at Hayden's head. I back up a couple steps and drop the syringe from my hands, holding them up in surrender. I sneak a glance at Cody who has done the same.

"You're coming with me." He motions to Hayden right as my arms are grabbed and restrained at my sides. "And you two are going to behave and stay here."

"I'll behave. But the staying here part is really not that appealing to me." I say innocently, he glares at me.

Several more men enter the room and grab Hayden, practically dragging him out of the room. I glare at their retreating forms. The rest of the guys exit the cell, but not before the guys holding me shove me roughly towards the floor.

I prepare for an impact that never comes, instead, I feel a pair of warm hands on my sides, keeping me from falling. I lock eyes with Cody.

The cell door closes and the last of the men exit, but not before double checking the locks, ensuring neither one of us are getting out of here any time soon. I pull myself from Cody's grip and take a seat on the floor, resting my back against the cool walls.

"What are they going to do to him?" He asks softly, obviously dreading any answer I'll end up giving him. Well no use lying about it.

"Most likely torture him," I answer, watching his reaction. "If they haven't killed us yet it means they want something first."

"What could they possibly want from any of us?"

"I don't know." I glance at Cody who takes a seat next to me, placing his head in his hands. "He's going to be ok Cody."

"How do you know that?"

"I use to ask one my friends that same question when she told me that." I start, half trying to distract him, half trying to comfort him. Oh gosh, Jason's talk's getting to my head.

"She use to say, hope, that we had to have hope. I'd reply telling her she was retarded." He laughs lightly, a small smile on his face. "She never gave up, on anything or anyone. When we made it out of missions alive, she'd tell me it was all because of her, because she had more hope than the rest of us combined."

"Sounds like she was the exact opposite of you." He jokes lightly.

I nod slightly, "She was. I remember when Zero first put her on the team, I hated her. I couldn't stand to be in the same room with her."

"How the hell did you two become friends?"

I open my mouth to reply but don't get the chance. As soon as I hear it, Cody's up and off the floor banging on the cell bars. I get up quickly.

"Cody stop," I order, placing my hand on his shoulder and trying unsuccessfully to get him to stop. I hear Hayden's cries of pain again. I flinch slightly.

"Cody!" I yell at him. "Sit down!"

"Sit down?!" he practically shouts. "Are you hearing the same thing I am?!"

I grab hold of his hands and pull him to face me. "Yes, but the more you show you care the more they'll hurt him," I say, his eyes are filled with pain as he stares back at me. "Please just sit down," I whisper.

He moves back towards the other end of the cell and takes a seat against the wall, I move and sit next to him, closing my eyes and leaning my head back against the wall.

I hear Hayden cry out again.

Cody clenches his fists and bangs his head against the wall behind him in frustration, though he does remain sitting and silent but it's not helping.

"You need to try to calm down," I say softly.

"How can you say that to me?" He asks, incredulously. "How is this not affecting you?" He questions.

"It is. I've just gotten good at hiding it." I answer honestly, my voice soft and calm. "But like I said, the more you show you care, the more they'll continue hurting him." I sneak a glance at him. "It's a classic two-way torturing technique."

"You say that like you have experience with this sort of thing." He states. I turn my eyes away from him, avoiding eye contact.

I shrug slightly. "I've mostly been on the receiving end of it," I say as if it's no big deal. I feel his stare burning into the side of my head. "It gets easier."

"You've been tortured?"

"I know you've seen the scars on my back Cody." I pause. "Yeah I've been tortured, it's not fun."

He's silent...until Hayden yells out again. I internally groan as Cody noticeably flinches and clenches his fist again, anger and pain practically written across his face.

"Distract yourself," I order him. Trying to keep my discomfort hidden from him as well as trying to calm him down.

"How would you like me to do that?" He questions harshly. His tone slightly accusing.

"Replay and song or movie or something in your head," I tell him, my tone coming out a little harsh.

"Yeah that's not going to work." He retorts. I run my hands through my hair in exasperation.

"Well do something," I say, getting irritated with him. He really needs to something to distract himself.

"Like what?"

"Anything," I growl back at him.

"What? What would you have me do? What do you propose I do? Or are you going to try to give me more useless advice on how to ignore my brother's screams of pain?"

"No, I'm not going you give you any more useless advice." I hiss back. "But I am going to tell you to shut up if I can't come up with another idea I'll shut you up by slamming your head into the concrete wall behind you," I tell him, my face blank and my tone impassive.

"I can't shut up!" He growls back. "You don't know what it's like to have your brother tortured and you can't do anything about it-" He goes to rant more, but stops when he sees the look I'm giving him.

"Yes, I do know what it's like." I hiss and turn completely away from him.

He's finally silent...for all of two seconds.

"I'm sorry."

"Distract yourself," I repeat, ignoring his previous comment. He goes back to being pissy.

"How? Huh, how am I supposed to do that? Cause in case you aren't aware I've already tried nearly everything-"

I'm so done listening to him. He needs to shut up.

I react without even thinking, just focusing on shutting him up. I reach my arm out, grabbing him by the back of his neck, I see his eyes widen in shock.

I don't even think about what I'm doing, as I pull his head towards me...And place my lips gently on his.

Happy New Year!