The Elementalists

MARK

   "If you mess up in any way," he growls, stomping over to stand beside me, "I will kill you. If Robin gets hurt in any way because of you, I will kill you. Do you understand, Fire Boy?"

   I gulp, nodding my head and taking a few steps away from the boy. "There's no need to threaten me," I mumble. "I want to help Robin just as much as you do. If it weren't for her, I'd be in the government facility..."

   "If it weren't for Robin, all of us would be in the government facility," Emma says. She looks up at Daemon, who has walked over to her and is holding something out to her and Liz. "What's this?"

   "Take it," Daemon says. "While we're gone, I want you and Liz to go buy some new clothes for everyone. You all stink, plus some of you," as he says this he looks at Jamal, Emma, and me, "are still wearing your gym clothes. So you have double the stink."

   "Geez," John mumbles, "we love you too, Daemon."

   "I know you do," Daemon replies, rolling his eyes. "There should be enough money in there to get everyone a new shirt and jeans, but if you run short, just get everyone new shirts. I want Cooper and Peter to wait here in case we return before you and Liz."

   Cooper nods, and Peter just lets out an annoyed grunt. Daemon ignores him, and says, "All right, time to head out! Everyone get in your groups!"

   I walk over to stand beside Angel and John while Jamal walks over to stand beside Daemon. Emma and Liz wave good-bye, and then they walk off in the direction that Daemon told them they would find a store. Cooper and Peter sit against the tree, and Cooper gives us a thumbs-up as we turn to face the forest.

   "We have to walk through here?" John whines.

   Daemon gives him an annoyed look and replies, "I told you awhile back that we'd have to walk quite a ways into the forest to get the government building."

   Jamal sighs. He looks over at me and says, "This isn't P.E., Mark. If we get caught here, there aren't anyways to get back 'in'."

   I nod. "Yeah," I mutter, "I know."

   Angel glances over at us, and then begins walking. He doesn't look back to see if we're following him; he just keeps his calm, steady walking pace, completely oblivious to the rest of us.

   "What's wrong with him?" John mumbles. "Just because Mark's here doesn't mean he has to be a loner. Geesh."

   I look away from the others and stare at the ground as I begin to walk. What if Angel comes after me when we're rescuing Robin? I wonder. I don't think he would, but if he did... Would I have to fight him? And would that ruin our chances of rescuing Robin?

   I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I look up to see Daemon. "Mark," he says, and his voice actually sounds sincere, "don't worry. Angel won't try anything if it means that Robin would be in danger—he cares about her too much."

   I nod and force a smile. "Sorry to worry you," I tell Daemon, and I pull away from his hand and begin to walk alongside my cousin.

   "Don't let him bother you," Jamal says. "Angel's actually really nice. When he was disabling the microchip, he knew that I was scared, and he told me that I shouldn't be afraid because he wasn't going to mess up. Then he smiled at me and I calmed down a little."

   "He may be nice to you," I reply, "but he isn't nice to me. He tried to kill me...with a knife... Do you not remember that?!"

   Jamal opens his mouth to reply, but John pops up and pushes his way to where he walks in between us. "Actually," he says, beaming, "it was a dagger. And I don't think he'll try anything like that again...at least not with Daemon around." He notices our annoyed looks at his interruption of our conversation, and he adds, "Hey, I got lonely. Daemon was just glaring at me over there, and when I tried to talk to him he told me to 'piss off'. It wasn't very nice at all."