The Art of Destruction

Chapter Twenty-Two * Face the Sun

May 31, 2018

Ari burst into the lake house and slammed the door behind him. "Hey! Hello?" he shouted into the house, running to the center of the entryway. Rainwater dripped off the tip of his nose and weighed his hair down so that it was plastered to his forehead. As he ran through the front of the house, he slipped on the wet hardwood flooring but managed to keep his balance by riding the slide.

"Ari!" Michael came from the hall, his eyes wide. "What the hell was that?!" He was just as flushed and out of breath as Ari was. Both men panted and sweated bullets. Their adrenaline spiked. "How the hell were they- how did they know?!"

"I don't know. Have you seen Ella or Ryan?!" He asked, pacing the floor and running pulling at his ear.

Michael looked around the darkened house exaggeratedly. "No, I thought they were with you." He indicated to the taller man angrily.

"I don't know..." Ari stopped mid pace only to begin again, faster.

Michael dropped his head, his mouth slightly ajar. "What do you mean, 'I don't know'. They were supposed to be with you!"

"The cops were everywhere. We scattered." Ari stopped directly in front of Michael, his eyes wide in desperation. "How did they know we would be there?"

"I'm going to find them."

"No!" Ari grabbed his arm and yanked him away from the door before he could reach for the handle. "They're still patrolling the area. We need to lay low!"

"We can't just leave them out there! Do you know what the Ousia will do to them?!" Ari refrained from correcting Michael's pronunciation of the official title of their alien oppressors.

It was only recently that the Ousia announced their presence and intervention in human affairs. Ella had been right the whole time. It was her operation. The Ousia knew that and much more according to their recent coupe gone wrong. The Ousia Police were waiting for them. If Ella or Ryan, the founders of their organization, were captured it could mean the end of the resistance.

"You don't think I know that? I want them to be okay just as much as you do. We just have to hope that they played it safe and are laying low. We'll hear from them-"

"You're a coward!" Michael barked and ripped his arm free of his grasp. "They'll be executed!"

"Michael! Think rationally!" He stepped in front of the door to keep him from leaving, his hands outstretched. "We had every detail of this planned out. There were no blindspots, choke points, or otherwise that we weren't prepared to deal with." he tugged on his ear and laughed breathily, "I mean- we had every security detail memorized. Camera locations- Michael, we had everything!"

"Then how did they catch on so fast!?" Michael threw his hands in the air and turned on his heel, stalking away from him.

Ari pulled on the tie around his neck, loosening the knot, his other hand in his pocket. "That's what I'm saying. Someone tipped them off. Someone from the inside."

"Impossible. You and Ella recruited everyone in the resistance."

He shook his head. "No, only in the U.S.- that we know of. There could be dozens of other branches that we don't even know about- radicalizing and less cautious." Ari replied as something dawned on him. "We need to check in with the others... see if they had any issues."

Michael nodded and they walked together over to the radio in the center of the transformed living area. Keeping the lights out, they flicked on the radio and immediately Ari's blood ran cold and the color from his face drained.