I am the storm

Chapter 38 | The deafening distraction

Shadow was hurt badly, as emphasised by his moans of pain emanating from his weak body.

I needed to act cautiously, so I did not alarm Mister Crow. I thought quickly and came up with a semi-convincing lie "hey Shadow is really hurt b- but Sean knows some medical training and he's only in the other room!" I begged forcing a tear out hoping to find compassion inside of Mister Crow.

To my surprise I did but it's want sympathy for Shadow, it was for me and he replied with "oh my dear Fox you anything!" As he scooped up Shadow by his arm with little care he dragged him through to the other room and I followed behind them.

"Well hello little animals which one of you is Sean?" Mister Crow stated, announcing his entrance.

I looked around the room, Sean seemed to be helping Michael and Eliot were still unconscious (or still in their comas) along with Patricia trying to calm down a frantic Lizzie her mouth still covered with tape. I thought about it for a second, did Mister Crow already know I was lying about Sean?

Mister Crow was in the room or at least lurking in the dark when we entered the dam as who else could've sent the message that said 'SAY CHEESE' and then sent a picture of me, Patricia and Sean. If he connected the dots and realised that if Sean did know any medical knowledge then why didn't he help Shadow when we first entered the dam. I had to have blind faith and hope he wouldn't realise it.

"Come on then which one of you is Sean! I don't have all day you know!" Mister Crow taunted my friends. Patricia slowly moved her hand to one of her blades as she shot a glance at me. In response to which I shot her a look back trying to convey the message 'don't do it' hopefully so she wouldn't aggravate Mister Crow too early while he still had the upper hand.

Patricia stopped reaching for her blade then I looked at Sean as if I were saying 'do what he says' silently with my eyes. Thankfully Sean understood and rose to his feet as he said "I- I am Sean."

Mister Crow walked up to him and placed his arm around Sean's shoulder and said "well you better use that medical knowledge to help our beloved friend Shadow. Or I'll umm what could I do, maybe something to the person who looks exactly like you. I'll hurt your brother!" Mister Crow stated as he cackled under his mask and wandered over to Elliot, pulling out a knife.

Sean's eyes grew wide as he rushed over to Shadow and started to look over his body. I moved over to Sean and Shadow, then whispered "what are you doing?"

Sean replied in the same low whisper "well I don't know but I remember some health and safety techniques from school. That's about it though. What's your plan Alexis?" He questioned.

I thought for a second before responding "Well I think if we can get Mister Crow away from everyone, either me, you or Patricia can take him down. But for now we have to get him away. We need a distraction" I whispered back.

Suddenly, there was moving below my hands and as I looked down I saw Shadow moving and trying to say something. I leaned down to his mouth to hear what he was saying "le- left wrist, cove- co- cover your ears" in a muffled voice.

We needed a miracle and Shadow seemed like out only option so I reached to Shadow's left wrist and found a small device about the size of a watch face with a singular button. "Can you hurry up!" Mister Crow complained. "What about some motivation?" He continued as his knife slid down Elliot's cheek cutting deep and drawing blood, then he moved onto his chest and made a large slash across it drawing more blood.

Feeling a new sense of anger as Sean's eyes widened at the sight of his brother bleeding, with this new sense of danger I stood up from Shadow and walked over to Mister Crow. I threw him off of Elliot angrily causing him to draw his gun aiming it at me.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING MY LITTLE FOX!" Mister Crow screamed as he walked up closer to me.

"Wh-" I tried to reply but he cut me off.

Mister Crow slung his gun behind his back (attached to his back by a strap) and grabbed me by the hair roughly. I struggled as his grip tightened increasing the amount of hair in his fist. I resisted the urge to yelp in pain and spoke up to Mister Crow "get the hell off me you psycho!"

"What, you want me to let you go! No! What do you have to say for yourself!" He commanded as he waited for my response.

I stared at Mister Crow, hard my eyes burrowing into the soul of his mask and replied, "listen up!" As I turned back and I saw Patricia covering her ears and everyone else doing the same (except Michael and Elliot due to their incapacitation).

Seizing the opportunity, I pressed the button on the device I took from Shadow.

In an instant the room echoed with a high pitched sound emanating from the device and as if by magic, Mister Crow released his grip on my hair. Meanwhile Sean aided Shadow in reaching the exit both covering their ears. Then I also saw that Michael had been ripped awake and started following Patricia and Lizzie out as they both carried Elliot out of the dam.

Using the sound as a distraction I followed everyone out the dam dropping the divide as I did. I slammed the door shut behind me as I heard Mister Crow fire his gun and in an instant the device went silent.

Everyone heaved with exhaustion (except Elliot who still hadn't woken up) Patricia moved over to me after I gathered my breath back. Patricia pulled me away from the large group and spoke to me "we need to go back in!" She commanded.

I replied quickly "I know. I know but no one else gets hurt, alright?" I stated commandingly.

We nodded in agreement but before we even entered the dam a figure in a white and pink heavily stained dress flowing behind her, rushed back into the dam, her mouth was no longer covered with tape. Lizzie had re-entered the dam and filled with worry me and Patricia chased after her.

We ran down back into the darkness of the dam. From within the dimness we heard shouting, that echoed around the walls incoherently. Into the dark we raced pushing through until we entered the room in which I activated the loud sound generator, but instead of the one door (that lead to the monitor room that contained all the information on the Ni-key Project) there was also another door that seemed to have been hidden before.

I remember the files I read with Shadow and Mister Crow and more specifically I decided to trust my 'Survival Instinct' and focused for a second. Within a second my mind said 'go through the new door' and obediently I did as told and started walking.

I stopped when I noticed Patricia not following me. "Why've you stopped walking?" I questioned Patricia.

"We need to be ready" Patricia replied with a lack of emotions, showing off her emotionless state that I apparently named while I was apart of the Ni-key Project. Patricia readied her longest katana looking blade while I grabbed my baton.

"I'm ready!" I responded as I tried to press forward but Patricia grabbed me by the arm.

I turned back to Patricia to hear her out "I need to know Alexis, can you kill him?" She questioned.

"Yes he deserves it!" I replied full of conviction.

"Alright fine," Patricia responded returning a tone to agreement. "But what I actually mean is, could you kill him if it meant Lizzie would die too?" She questioned.

I mulled it over for a second before responding "I don't know but I will if it comes down to it" I tried to sound confident but I had no idea of when it came down to it could I kill Mister Crow if it meant causing Lizzie's death?

With a new seed of uncertainty firmly planted in both mine and Patricia's heart we pressed on and carefully ventured down the new pathway. The path was built with the same large concrete bricks all along the walls, roof and the floor and illuminated by singular bulbs in even spaces across the roof.

We entered a colossal room, the room stretched down far and below was a funnel of swirling water with a large tap pouring into and draining below the ground of room. We stood on a platform suspended above the swirling water in a large 'T' shape the bottom stemming out from the passage we had just came from.

On the cross section of the 'T' shaped platform, was two figures: one was Lizzie and the other was Mister Crow.

I was confused when I saw what the two were doing, they were talking.