Operation M.I.A: Missing in Action (IN NEED OF REVISING)

Chapter XV

"Are you okay?" I ask softly, pulling a blanket out of my bag and handing it to Zoey. She takes it, trembling either from fear or the slight chilliness outside.

"Y-yeah... I'm better now..." she stutters in reply. "W-what are you doing o-out here?"

I don't want to tell Zoey about Brielle, so I go with what our cover story is. "We're just taking a weekend trip. Guess we got lucky by running into you, huh?"

"Yeah..." Zoey slowly nods, then looks down at the floor. It takes me a moment to realize she's staring at the hovercraft. "Do you own this, Avery?"

"Actually, that's mine," Sam replies, kneeling down next to Zoey. "Now, were you harmed in any way?"

Zoey nods, but doesn't explain any further. Sam and I look at each other for a moment, and he has an expression that says, "Should we just return her now?"

I give him one that says, "Eh, go for it."

"Okay. Zoey, I think it's best if we send you home," Sam tells Zoey, getting the teleporter out and handing it to Zoey. "Just type your address into here, set it on the ground, stand on it, and press the red button, and you'll be home."

Zoey hesitantly takes the teleporter and follows the steps exactly as Sam told her too. Right before she completely fades away, a small smile forms on her face and I can barely make out the words, "Thank you." It's a simple phrase, but the context of it brings a satisfied smile to my face. I take a look at Sam and notice a big smile on his face as well.

"Okay, guys, let's go on land and figure out what to do for the night," Sam instructs. He then flies us back to the shores of Lima. After settling down, we all get off and Mia asks, "So, are we just gonna crash here for the night? Because I don't know if you've noticed, but there's nowhere for us to sleep."

"We'll figure something out," Sam replies.

Music: Butsutekkai from Ikaruga

Out of nowhere, a blinding light shines on us from above. It doesn't seem like the light is directed at us, though, so the panic only lasts for a brief moment. There's a helicopter flying roughly thirty feet above us. Its takeoff point is unknown to me at the moment, and it's high enough to the point where I can't really make out who's inside. I can see two men inside at the controls, and one girl on each side of the passenger's seats.

But the girl on the left has something... familiar about her. So I squint to try and see if that'll help me get a better view, and once I figure out who it is, I gasp.

Brielle.

MACKENZIE

Given how I'm right next to Avery right now, it seems reasonable that I would be the first person she nudges in the shoulder for no discernible reason, right?

"What, Avery?" I ask, irritated.

"We need to get up to that helicopter! Brielle's in there!" Avery hisses. My eyes widen for a moment, and then I raise an eyebrow at her in suspicion.

"There's no way you know that for certain. That helicopter's way too high up," I tell her sternly.

"Mackenzie. I know it's her. I can tell,"

"Maybe you want it to be Brielle so badly you think it's her," Shanna, who's standing right next to me, suggests.

Avery ignores her and turns to Sam. "Sam! Fly us up to that helicopter!"

He turns away from a conversation between him, Heath, Luke, and Skylar to ask, "Why?"

"Just do it!"