RainCaster (edited)

Captured

I sit up sharply and the sound of my head ramming against something hard reverberates through the room.

"Ouch," comes Kyo's voice.

I agree. The pain vibrates through my head until my brain grows numb.

I squint in his direction. Everything is a little hazy, probably because I hit myself so hard. I rub my eyes with the back of my hand and let out a huge, unexpected yawn.

"Sunshines and stars!" comes Sampson's voice. "Let's just hope there's more sunshine than stars because it sounded like you lost a couple brain cells."

Kyo's here. So is Sampson. Where exactly are we?

My head snaps up and nearly hits the ceiling again. We're in a room, a lab room, the ones with white walls and no windows and lots of tubes and cylindric containers. But they don't hold aliens or organs like the science fiction movies display. Actually, Kyo is in one of these said containers across the room, giving me a nervous wave. Sampson's cylinder is next to mine; he sits on the floor, leaning against the glass.

"Hailey," I say and my thoughts start rushing. "Where's Hailey?"

"Over here."

I have to crane my neck over my shoulder because there's not enough room to turn around. She's in another container, with her arms wrapped around her knees, looking as cramped as I am. My thoughts settle down again.

Mara is next to her, eyes closed, a small fog on the glass in front of her lips wavering with each breath. The only indication she isn't dead.

"She's asleep," says Hailey. "The gas hasn't worn off her yet."

"Where are we?" I ask.

"Your guess is as good as mine," sighs Kyo, throwing his arms behind his head. He looks so relaxed, but his eyes flicker with uncertainty.

And fear. Everyone's eyes have fear.

Except Leanne. I don't see him.

"What happened to - "

"Gone," says Hailey before I can finish. "Rose probably has Leanne in a different room. Doing God knows what."

So we lost. Rose caught all of us, locked us in these cylinders, and took Leanne. He wants something from the boy, I know that much, but why'd he go through all that trouble to get it? He could've knocked all of us unconscious and grabbed Leanne whenever he pleased.

He probably wants to kill you, Grey.

I sigh and close my eyes.

Plus, he knows you. He knows you're a Royal; a dead Royal from another Cloud would boost his rankings. But do you know him?

I shake my head.

Think, Grey. Think.

A door clicks, creaks open, and shuts again. I blink open one eye.

Rose is standing at the edge of the room, the same smile on his face and another champagne bottle in his hand. Behind him, Odd-eyes stations himself by the door, hands behind his back like a guard.

So Rose was lying. He and Odd-eyes are on the same side after all.

"Greetings, Squad 912!" he said with a sweep of his bottle hand. "Did you all sleep well?"

"What have you done with Leanne?" demands Kyo, hands pressed against the glass.

"I assure you, no harm has come to him," says Rose, then adds gleefully, "Yet! "