Agent Blue

04 | ASHES FALL

Lila used to live in wheat. That's where they found her in a little tent like hideout. She was four years old with a blanket, stolen food, her teddy bear and no parent in sight. I remember when she told me about her parents being addicts and I ask her how she knew? Her eyes darkened and she told me that when they rescued her, her system was full of meth. At four years old.

Dryness chokes my screams and that's when Lila does it with me. It sounds like she's fight something when she screams. As if she is pushing something away from her that she has been running from for so long. She's screaming loud and booming and I scream with her.

Galleria, and Andrea look at us with concern. Their eyes screwed up in horror as they carry an unconscious DJ. Then they start screaming too and it's just the five us screaming at the top of our lungs as we run up a hill. We're screaming when we come down it and the helicopter sits three hundred yards away.

Suddenly, Lila passes out. No warning. No I'm dizzy or lightheaded. I'm nearly dragged down by her lack of consciousness but I find the strength in me to hook her legs and keep pressing forward. The feeling of fire burning all around me was not a welcomed situation. We have been here before and if he thinks that he will smother us out with fire again, he is mistaken.

The dark sky seems to come awake as the firelight burns. Embers and ashes dirty my body and settle on to my tongue. The chilly night has turned into a Sahara blaze and fire licks at my clothes and back. My arms strain at Lila's weight and my legs fill like I'm fighting through a pit of quicksand. I'm being weighed down my the lack of oxygen in the air and the tiredness that comes in waves with each step that I stumble forward.

I can see the cuts on Lila's face now as I gaze at her through tired tears. Her forehead was bloody from a deep cut that must have been the cause for her collapsing. She would have fought through hell to keep me alive and the idea that she was dying in my arms was nearly too much to handle.

When we reach the helicopter, the bright orange van is also there and the doors are wide open. I've never been more relieved to see that ugly ass bus than I am at that moment.

Juun and the rest of our crew is freaking out. The bomb had scared the shit out of him so much that he wasn't even speaking English. He takes Lila into his arms before laying her down in the Helicopter alongside DJ and a wounded Cailean.

They're stripping the van and tossing everything into the aircraft. London grabs my face and tries to get me to concentrate on his eyes but I smack his hands away. "Check on Lila."

"You're hurt."

"No shit, London." I stumble towards the van. "Freya!"

"Yes?" She screams back at me.

"Freya, Freya, Freya," I heave myself into the van, "give me your phone?"

"What are - are you okay?" I'm ignoring her as I attempt to look for her phone. The room is spinning but I have to find her stupid phone. "Blue -"

"Where's your phone?"

Freya catches me as I trip on m own two feet. "Why do you need my phone?"

"I need to call someone."

"Who do you need to call?" She dodges a throwing star and it makes a thud as it connects with the van.

"Why do you ask so many questions?" I see the phone in her enclosed hands and I attempt to pry open her hands. "Give me, your phone."

"Stop it!" Freya scolds. "You have a concussion, you need to gather your head before you start demanding for me to give you my cellphone."

I blow the air through my nose hard and do exactly as she says. My mind swims but soon it begins to steady and I focus on breathing for a second. I bite the inside of my cheek before opening my eyes. The world is still blurry, but I know this symptom is only temporary, just like the agonizing ringing in my ears.

"Can I borrow your phone?" My voice is a little uneasy but Freya deems me good enough to make a phone call.

"London, you need to check her," Freya says as she hands me her phone. I bow to her and nearly die doing so as I lean forward a little too low. Freya pushes me back on my feet before shaking her head in confusion. The van is nearly empty when I fall out of it. I'm too engrossed in typing in the number that I forgot it was such a steep separation.

London pulls me to my feet before stuffing me into the helicopter. He buckles me in before doing the same for DJ and Lila. They're all bandaged up now and from the way that London is pulling at my clothes he's either looking for damage or he's horny.

London scoffs. "I'm not horny, Sapphire."

I giggle at the fact that he heard me think that. The phone is roving in my ear and London is pressing satan's spit into my wounds. Lila is groaning awake as Rein and Freya jump in and slide the doors shut. Rein is turning the controls on and the loud helicopter rotors begin to slice through the air like a hot knife through butter. The line picks up.

My minds clears at the sound of the monotone voice and I know exactly why I had searched so hard for the phone. "CCB, how may I help you?"

"Yes, I need to talk to Astrid Collette."

Everyone snaps their heads to me with their eyes confused and angry. We begin to ascend as Freya dives for me. "Who are you talking to?"

"One moment." The monotone voice says.

Freya grabs me by my facce as she gets me to look her in the eye. "Hang up."

"Do you accept any charges?"

"Yes, I accept the charges." I look at Freya. "I'm talking to CCB."

"No, you do this and he will never forgive you." Freya grabs me by my arms. "Hang up."

"I do not want his forgiveness." I snap.

"He will kill you!"

"He has tried twice now," I said defiantly and her eyes are panicked.

Astrid's voice greets me over the phone. "Who am I talking to?"

Chills roll over me at her voice and my teeth clench and begin to grind on each other. s]

"Sapphire Ashes," I answer.

I can hear her smile. "It is nice to hear your voice, Miss Ashes."

"You helped my brother."

"He gave us an offer that I can't refuse."

"You're disgusting." I spit. "Did you think that I wouldn't recognize the bombing technique. Ashes to ashes."

Freya grabs me and shakes her head. She knows that she can't say anything or else Astrid will make sure I know the cost of putting her name and business out there.

She laughs at my anger. "Do you want me to apologize?"

"I want you to pick out a coffin because after I kill my brother, I'm coming for you."

"How very Paris of you." Astrid giggles.

"The difference between Paris and I, I won't let you have the satisfaction of killing yourself."

"Is that a threat?" Her childlike voice sends my nerves on edge.

"No, it's more than a threat or even a promise. It's a vow."

"It was nice talking to you, Sapphire." Her voice sounds so chirpy and amused that the idea of ripping out her throat is a calming sight to me. I can hear shuffling over the line. "I really must go, I have a lot to do before I die."

The call ends and I scream.