Midnight Rush

Chapter Seven

As cold and damp as Mila's basement laboratory was, it still felt warm to her. She'd wondered often about the family who'd called this mansion home before the night of Howler's eve. Were they on the run? Or maybe dead. Or yet again, maybe they were Howler's themselves.

She found it apropos that a large painting of a wolf hunting in the moonlight hang above the fireplace. As the fire crackled against the burning logs inside, the smell of the smoke filled her nose with distant memories of happier times.

Mila caught herself losing focus from the task at hand and shook those memories away. Instead she replaced them with memories of equations and mixtures that were taught to her many years previous.

As she poured contents from beaker to beaker, a fleeting thought cut in her mind like a splinter. Even if this does work, how will I trial it?

Mila carefully prepared each vial with doses of her newest formula. As she capped the last vial she wondered to herself, will this end the war of Hunter and Howler?

"I see that you've found an interesting way to celebrate your birthday." Mila jumped at the words. She quickly turned around to see Ollie twisting a vial between his fingers. "Not in the mood for cake, I suppose?" Flustered, Mila leaned against the billiard table she'd utilized as a workstation.

"Oliver..." she began. Ollie stuck two fingers in the air toward her as he shook his head.

"You don't have to explain to me, Lala." He stated.  It struck her as odd, Ollie's voice had never been so cold. And he'd definitely never gone this long without looking at her. "Whatever it is you're doing down here, it's your business." Mila's eyebrows rose, what was he getting at? "I only came down here, because I care about you. You know that. I-" Ollie's voice cracked. A cough filtered through his throat as he began again. His eyes finally leaving the floor to catch Mila's gaze. "I love you, Mila." Her eyes shifted from his, her lips curled as she began to speak, only to be interrupted. "It's okay. You don't have to say it. I know that what we've had has been mostly one sided. I'm sure somewhere inside you there is care for me. Maybe even love. But not the way I love you. And not the way you love him." Ollie continued. For a man that had seen the worst the world had to offer, from losing his brethren in wars overseas to seeing them gutted by Howler's stateside, Ollie was not a crier. That wasn't true on this wintry morning. Not in this moment. Ollie's eyes filled with glistening tears as his words poured out. "I'm coming to you now, Mila, to tell you I'm done. I'm done with this war. I'm done fighting. And I'm done with us." Ollie's eyes again escaped her gaze. "I don't say that to hurt you. I just...I can't do it anymore."

Ollie wiped his eyes, then looked up to catch Mila's. Hers were filled with just as many tears. She reached out her hand and placed it against Oliver's cheek. His eyes shut tight he turned slightly into her touch. He reopened them, and pulled away.

As he headed towards the basement door, he stopped and leaned against the doorway. "Before I go, I need you to know, you're not safe here anymore. Corbin's gearing up something. I'm not sure what, but I don't think you'll want to be here when he sets it off. There's a train leaving tonight. It's headed out of the city, out of the war zone. Get on it and ride it until the end of the line. You'll be safe there."

Mila nodded as Oliver took one last look at her. His final words shook her to her core.

"Mila, I'm telling you this in hopes you'll get on that train and leave all this behind, but I'd be remiss if I left out any details. They...they followed him. The Hunters have found the compound."