The chains on the fence rattled as the wind howled through them. The moon disappeared behind the clouds as if it could sense what was about to go down. The tension in the air was prominent, and everyone attending tonight would feel the force - the jolt of electricity waiting to be unleashed. Tonight had been anticipated for ages.
Three hooded figures walked over to the barbed wire fence surrounding the old factory buildings' perimeter. The company had gone out of business years ago. It was safe to assume no one on the right side of the law was wandering around here this late at night.
One of them walked over to the fence and slightly rattled it.
"Sturdy enough," They turned back to the others. "I reckon we can clear it,"
"Good."
The three figures backed away from the fence before running up and jumping over the wall, landing effortlessly on their feet on the other side.
The hood came down from one of the figure's, and short black hair cascaded down her shoulders. The moon peeking out from its cover gave a small spotlight on the figure whose sharp green eyes were the only visible feature on her face.
She looked around. The other figures took their hoods off, too, red and blonde hair uncovered being the only colour on an otherwise all-black ensemble.
"Let's split up,"
"Everyone got their earpieces in?"
"Yeah,"
"Yes, let's go,"
Jordan watched the three girls make the jump from his screen. He let out a low whistle.
Bennett came over. He looked over Jordan's shoulders and watched as the girls split up and went into three different buildings. His eyebrows furrowed as he anticipated their next moves.
Soon after the revelation, Jordan got himself together long enough to find what the girls next moves were up to. Word on the street was three figures were coming to meet up with Lost Boys here in these buildings.
"Why are they going into three different buildings?" Bennett questioned.
"Haven't got a clue. Maybe two of them are acting as distractions or diversions," He theorised.
"We need to be there soon then," Declan said from another table where he was loading a gun. He didn't like the idea of having to use one today, but it was better to be safe than to be sorry.
The boys were camped out in another abandoned building not far from the girls. Naomi was back at the base. They still wouldn't have her here today.
Jordan shut his laptop down and put his equipment into a bag. The boys pulled their masks over their faces, similar to the ones the girls seemed to be wearing. The only thing to identify them is their eyes. They put their hair into beanies with hoodies going on top over that.
Bennett had adjusted his gun sling, having the firearm rest against his back for convenience.
Jordan took a loaded handgun from Declan and put it in his holster attached to his belt.
Declan himself had a couple of guns loaded and waiting to be put into his shoulder holster.
The boys were ready. Their eery persona's coming to life as they covered up.
Soon they were standing on the same side of the fence as the girls once did.
"It's locked," Jordan checked. "We could clear it as the girls did,"
"Okay, then,"
The boys all backed up a respectable distance. Declan anticipated the height of the fence and whether they could do it.
"Anyone not clearing the fence is buying lunch tomorrow," He declared.
Bennett and Jordan nodded, accepting the terms.
The boys ran and jumped the fence, each of them making it.
Jordan checked their surroundings. It was eerily quiet, like there wasn't another person around for miles. He knew that wasn't true though, three of them were not too far off.
"I believe Tessa went into that building there," He pointed to the structure to the right of them. "Davina went up straight ahead and Arya to the left of us,"
"So we're splitting up and confronting the girls as to why they're here meeting Lost Boys," Bennett reaffirmed their plan.
"What if..." Declan started swallowing hard. "What if they turn hostile?"
Bennett eyed his friend. The very thought had been running through his mind. "Then we can assume they're allies of the enemy. Making them our enemy," He said in his low, calm voice.
Jordan hated the words just uttered. He knew - they knew they weren't really. He heaved a sigh. "You could also be right, Declan. Maybe they are in trouble. Maybe us saving them here would be the redemption we're all so desperately looking for,"
The boys all locked eyes with each other.
"We need to remember why we're doing this," Bennett reminded them. "All for one-"
"-And one for all," They finished in unison.
"I guess I'll see you guys on the other side," Jordan commented, giving them one last masked smile.
"See you on the other side," Declan repeated, giving them both a nod.
"On the other side," Bennett echoed, looking up at the building in front of him.
The boys went on their separate journeys.
*******
Tessa crept around the building, making her way to one of the rooms. Unfortunately, the windows were boarded up, so she couldn't see anyone approaching her building. She clenched her jaw. This was an unprepared disadvantage. She didn't like being vulnerable.
She listened in on the earpiece for any vital information. Nothing.
Tightening her ponytail, she went to remove her mask from her face when she heard the distinct sound of a door slamming shut. She was no longer alone in the building.
All her hairs stood on end, goosebumps running through her arms. She braced herself for their entrance. Her grey eyes narrowed into a glare as a figure moved into the dim-lit room. Only a strand of moonlight shone in the middle of the room.
He came to stand in the moonlight, removing his hoodie showing tufts of short brown hair. The hood no longer covering his eyes revealed deep dark brown infuriated eyes.
The two figures glared at each other.
It took Tessa a moment to realise the familiar way the hair fell on the figure and how close she had once been to those eyes. Her glare melted away as pure shock replaced her face.
"Declan?" She said tentatively, hoping the others heard her say his name.
She knew when she came face to face with him again, it would be awkward, but she didn't think she'd find him here of all places.
All her emotions churned in her stomach, relief at seeing him to unease at them being in such a vulnerable position to the gut-wrenching realisation at seeing where they were meeting.
Declan, the sweet boy she met on her first day of school, the one who talked about love and soulmates so openly, the one who played basketball and sang at charity events, the one who was always willing to be there for his friends and family, the one who loved so deeply and fiercely. The one person Tessa felt utterly safe with even if she was being engulfed in his flame.
That same boy was standing in front of her, tall, dark and angry, guns strapped on either side of him. She didn't know what to think.
How many different ways can you break my heart?
"What the hell is going on here?" He growled, no emotion but anger held in his eyes.
She furrowed her brows. "You're a Lost Boy?"
"Never!" He spat.
"Huh?" Confusion clouded her mind.
A voice rang over her earpiece, Dominic on the other end. "Tess, he's a Musketeer. The Musketeers are here,"
The colour drained from Tessa's face as she connected the dots.
"You shouldn't be here!" She shouted, panic rising within her. This was the worst possible outcome right now. She could hear the others cursing into her ear.
"Neither should you!" Declan argued back, unaware of what was to happen.
Dominic's voice rang into Tessa's ear once more. "More figures have shown up. The Lost Boys are here!"
Tessa was frantic at this point. This idiot was not going to budge.
"Declan," She started as calmly as she possibly could. "You have to leave now," The irony in her words hitting her as she spoke them as slowly and as clearly as she could. She hoped the desperation in her eyes would melt whatever animosity he had for her now and make him listen to her.
She stepped forward towards him, trying to hide the hurt of watching him step away from her.
"Please," She begged. "You can still get out of here, take the back-"
"I'm not leaving until you tell me what you're doing here," He said furiously though she couldn't help but catch the break in his voice as he uttered them.
"What are you doing here, Tess?" He spoke much more softly. His eyes melted away the anger leaving only the hurt.
She hated herself at that moment. She wanted to run into his arms and not let go. She hated seeing him here and not being able to say anything to comfort him.
"Guys, they're setting something off- Girls! You're compromised! GET OUT OF THERE!" Dominic shouted into their earpiece.
Tessa couldn't even comprehend what he meant before the first bomb went off.
*******
The second explosion went off, and Arya's head was ringing. She barely had time to notice someone in the room with her when the explosions rang through the buildings.
She got to her feet and saw the other figure also getting up.
If this was an ambush, she had to act fast.
Running towards the crouched figure, she tackled them to the ground, their gun dropping in the process.
Now rolling on top of her alleged attacker, Arya pulled off the figure's hood and beanie to find soft blond tufts of hair. She came face to face with widened green eyes, which looked strangely familiar now that she thought about it.
She pulled down the boy's mask to find-
"Jordan?" She asked incredulously.
This was probably the last person she would have expected to come face to face with at this meetup. Chills ran down her spine as she remembered the previous encounter with him. She couldn't be sure of which version of Jordan she was about to get - the sweet one who stumbled over his words and gave her his jacket when she was cold or the ruthless one who had nothing but poison in his eyes and venom on his tongue when he spoke to her. "What are you doing here?" She snapped.
"I could ask you the same thing," He snapped back.
So cold and ruthless it is.
"Wait, you're a Musketeer?" She asked, brushing off his harshness.
"Yes, and I would like to know what's going down here?" He asked impatiently.
"It doesn't concern you," She argued back.
"Yes, it does," He snarled at her. He was drowning her in his poison.
Whilst Arya was momentarily distracted by the shocking change in his demeanour Jordan eyed the gun not too far from them. He flipped the two of them over, using his body to keep her down as he reached over for the gun.
Panic settled into Arya as she came to the alarming realisation. Her eyes widened as she witnessed Jordan holding the gun.
No, he wouldn't. Would he?
All thoughts of rationality went out the window. Her breathing shallowed as she looked up at him, believing he would be the last person she ever saw.
"I'm guessing the bombs weren't-" Jordan stopped when he saw the total fear in her eyes. Confusion clouded him as he saw her look between him and the gun in his hand. Quickly he put the gun back in his holster, not meaning to have had it out and scare her like that.
He felt sick. How could he have been such an idiot?
The total and utter fear on her face was enough to send his head spinning. He could never have thought to ever hurt her like that. He would instead rather have shot himself. But she didn't know that, and he was furious at how they just seemed to drift further apart.
Getting off her, he held up his hand and hoped she'd take it as a sign to say he was sorry.
Arya, dazed at the interaction, looked up at him and wondered how he managed to look like he was the one terrified when she was the one thinking she'd be shot.
She watched as his demeanour changed. His eyes searched her for any kind of hurt. He looked at her as if she was made of glass. Holding her delicately as if she could disappear at any moment. Like she was the most precious thing to him. Like if he had lost her now, he would have lost everything.
"I'm okay," She whispered. He visibly relaxed, smiling at her, and Arya couldn't take her eyes off him. Seeing him smile at her again, she felt as if she had hit cloud nine. Any resentment she held towards him melted away. She knew then she would be held captive by that smile forever.
It was as if a fog had lifted, and she was seeing him for the first time. Really him. Like she had known all this time but couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. She wanted to be looked at by him and only him.
"We need to get out of here," She stated, coming back to reality, to which he nodded along. He was so calm and comforting she almost forgot where she was.
Putting their masks back on, Jordan led them out. Going towards a bend, Arya heard the footfall before he did and pulled him back into her. Her reaction was to save him first.
Their eyes met, and Arya couldn't help but feel a flurry of unprecedented emotions.
"Come on, this way," He whispered to her.
They both turned to run in the other direction.
Gunshots ringing after them.
*******
Davina watched the chaos ensue from the third story balcony. Her hood over her face as she silently prayed for her friends to get out alive.
She heard the door close behind and knew he was here. She always knew when he was around.
"You're a Musketeer?" She said, as calmly as her voice would allow. She refused to look back at him just yet. She didn't want him to see the fear in her eyes.
"Davina," He called out to her, willing for her to turn around. "What are you doing here?" He half hoped she would be relieved to see him, for her to run into his arms and thank him for being here. That way, he would know she was alright. But it was as if the girl was hard-wired to do the complete opposite of what he wanted.
"It doesn't matter. Nothing matters," She replied, her voice deflated like she'd finally given in to an internal battle.
She turned to face him, and the first thing that came to Bennett's mind was how tired she looked. She took her hood down, and her eyes were dull and dark like she hadn't slept in weeks.
Without much thinking, Bennett stepped towards her. It was as if his feet were moving on their own. This innate urge to comfort her even with everything else going on around him, he didn't care. He just needed to see if she was okay.
All this time, Bennett had been preparing for the worst. He kept telling himself he'd be strong enough to resist and put an end to whatever these girls were planning. But seeing her now, he knew he'd let the world burn for her.
If she were to be completely enveloped in darkness, so would he. At least that way, they're together.
"What doesn't matter?" He asked her softly, taking her hood down and moving her hair out of her face.
She looked up at him, hating how she couldn't do it. Couldn't do that to him.
"I want everything to be alright, for us-" She stopped, but he understood anyway.
"It will be," Bennett assured her, although he didn't know where it was coming from.
They heard shouts and running up the stairs. Davina moved past him to listen to it better, and then she turned to him frantically.
"Bennett, you have to get out of here," The desperation and urgency in her voice rang through the room.
Bennett furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait, what? No, not without you-"
"It's Nicotine. He's here," She cut him off, the fear in her eyes shining and reflecting into his own. Bennett temporarily forgot she was meeting the Lost Boys here. "He'll kill you if he finds you here,"
Bennett was brought back to reality, shaking her attempts to move him. "How do you know them?" He held her wrists.
"There's no time for that," She said, looking around the room frantically. She then looked back at him. "You said you didn't trust me, remember?"
Bennett felt like he'd been hit in the stomach at the reminder. Before he could reply, she cut him off.
"You need to trust me now, please," She begged the last part.
"Davina," He wanted to, he really did. "You haven't given me a reason to," He said softly, his heart and his mind at odds with one another, the internal struggle between them everlasting.
"Bennett, trust begins with one person taking a blind leap of faith for the other," She told him. "You have to trust me on this,"
She knew then that only his presence was powerful enough to force her to confront the darkest parts of herself, force her to face and overcome what had succumbed to her for years. To come out of this as a better person all because he inspired her. She only wanted to be seen in the best light in his eyes.
She didn't know she was already held to the highest regard by him.
"Davina-" He began searching her eyes.
"I'm giving you a reason to trust me," She said as she held a soft smile and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek softly. "I'm sorry for everything,"
She took a step back whilst Bennett just stood there unblinking.
Then without hesitation, she kicked him straight in the chest, having him fall off the balcony.
Davina Carter was a lot of things to me. Sometimes we were friends, sometimes we were more, and sometimes we were mere strangers. One minute she spoke to me like I meant something to her, and another, she spoke as I meant nothing. Some days she paid the utmost attention to me, and then the next, she completely ignored my existence. We fought like enemies, laughed like friends and loved like soulmates. And a part of me always knew Davina Carter was never the villain in my story.
The door swung open as Davina covered her face once more. The cold stoicism returned to her eyes.
"Ahh, PointBlanc, was that a Musketeer?"
"Don't worry about him. He's as good as dead,"
"Good, let's get down to business,"