"And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we loved."- Pompeii // Bastille
The light glares down on my face, reminding me of a dentist office. Where I really am, however, is much different.
Angelina, Alice, Janis, and I sit on the stage, dressed and groomed nicely, comfortable in the plush couch. The talk show host sits in his chair with a smile that stretches ear to ear, as if our story's really all that interesting, even with us leaving HEXA out. He reminds me too much of Gilderoy Lockhart.
My eyes glance to where Bob and Guad are sitting in the crowded audience. We thought it best not to include them, as they got on the plane illegally and their identities are forged.
My two new friends grin at me encouragingly and Bob gives me a thumbs up.
Looking back to where I am at the stage, I see the host staring directly at me, as if waiting.
"Sorry?"
The audience roars with laughter.
Janis rolls her eyes beside me and shakes her head.
"I heard you- er- lost a sister in the plane crash. Do you think that motivated you to get back home?" he asks, a staged look of sympathy on his face.
"Oh! Well," I glance to the squad. My stomach turns. The whole studio is watching, White. "Yes. I knew getting home would be her ideal for me. That's what she would want. So yeah, it was really hard but I knew that she wouldn't want me to stay stranded in South America forever."
Trying to stifle a laugh, Janis chokes and grabs my hand. I glare down at her as she pretends to cry.
"But the whole journey wasn't for naught was it? You all live together now don't you?" asks the host.
Alice nods, her face set in "go" mode. "After my sister and I visited family in Wyoming for a week we came back here and decided to settle. These are the people we've been through thick and thin with," she gestures to all of us. "Well, who could be better to live with?" she concludes perfectly. Several people in the audience nod their heads and a couple even clap.
"And not only that, but I've heard from Angelina here and from your sister that there's a little chemistry between a couple of you..." grins the host. This is what he does for a living? Embarrasses people live on stage?
As the studio audience oooohs, I think Janis might just burst with glee.
Both Alice and my faces redden quickly. I don't think either of us were built for this kind of attention.
"Well," she begins, twisting a piece of her hair (I think my face grows redder watching her), "I guess you could-"
BAM!
The lights completely shut off.
Several people in the audience scream. They scream in surprise.
"What is this?" the host calls out to the confused crowd. "Bring a little excitement to everything don't you guys?" He asks us. Oh no.
There's total darkness; I can't see a thing. Nothing's been this dark since the that night in the warehouse.
"Tech?" laughs the host. "Can we get the- mph!" he's cut off and his voice muffles.
More people in the audience scream. Scuffling. Shouts. Cries. I grip the couch. "What's happening?" I mumble for fear.
No one replies.
I hear the crashing of bags and glasses. The squad is safe however. We each sit in fear. We each sit in confusion. None of us have any control.
Wasn't this whole trend supposed to be over, White?
There seems to be a gigantic commotion in the audience. People yell for each other.
"Nick!"
"Mom, I'm right-"
A gunshot. More screams crack and sound just like it.
BOB AND GUAD? ARE THEY OKAY?
More gunshots. Two- three. That's enough for both of them.
Sweat drips down my face. It's not right. I've been annoyed with the cold all day.
Janis clings to my arm. How long has she been doing that? "Perry, what's going on?"
I can't answer.
Then, as quickly as they all went off, the lights come back on.
Angelina cries out and covers her eyes to avoid being blinded.
Janis' hand still digs into my arm. I glance to her sister and check to see if she's okay. All I can tell from sight is that she's paler than normal, but nothing else seems to be wrong.
But the first thing I notice when I look around the re-lit room:
Bob and Guad are gone, as with every other person besides us. I glance to the spot where my Irish friend last gave me a thumbs up. Those two seats, like the rest in the studio, even those of the crew and host, are empty.
Janis cries, "Bob! Bob!"
The second thing I notice:
There is one person in the room besides ourselves. But he wasn't here when the lights went off.
I never thought I'd see him again.
He's the man from the underground maze in Colombia and he's standing in the middle of the myriad of vacant seats.
Just like when we saw him months ago, he's wearing a long trench coat that covers his entire figure. A fedora hangs over his face, so I can't see his eyes. But I'm sure he's staring right at us.
He opens his mouth to speak before shock allows any of us.
What he says is something he said to us back in that underground maze.
What he says is a threat he told me after he knocked me to the ground; after he told Diana she was going to die.
What he says is something he said after Bob told him to leave us alone; something that seemed like a witty comeback at the time.
What he says is something I never expected to hear again.
This is what he says: "Continue down the path you're on, and you'll be forced to watch as your accomplices disappear one by one, and it will be you who is left standing in the darkness."