The transfer stopped outside a large neighborhood - and an expensive one. All the houses had a view over the turquoise ocean. Most of them were black and silver as well, which made them sparkle in the morning sun. Saule offered to pay for the ride. She had agreed to come with them, mostly because the Swarm was bound to show up again at the cafe.
Jeen stepped out of the transfer onto the sidewalk, her eye's squinting against the sunlight.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Roman asked as looked at the houses around them.
Jeen gazed at the house in front of them; it was a sparkling silver and one story home with curving walls and shimmering windows covering most of the house. Londen stood on the sidewalk with a strange expression as he stared at the house in front of them.
"Just stay here." He mumbled as he stepped forward, but he stumbled and fell forward onto the sidewalk.
Saule caught him first, her face confused as she looked at him. He slipped to the ground.
Jeen and Roman ran over to him as he sat hunched over on the pavement.
"You okay?" Roman asked as he crouched down.
Londen nodded, not looking up from the ground. His face was unusually pale and his breathing was heavy.
Jeen frowned and shared a look with Roman.
It was the exact same thing that had happened to Londen while they were in the tunnels.
"Londen, what aren't you telling us?" Jeen asked as she held onto his arm tightly, pulling him to his feet.
His eyes were heavy lidded, as if he was exhausted as he struggled to stand up straight.
"It's just my leg." He said, taking another deep breath.
"No, this happened before you got shot. In the tunnel." Jeen said.
"It's nothing to worry about." He said, looking over at her with a face that had pain in it, but was masked by a smile.
"Yeah, cause randomly collapsing is totally normal." Roman said with raised an eyebrow.
"Just help me to the door. I'll take it from there." Londen said as Roman took Jeen's spot and began to help him down the sidewalk.
Jeen and Saule remained where they were, watching as the other two neared the house.
Jeen couldn't help feel uncomfortable in the silence between she and Saule. But of course she couldn't blame her for not wanting to talk after what only just happened. She was still a shocked that Saule had been willing to pay for their ride, just because they had no money of their own. If Jeen had been in her shoes, she would've screamed at everyone to leave and never come back, much less help them. Jeen couldn't help feeling overwhelmed with guilt over everything that had gone wrong since the day she and Roman were taken.
She knew none of these things that had happened were because of her. But she was terrified of letting everyone down, because she knew people were relying on her, that it was a constant problem for her to blame herself for everyone's problems.
She looked up to see Roman walking back over to them, and Londen at the door by himself.
"What's up?" Jeen asked, wondering why Londen was by himself.
Roman shrugged.
"He said he needed to talk to the man alone."
Jeen made a 'huh' sound and the three of them watched as the door was opened by a middle-aged man.
It was hard to see the man from this distance, but Jeen could see he had glasses and thinning gray-brown hair.
Londen began to talk, and the man's face suddenly grew serious and looked at Londen with a shocked face, his mouth gaping.
"What do you think he said?" Roman said, clearly confused as well as to why the man looked so shocked.
Londen looked back at them for a moment, and then back at the man. The man looked torn for a minute or so, then slowly nodded.
Londen jerked his head for them to come over.
Once they approached the door the man introduced himself.
"My name is Dr. Gabriel Paxton... Londen and myself go back a long ways." He said, pausing a little before saying Londen's name.
He moved aside for them to enter his home.
Jeen had never seen a more exquisite house.
There was a massive chandelier with cascading crystals hanging down, a white fur rug on the marble floor, and a couch in the shape of a crescent off by the stainless steel kitchen. Windows covered every wall, floor to ceiling. The view of the ocean on one side of the house, and the sparkling silver city on the other side.
"My lab is downstairs." He said as he started walking away into his large and luxurious house.
"Okay..." Londen said as he gazed at the mosaic on the ceiling, which seemed to be crystal made into the shape of a... transfer.
"Follow me." Gabriel said as he walked across the house and over to a glass elevator box.
Roman helped Londen over to the elevator, and Saule and Jeen stepped in beside them.
The doctor pressed a button near the bottom.
As the doors closed and the glass box started to move down, they began to pass level after level.
First they passed a large luxurious bedroom that was spotless and clean, most likely the doctors.
Then they passed another bedroom that was most certainly not the doctors. It was a wreck with clothing thrown on the floor, massive viewer screens that were left on, and a bed that was left completely unmade.
The elevator stopped and the doors opened. They stepped into a pristine white room that looked like a gym, training room, and race track all in one.
In the middle of the room was a teenager beating up a punching bag with unusual speed.
He was tall with tan skin and shoulder-length black hair that was loosely pulled back. He abruptly stopped as fast as he was punching, and looked at them with a face that Jeen couldn't tell was annoyance or surprise as he glanced at them one by one.
"What, did you decide to throw an open house party or something?"
None of them were sure of what to say for a few moments.
Jeen heard the doctor sigh.
"Wen, stop what you're doing and come help me."
Wen walked over to them nonchalantly as he unwrapped the red wrappings he had around his knuckles, he was barefoot and wearing a white sleeveless shirt that was soaked through with sweat and a pair of black jogging pants.
When he got closer Jeen could see him more clearly. He looked like he was mixed race, with dark slanted eyes and thin defined face that was also covered in sweat.
"Maybe you should think about telling me before you invites strange guests over." He said as he joined in the now crowded elevator.
"Wen." The doctor's voice was stern and the box suddenly felt so much smaller.
Jeen wished she was anywhere else at the moment.
"I'd like you to meet Londen, Jeen, and her brother Roman." He said, gesturing to each person as he spoke, Jeen gave and awkward wave when he mentioned her name.
Wen jerked his head over to the doctor, suddenly interested but still scowling. He looked away from Dr. Paxton, and scrutinized Roman, half confused, half surprised.
Jeen gave him a weird look, wondering what was up.
Roman glared at Wen, clearly annoyed.
The long basement was as luxurious as the up stairs, but in an academic way. The walls and floor were white and clean, the room almost felt like it was glowing. There were long steel tables with microscopes and other odd machines that Jeen wasn't familiar with.
"Londen, sit here." The doctor said, motioning towards the medical chair as he walked over to a tall silver filing cabinet.
Londen sat down, flinching as he tried to avoid using his wounded leg.
Dr. Paxton pulled open drawers of the cabinet, collecting different tools. He turned around, frowning as he carried a medical tray. He walked behind the medical chair, where a strange machine had a hologram projected.
"Wen, come here."
Jeen watched as Wen walked over to the doctor, his expression still hardened. Gabriel reached over and handed Wen a pair of scissors.
"You three may want to wait in the other room, or go back upstairs if you like." Gabriel said, his glasses on the end of his nose.
Wen began to cut the wrappings Jeen tied around Londen's leg. The cloth feel away, revealing an open bullet wound.
Roman made a disgusted sound and turned away, pressing his knuckles against his mouth.
The three of them retreated back upstairs, realizing they didn't want to see how a bullet was removed.
Jeen sat on the couch, flipping through a catalogue, when the elevator doors opened. She hoped it was Londen, but it was that other boy, Wen.
He walked into the kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out a bottle filled with red liquid.
"So, you guys want some refreshments or something?" Wen asked.
Jeen wasn't sure if he was being serious or had a weird sense of humor.
"Not really." Suale said, she was sitting on a chair in the corner, her arms crossed and a mirable look on her face.
Jeen heard Wen whisper sarcastically as he walked away, "Okay then..."
"Is he gonna be okay?" Jeen asked, setting the catalogue back on the glass foot table.
"Yeah, he got it out, but it'll be awhile before he can walk alright." Wen answered, taking a swig from his drink.
The room was growing dim, and Jeen realized how fast this day had gone by. She looked at the marble clock on the wall and saw that it was already seven in the evening. They sat around in silence for a few awkward minutes, the only sound in the room was Wen drinking his energy drink, very loudly.
Roman sighed as he looked out the window.
"What's that?" Saule asked, her voice quiet.
"What?" Jeen said, almost letting out a scream as something thumped against the house and all the lights flickered off, leaving everything black except what was illuminated by the moon.
All four of the teenagers slowly looked up at the ceiling as they heard footsteps. The movement stopped and the electricity flickered back on for a moment.
A gasp escaped Jeen's lips as her arm was grabbed and a sharp metal pressed against her throat.
Everyone was frozen, frightened as to how someone appeared out of nowhere.
Roman ran forward, but the knife dug into Jeen's neck closer, a whimper slipping out before she could stop it.
Roman halted, looking torn.
"What do you want?" Wen asked, stepping forward with his hands in the air to show he meant no harm.
The pain was almost unbearable as in her arm as the intruder pushed it behind her back. She felt her vision go red and black, but forced herself to stay awake.
"Where is Dr. Paxton."
It was a man's voice that spoke, and he didn't ask a question, it was a demand. His voice sounded modified and electronic, like an automaton.
"Why do you want to know?" Wen asked.
Jeen could tell from the look on Roman's face that he wanted to do something desperately, but in this situation a mere knife was more dangerous than him.
The man didn't answer, instead shoved the knife harder against Jeen.
She clenched her teeth to keep from screaming. She felt something warm and wet drip down her neck, and she didn't have to see it to know it was blood.
"Wait! Stop, we'll tell you anything you want." Roman said, stepping closer with his hands out.
The man didn't say anything, which Jeen guessed meant his first question still stood. But she was a little too busy trying not to scream or start freaking out to care about the conversation.
"He's in the basement, but there's no power - so-so you won't be able to get-"
Before Roman could finish, the man made one quick slash through the air, slicing the skin of her neck open. She fell to the ground the same time everyone screamed.
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