Joseph took the long elevator ride down to the pit of the Sanctuary for his council with the Elders. They wanted a progress report, a fucking progress report. Of course he had nothing; he was fucking eighteen years old with the responsibility of catching a fugitive. They knew he cared, that was the only reason why they picked him, and he knew that.
As he passed straight through to the sanctuary the Elders appeared before them. They looked down on Joseph, like how they did for everyone, and offered him a chair directly across from them at the table. He remembered when him and Ruth had walked down there, and the look on her face when the doors closed and he was on the other side . . .
"Good day Joseph," Elder Nev said. "I trust that you've been well?"
Well? The love of his life left him for the shiniest piece of shit member of the Humans, he couldn't get a single goddamned lead of where she was. When he did find her, he let her slip through his fingers. Not to mention the pressure the Elders put on his ass to succeed became too much, so he resorted to drinking, and all the while the Elders kept a gigantic eye on him that filled him with shame at every possible moment.
"Very well," Joseph said. "Thank you."
"Have you found any leads regarding your mission?"
"No, Elder Nev," he said. "I have not."
"It was put on record," said Elder Nev, "that you had two separate encounters with Ruth Mayhem, both of which were in person, and she was isolated without help. What do you have to say about those records?"
"They're pretty straight forward," Joseph said. "I saw her, in the flesh, twice, and she got away from me."
"Can you explain how she evaded you?"
"Well the first time," Joseph said. "I raged, and lost my senses, the second time I was fairly drunk and she appeared in my place . . . I'll be honest I thought that was a dream."
"Witnesses say otherwise," said Elder Nev. "Do you have any reason for us to keep you on the case?"
"Yes," Joseph said. "Elder Nev, I promise I will-"
Before Joseph could finish two guards burst through the Sanctuary doors in a complete panic. "We're sorry to interupt," said one of the guards. "But it's an emergency."
"I hope for your sake it is," Elder Nev said, while standing from her chair with a cross look on her face. "What is the emergency?"
"We're under attack."
"What?!" spat Elder Nev. "By what?"
"A sizable band of Shape Shifters," the guard said. "Including members of the Savages, and known subjects from the lab tests in the Shape Shifter study facilities."
"And they've got in?!"
"Yes," said the guard. "I'm sorry Elder Nev."
"Impossible," Elder Nev said. "Who else was with them?!"
"There w-were confirmed sightings of Ruth Mayhem on sight," said the guard. "Along with Margaret Patel, royal members of the Children of Peace, Hero Victoria Strong and Samia Meredith Evangeline Syal, and . . ."
"And?" Elder Nev hissed.
"Mark Patel, Elder," said the guard. "The pure soul."
Elder Nev balanced herself by leaning on the chair. For a moment, it was silent in the Sanctuary, until she let out a low menacing chuckle. Her laugh grew louder and louder until it came to a striking halt. "I suppose," she said. "That Ruth Mayhem is leading the charge?"
"No, Elder," the guard said. "She is not."
"Well then," she said. "Who is leading this attack?"
"A Child of Rage, Elder."
"Name."
"His . . ." said the guard. "H-his identity is unknown to our records."
"Age?"
"He looks young, Elder," he said. "Barely older than Ruth Mayhem."
"Fascinating . . ." Elder Nev said. "And have we called for reinforcements."
"N-no, Elder."
"And why not?"
"They disabled our communications, Elder."
Joseph stayed frozen in his chair as he saw the most terrifying look on Elder Nev's face. They were losing, and the attackers were winning. There were nothing but underage Children of Rage in the building and all of the proper Children of Rage were out searching all over, looking for the culprits behind the sabotages around the city, and for Ruth and Mark Patel. With the communications down they were royally fucked.
"Well then . . ." Elder said. "DON'T JUST STAND HERE GO AND KILL THEM ALL!!"
"Y-yes, Elder," the guard said before they ran off to join the battle.
"Joseph," Elder Nev said with a shaky voice. "You go too, and whatever you do, do not let them reach the Sanctuary . . ."
"Yes Elder," Joseph said.
This was exactly what he was waiting for. He'd put an end to the pure soul's life and take back Ruth in the process. This time, she wasn't going to slip away.
* * *
"Dude run!" Garret called to Mark as they dashed down the corridors. He repeated the directions Caton had given him under his breath; there was no way he could get lost right now. Around them, chaos was breaking out, they weaved in and around people battling as they ran to one of the Children of Rage's weapon chambers. Both Mark and Garret gripped the straps of their backpacks; they had to keep what was inside their packs secure until it was time to fulfill their part of the operation.
"Are we close?" Mark called from just behind Garret. "Cause . . . I'd really like to be close right now!"
"We're close!" Garret said, as the chaos grew even more distant behind them and they slowed to a fast paced walk. " . . . I think."
"You what?!"
"I am almost fairly certain that we went in the right direction."
"Almost fairly certain isn't good enough right now Garret!"
"Whoa chill dude," Garret said as he noticed a large circular doorway. A big smile formed on his face, as he looked back at Mark who looked like the most unamused person on the planet. "This is it!"
"Alright," Mark said. He pulled out the first blade of control and stuck it in the doorway like how Caton had taught him. The door opened, and the boys slid in with the door closing swiftly behind them. "Let's get to work . . ."
The boys opened up their backpacks and removed the explosives. Garret set them both up since Mark had absolutely no clue how to trigger them. After Garret was finished, Mark and Garret left the chamber and started sprinting towards the exit. Garret glanced at his watch, all of the rebellion members had left the wing they had set the bomb in. With their explosives triggering the Children of Rage's explosives, nobody could be anywhere near that wing.
In order to reach the top Mark and Garret had to climb up three levels of the building. They had to make it outside, then run. Everyone else was deep down at this point, they were the only ones at the danger point. They made it to the stairs, and as tired as they grew they pushed themselves to climb up as fast as they could. Around them alarms were going off that practically blasted their ears.
"How much time?" Mark asked, as they reached the second floor.
"Uh . . ." Garret said as he checked his timer. "Two minutes."
"Shit!" Mark said. "I don't know if we can make it!"
"Well we have to so we gotta!"
* * *
Hero stared at her mirror monitoring Garret and Mark's progress under Caton's strict orders. Beside her, Samia sat, tending the wounds of rebellion members and sending them off to battle. The rebellion had successfully managed to secure a section of the Hall and displayed no problems defending it. Caton would go out to battle, but occasionally come back to check on Garret and Mark's status. Hero couldn't stop shaking as she followed the boys through the building. They were so close, but she wasn't sure if they would make it.
"How're they doing?" Caton said, as he returned to her side. "Are they making good time?"
"Barely," Hero said. "I'm not sure if they're going to make it."
Caton nodded. "Alright," he said. "Just keep watching."
Hero watched as the boys struggled up the stairs and pulled each other through the corridors. Hero squeezed the mirror tighter as she looked at her watch and noticed they had less than a minute left.
"Come on . . ." Hero whispered. "Come on . . . just a little further . . ."
The boys made it to the doorway and took their first steps outside at the bomb detonated. Her image of them disappeared and left her with a reflection of herself with her hand raised over her mouth and tears spilling out of her eyes.
"Hero!" Caton called from a distance. He ran up to her rushed to her side. "Hero, did they make it? Are they okay?"
"I . . ." Hero said. "I-I'm not sure but . . . I don't think they did . . . they were so close . . . they were just outside and-"
Hero couldn't finish. Something dark came over Caton's face just as Ruth joined Caton in checking in. She took one look at Hero and Caton and started shaking her head. Hero wanted to say she was sorry, but her lips were incapable of forming the words. Hero placed the mirror down and watched as Caton and Ruth entered the battlefield fueled by what looked like a strong murder rage.