UNDERGROUND, UNDERNEATH THE OLSEN'S HOUSE, THAT'S WHERE THE NEW SAFE HOUSE WAS. Though, that wasn't the thing that struck as odd to me when Spencer led me there. The first was the fact that the street was in ruins, but their house managed to stand.

If I was Lauren, with absolutely no memory of when I was a kid, I wouldn't even want this place to stand. This would be the first place that would go down. It would be the memory of a place I couldn't have. Not to mention, this was where Lauren discovered that Dr. Henderson was her mother, and where she was last before she was drugged and brought back to the Institute.

Did she want to keep the house in tact, or was it just some strange coincidence that it's still standing? 

"We don't really know why it's standing, but even if we're attacked, we're going to be underground, in the basement. It'll be fine." I don't know if Spencer was talking to me or himself. The words were loud enough that I could here him, but seemed as if they we're kept to himself. He climbed up the stairs, but then climbed back down when I was about to go up. "We'll take the back."

I have no recollection of the family having a basement, or at least being in it. I'm sure there was a point in time when Lauren tried to break into her own basement, with us in tow. She always did that sort of stuff when we were kids. Tyson, Alyssa and I always tagged along, even if it was a bad plan.

We didn't know she was sick back then, so why did we agree to everything she did? I don't remember a time when we didn't. Well, I did try to get out of everything, but Alyssa and Tyson seemed to agree to everything. 

There was a staircase going down behind the house. Nostalgia floods through me. 

"I think there's a pile of chocolate down there."

"Maybe it's a monster. If you aren't allowed in there, maybe it's for a good reason. Maybe you'll get hurt."

"Come on, Aidan. I'll be an adventure."

"Adventure! Adventure!"

We were just kids, barely able to speak in full sentences. Our friendship went way back, I realised. We never did get the door open. No amount of puppy dog eyes or crying (mostly from Lauren herself) was able to open the door.

There was a fingerprint scanner next to the door. Funny how we never noticed that before, maybe because we weren't even tall enough to reach it at age six. Spencer puts his hand against the scanner, making it flash green, then twisted the handle. The door almost slammed shut before I got in. Luckily, I managed to get the door before it closed.

"Finally!" It was Taylor who greeted us. She wrapped her hands around my waist, giving me a hug, and pulled away before it got too awkward. "Why the hell did it take you so long?"

"Some people have trust issues," I heard Spencer mutter under his breath. 

"Well you can't exactly expect me to trust you after everything you've done," I spat. "I have my reasons, you should just be glad that I actually decided to follow you, because I wouldn't have done that if you were anyone else." Or if my father didn't convince me to go.

"You can't consider yourself innocent either, Davis," he growled. "Everyone in this room is guilty of interacting with the Institute one way or another."

That's it. I launched myself at him, throwing him off guard. We crashed onto the ground, my hands around his neck. Someone let out a scream, though I couldn't put a finger on who it was. 

"You... you hurt her so much, do you realise? This... this entire thing is all you fault. She could've just been... she could've just been dead and wouldn't have had to deal with any of this." The words stung, but they were true. Lauren lived a hard enough life, she didn't have to go through everything she did after getting to the Institute.

I dig my nails into his neck. Spencer barely tries to fight back, though it's probably because he could barely breathe. It wasn't long before Dad pulled me off of him and Jake helped his son up. Spencer rubbed his neck. It was obvious where my fingers were, his skin red where it was. There were indents, too.

Both my father and Tyson had to hold me back so that I didn't jump at him again. I know I could've pulled out of their grip, but I didn't really try to escape. I didn't really mean to hurt him. It was just... it was...

"If you want to be mad at me... for being associated with the Institute, then you should be mad at almost everyone in this room," Spencer stated, still rubbing his neck. "Our parents were working with the Institute long before both of us were born. Heck, my dad was in on everything I did. Your dad and Alyssa's mom were supposed to run the Institute. Things could've been a lot different if they did just that."

"You don't have to bring Alyssa into this conversation. What's the point anyway, when she's dead."

He completely ignored what I said. "The entire reason why this is happening is because of the Royal family. Sofia was in the middle of their entire plan for a month or so. If all failed in Lauren taking over, guess what? Tyson, Taylor and Hayden would be dead. Not to mention that Tyson was ready to marry my seventeen year-old sister and give her all the power. King Jacin and Queen Lillian are partially to blame for this, I mean, they hid the Institute from the public for year--"

"Spencer." His dad interrupted. "Shut up."

Kassandra put an arm around her boyfriend. "Are you okay, Spencer?"

He shoved it away. "Even people who shouldn't have any connection to the Institute do. Kassandra's mom was asked to work for the Institute and Kass was supposed to help me run the Institute." There were tears in his eyes. Spencer started pacing the room, his hands around his neck.

"And then there's you." His piercing blue eyes were on me. "You created a freaking virus that is killing millions of people around the world right now. If I'm supposed to be the villain here, then you are right up there with me. I just wanted to give her another chance."

An uncomfortable silence filled the air as we both stood there, staring at each other. No one else said anything, they just watched for something to happen. Sofia and Hayden held each other tightly, afraid.

"I think I'm going to leave now," I stated, wanting to get out of the awkward situation. "I'll be back, eventually."

I turn around, feeling like a train wreck, or at least, I felt really awful. I didn't want to stay in the house, probably being more help out on the field than in the house. 

"What the hell, Aidan." I heard my dad call my name. "You boys can't be fighting right now, we need a plan. We need to end this. We can't do that without you."

I turned back around, crossing my arms. "And why not? It seems like clearly you don't need me. I messed all of this up. I'm the main cause of most of the deaths right now."

"We're going into war. We need everyone we have."

I head towards the door again. "I'll be back in a bit. I need to think."

"Don't be too long, Aidan. You'll be less help to us if you're dead."

I slowly close the door behind me. Gulping, I said to myself. "Don't worry about it."

I made my way up the stairs, reaching ground floor. My hands were tucked in my pockets, my head held down. I needed the world to stop. I needed to wrap my head around everything that was happening. If only my life had a pause button, then everything would be so much easier. I would've been able to think my way through so much.

"Oh, my gosh. Aidan! Thank God I found you." 

I looked up at the sound of the familiar voice. The air was dusty around me and there wasn't much to see beside piles of rubble. My eyes focused on a blur that was heading towards me. It was probably my enhanced hearing that picked up the voice, because the image didn't even come to focus yet.

The figure crashed into me, and I still didn't get a full idea of who they were. I coughed, scrambling to my feet. "What the -- Jessica?" Lauren and Spencer's cousin stood up herself, brushing dirt off her clothes. "You're back? Weren't you still trying to protect your--"

"I'm sorry for crashing in -- literally -- but we have a huge, huge problem, Aidan. Didn't you guys notice, or was this just recent for you guys, too?"

I gulped. "What -- what happened?"

The door behind me creaks open. Tyson and Spencer stumbled up the stairs. I flash of relief flooded through me, but still it was anger that came from the tone of my voice. "I said I wanted to be alone, didn't I?"

Spencer ignored me. "Jess, what's wrong?"

She gestured for us to follow her, to in front of the house. To my surprise, the streets weren't actually too barren. There were people on the streets, their eyes sunken into their face from tiredness, moving slowly, without enthusiasm. It was almost zombie like.

"What's going on? Why does everything seem... normal, ish?" Tyson's eyes were filled with a scared bewilderment. "And why do people seem like they're the walking dead?"

"Jess...." Spencer hesitated. "Jess, please don't tell me that--"

I look closer. Everyone is wearing the same dull clothes. A band of sorts was wrapped around each of them, a red and green light flashing constantly.

She sighed. "It's like this everywhere. All around the world."

No. Nonono. She'd never do anything like this. But the proof was right in front of my eyes. She was in power now. She controlled everyone. She told everyone what to do.

"They're all slaves."

- - -

a/n merry christmas eve to all of you who celebrate <3