Skylar's POV

I fell asleep that night sitting under the window in Caden's supposed room, frightened and alone in the dark that I still wasn't able to get used to. Somewhere in between the night, I'd raided the closet which had mostly been bare of any clothes, and it had been a short relief when I'd found one of his worn-out leather jackets in there. I'd put it on before curling back up under the window, because that seemed to be the only way that made the ache in my heart lessen a little. 

I pulled my knees to my chest and sat right there, pressing my back against the wall and staring at the bed in front of me.

He'd been here just the previous night, my head whispered. We'd both been there and I hadn't been alone in this big room, sitting by the corner and wondering why everything had fucked up so majorly. And what if I don't see him again? What if I don't see Alex again either?

Breathing out shakily, I pressed my face into my knees and wrapped my arms around myself. He promised me. There would be a house for us. Just us. We'd live there together, he had said. Wouldn't we? 

Wouldn't we? I thought in silence.

•••••

When I went down to the lounge the next morning, the back of my neck was aching from the uncomfortable position I'd slept in last night. And there was a visible ruckus in the lounge that I became aware of right as I stepped down the last stair--right as I saw something flying my way, and I nearly missed being impaled by it--which happened to be a sharp pocketknife--if Alexis hadn't pulled me out of the way.

The oxygen was knocked out of me when I slammed back into the nearest wall. "Blake!" Alexis snapped as she let go of my arm.

"What?" Blake's head appeared from behind the kitchen counter. The same marble counter that had a handful of knives dumped on it. Knives of almost every size, I realized in horror as I stepped towards the counter. I looked over at Blake and saw him examining a few more small blades before tossing them aside.

"Stop throwing knives around, for fuck's sake." She hissed and snatched one from his hand--one that he was about to toss over the counter and probably stab someone else with.

"What...What's going on?" I asked, casting my gaze around warily. There were pancakes neatly stacked on a plate and then there were a series of guns lining right beside it. I swallowed and took a tiny step back. "What the hell is this about?"

"We've tracked Felix's location." A familiar voice came from behind me.

I turned around and a small smile formed on my lips when I saw Seth standing right there. I hadn't seen him in so long, I realized and a surprised laugh left my lips. "Seth."

"Hey, Sky." He smiled back at me before I got anywhere near hugging him, and when I did, he hugged me back and leaned down, murmuring quietly in my ear, "He will be back, Sky, and he won't want you to be worrying so much." I knew he was talking about Caden, but how was I not supposed to worry?

I pulled away and gave him a somewhat strained, doubtful smile. "How've you been? I've barely seen you or Jesse or Shane around."

He shrugged sheepishly, stuffing his hands in his hoodie pockets, and his dark red curls bounced with the movement. "We've been around." His gaze drifted behind me--to Blake--and I think I understood his hesitation. He didn't want to say too much around Blake.

"So." I changed the topic. "About Felix. What are we doing next?"

That seemed to finally break Blake from whatever it was that he was busy doing and he got up, making space on the counter before taking out a black pistol from his pocket and placing it down. He looked up at me, at the perturbed look on my face, and replied, "We kill that son of a bitch."

"The plan," Alexis spoke over him as she came near me, handing me a mug and offering one to Seth, who only just refused. I looked down at the steaming coffee and some tension left my body at the mere welcoming scent of it. "--is to infiltrate his base. The place is huge and is also underground with two separate entrances. We'll divide ourselves into two groups and take each one."

I glanced shortly at Blake who was a little busy staring at Alexis. Clearing my throat, I watched his gaze snap to mine before I asked, "And you're sure it's Felix's base?"

"Yes," he said at the same moment Alexis muttered, "No."

Seth huffed behind me before walking over to one of the couches. "We don't." He confirmed. "But it's our only lead. No one will see us coming. A few of us will be going in at first, including Blake, while the rest of the backup will stay a few blocks behind. And if it is the right place, Blake will just have to send us a signal and we'll be there."

"An awful lot of trust you have in me," Blake smirked.

"Okay." I nibbled on my lower lip anxiously. "So. Who is going with who?"

Blake grabbed a knife, the size of my palm, in one hand and started cleaning it with a cloth. "Lexi and I take the first entrance."

"And Skylar." Alexis blurted out and snapped her gaze to mine.

I blinked, trying to decipher the desperate and angry look she was giving me, before saying, "Um, okay."

"No. I...don't think that's such a good idea," Seth spoke up. "Caden wouldn't want--"

"No, I am going." I looked at him, not even bothering to hide how desperate I was. "It won't just be Caden there. Alex might be there too if this really is where Felix has been hiding. I can't just stay here."

Seth gave me a somewhat strained look and I couldn't really blame him. He cared, if not as much as Caden--but enough to know what Caden would want. Caden wasn't here though, was he? He'd agreed with me that we'll do this together and then we hadn't. He had promised me--

"All right." Seth agreed, even if he looked hesitant about it. If Adrian was in his place, he'd have tried convincing me not to go as well.

"That's the plan then." Blake nodded, then added as a lazy afterthought, "We'll need men. Lots of them. And I will need you to plant one of those cute little trackers on me too, just in case we get our asses trapped down there as well. You never know."

While Seth got busy making quick adjustments, Alexis lifted herself onto the other counter behind Blake and sat on it, looking over at the knives on display.

"When are we leaving?" I asked.

"Soon." He replied, then glanced up at me. I wasn't really given a warning, or any time to think when he said, "Catch," and threw one of the knives at me.

I didn't catch it, obviously. How the fuck was I supposed to catch it anyway? By the sharp blade that was aimed at me? It fell on the ground with a clatter and I winced while Alexis sighed in resignation--at me or Blake, I couldn't quite tell.

"Blake, what the hell!" I hissed, stepping away from him. "Stop throwing knives at me!"

"What, you want me to hand you over a fucking butter knife instead?" He raised his hands in the air. A bit dramatic, if you ask me. Only then did I also notice the white bandages around both of his wrists. "I'm sorry, Skylar, but the people we'd be facing in that underground dungeon won't be as nice as me when they see you pointing your butter knife at them."

"Oh, fuck off," I grumbled at his mere attempt of embarrassing me by bringing up past events that I'd rather forget (which was working well in embarrassing me, thank you very much). "I've got to call someone before we go."

I called Nova and checked up on her and Chicken. Then I called Mom and asked her how the whole Marshall's case was going. In the meantime, Alexis dropped by and handed me one of her jet-black sweaters, mouthing at me that it was better to go unnoticed in them than my own vibrant choice of clothes.

By the time I was done changing into it and my jeans, the mansion seemed a little more crowded than it had been earlier. Multiple men that I couldn't recognize walked past and towards the doors. I found Seth amidst them and was grateful to see someone familiar.

"Hey," he looked up at me and picked up a small black device from behind him. It blinked red before the light disappeared. "Pin this inside your sleeve or your collar or anywhere really where it's hidden. I've given one to Blake and Alexis too."

I took it from him and frowned down at it. The light blinked again. "What does it do?"

"Track you. Record everything around you. It'll make it easier for us to find you if you do go astray." He replied, furrowing his brows a little. "Which I hope doesn't happen."

I nodded and pinned it to the inside of my sleeve where it was barely noticeable. Soon enough, I was stepping out into the yard and breathing in a deep, encouraging sigh as I looked up at the afternoon sky. It'll be fine, I told myself.

"Skylar," Alexis came towards me, all clad in black just like me. Her long dark hair was braided this time, though. And it made her eyes look sharper, darker. "Ready?"

I gave her an anxious look. "Yeah."

Blake showed up just a few seconds later. "Hey, hotshot, I've found the perfect weapon for you." He told me, taking out a familiar pistol and holding it out to me with a grin. "You shoot just fine. And if the need arises, you can practice your aim at Felix's men."

I stared at him, disgusted. "Is this the same gun you made me shoot from at the cemetery?"

"The one and only." He was still grinning like a moron.

I snatched it from him, muttering a few obscenities under my breath, and tried not to freak out as I stuffed it in my pocket.

"Cheer up, will you?" He rolled his eyes. "You look lovely in black, by the way. The most beautiful. Is that enough or do I have to tire myself and think of more lies to say that might..."

I directed a wary glance at Alexis, who was listening to every word Blake was spitting out of his stupid mouth, as she stuffed two small knives in the sides of her boots. Her gaze, I noticed was calculating and heated. Angry too, as she looked away and down at the ground.

"Blake." I groaned. "Blake, for fuck's sake."

He did stop, but by then it was already too late. Alexis had turned around and walked away.

•••••

There weren't any noticeable entrances around us, none that we could see around this deserted, secluded area.

The others had parked a handful of blocks away and out of sight while Alexis, Blake, and I stood out here on the patch of wild grass, looking for a way under--which was as disbelieving as it sounded.

All we knew was this was the exact spot the tracker had indicated.

I looked up at Blake who was pacing, brows furrowed and gaze darting from one spot on the ground to another. "The left, it said." He muttered to himself. "And then two steps behind...aha!"

I blinked as he kicked at something on the ground, some sort of a switch or a lever that creaked and groaned and split open a crack between the grass.

Alexis didn't say anything, much like the whole ride, and I only breathed out a sigh of relief. I'd almost started thinking this was a fail and we'd have to go back. And there was no way I could go back. Not without Caden and Alex.

Blake kneeled down and pushed aside the metal plate that had seemed to pop up after he'd kicked at it. And underneath it, I noticed as Blake pushed it away, was a hole big enough path to lead us down. One person at a time.

"I'm going first." He said and swung his legs in before pausing for the briefest of moments and glancing over at me and Alexis. "There's a ladder, so be careful. Because if you fall and break a bone, I will frankly leave you right there."

I followed him next, staring at the darkness below before breathing in deeply and climbing down. It took a while but I was glad to feel the solid ground below my feet, however dark and smelly the surroundings were.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Blake murmured beside me as we waited for Alexis to get down. He had his flashlight on and I could see water trickling down the grimy walls. Or I hoped that was just water and not something else.

Alexis jumped down the last three steps with a soft thud and neared us. "Where to next?"

We walked for the next few minutes in silence. I wasn't necessarily claustrophobic, but the fact that we were somewhere underground--someplace that smelled like shit--and the fact that there could be anyone out here, it made it somewhat harder for me to breathe.

At that point--and I couldn't quite believe that I was even thinking it--it was only the familiar weight of the gun in my pocket that helped.

Blake was more than happy to lead the way while Alexis remained behind me, eyes guarded and alert as she looked around.

We walked and walked and I only stopped, nearly slamming into his back, when Blake came to an abrupt halt.

"What?" I whispered.

He didn't say anything for the first few seconds, only leaned down and picked up something from the ground in front of him. And then he stared.

"Blake." Alexis's voice came out a little strange behind me.

"Well." He turned around and faced us, holding something in his free hand that I couldn't quite see. "I think we've been found."

Alexis and I didn't say anything. Blake raised the thing in his hand, a photograph I noticed. I took it from him and frowned. It was a photograph of Blake, Alexis, and I standing on that deserted grassy ground just moments ago. Where Blake had been looking for the entrance that would lead us here.

Someone had taken our picture up there and placed it here. In our way. Because they knew we were coming. Oh, I thought and my eyes widened as I looked back up at Blake. Felix knew.

Alexis took the photograph from me and I felt myself trembling, looking around in the dark.

Blake sighed and dragged a hand over his face. "Ah, fuck."

"There's still--" Alexis started but I didn't really hear what else she said. Not when I could've felt myself shivering. At first, I thought it was the shock and fear and the absolute dread of the situation. But it wasn't. The spot we were in was suddenly getting colder.

"Is it getting colder or am I just freaking out?" I asked them both in a whisper, rubbing both of my arms simultaneously.

Blake went still right before sniffing the air. And it was as if someone flipped a switch, brilliantly fast, because he grabbed Alexis's arm first, then mine, and hissed, "Cover your fucking noses!"

I did cover my nose, but the cold was seeping in way too fast and I was shaking. "What--"

Thuds and loud footsteps resounded in the distance and I vaguely heard Blake swearing before his flashlight died down.

"Try not to breathe. At all." He whispered quietly.

The footsteps neared us and I pressed my back to the nearest wall, feeling my heart wanting to crawl up my throat.

"What a lovely surprise." A voice spoke up from in front of us. A familiar voice, a tiny part of my brain yelled at me. Like that man in that back alley with those grey eyes and that heated spark of revenge in them. Ana's brother. Felix. "I will enjoy the fuck out of this."

And then a hand appeared out of thin air, grabbing my arm in a biting grip and I yelped, thrashing and struggling. But none of that mattered. Not when I was being pulled away from Blake and Alexis. Not when I stumbled forward and heard shouts behind me.

Not, I realized, when the cold was making my head feel so so sluggish. Tired. Exhausted. I tried another futile attempt at grabbing the gun from my pocket or hitting my assailant, but it was just that--futile.

Because the cold fog in my head and the shivering heat in my lungs made my vision swim, even in the darkness around us. And then I blacked out.

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how many chaps do you think are left before the ultimate ̶̶s̶̶̶a̶̶c̶̶r̶̶i̶̶f̶̶i̶̶c̶̶e end? :)