Operation 007 (SpyxFamily)

Ch. 28: Part Five

 Kai was dead.

He was dead, he was dead, he was dead.

Through the darkness and numbing emptiness, Anya heard it ring clearly in Yor's mind. It was loud and cutting, cracking into Anya's consciousness that was buried in heavy weights.

It was as if the fact was shoved in her face and the moment she'd dreamed of, a possibility that had felt like it would never happen, was falling short of her expectations. She heard it and it didn't feel real. His voice was still in her head, his words still played over and over, dampening the relief she should be feeling, the lifting of some great weight that had crushed her her entire life.

But still, that tiny spark that bubbled in her chest.

He was dead.

It began to play over her father's words, and in Loid's lap, in the dark tunnel, in the car that was on it's way out, she cried into Twilight's shirt. She wasn't particularly happy, she wasn't entirely sad.

He was dead and she just cried.

Loid noticed, though it was quiet, and his ever consoling hand pet her head.

She wanted to forget everything that had happened, disbelieve what Kai had said, but there a was part of her that shrank at Twilight's touch.

The drive through the tunnel was only a couple minutes, but it dragged on as if trying to keep Anya there longer and as they neared the end, the car slowed. The Forgers had found the controls for the doors earlier and drove unimpeded up the ramp and into the night air.

They were out. They were leaving. Anya was sure not long ago that it would never happen and some of the dark emptiness lifted. Like a small piece had returned to herself.

The ride was bumpy and slow, and the wet dirt squelched beneath the tires. Residual raindrops sprinkled the roof, and the odd leaf plastered to the windows.

The forest was spookily quiet and broken only by hooting owls and boughs rattled by the wind.

They drove for a couple minutes, avoiding thick mud that would catch the tires, low branches that reached to scrape along the car, and followed the vague path that led to the road.

Anya wanted to stay hidden behind the numbness, the veil that protected her from quite feeling and thinking the entire drive, but it was slipping and it was harder to remain deadened when a consciousness appeared on the edges of her mind.

It was strong and not too, too far away. The presence was like a distant campfire in a reaching void cresting the edges of her range, and it lit up the surrounding area like a beacon. It was impossible to ignore and she was drawn to it.

She startled at first when she couldn't sense their thoughts, but it wasn't an agent with a device. This was different. It was strange. Their intentions were indiscernible and there was nothing but the incredible mental strength.

They were getting closer fast.

Anya shivered and something about it unsettled her. She knew this mind. She had to. It was familiar, and not. She should be able to place it.

The presence was coming closer. The small fire in the distance had become a blaze overshadowing everyone else's.

The rumble of a car became apparent and it was nearing quickly, driving inadvisably fast in these woods.

Her papa heard it too and, in the middle of the forest with not much of an alternate route and no time to hide the car, he slowed and was preparing to jump out if necessary. "Yor." He warned.

"Mm." She nodded.

It was here. The car came through haphazardly, disregarding caution and bouldering over roots and rocks, plowing through at unrecommended speeds. It broke through, racing around a bend, and Yor was already grabbing Damian from the backseat.

Loid jumped out with Anya as it came too fast, it's tires spinning with mud, and the vehicle swerved and pressed hard on the brakes. The driver must've had little control then, because it veered left and swiped a tree, ripping off a side mirror. In a further attempt to not die, the driver swung the car sideways, the wheels slid, and the right side of the car smashed into a tree.

The branches shook and rained needles down on it.

Anya didn't hear any internal screaming, panic, or fear. No exclamations of surprise or terror. Nothing. It was sealed away and she gleaned frustratingly little. It was tightly kept from her and they weren't even trying to do so, she could feel it. This was natural for them, the casual fortitude of their mind, the simple impenetrableness, and it struck her.

Like a smack over the head that said it should've been obvious, her hands slipped before she realized what she was doing, and looked up amazed at the figure opening their door.

It had been so long. She'd met him once and he felt different, but this was definitely him. She should have realized, she should have known.

A foot stepped out on the ground and his hand gripped the door's handle for support. He was unsteady and staggered a little as he stood. His eyes went straight to Damian.

Anya couldn't believe what she was seeing. She never thought she'd meet him again. She never thought she'd have the chance to speak with him again. It was a rare thing to interact with someone like her.

Subject 004.

What was he doing here? What was going on?

From the other side of the Forger's vehicle, a soft whisper breathed, so quiet, so confused, it nearly escaped her.

"Demetrius?"

END

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Author's Note:

Hey guys! Thanks for following along with the story, I hope you enjoyed it. If you're interested in Part Two, it's called Hidden and Silent.

Thanks a lot! :)