Control

xxx | aidan (part ii)

I set my sister down, forgetting how heavy she actually without the use of my super strength. Both of us appear visible and I shut the door behind me quickly. No one could get into the house without getting past the barrier, but if they saw the door open, it would give them a target if they get in.

"There you are! What the hell were you thinking?" The words were directed at me but my father embraced my sister instead, then looked at me with a scowl. "I asked, what the hell were you thinking?"

"I did what I thought I had to," I said in response, digging my hands in my pockets. Spencer wasn't wrong when he said my father would get mad if I went to get my sister. I glanced over at her, a worried look on her face, as if this was her fault. The corner of my mouth lifted slightly, giving her a reassuring smile.

"You could've gotten killed. Both of you." He turned around to look at Jordyn. "What would I do if I lost either of you? Aidan, you know you have an important job to do."

He continued to ramble, but I start walking away, making him raise an eyebrow. He -- and everyone here kept referring me as the leader, so surely I didn't have to listen to Dad ramble and scold me. I notice Tyson in a corner, reloading his gun. I walk up to him and grab his wrist. "We need to talk."

I have to yank him up to the ground floor, away from the others. At this point, I'm not worried about anyone breaking in. Amsterdam was one unfortunate event, but I wasn't too worried about everywhere else. We learn from our mistakes.

"What's wrong?" Tyson asked when I let go of him. "What's so secretive that you can't say it in front of the others?"

"I trust you, you know. Fully. One hundred percent. You know that?" I start off by asking him. "I'd trust you with my life and my sister's life and, frankly, I'd trust you to lead this entire thing, too."

Tyson bit his lip, playing with the sleeve of his sweater. "You have a stupid plan, don't you? Like, Lauren-level stupid." It amuses me that our scales compare Lauren's past actions.

I don't want to agree to what he asked but I have to nod. I just told him that I trust him, I can't back out of that now. "But at the end of this, I'm sure that Lauren will be back on our side. Fully. Completely."

"So what's so bad about it?" He asked, but I'm sure he already knows the answer. There's worry in his eyes and I've probably foreshadowed the possible outcome with my words earlier.

"Well, you see, I have to go out there... and see her face to face..." I started, stuttering. "...and if anything happens, I need you to continue doing all this. You're destined to be a king, I know you can do this."

"You aren't telling the others because--"

"You heard my dad just then, right? We need to sacrifice ourselves sometimes, but do you really think anyone down there will let me go out there when they think I have to lead this. You and I both know that I'm supposed to be a weapon against the Institute. We both know that the I'm wanted by the Institute. The second they have their hands on me again, I'm probably never coming back. The other escapes were merely luck and a bad security system."

He's quiet for a bit. Too quite. Come on, I just need a response from him to make sure I'm doing the right thing.

Finally, he speaks. "Plan?"

I take a deep breath. "She's still human. She's affected by every death she's caused, hopefully. You saw her after... after Alyssa's death--" Damn, it's been awhile since I mentioned her. I kind of just wished to forget it. "--she was a mess. They could put the strongest mind control link in her to make her seem emotionless and unaffected, but deep down, she feels all that guilt."