Panic Room (a.i) On Hold

Chapter 5

Mali's P.O.V

I make my way through the cramped passageway in the heart of my family's mansion. Luckily, no one knows about this tunnel other than me, Raphael, Luke Hemmings, Michael, and Nico Abernathy. This means I can make it through the place without someone catching me. I really can't risk that. If they find me, who knows what they'll do.

Possibly cut my tongue out for treason.

I cover my mouth to muffle the giggles coming from my dark joke. I continue down the hall, starting to get very bored. I knew I should have brought Raphy with me. He would have made some stupid jokes.

I didn't want to risk him, though. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to him. I've almost lost him once. I'd rather not chance it again.

Footfalls start to sound behind me. I stop immediately, turning around as quickly as I can. My hand flies to the handgun I have tucked into the waistband of my jeans.

I can't let anyone find me. I'll shoot them if I have to.

The gun is now securely in my hands, my finger resting on the trigger. My heart is beating a million miles a minute. My breathing becomes uneven as I come to the realization that I might have to shoot another human being. It might not have been as bad if the person was a stranger. But here I'll have more than likely grown up with this person standing in the halls.

"Don't shoot!" a familiar voice yells.

I huff, putting the gun back in its place. I rest my hands on my hips as a familiar purple-haired boy appears.

"Are you serious Michael?" I ask, feeling annoyed.

He smiles mischievously. "I was only taking a walk. Maybe you need to loosen up a bit, sis."

I smile a bit at that term of endearment. Even though we aren't related, he considers me his sister. I, without a doubt, consider my brother. I'd do just about anything for him.

"What are you even doing down here?" I demand. I can't stay mad at him.

He shoves his hands in his pockets and walks towards me. "Well, we still have a while until the meeting. I got bored listening to Calum drone on and on about new ways to torture Ashton."

I raise my eyebrows. "I take it you mean one of their victims?"

He nods. "Every time I'm forced to watch this thing they call a "game" I can only remember when they put me through it. That torture was worse than anything I've ever had to do." He stops himself. "-Er, I mean after Panic Room."

I bite down on my lip. I link my arm with Michael's, going down the tunnel. "I still haven't found a way to get your memories back." I think back through all of the documents I've read. "I might have a few leads, but that's about it. I swear I'm trying. I'm trying so hard but it's just-."

"Stop Mali," Michael chuckles, cutting me off. "It's okay. I don't necessarily need the memories back. I'm sure my life couldn't have gotten any better than this from what I've seen in New Sydney."

My eyes widen. "They've allowed you to go into New Sydney?"

He smirks. "Allowed, snuck out. Same thing."

I giggle at him. I so badly want to get him out of this world. The one I suffocate in for the first seventeen years of my life. I hated living in this mansion. Sure, I had everything I could want. Clothes, cars, makeup.

But I wasn't free to be who I am.

I don't care about the brand of shoes I have or what kind of purse I'm carrying around.

In fact, I only wore old band T-shirts that I found in a vintage store and worn down pairs of skinny jeans. Maybe even some kind of hat to top it all off.

I still wear those old clothes. It feels nice to not be judged by my parents when I walk around in a Sex Pistols shirt.

I glance over at Michael. He seems to be doing better. I take it Calum's been so busy torturing his newest victims he hasn't had the time to destroy his adopted brother.

I sigh, thinking of how cruel Calum has become. "So, who's going to be at the meeting?"

"Liz, Luke, Nico, Mel, Annabelle, Jason, Katrina, you, and me."

I scoff. "What are we going to solve with such a small group?"

"We still haven't gained enough trust from The Leaders to meet with them yet," He explains. "The plan is to plan out an attack to get the victims out of the Panic Room chambers. If we can come up with a good enough plan, they will give us what we need. If we succeed we will then finally meet them."

I smiled. "So if we had a to-do list it would go: Number One: Make a plan. Number Two: Carry Out Plan. Number Three: Meet with Leaders."

He laughs. "I'm glad they didn't kill your sense of humor."

I laugh with him. "I'm just glad they didn't actually kill me." I sighed, my mood dropping. "I'm just glad to be out of that chaos."

He wraps his arm around my shoulders. "Chaos is what killed the dinosaurs, darling!" He practically yells.

I roll my eyes. "Says the guy who claims that 'the extreme makes an impression.'"

He shrugs. "It's only the truth." He looks over at me, knowing that there's an argument brewing in my mind. "I don't think we have the time to argue, sis."

I smile. "Well, our longest argument is five minutes. You think we have that long?"

He looks at his bare wrist like he's checking the time."I'm afraid not. I believe we have a traitorous meeting to get our asses to."