The Hidden Truth

Ch.53 Trap

******

Sage gives the signal over the radio and I wave my group to move forward. We move slowly, carefully towards the warehouse. We use the shadows and our black clothes to our advantage.

I've already accepted death. If I do die tonight, I'm not scared. I'm ready to fight.

Last year, I never would've thought I would be in this situation. I think that me, a year ago would've cowered and hid in a corner.

I've changed so much. And I have my friends to thank. I'm not scared of much anymore. The way I look at it is, I got away from my father. I can do anything I put my mind to.

Tonight, I'm fine with dying. But if one of my friends die, I'll be broken. I'll be that broken shell of a girl. I'll go back to living in the depths of my mind. Especially if I lose Sage. But really, if I lose any of them.

We make it up to the warehouse.

Time seems to stop as we break open the door. I think about everyone I'm worried about tonight. I think about all the important people I could lose is just a second.

I raise my gun and hold it steady. I hear the other groups forcing their way in, and eventually I see them too. I motion for my group to go in and start searching, looking for any Void members.

Everything's quiet for a while as we all move around. I climb the stairs with a few of my group members behind me and in front of me. Then, the gunshots start. Ringing through my ears, piercing the air.

I grip my gun tighter as I make it to the top of the stairs. I give my group the go and we split up to search up here. We kick down doors and search rooms.

Where are they?

Then it hits me as I walk into a room. This is all a trap.

My breath gets caught in my throat and I feel like I'm going to throw up. I keep my gun steady and I lift my left hand up to my radio that's clipped onto my shoulder.

I press the button and hear the static.

"Sage. This is Eden. This is a trap. I repeat this is a trap." I keep my eyes focused. Horrified, terrified to move. I release the button and wait for a response.

"Eden? Explain." Sage's voice booms. Static follows. I click the button again.

"A bomb. There's a bomb." I say trying to stay calm. But I can't when I'm looking right at it.

"What?" He screams into the radio. "Where are you?"

"I'm upstairs. But listen, you can't come up here. I don't want anyone else to get hurt." I say. I release the button and try not to shift on my feet. I'm standing partially on a mat. There are wires connecting this mat to the bomb. I think that if I take pressure off of this mat, it'll explode.

"Fuck that Eden! I'm coming up there." Sage says.

I hold down the button. "No. Don't you dare. It's connected to a pressure plate. If I move, it'll blow."

"Shawn get up there!" Sage says into the radio.

"Roger that." Shawn says. I feel tears pricking at my eyes. I hear Sage coming up the stairs and down the hall.

"Eden oh my god." He says standing behind me.

"Sage, don't touch me. Don't even come near me." I say. He doesn't say anything. "Sage!" I yell.

"What?" He says snapping out of whatever fog he was in.

"Listen and listen carefully. I know that Shawn is smart and maybe, just maybe he'll be able to defuse the bomb, but if he can't, I need you to get everyone else out of here. Get them to the cars and get them away from here. I have a gut feeling that the void will be waiting for you all to leave this warehouse. Tell them that and tell them to be ready." I say.

"Okay." He says clearly still in a daze.

"Don't worry about me. Get yourself and everyone else out of here. If Shawn can't defuse it, I'll be sending him out too." I say. "Sage. Now!"

"I love you." He says. "I hate you and the fact that you're doing this, but I love you." He says. I hear his uneven voice and I know he's probably close to crying. I am too.

"I love you more, now go." I say silent tears rolling down my face. And with that he's off running down the hall. Shawn replaces him.

"Hey." He says as he slips past me and into the room.

"Hey." I say.

"Hanging in there?" He asks kneeling down in front of the device. I try to laugh but it comes out more of a sob.

"You could say that." He gets to work doing whatever it is he's doing and I close my eyes.

I can't believe this is how I'm going to die.

***
Sage's POV

I can't lose her. I can't. I hope Shawn can defuse it.

I run down the stairs and start yelling orders. I'm telling people to get outside and to the cars. I'm telling them to be ready for a surprise attack once we step foot out of here. Marie and Val find me and tell me something but it all sounds fuzzy.

My own voice sounds strange. I'm simply moving. I'm a robot. I'm no longer myself. I can't think straight. I can't see straight. Tears are threatening to spill over my eyes but I force them away. I will not cry in front of my men.

I'm the last one to start running away from the warehouse. I had to make sure all my men and women got out safe. But I know they didn't. Shawn and Eden are still in there. Eden.

The girl I saved. The girl I protected. The girl I love. Have I caused her death? Have I brought her to her death. I'm standing, staring at the warehouse when i hear a loud boom. I watch catch fire. I watch it explode.

I feel nothing but absolute pain. I fall to my knees as tears finally make their escape.

I lost her.

And Shawn.

I lost two people who were everything to me.

I'm broken. I'm just a shell of a man.

I'm nothing.

I'm dead

I'm cold.

I want nothing more than to die. But then I think I wouldn't be able to avenge her. I have to get revenge. I will kill Carter. He will die.

The flames are hot. I can feel them from here. I can't stop staring. There's something beautiful about them.

My mind races and all I can think about is all the time I spent with Eden and how it wasn't enough.

Too young. We're all too young for all this shit.

We're all too young to have to be living this kind of life.

But I know one thing. I'm going to kill Carter.

******

Hey guys!! Sorry it's been a hot second.

I'm also sorry because of this cliff hanger oops

I'm hoping to be back

Love y'all!!! So much!!!

Xoxo- Jillian