My Sister, Skylar

Twenty-five

Hundred described the plan, explaining is as best as she could, moving little bits and pieces around on the creaky table. It groaned in protest when she slammed her hand down.

"If Ten and I teleport the groups to the back, we can get a small group to distract the guards. Then we'll get the rest of us to attack from the front when the stealth groups get in. If I can get Eight to lead a group with an Electricity Twists up to the control tower, they could hijack everything and break it. We'll have two groups to break into the Facility. One from the left, one from the right. All the Electricity Twists will then group together and - led by Eight - make their way to the tower to disable the fence and other defences. Meanwhile, stealth group one will stand guard, and stealth group two will round up the kids, but try to be discreet. The attacking group will be in charge of distracting the guards, so hopefully, they'll be off our radar and we can work quickly, with no casualties.

"Once the fence is disabled, we'll contact the big group, who will then charge in and help the assault group with reinforcements, medical care - looking at you Twenty and Thirty-Two - and several trucks to get the kids out. We can hijack the trucks from around the city. Three, Eleven, Two-Oh-Nine, can you get on that? The main focus will be to get the kids that the stealth group has rounded up, at this meet point.  We'll do it in waves, going by cabin numbers, closest ones to the battle first. Once they're loaded in, we'll have two trucks waiting - one for medical and one for the stragglers. We'll have one final group who is able, to sweep the Facility when we're finished. Make sense to everyone?" Hundred finished, looking up at everyone. 

"Going into battle is optional, by the way. So we need volunteers," she added.

"Who will be leading the groups?" Asked someone from the back. 

"Good question. If they will, I think we'll have Six lead the assault group, his Twist is unmatched in power, and we'll need him. Eight will lead the Electric group, I will lead the big group - working mainly to teleport several of the group over with Ten - Seven will lead stealth group one, and I think Leigh should lead group two, to find her sister." Hundred looked at her, nodding in reassurance. Leigh nodded back. She was ready to end this once and for all. 

After going over the plan again, and demonstrating it on the map, Six led her along the hallway. 

"Leigh. Are you ready?" He asked her. She nodded. 

"Of course. Thank you so much for bringing us all this way, Six," Leigh breathed, wrapping her arms around his middle. 

He hesitated a minute before returning the affection. 

"Of course. I couldn't let Nine down. Anyway, her sister is just as amazing. You're so brave, Leigh," he whispered. "I hope I can still see you after all this is over. I would love to see you and Ni - Skylar together. As family. I just wish I could be part of it." 

"You will be, Six. I mean, if you're family doesn't accept you as theirs anymore. I think you would make the best big brother ever," Leigh whispered back. He hugged her tighter. 

"I'm glad I got to be with you all this time, Leigh. You reminded me what it was like to have family, to have someone who actually loves you." His voice broke a little on each word. 

"You too, Six. You too. Thank you so much. I can't wait until this is all over until I can live a normal life, hopefully with you." She smiled up at him, and he smiled back, ruffling her hair. 

"I'm glad for that." He laughed. Something about Six had changed. He seemed more relaxed, more open, like the Facility had broken him, but the last week had fixed him somehow.

"I don't know if I even want to see my family again. It just seems so far away..." he thought. 

"Well, soon you'll know. And if you don't live with us, I'll come to visit all the time," Leigh smiled. 

"Me too." 

A silence filled between them. A silence filled with different coloured fire, funny faces made at each other over Madelaine's head, bumping each other's hands to see if they were ok... a silence filled with memories, memories that Leigh would never forget. Six was her older brother, related or not. 

"Leigh?" He asked. 

"Yeah?" 

"Don't die tonight." 

"That would be bad. Travel all this way, just to die. That would suck."

Six laughed. "Agreed. But I'm serious. You're are one of the few people I remembered how to love." 

Preparations were made. Kids were strapped into the kevlar vests, weapon free. Hundred had told them to go as light as possible, and just use their Twist as defence, except for the few kids who couldn't, like the Teleporters or the Medicals. It didn't truly feel real until Hundred left with the first few kids. It was weird to watch them disappear into thin air. It looked like they were being sucked into a tiny black hole, a blur of colour slipping into nothing. Ten sat down next to Leigh at some point. She was a lanky girl with a pretty face, with a long scar running from her forehead across her nose and down her neck. It made her beautiful, somehow. Strong-looking. A survivor. 

"You ready to do this, fam?" She asked, nudging Leigh's leg. 

"Hell yeah." Came her response. Ten grinned. 

"One sentence, and I already like you. Good luck, yeah?"

"You too." 

Leigh sat at the edge. Hundred, Ten, and one more Teleporter that she didn't know the number of transported the assault group away, but it was such a big group that it would take a while. Madelaine sat down next to her. 

"Don't die." Was her first sentence. Leigh laughed nervously. 

"I'll try. Anyway, you too." She smiled at her. Ollie had already been taken with the big group, barley having enough time to say goodbye. Madelaine smiled, then looked away. 

"Madelaine!" Came Ten's voice. "You're up!" 

Maddy and Leigh looked at each other, each feeling scared. They got up, giving each other a huge hug. Madelaine sniffed, and Leigh realized with a shock that they were both crying. 

"Please be careful," she sobbed into Leigh's hair. 

"You too." She sniffed in response. "I love you."

"I love you too." 

Then she was whisked away into the crowd. Leigh got one more glance of her friend's beautiful face before she was sucked into the little vortex.