Survivor

Chapter 13

When she pulled away from Keefe, his shoulder now sufficiently drenched in tears she looked back at the rest of her friends. Linn and Biana were beaming at her and were the first to rush forward in her second hug in as many minutes after a brief moment they were joined by Della, the taller woman leaning down to be on their level. Dex was next as said a quiet "We missed you." During their hug. She turned to Tam who had since taken down his shadow wall and offered up a small smile in place of a hug knowing he wasn't much for hugs, she promptly received a nod and smile back. Finally she turned to Fitz who was standing stock still but then broke into a smile.
"You made me recount every detail of our lives in the past few years just to keep up appearances!" He said with a laugh as he roped her into a tight hug. She chuckled against his shirt before breaking away and taking in the sight of all her friends together. The mission was blown, there was no way she could get that scroll now. Keefe seemed to detect her disappointment and fear as she had forgotten to build her emotional shield back up. His eyes darted down to her wrist and his eyes narrowed in confusion.
"Sophie why are you alone, and why don't you have an ability restrictor on anymore." He pointed down at her hand and she felt all eyes go to her wrist.
"Why were you at Everglen to begin with?" Biana asked suddenly very wary. Sophie sucked in a breath nervously.
"I'm on a mission." She blurted out, her words slurring together a bit. They all looked shocked so she continued, "I was sent here to steal a scroll going from Alden to the Councillors." She continued with a sigh, she was suddenly very glad Gethen couldn't probe her memories.
Oh no. Her face fell as she realized what her failure to get that scroll meant. Maybe there was time? She could teleport to San Francisco before they found out, right? Or she could go back in and find that scroll but they would inevitably try to stop her.
"Sophie if you don't have an ability restrictor and there's no one here with you why are you trying to steal a scroll from my father office?" Fitz asked cautiously.
"I- I can't tell you that." She stated, with a nod as if she was convincing herself as well. They looked crestfallen and didn't speak for a second until Dex finally spoke up.
"You're going back to them aren't you?" He asked tentatively, her only response had a gentle nod of affirmation.
"Do you want to work for them?" Tam asked and Keefe rounded on him faster than anything she had ever seen before.
"Are you insane bangs boy! Why in the world would Foster want to work for the Neverseen?" He shouted raising his hands in annoyance.
"I can't tell you why but I need you to trust me." She said simply hoping they would believe her.
"Trust?" It was Fitz who spoke up. "How can we trust you when you're making trips to my fathers office for reasons you can't tell us. That sounds very trustworthy." He said glaring at her. Keefe was about it blow up on him too but someone beat him to it.
"Fitzroy Avery Vacker! I hardly think Sophie wants to be doing it, maybe she has reasons that we can't know for fear of something happening to one of us. She could be saving your life by not telling you! Did you ever think of that?" Della rarely yelled but she was an absolute terror when she did. All around her arguments ensued, it seems everyone was yelling at someone else except Keefe who was a silent observer like herself. She had been here too long she decided. She slowly backed away hoping no one noticed but Keefe's watchful gaze found hers. His face looked pained but he gave her a slow nod. He seemed to understand her predicament though he certainly did not want her to go he knew that if she had a reason good enough she couldn't come back when they were standing right there. It was probably a good one. Taking one last glance at the people still arguing around her she turned and ran down the stairs, no one seemed to notice until she was outside and halfway up in the air ready to teleport. Below she saw her friends running across the yard toward her except Keefe who's stood right outside the door giving her a small salute as she went higher and higher. She was just about to start her free fall but just outside Everglen's gate she saw a figure in black robes looking up at her. They slowly shook their head and light leaped away. Sophie face drained of color.
They knew, they knew she failed and now Amy was going to pay for it. She knew what she had to do. She let herself freefall opening the void and popping into blackness before resurfacing someplace new. The air was foul smelling compared to Everglen.
She was in San Francisco.