Sitting Ducks

Chapter Four: 84

"No!" I whispered furiously. This couldn't be happening, we were completely screwed. I couldn't walk, and Emily was dead weight. We heard two gunshots and shouts.

"HEY! GET BACK HERE! SEARCH THE WHOLE HOUSE, TAKE ANYONE!" Somebody yelled. Jared picked me up and flicked a light switch. The wall opened up and we slipped inside. It was dark.

"Cool." I whispered. I didn't have a chance to grab my crutches, so Jared had to carry me. We stayed in the little crevice in the wall, and heard the basement door open.

"Check this out Derek! They've got guns and everything, and plus this is all top of the line." They started poking around, and I prayed that they wouldn't find my crutches.

"Andrew check this out! A pair of crutches, one of them must be injured. Who do you think it is?" I held my breath.

"I don't know. The only person I could think of would be 199, and she's in custody." I silently swore, but I was confused. He was lying, because I knew who 199 was.

Me.

"Wade? Listen we found a tricked out basement, it's wicked man! Anyways, how many have you got?" There was a pause and Andrew sighed.

"One? Seriously? Oh two, that's just as bad." Who had he gotten? Emily, was a sure bet, and maybe Collin. He would protect her.

"Let's go help Wade and Sam. God they're both idiots." Andrew exclaimed and we heard them walk back up the stairs.

"Count to thirty." Jared whispered very quietly. I nodded and started to count.

"LET GO OF ME! YOU'RE HURTING ME!" A girl screamed, probably Emily. I doubt it was Hannah.

Jared leaned over me and flipped another switch. The wall opened up silently. I crawled over to my crutches, and stood up. Grabbing a gun, I quickly loaded it, then grabbed another.

"You're not serious Elise. You're staying here, that's final." Jared hissed. I shook my head, and my phone beeped. I flipped it open and saw Tyler's name.

18-21-14

Why was he texting in code. It was basic, it corrusponded to the alphabet, but still. I showed Jared the text and he looked worried. If Tyler wasn't going to fight, then the situaton was hopeless.

"Why would he tell us to run! We have to help them." I whispered. Jared shook his head.

"We need to get out of here Elise. I need you to get out, and just get to the town. The rest of us can run, but you can't." I nodded, and gave him the gun. He was right. I walked up to the door and opened it.

"Why don't you cry for your mommy little boy!" I heard a familiar voice shout. Andrew. I slowly hobbled to the kitchen, trying not to make any noise with my crutches. I bashed into the kitchen table, and fell over.

"Who's there!" Andrew snapped. "Show yourself!" I heard footsteps approach me, then a laugh.

"Silver, what the hell are you doing here!" Andrew said, sounding amused and nervous at the same time. His partner came over, I think his name was Derrek.

"Dude, you said she was back at the base, not cool. Anyways, we got two others, let's get out of here." He stated. Andrew walked forward and slung me over his shoulder.

"Elise! Oh come on!" I heard Tyler shout. Wait, Tyler? I twisted myself so I could see the other captives. Tyler and Emily. I huffed, why couldn't they have come in two days! I could've fought them, easily. Now I had to be rescued again, by Jared. If he did, which I was counting on.

"NOOOO!" Emily screamed. From what I heard, there were five operatives in the room. I guess they thought there would only be three. But still, why only have five? Didn't they learn their lesson already? We needed a distraction.

"HEYYYYYYY SEXYYY LADYYY!" I heard someone yell from upstairs. I forced the smile off my face. Colllin. He wouldn't stop playing that Korean song.

"Wade, go check it out! We'll handle these three, I can't afford another slip up." He turned and started to carry me out the door. This was it, I was a goner. I would spend the rest of my life as a lab rat. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't hear the gunshots until seconds later.

"You know, if you wanted a date with her, you should have asked." Jared walked up, grinning. He had Hannah and Collin with him. Everyone execpt for Andrew, Darek, and another guy were still standing. In a flash, they had assumed the "hostage position"

The hostage position is simply a knife or gun to the neck. Even if Jared shot them straight on, the insintct would be to pull back, therefore killing the hostage instantly.

"I'm surprised that you're still alive Andrew. I thought your boss would have killed you for failing on a mission." Collin said cockily. Emily let out a shriek as the guy who was holding her fell over. Jared had shot him in the hand, and he flew back. Hannah fired a shot into his forehead.

"Let Tyler go, maybe we'll let you two live." Collin sneered. Andrew shook his head, and pressed his gun against my temple.

"L wanted her, especially. I won't kill her, but I will immobilize her." He pointed the gun towards my hurt leg. I locked eyes with Jared and nodded slightly, then tilted my head to the side.

Procedure 84

Jared and I had worked together for so long, we had developed some maneuvers of our own. I autimatically bent down, while Jared fired a shot. While Andrew was distracted, I pushed him over and Jared fired another shot. Andrew lay on the ground, dead. We all turned to the man who was holding Tyler. He dropped him and looked like he was about to cry.

"Scram." Hannah spat at him. He nodded and reached into his pocket. Throwing the piece of paper on the ground, he ran for his life. Collin fired two shots at his back and he fell over. Jared ran back into the house, and grabbed my crutches for me.

"Why did you do that?" Emily shrieked. Poor girl looked completly shook up. I limped over and picked up the letter.

'Dear 199, or Elise Silver

Hello, my name is L. I'm the head of BrickStone, the company that is chasing after you. Now I know that you may be mad and upset at me, but I suggest you pay attention.

Firstly, make sure no one else reads this. Go into your bedroom, I will know if you don't.'

I rolled my eyes and hobbled to my bedroom. He was probably watching me now. I motioned for Jared not to follow me.

'Good. Now Elise, you and your little group of friends have been a huge inconvenience. But I am prepared to offer you a deal. You give yourselves up, and I won't hurt you. I will get you, at least some of you. That Emily girl is very pretty you know.'

I clenched my fist, how dare he threaten me?

'Since you're reading this, I assume that all my operatives have been killed. You have four days to give yourselves up, before I take real action. I will not extend this date, so stay where you are. Rip this letter up after you finish reading it.

Goodbye Elise, I hope to see you soon.

-L

P.S. Bradley says hi.'

I ripped the letter up into a bunch of little pieces.

"JARED!" I shouted. He came running in to my room.

"Grab all the cash you can find, leave the weapons. They probably have trackers on them. We have to get to the airport." He nodded at me and ran downstairs.

Six hours later, we were on a plane to Boston. Hannah and Jared were sitting next to me, sleeping. In fact, most of the plane was sleeping.

I couldn't sleep. My brain whirled with questions. Why was that letter addressed to me? Why would L tell us to stay when he knew we would go? His parting words echoed around in my head.

Bradley says hi.

That same phrase repeated itself over and over until the words melded together.

Bradley