Ben's POV
I sat up, looked around, and then sank back onto my white bed, exhausted. Today could not have been any worse. I immediately fell asleep and instead of having dreams, I had flashbacks.
*Flashback*
"Ben, Erica, you two are assigned for the mission to take down SPYDER, once and for all," Cyrus declared.
I looked at Erica thrilled, excitement shone in her bright eyes, as well.
"It will be extremely hard. You two will not be going alone, I will be coming along with some other friends of yours. Remember, be ready for anything..." Cyrus finished.
*2nd flashback*
"Please aboard your seats, we will be arriving in Argentina after a few days. Buckle up!"
*3rd flashback*
"Ben," Erica started "I -I don't feel the same way about you anymore..."
Tears shone and her eyes and I saw through her icy walls. She was hurt. But why? She was the one breaking up with me...
*4th flashback*
"Run!" Cyrus screamed, "Abandon plan!"
I ran side by side with Erica. The house we were just in exploded. I fell face-first to the ground. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, I quickly spat it out and kept running.
"Erica? Where are you!" I said looking around, still sprinting. She was a few feet back, trailing ever so slowly to be considered normal for Erica. I turned around and ran to her. Ignoring her protests, I threw her over my back and ran.
"Let me go, Ben!"
"Ok, but please stay by me. I don't want to lose you."
I heard a scream in the distance. Catherine's. Erica and I exchanged looks and hastily ran to the direction of her voice.
When we reached her, she was bleeding like crazy. I looked closely and saw that her arm was shot. Cyrus was nowhere to be seen.
Erica looked at her, genuine worry crossed over her face. She took out bandages, pain medicines, and other essential things. She then crouched down next to her mother, and then she started working on her. Suddenly, Erica stopped. It was as if someone invisible was talking to her. With a face of sorrow, worry, and madness. She stood up and kicked her mom. Catherine winced.
Erica stood up and ran away, taking all of the medical supplies with her.
*5th flashback*
"Erica! Please! Help me!"
"She is one of us now Ben. One. of. US." Joshua said smirking.
Erica looked at me. She looked sorry. Then help me, I thought. Stop standing there with sadness on your face and help bust me outta here! But she stood there.
"Erica, give Dane the key."
Erica hesitated.
"Now! Give him it now!" Joshua said, his words harsh.
Erica gave Dane the key to my cell. After a few minutes, I was beaten, bruised, and cuts were covering every inch of my body. Why Erica? Why?
*6th flashback*
"Come back, Erica!" Cyrus said.
"Don't join the bad guys. Please!" Catherine pleaded
"Dad... Mom... I want to! I'm coming. It's just that-" Something cut Erica off.
It was as though the invisible man came back again and was telling her more things. Her eyes glazed over for what seemed only for a second. Then her face hardened, no emotions appeared again. She turned around and stood next to Joshua.
"I'm with them now, whether you like it or not." She said coldly
*7th flashback*
"Cyrus!" I said, "Do you have her?"
"Yes, Ben. She's over here."
I went over to Cyrus and saw Catherine next to him. Erica was crying, she looked at me.
"I love you. I always have, and I always will. I never wanted to join, them, guys. Believe me. The thing is someon-" There she was, cut off again.
She stopped and covered her ears as if hearing something was very loud.
"Stop it! Just stop! I'm over this. Let me do it, please. Let me!" Erica cried.
She dropped to her knees. Tears were pooling on the ground. Erica was a mess. Emotions were surrounding her and closing in tightly. I did not know how to describe her breakdown. She kept talking to herself. Yelling. Pleading. Sobbing. Hyperventilating.
"Is she- has she gone mad?" I asked.
"I don't know..." Cyrus said
Catherine softly cried
*8th flashback*
"I don't want to keep her here!" I said, "What if she hurts one of us?!"
"Well, we can't give her to an asylum or hospital or something. She could tell everyone about the spy world. She has no control over herself right now!" Cyrus argued.
After a few moments, I looked at her. She looked back, her face a mess. She slowly walked over to me. But I had had enough. She had turned her back on me- us one too many times.
"Go away!" I said, "I don't know why I ever trusted you, never less became friends with you!"
The world went black. Images of her kicking her wounded mother. Choosing SYDER over us. Watching Dane beat me to the pulp. They surrounded my vision.
I hated Erica Hale.
