All right, let's do this.

Clover~

"We're not so different after all... Ivory," Embry says, almost tonelessly.

"No, I suppose not. But no matter. I'm going to contact... let me see. Should it be Katara's daddy or Madison and Mason's mommy?" he snears, "Seems like whoever I decide on we're going to have another cozy little famly reunion in a few minutes."

"No..." Katara whispers. I feel like crying. This endless circle of hope, broken, hope, captured, hope, gone.

Then I remember. There is hope. In my backpack. 

I slowly, softly slide the backpack to the ground. Carefully unzip. Ivory isn't paying attention, he's too busy verbally torturing Madison, Mason, and Katara. I slip my hand inside and feel around for the tool I want. I find something, hope it's the right one. More hope. The next in the cycle. But maybe this time the cycle will be broken. 

Something, a tingle, a prickle, makes me look up. That boy is watching me, the one with the dark eyes and shaggy hair. The one who pities us, according to Ivory. 

He watches me curiously, and seems to wonder what I'll do next. I pull my hand out of the bag. Clutched in my sweaty fist is- a red pen! Yes! I turn it towards Ivory.

"Ah, Ivory?" the dark-headed boy says quietly, "You may want to look up."

He does. His gaze travels from my face, along my arm, and rests on the pen. The laser. His already pale complexion goes white as marble.

"Clover... you wouldn't..." he whispers. No, I wouldn't. I would never. Would I?

I used to always looked up to Ivory. Sometimes, when I was little, I would pretend he was my big brother. We even looked similar. But I never saw this side of him before. The side which tortures his cousin. The side which hates AYA, and by extention, me. Because I'm a traitor. 

I never thought I would do that, either. Become a traitor. 

"I don't know anymore, Ivory. All I know is that if you don't let us go now I might... or I might not. I don't know."

But in my heart, deep, deep down I think I know. That I will never kill him.  

Top! 

Katara~

Just the mere idea of my father sends plagarizing shivers down my spine, and I voice my disgust in a weak, "No..." There are people everywhere, and I recognize them all, but some are definitely enemies.

They weren't supposed to be here, and now as I realize they are holding us up, a terrifying idea plants itself into my head.

I could kill again. Not the people here, but my only remaining family I had. I'm his heir, and if something happens, then I get control. The word kill strikes a painful blow to my train of though, Elisha's body passing in front of me, to which I responded with a hurried shake of my head.

The others were still there, but I was lost. Lost from the conversation, and starting to focus on that idea that popped into my head. I might be able to pull it off without killing him if I found someone who knew poisons.

Asking around would have to wait until we dealt with the two EVIL agents hanging around.

And, from the looks of it, Clover had things handled. I watched the situation unfodling, and Ivory seemed simply petrified of the lazer. She glanced aorund, studying her surroundings, and then met Clover's gaze.

There was a moment of hesitation before Katara nodded. The girl's eyes widened just enough for Ivory to noticed, but by the time he was turning around Katara had crept up and whacked him upon the head.

He let out a yelp, and she actually had to quicly smack him a second time to get unconciousness. She was definitely getting weak.

Clover~

I can't kill him, I realize. What can I do? I'm stuck. If I don't act soon, he'll call my bluff. Katara meets my gaze and I think she understands my dilemma. Do something, Katara. Please. My eyes widen. Katara hesitates, then nods, creeping behind Ivory. 

He's noticed my expression. Oh, shoot. He's turning around. But before he can do anything, Katara has bonked him on the head. He cries out, so she does it again. This time, he falls to the ground. Unconcious.

Katara shakes her head, looking a bit irritated. She's probably angry at my weakness, my inability to kill. Katara, I remember, has no problem with killing. Or she's done it so many times that it's lost it's meaning.

Now I turn the laser on the dark-eyed boy, the other EVIL agent. He just looks at me, and calmly states,

"You aren't really going to kill me." 

"H- why do you think that?" I ask him, catching myself before I say, How did you know?

"You didn't kill Ivory. I don't think you're going to kill me."

"I knew Ivory. I don't know you. Why wouldn't I kill you?" He shrugs.

"It's certainly a possibility. I just don't think it's likely."

"It's plenty likely," I lie, "But if you let us go now, I won't do it. Just let us go." I can't tell if he believes me or not. 

TOP

TOOP!

Don't die! Come to the TOP!