Chapter 19: The Plan Part 1

Phoenix was sitting on the edge of the bed in the room she and, to her dismay, Leif were sharing. She hadn’t looked up from her hands ever since she had gotten out of the bathroom after taking a shower.

Leif was leaning against the door frame leading from the small kitchen to the bedroom. He hadn’t said anything since he noticed her there, he just watched. Telling from the melancholy expression deepening her face, it was wise for him to keep his mouth shut.

Leif sighed and pushed himself off the door frame.

“Ya know, Nixie,” Leif said, walking slowly towards Phoenix, “you’ll get sick if ya don’t dry your hair properly.” Leif smirked and gave a small chuckle. “I’ll be happy to do it for ya, if you’d like.”

Phoenix didn’t listen to him, let alone even acknowledge he was there. When Phoenix finally moved, it was a simple action of tying her hair up into a drooping bun.

Leif crossed his arms, seeing no reaction for his, partial, joke. “Ya can’t just keep sitting here, Nixie…”

Phoenix still didn’t answer.

Leif shook his head and that’s when he finally noticed the thing Phoenix was holding. She was holding an old, torn and withered, photo. Leif knew it was of her brother and herself, along with Leif himself and Cole Chalet. Now he understood why she wasn’t listening to him, let alone giving him any acknowledgement.

The four: Leif, Cole, Kaiden, and Phoenix, had been together for twelve years, ever since the three men met in college. They attended Arnet University, and were roommates nonetheless. Cole and Leif came to meet Phoenix three days after meeting Kaiden, when the young girl was bringing some belongings to her brother. Soon, the group had formed an unbreakable bond that had held through the years.

It was only right to say that Leif knew how Phoenix felt when Kaiden and Cole just suddenly disappeared. He himself missed them, his best friends, and felt lonely without having them teasing him daily about his crush on the girl that was eight years younger than him.

Even so, Leif knew that Cole and Kaiden would be found, under any circumstance. Leif just had to find them.

Leif sighed again and sat down next to Phoenix, folding his hands.

“Wherever they are,” he said, giving a halfhearted smile, “they’re all right.”

“I know,” Phoenix finally said. “But…for some reason I keep thinking, ‘what if…‘.”

Leif frowned and narrowed his eyes. He knew how much she was worried. Even if she gave a cold front, she was very kind on the inside. Although, Leif never could understand why she never cried, not years ago and not even now.

Leif set a hand on Phoenix’s shoulder, making her look at him.

“We’ll find them,” Leif reassured. “We’ll bring them back.” Leif smiled and laughed. “And when we do, we’ll make sure they get their butts kicked for all this, eh?”

Phoenix gave a small smile and laughed a little. Leif’s positive thinking always managed to get her out of these rough patches. She really appreciated it, because she knew she could always count on him.

Phoenix soon realized she was being mushy and stopped smiling, stuffing the photo in her pocket. She grabbed Leif’s hand and twisted it behind his back, forgetting any affection she just held for him.

“Quit touching me so familiarly you douchebag!” Phoenix said.

“S-Stop it, Nixie!” Leif cried. Phoenix’s grip on his arm tightened and he scream again. “Uncle! Uncle!“ Phoenix didn’t lighten up. “Bloody hell, Phoenix, uncle!” Phoenix let him go, making him collapse to the floor.

“Serves you right,” Phoenix said, standing to her feet. She kicked Leif lightly in the side and walked out of the bedroom.

“Do ya always have to be so unpleasant, Nixie?” Leif said, rubbing his arm as he stood to his feet.

“If you keep calling me that”-Phoenix looked over her shoulder with a nerve cringing glare-“you’re going to feel worse.”

Leif took a breath a held it, afraid that even the slightest movement would set her off on her plan of assassination. When Phoenix turned her back to him again, he released his breath with relief. When he looked back up and to Phoenix, he saw her grabbing her gear and stuffing it into a bag.

“What are ya doin’?” Leif said.

Phoenix grabbed his pistol and loaded it. “Going to get information.” Phoenix tucked the gun under her shirt and continued packing.

“Are you nuts?” Leif shouted. “Ya can’t go out there with all those METASOCIETY soldiers lurking around! You’re sure to get caught.”

“And what do you suppose we do, Wyrick?” Phoenix said, looking at him coldly. “Give up the chance to figure out what our enemy is planning and pretend we never got the chance? Or take the chance at winning this war?” Phoenix grabbed her bag a slung it over her shoulder, walking past Leif towards the door. “I’ve made my decision.”

Leif gritted his teeth, having the lingering memory of Kaiden before he left.

Phoenix stopped when Leif grabbed her arm, keeping her from walking.

“Trying to stop me?” Phoenix said, looking over her shoulder. She froze when she saw the serious look in his eyes. For once he was not the loose and playful Leif she knew.

“I’m not going to stop you,” Leif said, “but I’m coming with whether you like it or not.” Leif’s eyes narrowed a bit and showed a glimpse of anguish before going back to the previous impression. “I have a promise to uphold, and I intend on keeping it at any cost.” Leif let go of Phoenix’s arm and smirked. “But you can’t go like that.”

Phoenix narrowed her eyes a snarled at him. “Excuse me?”

“Ya heard me.” Leif took the bag from Phoenix’s arm and opened it. He took out her extra pistol, it’s ammo, and a knife. He then threw the rest into the bedroom, handing her the things he took out. “Take these, and that’s it. Everythin’ else will just be in the way.”

Soon enough, Leif had grabbed his own pistol and ammo. He then pushed Phoenix out the door, even if she continued to object.

Reviews

[Nell]

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I love this story, please write more!