Chapter 12: Now You Know How We Feel

I was pretty bored in the office, and I mean bored. I was playing with a rubber band ball, tossing it towards the wall next to me and then catching it again. I’d been doing that for the past half hour. I could tell I was getting on Eddie’s nerves.

 

“Can you stop it?!” He yelled from his desk. I looked over at him catching the ball I’d just thrown. I smirked.

 

“Don’t do what?” I asked feigning innocence. Eddie glared at me.

 

“Oh you know what I’m talking about Hernandez.” Eddie said. I shrugged and went to throw the ball again."“Don’t you dare.” He said pointing threateningly at me. I inched my hand back to make the ball go farther. Eddie started to rise up threating me with his eyes. This is just too fun.

I thought to myself. I flicked my wrist and let the ball go.

“F**k Aaron!” Eddie yelled snatching the ball and throwing it in the garbage. I was too busy laughing to care.

 

“Aaron, Eddie! Get suited up. We got a hit on Ria.” Mark said rushing in. We automatically straightened up and rushed out heading to the weapons storage. I was moving from impulse and regulated training. On the inside, I was freaking out. They found her… I thought. I was scared shitless. Did they find her in Shannon’s? How did they find her? How can I warn her? So many questions ran through my head.  I didn’t know what to do. I mentally told myself to calm down. As I put on my earpiece, I came to the conclusion that the only way I could find anything out and do something about it, was by asking.

 

“Alright fill me in guys.” I said as Eddie and me were in the elevator to meet everyone in the lower level.

 

“Jewelz was able to find a location on Ria by tracking some files that were electronically copied. They were all pertaining to Ria’s case so unless someone else is trying to prove her innocent, then she’s as good as ours.” Mark said. I knew they’d pick up on it. Ughh…why did I let her do this? I thought in frustration.

 

“What’s the location?” Eddie asked. That was the big question I wanted to know.

 

“An apartment building just on the outskirts of the area we covered before.” Mark answered. Eddie and I finally reached the lower level and met up with Mark, Kathaleen and Mai. We started to run through a tunnel that traveled underneath the river above. It was helpful when we needed to reach the city quick. It was also how most us entered to begin with.

 

“Owner of the place?” I asked as we continued down the tunnel.

 

“Owner is Griffon Monroe; lives in 122 E 104th St; rooming with Austin Sanders.” Jewelz informed us. Griffon… I seethed in my mind. I knew this would be his fault. The only reason I wanted to go now was to kick his a*s.

                        When we surfaced, we immediately headed for the rooftops. As we traveled, I kept thinking of ways to let Ria know about us approaching. From our experience she won’t be able to hear us, nor will she catch our scent because I’m here. Can I retract my ability? I wondered. I never really had to practice with my ability since it dealt with mostly stealth, but I guessed it was worth a try. We stopped at the building across the street. Mark stood at the edge looking over the building using his ability to confirm a visual on Ria. After a minute or two, he turned to us and nodded.

 

“Seventh floor, third window on the right.” He said pointing to the window and motioning for us to go forward. We leaped over to the roof of our target building. Mark then called us in."“We’re going to surround her, I want Mai and Aaron to come in from the window, Eddie, Kathaleen and I will take the door. She’s not eluding us this time right.” Mark ordered. We all nodded and dispersed to fulfill our tasks. Mai and I slid down the fire escape and to the window Mark told us. I looked to Mai in the corner of my eye and attempted to retract my ability. I wasn’t sure if it was working or not. Mai had gotten the window open and before entering she froze and snapped her head to me.

 

“What the f**k are you doing?” She hissed. I guess it worked. I pretened to not know what she was talking about. She glared at me suspiciously and entered the apartment. The room was dark and only had the time as light. We turned the door knob to the door and saw  it was locked. I raised an eye brow. Is this really her line of defense? I thought to myself. I mean really? Locking the door?

“They know.” Mai said moving me out of the way and kicking the door down. We rushed into the living room. We entered the only lit up room in the whole apartment and saw a guy on the couch flipping through the TV. He looked over to us with a raised eyebrow. I became suddenly confused. I didn’t remember why I was here. I looked to Mai and saw she was the same but looked like she was fighting something mentally. We turned our heads to the front door that was disintegrating under Kathaleen’s touch.

 

“Griffon Monroe?” Mark asked the guy on the couch. He nodded with an expression wondering what was going on. That was when Mark looked to the rest of us with a look of confusion. I looked at the guy on the couch and then thought to myself Griffon? Why does that sound so familiar?

 

“Guys what’s happening? Why aren’t you doing anything?” Jewelz asked via earpiece.

 

“Jewelz?” Mark asked under his breath turning away from us.

 

“Yes Mark it’s me, what’s going on?” Jewelz replied.

 

“Are we on a mission?” He asked just as confused as us all. Jewelz let out a frustrated grunt.

 

“Are you bloody kidding me?! Of course yo-…wait a second.” She said we waited a few minutes.

 

“Um can I ask what you guys are doing here?” Griffon asked getting up from the couch. We looked at him but without any idea what to say. Eddie scratched his head in thought. None of us wanted to say that we completely forgot why we were here. That would ruin our reputation.

 

“Guys snap out of it! Griffon is using his ability to confuse you whilst Ria gets away!” Jewelz said urgently. Everything then started coming back. Ria… Mai then walked up to Griffon and started using her own ability on him. I ignored her and tried to look around for any sign of Ria. Damn it Ria where are you? I thought trying to seem like I was pay attention.

 

“You know where she is don’t you?” Mai said with a very calm voice that could be easily misconstrued for seduction. I heard Griffon gulp.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He choked out. This guy was going to crack soon and Mai knew that. Just when it seemed like he was on the verge of telling us, the room started to darken. F**k Ria no… I knew the only way this could be happening was by Ria’s doing. She was going to blow her cover completely.

 

“She’s here. Take him down.” Mark ordered. Griffon didn’t waste time in fending off a rushing Eddie. That was when everything went chaotic.