It was past midday by the time Wade's team returned. They had also brought back some supplies that Rose managed to steal. Wade takes a seat and waits for Bob to finish his patrol so he could tell us the information that they found.
Jack and I had bonded a bit more through the day as we waited. Telling stories from long ago.
Bob returns and takes a seat, he wipes the sweat from his brow, "Alright, what are we working with?"
Wade takes a deep breath and then lets it out. I could only take it as a sign that things were about to get extremely difficult. He shifts a bit and then turns to Rose, "If you don't mind."
"Not at all." Rose takes a stick and begins to draw a very detailed map into the dirt, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the base."
I bend down to get a better look, "That's ridiculous."
"They have tightened security since our escape." Wade begins, "Mark, Tyler, and Felix have been moved down here to some kind of holding cells." He gestures to the drawing.
"And they plan on starting the auction at dusk." Trixie states.
"An auction?" Bob furrows his brow.
"You weren't kidding." Jack mutters, he nudges my shoulder with his arm.
"How do we get in?" I keep us on task.
"I don't think there is anyway in, at least not one that would allow us time to be subtle." Wade shakes his head, "I thought about it front and back. By the time we get to the bottom, the auction ends and we lose track of all three."
Hailey walks over, "What's that?" She points to the drawing.
"We're trying to think of a plan to save everyone." Bob answers her. "This is the base where the troops have taken your father, Mark, and Tyler. They sit at the bottom." Hailey stared at the drawing. She must have been lost in thought just like the rest of us.
"Why don't you force your way through?" She finally asks.
"They have something that would take down Jack and Ethan. I don't think going in guns blazing would help us." Wade replied.
"Why don't you have Rose shut the power off? Can't have an auction in a blackout." Hailey suggests.
"That might give us some extra time." Trixie hovers over the drawing, trying to get a better understanding.
"Are the troops always on guard?" Hailey asks.
Rose shrugs, "I couldn't get too much information out of the computers that I surfed through. It's like it doesn't exist in the outside world, I got lucky I even found some blueprints."
Jack groans and then flops over to lay on the ground "This is fucking ridiculous!" We were both edging to the last nerve.
"What if we cause a distraction and allow Ethan and Jack to sneak in? Once they secure everyone, Rose can just fry everything." Hailey's words make me feel a bit of hope again.
"You're smarter than you look." Rose tilts his head, "This idea might work. Can't use their takedown method if they don't have power. It'll give Jack an opportunity to use his secondary ability."
"True, but I don't want to just help them escape." I start, "We would never be safe if we allow these horrible people to live."
"You want to kill them?" Hailey's eyes widen as she looks a bit afraid.
"Look at what they have done to us!" I gesture to everyone, "This is a world you were born into because of these people. You know nothing of the outside world, trust me Hailey, this planet is better off without these stupid scientists." I can feel the horns breaking through the skin on my head.
"So many lives lost because they want to play God!" Jack stands up with me, his voice crackles in a way that reminded me of after Felix had killed Stella.
"But wouldn't that make you just as bad as them?" Hailey asks. She looks uncomfortable.
"We're just removing the problem and protecting the future from them. Tyler said they were building us as weapons." Wade speaks up, "Weapons to be used to destroy the rest of the world."
Jack steps away briefly, he can't help laughing at Hailey's words; but it wasn't a mean laughter, it was broken.
Hailey was born into this world. It's all she has ever known, the rest of us knew of the outside world and longed to go back. To return to what was taken from us. Our family, our friends, the normalcy. "Weapons, but I don't know how I could be one." Hailey admits as she raises her arms in a manner to emphasize her question.
"Originally Ethan was going to be our Lullaby. The tool to soothe the demons into submission." Bob explains, "It's like a drug. Singing once or twice is calming but the effects of listening to the Lullaby was supposed to result in making the rage even more unstable."
"It makes it unstable?" Hailey sits down.
"Yes. Take it as any other..." He paused trying to decide the best way to describe this to someone who doesn't know what drugs are.
"Take it as it is." Wade jumps in, "Hypothetically, imagine yourself as a small child and the Songbirds are your-" He also stops, "You don't know what dogs are, do you?"
Hailey gives him a bewildered look.
They both sigh as they try to find a way to explain it.
"Just explain it as is." Trixie rolls her eyes, "Hailey, you are the Lullaby now, meaning if the humans had caught you they would be able to control the Songbird demons by threatening you."
"Me?" She turns to the older woman, shocked. Trixie sighs softly, "Yes. If they tried to fight back, they would threaten your life, making the demons bend over backwards to protect their Lullaby, their peace of mind."
"Speaking of peace of mind, maybe sing the Lullaby before Jack loses it." Rose points over to Jack, who looks to be losing the fight against himself.
"Oh, right!" Hailey claps her hands.
(Verse 1)
Close your eyes, my child, it's time for dreams,
In the land of misty mountains, by moonbeam streams.
Beneath the stars that softly gleam so bright,
We'll journey through the night, in the gentlest light.

(Chorus)
Hush now, little one, the world is still,
In the arms of misty mountains, all is calm and chill.
The whispering winds, the songs they sing,
Will cradle you to sleep on a silver wing.

(Verse 2)
Among the misty peaks, where dreams take flight,
In the quiet of the night, my dear, sleep tight.
The mountain's lullaby, a melody so sweet,
Will guide you through the night, until the morning's greet.

(Chorus)
Hush now, little one, the world is still,
In the arms of misty mountains, all is calm and chill.
The whispering winds, the songs they sing,
Will cradle you to sleep on a silver wing.

(Verse 3)
As the misty mountains stand so tall,
You are safe and sound, my love, you'll never fall.
With each breath you take, and every sigh,
In the arms of the mountains, you'll learn to fly.

(Chorus)
Hush now, little one, the world is still,
In the arms of misty mountains, all is calm and chill.
The whispering winds, the songs they sing,
Will cradle you to sleep on a silver wing.

(Outro)
So rest your head, my precious one, so tight,
In the land of misty mountains, through the night.
The stars will watch, the moon will keep,
Your dreams in the embrace of the mountains so deep."

It was the first time I heard the song as a way to tranquil my anger. I close my eyes to bask in the beautiful melody.
It soothed the rage.
It numbed the pain that had been ravishing my body.
Jack had made his way back over to the group, he laid down on his back and closed his eyes to listen. He took in a shuddering breath, "I forgot just how beautiful that song is." Whatever transformation that had started on both of us, disappeared from sight.
Jack mumbles the words to the song, a song we knew by heart. The words were gentle on the ears and seemed to dance through the air.
He sits up and then stares at the ground. Tears are now streaming down his face as he stands. He looks lost.
"Jack? Are you okay?" I tap his shoulder but he doesn't seem to acknowledge my presence next to him.
"Jack?" Bob echoes my concern.
We stare at him.
He just stands there, weeping.
Wade stands and makes his way to Jack, carefully pulling him into a hug.
This gesture seems to break his trance and he sobs harder into Wade's chest.
"Mark usually is by his side to comfort him. He just really misses him." Wade explains. Jack shifts slightly, almost like he wanted to be smothered by the hug to shut out whatever was going on in his brain. "Alright. We've got our information, now let's make the plan solid. So we all know of parts like the back of our hands." Bob breaks the silence we had fallen into.
"I think it's simple enough." I crossed my arms, "Break in, find the guys, turn off the power, let them escape, kill everyone behind the projects."
"That may be so but we still have to be careful, Ethan. There are going to be lots of people here for the auction. We should not harm them." Bob said.
"Why not? They funded everything. They are probably the ones that hurt Tyler." I frown. Bob removes his glasses and rubs his eyes in a stressful manner.
"Don't stress Bob, Jack and I will take care of it. Your main concern is helping us rescue Mark, Tyler, and Felix." I tell him, hoping to ease his conscience.
"Well it's just that you are probably right about the people, it just doesn't sit well with me regardless." He admits.
"You just have a good heart that's all." Trixie pats his shoulder. He sighs and puts his glasses back on his face, "I'll do my best to keep to the main concern. Whatever happens afterwards is none of my business."
"Don't let it consume you," I smile softly, "That's what demons are for." I hinted at the words that Felix had told me himself. His way of comforting me after I murdered Andrew.

"That's the building we're breaking into?" I ask.
"Yup." Rose confirms, "That's the one."
"Of course it is." I huff.
The building in question was none other than the most rundown looking piece of shit in existence.
"No wonder no one pays any mind to it." Jack stretches his arm and rotates it to pop his shoulder, "I wouldn't believe there was a military operation going on just below the surface either."
"Alright, gentlemen, once more: we are sneaking in by following Trixie. Rose has the job of distraction; either brightening their day or blacking it out. Once you locate the others, Jack will bring them back here where Wade and myself will take them to the mountains. Ethan and Jack, whatever happens after that is up to you two." Bob tells us for the millionth time, "Understood?"
"Don't have to tell me twice." Jack grins.
"Trixie, if you will start Operation Destruction." Bob gestures to the building. Trixie nods, she makes her way forward as the sun has begun to set.
She had acquired an old face from the pictures that Rose had given her from the database. Supposedly a general that had gone on vacation. Her mission is to cause just enough chaos to get us through the doors. She hurries over to the door and opens it; making her way inside.
Jack and I moved over to the side of the door, listening to Trixie yell at a bunch of men. They sounded confused but did as they were told.
Jack gestures for me to go inside, getting the okay from Trixie. Rose follows me in and Jack shuts the door behind us. Trixie walks over, "Okay, I bought you just enough time to scoot through the barred door and down towards the bottom." She points to the barred door and hands Rose a key.
"Your door to the computers, is over there." She points in the opposite direction, "Do be careful gentlemen." She gives us a look of confidence that is immediately overshadowed by concern.
"Just tell Bob or Wade when you get to the bottom and I'll start the show!" Rose grins as he takes the key and then hurries over to the door that Trixie had pointed out. Jack nudges my shoulder, "I can't teleport us to the bottom because I have never seen it in person. I assume that's why Mark hasn't been able to portal them out. They most likely covered his vision."
I nod, "What about Felix? Doesn't he have a secondary ability that would allow them to escape??"
"Felix doesn't use his secondary ability anymore." Jack takes the lead.
"Why not?" I follow him, "The incident?"
"No, it was an entirely different incident, it scarred him pretty badly." Jack unlocks our door and opens it.
We stop our conversation as we are met with solid steel walls going all the way down. The air was cold and it sent a shiver down my spine.
Jack takes the first step.
He tenses, gripping his arm, "I hate this."
What's this overwhelming, yet sinking feeling?
"You guys alright?" I hear Wade.
Fine, fine. Just nervous, I think.
"Nervous?" Wade questions.
Something about this place seems very off. The walls are solid steel and the air is very cold. Jack seems just as tense as me.
"I would be nervous about stepping into the headquarters of the place that changed my life against my will." Wade tries in a way to comfort me but it did nothing to paralyze the fear that balled in the pit of my stomach.