CHAPTER FIVE

EXIT STRATEGY

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Three years ago

"JACK, come on!" I yell my brother, as we were running away in panic and fear.

My brother and I were at a big junkyard site that everyone seemed to forget and abandon. We have always come to explore for a bit and had good harmless fun, while our mother was at work.

"Go, go, go, go!"

But what we didn't know what that as we are fooling around with the stuff, a guard dog was with us, and was ready to attack.

Jack hurried to throw almost anything at the big guard dog, who was chasing us to get out, growling and barking to us from behind.

I reach the fence and quickly climb myself over it, I jumped at the top of the fence and fell on my arm. I recovered and didn't notice my brother at my side. My green eyes saw Jack, who was still on the other side, looking straight at the angry dog.

"Jack!" I scream in worry, as I ran to the fence.

I could tell he was scared, from his shaking body that held a long wooden board in his left hand, and the silent responses he gave.
He was in deep trouble. The dog deeply barks before at him, running and jumping onto my brother.

Before the guard dog could even touch him, out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning came from the sky and strikes Jack.
A big boom happened in front of my eyes when the lightning touched my brother, a force pushed the dog and me away from him.

"Jack!!"

I gasp from my landing; the wind getting knocked out of me.
I couldn't process what happened... I couldn't unsee what had happened to Jack. I steady my dizzy head and looked at my brother. My eyes started to widen and tear up from the sight.

There stood my brother, with lighting hovering around his clothed body and in the fingertips of his hands. He lifts up his hand, his entire body levitated. Jack shoots a bolt of lighting around the big dog to scare him off.

The big mean animal got the message quickly and ran away from him and me.
I sat there shocked.
My brother was a mutant.

Jack turned around to me, still mid-air. I saw the lighting glowing in his eyes, the little flicks of bolts at the tips of his blonde hair, the insane way his body glowed with electricity bolts on his arms as he used his abilities.
I had to admit it was a beautiful sight.

As the powers started faded slowly, Jack was himself again, reaching back down to the ground.

He stared at his hands, seeing the lightning engulf his veins and disappear.

"Lux... what just happened?"

❅ ❅ ❅

Present

John assembled a full meeting and spoke, "We know that Lorna is being held in a cell at the Sentinel Service Regional Headquarters. We believe that Reed Strucker is there with her. They're being moved soon to an ultra-secure facility. And we don't know much about it, except that the people who go don't come back."

I gulp at the sound of this facility, this might've been where they've taken Jack.

"That's why we got to move now. And I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. We're talking about attacking the Sentinel Services."

Chatter broke out. I felt someone grab my hand as I was in my thoughts, I looked to see it was Andy. I gave a small smile as we laced our fingers together.

An intelligent girl, that I've seen work on highly advanced computers in just seconds, speaks up, "We lost 6 people that last time we went up against them directly."

"I know that better than anyone."

"It won't be like last time," Marcos assures.

"You're right. Last time, we just hit a relocation center with a fence and some guard towers. This time it's a prison. Their systems have improved. Extrapolating from other attacks, we've got an 85.5% chance of failure," The girl informs.

"And if we do nothing, then there's a 100% chance of we never see them again."

I held onto Lauren's hand, as I saw both of her whole body start to shake.

"I know we're new here, but please," Cate asked everyone, for Reed's sake of safety.

"Lorna's risked your life for everyone in this room," The Hispanic man states, "Harry, your parents would be dead without her. Sage, she pulled you out of a gutter, and she got you cleaned. I mean, she's... she needs us."

"Doesn't change the math, Marcos," The computer girl, Sage, stubbornly said.

"I don't care about math. I care about Lorna. Who's with me?"

I hoped that people would join us, we needed Reed back, including Lorna. I knew that to risk your own life of a person you don't know, it's hard to say yes.

"I'm in," Sonya chimes.
Harry raised his hand, in agreement.

"Yeah, I'm in," Clarice volunteered.

"Okay," Marcos nodded to John.

I sighed as everyone started to get up and went back to their business.

❅ ❅ ❅

"Dad is so screwed," Andy mumbled to himself, doubt trips in his words.

"We'll figure something out," Lauren tells him.

"Did you see how many people bailed? I-I mean, did you hear that computer girl? Basically, what she said is, Dad is screwed."

"Andy, please, don't talk like that," Cate scolds.

"You know it's true."

"We can't afford to think that way, right now."

"So, are we just gonna live in fantasyland? Nobody's on our side," Andy argues.

I started to say my opinion, "It's not just that, Mrs. Strucker. This is a big risk people are taking. People will possibly die on this... and I seriously don't blame them for bailing."

This is something bigger than bounty hunters. Sentinel Services aren't afraid to hurt anybody, they aren't hesitant to shoot; that was their ambition. Yet I wasn't going to let that intimidate me as it intimidates others.

"Well, sometimes you just got to take a risk and hope for the best."

❅ ❅ ❅

"Hey."
I heard a voice behind me. I turn to see that it was Andy, as I hold two balls of ice, glowing in my hands. I wanted to practice my abilities outside, so I wouldn't freeze the whole place. It had happened on an occasion, definitely felt bad for that happening.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Testing stuff out. I got some ideas I want to try."

He goes beside me as I work with my magic, I start to push the two balls together, thinking long and hard as I picture snowflakes in the wintertime.
I lift it into the air as the ball exploded high, leaving snowflakes sprinkling around us.

He laughed as the flakes touched his face, I couldn't help but smile at him.

"Scott was right. You are the real-life Elsa."

"No, I'm not!"
"Then where did you come up with this?"

I was caught in a dead-end. "Shut up, De-struckto"

"Hey!"

He started to chase me, of course, I wasn't as fast as him, so he caught up to me quickly.
He tackled me to the ground, and I laughed as he was on top of me, holding my hands on my sides.

"I win!" He states, childishly.

I smirk, as I used my powers to make a giant snowball on the top of him. I let it fall and the snowball landing right on his head.

"What the——"

I was fast as he was confusingly distracted, I stood up, and went on top of him, putting my hands on his chest.

"I win!"

He laughed hysterically at us, I couldn't help, but feel my face blush bad and my heart was beating so fast. He looked at me and seemed to notice my bashful state.

I get off of him quickly, and stop the snowflakes, by collecting them into a ball of snow, making it crash to the ground.

"Lux," Andy called, "Can I ask you something?"

I turn to him. "Y-Yeah, shoot."

"How do you know all about this Sentinel Service stuff? Like all those times in the restaurant."

"The meeting with Reed?"

"Yeah. You knew that Mexico had looser laws and the fact that Sentinel Services were already on our asses. I-I know you're smart and all but..."

I sigh, "Well, when Jack got taken... I was scared that my mom would find out about me."

I went and sat down on the stairs, Andy followed me.
"I knew that if she found out, Sentinel Services would take me away too, so I made a plan to run away. I looked up everything I needed and places to go, saved up money from allowance, and even had the bag ready under my bed."

"What made you stop?"

I looked directly at his hazel-green eyes and said, "You."

He was taken back from this. "Really?"

"Yeah. You and your family made me feel like I got a reason to stay. Before I had no one, Jack was my everything and the only person that I had. He was my best friend, my brother. Now, I have you guys..."

I stared down at the ground. I felt my eyes began to tear up, as I tried to look fine. I really wasn't fine though, I really did miss my brother.

Andy hugged me, he hugged me tight like he didn't want to let me go. I hugged him back. It was a long and strong one, I felt safe in his arms. I started to blush again when realizing what was happening.

I was starting to fall for Andy.

❅ ❅ ❅

The both of us were still outside, listening to an old MP3 player we found back in headquarters that was barely working.
It was the getting to the best part until someone grabbed our headphone bud and yanked it out of our ears.

"Hey!" We both shout to the person.
It was Lauren.

"I need to talk to you," She tells Andy.

"About what?" He asked.

"We need to figure out a safe way to stop a prison truck."

Andy looked at me in total shock, while I was curious at where Lauren was taking this.

"Can you... break a truck wheel? You did that thing with the parking meter."

"Meters," I correct, remembering that it was two that broke.

"I meant to break one. Look, it's not actually precise, okay. I could tear the whole truck apart with Dad in it," Andy explained.

"Get up. I want to try something."

Andy hands me the MP3 player and the headphones as he stands up, obeying his sister.

"Maybe we could use what I do too, like, focus what you do," Lauren says her idea.

I raised an eyebrow, I got what she was saying and it wasn't a bad idea.

"I don't follow." Andy shrugs his shoulders.

"She's saying her powers could... contain yours on a specific thing. L-Like a little bomb, basically," I simplified.

"What, really?"

"Do that lamppost." Lauren points.

Andy shakes his head. "If this doesn't work. You're the one getting in trouble if I tear everything apart, okay?"

The boy then started to use his powers on the lamppost, the metal pole shakes and it seemed to be almost breaking off, yet Lauren used her shields to focus it on the top part of it.

The lamp part broke into pieces.

"Holy shit!" I mutter to myself, seeing what happened.

The Strucker siblings both breathing heavily yet had grown a smile on the idea of it actually work.

We got John and Cate to come outside and see what the Strucker kids could do. They used their new power and blew up a broken-down car wheel to show what they could do.

"Wow," John smirked.
"I know, right," I add.

"That's pretty cool."

"Yeah, more like incredible," Andy says.

"You guys think you can do that at a longer range?" John asked the two.

"Yeah, definitely. Anything you need."

Lauren explained, "The best part is no one will see where it came from, so——"

"No," Cate shouts, "Kids are-are not attacking a convoy."

"We don't have a good alternative here, Caitlin. We're running out of time," John tried to persuade.

"What, so you're gonna use child soldiers now?"

I rolled my eyes. This was our best option to get Reed and Lorna back! That is our entire goal.

"We're not kids like that anymore, Mom," Andy speaks.

"I said no."

As Cate stalks off, Lauren tried to talk to her. "Mom. I know you're scared. I'm scared, too. But think what you said last night. About sometimes we have to take risks."

"Really? You're gonna use my own words against me?" Cate turns to her daughter. "Look, this isn't going to visit your Uncle Daniel. This is about trained men with guns."

"We want to fight for this. You always said that there things worth fighting for. Was that all just talk? You said it yourself — there are risks worth taking."

I pleaded mentally that she'd say yes. This is perfect for this mission and could help Reed come back, which was our top priority now.

"If I say okay, I can't have them at harm's way," Cate tells John.

"We just need them to stop the bus. They get out of there as soon as it's done," John replies.

There was a pause...
"Okay," Caitlin agreed.

As she walked away I smiled at Andy and Lauren, and they smiled back at me.
We were gonna get Reed back.

❅ ❅ ❅

The day of the mission. We were on the roof of a tall building. I was a clear view of the road that would soon have the Sentinel Services truck rolling by.

I turn to Mrs. Strucker, who was breathing heavily and shaking like crazy. She was nervous as hell, I mean, who could blame her.

"Here, let me help," I say.

I bent down and opened the bag that had medical equipment in it.

"Thanks. Getting some medical supplies ready, just in case," Cate explains.

I open the bags up and handed them to her.

"It's weird how quiet everything is," Andy comment.

"Not really. It's Sunday," I respond.

"It's Sunday," Lauren mutters to herself.

"You okay, honey?" Cate asked her daughter.

"Yeah. The football team's fund-raiser breakfast was this morning. I was supposed to make corn muffins... This isn't corn muffins."

Cate goes to her and rubs Lauren's shoulder in sympathy. I get up and look over to the road to see the truck, holding Reed and Lorna, on the go.

"Guys!" I shout.

"They're coming." Andy points at the vehicle.

Cate and I stood behind them, as Andy and Lauren try to make their powers go to the wheel.
Yet I noticed the truck still going.

"Andy, go!" Lauren snaps.

"Okay, I can't do it," Andy gaped.

"What do you mean, you can't do it? You have it."

"I-It's... I don't know. It's moving. It's just different."

My eyes start to widen as the bus kept ongoing, it was out of position.

"You can do this. We believe in you," Cate encourages

"It's not what we practiced."
"Okay, just-just calm down."

I then thought of something to push him, push him hard.

"I'm trying," Andy mutters.

"Caitlin, stop babying him!" I say to her.

"Lux!"

I go to Andy and start to pressure him. "Hey, you're the reason we're in this mess in the first place and now you can't even help us get out!"

"What are you doing?" Mrs. Strucker scolds.

"Back off," Andy growls.

"Maybe Theo was right. Maybe you are useless and a nothing. Come on. If they're wrong, then prove it, Andy!"

The Strucker boy pushed me out of the way, using his abilities on the wheel, Lauren quickly used her shields to make the tire explode. The bus stopped moving, it looked like it had broken down.

"Sorry. You're better when you get triggered," I simply my reasoning.

Andy was about to yell at me, yet Cate interrupted him, "Look, we can argue later. We need to move."

Lauren grabbed Mrs. Strucker's satchel, with other medical supplies and we all run off the roof and to the get-away car.
I start to sense my eyes turn blue, as I build up my powers, yet as we all start to go down a couple of stairs, I stumble back a bit from this... energy. I could feel my eyes start to dull down, as something started to almost stop them from doing so.

"Are you okay?" Andy asked me, rushing to my side as I find my balance.

"I'm fine, just go. We gotta go."

As we reached out outside again, we could all hear gunshots from afar. Cate gasped, as Lauren says, "Mom, they're shooting. If Dad's out there..."

"We're getting out of here, you understand?"

As we all put our backs to the wall, Andy whispers to us, "That's our car."

I lean out to see a Sentinel Service officer, lurking at the car windows. I got an idea to ice him to the fence, despite my powers were flickering and dulling down.

"Maybe I can——" As I put my hand up to use my abilities, the pale blue glow from my eyes stopped completely, no ice came through my hands, and I felt something blocking me from anything, making my eyes go back to green.

"W-Wha-What the hell?!" I mutter to myself in distraught.

I look at Andy, who was equally as shocked, Lauren tried to use her shields, yet nothing.

"Mom, it's not working." The Strucker's daughter looks at her hands.

"W-What are we gonna do?!" Andy freaks out.

I looked down at Cate's bag and got an idea, she also had the same idea as well.

When Mrs. Strucker got ready, she was extremely hesitant and scared to do so. I sighed as I grabbed the syringe from her hand and walked up to the office, quietly as a cat.

"Yeah, we got some kind of vehicle here. Gray SUV with nobody in it." That was when I struck. "We got——"

As the man held onto my wrists extremely tight, I already had put the chemicals into his body. The officer passes out from it.
The Struckers came out and were shell-shocked by what I did.

"I could've done it, Lux," Cate argued.

"Mrs. Strucker, no offense, but we didn't have time for being hesitant right now."

The woman nodded and held the keys to the car and gave them to Lauren. "Here's the keys. Take the car and go."

"What about you?" Lauren asked.

"I'm going after your father."

I then started to regret being so rude to her and call her out for being so 'hesitant'.

"We're not gonna leave you," Andy disagrees.

"You can't go out there alone," I add.

Mrs. Strucker didn't listen to us. "I am not losing you three. I will find him and we will meet you at headquarters, but I need you to go now."

I saw the torn look on the siblings' faces, I was torn by this. Cate was a mother to me even when I actually had a mom, even though we have never seen eye to eye before.

The Strucker family hugs as Kate whispers her 'I love you's to her children.
She dashed out, to find Reed.
I looked at Lauren and gave her a nod for us to leave. We couldn't wait for her, she's already long gone now.

She wipes the tears that were about to come down and gets in the car. Andy and I hop in the back, and Lauren drives us all to the mutant headquarters.

We all shift from our powers starting to come back. I tried to relax myself yet I just couldn't. I see Andy having the same problem.

"Andy," I call to him, putting my hand on his leg.

"W-What if mo——"

Andy couldn't even finish his sentence before Lauren interrupts him, sneering at him from stress, "Don't say that."

He went silent and so did I. His hand then got a hold of mine, I intertwined with his fingers. I pushed down all of the happy emotions from this serious situation we were in, for the fact of respect. Everyone was silent for the rest of the car ride.

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