"Gert! (Y/n)!"

You and Gert looked to the right to see who called you both. Molly leaped out from the bushes and dashed towards you and Gert. "Molly!" Molly pulled you and Gert together for a hug, embracing you both tightly. Nico gasped while Alex's mouth hung open. "Oh, my God. Are you alone?" Alex asked in shock.

"How's your new house?" Nico asked as well.

"How did you get here?" Karolina added.

"You missed some real shit last night," Chase stated.

"What are you doing here?" Gert asked worriedly, pulling away from the hug.

Molly stayed in your arms as she faced the others. "Listen, Graciela's probably already calling around looking for me. I don't have a lot of time."

You looked down at what Molly was holding while Alex talked. "Which is why you decided to do a show-and-tell on retro-tech." He commented, seeing the same item you saw on Molly's hold.

Molly pulled away from you and showed the tape to everyone. "It's from my parents, and I need you to help me."

Alex nodded. "Okay, well, uh, when I was in AV club, we had an old VHS machine that we used to stash in the closet of the library. Maybe it's still there."

You and the rest started silently judging Alex while he blinked his eyes in confusion. "What? It used to be a cool club."

You shrugged silently but cracked a smile while Karolina just nodded along. "Definitely."

"No, yeah," Nico muttered sarcastically.

"It's literally the club they use in every teen movie to show how uncool someone is."

Alex frowned while Chase chuckled and patted Alex's shoulder. "Guys, come on, don't take away his one thing."

Alex moved his head to the side, thinking, before facing everyone. "You're all assholes."

You dramatically gasped. "Molly and I didn't say anything!" You exclaimed. "That's not fair."

Alex smiled before turning around, walking away as all of you followed him to the library. Molly went alongside you, making sure no one else was in front of you so she could speak with you discreetly. "I see things are in progress now between you and Alex."

You furrowed your eyebrows and looked down at Molly. "What?"

"Even if you don't tell me, I can tell," Molly whispered. "You like him."

A scoff escaped from your lips, and you nudged your elbow to Molly's side. "I like him as a friend, Molly. I like everyone as a friend."

"No, no. You like like him. Like you have a crush on him."

"No, I don't, M." You groaned. "Nice try, though."

Molly stood there watching you walk away, and she began thinking of a plan before walking again and clinging her arm around yours. The seven of you sneakily entered the library. Molly knelt and inserted the tape into the VHS machine, which began to play. "This was left specifically for me, something important," Molly stated to everyone and stood up. She stood beside you and Gert.

Gene and Alice Hernandez showed up at the old television. "Hi, baby." Molly's mother greeted with a smile while Gene waved. Gert glanced at Molly. "Molly, those are your..."

"Yeah," Molly answered.

"Molly, since before you were born, we've been part of an organization called PRIDE," Gene explained. "PRIDE does a lot of good for the city, but it's not the group's reason for being," Alice added.

"They're planning on digging something up. Something buried deep beneath the city." Gene continued.

"We were told that it was a renewable energy source that would do good for the planet."

"But now we're not so sure."

"Doesn't sound like this story has a happy ending," Alex whispered.

"And you're surprised?" You asked.

"Shh." Molly shushed, not breaking her stare at the television screen.

"And even if what's down there is good..." Alice continued her explanation with her husband. "There's a blind fault you can't see from the surface, and if we disturb it, it will cause a series of seismic events," Gene warned.

"Catastrophic earthquakes."

Your eyes widened, holding someone's hand abruptly.

"The ground is shaking. We need to evacuate."

"Hydrocarbons causing explosions and massive fires."

The hand you were holding held your back, and it gave you comfort. Because you were so concentrated on Gene and Alice's comments, you couldn't distinguish whose hand you were holding.

"Not to mention we found some really weird stuff in these rock samples, and we don't know if it's caused by a virus or a fungus..."

"It doesn't... it doesn't matter."

The group glanced at each other in worry while Molly's parents continued talking.

"The point is if you're watching this, we failed to stop it," Gene stated in sadness. Molly watched her father wrap his arm around his wife as Alice started talking again. "Baby, we love you so, so much..." Alice tearfully told. "...and there's so much more we wanna tell you. But please know that we are right beside you... always. You are our greatest joy."

"Thank you, (Y/n). For being the greatest little sister I ever had."

Gert comforted Molly, who began tearing up while Molly leaned her head against your shoulder.

"And we are so, so sorry." Gene finished. The Hernandez couple took a moment of silence before Gene took the courage to turn off the camera, ending the video.

Alex looked down at his hand, which was interlaced with yours, and looked into your eyes to see you crying. You tore your hand away from Alex when you hugged Molly, comforting your young best friend. "Shh... it's okay." You soothed, rubbing her back with Gert. Gert sadly smiled at you.

She knew what happened to you because of Molly. So, Gert understood why you were lightly affected by Molly's parents' words to Molly.

Nico shook her head, walking away from the television. "This... this makes zero sense." She stammered.

"Maybe our parents don't know what that dig will do," Karolina suggested.

"Come on, of course, they do," Alex grumbled.

"They just went from serial killers to genocidal maniacs," Gert stated, shakily breathing.

Molly pulled away from you and wiped her tears away. "I was hoping my parents weren't a part of this, but I guess they're as bad as the rest."

You shook your head, wiping your tears away. "No, your parents thought they were doing something good. Until they realized they weren't. They tried to warn you."

Karolina faced the others, nodding at your explanation. "Maybe they tried to warn the others."

"Maybe that's why... they died," Nico said, glancing at Molly.

Alex sighed heavily. "Forget turning our parents in. We have to stop them."

"Stop them from what?" Chase questioned. "What are they even doing, digging a hole?"

Alex thought for a moment until he froze when a realization came up to him. "The school." He announced. "They're using its construction as a cover."

"The PRIDE meetings, the gala?" Karolina gasped. "It's all been a front."

"Basically our whole lives, they've been planning on how to end the world," Chase concluded. You shook your head. "Oh, God." You whispered. "Don't say that."

"Getting rid of anyone who stood in their way," Molly added.

Nico nodded. "Which could include us next." She winced at the thought. "Anyone interested in doing a semester abroad?"

You shot your hand up. "I'm willing to go back to New York." You told Nico.

"Oh, so you two are cool with letting California just drop into the Pacific." Chase stated. You lowered your head down, wincing at Chase's words when painful flashbacks flooded back into your mind.

"Exploding hydrogen!" Gert exclaimed. "Mutant fungus!"

You walked towards the door, opening it to get some fresh air while Nico was lost in words. "No, I... but..."

"Maybe we should just slow down and ask for some help," Karolina recommended. "Things are always changing. It has been ten years."

"What if nothing's changed?" Molly questioned Karolina.

"Alex is right," Chase stated, earning a look from Alex. "We have to do something. Maybe we're in way over our heads, but I think our parents are, too. Mine definitely are."

Alex stared at Chase. "As much as it pains me to say it, Chase is also right. We have to stop this. No one else will."

Gert sighed. "I guess that means we're not going to the dance. Probably would've had a better chance at a refund if I hadn't called Eiffel a hateful bitch."

You cracked a smile and stifled a laugh. Alex shook his head at Gert. "Oh, no, the dance is still on. It's the perfect cover."

Gert shrugged. "Then I regret nothing."

Chase smiled. "Let's meet there tonight."

"Drive separately, dress nice, lie to your parents," Alex instructed. "Good?"

-•-°-•-°-☆

I'm updating again because I'm about to sleep...

Also, I made a spotify playlist for this book. If you want me to share it, just tell me and I'll post it here :3