CODY

"Duck!" Chase orders and we all follow suit just as several knives fly over our heads.

"Well, they need a better welcoming committee," Devin says as he throws open a door and runs inside with the rest of us right on his heels.

"Devin, Cody, barricade the doors. Jason help me find a way out of this hell hole."

"There's no fire so it can't be a hell hole," Devin replies before holding the door closed so I can shove some of the many tables up against it.

Chase spreads the blueprints out over one of the remaining tables and we finish barricading the door.

"You do know that's not going to hold them off for very long right?" I ask.

"Yeah, I know," Chase responds, eyes focused solely on the prints in front of him.

"Who's idea was it take on a freaking bunker anyway?" Jason mutters.

"Devin." Me and Chase answer in unison.

"Hey how was I supposed to know they had tanks." he pauses, "And flamethrowers...and...RPGs...and fighter jets...and-"

"Stop talking" I interrupt.

"And a poor welcoming committee." He finishes.

"Just shut up." Jason scolds.

"There's a landing platform on the roof if we can get to it." Chase interrupts.

"And what good will that do us? In case you haven't noticed we don't have any aircraft." I tell him.

"There could be a helicopter or something there." I give him a disbelieving look. "Well do you have any better ideas? We can't exactly go back the way we came."

"I'm on Chase's side for this one," Jason adds in.

"It's not like we have anywhere else to go," Devin says. "But then again, I'm all up for dying young...as long as you guys die with me."

"Thanks, Devin." Comes Jason's flat reply.

There's a loud banging from the door as several people try to open it from their side. We all stand ready, waiting for them to actually get the door open.

It's quiet for a while before an explosion sounds off, the tables flying back from the doorway and smoke fills the room. Our guns are raised as soldiers begin to pile in, but none of them making it more than three feet from the doorway.

Shots ring out continuously before all is quiet once again.

"That was easy," Devin smirks as he waves some of the remaining smoke out of his face. "When does round 2 begin?"

I roll my eyes and glare at him before walking out the doorway after Chase. We make our way through the series of hallways, occasionally ducking into rooms if we hear someone approaching.

We continue on in complete silence, only speaking if we have too...except for Devin.

"Can I ask you something?"

"No." We all chorus in unison.

"Well, I'm going to anyway." Devin says, "Do any of you find it odd that we haven't run into anyone else in a while?"

"No," Jason mutters in reply.

"They're all just looking in the wrong place for us Devin," I respond.

"Yeah, but they were passing through these same hallways several times."

"Devin might have a point." Chase chimes in. "Garrett's not a stupid person, and if we're seeing less and fewer guards, I'll bet he's got something planned."

"I say bring it on," Jason mutters. Pushing open the door at the top of the stairway leading to the roof. He freezes as soon as he steps out. His entire body tense.

"What?" I question and push past him only to stop in my tracks as well.

At least fifty men, Garrett included, stand in the center of the roof, guns all aimed at us. Garrett stands in front of them and shrugs with a smug smirk on his face. He aims his gun at us.

"Guess you won't be leaving quite as early as you thought."

***

I close my eyes and lean my head back against the cool wall.

"This is all your fault," Jason growls to Devin. I open my eyes just in time to see Devin put his hand over his heart in mock hurt, a look of disbelief on his face.

"How so?"

"It was your idea to take on this place with no backup."

"Well excuse me if I thought that we were all more than capable to actually win."

Jason looks at him like he's insane. "It's a freaking bunker, Devin."

"You say bunker, I say tent."

"Can you two just focus?" Chase interrupts. "We need to get out of here."

"Thirteen would know what to do."

"Thirteen's not here," I growl out at him.

"Ohhh, touchy subject," Devin says with a sly smile on his face.

"Just shut up."

"In all seriousness... I miss her too."

"I don't miss her." I retort. "Good riddance."

"You and I both know you don't mean it."

I glare at him. "Yes I do," I state firmly. Even though I know I'm lying.

THIRTEEN

I throw the last of clothes into the duffle bag, zipping it shut and grabbing my dagger off the dresser, sliding it into my boot and for the first time in what feels like forever I grab the small black case about half the size of a textbook from the top drawer, slipping it into my backpack.

I push open the front door and toss my duffle bag in the trunk of the car. Slamming it closed. I make my way to the driver's side and slide in, pulling my phone out of my pocket as I do so and throwing my backpack on the passenger seat.

I sit in the seat for a while after punching the numbers into my phone, just staring at the screen, trying my best to think things through carefully.

I press the call button and hold it up to my ear as it begins ringing, starting up the car in the process.

"Hello?" Her familiar voice answers. I suck in a sharp breath and stay quiet for a second, trying to piece together words in my head...asking for help is really not my thing.

"Hello?" She repeats.

"It's me." I finally say. It's silent on her end for a while.

"Forty-five?" I hear the disbelief in her tone.

A small smile tugs at my lips. "Yeah."

"You're supposed to be dead."

"Not yet I'm not," I reply, staring out the window. "I need your help."

"What with?"

I let out a sigh and run my free hand through my hair. "I need to locate Garrett."

"Can't you just ask Zero?" I groan internally.

"Normally yes, but at the moment things are...complicated," I respond quickly.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing he didn't deserve."

I hear her sigh, followed closing by the sound of typing. "Why may I ask do you suddenly need to locate the spawn of Satan himself?"

I pause, thinking carefully about what I tell her next. "Because..." I trail off, hoping she'll just drop it.

"Because..?"

"I'm going to strike a deal with the devil."

I hear the typing stop, and I can clearly picture the shock, and disbelief on her face without even seeing her.

"What have you been smoking?" I pick up on the anger behind her words.

I sigh. "Nicky I-"

"You, what? You can't possibly think this is a good idea. And what? Are you just going to walk up to him unarmed to talk? With no backup? Are you that stupid?"

"No. Actually, I was going to call first."

"Forty-five...I'm surprised someone as smart as you could be so stupid."

"Thanks."

"I know I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this so, I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not."

"It's better than going alone, and besides I happen to know some people who'll be more than happy to help...for a price."

"Nicky-" I start to protest.

"Either I come with you, or you have to man up and ask Zero for the location yourself cause I won't give it to you."

I groan and rub my forehead with my free hand. "Fine." I finally mutter.

"I'll see you in an hour."

"Why are you so willing to help me?" I question. "We aren't what I'd classify as friends."

"Maybe we aren't, but you were Fifty-seven's friend...and she was mine. You and your team gave me a second chance, and any chance I can get at screwing over Garrett for him killing Fifty-seven, I'll take it."

"See you soon I guess." I hang up and punch Garrett's number into my phone.

My hand hesitates over the call button.

My mind starts working in overdrive as I think over everything again.

I don't know why I even care this time...last time this happened I just turned my back on the whole thing and let Garrett kill them...that was probably the third team I had been placed on and the third team I let him kill...so why was I suddenly so concerned about this one?

If I went through with this there would be no way in hell Garrett would ever leave them alone...once I show him that I actually care, he won't stop till they're dead. Only this time...he'd make sure I was watching.

I drum my fingers across the top of the steering wheel, still parked in my driveway.

I left them to begin with because of this, and then Zero just goes and messes everything up.

I delete his number and punch in a new one and hit call. It goes straight to voicemail.

"Hey, it's Thirteen. I just called to see if you could talk right now...I kind of need some advice...Call me back, bye."

I push my hair out of my face and ponder over my options. I groan and lean back in my seat. When did my life become a living nightmare?

I pull the dagger out of my boot and turn it over in my hands, careful not to cut myself with it. My fingers slide over the name scratched out on the handle.

Flashback

I drive the edge of the knife into the handle of the dagger even harder, scratching out the name, somehow hoping the memories of it will vanish as well.

I curse silently under my breath as the knife slices into my finger. I get to my feet and grab the towel sitting on the counter and wrap my finger in it, trying my best to stop the bleeding.

"You know it won't do any good right?"

I turn and glare at Zero, keeping my face otherwise blank and emotionless. He holds the dagger in his hands and gestures to the scratches now in the handle.

"What exactly do think this will accomplish? It won't help you forget." He says. I take the dagger from his hands.

"No, it won't." I agree. "But it'll ensure no one else ever knows. It'll help me erase myself...for good."

End of Flashback

I stare at the dagger a moment longer before sliding it back in my boot and grabbing my phone again and redialing Garrett's number, this time I don't hesitate to hit call. He picks up almost immediately.

"I knew you'd call."