Chapter Ten:

"Hey."

Lotus groaned, hiding her face. She had fallen asleep, and was in no mood of moving. That was another talent of hers, being able to sleep absolutely anywhere, even in the presence of a insane but driven man child.

"Hey— hey." Fingers flicked her forehead where her hands failed to guard, next thing she knew hands that were not her's were shaking her awake.

"Fine!" She hissed shifting up, "I'm awake. Are you happy now? Damn."

"That's our guy." Five pointed at the building. A man, who she recognized as Lance walked out of the building gripping a bag. Lotus watched carefully as a car pulled up and he walked towards it, looking around before shoving the bag through the window and rushing back into the building.

"What the hell is he doing?" She asked.

"Don't know." Five told her swinging open his door, "Come on."

"What—" she rushed after him, slamming the door shut as she trailed. He speed walked across street, pacing back and fourth where the car had just been parked. "What are you looking for."

"Anything."

"Anything?"

"Nothing." He grumbled, "There's Nothing here!"

Lotus sighed looking up at the building. A lot of lights were still on and she could see the shadow of someone walking around a room. Street lamps flickered on, a static noise filled the air. The building didn't feel right to her, but she had no idea why, considering she didn't know this place existed until Five brought her there. Even after all the asking, she still hadn't gotten a clear answer from him about her part in his grand plan. She figured the obvious, but she didn't think her power couldn't reach the limits of whatever he was planning. Five huffed shoving his hands into his pocket as he turned to stare up at the building, a foot tapping angrily on the cement.

"Why don't we go back to the van?" Lotus questioned already turned around, "And see if he leaves again?"

Five said nothing but slowly followed her anyways, keeping an eye on the front door of the building as he did. She was almost about to cross the street when hands wrapped around the hood of her sweater and yanked her backwards. She stumbled back across the sidewalk and crashed into a cement wall, blocking the view of the doors. She turned to see Five staring out, she glared at him fixing her sweater.

"What is your problem?" She smacked his shoulder, "You couldn't of just told me—"

"He's leaving." Five hissed, hitting his hand around open air at her. "I've got to follow him."

"We can go back to the van."

"I don't have time."

Lotus' eyes widened, "No- Five!" She yelped as he took a step back "Don't you dare leave me here—"

But it was to late, he had vanished in a blink of blue. Lotus groaned throwing her hands up in the air, thinking what was she to do now? She didn't have the keys to the van, Five had also taken those with him. The Academy wasn't to far away, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to go there. Lotus didn't feel as if she belonged there, as Pogo had suggested. That place was foreign to her, but maybe any of the inhabitants could help her find Five. Her feet carried her back across the street, sprinting through alleyways and quiet neighbourhoods. Her shoulder had started to ache, and upon further discover of moving her sweater out of the way she saw the bandage that Pogo had put on was completely soaked in blood. She grimaced covering it up again, figuring she hit it when Five yanked her backwards into a stone wall.

It took her another ten minutes to realize she was lost, and another five for her to find her way to Main Street. This time it was familiar, she could see the black metal fence that guarded the large double doors. Lotus was half way there when the doors flew open and a figure came limping out. Her breath caught in her throat as someone in a blue suit and child mask disappeared across the street.

"Oh no." Lotus whispered, shoulder pounding as if in response. She ran up the stairs and into the building, stopping at the giant chandelier that was now on the ground, smashed. Allison stood against the wall, Lotus swore she saw the feet of someone else disappearing up the stairs. "What the hell happened?" Lotus asked walking around the giant object, "Are you guys ok?"

"Yes, we're fine." Allison frowned, "Where were you?"

"Five jumped and left me on the other side of town. I opted to come here, I thought maybe one of you would know where he went."

The women laughed annoyed, "We don't know anything, he doesn't say what he's doing. And whoever was just here, they were looking for him."

Shit. She thought. It wasn't her place to tell Allison what happened at the department store, but she felt like it may help. In the end, Lotus opened her mouth to tell her but was cut off.

"They destroyed the house looking for him." Allison lead her into the large living room, she pointed around at all the bullet holes scattered throughout the room. "We almost didn't make it."

Her mouth went dry. While she and Five were out stalking some pharmaceutical worker, his family was being attacked for an issue that only involved him.

"I'm- I'm sorry. I wish I was here—"

"No, no. We don't need anybody else hurt. Besides, you're already injured."

"What? No, I'm fine." Lotus gave her a nod.

Footsteps sounded and Diego whirled around the corner, "Diego?" Allison questioned, he glared at her, his breathing shaky. "Are you alright?"

He took at her and then at Lotus, but Vanya captured his attention when she inched her way into the room. The woman looked so small compared to her siblings, her skin was pale and the blood running down her forehead popped.

"What are you still doing here?" Diego snapped. Vanya shifted on her feet, "I'm just trying to help." She told him.

"No. You could've been killed." He spat, "Or gotten any of us killed."

"Diego-"

"She is a liability." He sent a glare at Allison before pushing past her. Vanya looked up at her sister, "Allison?"

Lotus pursed her lips, she really didn't belong in this place. These people had grown up together, and she was just an outsider in foreign territory.

Lotus frowned as the women continued to stare at her sister, waiting for a response.

"He doesn't mean that." She sighed, "It's just... that this is dangerous and we don't want you—"

Vanya only stormed passed her, making a beeline for the front doors. Lotus watched as she left, looking between Allison and the front doors before going after Vanya. She brushed past the front doors, cursing loudly at her shoulder. She glanced down at it, seeing the soaked through patch of cotton. She could feel her t shirt stick to her skin where the wound was, but despite all that it miraculously didn't bother her that her shoulder was bleeding out. She'd take care of it later, or when she fainted from blood loss.

"Vanya." Lotus called catching up to her, "Hey- where are you going."

"Does it matter?" The women hissed rushing down the street.

"Have they always been like this?" That got her to stop, Lotus let out a sigh of relief. "Your family, I mean."

Vanya forced out a laugh, "Since the day I was told I wasn't special."

The way she said it, that word, it was filled with so much hate. Lotus felt bad for the woman, it seemed she had grown up with neglect from a family which was supposed to be so close together.

"And besides." The woman added continuing her trek across the street, "It's non of your business anyways."

Vanya left Lotus standing outside for a lot longer than she'd like to admit. Truly, she might've stayed out there longer, standing in the fresh air, and did it ever smell so good when it began to rain. But, the pain in her shoulder grew, and with one more glance she realized she should've gotten the bandage changed hours ago. So, she rushed back into the academy and found herself in the kitchen, not bothering to go find Pogo. Besides, he was probably doing something actually meaningful.

She shrugged off her sweater, along with her shirt and tossed it on the floor, not really caring about continuing a first impression. Lotus figured Vanya was right, that non of this was her business and all she had wanted to do in the back of her mind was to go, to get out because she knew she didn't belong here too. Though now, sitting in a giant kitchen peeling off a blood soaked patch of bandage without a shirt on, she wasn't so sure she wanted to leave. It was nice, having somewhere to go to after a long day. Having somewhere comfortable to sleep, people to talk to, and not just weirdos who only talked to you because they thought you had drugs to sell. Lotus wanted to belong somewhere, and maybe because of what she could do, maybe she could. Deep down though, she knew she would never.

Lotus sighed grabbing a wad of paper towel, beginning her search for tape throughout the many drawers.

"What are you doing?"

She turned, eyes wide to see Diego staring at her. His eyes found her shoulder and he shook his head, making his way towards her. Blood had trickled down her arm, droplets falling to the floor. He took one look the crumpled up paper towel in her hand and laughed quietly, eyes switching from gloomy to amusement.

"Are you kidding me?" He snatched it from her, "You couldn't bother to ask for help?"

The girl rolled her eyes, "You all seemed to be in a cheery mood so I wanted to avoid ruining someone's day."

"And here we are anyways."

Lotus snorted, "Are you wearing spandex?"

He dropped the towel onto the counter and raised his hands, "You don't want help?"

"Fine, ok. I do." She told him grabbing it, "Please?"

Diego sighed ripping about four pieces of fresh paper towel, folding them neatly before dabbing them on her shoulder. He then flipped the tap on the sink, dipping some of the paper under the water before dapping again.

"What in the world do you think you are doing?"

Lotus looked over to see Pogo staring between them, she tried to not laugh at his expression. He inched his way over and then whacked Diego with his cane, "Are you really using paper towel for a bullet wound?"

"A day old bullet wound, actually." Lotus chirped.

"Come with me, Miss Lotus. We'll get you fixed up again." Pogo motioned her forward, he glanced backwards and sent a glare at Diego. "And you, go check on your brother."

Diego huffed and disappeared while Lotus followed Pogo back throughout the house, back to where they had started the night before.