//EDITED//

I have never been good in awkward situations. Heck, sometimes I even hated being around people. That's why I chose photography—because I can always hide behind my camera. It's a shield I have come to rely on, and right I am unprotected.

It feels much like the awkward moment when you have no idea how to start a conversation, with the added pressure of five men staring at me like I'm a martian from outer space. My eyes meet Caleb's, who is the only person here that I trust.

"Thea, you're bleeding," Caleb says, breaking the silence.

And sure enough, my wounds are wide open again, and blood is seeping through my shirt, dripping on the elegant white carpet.

"How did you manage to reopen your wounds in the course of like, one hour?" Leo asks.

"I am sorry, but you could have warned me before opening the door," I snap back.

"Why were you even near the door?" Leo asked.

"Because this is America, and I am pretty sure that people from Asia could hear Raph's yelling—no offence, dude."

Raph glares at me.

"Well, I am glad you're here, Miss Woods," The old guy says. "My name is John Andrews. You might not remember me, but I was a close friend of your mother."

"How do you know her?"

"I was once her professor and mentor."

"I think we should get her back fixed up," Caleb says, looking at me worriedly.

"No, I want answers." I snap.

I'm getting tired of all the unanswered questions going through my mind. It is eating me up inside. I just want the goddamned truth, people, nothing more.

"Who's Cahill? Whose Black? Why was Walker after my Grandfather? Why are they both so set on in ruining my life? Why am I here? What does he mean by plans and tech? How—"

"Miss Woods, please, I will answer all of your questions in time, but first, let Caleb check your back. You're losing a lot of blood."

"Come on, Thea. Once you're all patched up I promise we will answer all your questions," Caleb says, giving me those puppy eyes that I can't resist.

"Fine," I sigh.

Caleb leads me out of the room and as I walk down the hall I can still feel the cold stare of Asher's eyes. I turn and meet his gaze, and I shiver in fear.

There's something about him that isn't right.

***

Once Caleb has nursed my back, we all return to the same room again, but this time I am going to get some answers. We are all seated at a table with John at the head. Raph and Caleb are to my right, and Leo and Asher are to my left.

Asher still hasn't said a word to me—all he does is glare at me now and then. If looks could kill, I would be six feet under right now. John clears his throat and snaps me out of my trance—I looked up at him expectantly.

"In 1984, a group of scientists and doctors were assembled to invent a new piece of technology that would change the health profession as we know it," John starts. "The tech would be inserted into the patient's brain, and it would ease their pain. The intent was for them to feel relaxed while the tech does a scan of their whole body to complete a diagnosis. It was to be a revolutionary invention that would have helped the doctors tremendously, healing as fast as they were admitted."

I stare at him, confused. "What does this have to do with my parents?"

"Your mother was one of the scientists that helped to create this technology. Leo's parents, the Cunningham's, Caleb's and my father, Marcus D'Angelo, along with Asher's father, David Martinez, were all part of the group," Raph explains.

"Wait, you two are brothers?" I am actually surprised. Leo and Raph look more alike than he and Caleb.

"Same father, different mother, but that's not the point here," Caleb answers.

I nod. They don't seem too enthusiastic about sharing their past lives with me, and I totally understand. I am not a big fan in opening up about my past either. What happens in the past, stays in the past—that's my motto.

"After four years of hard work, they finally completed the invention, but they needed someone with power and money to help put their new invention out into the world," John says.

"And in comes the character of Nathan Black," Leo says, almost spitting with disgust as he speaks the name.

"Black," I whisper. Guess no one likes him.

"Nathan Black was a wealthy and influential businessman, so they turned to him for help. Black became interested in the idea and invested in the project, but everything fell apart when they handed over the plans," Raph says. .

"Black didn't care that the invention was intended for the good of mankind—he only wanted to use it to make money, and he would have succeeded if if his plans weren't ruined. You see, once Black had the plans he modified the tech so that it could destroy a person. The tech would go into someone's brain and literally kill them from the inside. It's the slowest and most painful way to die. This new invention would make him beyond rich if he sold it to the military, but even more if he sold it on the black market." Caleb continues.

"Samantha, your mother, found out about Black's betrayal and wanted to destroy the plans. She asked for help from her colleagues but they refused. David Martinez already had a huge company in his hands and didn't want to do anything more with the research. Marcus D'Angelo had a pregnant wife and didn't want to endanger his family. The Cunnigham's didn't want to endanger their own lives so they too refused to help," John explains.

"However, Samantha still managed to get hold of the only working prototype of the tech and destroy it. She also managed to smuggle in the plans and destroy them, but even though she knew that the tech could bring destruction, she couldn't bring herself to destroy the research that took four years of her life. So she hid the plans somewhere no one could find them, and escaped from Black's rage. We thought we had lost all hope of retrieving them until I found Samantha's old notebook, filled with notes that seemed like clues to where she had hidden the plans. Black somehow heard about this and tried to find the clues as well, but there was a problem. Samantha was so good at making her clues that we couldn't even get passed the first one."

I stare at him in shock. I'm slowly processing every word he just said in the last half an hour. Did my father know all of this?

"Do you think Black could have killed my parents?" I whisper, fearing the answer.

John sighs. "It is a big possibility he did, Thea. I mean, your mother destroyed his chances of becoming richer."

For years I tried to get over the feeling of pure despair from my parent's death, but now it is like he has ripped the band aid off of my old wound. Although, unlike a band aid, this pain won't fade as quickly. Maybe it will never go away.

"Then why didn't he come after me or my brother?" I ask, confused.

"Black didn't know your mom had kids, nor did anyone else in the group. She wasn't even married to your father."

"What?!"

"Your mother never married your father, although it may seem like she did. Your birth, and your brother's birth, are unknown as well. I only found out about you two when Ben told me a few weeks ago."

"Why did Black kill my mom if she's the only one who knew where the plans are?"

"Black thought she had destroyed the plans for good, and it wasn't until a few years ago that we found the first clue,"

"Why am I even here?" I ask, defeated.

There is no reason for me to be here. There was no reason for them to save me. They could have just left me there for the cops.

Actually, it would have been better, never knowing what I have just learned.

"Read the clue and tell me what you think, Thea,"John hands me a piece of paper and I read it.

To find the treasure that you seek, you must first find my treasure. The treasure will be the key to all the other clues. Without the key, your journey has already ended.

Tears run down my face as I read the clue.

"This is why we need you, Thea. You could be the only person who can help us find the plans before Black does."

"I can't...I'am sorry..."

Without another word I leave the room and run through the hallways.

Everything just seems so unreal.

Everything around me is falling apart, and I am falling along with it.