track #05 in gwyneth thalia anderson

itzy // snowy

I REGAIN my balance as we watch the black-clad man – Anson and Ava's killer – disappear into the distance along with his minions. All the while, one sentence keeps ringing in my brain as Tristan and Aiden support me back into the house, limping.

Careful for what's to come.

I push the thought off of my mind – they must be talking about opening actual fire. Tristan helps me onto the couch while Aiden goes for the first-aid kit, and I flinch as he applies alcohol onto my cut and bandages it. Meanwhile, Zoey still stares at the door, tramautised.

"How could they do that?"(" she mutters, and I shrug from my position. "They didn't deserve it. I should have stopped it before anything happened. It's my fault, it's my fault-"

Aiden sighs. "We should have expected it. He's a clever man. The killer, I mean – not James. I see through the facade he's playing, though."

"James didn't order him to do it," I say in understanding. "That man's smart, but he's too prideful for his own good. He knows we can't surrender to them. Remember what he said?"

Tristan gives an exclamation. "Like when he said, they have information that would potentially hurt us? But what information would that be? As far as I know, we haven't done anything wrong..."

"That's where you're wrong, Tris," "Zoey says, putting her head in her hands. "We used their house. They have all the records. Of every single party, every single guest. All the online records. For example, they would know Kun cheated on a exam in high school. The answers are on his computer drive – that'd get him kicked out of veterinary school which he worked so hard to get into. They're practically untouchable."

Aiden furrows his eyebrows, "I never thought he'd do that. The Kun I knew wouldn't cheat on a test. But come to think of it, if they know everything we've been doing in this house, they're probably monitoring every conversation, too. That means they know what we're doing? But that's impossible. They would have come here ages ago."

This is the time when I decide to burst. "Stop talking about that. It's probably just a

vain statement – Aiden's right. Why are they waiting for this moment? I'm more worried about the 'careful' thing. Like, something more serious. It could be my dad. Or even worse, war."

"He killed Ava," Tristan blurts out of the blue, and I raise an eyebrow. "I thought she died to protect me. But they killed her. He killed her, and Anson," he says, side-eyeing Aiden, "-and still shows up at our house. How'd they know about where we live anyways? We relocated and connected to the world database. They couldn't possibly know."

"I agree with Gwyn," Zoey answers, ignoring Tristan's statement. He scoffs in return. "It's just a matter of time now. Do we want to wait it out, or face it straight-up?"

The doorbell rings, and we immediately exchange glances, frowning at the unfamiliar scenario. It's unlike any of our friends to ring the bell – they have keys, and even if they lost them, they'd probably call first. And so, when this happens, we all get really confused.

Aiden's the first to get up from the table, "I guess that's a conversation for another time," he says, sighing and moving to the door, us following behind him single-file. "Who could it be?"

"I'll open," Tristan volunteers, and stretches his hand towards the handle when none of us object. We watch as it settles and makes a small click before pulling open; and Zoey screams when she sees.

"Who is it?" "I ask, as I'm obstructed by Tristan's head and practically squeezed next to Aiden, who has moved back.

Zoey merely shakes her head and chants, "No, no, please no." I furrow my eyebrows and push past her to the front. I put a hand to my mouth when I see who it is – Alistair James, in the full.

"What are you doing here?" Tris asks, putting a hand to his hips. "How'd you know where we live?" James merely chuckles and beckons his black-clad workers forward, who come closer to us, dragging two girls – and I get yet another shock as I realize who they are.

"Ask them," the infamous James answers, pointing at Cadence and Laine who stand outside our door.

"H-how- Cady?" Zoey mutters, as if under a spell. "What-"

"They won't tell you? I will. We tried so hard to warn you," he says, gesturing to the bandage on my leg. "We told you that something was gonna happen. We told you to do something. And now you'll have to pay the price. Which is going to hurt you more than opening fire."

I hear muffled sobs coming from behind, and turn to see Aiden crying with his head in his shirt. I narrow my eyes at James once again, and Zoey tries to pull Cadence back, but is slapped by him. I flinch at the sight of Zoey recoiling at his touch, a red mark starting to form on her cheek.

"What point do you want to prove?" I snap.

He shrugs. "Didn't know your team was so easy to break," he says effortlessly, smiling. "It's simple, really. You just need to pick one of them," he points to the girls, "to die."

Cadence and Laine quite obviously flinch and try to wriggle in the guards' grasp, but they merely hold onto them tighter.

"What?" "I question, holding a hand to my ear. "I'm sorry, I don't think I understand," I taunt in a babyish voice. "Could you perhaps explain?"

"Did you not hear me? Time ran out, Gwyneth Anderson. We've warned you so many times; yet you never understand the importance of quick action. Now because of your actions, one of these two precious ladies will have to die. That's only part of the price you have to pay for not following the rules."

As he explains, my brain spins. Part of the price. One of them has to die. Laine or Cadence.

"...you have one day – exactly twenty-four hours – to make your decision. Time starts now. Let's go, people. Pack up," "he ends, dismissing his workers with a flick of his hand. The two girls are subsequently pushed inside the house – the door slammed in our faces.

"Explain," Tristan says sternly once we're away from the foyer. "What do you two have to do with James?"

"I-" "Laine begins. "I saw Cadence at the library. She wasn't with Zoey like she usually was. It was the early hours of the morning. I usually go there really early, just so I can have the rooms to myself – my house is kinda hectic even at six with my brother yelling and all, and I leave probably at nine or ten, so I don't really see Cadence. But today, she was there when I walked up the stairs at literally seven-o-clock, having a total meltdown," she whispers, pointing to Cadence, who still seems bleary and in a state. "I spent some time with her and talked to her. She said that she felt fine now, but she looked really tired, so I offered to bike home with her after she told me where you guys lived. And on our way, those men just took us. A giant black car blocked the bicycle track, and when we climbed off our bikes, they emerged from the car. They recognized us, and they said they'd kill our families if we didn't comply. So we got into the car with them, and now we're here."

Aiden looks between Tristan, Laine and Cadence. "Anything else? Please tell us. This is really serious. It's like telling us that James has complete control over our lives, no matter how much we tried to hide from them. This is the time that we have to face them. For real. We have to hide our fears."

I nod in agreement. "I really don't know how to choose. I just want you both to know that I love you. I love both of you. Laine, you know how much I admire you – your rebelliousness, your fantastic law grades, just basically everything. Even though you're annoying. And Cadence," I turn to the girl, not sure if she can hear me. I wipe her tears away, crouching down to her position, plonked onto the couch and zoning out. "I love how you stay strong. For- for Rylie. I love your quick thinking and deductive mind and-" my voice cracks in the process, and I stifle a wretched sob. It's like they're already leaving and I'm giving a speech at their funeral. "How do I choose?" I look at my three other friends with tears in my eyes. "How am I... how am I supposed to choose? Why do they have to die?"

Zoey holds back a sniff of her own. "James has left us no choice. We need to talk strategy, and no, we can't delay it anymore. We need everyone here first. Do we want to face them and charge in twenty-four hours, or do we want to play by their rules?"

The door cracks open just at the right moment. "What's going on?" Eunice asks, raising an eyebrow at Aiden and I in tears, Zoey, Laine and Tristan standing next to us, and Cadence on the couch. "Bad timing?"

"You missed a lot," Tristan says, and immediately pulls her aside to explain.

"Where's Kunboss?" I cough. "As much as I kinda hate him right now, we need him here to discuss. He deserves to know."

"I'll go find him," Zoey says and starts up the stairs.

When they emerge in the stairwell again a few minutes later, Zoey's eyes red and Kunboss' hand on her shoulder to comfort her, Cadence has looked up from her palms, surveying the room and all seven of us at her position on the couch.

"Choose me," are the only words she utters before the room explodes into chaos.

– a/n: why do you think cadence wants us to choose her? be excited for ACT THREE, coming soon :)

[110823] this is a huge twist isn't it (gasp) and making you guys excited for my weekly updates :) i'm busy next week 1808 so unfortunately i won't be online for the update, but i will schedule posting so y'all get to read the chapter on fridays as usual :)