Standing guard while watching the most dangerous person in the room eats, making steady eye contact the whole time isn't what most call 'easy' or 'relaxing'. I struggled to stand still. I could feel waves of blue rush me every time someone walked past.

A girl and her guard joined the table. They didn't talk. Any of them. Maybe I'm not quiet a social butterfly myself, but the girl seemed to be relaxed. That's about when I realized she didn't have any emotergy.

She glanced my way. I knew she could see the haze around me. I barely, barely snapped my left eye shut, telling her I was on her side.

Was I? Maybe if she didn't have an emotergy she was working for the King.

My bones jumped just thinking about him. I remembered what Slate had said about the ruthless yet perfect mask of a leader: Everyone looks up to him Cassidy. This is it, we're some of the only people fighting for people like you. He won't hesitate to take everything from you - even your life. Covering it up would be the easy part. Do not, under any circumstances tell anyone you're with us. Ever.

"Hello? Can you even hear me?" A voice snarled. I looked up, to the boy named Mike. He hadn't said anything to me yet, and I was fine with that as he was a Violent.

"Sorry." I said, immidiatly regretting my slip up. "But did I say you could talk to me?" I covered.

"I don't think you said I couldn't." He pointed out. "And don't even try with the 'tough guard' act. I'm not sure you're that kind of person." He smirked as if we were exchanging a secret.

"What's your problem? Mike just leave her alone." The girl said, hardly looking up.  I figured it was his normal personality.

"Why should I?" He challenged, laughing in a not-so-sane way. "Why should I listen to anything anyone says anymore?" He stood up. The other girl's guard did too, pulling his gun and pointing it in a vague direction.

"Try me. Shoot me. Do whatever. You can't." He laughed, stepping towards me.

"Get away fro-" The other guard reached to grab his wrist.

"Don't touch me!" Mike roared, spinning and back handing him so hard he fell down. He lay with a small cut on his head, unmoving.

"Tony!" The girl shrieked, standing and rushing to his side. "He's just unconciouss, he'll come around in a couple secinds." She said after stooping and pressing her ear to his chest.

"He's just a guard Kale." Mike snorted. "So are you. But not a good enough one to shoot me."

"You should take him to the Restricted." Tony's head weaved, dazed.

"What I wonderful idea." I tried my cruelest smile, making my insides drop. I mouthed words at another guard.

I tried to be careful when I pulled him into the hallway. Making a guy like him mad wasn't at the top of my to do.

We started walking towards his cell when he spoke.

"What are you going have them to do me? Electrocute me? Scare me? Slap me until I promise to be a good boy?" He mocked, stopping and facing me.

"I'm not taking you there. Promise." I mumbled.

"Oh, are you scared of me too then? Because by the looks of it I was starting to assume you only knew what Sorrow felt like."

"I'm obviously on your side so can you just shut it and help me out here? Drawing attention isn't the brightest thing." I snapped, feeling a tint of red.

"On my side? If you were on my side you'd be doing something to the people who put a kid in a hospital bed. He's paralyzed. They could have killed him, they could have and they almost did. So don't tell me you're on my side. No one except for Owen is on my side." Steadily his purple grew while I stopped, dumbfounded.

"D-Did you say Owen?" I gulped. "As in Owen Conners?"

"You know him?" He asked, incredulous, perking up and dropping his purple.

"H-harldy. We went to the same school." I whispered, still petrified by the Violence Mike was showing.

"You're going to tell me every single thing you remember about him, okay?" He decided. His eyes lit up. I thought I maybe saw a hint of green flicker.

"Mike, it's too risky. We'll get caught - I'll get caught."

"I'll make sure you get caught if you don't tell me everything you remember." He pointed out.

He had a fair point.

"Fine, sit down. We have to be quick." I grumbled, hoping backup would come sooner than later.

"What was he like?"

"I didn't know him for a long time. Owen's a year younger than me, making him sixteen. I saw him only a few times because I had his mom for math. But I knew he was a Rage. He knew I was a Sorrow. That's pretty much it." I shrugged and casually swept my eyes across the hall.

"Did you ever talk to him?" He asked curiously. He kept wide eyes focused on me. I almost felt bad. I would've too if he wasn't a Violent.

"I think so." I scrunched my nose, trying to remember.

"Can you tell me?"

"Why is this even important to you?" I wondered.

"He's the only friend I've ever had. He's the only person who was ever nice to me. And he doesn't care that I'm a Violent, like some people." He explained, voice cracking.

"They said you couldn't comprehend emotions like that." I murmered.

"Like what?"

"Like love. You don't have the capacity to love." I frowned, confused.

He watched me for a long time after that. Everything was completely still, his eyes, his chin, the symbol on his forehead. The fall and rise of our breathing was the only thing for miles.

"You promise you'll keep him safe? And keep me safe so I can protect him?" I could hear the desperation so well it scared me.

"Promise." I nodded.

He smiled and leaned his head against the wall, closing his eyes.

Then they came. Eight men - older, better trained guards. They hauled him to his feet. He screamed and yelled and kicked and fought. They finally got a hold  of the Violent. Purple sparkled from him. He was still yelling.

And suddenly he went very quiet.  Very blue.

"You promised." He said, looking me right in the eye. I couldn't break off, I tried. It was too hard.

"You're a liar." He growled, turning dark again.

I shrugged. "I'm doing what I have to Mike." Which was technically the truth.

I turned away. Wanting to cry at what I had just done to that boy. I knew what they would do.

And now I knew a guy like him would be haunted by it for the rest of his life.

Ooh a cliff hanger? What's the thing that scares the living daylights out of Mikey? It's sad. It's very sad, I'm warning you.