Episode Five, Part 1:
You'll Aways Have a Family

Wynn stood close to the group, trying to tune his ears into what they were saying, but he couldn't break away from his thoughts. 

There was anger burning inside him that his dad would call them, essentially telling him that the only way his sister would survive would be because of Targo. But underneath all that, the words that he had refused to even consider, and now they were some sort of declaration: she would be dead in a few days. 

A cold shiver shook through his body and Wynn felt suddenly jerked back into reality. He looked up, meeting eyes with Kodiak across the circle, knowing that they were both feeling just as afraid as each other. 

"Wynn, I think you need to radio him back," Dreea spoke, her voice tainted with sympathy. She knew it was a lot to ask. 

"And say what?" Wynn searched, fine with never having to speak to him again. 

"Hang on," Sol interrupted, frantically pulling out her radio as if an idea had sprung to mind. Kane's message rang through again, but Sol concentrated on twisting the tuner, continuing to do so until Kane's voice was gone. 

"What are you doing?" Kodiak asked, trying to lean over Sol to look at her hands. 

"Kane called from an unknown channel," she began, "that means he had to manually connect to our radios, suggesting that he made the decision to call himself." 

Sol glanced around at the 4 of them, seeing they weren't really following. She rolled her eyes, smiling in anticipation for when they would realize. 

"Kane said he wanted to meet us to give Elara the serum. Whether or not he's going to try and take her with him then is another thing, but what I'm saying is I think he went behind Rhea's back to send that. Otherwise, it would have come from her radio or one of Riders', or it would have actually been Rhea speaking." Sol explained. "If we don't send our response directly to his radio, we can give Rhea a chance to hear it, therefore knowing what Kane is up to." 

"But Riv, if Kane's right and Elara needs the serum soon, we could be throwing this chance away-" Kodiak muttered, his devotion for Elara clouding his judgement. 

"I know," Sol answered quickly, "so we make the meeting a decoy - obviously keeping Elara here. Rhea will assume that we meant for the message to get back to Kane, and when we tell Kane the arrangements of where to meet, she'll go with him - expecting to take us by surprise. Meanwhile, I can get to the labs when they're out and get some of the serum and bring it back here." 

There were nods from Kodiak and Dreea, contemplating the likelihood of her plan succeeding, and if there was anything else they could add to it. 

"Okay," Dreea agreed. "It's a good plan, but we need to figure out who goes where, and what do when Rhea shows up at the decoy." 

"I'll go to the labs. They'll be no need for any of them to stay there if they think they're getting their Heir. It'll be all hands on deck to bring her home-" 

"I'll go with you," Kodiak added in, barely allowing her to finish speaking. 

"No," Wynn beat Sol to it, already knowing why it wouldn't be a good idea if he went. "We need one of the Sovereigns to be at the decoy as you guys will know better than anyone what to do when Targo gets there. And one of you is supposed to stay at Basilsik in case of a sudden attack, right?" 

Kodiak nodded, not having thought of it like Wynn had, and waited for him to continue. 

"Dreea should go to the decoy, and Kodiak, I want you to stay here with Elara." 

"Won't you be here with her? Or are you wanting to be at the decoy when your dad arrives?" Dreea asked, trying to figure out where he was placing himself in these plans. 

Wynn shook his head. "Ares will go to see dad, maybe with Azha and Bas as well. Quill will stay here with Ell," he looked over, then, "I'll go with Sol." 

Sol's concentrated stare melted a little, realizing that he was willing to put himself in danger. "No, it's not safe with your dad out there-" 

"Then it's not safe for you to be going alone." 

"I-" Sol tried to argue back, wanting him safe at Basilisk. Regardless of being the Nobel, she knew that even if she ordered him to stay here, he would find a way to get out, so there was no point in even trying. 

She rolled her eyes, turning away from him, but smiling a little. Despite everything, it was nice to know that he was looking out for her. 

"Fine," she sighed. "Anyone have any objections?" Sol asked. 

Everyone shook their heads, and more than anyone, Kodiak felt washed over in relief knowing that he would be with Elara the entire time, cooped up safe in Basilisk. 

"Then it comes down to your message," Sol concluded, passing her radio into Wynn's hands. "We'll make it tomorrow, a few hours after first light at the top of the dam." 

He hesitated to take hold of it, looking over at her for encouragement. She nodded softly as if to say that she understood he was scared, but she was there. They were all there. He could do this. 

"Dad?" Wynn began, holding the radio close to his face. It already felt wrong to use that word again. "Okay. We'll meet you, but only for the serum. Tomorrow at the top of the dam, a couple hours into the morning. Come alone and Elara will be there. Please... Please don't do anything. I need my sister, dad." 

He kept along with the arrangements they had made, but the last few words were just him. Raw, honest, unplanned; a boy pleading with his father that he didn't rip his sister away from him. 

//// 

The evening light was slowly settling in and Sol and Wynn stood at the gates of Basilisk, finishing their final checks of what equipment they had with them. 

Wynn's family were there to see him off. It seemed as though no matter how many years they could have been living on the ground for, it would always feel incredibly unnatural for any of them to face leaving each other, even if it was only for a night. 

The gates opened and Sol hovered outside patiently, not rushing Wynn in any way. She drifted a little down the path, trying to give him his own space. 

Quill stood with arms folded, partially because of the cold, and partially because of his uncertainty of the situation. 

"Are you sure this is safe?" He worried, standing a couple feet away from Wynn. 

"We'll be fine. Back tomorrow, not too long after Ares gets back from the decoy," Wynn reminded him, trying to put into perspective that one night wasn't long at all compared to how many times they had been separated in the past. 

"Yeah, everything will work out," Ares agreed, patting Quill on the back reassuringly. He looked over to the other side of his brother and saw Elara standing there quietly, her head down as she began to zone out. Ares couldn't distinguish if she was falling into a vision again, or simply lost in her thoughts, but he knew it was best to try and shake her into reality. 

"You," he smiled as he reached out for Elara, trying not to make his brothers too nervous. He caught her by surprise, pulling her over towards him as he squashed her in his arms; one hand wrapped around her shoulders, the other resting on her head, messing her hair up. 

It was a favourite habit of his and a guarantee to always annoy his siblings. Quill and Wynn laughed along, amused to see someone else be the bait of Ares' antics as Elara fought to get free. She playfully pushed Ares away, shooting him a warning look as he stumbled back up to them, and Ares knew he would face a challenge if he tried anything again. 

"You two can just enjoy my company until tomorrow," Ares grinned, earning a groan from both of them. 

"Please take him with you," Elara joked rolling her eyes. As she looked over at Wynn, her smile quickly dissolved as the fear that hat made a home in her, returned. 

"Be careful," she murmured. 

Wynn tried to hide the sadness in his smile as he looked down at her, but even if he could disguise it, he still felt it. 

He put his arm around Elara, pulling her into his side for a half-hearted hug. 

"I will be. And don't keep yourself up worrying until I get back," he warned her, pulling her away and ushering her over towards Ares and Quill. 

"We'll see you tomorrow, Wynn," Ares nodded, pulling Elara in line with him and Quill. 

Wynn nodded back, out of words, and smiled before turning to the gates, catching up to Sol who was waiting for him. Even if he was afraid, he was never feeling that way on his own and there was a strange sense of comfort in that, driving him forward into the night. 

Five // Part One
Does not feel possible that I could be on chapter five this soon, but okay.

How's everyone doing in quarantine? I've had all day to write, and I stare at my screen opened to Wattpad almost all day, and finally, manage to write when it reaches 11PM, lol. 

I can't wait for the next chapter. There's a scene that I've had in my mind for ages and I'm so excited to write it!

The gif is Wynn with his siblings in this chapter!