Zane's POV

*Play Song*

I knock my fist multiple times on the oak-finished door, standing outside patiently, the cool breeze of the winter day skimming the small uncovered area of my face, my scarf keeping me warm on this cold day.

There was no snow, leaving the area a frigid barren wasteland of dead plants.

I heard numerous footsteps until the door is creaked open, revealing half of Aaron's body, looking out the door with anger until he sees it's me, exhaling in relief.

"Oh, it's only you Zane, c'mon in it's freezing." Aaron opens the door fully for me, ushering me inside, shutting the cold air out as he closes the door.

"You seem tense," I state the obvious, taking off my jacket, hanging it on the coat rack, catching a quick glimpse of a small purple one hanging beside it.

One, you would suspect, to be a kid's.

I silently sigh, turning back to Aaron.

"Yeah, gotta stay alert, being head director doesn't always make me the most liked person." He scratches the back of his neck, walking into the kitchen.

"Figures....." I respond, walking slowly behind him, observing the numerous framed pictures on the walls, most of them including happy memories of.....

Aphmau.....

I gulp down my thoughts, heading into the kitchen, where Aaron was searching through the fridge for something.

I also notice tons of files and papers laid out on the island table of the kitchen.

"Ya want anything to drink?" He asks.

"Just water...." I reply, he answering my request with a cool glass of H20.

"So Zane, before you tell why you're here, I need to talk to you about something," Aaron says, leaning against the wall, crossing his arms, his eyebags large due to what seemed to be too little sleep.

"Uh sure, what is it?" I bite my lip, kinda frightened.

Did I do something wrong?

"You didn't do anything wrong, I just wanted a second opinion on a thought of mine," He says, like as if he had read my mind.

I exhale in relief, gesturing him to continue.

"I think Lucinda is a double agent....."

***********************

Third Person's View.

"Sir, Mrs. Zvahl is requesting you....." One of the guards informs Gene, his posture straight.

Gene scoffs, shaking his head slowly, rolling his eyes.

"Fine let her in...." Gene commands, the metal doors to the large control room, sliding open revealing a furious orange-haired woman, her eyes bloodshot from what looked like extreme sobs.

"What is it?" Gene sighs, obviously rushing to get whatever she wanted to say over with.

"I did what you wanted Gene....." She states, her voice hoarse.

"Yes....and?" He asks, annoyed, done with her idiocy.

"You said, that if I took care of Aphmau, you'd let them go...." She reminded him of their deal, breathing heavily.

Gene rolls his eyes once again, standing up from his comfortable office chair, walking slowly up to her, then he whispers in her ear.

"Yes my dear, I did say that......" His voice hisses, sending chills up Lucinda's spine.

Gene then grabs her by the throat suddenly, lifting her slowly into the air, her legs dangling loosely.

Lucinda gasps for air, small pathetic whisps of air emerging from her opened mouth.

"They will be let go.....when you have finished the job....." Gene starts, but Lucinda weakly interrupts.

"But...you said....."

"I NEVER SAID KILLING APHMAU WAS IT!" He shouts at her, lifting her up higher by the neck, using his strength to throw her to the side, Lucinda landing on her side with a thud, a painful cry emitting from between her lips.

"They will be let GO, when you've done what I've asked." Gene scolds, walking slowly over to crying Lucinda, his shoes clucking against the floor.

"Can I....at least see them....." She pleads, her voice breaking, small streams of tears outlining her face.

Gene looks down at her, staring at her for a few silent seconds before an evil grin grows on his face, chuckling.

"You have 5 minutes."

********************

Zane looks to Aaron with confusion, waiting for him to explain why he just accused their former director as a traitor.

"I'm not crazy okay? Just look at the facts."

"Aaron, maybe you should take a breath and think about what you are---" Zane starts, but Aaron finishes for him.

"What I'm saying? Really? Zane.....why didn't you drive the car escorting the nuke that night?"

"Aaron....." Zane warns, but Aaron doesn't stop.

"Zane....tell me...." Aaron demanded.

Zane sighs, remembering he is his boss afterall.

"Lucinda told me to drive the following truck."

"Did she say why?"

"No.....she just gave a point blank order.....why?"

Aaron doesn't answer, just keeps spitting facts.

"Lucinda told us where she thought the nuke was, but it was a decoy right?"

"What are you getting at..." Zane says wearily, listening intently.

"What if she KNEW it was a decoy?" Aaron suspects.

"Keep talking." Zane encourages curiously.

"What if Lucinda knew it was a fake, so she setup......Aphmau......and the fake nuke in the same car, so Gene could take her out, but make it look like he was stopping us from taking the nuke, which he knew was a fake...."

Zane tries to process this, closing his eyes, shaking his head slightly.

"Wow.....that would explain why Lucinda disappeared....but wait....why would Gene want.......Aphmau.....dead..." Zane says reluctantly, Aaron's expression now sorrowful.

"I don't know, but what confuses me more......" Aaron snatches up a certain a file from the island, handing it to Zane, labeled "Lucinda Zvahl".

".....why would Lucinda do it for Gene?"

===================

Lucinda is lead down a long empty hallway by two guards, her eyes darting at each door, looking for something.

She was sniffling, her nose snotty and her eyes red.

The guards halt in front of a heavily secured metal door, which one of the guards unlock with a keycard, revealing a large room split into two, the room divided by a transparent plastic wall.

Two figures are lying down on a rusty rickety bed in the corner, one awake as the other sleeps on their chest.

Once in sight, Lucinda stands completely still, frozen by her own shock, happiness overwhelming her.

When the figure in the corner meets Lucinda's gaze, he leaps up, holding the other figure in hand, running towards the center of the room.

"Lucinda!" He calls, placing his hand on the plastic wall, tears of joy sprouting from his eyes.

"Laurence!" She meets him at the transparent wall, them being separated by the thick material.

Lucinda's gaze then falls to someone in Laurence's grasp.

Someone who was slightly cooing, their thumb in their mouth.

"Lucinda, what are you doing here? Did they hurt you?!" His vision focused on her swollen neck.

"I'm okay Laurence.......you and Lucy are okay...." She exhales in relief, observing closely 2-year-old Lucy coo slightly in her sleep, the tips of her orange hair barely touching her shoulders.

Lucinda turns back to the guards, breathing heavily.

"Can I......go in?" She pleads to the guards, who were statues at the moment, completely still like they were made of stone.

Though one does respond to her request, pressing a button on the wall, which opens a door at the side of the room.

Lucinda, surprised by the response to her request, sprints through the doorway and down the small hallway it had.

Then she turns a corner, her eyes widening, a large smile spreading across her face as she sprinted even faster into the room, wrapping her arms around Laurence as he wraps his arms around her, both of them relaxed now that they were in each other's grasp.

Together, once again.

"I've missed you so much, Laurence...." Lucinda cries into his shirt, her heart going on a rollercoaster of emotions.

Laurence had gone missing months ago, but it was because Gene had kidnapped him and Lucy, their daughter, which Lucinda and Laurence decided to keep a secret for a while.

Gene bargained them for Lucinda to setup Aphmau in the same car as the nuke.

He said in exchange, he'd let them all go.

At least, that's what Lucinda thought.

"I've missed you too Lucinda, but you shouldn't have come....."

"Huh?" Lucinda looks up to Laurence, who's face was pained.

They are then interrupted by the thud of a door closing......

The door she used to get in.....

What the....

"He's right you know...." A sinister voice hisses from the dark corner of the room, the opposite side of the plastic wall.

Lucinda and Laurence immediately recognize the voice, their gaze shooting towards the corner, both slightly frightened.

"I see you've recognized me, well I guess this will make it easier to explain..." The figure in the dark corner steps out into the light, revealing his terrifying face.

"You...." Laurence bellows, his voice full of hostility, Lucy crying in his arms.

"It's me, and unlike Gene, me didn't make any deal with you about letting you guys go, so to sugar coat it, you guys aren't going to be leaving....anytime soon." Ein cackles, his eyes grey like the sad rain cloud he was.

"Have a nice stay...." He remarks, his evil laugh echoing into the hall as he and the guards head into the corridor, locking the door behind them.

Ein powerwalks down the hallway, meeting Gene in the control room, yawning.

"Did you get it done?" Gene questions, his short dark hair swept across his pale freckled forehead.

"Locked up like a little tweety bird." Ein answers.

"Good, now we can send her out."

"There is no way, they can prepare for this."

Have a nice day my crystals!