"They say that abandonment is a wound that never heals. I say only that an abandoned child never forgets."
~Mario Balotelli

_________________________

Elsa

The next few days were a whirlwind of celebrations, both for finding the white heather and, mainly, my engagement to Spencer. We made our way down the coast of Scotland, celebrating at different bars in different towns we passed through. My favorite ended up being a tiny pub in St Andrews, which had photos all over the walls and ceilings of the famous people who had come through to visit. I think the bartender was concerned about how much we were drinking, considering we all but killed four bottles of whiskey between the sixteen of us before we felt semi-drunk.

However, after two weeks passed, the excitement died down as we set forth on searching for the mandrake root in the stunning setting of Sicily. We took turns going out and tracking it down, slowly gathering enough for everyone we intended to use it on. Still, in the quiet of the Sicilian breeze, my mind wandered to the Controllers, as it often did. They wouldn't stop hunting us as long as they suspected we were alive. We needed to do something to permanently get them off our tails, and I could figure out only one solution.

We needed to fake our own deaths.

But how? They would need to see bodies; otherwise, without a body, that meant we could still be alive. But with physical bodies came the need for DNA because, without that, the Controllers could assume the bodies were fake.

Spencer wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and kissed my shoulder. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing happy," I admitted, staring at the glittering blue water of the bay. I explained my thoughts about the Controllers and the ultimate conclusion I arrived at. "Problem is, I don't know where to start."

Spencer stayed silent for a few minutes, mulling the idea over. "It's our only option, I think. We have to get the Kellermans and Lawmans off our backs while we have the advantage right now. It'll give us some breathing room until we can bring the war to the Controllers. Do you think Viktor could help us?"

"Possibly, but they've done so much to help us, I'd feel bad asking them for more."

"Maybe we can do something to help them in return. Why don't we give them a call?"

I debated it for a few seconds, then, deciding I had nothing to lose, slipped out of his grasp and entered our room. I grabbed my phone and called Viktor. He picked up on the first ring, exuberantly greeting, "Elsa! We've been wondering how you've been doing!"

"Hey, Viktor! It's good to hear your voice! How are you all doing?"

"We're good. We've already created a new home base, and we've been working with other Shadow kids to lead rebellions and help them escape. We're currently working on a place in Milan."

"We're not too far from there. Do you need any help?"

"Oh, yeah! I forgot you guys would be in Italy for the Mandrake right about now. How's the hunt coming along for the ingredients?" Viktor inquired eagerly. "Hopefully no hiccups?"

"You know us. There are always hiccups, but nothing we couldn't overcome. The Mandrake is the last thing we need outside of the hair of the recipient. That's going to be a whole other problem we'll need to deal with, but that will be much later."

"If you need any help, you can always call us."

"I know, and you have no idea how much we appreciate it. I-I did have a request. It's another big one..."

"Just name it. We've got your back."

His words made my heart soar. "Fine, but only if you let us help you with your liberation of the kids in Milan. You scratch my back; I scratch yours."

"Deal. So what do you need?"

"I need you to help me stage our own deaths. We'll need sixteen bodies, and we'll need to find a way to make their DNA match ours to make it look like it's actually us."

"You know-" Viktor began, sounding wholly unfazed by the request- "I was kind of waiting for you to ask us that."

"You what now?" Spencer asked in surprise, staring in perplexity at Elsa's phone.

"Hey Spencer!" Viktor chirped. "Yeah, I figured it was kind of the only way to get the Controllers off your back. I was going to suggest it at some point if you didn't. Speaking of which, I think we can kill two birds with one stone on this."

"What do you mean?"

"Depending on when we attack the Milan facility, we can use the bodies of those who end up killed as your doubles. Of course, we'll need to make sure they look relatively close to your body shape and height, and we'll need to figure out how to make the bodies physically unrecognizable so your families don't get suspicious."

Spencer frowned. "How long have you been thinking about this? Because you sound like you have this halfway planned out for us already."

"Ever since you guys left, to be honest. Don't worry, I haven't been plotting your real deaths. So, fire is probably the only way to go. We can do an airplane crash or a building fire. The latter would be easier, but the Controllers and your family could also easily go into the building and/or put the fire out before the bodies are burned beyond recognition, so a plane crash, although more complicated, might be a better bet."

"If it's a plane crash, we need to do it somewhere away from civilization. I don't want innocents getting caught in the crossfire of our war," I said, wincing at the possible destruction a plane crash could cause on an unsuspecting village or city."

"There are plenty of places this could happen. It'd be even better if it were over the sea," Viktor assured, and I could hear clicking in the background. He must've been on the computer searching for this. "When are you wanting this to happen?"

"I'm not sure, only that it should be soon. How ready are you to take on the Milan facility?"

"The only issue we're facing is that we know it's underground, we just can't pinpoint the exact place. We're trying to get people on the inside, but after the Scottish, Russian, and Australian facilities fell, all the others have gone on high alert. It's damn near impossible to reach anyone, but the kids know we're coming for them. We managed to get that message to them before the adults cut off all communication."

"Are they still looking for us?"

"Considering you alone wiped out half the US facility, yeah, they want you. Why?"

"What if it was one of us who got in?"

"Elsa-" Spencer started warily, fear falling onto his face, but I ignored him.

Viktor hesitated. "I mean, if you guys had a tracker, that would work, but Elsa... you barely survived last time the Shadows had you, and that was before they knew what you were capable of. If you go in a second time-"

"She won't," Spencer declared. "I will."

"Spencer-"

"There's no debate about that. You're not getting tortured again. Not as long as I can help it."

"So it's okay that you are?!"

"It should've been me in the first place. Not you."

"We have the blueprints of every tunnel system and building in Milan," Viktor interrupted our blooming argument, "so once we find where you are with the tracker, we can make our move. We have plans for each one, and we've already narrowed it down to a few where they would be. We just need confirmation."

"We'll talk to our pack and get you a timeline. There's someone else I want to talk to as well before we go through with this. Do you think three weeks would be enough time to prepare?"

"Yeah, that'd be plenty."

"Great. Give you a call soon. Tell everyone I say hi and that I send my love."

"Will do. Talk soon." We hung up, and I met Spencer's stern gaze. "Don't give me that look."

"I'm not giving you a look."

"Yes, you are. You're looking at me like I'm crazy."

"Because you essentially offered yourself up as bait to go into the Shadows facility as their captive after you nearly lost your life the last time. It's been nine months, Elsa, but it's still raw for all of us. As strong as you are, you've just now stopped the sessions with Melinda. I don't want you to have a relapse going back in there as a captive and not have Melinda to fall back on when we fake our deaths. If we do this, you let me go in."

"You're crazier than I am if you think I'm letting you go by yourself."

"I'm not asking anyone else to risk their lives going in with me."

"Then we let them volunteer when we tell them the plan, but if no one does, I'm going with you," I said firmly. "If it causes me to relapse, I'll use the coping mechanisms Melinda taught me to deal with the trauma."

Spencer sat on the edge of our bed, bracing his elbows on his knees and rubbing his face with his hands. "I don't like this, Elsa."

I sat next to him, gently rubbing his back. "Me neither, but if it gets us one step closer to getting the Controllers off our back, then I think it's something we should seriously consider doing."

"I know..." Spencer turned his head to look at me, his green eyes filled with concern. "Who else did you want to talk to? As far as I'm aware, the only allies we have are the Shadow kids, unless you meant our pack."

"Actually, I meant our parents." When Spencer opened his mouth to protest, I hurriedly said, "I'm going to invite them to our wedding. If they say yes, great. If they say no, we'll tell them it's four weeks from now if they change their mind. That'll give us time to take down the Milan facility, get the body doubles, and prep for our fake deaths."

"Elsa, they're going to say no."

"You don't know that."

"But I do." Spencer rubbed the back of his head, squeezing his eyes shut for a few moments. "I didn't want to tell you because I figured it wouldn't do any good, but I called my parents to let them know I was going to ask you to marry me, and they hung up on me literally right after I said that. When I called your parents asking for their blessing, your dad promised he'd kill me next time we crossed paths."

I let his words sink in, the hostility and threats taking even me aback. I knew our parents hated us for what we did, but surely time would've made them forgive us? Still... "I have to try."

"I know."

Taking a deep, calming breath, I was about to hit dial when Anna and Dom knocked on our door. We told them to enter, and upon seeing our faces, Anna immediately demanded, "What's wrong?"

We gave them the update, from my phone call to Viktor to our plan to fake our deaths to my impending idea to call the Starks and Laroches. When we finished, Dom whistled and said, "That's... that's a lot to take in."

"If you want us to leave while you call them, we can," Anna offered, but I could tell she wanted to stay. I wanted her to as well.

"No, remain here. If our families reject us, it'd be nice to have witnesses outside of me and Spencer."

Dom and Anna nodded, and without another word, I called Hayley and Chris first. For some reason, their possible rejection didn't hurt me as much as the idea of my own parents doing the same. Finally, someone happily picked up on the third ring. "Hi, this is Hayley Stark.

"Hi, Mrs. Stark. It's Elsa. Elsa Laroche."

"Yes, I know who you are," she replied sharply, her earlier friendliness gone. "What do you want?"

"To offer one last olive branch. I understand things are tense between us, and for good reason, but in four weeks, on October 28, Spencer and I are getting married. We would like for our families to be there."

Silence ensued for almost a full minute before someone spoke, and this time, it was Chris. "We are not your family, and we never will be. The only reason we would come to your wedding is to kill all of you."

I watched the color drain from Spencer's face, and seeing that filled me with rage. Spencer was their son. How could they say such a thing? Still, I had a part to play. If they wanted us dead, then that's what they would get with front-row seats. Keeping my voice steady despite my absolute fury, I said, "I understand. I'm sorry you feel that way, but I'll send you the address in case you change your mind."

"You'd be signing your death warrants doing that," Hayley pointed out with a vicious snarl.

"We're going to die soon anyways with how close the Controllers are on our trail. At least by helping them in killing us, it'll get them off your backs. Goodbye, Mr. and Mrs. Stark."

I hung up before they could respond, hands slightly trembling.

"Elsa, if that's how my parents reacted..." Spencer trailed off, but the insinuation was still there.

"I have to try one more time." Taking another deep breath, I called my home number. Surprisingly, Caleb answered cheerfully, and hearing his voice made my heart skip a beat. I didn't realize how much I missed my older brother until now.

"Hello?" my brother repeated, sounding slightly confused. "Anyone there?"

"Hey, Caleb," I said softly. "Long time no talk."

"E-Elsa?" he stammered. In the background, I heard Hunter exclaim my name, followed by footsteps.

"Is everyone there?" I asked, able to hear the thundering of multiple heartbeats over the line. When Caleb confirmed this, I instructed him to put me on speaker. I waited for him to give me the go-ahead, and when he did, I let the words flow, fully prepared for what I knew their answer would be. "Spencer and I are getting married in four weeks, October 28, to be exact. We wanted to extend one last olive branch to you in hopes that we can move past all this. I-I'd really like to have my parents again."

"Absolutely not," Mom snapped. "We don't have a daughter named Elsa Laroche, and we will never have a son named Spencer Stark."

"I told Spencer this when he asked us for your hand in marriage, and I'll tell you too-" Dad began warningly- "next time I see him, I will finish what I started, and you'll be next Elsa."

I glanced up when I heard Dom audibly gulp; Anna's eyes were full of terror. Meanwhile, a numbness had settled in my bones. I'd expected these words, but to hear them aloud still pained me more than I cared to admit. Still, I had to get the last word in. "I'll send you the address in case you change your mind. Have a good rest of your day."

I hung up before they could say anything else. My hands trembled, and as much as I wanted to cry, I couldn't. The numbness wouldn't let me. I now knew where I stood with our families, where my pack stood with them, and they wished us nothing but death. Well, if that's what they wanted, then that's what they'd receive.

Without a word, I dialed another number, waiting for them to pick up. They did so on the first ring. Before the person could even speak, I said, "Viktor, it's Elsa. Plan the operation for October 21. We'll be ready."