"The most painful goodbyes are the ones that are never said and never explained." -Unknown

Chloe's POV:

"Don't move. I don't think twice before I shoot." She looked at me deadly from the corner of her eye as I stood up in horror.

Melissa clutched her leg, sobbing loudly. She was sprawled on the wooden flooring, drenched in her own pool of blood.

Her minions stood around, pointing their pistols at us.

One of them pulls the trigger the moment Aiden moves towards Melissa's helpless frame.

"Move one more step and she is dead." The aged man barks at Aiden, aiming at her. He raises his hands in surrender moving a step back, petrified seeing his sister's miserable state.

The brave girl tries to slow down her screams and bites her lips. At that moment, I knew she was trying to stay strong for her brother.

"Oh haven't I introduced myself? Oh my, how foolish of me." Victoria turns towards me with a small smile plastered on her face. "I'm Victoria, pleasure to finally meet you again Ava."

I didn't miss the silent hatred dripping from her tone when she took my name.

My face falls, I clench my sweaty palms knowing I'm standing in the same room with this monster, which took away plenty of innocent lives and murdered my parents.

She doesn't break our eye contact, and gestures her hand at the two men behind her. "Tie them up."

The chairs scattered around were put into good use by her minions, as they dragged me and the boys to those chairs , tying us.

I haven't notice that there were several ropes and bricks behind the large sacks of cement.

I didn't try to thrash away knowing Melissa's life is at risk if I took another step against Victoria's will.

One of the bald man, who had a scar of his face came to me and tied my hands on the arm rest. The ropes were too tight to set myself free, I could feel a nasty bruise making its way around my thin wrists.

Xavier was tied so was Aiden, they were seated at both of my sides with a good distance among us.

Melissa moans in pain as the man dragged her to the corner of the room, pulling her one leg. Blood stained the flooring all the way she was dragged.

I dig my nails into my palm, gritting my teeth.

I shut my eyes tightly trying to forget her vulnerable state. I can't come imagine what storm must be swirling in Aiden's head right now.

Emma.

I mentally pray she doesn't come down stairs, and try to escape using the windows. But its Emma I'm thinking about, she won't leave and she definitely didn't miss the sound of someone getting shot.

I open my eyes and look around at the state of my friends, tears blurring my vision. Aiden kept staring at his younger sibling, who lay silently sobbing in her agony.

My heart breaks, seeing him this helpless for the first time. Xavier's entire form was tensed, his pale face gave away every detail.

Once again, I failed.

"You've grown up Ava, the last time I saw you were in the hospital, battling the coma." Victoria walks over to me with that same sinister smile. I wish I could slap it away.

I frown at her, my thoughts jumbling further.

She crouches near my feet, holding the pistol lightly in her hand. "Oh! You don't remember, do you?"

Fear crawls every inch of my body. I don't if her aura was a dead giveaway or was it my grudge and helplessness.

Victoria sighs and rolls her black eyes, "I visited you once to take your DNA test. Your father was such an awful person. He never allowed you outside right?" Her eyes glint knowing she discovered of the darkest secrets.

My jaw slightly opens as a thought clicks me.

I had a dream long ago where someone tried to steal my blood. I shrugged it off thinking it's an effect of my hallucinations.

My mouth dries up and I stare at her dumbfounded giving her some sort of satisfaction as she smirks. So, she is after e since she uncovered this secret.

Secret that proves I'm the rightful descendant of Edison.

"Were you the one who saved me that day?" My voice comes out as weak whisper and her eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

She sits down with a sigh, tired of crouching in front of me. She props her one leg and rests her chin on it.

"I wish you burned to death that night during the car accident."Her eyes were cold, carrying deep hatred and venom in her voice.

I heard a faint click but couldn't pin point where it came from or if I imagined it. No one reacts to that small sound so I shrug it off.

Victoria tilts her head, studying my face with an unreadable expression that made me shudder. Her voice comes out low filled with animosity,

"Everything went as Paul planned but that bastard wouldn't give up till his last breath."- It takes a moment for me to register she was talking about my dad, I swallow the pulp in my throat.-"He killed my husband, my love.." She trails of not breaking our eye contact.

My eyes widen when I realize the small information, helping me solve the puzzle. Paul Smith and Victoria worked under science lab years back until they discovered Trxyonate. They both were fired together and probably grew their insane plans, giving rise to bunch of serial killers.

Victoria doesn't stop and continues,

"All we wanted was to destroy every detail related to the creation of antidote but the mighty Dr.Steve was too persistent. That brat shot my Paul death right there, driving me insane-" She closes her eyes, relieving her memories and something inside me was proud of dad- " I drugged him with Trxyonate as a revenge. I messed up, not deriving any info of that cabin before killing him, until I found you."

She snaps her eyes open, they looked darker than earlier.

All the dots seemed to connect in my head. She saved me because she guessed I had something to do regarding his secrets to that antidote.

"H-how could you possibly think Chl-Ava remembers that cabin, she has amnesia." Xavier gets everyone's attention.

That's when I realized how much of a fool I was. I fell into her trap.

A laugh escaped her rough lips as she turned to Xavier, shaking her head. "I left that note as an experiment, if indeed she regained her memory or not. And she fell for it."

She glances at me, her eyes twinkled with sick amusement. "You wouldn't have run away if you didn't remember anything." She sighs getting up, dusting off her black pants.

Shit.

"Now, since everything is cleared. Let's get back to business shall we? Tell me where that cabin is, I'll let you all free."

Victoria is a smart serial killer, no doubt the reason no one managed to catch her. I felt cold sweat break on my forehead, several thoughts running in my mind.

Will she really let us go? No, I highly doubt. But what if..

"Chloe, don't give in! Please!" I look towards Melissa in surprise, my eyes growing wide. Her face contorts in pain, as she held her wounded leg.

I don't get any chance to think before the unimaginable happens.

Victoria scowls, rolling her eyes in complete annoyance. She turns swiftly to her.

'Bang'

The ear-splitting sound resonates within the four walls and Melissa's body falls limp.

Her lifeless eyes starred at me in horror, blood smearing her face from the wound caused due to the gunshot that pierced her forehead.

The crimson liquid gushed out like an open faucet, the strong metallic smell of blood hits my nostrils.

It felt like someone poured a bucket of ice water over my head, numbing all my sensations.

"MELISSA!" Aiden shrieks, his chair jumps with the impact as he tried getting up. His face turns red from anger and anguish, screams that shattered me.

Aiden falls on his face, tied to the chair, with a loud thud. His desperate cries didn't stop as he tried to crawl in that position towards his young sister.

"Mel...?" I breathe out in a mere whisper, my eyes bulging out. Tears washed my face, which drains out of color. My lips quivered

She doesn't respond.

My breath gets caught up in my throat, I felt like my heart stopped beating as I stared at the scene.

"You bastard! You killed her, son of-" Victoria cuts off Aiden's string of curses instantly.

She stalks towards his pitiful state, bending, she slams the base of her back pistol at his head. He immediately falls limp just like Melissa.

"NO, STOP!" I yell at her but it was too late. My chest tightens with deep anguish, unable to do anything.

The dark blood of pool surrounds Aiden. My head felt heavy and I had to bite back the urge to throw up from feeling nauseous.

"I hate it when someone interrupts me." Victoria mutters under her breath, observing the pool of blood surrounding my friends.

She turns towards me, cocking her one eyebrow, "Wait there was one more.."

My eyes widen, sweat dripping from my forehead. I shake my head at her when she beams recalling the missing person.

"Right, that other blonde head. I wanted to give my condolences for her sister." She looks around frantically, getting hyped but her face falls.

"Don't tell me she's hiding." I shake my head at her again and Xavier tries to cover up.

"She didn't come along." I gulp slowly, praying that she buys it. She glances at Xavier and her demeanor changes. Her wrinkled face frowns at him in disappointment.

"You know..I really despise lies." Her voice came out slow, a warning making Xavier still. She looks at him with disgust and turns back at one of her minions.

'Bang'. Another shot.

She shoots one of her men, standing close to Xavier who falls down dead, with a loud thud.

My heart starts to beat and my senses scream at me to get out of here. Victoria tilts her head back at another guard.

"Go find her. Do whatever you want with her, but don't come back until you make sure she is dead." The man standing by the door nods, a sick grin makes its way on his face.

He starts to head upstairs, making my mind go insane. I need to stop him.

"Wait, I'll tell you everything!" I blurt out loud but that man doesn't spare a glance, disappearing. More hot tears prick my eyes and I couldn't do anything. Again.

Emma please, run.

This is entirely my fault. I fell into her claws so easily. Only if I hadn't taken others along with me.

"Of course you will." Victoria yawns, stretching her arms. She studies me with her scrutinizing stare.

"I'll show you where the cabin is located. Just let my friends go,please-" My voice trails off in desperation at the end but that makes her grin like a maniac.

"You know it gives me pleasure, hearing the screams of agony and desperation from people." She stalks towards me, slamming her hands on the arms of the chair, caging me inside.

I lean further back from her when she brings her face near mine.

"I still have three more bullets left. If you try to act smart, I'll finish you both." She intones, her voice cold, gesturing to me and Xavier.

I nod at her.

My mind was running in every possible direction to get out of this but it looked useless. It seemed like I was trapped in a large maze.

Even though if I lead her to the cabin, she will finish me off and Xavier after once her goal is completed.

I need to find an opening, I'll fight her even if takes my life. I can't hand her my dad's project on antidote, this cycle of murders and tortures will never end.

Victoria steps back from me, a victorious smile dancing on her features.

I'll make sure to change that. I'll avenge my parents, Melissa and Aiden.

"Untie them." She looks at me with an unreadable expression, calling off to one of her minions over her shoulder.

The man goes to Xavier and begins to untie him. My gaze clashes with his stressed crystal orbs. Several emotions swirled in them and the most prominent was pain and guilt, mimicking mine.

We both were untied but yet caged by her.

I don't have any plans left but I'm willing to give my life to stop her from reaching to my father's work.

But what I do will effect Xavier...

We step out of the house, walking towards the woods that stood close to this residential area.

Victoria held my right arm, pointing the gun at the side of my head. Xavier was behind us, held the same way by that bald man.

The woods started to surround us. I gazed up slightly and watched the pearly glow of the sky since it was already dawn.

'Bang, bang, bang'

Three loud distinct gunshots erupt into the thick air making me halt in fear. My stomach drops and forms knot in panic.

The sounds came from the house we just left.

Emma...

The birds that were resting peacefully in the trees suddenly scatter in the light color sky, hearing the loud firings.

A dull ache tugs my heart and a fresh hot tear slips from my left eye.

"The sisters will be together up in the heavens." Victoria chirps hearing the firings that sounded like music to her ears.

I grit my teeth, grinding them against each other.

She will pay.

Victoria yanks me forward and I had to stop the urge to snap her neck into two, knowing I probably can't. Even if I try, she will finish Xavier in one command.

My vision becomes glassy as we walk over the dead colorful leaves that rustled and crunched under our feet. I felt empty from inside and outside, a loser who risked other lives just to escape my own misery.

Minutes pass and I lead them to a place I once called home but of course since we needed to find the cabin, I couldn't stand at the broken structure of my home and stare at it, reminiscing.

Memories rushed over me and I was overwhelmed seeing my home, the woods where I had spent time with my parents, hidden from the entire world.

This is the same place I kept dreaming during my stay in the hospital after recovering my coma. It was my past, this is where Aiden used to sneak out and play with me.

I never asked him if he lived nearby or maybe he shifted later since he stopped coming after a while. My heart clenches in more agony recalling my first friend.

I walk along with Victoria towards a small clearing in the woods. The trees clear up a little, giving some circular space and there it stood. The cabin.

It takes a moment for me to register its features because I frankly didn't remember it. The wooden cabin looked years old, moss and lichen grew all over it.

Victoria lets go off me, a bright smile appears on her face making me groan inwardly. I wondered if dad actually kept his top secret project in such an open place.

She walks to it hastily, leaving me alone in that spot.

She twists the door knob and it opens with a large creak. I tilt my head and peek over her shoulders from a distance only to find a grass mower inside it.

My mouth hangs open, I blink several times trying to remember any sort of important information or a clue he must have given but nothing came to my mind.

Victoria pulls out the mower, throwing it to the side and starts inspecting the small cabin but there was nothing but spider webs that welcomed her.

A part of me sighed in huge relief that her hands didn't land on the antidote or its project.

"Where is it!?" She growls in frustration, turning towards me.

"I-I don't know. This is all I remember-" My eyes grow wide as she points her metallic pistol at me, running a hand throw her wild hair.

She sends a deadly glare towards me, moving her aim between me and Xavier. My heart starts to pound and I raise my hands in an attempt to stop her.

Before any of us could say a word, a loud firing resonates in the air.

'Bang'

---

Damn that was a lot of bang bang for a day xD

Probably two-three more chapters are left now, 'if' things go like I planned :P

Love,

Cadance.