"I'm starting with my intuition
I'm starting with my strengths
I'm getting back my old ambitions
And returning again."

~ Fire in Me by John Newman

"A-a bomb?" Adalynn sputtered, staring in disbelief as Barnard and Eric wired it up. "Y-you'll blow up the entire school!"

"Not just the entire school," Barnard smirked as he cast a sideways glance in her direction. "You too. You'll be the first to go."

"W-what do you mean?" Adalynn gasped.

"What do you think he means?" Jason mocked. "You're going to stay locked up in there, all nice and cosy, until the bomb goes off. Trust me, you couldn't get a better view even if you tried."

"NO!" Adalynn sobbed, tears slipping down her cheeks. "PLEASE LET ME OUT! I promise I won't tell anyone anything! I promise! Jason? Eric? Please?"

"We all know that that's a full-on lie," Barnard glowered at her. "You're the one who was so insistent to uncover this so-called 'plot', and now you that you have, you're gonna pay the price."

Straightening up, Barnard chuckled slightly and held up a little black box. "I'm wiring this up for three minutes. By that time, we'll be far, far away. Enjoy the last three minutes of your life, princess. Say your prayers, because you're gonna need em when you arrive at those 'pearly gates'."

Eric, Jason and Barnard burst out into a fit of raucous laughter.

"Good one, Barnard," Eric smirked. "Alright. Let's get outta here."

"NO!" Adalynn screamed as the three men gathered up the last of their things and prepared to leave. "NO PLEASE! You can't just leave me here!"

"Uh, actually, we can," Barnard glared at her pointedly. "Goodbye princess."

With that, he pressed a button that was on the black box he was carrying in his hand. Adalynn's eyes were drawn to the bomb as the time code wired up and began counting down: 2.59. 2.58. 2.57.

"No," Adalynn whispered. Grasping the bars of her cell, she screamed, "YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS!"

"Sorry, but we already have," Barnard cackled as he chucked the black box into a nearby drawer and slammed it shut. Then, along with Jason and Eric, he bolted out of the cave.

"NOOOO!!" Adalynn's mind could barely register what was happening. One-half of her brain was telling her that surely they wouldn't leave her alone to be blown up, but now the other half was trying to tell her that they already had and, in less than three minutes, she was going to die.

Dropping to her knees, Adalynn buried her face in her hands and began to sob. She knew she was screwed. There was no getting out of the cell. The bars were solid metal, a good 5 millimetres thick. The ground beneath her was packed soil, impossible to dig through with her bare hands. The wall behind her was hard brittle rock.

There was no escape.

2.38. 2.37. 2.36.

RATTLE. RATTLE. RATTLE.

Adalynn's eyes widened as she heard the distant sound. A slimmer of hope entered her heart. Jumping to her feet, she started banging on the door of her cell, screaming, "Help me! Somebody help me!"

When all that met her cry was silence, Adalynn's shoulders slumped in dismay. Her ears must've deceived her. There was no one out there.

Jackie, Max, Hayley, Leo and the others would be nibbling on snacks and sipping cool drinks as they congratulated Daniel on his game. Louis would be sitting in the stadium, looking around at his many students with pride. Families, children, teens, all were completely oblivious to what was about to take place.

Judy, Jason, Eric and Barnard would have already left the school grounds by this time. When the bomb went off, they'd be far enough way not to be effected by it, but close enough to see the fiery explosion.

1.59. 1.58. 1.57.

"I - I'm sorry Mum, Dad, Ben," Adalynn whispered out into the damp, sticky air. "I - I didn't even have a chance to tell you goodbye or say that I missed you or that I loved you! I love you all. I - I just wish I could've told you in person. I'm so so sorry."

"Adalynn? Are you in here?" a voice suddenly pricked the stillness.

"YES!" she yelled in response. "Yes, I'm in here! Quick, hurry! There's a blooming bomb that's about to blow!"

"WHAT?"

Hurried footsteps sounded down the rocky corridor that led to the door. The door swung open. Ethan stepped inside. He took one look at the bomb before rushing to Adalynn's cell.

"Adalynn! I-I'm gonna get you outta here okay?" he told her as his shaking hands tried to unlock the cell door.

Adalynn nodded her auburn head and swallowed hard. "You better hurry. It's gonna blow in two minutes!"

Ethan tried desperately to break the padlock that was securing the door, but without success. "I - I can't open it!" he cried.

1.29. 1.28. 1.27.

Adalynn reached her hands through the bars and grabbed Ethan's forearms. "Ethan, look at me. It's useless and you know it. Without the key, I'm not going anywhere. You need to leave. Save yourself and the others. I'll be fine."

"You'll die!"

"At least I'll die knowing that you tried your best to save me. Now go. More lives will be lost if you don't hurry and warn them."

Ethan shook his head as tears pooled in his eyes. "I already lost my sister. I can't lose you too! I'm not leaving!"

Adalynn, a little startled to learn that he even had a sister, stared at him in shock. "E-Ethan. You're not listening to me! GO!"

1.10. 1.09. 1.08.

"Not without you."

"There's no point in BOTH of us dying! C'mon!"

1.06. 1.05. 1.04.

"Please Ethan ..." Adalynn's grey-blue ones gazed into his deep brown ones. "Please ..."

"No. Never."

1.02. 1.01. 1.00.

"Hello, anyone in here?"

Both Ethan and Adalynn jumped and looked towards the door in horror.

An entire squad of uniformed FBI agents suddenly burst into the room, guns raised and senses on high alert.

"Hey quick! We need to get her outta here!" Ethan shouted, pointing to the bomb on the other side the room. "It's about to blow!"

0.56. 0.55. 0.54.

"Holy crap!" one of the agents yelped in surprise. "Hurry! We need to get these kids outta here. Go on, boy, leave, we've got this."

"No," Ethan shook his curly dark head firmly. "I'm not going without her."

The agent rolled his eyes as he commanded, "Step back!" Raising his revolver, he aimed it at the padlock.

BANG.

The metal clasp clattered to the floor. The agent jumped forward and swung open the cell door. "Come on, sweetie, let's you get out of here."

Adalynn choked down a sob of relief as she ran out of the cell and straight into Ethan's arms.

She clung to him, sobbing and crying, her feelings a mix of exhaustion and happiness. Her head dropped onto his shoulder; her tears began to soak through his shirt.

0.38. 0.37. 0.36.

Ethan pressed a lingering kiss on her forehead before pulling away. "Get outta here, before it's too late."

"W-where are you going?" Adalynn demanded, confused.

"I have to save them. I'm sorry," Ethan nodded towards a nearby officer. "Please - take her away."

"Wait? WHAT! NOOO!!" Adalynn screamed as she was grabbed by two hefty agents. "Ethan, please, don't do this!"

0.25. 0.24. 0.23.

Struggling with all her might, Adalynn was dragged out of the cave. The bright sunlight glared cruelly into her swollen eyes and burned her tear-streaked cheeks. "ETHAN!" she collapsed to the ground sobbing. "NOOO! Please, n-not Ethan."

"ADALYNN!!"

At the sound of her name, Adalynn lifted her head. "M-Mum?" she gasped.

"Adalynn, sweetie, it's okay, I'm here!" Mrs Stanton rushed towards her. Dropping to the ground, she cradled her daughter's head in her lap and stroked her hair. "It's okay, beautiful, Mum's here."

"B-but Ethan ..." Adalynn cried.

"It's okay, love, it's okay. I'm here. I'm right here."

0.10. 0.09. 0.08.

Adalynn's vision began to get fuzzy. A ringing sounded in her ears. A black cavernous tunnel started to engulf her mind.

0.05. 0.04. 0.03.

"No. Not Ethan ... I love him," she managed to get out.

Adalynn slipped into unconsciousness, but not before she heard the deafening sound of the explosion.

BOOM.

~~~~

Gif: Adalynn's face when she exits the cave.

A/N: Sorry. Another cliffhanger ... :/ I'm hoping to update the last chapter today, so you won't have to wait much longer! Will Ethan die? Was his actions one of a hero? Do you think it was sweet of him when he refused to leave Adalynn's side? What became of the bomb? Why were Adalynn's parents at the cave? What will happen to the runaway criminals? Please comment your opinions down below, I'd love to hear from you! Thank you so much! Have a great day everyone and stay tuned for the next, and sadly, last chapter! :) xx