"You okay?" I heard Melissa ask as we sat in the car, waiting for our plan to unfold.

"Yea, why?"

"Because you're spacing out and that's the last thing you need to be doing right now."

"Don't worry about me," I replied a little too forcefully, "I'll be fine when it counts."

The last conversation with Anna had altered my mood, and now I was taking it out on Melissa. It was wrong, but I never claimed to be a good person. Temperament issues were a plague I constantly dealt with, and it didn't help that I didn't particularly like her.

"Are you always a bitch? Or is it just towards me?"

Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm down. She was right. I was being an asshole. There was no need to talk to her the way I was, at least not right now when there were more important things to worry over

"Sorry," I stated bluntly.

"Thanks," she rolled her eyes, "That was very heartfelt."

"I'm just thinking about my sister," I found myself admitting, realizing it felt good to say it out loud. Even if it was to Melissa. Anna was the whole reason my mood was bad.

"What about her?"

I shook my head, "After everything that happened this weekend she's had enough of me lying. She doesn't trust me, and it doesn't help that I refuse to tell her the truth."

I didn't expect Melissa to answer my rant, I just wanted to get it off of my chest and she was willing to listen. Regretting it later was a possibility but I was tired of overthinking everything. At least venting allowed me to talk it out.

"I know my opinion doesn't matter, but I think you're doing the right thing," she stated. "Anna's young and won't understand. Sure, lying to her is bad. But the cons of telling her the truth outweigh the pros. I for sure wouldn't be able to do what you're doing."

Her kind words resonated somewhere deep in my soul, as if it was something I needed to hear. It wasn't a "good job" or a pat on the back, but it was recognition nonetheless. That, coming from Melissa, was oddly flattering.

"Thanks," I found myself replying as we waited out in the dark street.

Monroe had picked a good spot to perform the heist because there wasn't much light or traffic. The nerves were starting to get to me, but my conversation with Melissa seemed to be a good distraction. The bus was supposed to arrive any minute according to Monroe, but I was growing impatient.

"What's it like?"

I looked over, "What?"

"Having a sister."

Her stone eyes softened at the mentioning of Anna, and I couldn't help but wonder what it was like to be an only sibling. Imagining what my life would've become if Anna hadn't kept me anchored to reality scared me.

I shrugged, "She's my best friend, even when she doesn't quite understand what's going on. I know she's there for me at the end of the day when no one else is... She keeps me grounded."

Melissa just smiled as I allowed myself to look at her. For just a second I felt something other than uneasiness. It had been a sense of comfort, but as soon as the moment had come it was gone.

"So tell me," I started, "Why are you involving yourself in all of this?"

For a moment I watched her contemplate an answer, which naturally made me wary of her again. I hadn't understood her motives since the moment she agreed to help us break into the GIB headquarters. In my opinion her agreement to help hadn't been logical at all.

"I'm just tired of being alone," Melissa answered. I saw the sadness in her eyes as she continued. "When Willi helped me out at the gun shop... I just had this realization that I really needed a sense of family again."

Suddenly I felt bad, and I was never the one to sympathize. But the rudeness I had displayed towards her when she agreed to help us out, knowing there was nothing in it for her, made me sick. Why had I assumed the worst of her? Was I that negative? I had based my attitude on a single feeling and iced her out before she even had a chance. Now it was obvious why she had bailed on me on the GIB job, she had assumed I would've done the same thing to her. She didn't trust me either.

The epiphany caused a deep sense of guilt to overtake me, but did I want to allow myself to become vulnerable and apologize? What did I have to lose anyway? If I died tonight, I wanted to die with the least amount of regret possible.

"Melissa," I started, "I'm sorry..."

"I don't want a pity apology Alexa. I was just being honest with you."

I shook my head, unsure of how to end this topic. Of course my apology was out of pity, I felt bad, but the sadness she had portrayed had provoked it. Although, I believed my apology came from a good place.

Watching her figure through the dark I allowed her natural features reel me in to her gaze. Suddenly I found myself admiring the way she stayed poised even when faced with heartache.

Her full lips parted as she answered me, "But thank you, for showing me something other than resentment."

Her words managed to cut me, but I didn't have much time to react because Monroe's voice interrupted us.

"The bus is a minute away."

I reacted quickly, driving the car into the street and pressing the button to activate my hazards. When headlights appeared in my rearview my heart somersaulted in my chest. I could feel the angst surround me and Melissa in the car while we waited, knowing this was either going to pan out really well or really bad.

The bus came to a quick stop behind me, and then everything was happening in fast motion.

Derik, Willi, and Monroe barged through the door of the bus. I held my breath, too afraid to move. Listening for gunshots through the eerie night made my stomach clench, but all remained silent. I took that as a good sign.

"How long do you think it'll take?"

I shook my head at Melissa's question. My eyes never left the mirror. "I don't know."

One of my hands shook against the steering wheel as the other gripped the gear shift tightly. I was convinced I hadn't blinked in over a minute. My eyes were burning. My throat was dry and my skin hot from the adrenaline.

"Oh God hurry up," I whispered at the mirror.

When I heard sirens in the distance my grip tightened on the wheel.

Melissa began to panic, "Cops. They called for backup."

Gunshots rang out. I turned completely to face the bus, seeing Derik, Willi, Monroe and the prisoner making a break for it. They quickly entered the car, Monroe ordering, "Drive, Now!"

He didn't have to tell me twice. I threw the car into drive and took off down the street.

"Is anyone hurt?" Melissa asked.

"No," Derik answered, "We had to kill the two guards because this genius decided to try and make a break for it." He shoved against the prisoner who had a bag over his head, cuffs around his hands as well.

"Alexa, take a left," Monroe directed, and I obliged.

But as soon as I turned down the street we came face to face with a police cruiser. My heart stopped in my chest.

"Hold on!" I ordered, slamming the gas down and swerving onto another street. Bullets slammed against the car.

"Shit!" Derik exclaimed from the backseat.

I could hear the engine scream as it pushed forward, heading towards a part of town I knew better. Blue lights flowed into my mirrors. My sweaty palms squeezed against the leather of the steering wheel.

My body was shaking as I tried to conjure up a plan. I knew to get us out of this mess I had to think one step ahead of the cops. I took a quick right, speeding down the road.

Willi asked, "Where the hell are you going?!"

I shook the fear from my mind, ignoring my friends. They were only a distraction. Running the route in my head I thought of where more cruisers would be dispatching. They would be coming from my right. If I took a left they would continue tailing me. If I chanced a right they would have to turn around, buying me more time. Of course, there as risk of collision. But right now I was desperate.

"Alexa turn around," Monroe demanded.

"Let me drive!" I took another right as blue lights filled my view. Jerking the wheel to avoid a head-on crash we passed up three cruisers coming from the opposite direction.

My assumptions were proven right as I watched two of the cruisers collide. The survivors quickly made a U-turn to tail me again.

"Take a left," Derik ordered.

I complied, revving the car more as I exited off of the main road and down a more secluded one way. The cruisers followed, but I took another left. They would have to slow since they were side by side.

Then our back window blew out, causing me to jump in fear. Monroe began firing back. Memories of the bank job instantly flooded my brain. Panic threatened to overtake me as the pain of collision resurfaced. Maybe there was a bit of post trauma I wasn't aware of until now.

I whispered to myself, "You're not scared..."

I pressed forward, weaving in and out of the night traffic that was growing heavier as we neared the city. Gunshots were being exchanged between Monroe and the police cruiser, but he was taking too damn long.

"Monroe, if you could take out that last cruiser that would be great," I demanded.

"I'm trying."

Growing impatient I swerved between two cars, disabling Monroe from firing. This bought me more time to think. Deciding it was best to ditch the main road I prepared myself.

Turning down a narrow alleyway I focused on keeping the wheel straight, careful not to hit the sides and blow out a tire. That would be the icing on the cake.

Watching through my mirror the blue lights passed the alley, completely missing us.

I smiled, exiting and driving back towards the rural area we had come from. I listened for the sirens but I was convinced I had ditched them.

"How the hell did we just get away with that?" I heard Derik again.

I shrugged, "I have no idea, to be honest."

"Where'd you learn to drive, kid?" Willi asked.

"Just consider it luck."

I made my way back toward the tow yard where all of our cars waited, careful to avoid busy streets where cops might be lurking. We needed to ditch this car as soon as possible, but I was careful not to drive recklessly.

We finally made it back. Willi helped escort the prisoner out of the car. It was hard not to feel bad for the guy considering he had a sack over his head, but I knew Monroe had his reasons.

"So that's it?" I asked.

Monroe nodded, handing Willi the bag with the money and waving, "Thanks for the help."

And with that he was gone, leaving the four of us alone again. I turned around as Derik exited the car while removing the ski mask he had worn for the heist, "We'll follow you, but you need to ditch this car."

I agreed with a nod as Melissa offered, "I'll stay with her."

I started down the secluded road, knowing exactly what I planned to do with this car. Derik's headlights followed me through my rearview as Melissa stayed silent next to me. We were both still in shock after what had just happened, but it seemed to be over now. And we were almost to the drop off point.

"You think Chapman's gonna figure out it was us?"

I shrugged, "I mean it wouldn't be hard to put two and two together."

"It's possible he'll come looking for you."

"Let him," I found myself saying, unafraid of the idea.

She just continued to watch me, "That doesn't scare you?"

"I don't know. I mean if he comes for me maybe he'll start answering some of the questions I have."

"So you want to know what's going on."

"You don't?" I questioned, wondering why I seemed to be the only one who cared. It was obvious there was something bad going on concerning our government, so why was I the only one that wanted the truth? Why didn't Derik and Willi seem to care either?

She hesitated, "I just feel like the more we know the more danger we put ourselves in."

I knew where she was coming from but it wasn't enough to influence me not to dig. I wanted answers. I wanted realness. It had always driven me crazy not knowing the truth, which is where Anna must've inherited the trait. After years of being lied to by my parents I had this want for knowledge, so I was constantly searching for it.

It was no different with the NIA and GIB.

We pulled down an abandoned dock. I got out and walked up to a gate which was closed. But I knew there was never any lock on it.

"How'd you know about this place?" Melissa asked.

"A friend of mine," was all I said, remembering who had revealed the spot to me in the first place. It was more of an urban legend, but apparently there had been a murderer who used to dump his victims' bodies from the edge of this pier. Tying their feet to cinder blocks would anchor them to the bottom, but no one ever found out if it was true or not.

That's when I took it upon myself to travel to the dock and see it if really was abandoned. Come to find out, it was, and if it was open to the public why not dump a vehicle?

After removing the gate, I drove the car all the way to the edge, keeping it in neutral.

"Help me push this," I demanded, Melissa joining me in the back of the vehicle.

We pushed, the wheels moving at a slower pace until it began to pick up speed. Then the front weight was gone, and the vehicle fell into the black ocean below us. We heard a giant splash but we were out in the middle of nowhere right now.

I peered over the edge. The vehicle was nowhere to be seen.

"Wow," Melissa stated as we headed back to the gate. After closing up we climbed into the backseat of Derik's car.

"Nice job," Willi said.

Derik drove back home where Willi's car waited, but my mind was still spinning with everything that had happened. We had managed to steal a prisoner, escape a fleet of police, avoid injuries, and dump a car within a few hours.

How the hell had we gotten away with that?

We made it back to Derik's house unscathed, which was still a mystery to me. He handed out the money Monroe had given us, ten thousand for each. It felt good to have a reward to look at after everything we had just gone through.

"We should probably stay away from each other for a while."

Willi and Melissa just nodded.

"Are you gonna contact Victoria?" I asked.

Derik shook his head, "Not anytime soon. Reaching out to her could be dangerous."

And with that Willi pulled me into a hug, "Maybe you should teach me to drive some time, Lex."

I just laughed. "Maybe so."

He and Derik exchanged goodbyes as Melissa stood in front of me, not sure whether or not we should perform any type of physical gesture.

"Thanks for driving like a bad ass tonight," she joked.

"No biggie." I deadpanned.

This got a grin out of her, which was something I hadn't yet had the pleasure to see. As much as I loathed to admit it, I felt myself finally forgiving her.

"Ready?" Willi asked. Melissa's gaze fell away from mine as she nodded.

"Let's go."

I watched them disappear into Willi's car and drive off, leaving Derik and me in the driveway.

"So you're finally having a change of heart?"

I just looked at Derik, shock written on my face, "What?"

He just gave me an amused expression, probably directed at my horrible acting.

"Melissa's growing on you. Twenty-four hours ago you could barely stomach being near her."

I knew he was right, and Derik was observant. Then again, it didn't take a genius to figure out I hadn't liked Melissa from the beginning. Sure, we were civil now, but he was getting ahead of himself. I was just surprised he hadn't asked me why I hadn't liked her earlier.

I just shrugged it off, "Doing illegal things together has its ways of working miracles. But we're not friends."

"Sure," he stated, turning around to walk into the house.

I stayed outside a little longer, realizing the bad feeling that had been growing in my stomach over Melissa wasn't as strong anymore. It was still there, but that could very well be my trust issues I constantly dealt with. Maybe Melissa wasn't that bad after all, and Lord knows it felt good to run with someone my age.

Deciding not to dwell on the thought any longer I went inside, locking up and heading straight for my bed. I was exhausted, but now I would be able to sleep without any worries of tomorrow. That felt good after consistently being on guard for the past five days.

The last few thoughts I had before drifting off were of my mother, whom we hadn't seen in months. Maybe Anna and I could pay her a visit soon.

And maybe she could come homeand see that things were better, even when dad was still gone.

* * *

"Are you on your way?" Anna asked through the phone.

"Yeah, I'm like, five minutes out," I answered.

"Alexa, you're on Derik's house phone."

I sighed, realizing how stupid I felt, "Okay, then ten minutes tops."

"Where's your cellphone?"

"I have no idea. I'm coming."

"Okay." Then she was gone.

I could tell she was still mad at me, but her anger was fading. She could be upset all the wanted, but it wouldn't force the truth out of me. After this weekend and the whole prisoner breakout I no longer wanted to talk about it. I just wanted it behind me.

Soon I was driving up to the house. Anna waved goodbye to her friend Holly before making her way over to me.

She climbed in and I asked, "How was your sleep over?"

"Good," she replied, "Did you hear about what happened last night?"

"What's that?"

"There was a high speed chase with the cops! Apparently these people held up a jail bus and freed a prisoner..." Anna was shaking her head, "Were you living under a rock for the past twelve hours?"

"I've been sleeping." I smirked, attempting to play it off. "Besides, you know I never watch the news."

"It's amazing that none of them were caught," Anna said.

I was still in awe over how we had gotten away with all of that last night.

"Guess they're pretty good." Not that I was tooting my own horn or anything. Deciding it was time to change the subject I asked, "So do you have any plans for tomorrow?"

Anna just looked over at me, "No? Why?"

"Because it's visitation day." I hoped Anna liked the idea. Now that it was summer and Anna didn't have school it was the perfect opportunity. Not to mention we hadn't seen our mom in a while and I was beginning to feel bad.

"You wanna see mom?" Anna asked, almost surprised.

I simply nodded. "If you want to."

"I do."

"Then we'll go tomorrow."

And that was that as we made it back home. Anna grabbed her bag and escaped the summer heat. As for me, I stayed outside just a bit longer to bask in my newfound sense of freedom. The thought of finding a job that would pay and get us out of Derik's house shackled me to reality but I silently congratulated myself for a job well done last night. I deserved it.

I thought about what I could do with the ten thousand I had earned, knowing there were plenty of things I could use it on. Maybe buy a cheap used car, which would help me significantly. That was something to talk to Derik about.

Deciding it was best to escape the burning heat I went to go inside, but a black car stopped in front of my drive way.

I watched as tinted windows rolled down, the void, dark eyes of Chapman already locked with my own.

"Get in. We need to talk."